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Healthy Chicago Cooking Classes

gluten free

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Brownie {gf}

Looking for a deliciously fudgy brownie that’s gluten and refined sugar-free and also pretty gosh darn amazing while delivering more protein than a traditional version?

Mix up almond butter, applesauce and oat flour (and a couple other items) and boom — these amazing brownies are going to be in your grasp in no time.

Happy Eating,
~Monique

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Brownie {gf}

1/2 cup almond butter
3 tbls honey
4 heaping tbls coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp pink salt
1 bar 70% dark chocolate, chopped, or 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.

Mix the almond butter, honey, coconut sugar, vanilla, egg and applesauce until smooth. Mix in the oat flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, pink salt and 3/4 of the chopped chocolate.

Pour the brownie batter into the baking dish, sprinkle with remaining chopped chocolate. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The top will puff up; a toothpick inserted will come out clean. Underbake just slightly for a more fudgy bar.

Remove from oven and cool at least 10 minutes before cutting. Store in a sealed container for 2-3 days, longer in the fridge, or wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap to freeze.

Note: Go bitter by reducing the honey and sugar by 1 tablespoon each, especially if you are used to eating less-sugary desserts.

2 ingredient gluten free bagel

When I saw this idea floating around the internet, I thought-‘ya, right. A bagel make from yogurt and flour my a**.’

But I couldn’t shake my curiosity. So into the kitchen I went, armed with exactly yogurt and flour (in my case I used a gluten free flour), and out came these simple gf bagels. I’m not going to say they taste exactly like a famous NY bagel, but they were a fun addition to the soup we ate for lunch.

Think about topping them with your favorite bagel flavors, like sesame, garlic or everything seasoning!
Happy eating!
~Monique

2-Ingredient GF Bagel

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 3/4 cups GF flour (or self rising flour)
toppings of choice (sesame seeds, garlic, poppy seeds, Asiago cheese)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix together the yogurt and flour to form a dough with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle a little flour on the counter and lightly knead the dough together.

Divide the dough into 4 or 8 portions (I like baby bagels so I divide it into more portions, but go with the size you prefer). Roll each portion into a sausage-like shape. pinch the ends together to form a circle. Set on baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining portions.

Brush the tops (this will help the seasonings stick) with either a little water, melted butter, egg yolk or even olive oil. Sprinkle with toppings.

Bake about 20 minutes until golden brown.

Gluten free bagels fro two simple ingredients- Could it really be true??

Simple, delicious gluten free bagels!

Note: try using this same dough as a bread stick or even a simple pizza crust!

Easy Gluten Free Shortbread

Easy gluten free shortbread recipe. Going gluten free can be difficult, especially around the holidays when everyone else throws caution to the wind and delves into the best goodies and feels you should too.

These simple shortbread cookies are your new solution. A couple of key notes:
*I used ghee, but you could use coconut oil
*If you use butter, you may want to use less salt.
*I used a gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum (Namaste from Costco)

Gluten Free Shortbread

2 tbls ghee (or coconut oil)
2 tbls maple syrup
2/3 cup gluten free flour
dash or two of salt and vanilla

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cream together the ghee and maple syrup. And in the salt and vanilla. Mix in the flour – you may find it easier to knead it together.

Flatten the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to desired thickness. Cut into individual cookie sizes, use a fork to mark the cookies. Set the cookies slightly apart from each other to help them cook evenly.

Bake until lightly golden brown, roughly 15-20 minutes.

Crackers and Pate Class (Gluten Free & Vegan)

Crackers and Pate Class (Gluten Free & Vegan)
Monday, December 2nd @ 6pm; West Town
Learn how to make homemade, gluten free crackers that cost less and taste better than store bought in this hands on healthy cooking class in Chicago.

Ever wanted to make your own crackers? Ones that are delicious and gluten free? This class is for you! I’ll show how to make 2 different gluten free homemade crackers! Plus you’ll have a base to create hundreds of different ones from it.

We’ll also blend up my famous Walnut Pate- the  perfect appetizer to any holiday party.

Recipes we’ll create:

  • Carrot Crackers
  • Lentil Crackers
  • Walnut & Sunflower Seed Pate
  • Cardamom and Lemongrass Crumble over Berries with Coconut Whipped Cream
  • A simple roasted soup will be available to enjoy with the crackers.

Run time: estimating 3  hours; feel free to bring a bottle of wine or bubbles to enjoy.

Limited to 6 people! Reserve your spot via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/MoniqueCostello/75.00

Address will be sent upon confirmation of funds received.

Gluten, Yeast, Egg Free & Vegan Focaccia Bread!

I MISS BREAD!! If you need to avoid gluten, or even if you are just trying to avoid gluten, this is the phrase I hear the most. Bread has become something we are just simply used to. It’s a vessel for sandwiches, avocados and dips, it encases meat and it gives us something to munch on while we are waiting for the main course. It can be crunchy, chewy, light and airy and still be delicious.

I’ve been scouring the internet seeking great, heck even decent, gluten free bread options. And there’s a few out there. But to add a layer of complexity, eggs are not agreeing with me right now so the gf bread also needs to be vegan. And I need to avoid yeast . . . so these are some tough parameters.

Let’s just get this one thing out there: bread that is gluten free and vegan and egg free and yeast free is not going to be ‘exactly‘ like their typical counterparts. But once your palette adjust slightly, there becomes a new normal (one that is ok adjusting too.)

