Gluten Free Protein Pancakes

Happy National Pancake Week! I have a yummy new pancake to share with you in light of the holiday.

Due to some allergy issues in the family, I was recently advised by our physician to not give Bambina gluten until she is at least 1. This was a bit disheartening as we are just starting to explore the world of solid foods and doing Baby-led Weaning I want her to be able to eat what we are eating. So I decided to play around with some pancakes this morning to make something tasty for us, but gluten free for her. These came out nice and fluffy and with the extra eggs, cottage cheese and yogurt the Hubby commented that they filled him up more than normal pancakes which is always a plus around here!

Gluten Free Protein Pancakes

3 eggs

3/4 c. cottage cheese

3/4 c. yogurt (I mixed plain and vanilla)

2/3 c. *rice flour

1/3 c. oats

1 tsp. baking powder

Heat griddle to a medium heat and lightly grease. Mix ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.

Pour batter onto preheated griddle with 1/4 c measuring cup. Flip when small bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake and continue to cook the other side (approximately 2-3 minutes per side) until batter is no longer runny. Makes about 10 4-5 inch pancakes.

*If you don't need them to be gluten free just substitute the rice flour for white or wheat flour.

Enjoy!

Italian Herb Bread

This is one of my favorite go-to bread recipes. It tastes amazing. And, really how can you go wrong when you're using basil, oregano and garlic! I usually mix it up in the bread machine and bake it in the oven, but it works just as well using a stand mixer with a dough hook or going the old fashion way and kneading it by hand (then you get your arm work out in for the day, too!) though you might want to add a bit extra flour so it's not as sticky if you're kneading by hand.

Italian Herb Bread 

1 1/4 cup Water

1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Sugar

3 1/2 cups Flour
2 tsp Yeast

1 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Dried Basil

1 tsp Dried Oregano

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 cup grated Parmesan (option)

Dump all ingredients in your bread machine and set to dough mode. When it's complete, remove dough and place into a greased bread pan and let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. 

Let cool a bit before slicing (if you can restrain yourself!).

Soy Banana Bread

I am always on the look out for a new, healthy banana bread recipe to try. However, I often fall back on this Soy Banana Bread recipe as a tried and true favorite. A friend first shared it with me several years ago and now I'd want to pass it on to all of you! And don't be scared away by the soy flour, it can easily be swapped out with regular wheat flour. I do love that it adds some extra protien to an otherwise carb- heavy snack though so if you're feeling adventurous give a try!

Soy Banana Bread

Sift together:

1cup + 2 Tbsp Soy Flour

1 1/3 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (or 1 cup white flour and 1/3 cup bran)

2 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 cup Sugar (I often cut this down)

Add in:

1/4 cup Oil (or 2 Tbsp Oil and 2 Tbsp Yogurt)

1 Egg, beaten

1/3 cup Milk

1 cup Mashed Bananas (2-3)

1/2 cup Chopped Nuts (option)

Mix until just moistened. Spread into a greased 9x5 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes. Enjoy!

So do you have a favorite go-to snack bread recipes?

Artisan Bread in 5

I know there are several copies of this floating around the web, but I have been loving the Artisan Bread in 5 recipe. It's such an easy way to have fresh bread with minimal work and minimal time!

It literally takes about 5 minutes to mix up and the dough lasts for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Per usual, I don't follow it to the letter - I usually bake it at 350 degrees and forego the the pan of water in the over. Using half white and half wheat works well too, but sometimes requires a bit more water to be used.

Here are some of my favorite variations to the recipe so far:

Italian Herb Bread - starting with the basic bread dough add 

1.5 - 2 TBSP of Italian seasoning

1 tsp of garlic 

sprinkle loaf with a bit of garlic salt prior to baking for an extra touch

Rosemary Bread - starting with the basic bread dough add 

2 TBSP dried rosemary 

1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Serve with olive oil for dipping.

Garlic Thyme Bread - starting with the basic bread dough add 

1.5 TBSP dried thyme

1 tsp of garlic

Soon I want to try it for pizza dough so I will let you know how it goes when that happens.

Now go bake some bread!

The Art of Bread

I began baking bread last year out of a desire for quality bread and an aversion to the high prices they charge for it at the store. Since then it has developed into more of a passion. There is something to be said for the feel of the smooth dough between your hands as you knead it, watching it rise as it waits to go in the oven (at least, most of the time they rise, though I've learned there is never a guarantee!) and then the amazing smell that wafts through the house as its baking. I quite enjoy! And I am continually amazed at the massive variety of recipes to be tried. I'm afraid I shall never get through them all! My two latest interest have been sourdough-I made up a sourdough started a few weeks ago have since been experimenting with pleasing success-and more recently, artisan breads. What are artisan breads? Well, I'm not exactly sure but as far as I can tell they are pretty much anything that falls into the category of the beautiful (though not necessarily perfect-looking), often crusty, delicious breads that you get at quaint bakeries and restaurants. They seem to have much more of an art form to them than a typical recipe you might throw in the bread machine at the last minute. Not that I'm disregarding a regular loaf of bread, it's quite yummy and definitely has its place, but still, to be able to bake a loaf of bread with the crunchy crust and the soft airy filling, I don't know, it feels more gourmet, I guess. Perhaps that is the appeal. Well, as I write, my first loaf of "rustic bread" is waiting to be put in the oven so I shall close with this quote I read that sums things up nicely.

"No yoga exercise, no meditation in a chapel filled with music will rid you of your blues better than the humble task of baking your own bread."