Diet, Dessert and Dogs

*Or, Thanks, Michael Ruhlman (for the rule, man).

[Quick note:  Diet, Dessert and Dogs finally has its own Facebook Page!  If you like the DDD blog, come on over and "like" the page!]

[Millet, buckwheat, oat and bean flour with chopped pears and cranberry compote]

I’m all about freedom of choice. 

While my dad eats the identical breakfast every day**, I feel the need to rotate among cereal (hot or cold), omelets, baked sweet potato and almond sauce, apple and almond butter, various types of smoothies, last night’s leftovers, or other breakfast baked goods.

While the HH likes to spend his weekends in the same fashion each week (sleep in; brunch at our favorite place; toodle around a bookstore; come home and listen to classical music on his beyond-our-means stereo system), I’d rather do something entirely different each Saturday and Sunday–go to the museum, say, or the farmers market, or read my latest book of choice, or cook up something new in the DDD kitchen, or launch a campaign to get on The Ellen Show. 

Similarly, on his watch, the HH takes The Girls along the exact same route each time they go for a walk.  I, on the other hand, can’t help but mix it up a bit: one day to the baseball field, the next to the park, the third to the pond, and so on.  

I can’t imagine how people consume the exact same meal every day, or wear the same uniform to school, or choose the same car every time they purchase, or set up a room and never rearrange the furniture.  I mean, don’t they get bored of those foods/ vehicles/ outfits/ spouses (sorry, must have been the influence of the recent Tiger Woods/Jesse James scandals–meant to say, “houses”)?

As you may recall, I am a lover of pancakes.  My favorite breakfast back in the day (that would be the “pre-ACD, looked-okay-on-the-outside-but-was-actually-deteriorating-on-the-inside” day) was pancakes, sausages, scrambled eggs, and home fries.  Never mind that those calories alone could power the entire Gulf Coast cleanup mission; the quality of what I ate was none too great, either. 

One aspect of my standard “big breakfast” at restaurants that I didn’t enjoy, however, was the sameness of it.  Wherever we went, it was invariably the same pancake mix each place used, resulting in identical puffy, seemingly inflated, fried-in-hydrogenated-grease cakes that resemble those colored kitchen sponges a little too much for my comfort. (I think they just all used Bisquick as their base, now that I look back on it).  Even in my own kitchen, I’ve had to attempt various types and flavors of pancake to keep my flapjack love alive.

[Millet, rice, tapioca, chickpea flours with blueberries and cashew custard sauce]

Well, the more I’ve experimented with GF baking, the more I’ve come to love the fact that most recipes require a long ingredient list with at least two or three types of flour.  At first, like everyone else, I found this necessity a real drag; I mean, who has all these items in the pantry?  (Of course, there’s always all-purpose GF flour, but to me that sort of defeats the purpose.). Unlike baking with wheat, I realized, gluten free baking affords the opportunity to alter the recipe to your mood, to a particular meal, to a personal taste.  Feel like something rustic and hearty?  Try amaranth, or quinoa as the main flour.  Something light and delicate?  Your choice is millet or sorghum. A hint of chocolate?  Teff adds depth and color.  And so on. Baked goods made with gluten free flours are unique and distinctive; like snowflakes, no two are alike.  And this is a good thing.

Still, there are ways to streamline the process.  Something I noticed when baking from an established GF recipe was that most GF mixes include a grain, a starch, and a bean or legume flour.  In a pinch, they even replaced the beany flour with another grain. If I didn’t particularly like the flavor of the specific grain or bean that was chosen, or if I was missing an ingredient, I decided to experiment, swapping out one for the other.  And guess what?  It almost always worked!  Better yet, sometimes my result was even more flavorful or texturally appealing than the original.

You know how slot machines (those “one-armed bandits”) always display a new combination of pictures (cherries, oranges, and lemons, say) each time you pull the lever?  That’s how I think of this recipe. Like Michael Ruhlman’s concept in Ratio, this basic recipe provides the proportions, and you can change up the contents any way you wish. 

There are four main categories–grain, starch, legume and fruit or nut–and you can exchange any item from one category for another from the same category.  So each time you make these pancakes, they’ll turn up a little differently, yet still delicious.  

If you’re feeling adventurous, go ahead and experiment, too.  Luckily, this pancake recipe was created for substitutions, so any combination should come out palatable, at the least (and once in a while, you get that “coins pouring out the slot in waves” lucky combination that you write down and keep forever.).

There are four flour ingredients in these pancakes, in varied amounts: either 1/2 cup (120 ml) or 1/4 cup (60 ml)***.   Feel free to replace the grains with any other grains from the same category and your pancakes should still be light and fluffy (see exception, below).  Replace the starch with any other starch (see exception) and your pancakes will still be light and fluffy.  And pull out that bean and replace it with another bean or legume and yes, Virginia, your pancakes will still be light and fluffly.

