Dandelion fritters...weeding AND food

This morning I weeded my lawn, and then I made lunch.

Dandelion fritters are one of our favorite springtime treats. Just send the kids out to a natural lawn (you don't want to gather from one sprayed with fertilizer or pesticides) and let them fill up a bucketful of dandelion blossoms.

Just pick off the thin stem, it doesn't taste good, dip in corndog batter or your favorite fritter batter, and fry. We usually just sprinkle them with salt and eat. Sometimes we chop a few of the dandelion greens and mix it with the batter along with some savory herbs. Or, for a truly yummy treat, roll them in powdered sugar after frying. YUMMY!

Our very favorite batter is the corn dog batter that I have listed here.

They're very thin so you don't need much oil when they're frying. They tend to flip themselves over on their own too if the batter is light enough so it's easy.

Get the hang of the dandelion twist to make sure your batter is all over the blossom.

mmmmmmmmm

Here's a video of a different way to do them. I love the thick batter on mine but someone might like this.

Popped Milo

http://everythingfreeeating.blogspot.com/2007/07/dog-days-of-summer.html

WOW! It worked! I tried to pop sorghum after watching a Bizarre Foods episode, then searching for a recipe. I looked for sorghum for months and then while re-loading on my goat feed I noticed the price board said sorghum/milo. 50 lbs were only $9 so I thought I'd try it. If it didn't work I could always feed it to the chickens right?
Well, I put it in my popper and it was great. I found that I had to empty my popper of burned kernels in between batches but other than that it was just the same as popping corn. And, the chickens get the burned ones so there's no waste.
A suggestion, turn on your popper first, get it heated a bit, then add the kernels. It was sweet and we didn't even need butter. And tiny so the baby won't choke on it. And, no icky kernels to break your teeth!
My popped sorghum averaged about 2/3rds of the kernels. The rest will go to the chickens. I heard that if you put it in a container with a little water and let it absorb that it will pop a lot better. I'll let you know in a week when I try it.
I'm sure that sorghum that's packaged for popping would have a much better ratio but I couldn't find it anywhere so I'm making due.
Also, with my air popper I could only put in 1/2 cup at a time. More than that had a lot more burnt kernels. I didn't have the problem of it flying all over the place like some other people have had if they don't put in enough.
See the above link for more tips.

EDITED: I just read that the unpopped kernels at the bottom taste somewhat like corn nuts so I tried them...they're actually good and my kids are downing them now. So sorry chickens, no treats today.

Irish potatoes (candy)

I don't usually post recipes unless I try them first but these look so good and I need your help. I'll make one variety at a time. Please post comments if you try any.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Irish-Potatoes/Detail.aspx

remember to check your coconut or use approved stuff. I just use the unsulphered unsugared from Azure Standard. Use real vanilla on all of these recipes.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Irish-Potato-Candy/Detail.aspx

In this one remember to use cream cheese that's just cream and enzymes, not whipped or spreadable or lowfat.

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1938,158170-233203,00.html

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandmoms-Irish-Potatoes/Detail.aspx

and for those coconut haters out there...

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1938,158170-233203,00.html

and here's one that actually uses potato!

Another Lara bar post

And yet another Lara bar post...This one from The gluten free dish (I have a feeling I'll be borrowing a lot from her blog)

http://theglutenfreedish.blogspot.com/2008/12/date-bars-from-dad-with-love.html

Date bars from dad with love
(Today I would like to introduce to you my sweet husband, Scott. I am grateful to have him as my husband. Chronic illness affects the lives of everyone in a family, and recovery is much faster and greater when you have a supportive spouse who willingly completes you in your weaknesses. Thank you, Scott!

He has delighted us with his newest kitchen creation. I know you will enjoy it as much as we have. These are SOOO good!)




And now for something completely different. This is the dish's husband here. A few weeks ago, I mentioned to one of my co-workers how much our boys love LaraBars. She is a native of India and, after trying some of one I brought with me, stated that her mother made very similar treats for her as a girl.

Well... a few days later she brought some homemade bars to work, and I prevailed on her to supply a recipe. It is a very simple recipe, and the boys have not stopped asking for more (once they ate them all up inside 48 hours). These were made with pecans and coconut, but the recipe is a great starting place for creativity. We're envisioning variations with apples, cocoa, dried cherries or berries, and other types of nuts. Our youngest needs to avoid cinnamon, but this could be a nice change from the spices, too.


