Showing posts with label kid friendly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kid friendly. Show all posts

Friday, January 24, 2014

Homemade fruit snacks

It is very hard to find all natural fruit snacks.  I've been experimenting with different Paleo fruit snack recipes and I came up with one.  Grass fed gelatin can be found on Amazon and it has free 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime.  I did not want to wait to make fruit snacks, so I just used regular Knox gelatin.  Knox gelatin can be found in the grocery store in the jello isle. Here is the mixed berry fruit snacks.  I'm working on strawberry and mango today.

Mixed Berry Fruit Snacks
2 bags of frozen mixed berries (12 oz size), frozen or thawed
5-6 tablespoons honey
4 envelopes of gelatin or 1/2 cup

On the stove top, bring berries to a boil in a pot. Using a spatula or potato masher, break berries into a pulp.  Using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, strain berry juice into a mixing bowl.  A few seeds is fine and I'm sure the seeds can be left in; it all depends on personal taste. There should be about 2 cups of berry mixture.  Next add the honey and gelatin, then transfer back to the pot.  Bring berry mix to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Fruit mix can be transferred into mini shaped ice cube molds or into a 2 qt casserole dish.  Place pans or trays in the fridge to set up.
Berry fruit snacks


Strawberry mango fruit snacks
3 mango or 1 small package of frozen mango
1 packages of frozen strawberries
5 tablespoons of honey (can add more)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of gelatin
Pulse fruit in food processor.  Add fruit and water to a sauce pot and bring to a simmer.  Add honey and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add gelatin, stir until combined. Pour into shaped ice trays or pans.  Let set up in the refrigerator or counter.

**Note** I let this batch set up on the counter and it took a couple of days for the fruit to set up.

Blueberry fruit snacks
1 package of frozen blueberries, frozen or thawed
1 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup gelatin
4 tablespoons of honey (can add more)
Pulse berries in food processor.  Add fruit and juice to pot, bring to a simmer.  Add honey and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add gelatin, stir until combined. Pour into shaped trays or pans.  Let set up in the refrigerator or counter.



Monday, September 23, 2013

Pumpkin Spice Kiss Cookies

Cookies are one thing that can still bring tears to my eyes.  My motto has always been, "I haven't met a sugar cookie I didn't like."  Cheesy but it is true.  I love cookies and baking cookies.  Having celiac disease and a child with gluten intolerance has been difficult on the cookie front.  Pinterest is full of great looking cookies and most of those cookies are full of gluten. Since it is fall and pumpkin is the main flavor, I've been working on pumpkin cookies.  First up, pumpkin spice kiss cookies.  These are great and also egg free.

Pumpkin Spice Kiss Cookies
36 Hershey pumpkin spice kisses, unwrapped and placed in the freezer for 2 hours or overnight
1 cup of butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups coconut flour blend (I used Gluten Free Mama's blend)
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream butter,  sugar, and vanilla. Add flour and pecans, beat on low speed until well blended.  Cover dough and refrigerate 1-2 hours or until dough is firm enough to handle.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough into 36 balls, using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball.  Place on lined baking sheet (parchment paper or silicon liners)  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool for 4 minutes and then press frozen kiss into center of ball.  Do not be alarmed-COOKIE WILL CRACK AROUND THE EDGES! It is okay and it give the cookie personality.  Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on cooling rack.  Makes 36 cookies

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Gluten free Reece's Peanut Butter Chip Cookies


Since my daughter is now gluten free, she has been wanting cookies.  She believes the need for a cookie is going to kill her but I keep telling her it will not.  It is very hard for adults to go GF but I have realized, it is pretty hard for little kids. This recipe is adapted from Land O' Lakes gluten free chocolate chip cookies.  I did not have enough chocolate chips but I did have some of the Reece's peanut butter chips.  Remember to always look at ingredients to make sure they are gluten free. 

Gluten Free Reece's Peanut Butter Chip Cookies (adapted from Land O' Lakes GF chocolate chip cookies)

2 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 t xanthan gum
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/2 package of chocolate chips
1/2 package of Reece's Peanut Butter chips
Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Cream butter and sugars in mixer until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla until well mixed, scraping sides of bowel.  Gradually add flour mixture and beat on low until all ingredients are mixed in.  Drop by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.  Make sure to spray cookie sheets or use the silicon liners.  Bake for 9-12 minutes.  Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on sheet before moving to cooling rack. 

Monday, August 12, 2013

Pizza Bombs

This recipe has been adapted from the gfe-gluten free easly blog.  I've relied more on blog and reviews on blogs than I have on buying gluten free cook books at the book store or on Amazon.  I recommend doubling this recipe for pizza night because the little bombs are far easier than making pizza crust.   I will post pictures later this week because the family ate the little bombs before I could get pics. 


Pizza Bombs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 t baking powder
1/2 t pizza seasoning
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup mini pepperoni
Homemade pizza sauce (One 8 oz can tomato sauce with 1 T pizza seasoning mixed in)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchement paper or silcone liners. Add slightly beaten eggs in mixing bowel.  Add other ingredients in order shown, stir after each addition.  Stir well until ingrdients are fully incorporated.  Form dough into 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls.  Place about 2 inches apart on sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool and then serve--if you can keep people away.