[Amaranth, teff, oat and sorghum with blueberries and warm almond sauce]

So far, I’ve made these with the following combinations: amaranth, teff, oat (a grain exception that functions as a starch in these recipes) and sorghum; millet, buckwheat, oat and whole bean;  rice, arrowroot and carob; and rice, millet, arrowroot and garfava–and they’ve all come out great. 

This is the perfect pancake recipe for me: I can switch it up every time I have pancakes for breakfast, yet know that whatever I’ve got, I’ll enjoy the results. No more breakfast boredom!  The spice of life never tasted so good.

I’d love for you to try out your own unique combination of pancake ingredients and share them here!  Feel free to play with the recipe and replace the flours with others from the same category, the tahini with nut butter or other seed butter, the fruits with one(s) of your choice or nuts/seeds, the flax with chia (just remember that you’ll need much less chia–about 1 tsp/5 ml finely ground–instead of each Tbsp/15 ml flax), or the soy milk with almond, hemp or rice milk.  Instead of vanilla, how about almond extract, or lemon?  Instead of cinnamon, how about ginger, cardamom, or another spice? It’s all good!

[Rice, millet, arrowroot and garfava flours with walnut-cacao nut butter]

With all the possibilities out there, I can’t wait to hear about what you create!  Let me know if you try out your own combination, and I’ll add a link to your post. 

Have fun with it, and enjoy your varied pancake breakfasts! And with Mother’s Day tomorrow, pancakes might just offer a perfect brunch for you and Mom. 

“Mum, we’re not that great at cooking pancakes–lack of opposable thumbs, and all that–but we would be happy to share them with you tomorrow.”

** Corn flakes with 1/2 banana, 6 prunes, and a cup of tea, in case you were wondering.

Pick-Your-Own GF Pancakes

This recipe is a serendipitous invention that came about because I was out of brown rice flour for another pancake I wished to make.  By the time I was done, I’d altered almost every ingredient on the list and had discovered a fabulous, all-purpose generic pancake recipe.  This is the last pancake recipe you’ll ever need!

1/2 cup (120 ml)*** millet or other grain flour, or use 1/4 cup (60 ml) each of two different grain flours  (see List A, below)

1/4 cup (60 ml) sorghum, oat, or other starchy flour (see List B, below)

1/4 cup (60 ml) chickpea or other bean-based flour (see List C, below)

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum (optional, but pancakes will be less cohesive without it)

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon, ginger, or other spice of choice (you may need to reduce the amount to 1/4 tsp/1 ml for other spices)

1 Tbsp (15 ml) GF baking powder

1/4 tsp (1 ml) baking soda

1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt

1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice PLUS

plain or vanilla soy, almond or rice milk to equal 1-1/4 cups (300 ml)

2 Tbsp (30 ml) light agave nectar or 10 drops liquid stevia

2 Tbsp (30 ml) sunflower or other light-tasting oil, preferably organic

1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely ground flax seeds

1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp (2. 5 ml) additional flavoring, such as almond, lemon, or coconut (optional)

1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh or frozen berries or chopped fruit (such as apples, bananas or pears–do not thaw first if frozen), or nut pieces

In a large bowl, sift together the grain flour, starchy flour, beany flour, xanthan gum, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

Pour the 1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice into a glass measuring cup and add milk of choice until liquid measures 1-1/4 cups (300 ml).  To the cup, add the agave or stevia, oil, flax seeds, vanilla and other flavoring, if using. 

Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and stir just to blend.  Gently fold in the fruit or nuts.

Heat a nonstick frypan over medium heat.  Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, place scoops of batter in the preheated pan and spread out a bit so that pancake isn’t so thick.  Cook 4-5 minutes, until the tops are dry on top (they will lose their shine) and begin to brown on the edges (this may take time–be patient!).  Flip pancakes and cook another 3-4 minutes, until both sides are deep golden brown (they need to be well done or the insides will remain too moist).  As you finish the batter, keep pancakes warm in a low (300F/150C) oven.  Makes 7-9 pancakes.  May be frozen. 

These are great when fresh; if you wish to store them a day or two, wrapped in plastic in the fridge, they may dry out a bit and become a bit more crumbly next time round.  To avoid this outcome, you can always add 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum to the dry ingredients when you first prepare the pancakes.

***Note to Metric Cooks: I’ve used volume measurements even for the flours here, as weights will vary depending on which grains, beans, etc. you choose.  I’ve found that scooping and leveling with a dry measuring cup (the graduated metal ones) works well.

Choices, Choices! 

Here’s a basic list of gluten-free flours and beans/legumes (notice that oats are now on the list!) to help you along. Easy!

