Thursday, July 8, 2010

Part Deux!

Here is the second recipe I talked about in my previous Blog....
This one requires special ingredients that can be found at Whole Foods or if you are in Cleveand, Natures Bin(I love that store).
This recipe comes from the April/May issue of Living Without. It's a magazine dedicated to people with allergies and food sensitivities. So the following recipe will be gluten free, dairy free and egg free....and healthier then all hell. One word about the special ingredients-once you purchase the items, you will have them in your kitchen so the only cost you incur after that will be to replace them once you run out.


Coconut Choclate Chip Blondies

1/2 cup soft, pitted dates
Warm water to cover dates
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup gluten free All-Purpose Flour ( I recommend Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (completely neccassary for gluten free baking)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil or palm shortening (palm shortening is just as good and alittle cheaper)
1/4 cup +2 TBLS Agave or honey
1/4 cup Ener-G egg replacer whisked until gooey with 1/4 cup of hot water
1tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet choclate chips(Whole foods has Vegan Choc chips)

Places dates in a bowl with the warm water just covering them. let them stand for 1-4 hours. Scoop the dates out and put to the side.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper OR lightly grease with some coconut oil or palm shortening the bottom and sides of the pan.

Lightly spoon flours in anto a measuring cup and level with a knife. Place flours, baking soda, xanthan gum,and salt into a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

Combine the soaked dates, Coconut oil, Ener-g egg replacer that has been wisked with the hot water, Agave, and the vanilla in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Mix until smmoth. Add dry ingredients and blend only enough to combine. Scrape batter into a bowl and add your chocolate chips. The batter will be stiff like cookie dough.

Spread the batter into the 8x8 pan and bake for 24-30 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness...it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs on it. Allow Blondies to cool for a few minutes before devouring them.

By the way, the nice thing about  baking without eggs is not having to worry about that nasty samonella while you taste the batter!