Gluten Free Recipes

When Ariel was diagnosed with multiple food sensitivities last spring, I told her: "it's not a matter of giving up foods; just a matter of substituting with something healthier!" Determined to make good on that promise, I created these recipes that are not only delicious, but packed with nutrition too. I hope you'll enjoy and feel free to get creative making your own variations!

Notes: All recipes are gluten, egg and cane sugar free. I use organic ingredients whenever possible. 

Allergic to nuts? Substitute Sunbutter (made from sunflower seeds) for nut butters called for in my recipes. I promise you'll love it!

Chocolate Nut-Butter Morsels

There are some things I can't live without. Chocolate is one of them. These homemade melt-in-your-mouth morsels are easily modified to vary the flavour! Try cashew or almond-hazelnut butter instead of peanut butter, or skip the cocoa powder and use cashew butter for morsels that taste very much like cheesecake! For extra nutritional value, use raw cacao. Bet you can't eat just one!

1/2 cup coconut oil (do not melt)

1 cup crunchy, natural peanut butter

1/3 cup coconut sugar

3 Tbsp. cocoa powder 

1/2 tsp. vanilla powder (or 1 tsp vanilla)

Maple syrup to sweeten to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whip with a blender until smooth and creamy. Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet lined with wax paper or a silicone sheet. Refrigerate until set. Store in a tin can in the refrigerator. Makes approximately 50 bite sized pieces.

Peanut Butter Chocolates

These taste very much like peanut butter cups! One of our favourites. This contains butter, but simply substitute coconut oil for the butter to make it dairy free.

1 cup natural peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

1/3 cup powdered coconut sugar (I powder regular coconut sugar in my Magic Bullet)

1 Tblsp. honey

1/4 cup coconut oil (not melted)

1/4 cup butter

1 square unsweetened dark chocolate, melted

Blend first five ingredients in a mixing bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. While blending on low speed, slowly drizzle in melted chocolate until well-blended. Pour into silicone or plastic chocolate molds and refrigerate until set (I sometimes put them in the freezer to speed things up). Turn out of molds onto waxed paper. Store in waxed paper-lined candy tin in the refrigerator.

Ariel's Ketchup

Yes, there are other kinds. We searched the Internet for basic ketchup recipes and then created our very own, tweaking and experimenting until Ariel was 100% satisfied! The allspice gives it just the right amount of warmth. Make sure your seasonings are fresh for best results. I usually make a quadruple batch which lasts us about a month. Yes, we eat a LOT of homemade French fries!

6 oz. can tomato paste

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder 

1/8 tsp. allspice

Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir until smooth. Simmer very gently, uncovered, for about 

one hour until flavours are well blended and water has evaporated to desired consistency.

Cashew Shortbread

I based this recipe on one from a wonderful cookbook called The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, by husband-wife duo Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. It's been an excellent resource for me as I've learned to cook egg, gluten and cane sugar free. Many of the recipes in this book are also dairy free. You can play around with the ingredients, adding dried fruits, shredded coconut, ground nuts, spices, chocolate chips, or cocoa powder. I use all organic ingredients whenever possible.

1/2 cup organic coconut oil

1/4 cup maple syrup 

2 Tbsp coconut sugar (I like to grind it to a fine grain in my Magic Bullet)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons ground whole vanilla (or liquid vanilla)

1 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1 cup raw, ground cashews (I grind mine in my Magic Bullet, but you can also use a coffee grinder)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blend oil, syrup, water, coconut sugar, salt and vanilla with electric beaters until creamy and smooth. Mix finely ground cashews, flours, baking powder and xanthum gum in a separate bowl. Pour in wet ingredients and blend well. Form dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet lightly oiled with coconut oil (I like to use a silicone cookie sheet liner, which usually doesn't need to be oiled). Press lightly with a fork and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. 

Enjoy!