And here are the lists of various flours I’ve found that work well (sorry, I haven’t mastered how to insert a chart yet!).  The various combinations I’ve tried so far are listed at the bottom of the post. 

Do you know of any others?  Let me know!  And have fun!

List A: Grains

• brown rice flour
• teff flour
• amaranth flour
• quinoa flour
• millet flour
• buckwheat flour (technically a seed, but functions as a grain)

List B: Starchy Flours

• arrowroot flour
• cornstarch
• tapioca starch
• potato starch
• sorghum flour (technically a grain, but functions as a starch)
• oat flour (technically a grain, but functions as a starch)

List C: Beany Flours

• chickpea (besan) flour
• whole bean flour (possibly only available in Canada, at Bulk Barn)
• navy bean flour
• Garfava flour (garbanzo-fava bean mix)
• soy flour
• carob flour

Last Year at this Time: A Reunion and Some Reflections

Two Years Ago: Vanilla Vs. Vanilla (pre-ACD cupcakes and muffins with gluten and agave/maple syrup)

© 2010 Diet, Dessert and Dogs

[Before I delve into today's snack post, I want to send out a heartfelt "thank you" to each and every one of you who responded to my last post. I was bowled over by the outpouring of kindness and support that you folks displayed.  And thanks to all of you who shared your own story or struggles with food issues, whether dietary restrictions or your own food addictions.  I've said this many times before on the blog, but really, I can't say it enough:  you people are remarkable!  Thank you, all, for visiting, for reading, for commenting, and for your thoughtful responses and ideas, which all add their own kind of sweetness to my life. Without you all, this would be a very lonely (not to mention unrewarding) endeavor, indeed!]

And now, on to the food!  A while back, I promised a post on anti-candida snack foods along with the breakfasts and desserts. (And even though I’m assuming the anti-candida diet will be temporary for me, as it is for almost everyone, it’s amazing how my blog has suddenly morphed into a “candida” blog.  Most of the searches that lead people here involve the words, “anti-candida” or “candida diet.”  Except, of course, for those that involve the words, “dogs girls sexy” or “dogs girls dessert.”  Don’t worry, though–I don’t let the real Girls see any of these–it would be too traumatic for them.). 

Over the past few months, I realized that most of my snacks don’t actually require a recipe:  baby carrots (in moderation–they are pretty high in natural sugars, after all); grape tomatoes; celery sticks; hummus and any of the previous veggies; roasted chick peas; cucumber rounds; kale chips (and have you seen this recent iteration?  They sound great!); or, most recently, fresh berries (yay! fruit–though limited to berries and a few others–has made its triumphant return to my diet!).  Although I was never a “potato chips” kind of gal (I think you can be one or the other: salty-snack person or sweet-snack person.  I always leaned toward the chocolate bars, cookies, cupcakes, etc. rather than the salty snacks), I have been craving something snacky recently.  Something crunchy. Something salty. Something portable that isn’t nuts or seeds. 

And so, on a whim a couple of weeks ago, I visited our local health food store in search of snacks.  My encounter with the cashier went something like this:

Scene:  small, family-owned health food store tucked in a local plaza not far from where Ricki lives.  Reminiscent of old-time general stores that you see on reruns like The Andy Griffith Show * or Green Acres.

Ricki  [browsing around. She approaches the affable, somewhat retro-looking cashier.] “Say, do you have any snack foods for someone who can’t eat gluten, sweeteners, refined anything, eggs, or dairy?” 

(Actually, I never begin sentences with the word, “Say,” but it does make the dialogue sound much more as if I really live in a small, close-knit neighborhood like Mayberry, doesn’t it?). 

Young Cashier:  “Why, yes, Ma’am, yes, indeed, we do.” (Okay, she didn’t really start with, “Why, yes,” either, and didn’t say “indeed.”  Another attempt at 1950s-era verisimilitude.  She did, however, actually call me “Ma’am,” which made me feel very authentically 1950s). 

Young Cashier: [Leading Ricki to a shelf containing Mary's products.]  These are all gluten-free and sugar free, made with whole foods ingredients.  You might like to try some of these. The Curry flavor is my favorite.

Ricki: [Speechless. Her mind is reeling]: Wow! You mean there are actually snacks I can eat on this &*%$#! regimen that I don’t have to make myself?? Okay!  I’ll take ten bags! 

(All right.  I admit that I didn’t really say THAT, either.  But I wanted to.  Perhaps realistic dramatic representation is not my forte.)

