Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies

I always say one of the easiest things to bake gluten free is cookies. I purposely do not get attached to the idea or need to make the best "... cookie recipe ever".

Take these chocolate chip cookies for example. Chilling the cookie dough overnight or longer improves the flavor. There are also methods designed to improve caramelization and texture. These techniques have merit, but when I want cookies right away simplicity is what I go for (some techniques will not work as intended since these cookies do not contain eggs and dairy butter). At any rate the cookies always taste great, absolutely no one has ever commented about technique. I'm happy to do the extra work whenever I feel inclined.

This recipe falls in the keep it simple category. It's the recipe you need for a quick treat. I've used pistachios here but you can easily use another type of nuts, dried fruit or just more chocolate chips.

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pistachios

Gluten Free and Vegan Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

(makes 10 – 12 small cookies)

½ cup brown rice flour

¼ cup almond flour

¼ cup potato starch

¼ tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup coconut palm sugar

1 tbsp coconut oil

¼ cup coconut milk

¼ tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp crushed pistachios

1 oz chocolate chips

Notes

You can use a pre-packaged gluten free flour blend, preferably a “light” blend for cake or pancakes and not a bread mix. Omit the xanthan gum if already in your mix

The coconut palm sugar gives the cookies a nice brown colour and adds a “caramelly” taste to the cookies. You can use regular sugar instead with the following changes to the recipe:

• Sub the baking powder with 1/2 tsp baking soda

• Sub the coconut palm sugar with 3 tbsp brown sugar and 1tbsp white sugar

You can sub the pistachios with any other nut. You can also add more if you wish just adjust the liquid accordingly

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a mixing bowl add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Leave out the pistachios and the chocolate chip

Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. Knead or mix until the dough is slightly sticky but holding together, add a little water or milk at a time if needed. Fold in the pistachios and chocolate chips

Scoop rounds of the dough (about 2 tablespoons in size or as preferred) onto a parchment lined sheet leaving a space between each round. If you find the dough difficult to handle, chill for about 15 minutes before shaping

With wet hands flatten into discs. The cookies do not spread much so flatten to your desired thickness

Chill the tray of cookies in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes

While the tray is in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 425F

When ready, bake for 8-10 mins until the tops are lightly browned or until the cookies are set

Cool and enjoy! Store in an airtight container on your kitchen counter for up to 5 days (if your kitchen is hot and humid, store in the refrigerator).

Homemade Ravioli (Gluten Free and Vegan)

I really fell in love with pasta as an adult. As a child our pasta dishes were limited to macaroni pie (baked mac & cheese), the occasional lasagna, Chinese styled noodles and spaghetti with meat balls (or meat sauce).

Later on I was introduced to other pasta dishes and even later on I started experimenting with various types of pasta. Pappardelle, gnocchi, cannelloni and ravioli were all somewhat new to me as a young adult.

We also never made homemade pasta. Looking back that seems weird for a family where cooking was a passion and a business.

Fast forward to the present and pasta meals are somewhat of an indulgence for me. I make pasta like comfort food, rich, layered and delicious. I worry less about it being healthy and more about it being satisfying, the kind of satisfying that makes you moan in delight.

This means that sometimes I have to make certain types of pasta from scratch if I want to eat it, like Ravioli. Apart from not being able to readily source it, Ravioli is just better fresh. I can also make whatever filling I fancy.

My recipe here focuses on the ravioli dough. I use quinoa and oat flour because they hold up well when rolling out and when boiling. Qunioa also gives the ravioli a bit of chewiness, which I happen to like. You could also say that using Quinoa and Oat flour makes this ravioli healthier!

I do not use a pasta machine, I roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Once my work surface is liberally dusted with flour I get little trouble making the ravioli.

A word of caution with your filling. Try not to use a chunky filling or a "liquidy" filling. As good as the dough holds up it is still gluten free and also vegan. The dough can tear if handled incorrectly.

All you have to do now is give it a try, enjoy!

Homemade Ravioli

Making Homemade Ravioli

Gluten Free, Vegan Homemade Ravioli Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup oat flour

¼ cup quinoa flour

¼ cup tapioca starch (more for dusting)

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp xanthan gum

½ tsp brown sugar

½ tbsp olive oil

½ cup water

Directions

Make the dough

Combine the dry ingredients

Add the oil and water. Knead or mix to form a firm but not dry dough, adding more water by tablespoon if needed. Once combined use wet hands to press the flour mixture into a rough ball.

Divide the dough into four pieces and knead each to form a ball as smooth as you can make it. Work with oiled or flour dusted hands. Use as much time as needed to work the dough until smooth, you do not have to be worried about overworking the dough. When you are finished with each piece, cover with oiled plastic wrap and set aside for about 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting, prepare your filling of choice and set aside

Roll out the pasta

On a surface sprinkled with tapioca starch carefully roll out the ball into a rectangle about 1/16 – 1/8 inch thickness and 2 ½” width. Keep checking the underside of the dough as you roll out to ensure that it is not sticking to the surface, flip and dust with more flour if needed. Repeat with a second piece of dough (try to roll out the rectangles to about the same size).