Coco-Pecan Date Bars

1 pound dried dates, chopped
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cardamom


Dice the dates, set aside in a metal mixing bowl (what I did) or the top half of a double boiler. Put the nuts, coconut, and spices into the food processor and chop coarsely. Empty the nut mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons warm water to the dates and heat gently over boiling water, stirring often. Once the dates start to soften, put them into the food processor and blend them into a paste. Our processor is rather small (4-cup) , so I had to move the dates around some to get them mixed properly. Combine the dates with the dry mixture (a sturdy spoon works, but so do hands). Once mixed, spread into a 9" square baking dish, pat flat, cover and put in the refrigerator at least one hour.

Depression Breakfast, depression cooking

I'm sure this is obvious but don't use the pre-made wafer cookies at the end.

More on the lara bars...

I made another batch of Lara bars and have some new hints...
This time instead of processing the dates and nuts together I processed the dates with just a few nuts, and then chopped the rest of the nuts (with the processor) a little bigger. I added shredded coconut too. They were much easier to stick together since the nuts weren't powdered.

I also decided since we were going through them so quickly that I would just shape and baggie 5 together. I was going to take a picture but you know, they looked like poo nuggets so I decided against it.

snack sized...

Just a note here, I can't remember if I've posted about this or not. I love snack sized containers! I like to get them from the grocery store, dollar store, or ichiban kan online.
My kids see a snack and they go crazy eating the whole thing. So, right when we get it home we put it in snack sized containers. We also do this with yogurt, homemade jello, and anything else that needs portion control.

mmmm pumpkin spice or anything else muffins

These are a staple of ours. They are one of the few gluten free baked items that I like so far. Sometimes we skip the pumpkin and add applesauce or another fruit or something else that's a little wet. These muffins are moist so they freeze very well. I freeze them in freezer ziplock baggies and get out as many as I need to thaw. If I need to go quickly I'll thaw them in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees but it dries them out a little. Try to set them out the morning before instead. Since it's a staple the directions are all over the place. Just make sure your batter looks like muffin batter (sort of thick, barely beat it, lumps are good) and that you grease or oil the muffin tins so it comes out ok. I usually double the batch.

2-4 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk, water, or coconut milk

1/4 cup approved oil, approved shortening, or coconut oil

3 cups flour, all purpose, wheat, GF baking mix, or any flour. Millet, brown rice, and white or garbanzo bean is a good combination. If using coconut flour decrease a little, it absorbs liquid like crazy.

1 cup sugar, or 3/4 cup agave or honey, or 1/2 tsp pure stevia plus 1/4 cup other sweetner, or if you're used to stevia 1 tsp pure stevia.

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt or other salt

1-2 cups of anything moist like pumpkin, applesauce, or thickly pureed fruit

1-2 tsp spices to go with it. My spice is a combination including cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and corriander.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins with an approved oil or butter. Beat eggs and add all wet ingredients. Mix in remaining ingredients just till flour is moistened. Batter should be a little lumpy.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 cups full. Bake 25 minutes or until done. Immediately remove from pan. If freezing, let cool, then package, then freeze.

Fruit "snacks" or in other words, a fruit bowl centerpiece

This picture is from Rocks in my Dryer...

She talked about how the kids actually eat fruit if it's used as a centerpiece. I absolutely agree. We order most of our food through Azure Standard cause we save so much money there. As part of that, I look through the produce and order whatever is cheapest. You can order small but since we order once a month I usually get 10 or 20 lbs of a fruit. Hey, where else can you get 20 lbs of snack food for $14?

When bananas go on sale you're talking 39 cents a lb. Packaged fruit snacks are $5/lb for comparison.

Some goes in my cold storage, some goes in the fridge, and some goes in the fruit bowl. We keep the fruit bowl full as we need and it always disappears quickly.

The great thing about it is that the kids know they can always have fruit and they don't ask me for snacks. This saves tons of money and sugar AND baking time! My kids do well with apples, pears, mangoes, and bananas. The other fruit that's high in salycylates we limit a little more.

