Simple Lives Thursday #43

post from just-making-noise on 13 May 2011 11:09:00 PM. © just-making-noise

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Two For the Show

post from What Smells So Good? on 13 May 2011 05:21:07 PM. © What Smells So Good?

Considering my previous success with the gluten free chocolate-cranberry cookies I adapted from Karina's blog, I decided to see what other goodies my pantry could give me. I definitely had the stuff to use, and (for once) the people to eat them, so it was really up to me to see what flavour combinations I could pull out of my hat.

My first ?cookie monsters? to get the latest batch of my baking experimentation were the awesome practitioners at my acupuncture clinic. The last time I came in, I had brought muffins which, although vegan and whole grain, were not gluten free. I hadn?t realized that there was someone on staff who actually had celiac disease, since before he had only mentioned that he was avoiding wheat for a cleanse (little did he know I had a nutrition background and passion for challenge!), but when my acupuncturist Goesha told me I knew that some form of these babies would be coming along next time. So when my appointment was coming up, I jumped at the chance to make a rich, ground pecan and butterscotch cookie riddled with butterscotch chips, laced with butterscotch extract and with a good hit of browned butter. I have always wanted to try browning butter, it?s been a nervous obsession of mine along with making candy and caramel ? all because of the hot liquid burning tendency (I also refuse to shallow or deep-fry ? not just for my health but for my skin!). After a nasty scald with hot oil in an elementary school Home Ec class I?ve been a wee bit leery of anything at a bubble, snap or pop.
Luckily the fellow wasn?t vegan as well that time ? though I?m sure you could come up with suitable substitutes for the chips and butter. I only used soy milk in this one because I had just that amount of a container left, otherwise I probably would have used the 1% in our fridge (or thanks to Mother?s Day?s festivities 18% cream!). The flavour oil I used is both vegan and gluten free, however!

While they?re not ?chewy? or ?crumbly? or ?cakey?, they are definitely a cookie. And the smell while they were baking, thanks to all the brown butter goodness, the chips, the sugar and the super-strong flavouring oil?? Come on!

Gluten-Free Butterscotch - Pecan Cookies
Makes 16
½ cup brown rice flour
½ cup white rice flour
¼ cup teff flour
¼ cup chickpea flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup ground pecans
2 tsp guar gum
pinch nutmeg
1 tsp sea salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup butter, browned and cooled slightly
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
¼ tsp pure stevia powder
1 dram (1 small bottle) LorAnn Oils butterscotch flavouring
½ cup plain, low fat soy milk
½ cup butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone.
Whisk together the dry ingredients (flours through baking powder). Set aside.
In a large bowl beat together flaxseed and water, then add butter, sugars, stevia, flavouring and soy milk.
Add the dry ingredients.
As you beat the dough pay close attention to the consistency ? add liquid until you achieve a smooth but sturdy dough.
Stir in chocolate chips until combined (the dough is stiff).
Place 2" apart on lined sheets and flatten slightly.
Bake 12 minutes (they will still be slightly soft).
Cool on the sheets 15 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
The cookies will get crisper as they cool.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 225.8
Total Fat: 10.7 g
Cholesterol: 10.2 mg
Sodium: 39.1 mg
Total Carbs: 31.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
Protein: 2.6 g

But these ? ooooh these ? well, let me just say they?re probably my favourite current child. Gluten, dairy and corn free for a client of mine with those allergies, it uses ground filberts and Frangelico for a luxurious kiss of flavour. And if you are a Nutella-ish fanatic of any kind (or love the thought of rich nuts and dark chocolate in a passionate embrace), these are for you ? GF or not. These babies are back on the v

egan track, but are so rich and indulgent that even die-hard butter and egg lovers will fall head over heels. And if they don?t? Well, more for you, I say!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
Makes 16½ cup brown rice flour½ cup buckwheat flour¼ cup quinoa flour¼ cup millet flour½ cup sweet rice flour½ cup ground hazelnuts2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder2 tsp guar gum1 tsp sea salt1 ½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/3 cup warm water½ cup sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
¼ tsp pure stevia powder
1/3 cup oil
2 tbsp Frangelico
½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/3 cup miniature dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone.
Whisk together the dry ingredients (flours through baking powder). Set aside.
In a large bowl beat together flaxseed and water, then add sugars, stevia, oil, Frangelico, and almond milk.
Add the dry ingredients.
As you beat the dough pay close attention to the consistency ? add liquid until you achieve a smooth but sturdy dough.
Stir in chocolate chips until combined (the dough is stiff).
Place 2" apart on lined sheets and flatten slightly.
Bake 12 minutes (they will still be slightly soft).
Cool on the sheets 15 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
The cookies will get crisper as they cool.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 194.9 Total Fat: 7.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 9.5 mg
Total Carbs: 30.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.9 g
Protein: 2.7 g

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Gallery: 7 Weird Weight Loss Scams We Hope You
Never Buy

post from Blisstree » EAT on 13 May 2011 04:25:27 PM. © Blisstree » EAT

A few months ago we mentioned a new weight loss surgery that people are experimenting with in 2011 that involves a tongue patch. It doesn't alter the food you eat, it doesn't change your food choices, and it doesn't release any kind of metabolism-boosting agents. All it does is make it incredibly difficult to eat, painful almost, thereby forcing weight-loss upon you. Is anyone else horrified by this? Why are we constantly looking for quick-fixes to weight loss that are in no way sustainable long-term? Weight-loss means a complete lifestyle overhaul, not something you do for a bit, only to discard later. Recipe for failure? Throughout modern history, there have been a zillion stupid weight loss fixes we've indulged in to fight the bulge. Did any of them work for longer than, say, a nanosecond? You be the judge. ... More »

Post from: BlissTree

Gallery: 7 Weird Weight Loss Scams We Hope You Never Buy

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Shell Pasta In Barbeque Sauce

post from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes on 13 May 2011 04:24:29 PM. © Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

This recipe would likely make an Italian chef clasp their chest with both hands and yell[...]

