Gluten-Free Pizza

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

apizza Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” Matthew 13:33 (NKJV)

Our favorite Sabbath night activity is pizza and a family movie, often The Chosen. With restaurant prices as they are these days, it makes “cents” to whip up your own pizza at home. And this pizza tastes better than any gluten-free restaurant pizza I’ve found!

Get started about 1-1/2 hours before you want to eat.

In an electric mixing bowl, combine these dry ingredients:
3 cups brown rice flour
3 cups tapioca or arrowroot flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup quinoa or millet flour
1/2 cup ground seed blend (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame or flax)
2 teaspoons salt
4 Tablespoons active dry yeast (leaven, we had to pause this while fighting candida, see Cauliflower Pizza recipe for an alternative)
2 Tablespoons honey or monk fruit
Blend together until well mixed.

In a measuring cup, combine:
3 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
4 eggs or 8 egg whites (pasture-raised, free-range local fresh eggs!)
(use additional flax seed and water if you want to make this egg-free)
Pour this mixture into the mixing bowl and combine. Beat on high for 4 minutes.

While the dough is beating, line your baking pans with parchment paper. Using this recipe, I can make 2, 13-inch pizzas, plus 3 pie-pan size pizzas. I freeze the small ones to use later. You could also make 2 cookie sheet-sized pizzas and a few pie-sized pizzas, or a few loaves of bread.

Once the dough is mixed, turn it out onto your parchment paper, dividing between the prepared pans. Use a spatula to spread the dough to the edges of the pans. Dough will be sticky, so you may oil your spatula if needed. Let the dough rest on the pans for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prebake the crusts for 10 minutes and remove from the oven. Now top the crusts with your favorite toppings. Some of our favorites include:
Olive oil
Basil
Black olives
Green peppers
Pineapple
Daiya (dairy-free) mozzarella shreds or goat cheese

Bake the prepared pizzas for another 18-20 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot. The crusts taste great topped with honey like the famous restaurants use. Enjoy your family pizza night!

I would like to thank Angela Litzinger of angelaskitchen.com for her original recipe!

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (NKJV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

My Gluten-Free Story

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Jennifer Grace

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:34 (NKJV)

Everyone has a story. That’s what the “U” part of My TEA CUPP Prayers is all about, Understanding our stories in the light of God’s Word. When we know our stories, it helps us share our testimony with others, encouraging them to follow Jesus.

But today I want to share a different kind of story with you, this story is how God brought me healing in a unique way. I share this in hopes that my readers might find healing, too. This is My Gluten-Free Story.

I have always had tummy troubles. Forever there has been a bit of pain in my stomach area. When my two oldest kids were little, I was diagnosed with chronic pelvic pain and IBS. This was after several mortifying doctor visits where I was poked and prodded. When our third child was born, I had an epidural. It was the only time I could ever remember not having pain in my abdomen. Too bad those epidurals wear off!

As my children grew, I continued to have tummy troubles, trying various supplements and healthy shakes to no avail. We were praying for more children, but never thought about how my condition could be connected to the ability to conceive.

Finally, in the summer of 2009 we were expecting again, only to lose that baby in a painful miscarriage. That very autumn, we were expecting again, and also lost the baby. The following June, we lost a third baby soon after conception. “Why is all this happening?” I pleaded with God.

At the time, we were working at a church camp. I was in charge of ordering food from Sysco. In the fall of 2010, Sysco offered a webinar for its customers about gluten-free cooking. I chose to participate, thinking it would help me order the right foods for our guests.

The Sysco webinar turned out to say very little about their products. Instead, it went into great detail about Celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity. They discussed the symptoms of those with gluten-intolerance, including stomach pains and miscarriages. They explained how the walls of the intestine are covered with little fingers called villi. These villi absorb the nutrients from food, providing nourishment to the body. The problem for a gluten-sensitive person is the gluten wraps itself around the villi. This makes the person not absorb nutrients, thus causing miscarriages and other health issues. The webinar also explained that a traumatic event, such as a miscarriage, could cause a person who was only slightly sensitive to suddenly become gluten-intolerant.

So, there I sat in our camp office, expecting to make a shopping list for the dining hall. Instead, God gave me information to make some new healthy choices. And that is what I did. I went back to our house and announced to my family what I had learned, giving up delicious pizza crusts and cinnamon rolls forever, in favor of better nutrition for my body.

And guess what, it was exactly one year later, in the fall of 2011, that God blessed us with our fourth child. God healed me and answered my prayers.

