Huge kudos to my sister who came up with the best way to make this amazing strawberry lemonade.   It's definitely a special summer treat.  Absolutely the best strawberry lemonade.  The sugar syrup poured over the frozen strawberries works perfectly.  No more sugar granules resting at the bottom of your lemonade.  Yum! 

Fresh pitchers of strawberry lemonade

The perfect accompaniment to a big homemade enchiladas feast! Grilled veggies, grilled corn mixed with spices and cheese, homemade guacamole, salsa and bean dip with chips. Yum! 

A-Ma-Zing Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

This recipe will make TWO large pitchers of strawberry lemonade.  I like to use a stick blender to blend the final drink together.  

Squeeze, removing seeds but keeping any pulp: 

9 fresh lemons 

You want to have approximately 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice. 

In a pan, heat until just boiling, so all the sugar dissolves.  Then, remove from heat:  

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

In a 4 cup measure cup, place: 

2 cups frozen strawberries

1 cup ice

Pour the hot syrup over the strawberries and ice.  Set aside. 

*** Each item below should be divided between TWO large pitchers***  

1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice, from above

4 cups water plus ice to equal a total of 5 1/2 cups water

4 cups of strawberry/sugar syrup, from above

I like to scoop out the strawberries and divide them evenly between pitchers before diving the sugar syrup between the pitchers.  

Use a stick blender to blend up the strawberry-lemonade.  

This will be nice and cold and can be served immediately.  Best made and enjoyed fresh.  You can certainly halve the recipe if you don't want as much - but if you're sharing, you may want to make the full recipe!  Enjoy! 

Two fresh jugs of homemade strawberry lemonade. Yum! 

A-Ma-Zing Homemade Strawberry Lemonade by Successfully Gluten Free! 

These easy flatbreads are one of our favorites because they can be made plain or with a variety of cheesy additions.  A few of our favorites are listed in the recipe.  The plain flatbreads are a favorite with my kids to use as pizza crusts.  These are similar to my favorite naan bread, but these give you a fluffier end result.  Almost like something in between a naan bread and focaccia bread.  Once cooled, they freeze really well and can be easily heated up in a toaster oven or regular oven.  Enjoy!  

Yummy cheesy gluten-free flatbread filled with green onions and sharp cheddar cheese.

Fresh from the oven!  The extra cheese creates a bubbly texture.  Without the addition of cheese, these will look like nice, smooth flat breads.  

Delicious, Versatile Flatbread

Makes 6 oval flatbreads

Preheat oven to 400 F convection or 425 F regular.  Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large mixer, combine dry ingredients:
3 cups Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 Tbsp rapid-rise yeast (quick yeast)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp baking powder

Add and let beat 3-5 minutes, until well combined and light and fluffy:
2 1/4 cup milk, warmed (not hot)
2 eggs

These flat breads can be made plain, or you can add in extras of your choice, mixing into batter until well combined:

Cheddar-green onion
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 - 2/3 cup green onions, sliced into small pieces

Italian-style
2 cups Italian Blend grated cheese OR 1 1/2 grated Mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan
1 tsp dried basil OR 1 - 2 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Parmesan and sun-dried tomato
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely diced sun-dried tomato
1/2 tsp oregano (optional)

Scoop 2 blobs of dough onto each of the 3 pans.  Use wet hands to spread and flatten the dough, as desired.  You can keep wetting your hands so the dough doesn't stick to them.   Let the dough rise 10 - 20 minutes in a warm location. 

    

 

Divide and spread/flatten with wet hands.  You can add melted butter before or after rising.  Either works.  Two different varieties shown here.  They never quite look the same, but all end up delicous! 

Before baking, melt in a small bowl (for brushing tops of bread before baking):
3 Tbsp butter

Brush each flat bread with 1/2 Tbsp melted butter prior to baking.

 

Example from before and after rising.  In this case, I brushed the melted butter on at the beginning of the rise.  

Bake flatbreads for 15 - 20 minutes at 400 convection, rotating regularly and checking every few minutes after the first 5-7 minutes of baking.  (If baking your flat breads one at a time at 425 F, then leave the other pans in a slightly cooler place so that they rise slower.)

Remove baked flat breads from pans and parchment onto cooling racks.  Wonderful served immediately, but delicious cooled and served as desired.  We've used leftover flatbreads for quick pizza crusts, sliced and served with pasta, pull off pieces and served with soup or stew, or just eaten them plain as a snack.  Enjoy! 

Fresh from the oven - yum!  

Delicious, Versatile Flat Bread by Successfully Gluten Free! 

I have many different gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipes on this blog, but I always like experimenting and coming up with different versions.  The coconut flour in these makes them chewier than usual, although if you let them brown just a bit more you'll end up with crispy cookies.  They're flexible and forgiving.  Use any mix of chocolate chips you like - I gave a few suggestions below.  Enjoy! 

Soft GF Chocolate Chip Cookies, fresh from the oven!

Delicious, Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 3-4 trays of cookies, depending on size/spacing

Preheat oven to 350 F or 325 F convection.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together and set aside: (it's important to mix the dry ingredients separately in gluten-free baking to avoid clumps)

3/4 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Cream together:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

Add and mix in, scraping the sides: 

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1/4 cup milk (lactose-free or alternatives work well)

Add the dry (flours from above) ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until combined.  