Fill the pasta Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil

Using a 2” round biscuit cutter, lightly score circular shapes center and along the length of one rectangle. Drop teaspoonfuls of the filling in the center of each circle. Brush the edges with a little water. Lay the second rectangular sheet over the one with the filling attempting to match up the edges as evenly as possible

Gently smooth out the pasta, working from just around the filling and pushing toward the edges to remove any air bubbles and wrinkles. Use the 2” round biscuit cutter to cut out the ravioli then seal the edges completely

Add ravioli to the boiling water and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the ravioli floats to the top. Do not boil too many at once. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. If needed you can spread olive oil over the ravioli to prevent them from sticking together

Best served immediately

Notes

The ravioli can be cut into squares or more complex shapes, adjust the width of the rolled out dough and the spacing of the filling accordingly.

The dough can be rolled out between two sheets of plastic wrap. The plastic wrap also helps with handling the sheets of pasta. Use it to pick up and place one sheet of pasta over the other.

To make it easier you can use smaller pieces of dough at a time, just remember to keep unused portions of the dough covered and moist.

Trini style Currants Roll

A gluten free & vegan recipe

Trini style Currants Roll

Ingredients

Flaky Pastry Dough

½ cup brown rice flour

¼ cup almond flour

¼ cup potato starch (not potato flour)

½ tsp xanthan gum

¼ tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp brown sugar

¼ tsp baking powder*

1/3 cup unsalted vegan butter (very cold and cut into cubes)**

1/8 cup ice cold water

Potato starch for rolling out the dough

*Flaky pastry is not normally made with baking powder. I made an exception here

**I use a vegetable based baker's pastry margarine. The recipe will work with ordinary butter

Filling

1/3 cup dried currants***

1 ½ tbsp sugar (more if you like)

¼ tsp cinnamon

*** Can also use raisins, finely shredded coconut or cranberries

Directions

Mix together the dry ingredients until properly combined

Add in roughly 2/3 of the cold butter, you want to leave some butter for the next stage. With a fork or pastry blender, work in the butter until the mixture forms large crumbly pieces of dough. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and press the pieces of dough together to form a crude ball. The dough should be moist, but not wet and it will not be smooth.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 - 15 minutes

Remove the dough from the fridge. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, place the unused portion back into the refrigerator. Put the dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper or silpat mat and press with the palm of your hand to flatten. Lightly dust the top of the flattened dough and using a rolling pin begin to roll out the dough rolling away from you with light even pressure. You can also roll between 2 pieces of cling wrap. Lift and turn the dough a few times to ensure that it does not stick to the parchment paper. Do not overwork the dough, it does not have to be perfect and it is best to leave some of the butter in big pieces.

Using some of the reserved margarine, scatter small pieces of it on the dough. Fold the dough unto itself to form a small square. Do not worry if the dough does not hold tightly together, a crude square is sufficient. It is more important not to flatten out the margarine to the point where it is fully mixed into the dough. You can roll the dough out once more and repeat the folding process. Once you are finished with both pieces of dough refrigerate again for 15-20 minutes.

Make the filling: combine the raisins (or other) with the sugar and cinnamon. Using a food processor or a coffee grinder, pulse the mix a few times to break up the dried fruit. Do not puree. The dough is fairly delicate so breaking up the dried fruit makes it easier to roll out the dough without tearing. Set the filling aside

Line a baking tray with parchment and set aside

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll out to about 1/8” thickness. Again the dough does not have to be perfect, you can patch up torn areas with a little water and small pieces of dough. Once you get the desired thickness spread half of the fruit mix evenly on the dough. Beginning at one end roll the dough into a cylindrical shape. If you use parchment paper or a silpat mat, use either to lift the dough and fold it over without touching the dough. Carefully place the pastry unto your prepared tray. Repeat the steps to shape the second piece of dough. When you are done, refrigerate again for another 15 – 20 minutes. If your kitchen is hot, before shaping the second piece, place the first shaped dough into the refrigerator

Preheat the oven to 400F

When ready, remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Brush the top with vegetable oil, I use coconut, or brush with the margarine. Make evenly spaced diagonal slits along the top of the pastry

Place in oven and bake for 20-25 mins or until the tops of the pastry turns slightly brown.

Brush again with the oil or margarine, turn the oven to 450F, place the tray back in the oven and let the pastry brown again to a deeper colour, 2-3 minutes

Remove form the oven let the pastry cool. Using the diagonal slits as a guide cut the pastry into individual serving size pieces

Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for a few days or freezer for an extended period of time