Category Archives: questions

Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Cookie

by baking, gluten free, nuts, questions, recipes

My friend Helene recently shared a wonderful gluten-free cookie recipe with me. She said it was so fabulous that she was going to have to freeze the cookies, otherwise she was afraid she might eat them all. Frozen cookies have never stopped me, sometimes they are even better that way.

While we were talking Helene also asked if there were any eggs in shortbread. The answer is no.

Shortbread is a particular type of cookie that has a 1-2-3 recipe. One part sweetener (usually sugar), two parts butter (or other shortening), three parts flour (although old-fashioned shortbread was and is made with oats) and then enhanced with flavorings and or spices. The "short" refers to the crumbly dough. Fat retards gluten so even if you used wheat flour, the high amount of fat would prevent the dough from forming long gluten strands.

Helene's Coconut Almond Cookies:

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 c. coconut Flour
  • 1 1/2 c. Almond Meal
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/4 c. honey
  • 1 Tbsp Almond Extract

Instructions
 

  • Mix the dough together in a cuisinart until a ball forms
  • Freeze dough for approximately 30 mins
  • Preheat oven to 350 deg F
  • Roll dough between two sheets of was paper
  • Cut cookies using a cookie or biscuit cutter
  • Bake for 7 mins, remove to wire rack to cool

Shortbread cookies are typically baked low and slow so they will be very light in color. They can be formed in long rectangles, also called fingers, large circles which are cut into triangles as soon as they are removed from the oven, or small round biscuits. Although most people think of them as Christmas cookies, shortbread can also be made savory (such as this Parmesan Shortbread from Epicurious).

Bread And Beans

by grains, questions

My friend Helene recently asked if it was possible to use leftover cooked grains in making bread.  The answer is most definitely yes.  It does change your proportions but adds a wonderful moistness to the loaf.  One great example is the receipe found here. Another use for leftover cooked whole grains is use them in muffins. This is actually my favorite way to use them because it's quick and easy. Unless you separate the egg whites and beat them it does make a denser muffin but we like them that way.

Her other question was regarding de-gassing beans, I'm pretty sure we all know what that means. Helene is hoping to avoid taking lots of beano. Let me start by saying that flatulence is a normal bodily condition. I don't think it's possible to completely get rid of gas and, of course, beans are not the only food that has this effect on our system; cabbage and broccoli are some others and many people have a problem with dairy.

Beans contain certain oligosaccharides that people cannot digest; we simply do not have the necessary enzymes in our system. One method of supposedly reducing the effect is to soak the beans overnight in warm water with baking soda. In the morning rinse the beans and cook. You can add baking soda to canned beans to reduce this effect however you need to use caution because too much baking soda will reduce the B12 in the beans and may leave a soapy taste as well. Another method is to boil fresh bay leaves with the beans. This has the added benefit of imparting a nice flavor. For cabbage dishes adding caraway seeds is supposed to help reduce the gassy effect.

Don't give up eating beans just because of the effect they may have. Beans are high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, protein, an excellent source of B vitamins and, depending on what kind of bean, lots of different minerals. Eat well, be well.