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How To Make Roasted Asparagus Recipe

post from Melanie Cooks on 13 May 2011 03:35:15 PM. © Melanie Cooks

Roasted asparagus is a very elegant and flavorful asparagus recipe. When you roast the asparagus in the oven, it comes out with the appetizing roasted appearance. Roasted asparagus makes a perfect accompaniment to a main dish – it goes well … Continue reading →

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http://www.melaniecooks.com/roasted-asparagus-recipe/1166/

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Newts

post from Smokin' Chokin' and Chowing with the King on 13 May 2011 03:20:02 PM. © Smokin' Chokin' and Chowing with the King

-Got beef?
The Burgers of Minnesota

Hello again my friends. As those who have been here before know it is National Hamburger Month and we are celebrating with all burgers, all month long. Today we head north to Rochester, MN which is a place I visited last Fall while on a road trip that took me thru six different states. I had never been to Rochester but it was alot more than I thought it would be. With the Mayo clinic, IBM building and a university along with a population of 100,000+ I was quite pleased with it and happy to be staying there that Friday night. We stayed downtown which is near the clinic and really well taken care of and vibrant and alive on the Weekends, especially the night we were there, people were out. We took a stroll around town and stopped in for drinks at some bars and are options were a few spots with no appeal and Newt's.

A popular spot for burgers in Rochester, MN

One of the nice people we met while walking around mentioned that Newt's was the only place in Rochester mentioned in Minnesota Magazines best burgers in the state and has been the locals favorite burger basically since it opened in 1980. Its a bar/restaurant housed on the 2nd level of a building complex, you walk thru the outdoor dining area of another restaurant and into the back and then up some stairs and into Newt's. I really liked the place upon my entry, it was dimly lit and had groups of people throughout at the tables that were out enjoying the start of the weekend and it had a really nice vibe inside. They had tables with stools and a nice bar section which is where we sat to take a look at the menu.

My view from the bar

The burger in itself was enough to get me there but then when my friend with me read off her iPhone that they make everything fresh including freshly ground on site beef, an everchanging selection of homemade soups, fresh baked breads and everything fried is hand dipped including the mozzarella stix, chicken sandwich and fish and chips and I was really sold. Along with all that they have a nice tap beer list and a really chill and funny bartender, my type of place. We started off with a small order of the mozzarella sticks, something I usually never get since they're all the same. These were the best I have had and although that's not saying much since they're almost always frozen, I would eat mozz stix more often if they were all fresh cut and hand battered like these. Good stuff indeed.

Hand dipped mozzarella sticks from Newt's

Next up was the burger. They had a nice selection of different options and I had my eye on the 'Todd' Burger which came with bacon and two fried eggs. So then after asking what was the most popular burger and the bartender telling me it was the Todd, that's what I got. Remember the beef is ground fresh, the burger is hand patted and cooked to your request, meaning it's a nice size and it goes on a fresh homemade bun which is buttered and then grilled. I was very excited when the burger came out and brought a wonderful aroma along with it.

Todd Burger (double bacon, double egg and choice of cheese) from Newt's

In the end this was a fantastic bar burger with the beef and bun being top notch and then the bacon was cooked to a perfect crispness. I saw quite a few reviews about how the service was bad and burgers overrated but not on my visit. So if your ever in the area and want a burger and beer this is most definitely your spot if they give you what I got. Rochester was just a stopover on our way back but I really enjoyed the place. Please do stay tuned as June is travel month here at S'C'&C and the entire trip that took us thru six states and a whole bunch of roadfood regional eats and a few other ideas for some fun this summer can be seen then.

The insides

Newt's Bar
216 1/2 1st Ave SW
Rochester, MN 55902
(507) 289-0577
Website

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http://chibbqking.blogspot.com/2011/05/got-beef-burgers-of-minnesota-hello.html

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Kabanos Sausage

post from Melanie Cooks on 13 May 2011 03:03:51 PM. © Melanie Cooks

Kabanos sausage is a Polish sausage. Kabanos sausage is NOT the same as cabanossi sausage – even though the names sound similar, kabanos and cabanossi are completely different kinds of sausage. Kabanos sausages are long and skinny as you can … Continue reading →

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http://www.melaniecooks.com/kabanos-sausage/1252/

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How To Mince Garlic The Easy Way By Using A Box
Grater

Do you hate using a garlic press to mince garlic? Does your garlic just get squashed and stuck in the garlic press? Do you use stale-tasting garlic powder instead of fresh minced garlic because you are too lazy to mince … Continue reading →

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http://www.melaniecooks.com/how-to-mince-garlic-the-easy-way-by-using-a-box-grate
r/1247/

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