Gluten Free Vegan Garbanzo/Quinoa Flour Bread Sticks

I picked up a box of organic quinoa flour from Whole Foods last night. I heard that it has a nutty taste to it and that definitely intrigued me. I actually saw it being used in a non gluten free recipe for brownies so that definitely intrigued me. I would say this invention is something akin to the bread stick version of socca (French) or farinita (Italian.)

You will find I suggest using yeast in the recipe but actually I was thinking of this more for the flavor that it brings to the bread versus any actual rising action that it might inspire in the dough. You could actually use this as a pizza crust but I think it works wonderfully as indicated in the below recipe.

Gluten Free Vegan Garbanzo/Quinoa Flour Bread Sticks

• 1 cup Garbanzo Flour
• 1 cup Quinoa Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Tablespoon yeast
• 1 Tablespoon cane sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tablespoon salt and 2 tablespoons mixed herbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Mix 1/2 cup warm water with yeast and sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes.

3. Add olive oil to water yeast mix. Add flours, salt and baking soda. Mix everything together.

4. Divide dough into 4 balls.

5. Take one of your 4 balls of dough and by dividing it into halves make 8 small balls. Roll each ball out on a cutting board into thick noodles. 

6. Using seasoning of your choice, mixed dry herbs and salt, roll your rolled out dough pieces gently in the seasoning to coat. 

7. Place bread sticks onto foiled baking sheet. 

8. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully flip the sticks over. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. 

9. Remove from oven, cool and remove from pan. 

Enjoy! xoxo - Iris

Triple Chocolate Gluten Free Flourless Brownies

You will never need another brownie recipe again. This is easy. This is delicious. This is gluten free.

You're welcome!

Triple Chocolate Gluten Free Flourless Brownies

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter in a pan. Add unsweetened chocolate and stir on low heat till melted. 

2. Turn off heat and stir in cane sugar.

3. Beat in 2 eggs and vanilla. 

4. In a small bowl mix together dry ingredients. 

5. Mix dry ingredients into pan. 

6. Grease 9x9 or 8x8 pan. Pour in batter. Top with chocolate chips.

7. Bake in oven for 25 minutes. 

8. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into... resist the temptation!

Enjoy! xoxo - Iris

Cantaloupe Honey Sorbet

Ripe sweet melons are one of the best things about summertime. In recent years I started purchasing Tuscan Cantaloupe. Tuscan Cantaloupe is a sweeter variety of cantaloupe, the good news is that it is not genetically modified, they are a hybrid melon developed through conventional cross breeding to produce a particularly sweeter melon. I like the sugary almost floral fragrance of the melon.

Of course I must talk about the benefits of eating cantaloupe as well! They are vitamin rich in A, C and beta-carotene. Cantaloupe reduces stress because it is high in potassium which reduces stress and anxiety by promoting good heart health and increasing oxygen to your brain. Also, like some of my other favorite foods to talk about, cantaloupe is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. So you can go ahead and add this melon to your list of super-foods!

Cantaloupe Honey Sorbet

• 1 average size Tuscan Cantaloupe (you can use a regular but make sure it is super ripe!)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Slice and cube melon, remove rind and seeds and place into blender with water. 

2.  Blend till melon is completely liquified. 

3. Add honey and juice of the lemon. 

4. Puree until completely combined. 

5. Taste mixture to determine sweetness, depending on the level of sweetness of the melon you may want to add more honey. 

6. Use ice cream maker to process mixture. I have a Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream Maker. 

7. Serve frozen!

Enjoy! xoxo - Iris