I still have tummy problems off and on, giving up dairy a few years ago, too. But I don’t catch as many colds, and I know that by eating gluten-free, I’m doing my part to keep healthy for serving the Lord. And so I share my favorite gluten-free recipes with you, even some pizza crust that is thick and yummy like the real thing. I pray that you will enjoy these recipes and be blessed with better health.

And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well. Matthew 14:35-36 (NKJV)

Hot Cocoa Cookies (GF & DF)

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

My boys picked out these Chips Ahoy Hot Cocoa cookies from the grocery store the other day. Oh, the torture of having these delicious-looking cookies on my counter and not being able to eat them!

So, I set about making my own version of gluten-free, dairy-free Hot Cocoa Cookies. Gluten Free Mama Flour is my favorite for cookie recipes. Coconut oil and applesauce replace the butter, making these soft and dairy-free. Instant pudding and baking cocoa add the hot cocoa goodness.

As soon as these were out of the oven, my family was eating them instead of the store bought ones! A day later, only half the batch is left. Next we will have to find a padlock for the cookie tin! I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do.

God’s blessings,
Jennifer Grace

Ingredients:
2 cups Gluten Free Mama Flour
(Almond blend or coconut blend, or your favorite GF flour mix)
3 T. dry instant chocolate pudding (half a 3.9 oz. box)
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

1 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
Mini marshmallows

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: Flour, dry pudding, baking cocoa, guar gum, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat together the apple sauce and coconut oil. Add the brown sugar and white sugar and continue to mix well. Next, pour in the vanilla and eggs, beat until creamy.

Add half the dry ingredients to the stand mixer, blending 15 seconds. Repeat with the remainder of the dry ingredients, blending until all is incorporated. Sprinkle the chocolate chips into the mixer and blend for just a few seconds.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small scoop, scoop the batter onto the parchment paper, 12 to a pan. Poke one or more mini marshmallows into the center of the cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes.

Let cookies cool on pan for 2 minutes and then place on cooling racks. Makes 36-40 cookies. Cookies will be moist and chewy, may be re-warmed in the microwave for 5 seconds to experience that authentic “hot cocoa” flavor.

Our little baker was quite eager to clean the mixing bowl for me.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

Tofu Salad

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

This refreshing summer salad is packed full of protein and sweet fruit. You can eat it as a salad, serve on toast, put it in wrap…so many ways to enjoy it!

Ingredients:
12-14 oz. package organic firm tofu, drained and diced
1-2 cups grapes, halved (or blueberries)
1/2 cup celery, sliced (optional)
1/2 cup pecans or almonds, (toasted 10 min. at 350 degrees, then chopped)
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup Organic Avocado mayo
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger

In a large bowl, combine the tofu, grapes, celery, nuts, and raisins. In a separate container, mix together the dressing: Mayo, curry powder, salt, and ginger. Pour the dressing over the tofu mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill the tofu salad until serving time. Garnish with lettuce leaves, serve alone or on gluten-free toast or wraps. Delicious!

As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him. Psalm 18:30 (NKJV)

Yummy Breakfast Quinoa

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Jennifer Grace

Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ ” Exodus 16:23. (NKJV)

Ingredients:
4 cups leftover cooked quinoa
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped apricots

Lightly grease a casserole dish with coconut oil. In a mixing bowl, stir together the quinoa, pecans and apricots. Transfer to prepared casserole dish. Pour coconut milk over quinoa mixture, and cover the dish with glass lid or foil. At this point you may put it in the fridge overnight, or bake it. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Warm quinoa for about an hour. Serve topped with additional coconut milk, cinnamon, maple syrup or honey. What a yummy, high-protein breakfast treat!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

THE BEST COOKIES!

These might be the BEST of my cookie recipes! So healthy and so yummy! Gluten-free, dairy-free, low fat, low sugar — perfect for tea time or any time!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 t. xanthan gum
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3 cups gluten-free oats (I prefer quick-cooking)
1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life chocolate chips (dairy-free)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients: brown rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together, coconut oil, apple sauce, peanut butter, and sugar. Then beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the large bowl and cream together. Stir in the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheets, 12 to a pan. With a fork dipped in water, press the cookies to flatten. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool on cooling racks. Makes about 4 dozen, but they won’t last long!

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV)

New King James Version (NKJV)

Rice Pudding for Breakfast

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.”…John 21:12 (NKJV)

One of my favorite uses for leftover rice is to make rice pudding. I can mix this up the night before, refrigerate, and pop it in the oven in the morning. It makes a yummy gluten-free breakfast, with a bit more protein than plain oatmeal.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
1/3 cup raisins
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1-1/2 cups coconut milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with coconut oil. Arrange rice in the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with raisins. Cut coconut oil into small pieces and arrange over raisins. In a large measuring cup, combine coconut milk, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Pour milk mixture over rice. Place cover on casserole dish and bake 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Rice pudding will be golden on top and hold its shape when cut. Spoon into bowls and top with additional coconut milk.
Note: This recipe may be doubled and baked in the same 2 quart dish, just bake for longer.

