Coconut Cake

COCONUT CAKE

1 C shortening

2 C sugar or evaporated cane juice

4 eggs* or egg replacement

(1 C applesauce + 1 T baking powder as the replacement)

1 T coconut extract (gluten free)

3 1/2 C Gluten free all purpose baking flour

(can be your own mix or a prepackaged mix don't use Bob's Mill though)

4 t. baking powder

1 t. xanthum gum

1 t. salt

1 1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk or rice milk



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 round cake pans and dust with GF flour.

Beat shortening, sugar and egg replacement for 5 mon. until light and fluffy. Add flavoring.

* If using eggs then add eggs one at a time beating for 1-2 minutes after each egg.

Sift dry ingredients. Heat milk in micro. for 1-2 min. until very warm.

Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk. Beat 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and beat on low 1-2 minutes until well blended.

Divide batter and pour into pans. Bake 35 min. or until toothpick comes out clean. It took mine about 45 minutes.



FROSTING

1 C shortening

4 C powdered sugar

Rice milk to make creamy and smooth.

1 T coconut extract

shredded coconut

Beat shortening until creamy and smooth add powdered sugar and continue beating. Gradually add rice milk by 1 T at a time until frosting is the consistency you prefer. Add coconut extract.



After cake has cooled on baking rack frost and then top with shredded coconut as you desire.



Refrigerate cake.

Baked Coconut Chicken Strips

½ c coconut flour or rice flour
½ tsp salt
seasoning of your choice. I use a blend that has Italian seasoning in it.
¾ c sweetened shredded coconut 1 egg or egg replacer ( 1T flax seed meal plus 3 T water~mix and let thicken for 2 min)
1 T oil
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch strips, or tenderloins work great too!
1/3 c extra-virgin coconut oil, butter, or margarine, melted
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix flour, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl.
3. Put shredded coconuts in a bowl.
4. Lightly beat an egg with the tbsp of oil.
5. Dip chicken pieces in flour to coat evenly. Dip chicken into egg mixture and then coat with coconut mixture.
6. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan. Drizzle with melted coconut oil, butter, or margarine.
7. Bake 15 to 20 minutes in preheated oven or until chicken is browned and cooked through, turning once.

I line a pan with aluminum foil and spray it with non stick cooking spray.
This recipe has been adapted from Tina Turbin's original posted recipe on
http://www.glutenfreehelp.info/recipes/main-dishes/gluten-free-chicken-strips/

Allergy Free Chocolate Cake

3 C Gluten Free all purpose flour blend
2 C Sugar
6 T Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2.t Baking Soda
2 t Xanthum Gum
1 t Salt
2 C Rice or Soy Milk (You can use chocolate to boost the flavor)
1/2 C plus 2 T Vegetable Oil
2 T Cider Vinegar
1 t Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9" cake pans with shortening or dairy free margarine. Sprinkle some gluten free baking flour and tap out the excess. (I just used non stick cooking spray and didn't even flour the pans.)
Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, xanthum gum,and salt in a large bowl. Combine milk, oil, vinegar,and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth, being sure to incorporate ingredients at the bottom of the bowl. Immediately pour into prepared pans.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Middle of cake may look darker than edges.
Cool pans 5 minutes, run a knife around the edges and invert on cooling wire rack.

***Filling and Frosting****
1/4 C Rice flour
1 C Rice Milk
1 C Sugar
3/4 C shortening
3 T olive oil
1 t vanilla
3 T cocoa powder

In a sauce pan whisk together rice flour and rice milk until combine completely. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently. When the mixture begins to thicken whisk constantly until it is the consistency of pudding. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

With a mixer, cream together the shortening and oil until smooth and light, about 4 minutes. (I didn't do it that long!!!!) Add sugar and beat for another 4 minutes, Add vanilla and cooled flour and milk mixture and beat for another 4 minutes If desired, add cocoa powder and mix until incorporated completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.

I use this as the center filling without the cocoa powder and then added cocoa powder to the remaining frosting and frosted the top and sides of the cake.

Store cake in the refrigerator.
ENJOY!

I have been eating an allergy imposed diet since the beginning of July. I have also been baking and cooking without many of the staple ingriedients I had used in my kitchen for years!
I have been riding the rollercoaster of self pity burying the favorite foods that will no longer be apart of my meals,and then peaking at the top with the realization that I will no longer live in the fear of, "will this food make me sick, and how quickly and for how long?"
I decided the best way to put the whole deprivation attitude to death is through substitution. For those favorites foods that are now No-Nos, I must find a similar alternative. I must either modify the recipe, or start from scratch and create a new favorite. It isn't as hard as it looks. Honestly, a lot of the foods I ate didn't contain gluten.
I made a Saturday noon lunch of marinated grilled pork chops, baby red potatoes, and fresh broccoli 2 weeks ago. As my teenage son approached the table he, with a disdain in his voice asked, "Is this a gluten free meal?" I had to chuckled when I answered, " Yes, but it was a meal that never had gluten in it!"
So wherever you or someone you know are in your journey with food allergies...hang in there....and go ahead make it a brain game! Food attitudes are really all about what you think about the food you eat!

This is a meal I had been missing. I have always been a fan of chicken strips and so to have not had any for over a month was making me feel deprived. We all know what happens eventually when one feels deprived....they over-indulge. I found this recipe in a Allergy free cookbook.

I will be posting it soon.

Any guesses on this main course?

This wasn't a half bad meal....Obviously there is a baked potato and some parsley buttered corn, but what is your guess at the other item on this plate?





This is grilled watermelon. After cutting the watermelon you soak it in a mixture of Balsamic vinegar, honey, pink peppercorns (which I could not find in our local grocery stores), and black pepper. Grill until coating is caramelized. About 10 minutes. It is suppose to mock a good steak. Guess it hasn't been long enough since I had a steak. It was good, but I didn't get the feel of a good T-Bone from it.
Next time, if there is one, I will use more honey and less vinegar. Some of the pieces had a stinging bit to them.

Betty's Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

3 C. Rice Flour
3 C. Tapioca Flour
3 T. Potato Starch or Flour
3 C. Corn Starch

Yields 9 Cups. Mix all ingredients well. Store in an air tight container. Can be stored in refrigerator or freezer if you don't think you will use it fast enough for its full freshness.