Lexie's Scones | Gluten, Dairy & Egg-free

I admit, I find gluten-free/egg-free baking a bit challenging. Sometimes I give in—as I did last weekend—and make a baked good with eggs in it. We just have to scarf it down out of view of our 2-year old who has the egg intolerance. Well, today I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of a batch of scones. I wanted to make my kids a little something special for breakfast to go along with the gobs of organic berries I'd bought. They enjoyed the scones, but I'm afraid they enjoyed the berries more (that's not to say that the scones weren't yummy!). You can read the funny story at the end of this post.

In a small bowl, add in this order and set aside:

3/4 cup UNSWEETENED VANILLA HEMP MILK (or other non-dairy milk)
1 tablespoon LEMON JUICE
1/4 cup extra light OLIVE OIL
1 teaspoon gluten-free VANILLA EXTRACT
8 drops SweetLeaf® Vanilla Creme liquid STEVIA drops

 In a large bowl, combine:

1 cup ALMOND FLOUR (I use Honeyville® or make your own)
2 cups BOB’S RED MILL® ALL-PURPOSE GF BAKING FLOUR  (or make your own)
2 tablespoons FLAX MEAL (I use Stober’s® from Costco or grind flax seeds in a coffee grinder or blender)
1/2 teaspoon XANTHAN GUM (found at natural food stores)
1/3 cup COCONUT SUGAR (sifted if lumpy) or EVAPORATED CANE SUGAR (if you use cane sugar)
2 tablespoons BAKING POWDER (how to make your own)
1/4 teaspoon SEA SALT
1/2 cup mini CHOCOLATE CHIPS (I use Enjoy Life®). See Notes. 

Add and stir until just combined:

Milk mixture
Flour mixture
Mix-in of your choice (I used Enjoy Life® mini-chocolate chips)

Divide dough in half. With moistened hands, gently form a ball with one half of the dough and practice your softball pitch straight onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Throw dough down onto cookie sheet with a thwack!  These should make a 1-2 inch thick disk. Gently flatten a bit more to create a 1-inch thick disk. Repeat with second half of dough. With a sharp, wet knife, cut each disk into six pie-shaped wedges. Gently nudge apart to create a 1/4 inch gap between each slice. Gently brush tops with non-dairy milk. Bake at 400˚F for 15 minutes. Cool slightly on a cooling rack before serving.

Now for the funny: If something I make looks good AND tastes good, I get out the camera and snap a few pictures. Today's scones were worthy of a picture and I had some extra time to fancy the shot up with berries and my grandmother's silver. As usually happens, my attention was diverted to a load of laundry. Ten minutes later I came back downstairs to find my 4-year old bellied up to the sink washing something red off his hands. Hmmmm, I thought. What had he gotten into? It turned out THEY had gotten into my PHOTO SHOOT, agghhhh! So the first picture is the BEFORE—what I left before attending to the laundry. The second is the AFTER—what I found when I came back. We all had a good laugh!

A Salute to My Brother

My hunky little brother, all 6’3” of him, loves his “local kine” Hawaiian food. In Hawaiian diners, a plate lunch special is usually served with three starches: white rice, macaroni salad and either fried wheat noodles or white Wonder® bread and brown gravy (from a can). Following the dining experience one may succumb to a carb-induced coma.

Well, my little brother is out of the Marine Corps today (at 8 am PST!), after 5 honorable years of service, and will be in my clutches soon for dietary re-education! He remembers there being the Hawaiian plate lunch shop, L&Ls, in Denver and he’s a big fan of their Teriyaki BBQ Plate. Well, before Denver, he is stopping by our place where he’ll be welcomed with Lexie’s version of the Teriyaki BBQ Plate. He will be so impressed with this healthier version of the plate lunch that he will convert to our gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, low-sugar way of eating! Ha! (Actually, he is very good about what he eats, never snacks, flosses even; and is available, girls!).

Nick, your big sister is so proud of you. Thank you for following in the footsteps of the men and women in our family. A heartfelt thanks to all who continue in their service. I love you brother!

See the two posts that follow for recipes for Teriyaki BBQ Chicken and Gluten-Free Potato and Mac Salad

Teriyaki BBQ Chicken

Teriyaki marinade is one of the easiest things to make. No need to buy the bottled stuff when you can make it fresh, at home, with as little as three ingredients. Use on chicken, beef or fish. When marinating fish, reduce marinating time to 30-60 minutes.

In a large glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid, mix:

1/2 cup gluten-free SOY SAUCE or Bragg’s LIQUID AMINOS
1/3 cup runny HONEY
2 tablespoons GINGER root minced or crushed
1 teaspoon SESAME OIL (optional)

Add to marinade and transfer to refrigerator for 6-8 hours:

2-3 pounds CHICKEN BREASTS

Preheat and prepare grill.