New King James Version (NKJV)

Chocolate Avocado Cake

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Jennifer Grace

Thank you to my daughter Kallie for sending me this recipe! I tweaked it a bit to be more chocolatey and use the ingredients I have on hand. So far, our family has devoured three batches! The avocado replaces the butter, egg and dairy in this cake recipe, making it dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan. With another avocado in the frosting, you are really getting extra nutrients with your dessert. Why not enjoy this with your Easter celebration?

Ingredients:
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 medium avocado, remove pit and skin
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 T. white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with 18 cupcake liners, or oil a cake pan and sprinkle with a bit of extra cocoa. In a small bowl, pour the boiling water over the cocoa and stir to dissolve. Set aside. In another bowl combine the dry ingredients: rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash the avocado until smooth and creamy. Add the coconut oil and sugar, mixing well. Add the cocoa mixture to the avocado and blend well. In the measuring cup with the water, add the vinegar and vanilla. Add a bit of the water to the avocado bowl and stir. Now add some of the flour mixture to the avocado bowl and stir. Repeat until everything is mixed into the large bowl. Scoop the batter into your cupcake pan, or pour into prepared cake pans. Bake cupcakes 25 minutes, or cakes for 30-40 minutes. Allow cakes to cool before frosting.

Chocolate Avocado Frosting Ingredients
1 medium avocado, remove skin and pit
2 T. orange juice
1 cup powder sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 t. vanilla

Mashed the avocado in a medium mixing bowl. Blend in the orange juice until smooth. Use a strainer to sift the powder sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl, so there are no lumps. Mix well. Add the vanilla and taste. Add more orange juice or powder sugar if needed to make the frosting thinner or thicker. This recipe makes 1 cup frosting, enough for a batch of cupcakes or a 13×9″ cake. Double the frosting recipe if you are frosting a layer cake. Enjoy your avocado treat!

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 (NKJV)

Oatmeal Scotchies – GF

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Every once in awhile we take a break from chocolate (though not too often) for a different flavor of cookies. These old favorites combine butterscotch chips, orange zest and cinnamon to make a delicious tea-time cookie.

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups gluten-free flour*
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
grated peel of 1 orange
3 cups gluten-free oats
1-11 ounce bag butterscotch chips (check label for allergies)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients: Gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large mixing bowl, cream the coconut oil and sugars together. Mix in the two eggs and orange peel. Gradually add the flour bowl to the butter bowl, mixing gently. Fold in the oats and butterscotch chips. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto pans, 12 to a pan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on racks and enjoy!

*I used 1 cup Gluten-Free Mama flour and 1/4 cup sorghum flour the day I made these cookies. I think they would also work well with 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour, and 1/4 cup sorghum flour. Use the combination you like best!

My little cookie monster was taking a nap the afternoon I made these, so we only get photos of the cookies today :-).

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven. Psalm 148:23 (NKJV)

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies – GF

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Jennifer Grace

Here is a favorite zucchini recipe from the Gluten Free Mama Cookbook. The zucchini make these cookies moist like my pudding cookie recipe, but even healthier. This yummy snack stays soft as a muffin, perfect for any time of day.

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups Gluten Free Mama Almond Blend Flour
2 tsp. guar gum
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup coconut oil, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup grated zucchini
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (flour, guar gum, baking soda, salt) and mix with a wire whisk. In a big mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil, sugars, vanilla, zucchini and eggs. Slowly add the flour mixture to the big mixing bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop rounded teaspoons of batter onto your cookie sheet, 12 to a pan. Bake 14 minutes. Let sit on pan 2 minutes before moving to cooling rack. Makes approximately 4 dozen yummy cookies, but it will be hard to count them as they are eaten so quickly. Store leftover cookies (if any) in refrigerator or freezer.

I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:6 (NKJV)

My TEA CUPP Prayers

Praying God's Word … Inviting Ladies to TEA with the King of kings!

Tag Archives: recipes

Gluten-Free Pizza

My Gluten-Free Story

Hot Cocoa Cookies (GF & DF)

Tofu Salad

Yummy Breakfast Quinoa

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rice Pudding for Breakfast

Chocolate Avocado Cake

Oatmeal Scotchies – GF

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies – GF