Multi colored cupcakes - no artificial food coloring

For Cameron's 6th birthday party he wanted multi colored cupcakes like the traditional Funfetti© cake mixes. Since those are out on many levels I set out to make my own. And while I was at it I figured why not make each color a different flavor? They were a hit at the party and Cameron was able to have fun cupcakes that wouldn't bother him.

Multi Colored Cupcakes

What you need:

3 eggs or egg replacer (I used EnerG) 

2 cups sugar (I used organic)

1 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups gluten free flour mix of choice (make sure it has xanthum gum or guar gum)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups shredded zucchini 
natural food colors (I use these)

Directions:
If using egg replacer, combine with water according to directions and let sit. 

Combine in a mixer bowl, the eggs or egg replacer, sugar, oil and vanilla. Sift together the flour mix, baking soda and salt. Add the sifter flour mix to the mixer bowl and stir until combined. Add in the zucchini and mix well. If using frozen zucchini, let thaw and add both the zucchini and the extra water from the zucchini. Divide the batter into three or four bowl, one for each color. Natural red does not work well for this but the other colors work. Add the natural food coloring to each bowl until desired color is reached. Oil three or four 8x8 pans and add one color to each pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out colors and let cool. Once cooled cut into bit size pieces and set aside. 

My Birthday Boy!

To make colored cupcakes make another recipe of the above cake but don't add the food coloring. Line 24 muffin tins with papers and add enough batter to each liner to cover the bottom. Add in the cooked and cooled colored cake bites and top with remaining batter. Bake 18 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Make sure when you toothpick them that you don't hit a already cooked color piece. Remove from pans and let cool completely before icing. 

Finished Cake

Orgran is GMO free

I have recently figured out that my kids react to GMO corn the same way they do gluten. This has lead me to cut out GMO's and contacting companies to find out what they use. I wanted to share the recent reply I received from Orgran. While I have not tried their products yet, I ordered several of them to try and I will let you know how they are.
Here is their reply.

              

Thank-you for your email and interest into the Orgran range of gluten free products.

All of Orgran products are GMO free. We used to have GMO free statement on all of Orgran products. However, due to the requirement on some of the countries that we exported our products to, we had to remove the GMO free statement from our packaging.

For your reference I have copied below some additional information regarding our range.

Currently we have over 80 gluten free lines ranging from the best tasting pasta available (Rice & Corn), pancake mixes, bread mixes, flour mixes, fruit bars, falafel mix, canned spaghetti, biscuits, snacks and more.

The entire range of Orgran products are:
Wheat free
Gluten free
Dairy/lactose and casein free
Yeast free
Egg free
Contain no animal derivatives
GMO free

ORGRAN products consist of a very comprehensive range of foods specifically developed for dietetic requirements such as coeliacs, allergies, diabetics, athletes and the health conscious consumer.

In accordance with the ORGRAN philosophy and stringent quality guidelines we do not use or store GM ingredients, artificial additives, food preservatives, stabilizers, flavour enhancers, dairy, animal derived ingredients or wheat.

As specialised producers we adhere to strictest international standards and in order to maintain purity status of our dietetic products we do not process wheat or gluten containing cereals or additive derivatives on our premises. 

I hope this is helpful, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like any additional information.

Thank-you again for your interest in Orgran

Best Regards,

Jeffrey Wangsadipura

Senior Quality Assurance Officer

Email: * jeffrey@orgran.com

Apple sandwiches

Are you looking for a fun and easy lunch or snack? Here is a fun idea that I found on pinterest.

Apple Sandwiches
What you need:
Apples
Peanut Butter or Sun Butter
Mini dairy free chocolate chips, dried fruit or other fillers

Directions:
Slice the apple into slices and core. Or if you have an apple corer, core the apple first and then slice. Spread your nut butter or sun butter on apple slices and top with the filling of choice. My kids found these to make an amazing lunch and loved eating them.

