Brazilian Cheese Bread – Gluten Free

As I have mentioned before, we are cooking gluten free for my daughter Sarah. It has been a real challenge! However, I have been so blessed to find recipes she loves. I typically make a recipe for her and freeze the leftovers so she can pull them out whenever she needs something quick or whenever I am not making a meal that is strictly gluten free for the rest of us. Honestly, gluten free products and flours cost so much, we can’t afford to all eat this way.

My husband (who does the grocery shopping) had brought home some packs of bagels and English muffins for the rest of us and I needed to find a bread that Sarah would enjoy that would have a comparable “chewiness.”

For a first attempt, this recipe was incredibly easy and super delicious! In fact, I split a couple of rolls between the rest of our family for the “taste test,” and the bread was a hit with everyone. Even my husband suggested I regularly make them for everyone to eat.

This recipe is a traditional recipe made in Brazil and is naturally gluten free. The Tapioca Flour used was difficult for me to find. We live in a small town, however even in the health food stores we visit a couple of hours away didn’t carry it. However, I finally found an inexpensive source – an Asian market in Knoxville. Tapioca Flour will be a staple in our house from now on! I am anxious to experiment with this recipe, possibly making similar breads out of it. I am thinking gluten free Italian Bread, and possibly trying to shape the rolls into a bagel shape with wet hands. I’ll let you know if it works. Also, I believe that you could substitute the cheese with your favorite and even leave out the garlic. So here’s the recipe:

Brazilian Cheese Bread

1/2 cup olive oil or butter
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups tapioca flour
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 beaten eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour olive oil, water, milk, and salt into a large saucepan, and place over high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat immediately, and stir in tapioca flour and garlic until smooth. Set aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the cheese and egg into the tapioca mixture until well combined, the mixture will be chunky like cottage cheese. Let rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Drop rounded, 1/4 cup-sized spoonfuls of the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

This recipe yielded 8 (4 inch flattened) rolls for me.

You can see in the photo above how similar in appearance the inside is to an English muffin, and the bread is chewy like a bagel. Yum!

Note: I flattened my “scoops” out somewhat on the baking sheet (before baking) to resemble English Muffins when sliced open. I had a bunch of English muffins in the pantry and was in the mood to make some vegetarian Eggs Benedict.

Here is a photo of this incredible bread with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce:

(This photo would have looked nicer if I had planned for it and picked a different colored plate! But it tasted delicious!)

Holiday Wreath Appetizer

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

Remove crescent dough from packaging (do not unroll). Cut each tube into eight slices. Arrange in an 11-in. circle on an ungreased 14-in. pizza pan.

Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a serving platter; cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth. Spread over wreath; top with broccoli, celery and red pepper. Form a bow garnish with celery leaves. Yield: 16 servings.

The Creation Diet

From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Nine

The Creation Diet

Scripture Memory: “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29

Download the .pdf version of this article.

In the beginning when God created man, He intended for His people to eat a diet of fruits and vegetables. Since nutrition plays such an important role in our health and our overall health often determines how we feel during the day which in turn can either make or break the daily tasks. When we feel good and have lots of energy we work diligently and accomplish more than when we feel sluggish and sickly.

A diet full of healthy fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, and nuts will help you to prevent disease and illness. Living foods are always better than dead foods.

A vegetarian diet has been proven over and over again to promote long life. Concerns that a vegetarian does not meet nutritional requirements are raised by some, however, by eating a balanced diet and a wide variety of foods, a vegetarian meets the nutritional requirements suggested by ADA and provides numerous health benefits:

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.” (1)

Not only is a vegetarian diet a healthy way to eat, it is also God-honoring. An animal does not have to die. God cares about his creatures! It prepares for the Kingdom to Come – we will not eat meat in heaven! And God will bless you with better health.

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

“And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

“Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel,

Thai Fried Rice

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
8 oz.  firm tofu, cubed
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 medium  red pepper, cut into strips (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup (1-inch) green onion pieces
2-2/3 cups  cooked brown rice, chilled
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
1/2 cup  peanuts, chopped

Pour teriyaki sauce over tofu in shallow dish. Refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes to marinate. Drain tofu; reserve teriyaki sauce. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown on all sides, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet. Ad red pepper to skillet; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add green onion; cook and stir 1 minute. Add rice and pineapple; mix lightly. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently. Add tofu, peanuts and reserved teriyaki sauce; mix lightly. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Warm Hummus Soup

I found this recipe in the May 2011 issue of Prevention Magazine. I may try making this in my Vita Mix!

6 cups vegetable stock

3 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas

4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp. tahini paste

2 tbsp. minced garlic

4 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. coriander

2 tsp. turmeric

½ cup cilantro or basil pesto (garnish)

16 – 32 pita chips

Combine half of the stock, half of the chickpeas, half of the lemon juice, half of the tahini, half of the garlic, half of the cumin, coriander, and turmeric in blender. Blend until smooth, 2 – 3 minutes. If soup seems to thick, add water or more stock, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large pot. Repeat with remaining ingredients, reserving pesto and pita chips for the garnish.

Add second batch of soup to pot. Bring soup to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook stirring occasionally, 15 – 20 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Serve with pita chips.

Makes about 9 cups.

