Strawberry Season!

One of the harbingers of Spring is the daffodill -- the other is that the grocery stores have amazing strawberries for sale -- those delightful packages of vitamin C that wear little green hats and decorate their outside with seeds.

Here is a dessert recipe that sounds so wrong, but tastes delicious!

Strawberries with Pepper and Balsamic Vinegar

1/3 C Balsamic vinegar

2 tsp sugar or agave nectar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

3 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 C packed light brown sugar

freshly ground black pepper

Boil the vinegar, sugar (or agave nectar) and lemon juice. Simmer until reduced by half to approximately 3 tablespoons. (Takes about 3 minutes.) Transfer the syrup to small bowl and cool completely.

Lightly toss berries and brown sugar in a large bowl. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes to draw out the juices in the fruit. Pour vinegar syrup over. Add pepper and toss.

This makes a wonderful parfait layered with greek yoghurt, mascarpone or ricotta cheese sweetened with honey or agave nectar.

Enjoy!

Amazing Black Bean Brownies

Have you ever noticed how gluten-free baking is never simple? What happened to all those "5 ingredient" recipes we used to love? No more, but this one is worth the mess.

These brownies really are amazing when you consider that black beans don't taste anything like chocolate! The beans do provide some great fiber and nutrition however, and the modifications I've made to the original recipe take them from a sticky fudge-like texture to slightly cakey. Delicious! AND they're gluten-free!

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 C unsalted butter (or Earth Balance)

2 C soft-cooked black beans, drained (1-15 oz. can works fine)

1 C walnuts or pecans, chopped

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 C (granulated) natural coffee substitute (or instant coffee for gluten-sensitive)

1/4 tsp sea salt

4 large eggs

1 1/2 C light agave nectar and/or honey

1/2 C Jules Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour*

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 11x18 inch rimmed baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with canola spray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microware for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the nuts, vanilla extract, and several spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of the nuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute or coffee, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

Measure the flour and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper or parchment. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs until light and creamy, adding one at a time, about 2 minutes total. Add the agave nectar or honey and beat well.

Mix the beans/chocolate with the coffee/chocolate and add the flour mixture. Stir to combine.

Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (Okay. I know you won't and these actually can be cut while warm.)

Makes 52 (2-inch) brownies. (2 points each for WW)

Adapted from a recipe originally appearing in Baking With Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano (Ten Speed Press 2008)

To order a sample bag of Jule's Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour, go to www.nearlynormalkitchen.com. Or if you're in the Seattle area and don't want to wait for delivery, call me at 206-569-4726. I might have an extra bag I'd be willing to sell.

Great Make-Ahead Breakfast

It seems like a no-brainer to have breakfast ready to cook the night before, then just pop it into the oven. Why don't we do that more often?

Here's a great way to say "Ole" to the new day!

Sunny Mexican Egg Strata

8 eggs (or any combination of yolks and whites your health dictates)

1/2 C milk (or substitute)

10 to 12 corn tortillas (the coarser, the better)

1 -7 oz can chopped green chiles

1 pkg pepper jack cheese slices

Beat the eggs with a whisk, add 1/2 cup of milk (or milk substitute) and whisk some more to combine. Add the chopped green chiles (without draining) and mix again.

Season with salt, white pepper, hot sauce, to your taste.

Cut or tear the corn tortillas into strips and spread half of them in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Chop the cheese slices (or use grated cheese) and spread half over the tortillas. Repeat the layers of tortillas and end with cheese. Pour the egg mixture over and poke down any tortilla strips that try to escape.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes while the oven heats to 350 degrees F, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with salsa and lime wedges, garnish with cilantro. Makes 8 servings.

I've also made this in muffin cups for individual servings. They freeze well and make a quick breakfast on the run if you're willing to forego the salsa.

Pumpkin Season!!

and what better meal for pumpkin than breakfast!

Souffled Pumpkin Pancake

5 Tbsp butter (or Earth Balance)

1 Tbsp brown sugar (or dark agave nectar)

1/4 cup pecan halves (I use more because I like them)

2/3 C Jules' Nearly Normal All-Purpose Flour (or wheat flour)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/3 C sugar (or Stevia, Truvia - NOT Aspartame)

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, separated

2/3 C buttermilk *

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 C pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Confectioners' sugar for dusting if desired

Maple syrup for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a 10" skillet over medium-low heat. (I use a cast-iron skillet that can go directly into the oven.) Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Transfer the pecan mixture to a small dish and set aside. Reserve the skillet for the pancake, including the butter and sugar left in it.

Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl or on some wax paper, measure the flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt. Set aside.