Beef Freezer Cooking

A few people want to know what my 2 freezer cooking groups do and what we cook.When we cook we pick a common ingredient this time it was beef but we have also done chicken, pork, breakfast, sides and sweet treats. We pick 3 to 4 meals and double them so we each have 6 to 8 meals per family.

This month we cooked

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Meatballs/Meatloaf (I use gluten free crackers and each person picks how they want their meal)

Slow Cooker French Dip

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef (Use gluten free soy sauce)

Remember that we double each recipe per person.

The night before I browned the ground beef for the stroganoff and prepped all the onions in the food processor. The next day one person finished making the stroganoff using olive oil instead of the fat. While she was doing that I started on the Mongolian beef and the third person started the French dips. We did our french dips in our slow cookers and had the dip cook all day to eat that night. Then we froze the leftovers for another meal later. Then as I finished the Mongolia beef the other two started on the meatballs/meatloaf. (Use gluten free crackers) We love this recipe because it works well as both meatballs and meatloaf. We bake them at 375* until done, this depends on the thickness of your meatloaf and how big your meatballs are. We then did dishes, cleaned up the kitchen and we home to fill our freezers. It is a small way to start filling your freezer for nights that you don't know what to cook.

Vanilla Apple Sauce

This is a new twist on regular apple sauce. The vanilla bean adds a wonderful subtle taste that makes this recipe so refreshing. Do you see the vanilla flecks?

Vanilla Apple Sauce

What you need:
8-9 apples (I used several different ones)
2/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups water

Directions:
Peel, core and chop your apples. I had my kids chopping apples with a butter knife which is why I started with 9 apples. Mix your chopped apples with the lemon juice and add to a medium to large pot. To the apples add the water and sugar, stir to help dissolve the sugar. Split your vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the seeds. Add both the split pod and the seeds to your apples.
Bring the apple mixture to a boil over medium heat and then reduce to low. Simmer the apples for 10 to 15 minutes or until the apples are soft. 

Chocolate Zucchini Doughnuts

Doughnuts are something my whole family loves but the gluten free doughnuts the stores offer leave something to desire. I did buy myself doughnut pans in both regular and mini doughnuts and the long ones are on my wishlist. The ingredients used in these doughnuts make them perfect breakfast food along with a glass of cultured coconut milk. 

Gluten and Dairy Free Chocolate Zucchini Doughnuts
adapted from BruCrew

What you need:
1/2 cup dairy free butter softened
2/3 brown sugar
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1 6oz carton dairy free yogurt (I used vanilla almond yogurt)
1 cup zucchini, shredded
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Shortbread cookie mix
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup dairy free mini chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)

Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the salt, applesauce, yogurt, milk, and zucchini and continue to combine. Sift together the cookie mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. 

Spoon the doughnut butter into a large ziplock bag and cut one tip off. Fill the doughnut pan cavities at least 3/4 full. Bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To serve top with powder sugar or dairy free whipped cream, try this one or use this, with fresh fruit.

Corn Free Candy Corn

Ever since the Halloween candy has hit the shelves my kids have been begging me to make candy corn. It was not as hard as I thought it would be and turned out to be fun. The pictures will also show why I love the orange and yellow food coloring from Natural Candy Store. The colors are so vibrant and real looking and they taste so much better than the store bought stuff.

Corn Free Candy Corn
Adapted from Alton Brown

What you need:
4 1/2 ounces powdered sugar
1/2 ounce powdered milk (I use DariFree which you can find here)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
1/3 cup corn free corn syrup
2 1/2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons dairy free butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
orange and yellow food coloring

Directions:
I did mine just like Alton Brown did except for using natural food coloring. Follow his directions here. I also took tiny cookie cutters and used them to cut out solid colored bit sized candies. After I cut and shaped my candies they were still a bit sticky. I decided to place them in my dehydrator for a few hours on the lowest setting. They firmed up on the outside but are still nice and soft on the inside. Since they had a few hours in the dehydrator they can be stacked together to store.