Gluten Free Brownies

http://thebakingbeauties.blogspot.com/2008/11/gluten-free-brownies.html

Gluten-Free Brownies

After reading this recipe on Mennonite Girls Can Cook (and yes, they can) I knew this was a recipe I wanted to try. I found some coconut flour at Bulk Barn when we went to the city, and have since gotten more, so I can make more brownies. :) These made really, really good brownies. Not too cake like, and not too fudge like. Just perfect! When you have a minute, head on over to MGCC the next time you're looking for a recipe. With 14 contributors to the blog, you're sure to find a recipe that you like!

Source: Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup coconut oil (or butter)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sifted coconut flour (*See Note)
• 1 cup nuts chopped

Directions:

1. In a saucepan at low heat, melt butter and blend in cocoa powder.
2. Remove from heat and let cool .
3. In a bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla .
4. Stir in cocoa mixture.
5. Add well sifted coconut flour and whisk the batter well until there are no lumps.
6. Fold in the nuts.
7. Pour batter into a greased 8" or 9" square baking pan.
8. Bake at 350' for 30-35 minutes.

*NOTE: Coconut flour very quickly absorbs so the batter may look thin at first ! 1/4 cup of coconut flour is equal to 1 cup of regular flour. (note from Danika, ahhhh no wonder my coconut stuff comes out too dry, I was trying to thicken the batter)

Gluten Free Old Fashined Doughnuts

http://thebakingbeauties.blogspot.com/2008/08/gluten-free-old-fashioned-doughnuts.html

Gluten Free Old Fashioned Doughnuts

Yes folk, that's right, gluten-free donuts! These were actually really simple to make, and they tasted just like the donuts that you get fresh at the summer fairs, all covered in a cinnamon-sugar coating.

I bought myself a donut cutter the other day when we were in the city. I don't really know why, I had never even successfully made donuts before going gluten-free. What was I going to do with it now that I couldn't even eat my failed yeast donuts? Well, I decided to look online for a gluten free donut recipe. Lo & behold, there it was! And on a side note; what on earth did anyone do before the internet anyway??? Going gluten-free would have been horrible back then! Anyway...

The next time I make these donuts, I think I will skip the donuts, and make them all into donut holes. The donut holes are such a nice little size to just pop into your mouth while walking past the platter of donuts (don't ask how many I ate that afternoon, yikes). Like all GF baking, it is best when fresh, however, it can be frozen & reheated in a 350 degree F oven when you want to serve them too. These were awesome, and I didn't even miss not being able to buy them at the local festivals this year (why would I when I have them in my own kitchen??).

Source: GFUtah.org

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 5 cups rice flour blend (*see note)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Combine eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter in a large bowl. Mix well with a wire whisk or fork.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the wet. Mix by hand with a large spoon. (Do not use an electric mixer).
3. Let batter rest for about 15 minutes. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface. If dough is sticky, work in more rice flour blend.
4. Roll dough 1/2" thick. Cut with a doughnut cutter.
5. Fry in 1 to 3 inches of very hot oil (375 degrees F) until brown on one side. Turn doughnuts over and brown on second side.
6. While doughnuts are still warm, toss in a mixture of white sugar & cinnamon to coat. Serve warm.

*NOTE: Rice flour blend is 6 parts rice flour, 2 parts potato starch, and 1 part tapioca starch.

YAY! My Lara bars worked!

oooh yummy! My bars worked. I made a trial run since I only had salycylates (raisins) for a stick together item.
My next batch will be bigger when I get my Azure Standard order. They have non-preserved almonds, dates, and figs. I called the manufacturers just to be sure.

We've been searching for some Gluten and Casein free portable items to keep in the purse and these will be a really nice change from stupid perky-o's.

These bars have raisins (checked to make sure they have no flour dusting), sunflower seeds, coconut shreds, and carob powder. I did boil the raisins with a bit of water first to make sure they were plump enough so the mixture would hold plenty of carob powder. Baby is very low on iron and the carob is good for that.

They turned out very yummy and I'm so excited to get my almonds, dates, and figs!

I made them into a basic shape, wrapped, and then squished a little better. If anyone knows how long these last please let me know. I put them in the fridge for now just in case.