Remove chicken from fridge, discard used marinade and transfer chicken to an empty cereal bag or 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Partially seal/fold edge of bag under to contain meat. Place on cutting board and tenderize/pound out with meat tenderizing mallet until 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Drizzle some OLIVE OIL on the chicken and brush some oil on grill. Grill over medium heat until cooked through, flipping once.

Serve on a thick bed of shredded green cabbage (I used red because it's what I had on hand) with a scoop of brown rice and a scoop of Gluten-Free Hawaiian-Style Potato Mac Salad.

NOTES: For a teriyaki dipping sauce, double the marinade and reserve half of it. Bring reserved liquid to rapid boil in a small saucepan. Whisk in a slurry of 1/4 cup WATER and 1-1/2 teaspoons ARROWROOT STARCH. Return to a rapid boil for 15 seconds and remove from heat. Never re-use the marinade the chicken soaked in. Be sure to sanitize the cutting board that the chicken was pounded on, the tenderizing mallet and the counter.

Gluten-Free Hawaiian-Style Potato Mac Salad

This popular Hawaiian diner side dish is comfort food for me. Perhaps a good salad for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Serve on a thick bed of shredded cabbage for added veggies or mix in a can of tuna for some protein.

Boil in a large pot of salted water just until tender:

4 medium RUSSETT POTATOES cut in half lengthwise

Remove potatoes with slotted spoon, transfer to plate and refrigerate until cool. Add to the potato water (see notes) and cook according to package recommendations (15-17 minutes):

1 cup uncooked Tinkyada BROWN RICE ELBOW PASTA

Strain pasta, run under cold water and transfer to large bowl. Add to bowl:

1 medium CARROT finely shredded
2 stalks CELERY finely chopped
1 small ONION finely chopped
1/2 cup FROZEN PEAS

Remove potatoes from refrigerator, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the pasta and veggie mixture. Drizzle/sprinkle with and toss:

2 tablespoons OLIVE OIL
1/2 teaspoon SEA SALT

 In a small bowl, combine:

1/2 cup grapeseed oil VEGANAISE® egg-less mayonnaise (contains soy protein)
1-1/2 teaspoons RICE VINEGAR
1/2-1/4 teaspoon SEA SALT
1/2-1/4 teaspoon ground BLACK PEPPER
2 teaspoons runny HONEY

Refrigerate potato/pasta mixture and dressing and gently toss together right before serving.

NOTES: Re-using the potato water to cook the pasta saves a bit of energy. No need to reheat another pot of water.

Chicken Long Rice

Welcome all newcomers to Lexie's Kitchen! I'd like to extend a big THANK YOU to Diane Eblin of The W.H.O.L.E. Gang for organizing the 30 Days to a Food Revolution blog event! Inspired by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, Diane took it upon herself to round up 30 food bloggers (one a day for one month) to share their suggestions on how to shift from eating processed foods to the healthier foods our bodies need. Today is my day to share a recipe and tip. Below is my post for the event. Be sure to visit The W.H.O.L.E. Gang to read the other 16 posts to date, and the 13 to come. The tips and recipes are being posted by the likes of health coaches, moms, doctors, food writers and chefs.

Alexa’s Recipe: Chicken Long Rice
Alexa’s Tip: Set aside one hour for a Pantry Purge Event

Hanging out at health food stores, co-ops and with my parents’ alfalfa sprout, hippy friends are among my most fond childhood memories. My parents understood the value of fresh, wholesome food and I am grateful for the example they set. Into adulthood I continued to eat well—at least I thought I did. One day, about 20 years after leaving home, I came to the sad realization that A LOT of sugar-laden, preservative-loaded processed food had crept into my pantry. Its convenience and glitz had made it hard to pass up. Looking back, I was shopping in innocent ignorance. Food had changed since the 60’s and 70’s and that change had come in the form of processing.

In the Fall of 2008 my husband and I had a wake up call. Our one-year old son began exhibiting digestive and neurological complications, which led to developmental delays. As any mother would do, I immersed myself in research and found that so many roads led back to diet—that the body is powerful and by re-establishing the right conditions, can heal itself. With the guidance of an allergist and two naturopathic physicians, we developed a plan that eliminated processed foods and those to which he was intolerant. Eight months after remo

ving gluten, dairy, egg, corn, soy, refined sugar and artificial ingredients, his digestive health has returned, his speech and balance are coming and his energy has greatly improved.

My wish for everyone; don’t let a health crisis such as diabetes, a heart attack or cancer be what it takes to start eating right. Scare yourself into it (watch  Food Inc. or the Earth Fare Supermarket videos). Read yourself into it ( Nourishing Traditions is a great first read). Or just spend some time studying the food labels in your pantry. And here begins my tip.