Add the egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla to the melted and cooled butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in flour mixture and stir in the pumpkin puree.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into the pumpkin mixture. Lightly spoon the batter into the reserved skillet. Sprinkle the top of the pancake mixture with the reserved pecan mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Dust the pancake with confectioners' sugar if desired. Cut into wedges and serve with or without maple syrup -- it's lovely alone.

In the Spring I make this using mashed ripe banana and top it with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts! Yumm.

* If you're avoiding dairy, make your own buttermilk by placing 2 tsp. of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in the bottom of a glass measuring cup, then fill it up to the 2/3 mark with your choice of almond, soy or rice milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes while the acid curdles the milk and turns it to buttermilk! The basic proportion is 1 Tbsp/cup of milk.

Amazing Delicious Pie Crust

Just in time for Thanksgiving ... and ready for every pie-baking day after that!

Pastry for Pie Crust

This recipe produces the best gluten-free pie crust I've made using store-bought ingredients and is not difficult to handle if you follow directions. The dough is delicate, which is why I recommend rolling it out on parchment paper or two sheets of wax paper. It handles more easily when it's cool, so use the cream cheese and butter straight from the fridge without warming to room temperature, then let the dough rest in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before rolling it out.

4 oz. cream cheese (or Tofutti substitute)

2 Tbsp butter (or Earth balance)

2/3 cup rice flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp sugar (or stevia, Splenda or other granulated sweetener)

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp baking soda

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl until the fine crumb texture becomes a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper (or two sheets of waxed paper). Cover with another sheet of paper and roll out into a large circle, 12 to 13 inches in diameter.
• Remove the top sheet of parchment and turn the dough upside down into a 9" pie plate, then carefully remove the remaining sheet of paper. Don't worry if there are tears -- you can patch them with the trimmings.
• Trim the edges about 1/2" outside the plate, then tuck the surplus under itself and crimp it to the edge of the pie plate. (This crust tends to shrink and slide down inside the plate if you don't pinch it down.)
• Prick the crust all over with a fork to reduce bubbling (and shrinkage).
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until deep golden in color. Let cool. Fill as desired.
• To use for a baked pie, bake for 6 to 8 minutes, then brush with melted butter and let cool slightly. Fill, and bake again until the filling is done.

Makes one 9" pie crust.

Credit goes to Roben Ryberg, author of The Gluten-Free Kitchen

Fight Back this Flu Season - with Cold-Busting Chicken Soup!

We all remember hearing that chicken soup will make us feel better when we're sick, and now there is scientific proof to back up that theory. Research has shown that chicken soup can be as potent as a multi-symptom cold reliever, providing chemicals that open airways, ease coughs and attack viruses.

According to Irwin Ziment, M.D., the soup has to include several key ingredients found only in the homemade variety. Here's what you'll find in Grandma's pot these days:

• An expectorant to clear your lungs. Cooking chicken with the skin on releases an amino acid called cysteine that thins mucus.
• A pain reliever to quiet coughs. Chile peppers add a dose of cough-calming capsaicin, the compound that gives the peppers their heat. Studies show it contains a chemical similar to an ingredient in cough syrup that helps loosen secretions in the nose and lungs.
• A decongestant free of side effects. Garlic, onions and hot spices such as curry can ease a stuffy nose without the drowsiness or nervousness you can get from decongestants.
• A germ- and virus-fighter to drive off colds. Studies show garlic is a powerful antibiotic that can ward off infections. Allicin, the substance that gives it its flavor, is similar to a European cold-fighting drug. There's also a dose of fresh ginger in this recipe; it's a proven immunity booster, and studies have shown it helps kill viruses.
• A powerful anti-inflammatory agent. A member of the ginger family, turmeric has the chemical curcumin which is currently being tested for its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer protential.

I can't take credit for this wealth of information or the original recipe for Cold Busting Soup. My dog-eared copy of this recipe and the accompanying article came from the October 1997 issue of WOMAN'S WORLD. Make the soup and add your own flavors, but be sure to include the important items that will help you fight a cold and stay healthy this winter.

Cold-Busting Chicken Soup

Loaded with hot peppers, garlic, onions and spices, this mouth-watering soup drives off a cold deliciously.

• 1 (3 1/2-lb.) whole stewing chicken, cut into eighths
• 6 carrots, sliced, divided
• 6 parsnips, cut into 1/2" pieces, divided
• 4 onions, chopped, divided
• 4 ribs celery, chopped, divided
• 1 turnip, cut into 1/2" pieces, divided
• 3 whole peppercorns
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves + 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, divided
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice

In a stockpot over medium-high heat, cook chicken pieces until browned, about 15 minutes. Remove; set aside.

