gluten-free cornbread dressing

I can really get down with some side-dishes, man. THANKSGIVING sides in particular.

And the fresh cranberries.  Good grief, those things are so tart and boisterous.  Everyone needs a little of that in a heaping plate of cornbready-herby dressing.  Or if you're pronouncing it correctly, dressin'.

Pssst... 1 week countdown starts now. 

gluten-free cornbread dressing

gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan

2 pounds cooked gluten-free cornbread (like this one)

6 tablespoons Earth Balance butter, melted
1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon rosemary
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup gluten-free vegetable stock

2 eggs, well-beaten

3/4 cup fresh cranberries

1. Cut cornbread into 1-inch cubes, place on a large baking sheet to dry out for several hours or overnight. Place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add stock, eggs and spices and herbs and mix until well-blended.  Add onions, celery and cranberries and stir in cubed cornbread.  Spread stuffing in an oiled 9x15-inch baking dish. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until top golden brown.

gluten-free pumpkin pie

Pie crust doesn't come easy for me. Does it really come easy for anyone?  I'd like to shake the hand of the lady that doesn't profusely sweat over her cubed butter and pastry cutter. And then I'd like to kick that hag in the shin for being a know-it-all, or maybe a liar.  Gluten-free pie crust just ups the ante to an impossible degree and until just yesterday, I was convinced that no living, breathing human could create such a thing that would actually be edible... even more, enjoyable.

At least, until NOW. (silent fist pump)

That's right. Yep. Thanks be to 8 lb. 6 oz. baby Jesus, I successfully baked a pumpkin pie.  Without gluten.  And without dairy.  By golly, it's a great pumpkin pie.  BRING IT, THANKSGIVING.

Now pardon me while I faint and fall on the floor.

gluten-free pumpkin pie

gluten-free, dairy-free

For the Crust: 

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup white rice flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cold water
1 egg, lightly beaten
12 tablespoons Earth Balance Butter, chilled and cubed

For the Filling:

1 3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

granulated sugar, for sprinkling

1. To make the crust, combine the flours, xanthan gum, sugar and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl and  until thoroughly mixed. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold Earth Balance butter until the mixture resembles big pea-sized clumps. Create a well in the center of the ingredients and add the egg and water, mixing until the dough comes together to form a soft dough. Press the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour.
2. Roll out the chilled dough between the two sheets of parchment and transfer to the pie plate and place into the freezer while you prepare the filling.
3. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
4. To make the filling, add the pumpkin, eggs, coconut milk, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until smooth.   Pour mixture into the prepared crust and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 F, then turn down the temperature to 350 F and bake for 35-40 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack to cool completely, then place in the refrigerator to chill completely. 

pumpkin doughnuts + maple glaze

You'll be unable to exercise moderation.  These doughnuts will render you powerless.  I mean, I hear that's a pretty common trait of pumpkin.

Now, I don't like to make a habit of bragging, BUT.  1.) These babies are delicious.  2.) It's the first day of fall.  3.) They're chock full of pumpkin and spice. They're practically begging to be made.   It's what Jesus would want.  

These are fail-proof and quick: bake in about 12 minutes and literally took less than 10 minutes to prep.  You'll need a doughnut pan and, if you're a smarty, you'll want to scoop the batter into a plastic bag to pipe into the pan to avoid a mega-mess.  (Can you tell I've done this before?)

pumpkin doughnuts + maple glaze

gluten-free, dairy-free 

1 ½ cups gluten-free flour mix (I love Pamela's)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (omit if it's already in flour mix)
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup of unsweetened canned organic pumpkin

For Maple Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 6 count, non-stick doughnut pan with canola oil; Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sugar and mix on slow speed to combine.
3. Add the eggs, oil and pumpkin and mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined. The batter will be a thick cake batter-like consistency.
4. Pipe batter into prepared doughnut pan and bake 12-13 minutes or until doughnuts are lightly browned on top.
5. Let rest for two minutes then carefully turn doughnuts out of the pan to finish cooling.
6. Repeat with remaining batter.  
7. Dip cooled doughnuts into glaze and allow to set on a wire rack.  

Yield: 1 dozen doughnuts
*Recipe slightly adapted from Free Eats

a gluten-free picnic

Guys and gals, grab your hats and fetch a blanket...it's time to picnic.  And this time, picnicking has gone gluten-free.  Totally, completely, super-easily gluten-free. But first, an admission of truth: My sad little picnic basket has collecting dust in the top of my closet for YEARS I tell you. Years.  In the past, the idea of a picnic seemed like a lot of extra work.  It's especially daunting when I have to dream up gf picnic ideas.  That made my brain hurt.


