Here is a recipe for a very interesting gluten free chocolate and banana cake that I thought some people might enjoy.

Gluten Free Chocolate & Banana Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 200ml apple juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice & rind
• 1 organic egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup rice flour
• 1/3 cup corn flour
• 1/3 cup millet flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup 70% dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Mix the mashed banana with the apple juice, lemon juice & rind. Add in the egg.
3. In another bowl, sift the flours, sugar & baking powder together. Combine together with the wet ingredients.
4. Add in the chopped chocolate & cocoa powder & mix well.
5. Pour into a pre-greased tin and bake for 40mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

[Recipe Courtesy of Tea Factory]

Looking for a gluten free lasagna?  I was able to track down the following recipe, which is both a gluten free lasagna, as well as a dairy free lasagna!  If you decide to give this a try, it will serve 6-8 people.

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu (not silken), drained (omit for soy-free)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken (I used grass-fed ground beef)
• 3/4 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch spinach, stemmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 4 cups gluten-free tomato or marinara sauce
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons garbanzo or fava bean flour (any gluten free flour will work here)
• 1 (16-ounce) package gluten-free lasagna noodles

Baking Instructions:

1. To prepare the filling, coarsely crumble tofu onto two layers of a lint-free dish towel.
2. Wrap tofu in the towel and lightly press out excess moisture; set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onion until tender, about 4 minutes.
4. Add turkey and cook, stirring frequently, until just brown, about 8 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms, garlic, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
6. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
7. In two batches, add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes each.
8. Stir in basil and tomato sauce.
9. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
10. Taste and adjust seasoning.
11. Whisk eggs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl.
12. Add flour and whisk until well blended and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
13. Unwrap tofu, crumble it into small pieces and add it to egg mixture.
14. Stir to fully coat. Set aside.
15. Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions in salted boiling water, but reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes. The noodles should be slightly firm, as they will continue cooking in the oven.
16. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
17. To assemble the lasagna, preheat oven to 350° F.
18. Ladle 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 13×9×2-inch baking dish and spread it out evenly.
19. Place 3 lasagna sheets on top of the sauce.
20. Place 1/3 of the tofu mixture on the lasagna sheets along with about a 1/4 of the sauce, distributing it evenly.
21. Repeat layering two more times with 3 lasagna sheets, 1/3 of the tofu mixture and 1/4 of the sauce. (If going soy-free, pour a little of the beaten eggs over each layer as well)
22. Finish with a final layer of noodles and remaining sauce, taking care to spread the sauce evenly all the way to the corners.
23. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
24. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

[Recipe Courtesy of Vibrance Nutrition]

There are a lot of interesting gluten free pancake recipes out there, but this one is probably the most interesting one I’ve found so far. 

Gluten Free Gingerbread Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups baking mix, Pamela’s Ultimate or other gf pancake mix
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Baking Instructions:

1. In a bowl, whisk baking mix, sugar, spices and crystallized ginger. In separate bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and butter to eggs and mix well. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined.
2. Cook on griddle.

[Recipe Courtesy of Group Recipes]

Usually with many flour-based products, if you try a gluten free version they might be good, but you often lose a large amount of the taste.   Today I noticed a gluten free recipe for chocolate chip cookies that is actually advertised as being better than the wheat-based versions that most people eat.  

Is it true?  You be the judge!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup teff flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 3/4 cup Muscovado sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 sticks butter- softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 bag Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Put softened butter in a large bowl. Blend in sugars. Mix in eggs and then add vanilla.
3. Mix all dry ingredients together, and blend into wet mixture. Blend in chocolate chips and nuts. Put heaping teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.

[Recipe Courtesy of The Daily Green]

Here is a nice recipe for a chocolate cake that is advertised as both gluten free (flourless) and sugar free (1g of natural sugar).   If you give it a try, let us know your thoughts in the comments below:

Gluten Free and Sugarless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 1/2 lb semisweet chocolate chunk (for cooking)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 egg yolk
• 5 egg white (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat a Spring form pan with butter and dust with cocoa powder. (do not tap out excess).
3. Combine melted chocolate and remaining butter. Stir until smooth and combined. In a large bowl combine the chocolate mixture with the almond flour, sour cream, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Stir until well-blended.
4. With an electric mixture, beat egg whites and salt until stiff glossy peaks form. Add one-quarter of egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whites until no white streaks remain.
5. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake for 20 min or until cake has risen and is barely dry on the top. A wooden tooth pick inserted comes out with a lots of moist crumbs.
7. Place cake, still in the pan, on a rack and cool until warm. Cake will fall dramatically. Loosen edges of the cake with a knife and remove the pan sides.
8. This cake can be combined with the Sugar Free Chocolate Mousse and topped with toasted slivered almonds. Texture should be dense, moist and slightly fudgy .
9. Chocolate can be melted on low microwave setting just until melted or over a double boiler.

[Recipe Courtesy of Recipe Zaar]