Well, if you live in California–or anywhere in the US, really–and are either (a) on a gluten-free diet; (b) into healthy foods; (c) the owner of a health food store; or (d) named Mary, you have most likely already heard of or tasted the Mary’s Gone Crackers product called “Sticks and Twigs.”  On the other hand, if you live in the Distant Far Northern Canadian Outpost that is Toronto–as I do–the discovery was a revelation.  (Do you think perhaps I should stop making tongue-in-cheek comments about how far north, how cold, and how polite it is here in Canada? After all, there are some people out there who might actually think I’m being serious!). These snacks resemble pretzels but are crunchier.  They’re a whole foods, no-added-fat snack with little pellets of baked amaranth and quinoa scattered throughout. They come in flavorful choices such as Curry or Chipotle Tomato.

And they are mighty addictive.

Only one problem:  at $5.99 per 8-ounce (about 250 g) bag, they really did leave me speechless.

In recent months, I’ve noticed a few bloggers playing a game that involves listing the ingredients in a processed “food” and having readers guess what it is (such as this one on Meghan’s blog).  For instance, did you know that “Wheat Flour, Sugar, Dextrose, Vegetable Oil, Glucose Syrup, Milk Whey Powder, Invert Sugar Syrup, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder, Wheat Starch, Salt, Raising Agent (Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, Diphosphates), Dried Egg White, Beef Gelatin, Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum), Vanilla Extract, Modified Wheat Starch, Colour (Caramel E150d, Titanium Oxide) and Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin)” is actually a Pop Tart? (Yep.  Titanium Oxide–often used in paint, or as a sunscreen--is a bonus ingredient in your breakfast “pastry.”  Eat up, everyone!).

Well, I decided to turn that game on its head. I took a food I like, namely the Sticks and Twigs, studied the ingredients, and then attempted to reproduce it at home.  The result was better than I could have expected.  I daresay, I like my version better than the original!

Mine are surprisingly like Mary’s, but a bit thicker, and–most important–at a fraction of the cost.  They are, however, still exceedingly crunchy, so if you’re in need of some elective dental work, don’t eat these until after the filling has been replaced. (Just kidding.  But they really do snap, crackle and pop in your mouth).

And, if it turns out they’re not to your taste after all, they make excellent dog biscuits.

With all the healthy whole-grain ingredients in these, I thought they’d make a perfect contribution to Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays, showcasing real food.  Take a peek, or submit your own healthy recipe!

["Mmmm, nice and crunchy, Mum, just like real sticks and twigs.  But what was that you mentioned before about not letting us see something--?  You're not hiding other snacks from us, are you?"]

*For those of you young enough that you can’t remember a time before computers: yep, “Ronny Howard”–ie, Opie–is the same person as director Ron Howard.  Wasn’t he a cutie when he still had hair?

Crunchy Stalks and Branches Snacks

A perfect take-along snack that’s crunchy and filled with real nutrient value: with amaranth, millet, quinoa  and rice, these savory treats contain a fair portion of vitamins, minerals, and protein in each serving.

3 Tbsp (45 ml) amaranth, dry

1/4 cup (60 ml) quinoa, dry

1/4 cup (60 ml) millet, dry

2 cups (480 ml) cooked brown rice (I used brown basmati)

1/4 cup (60 ml) finely ground flax seeds

2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely ground chia seeds

2 tsp (10 ml) mild curry powder

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt, or more, to taste

2 Tbsp (30 ml) sesame seeds

1/2-1 cup (120-240 ml) water, as needed

In a small bowl, soak the amaranth, quinoa and millet for about 2 hours (up to 6 hours).  Drain in a very fine sieve.  Remove about 3 Tbsp (45 ml) of the mixture and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325F (160C).  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick spray.

Place the remaining amaranth, quinoa and millet mixture into the bowl of a strong blender along with the rice, flax, chia, curry powder and salt.  Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and blend to a paste; stir in the sesame seeds.  If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water until you have a mixture the consistency of a soft cookie dough. It should be soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold its shape if you scoop some out and place it on the cookie sheet.

Scrape the mixture into a bowl and then stir in the 3 Tbsp (45 ml) whole seeds that have been set aside.  Using an icing gun or cookie press, press out the mixture in long, thin logs across the cookie sheet (or make into any shapes you like).  I used my icing gun without a tip to create logs for this, but you could use any shape you like.  If you have neither an icing gun nor cookie press, you can shape the “dough” into disks or logs by hand, or simply spread the mixture into a large rectangle and then bake as crackers.

Bake the snacks in preheated oven for about 30 minutes before checking.  Turn them over and continue to bake, another 30-45 minutes, until they are very browned, dry and crisp.  (If baking as crackers, remove from oven after 30 minutes and cut into desired cracker shapes; then turn each cracker over individually and continue to bake as above).

Allow to cool before storing. Makes 4-8 snack-size servings, depending on how hungry you are.  If sufficiently baked, these will keep for at least 2 weeks at room temperature in a covered container (ours only lasted a few days, but they were clearly sturdy enough for the long term).