GlutenFreeBaking

As soon as Fall arrives, the thought of comfort food enters the brain. It is this need to feed one's self with taste bud satisfying and mouth watering 'something'. This something-ness does not have to be nutritious, just satisfactory to the taste buds.

I am also under the influence of this something-ness need. Being wheat-free has many challenges when trying to ‘feed the need’.

It is somewhat difficult to reproduce the wheat-laden 'goodies' that I have fond memories of from the childhood years. On occasion, the 'reproduction' is less nutritious than the 'original'. Sometimes, in a rare instance, the 'reproduction' has added nutrients.

Well-meaning friends and family and a few medical personnel seem to think that if one loses the nutrients of wheat, it is best replaced by ‘meat‘. ’Meat’ simply does not elicit the same sensory pleasure for me as flavor, fat and sugar-loaded 'goodies' do.

So, as Fall transcends into Winter, the power of ‘meat’ is being subdued by plant-based proteins in my food plans. I now look forward to adding additional nutrition to my ’no-wheat’ versions of ‘goodies’.  

My first creation is Pumpkin Cookies with Cranberries and Nuts(GF).
Dry ingredients
1 cup millet flour
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1 1/2 baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup Turbinado Sugar
Wet ingredients
1 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup vegetable Oil
3/4 cups honey
1 Tbsp bold flavor molasses
1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1 /2 cup chopped Pecans
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all the dry ingredients, set aside.
Put the pumpkin in a large bowl and add in the other wet ingredients, blend well.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix well.
Fold in the cranberries and nuts
Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet. Flatten slightly as they do not spread much. Bake 12 to 14 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies. 

Think Nutrients as you ‘feed the gluten-free need’!