Pineapple Salsa

2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
1 cup chopped red and/or green bell pepper
1/2 cup sweet onion slivers
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or more to taste)

Blend pineapple, bell pepper, onion, lemon juice, cilantro and jalapeno pepper in medium bowl. Refrigerate, covered for 4 to 24 hours, if desired, stirring occasionally. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

This has to be one of my favorite meals! When I first saw this recipe, I thought the sweet potatoes and black beans were an odd combination, but the flavor marry extremely well! Since then, I have also tried a sweet potato and Black Bean Salad which was just as yummy! I found this recipe over at Karina’s Kitchen. This is a perfect recipe for my daughter who has Chron’s Disease and needs to eat a vegan diet!
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Quickie Green Chile Sauce

1 cup light vegetable broth
1 tablespoon arrowroot starch dissolved in a little cold water
1 generous cup chopped roasted green chiles, hot or mild
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin or chili powder, hot or mild, to taste

Enchilada Filling

1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, rinsed, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh lime juice from 1 big juicy lime
2 heaping cups cooked diced sweet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped roasted mild green chiles
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder mild or spicy
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Assembly

2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, as needed
8 white or yellow corn tortillas
4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Choose a baking dish that would hold 8 rolled enchiladas. Make your Quickie Green Chile Sauce by combining the broth, dissolved arrowroot, green chiles, garlic and spices in a sauce pan and heating over medium-high heat. Bring to a high simmer. Simmer until thickened. Taste test and adjust seasonings. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the Enchilada Filling, using a mixing bowl, combine the drained black beans with minced garlic and lime juice. Toss to coat the beans and set aside. In a separate bowl combine the cooked sweet potatoes with the chopped green chiles; add the spices. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Pour about 1/4 cup of the Quickie Green Chile Sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

To assemble the enchiladas, grab a skillet and heat a dash of oil. Lightly cook the corn tortillas to soften them, one at a time, as you stuff each one.

Lay the first hot tortilla in the sauced baking dish; wet it with the sauce. Spoon 1/8 of the sweet potato mixture down the center. Top with 1/8 of the black beans. Wrap and roll the tortilla to the end of the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas. Top with the rest of the sauce. Top with a sprinkle of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the enchiladas are piping hot and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

My Favorite Guacamole

I have always thought that God made avocados just for me. I mean, they are literally my favorite thing to eat! I can’t wait to get to heaven. I plan to have more than one avocado trees!

My Favorite Guacamole

• 2 avocados
• 2 fat cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• The juice from 1/2 a lime or to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mash the avocados with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and serve immediately!

Simone’s Stroganoff

Our Church hosts a wonderful event each fall called the Holiday Tasting Extravaganza.  Its an event where we serve about 600 people 1 oz. tastes of about 60+ fabulous vegetarian and vegan foods.  The last fall was my first experience as a cook.  And I must say it was quite the experience, making 650 meatballs, gravy and butternut squash.  But I really enjoyed it, and the food was fabulous.  However, I learned that 67 tastes is more then a normal  meal.

One of my favorite dishes belongs to my friend Simone who is originally from Brazil.  Her stroganoff had a twist that I didn’t expect, the addition of tomatoes, and I left dreaming of it (especially since she packed up some of her leftovers for me to eat the next day, but somehow they got lost in the dismantling of our stations).  It did contain dairy, so I was formulating a way to “veganize” it when she came to me one Sabbath beaming that she’d figured out how to do it herself and it tasted great!  Now I had to get on with making it.  My first attempt was wonderful.  She suggested using Toffutti cream cheese instead of sour cream, a direction I wouldn’t have gone on my own, and it added a wonderful richness.  Unfortunately when I made it the second time, for this post, I accidentally bought the garlic and herb flavored cream cheese.  Oops!  Its great on bagles, but not in my stroganoff!  So I decided to improvise.  I do have a traditional stroganoff recipe that I like that contains tofu and cashews, and I had an extra block and some leftover cashew cheese on hand so I decided to see if it would work.  Its tolerable, but not rich and creamy like we were used to.  So no skimping on this one!  However it looks very similar in the pictures so I’m going forward with this post.

1/4 c. canola oil
1 TBSP garlic, mashed
2 c. chopped Loma Linda Tender Bits (or homemade gluten chops work well too)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I omitted)
2 TBSP finely chopped parsley
1/2 c. diced onion
1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 c. petite diced tomatoes lightly mashed in food processor
1 tsp salt
1 pkg. Toffutti cream cheese (plain)

I recommend getting all your ingredients prepped before starting!  Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Cook the onion in the oil for 1 minuet.  Stir in the garlic and cook until the garlic is golden brown.  Add the mushrooms and Tender Bits (gluten, cut into 1 inch cubes) stir for 3-4 minuets; add the petite diced tomatoes, cayenne pepper and salt.  Cover the saucepan, and allow to simmer on low heat for about 10 minuets. If this seems too dry you may add a little bit of water and simmer.  Turn off the heat, add parsley and Toffutti Cream Cheese, stir as it melts into the sauce.  Serve immediately!

Squash Patties

I grew eating these and have always loved them! This recipe made enough patties for me to freeze some for another meal. Delicious and kid friendly. You can serve them ketchup or sour cream.

Squash Patties

8 medium yellow squash, shredded
1 onion, shredded
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
ground black pepper to taste

Place the squash and onion in a colander, sprinkle with salt and stir. Drain for 30 minutes to an hour. In a bowl, mix the squash and onion, flour, cornmeal, egg, and cheese. Season with pepper.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drop squash mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls into the skillet, and cook 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

To freeze, allow to cool completely, place patties in quart size freezer bags.This recipe would be perfect for those summer months when you have squash coming out your ears! Make up a huge batch and put them in the freezer for later!

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