Alexa’s Tip: Set aside one hour for a Pantry Purge Event

This week, set aside an hour, just one hour, and begin the journey to healthier eating! In our home it all started with a Pantry Purge Event. It’s fun, easy and enlightening. Print off The Boot List (a handy glossary of food ingredients) to refer to, grab a couple of boxes and you’re ready to begin. Here are the big health-busters we tackled in our home: 

1. Give Canned Foods (and plastic food storage containers) the Can: Experts believe that epoxy resin-lined cans are our main source of bisphenol_A (BPA) exposure. BPA has been linked to hormone disruption, obesity, heart disease and more. Buy fresh, frozen, dried or glass jarred foods as much as possible.

2. Bye Bye Bad Fats: Avoid hydrogenated and polyunsaturated oils! Look into the benefits of using coconut oil, palm shortening, and yes, real butter.

3. Away With the Subtle Cereal Killer: In her book Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon writes; “extruded whole grain preparations [flakes and shaped cereals] can have even more adverse affects on the blood sugar than refined sugar and white flour!” Tossing the cereals is probably a good idea. Start your day with yogurt, eggs, an avocado, a smoothie, nuts, etc.

4. Anything Artificial is Outta Here: Most artificial ingredients are derived from petroleum, tar and corn processing and could exacerbate ADD, ADHD and autism symptoms. Be a stickler in this area, get rid of anything artificial.

5. Refined Sugars Take a Hike: Remove white sugar, corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Consider using natural, minimally processed sugars such as zero-calorie stevia, raw honey, coconut sugar and date sugar. And while you’re looking at the baking shelf, get rid of the white flour and toss out any baking powder that lists sodium aluminum sulfate as an ingredient.

6. Sugary Drinks Go Down the Drain: Kick the soda habit (you gotta do it!). Toss the juice boxes. And if you are going to drink fruit juice, water it way down. Drink Water.

7. Ban the “Can’t Haves”: In our home, the big “can’t have” is gluten. Remove the foods to which you are allergic or intolerant.

8. Give GMO’s the No Go: It is suspected that modified grains contain foreign proteins that are likely to be highly irritating to the digestive tract. What’s the big deal with genetically modified organisms (GMO’s)? Watch The Future of Food or read Earth Fare Supermarket’s summary of GMO’s for more insight. 

Hooray! You are on your way. Now, while you are at it, how about moving on to the fridge? The journey to better health and eating is exactly that, a journey. Embrace it, seek out new flavors, buy organic as much as possible, and develop an appreciation for cooking and the role it can play in the health of your family.

Alexa’s Recipe: Chicken Long Rice

Chicken Long Rice | An age-old recipe from ChinaIf you’ve been to a Hawaiian luau, chances are you’ve had Chicken Long Rice. Hawaii is a delightful melting pot of the cultures and flavors of the Pacific Rim and beyond. As a child growing up on the Hamakua Sugar Plantation, I’d always anticipate my dad bringing home a plate of leftovers from Friday pau hana (after work) parties. And almost always the plate included some Chicken Long Rice.

Though the name suggests it, there is no “rice” in this age-old Chinese dish, but rather Mung bean thread noodles. It’s a comforting meal, quick to assemble and a great choice for anyone avoiding gluten or grains. Mung bean thread noodles, bamboo shoots and dried Shiitake mushrooms can be found at most larger grocery chains and at Asian markets. 

Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers for a quick meal another day.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
SERVES: 4

Soak 1/4 ounce dried SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS in 1 cup hot water for 30 minutes.

Soak 5 ounces MUNG BEAN THREAD NOODLES in a large bowl of warm water for 30 minutes.

In a large wok or pot over high heat, stir-fry for one minute:

2 tablespoons OIL
2 cloves GARLIC minced
1/4 medium ONION thinly sliced
2 tablespoons GINGER minced

Add and stir-fry until meat is just cooked through:

1-1/2 pounds organic CHICKEN TENDERS thinly sliced across the grain
1/2 teaspoon SEA SALT
1/8 teaspoon BLACK PEPPER

Add and simmer for 5 minutes:

3 cups CHICKEN BROTH
Soaked SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS sliced and the SOAKING WATER
Soaked BEAN THREAD NOODLES 

Add and simmer 3 more minutes:

2 medium CARROTS peeled and finely shredded
1 cup thinly sliced PURPLE CABBAGE
1/2 cup matchstick BAMBOO SHOOTS

Top each individual bowl with lots of thinly sliced green onion and serve.

Now, how about dessert! What about some gluten-free, dairy-free Cocoa Bean Cookie Truffles—just like the Oreo® truffles you used to eat!