Drain all but 2 Tbsp. of the drippings. Add half of each of the next 5 ingredients. Cook 15 minutes. Add chicken, 10 cups of water, peppercorns, 1/4 cup cilantro and parsley. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 1 hours. Cool slightly, strain stock. Remove chicken from bones; shred and reserve. Discard bones, skin and vegetables. Cover stock; chill overnight.

The next day, skim off the congealed fat. Heat oil in the stockpot over medium heat. Add next 5 ingredients and stir for a few minutes to roast the spices. Add remaining carrots, parsnips, onions, celery and turnip; cook 15 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Add peas, chicken and remaining cilantro; cook 10 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the lime juice.

Makes 16 cups. Per cup: 143 calories, 13 g. protein; 6 g. fat; 30 mg. chol; 9 g. carbs; 718 mg. sodium.

Quinoa Pudding for Life

Every Saturday morning friends stop by to share a meal and talk about how life is treating them, how they are treating life, and how it all relates to the Creator. Breakfast is so life-giving, especially after a long night of wishing dinner had been more substantial, so the meal part of our gathering is highly anticipated.

There is usually a baked cereal on the menu and this weekend I served Quinoa Pudding with Pears and Toasted Almonds. You could have heard a pin drop, except for the satisfied sounds of enjoyment. The consistency is thick enough to be sliced once it cools, but you could increase the eggs and milk if you wanted more of a custard or pudding. This would make a delicious dessert parfait layered with sweetened mascarpone cheese and sprinkled with toasted almonds and shaved chocolate.

Quinoa, (pronounced keen-wah), is native to South America and is gluten free, fat free, rich in fiber, and is a powerhouse of protein -- many times more than rice or oatmeal.

Here's the recipe:

Quinoa Pudding with Pears and Toasted Almonds

1¼ hours | 20 min prep, up to 40 minutes oven time

Makes 12 servings: 206 Cal., 3.8g fat, 1.8g Fiber, 7g Protein

1 ½ C. quinoa*

3 1/2 to 4 C water

2 eggs or Ener-G egg replacement

2 egg whites, or Ener-G

3 Tbsp dry milk powder or dry goat milk powder

1 ½ C milk or milk substitute (coconut milk is lovely)

1 tsp almond extract

¾ C sugar (reserve 1 Tbsp for topping), (**see below for substitutions)

1 ½ C chopped pears, tossed in 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

1/3 C rough chopped toasted almonds

1 Tbsp coconut oil (or butter)

1/3 C dried cherries, rough chopped

¼ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

¼ C ground flax seed

cooking spray

1. Place quinoa in a bowl of water or in a fine sieve under running water. Clean off the bitter external layer by rubbing the grains between your hands. Drain and repeat several times. You will know the quinoa is clean when the water runs clear.

2. Bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add quinoa and when it returns to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until grains are translucent, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain any remaining water.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop almonds and spread on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, until golden and aromatic. Set aside to cool. Chop pears into 1/2" cubes and toss in lemon juice. Set aside.

4. To measure milk, place powdered milk in measuring cup and add milk to the 1 1/2 cup mark. Stir together to dissolve milk powder. If you do not have powdered milk, you could use yoghurt or whole milk. I use Vanilla Almond milk to avoid casein and add another layer of flavor.

5. Whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, almond extract, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until just combined. Warm the coconut oil (or butter) until nearly melted, about 10 seconds in the microwave. Stir until fully melted and add to the liquid. Mix in quinoa, nuts, and cherries and pears. Pour into a 9x13 baking pan prepared with a coat of cooking spray.

6. Stir together cinnamon and remaining tablespoon sugar and sprinkle over top of pudding. Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, around 40 minutes. I've also prepared this in individual large custard cups, baking for only 30 minutes. (One of our friends is blind and he appreciates having sides on his dish so he can get every bite without making a mess!)

Serve warm or at room temperature.

* This recipe is delicious with 1 C white quinoa, 1/2 C black quinoa. They cook at different rates, so even though the regular quinoa is soft, the black stays a little crunchy to add some texture.

**If you want to avoid refined sugar, use agave nectar or honey for the sweetener. You can also use Stevia, but only use half as much because it's sweeter.

Make this a tropical dish by adding grated coconut, switch the fruit to pineapple, mango and use macadamia nuts instead of almonds. (They're really inexpensive at Big Lots!)

Another variation is chopped apples and dried cranberries with English walnuts.

I'm thinking about trying it with pumpkin, raisins and pecans around Thanksgiving.

I love it when there are left-overs to eat for breakfast during the week. In fact, I just might have some of this Quinoa Pudding for dessert tonight!