This original recipe come from Magdalena Wszelaki. I halved the recipe, soaked the cashews overnight and added olive oil to add to that authentic focaccia depth of flavor. It’s quite dreamy really for an egg, dairy, gluten and yeast free bread. It’s going to be much heavier and thicker than the traditional thanks to the fattiness of the cashews, but that also lend to the rich flavor. Fresh rosemary is key but feel free to substitute dried basil.

Gluten, Egg, Yeast-Free and Vegan Focaccia Bread

1 cup raw cashews
1.5 Tbls ground flax + 5 tbls water
1 Tbls water
2 Tbls coconut oil, melted
2 Tbls tapioca starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine pink Himalyan salt
1 Tbls fresh rosemary, rough chopped and divided
1 tsp coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
1 Tbls olive oil to drizzle on the top

Soak the cashews overnight or for at least for 30 minutes; rinse well.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a sheet pan in the oven.

Stir together the ground flax and 5 tablespoons of water, let sit for 20 minutes (can do this step the night before).

Blend all the ingredients together (the soaked & rinsed cashews, soaked flax, water, melted coconut oil, tapioca starch, baking powder, pink salt and half of the fresh rosemary) until a thick batter forms, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.

Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter next to the stove. Pour the batter into the middle of paper and smooth it out to a circle, less than an inch thick. Sprinkle with the remaining rosemary, the coarse salt and the olive oil.

Bake 50-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Refrigerate leftover pieces; rewarm in a hot oven for a few minutes.

vegan GF chocolate chip cookie

Sorghum flour is the gluten free flour you probably haven’t heard of. Today is the day you should cook with it. Think of sorghum as the wheat flour of the gluten free world.
These cookies are the bomb with sorghum flour and nut butter. And they freeze awesome. Don’t delay, get cookie’ing.
Happy Eating,
~Monique

Vegan, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie

1/4 cup brazil nut butter
3 tbls maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tbls ground flax + 2.5 tbls water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup toasted quinoa flakes
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

-> Mix the flax with the water and set aside for 20 minutes
-> Whisk together the quinoa flakes, the baking powder, sorghum flour, salt and cinnamon
-> Mix the nut butter, maple syrup vanilla and flax
-> Mix together the dry with the wet, stir in the chocolate chips
Mix all the ingredients together.

->Scoop onto the sheet pan and bake for about 12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Let cool.

Note: Makes between 6-9 cookies, depending on the size.
These store great in the freezer!
The batter is actually kind of interesting fried like a pancake.

Celeric Soup with Garlic Parsley Drizzle

1 tbls olive oil
1 cup small diced onions
3+1 garlic cloves
1 celeric root
4-6 cups broth or water
1/2 cup parsley
1 green onion
1 tsp pink or sea salt + to taste
Fresh black pepper to taste
Ghee or olive oil

->Heat your soup pan over medium heat.
->Simmer the onions in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes.
->Add in the chopped celeric root and toss well. Saute to achieve a little roasted brown spots and the cubes begin to slightly soften.
->Add the 3 minced garlic cloves, saute a minute
->add the broth (start with 4 cups) and simmer 10 minutes or until the celeric root is soft
->Blend the soup until creamy, adding more broth if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Pour back into the pan
->Stir in salt and pepper to taste

->Put 2 cups of the celeric root back in the blender, add the parsley, one garlic clove and the green onion- blend until creamy.

In each bowl pour a scoop of each soup and swirl. Top with a spoon of olive oil or ghee and salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy

NOTE: Try a spoon or two of my gluten free bread crumb topping to elevate the soup.



One-pot Spring Pasta (Noodles) with Smoked Salmon- Gluten & Dairy Free!

Spring is a time to release the extra winter weight by eating lighter…. but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat really good food!

This pasta (er, rice noodle) dish comes together with one simple pot. Of course you could use any pasta that you like, I chose a forbidden rice noodle partially because it’s gluten free and partially because I love the vibrant purple color! Take a few minutes to make the pumpkin seed cream or simple sub in Greek yogurt or sour cream if you are eating dairy and feeling lazy. Be sure to spend the money on a good smoked salmon though, it is the star of the dish!

Happy Eating
~Monique

Smoked Salmon and Veggie Noodles
2 – 4 oz smoked salmon
4 oz Forbidden Pad Thai Rice Noodles (or any pasta or noodle you prefer)
1/2 cup frozen peas
12 asparagus stalks
1 tbls olive oil
handful arugula or parsley
1 tbls pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seed sour cream

Boil a pot of water. Add rice noodles and a few pinches of salt, stir well and simmer for 3 minutes.
-Add in the asparagus and simmer for 1 minute.
-Add in the frozen peas, simmer of 1 minute.
Check the noodles for doneness leaving to simmer another minute only if needed; remove from heat and drain. Pour back into the pot and drizzle with olive oil.

Assemble on 2 plates: divide the noodles, asparagus and peas between the plates. Top with pieces of the salmon and dollops of the Pumpkin Seed Sour Cream.

Top with a sprinkling of arugula and pumpkin seeds. Add a few turns of fresh ground black pepper. Enjoy warm.

Purple Rice Noodle

Here are the Forbidden Pad Thai Rice Noodles from Lotus Foods that I used in this dish. Adorable, no?