THEN, utter magic happened when Lisa (who I adore profoundly) came to Austin and made all my picnicking-fears go away.  She's the gluten-free entertainer, y'all.  She knows her stuff.  The two of us decided that a we would throw ourselves gluten-free picnic and prove just how simple it could be.  And guess what.  I'm a dang convert.

Hand to the heavens, friends.  So simple, so quick and most importantly, so delicious.

How about a quinoa-stuffed bell pepper? UM, YES IMMEDIATELY PLEASE.  Perhaps a dainty little cucumber-avocado tea sandwich or a dreamy shrimp skewer?  I'll have them all, thanks.  

Cucumber-Avocado Tea Sandwiches

gluten-free and dairy-free

For avocado spread:2 avocados
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper, to taste

1 cucumber, thinly sliced
lightly toasted bread, (we love Udi's)

1. In a small mixing bowl, mash the avocados, lemon juice and zest with a fork. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Lightly toast bread. On one slice at a time, spread a layer of the avocado mixture first then add a layer of cucumber. Top with another slice and cut into triangles to serve. 

Shrimp Skewers 

gluten-free and dairy-free 

1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled
olive oil
garlic powder
salt and pepper
fresh parsley
bamboo skewers

1. Place peeled shrimp in medium-sized mixing bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat all shrimp (about 2 tablespoons). Add spices and mix with hands to coat evenly. 
2. Sautée shrimp over medium-high on each side (approximately 3 minutes each) until no longer translucent. 
3. Skewer cooked shrimp and sprinkle with parsley to serve. 

Quinoa with Mushrooms over Arugula 

gluten-free and dairy-free

by Lisa Thiele of With Style & Grace

Serves 6-8

2 cups uncooked quinoa
3 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup green onions
½ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
fresh arugula
bell peppers

1. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of salted water or chicken broth and quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a summer and cover, 16-18 minutes. When all the water is absorbed, remove and fluff with a fork.
2. Place quinoa into a large bowl and set aside. 
3. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic salt. Sautee until mushrooms have cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. 
4. Remove from the heat and toss in with the cooked quinoa. 
5. Add green onions, parsley and season with salt and pepper. 
6. Serve over a bed of fresh arugula and enjoy! 
7. If you’re serving in bell peppers. Cut the tops of each bell pepper, remove the center and all the seeds, but careful not to break through the bottom. Stuff each pepper with the quinoa salad, serve and enjoy! 

Photos by Studio Uma 

berry-topped pavlova + coconut whipped cream

I'm not sure why it took me nearly 27 years to figure out that there's an entire cake dedicated to the meringue I've been known to peel and eat off the tops of pies.  But, here she is. 

This beauty boasts a perfectly soft marshmallowy center and a crispy, sweet shell.  To keep it completely dairy-free, I whipped up a simple coconut cream to slather on the top and added a couple handfuls of fresh berries.  This is a perfect cake for a big celebration.  You know...like celebrating the fact that you're eating a giant cloud for dessert? 

berry-topped pavlova + coconut whipped cream

gluten-free, dairy-free

8 egg whites
2 cups granulated white sugar

For the Coconut Whipped Cream:

14 ounces full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

fresh berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

1. To prepare the pavlova, preheat your oven to 400º F.
2. Separate eggs and take care not to contaminate the egg whites with any egg yolk. The fat in the egg whites will prevent it from beating properly. 
3. Beat egg whites until stiff then add sugar one tablespoon at a time.  
4. Pour meringue into springform pan (coated with canola oil) and place in oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 250º F.  
5. Bake for 90 minutes. Turn off oven and allow pavlova to sit untouched until oven is completely cooled.
6. To prepare the whipped cream, you'll need to chill the coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight. The coconut milk will separate with the white liquid on top and the clear on the bottom. 
7. Once cold, flip over the can, open it, and carefully pour out the clear liquid (if you get too much of the clear liquid mixed with the white cream, the coconut milk will not whip up properly. Put the coconut milk back in the refrigerator and wait until it separates to try again). 
8. Place the thick, white coconut milk into a mixing bowl and beat in the powdered sugar. 
9. Add vanilla and continue whipping the coconut milk on high for 5-7 minutes.
10. Pour whipped cream on top of cooled pavlova and top with fresh berries.