Add and mix in chocolate (approximately 1 - 1 1/2 cups chips works well (or more, if you prefer!) - you can mix and match your favorite flavors - some of our favorites are below): 

1/2 - 3/4 cup semi-sweet chips

1/2 - 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

OR

1/2 - 3/4 cup caramel chips (if you can find them - these cookies were a-maz-ing and if I find caramel chips again, I'm buying several bags!)

1/2 - 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

OR

1/2 cup mint chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup semi-sweet chips

Scoop 1 or 2 Tbsp scoops onto parchment or silicon-lined baking pans.  

Bake at 350 F for 7-8 minutes for smaller cookies and 8-10 minutes for larger cookies, until a light golden brown.  Lighter colored will be softer, a darker golden brown will give you a crispier cookie.   

Cool on wire racks.  These are delicious fresh from the oven, and tend to fly off the cooling racks.  Once fully cooled, extra cookies freeze perfectly in ziplocs.  They're delicious! Enjoy! 

Triple chocolate cookies. 

Mint-chocolate chip cookies. Yum!

Delicous, Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free! 

This is as fun summer cake - and would be so festive for Canada Day or 4th of July (or one of the many birthdays we seem to have throughout the summer).  It's great because it's best served fresh from the refrigerator, which makes it a nice, cool treat.  We love it! This homemade gluten-free cake is a nice, fluffy sponge cake.  It's robust enough to withstand being poked with a fork a million times in order to have the tasty syrup poured on top.  Yum!  Enjoy! 

Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake, ready to serve!  

Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake

(technically it's a Cinco Leches Cake, since there's a bit of milk and yogurt in there, too!)

Makes one 9 x 13 pan.   If you double the cake recipe, you can make an extra sheet cake to use with the leftover tres leches mixture. (I recommend doing that).

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter 9 x 13 glass pan (or similar).   You can also use a large cookie sheet pan - line with parchment paper if you don't want to butter.

Whisk together in a large bowl: 

2/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup arrowroot starch OR cornstarch

2 Tbsp potato starch

2 Tbsp tapioca starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

In a mixer, cream together: 

6 Tbsp butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

Add and mix in: 

1/2 cup milk 

2 Tbsp plain yogurt OR sour cream

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Let them mix for 2-3 minutes, so it's nice and smooth. 

Spread batter in your buttered pan.  

Cake, ready to bake!

Bake at 350 F for ~22 minutes, until golden brown.  If baking in a large cookie sheet pan, it needs about 15-17 minutes until golden brown.  

Fresh from the oven - a nice golden brown

While the cake is baking, whisk together: 

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

12 oz can evaporated milk

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

*Note: you will only use 2 cups of this tres leches mixture.  If you make an extra cake, you can use the extra cup on the second cake for a lighter treat.*

Once the cake has finished baking, place it on a cooling rack.  While hot/warm, poke the top of the cake with a fork.  You want lots and lots of holes poked all over the cake.  Spoon 2 cups of the tres leche syrup over the cake.  Take your time, so the syrup can soak evenly over the cake.  

This was poked with a fork A LOT - hard to tell from the picture. I'd say you want to poke a hole with your fork every 1/2" so the syrup really spreads evenly through the cake. 

Once the cake has cooled a bit, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator - at least 3 hours, or overnight.  

One hour before serving, whip until nice and stiff peaks (don't overwhip or you'll make butter): 

1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake.  (Once the cake is fully chilled, you can add the whipped cream the day before to have it ready in advance - but I like making it nice and fresh).

Topped with fresh whipped cream, ready for adding the cherries

Decorate, if desired with:

maraschino cherries, sliced in half

Refrigerate until serving.  Slice and serve!  Enjoy! 

A yummy slice of gluten-free tres leches cake. Mmmm... 

Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake by Successfully Gluten Free!

Fresh mangos are one of the yummiest treats, especially with a nice, sticky rice pudding.  Everyone has their favorite taste and texture, but this is the version I prefer.  I don't just steam the rice, I end up doing a combination of steaming and mixing.  That way, I don't end up with any parts too dried out or sticking to the bottom of the pot.  My dad prefers drizzling a little sweetened condensed milk on top, like our favorite Thai place does, but I prefer it with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup.  It's great in summer when it's easier to get fresh mangos, but you can use frozen mangos (thawed), too!  Enjoy!  

Fresh mango atop yummy sticky rice pudding

Mango Sticky Rice Pudding

Rinse well, then soak in water for 30 minutes: 

1 cup sushi rice

Strain and rinse rice after soaking.  Place soaked & rinsed sushi rice in a medium saucepan.  

Add to saucepan: 

3/4 - 1 cup coconut milk (Just the regular boxed, not canned - or it will end up quite a bit thicker)

3/4 - 1 cup whole milk (or just more coconut milk, lactose-free, or almond if you prefer)

3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

dash salt

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Once mixture comes to a boil, you can cover and lower heat to let the rice simmer 20 minutes.  I like to stir it a few times during the simmering time so nothing sticks to the bottom.  

If the rice needs a little more time, you can add a little extra coconut milk and continue cooking, simmering gently for another 5 minutes.  

Remove from heat.  Serve in small bowls with fresh sliced mango on top.  If you like a little extra sweetness, a tiny drizzle of maple syrup (or sweetened condensed milk) overtop is nice when serving.  Enjoy! 

Yum!

Mango Sticky Rice Pudding Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

These have been very popular around here.  They're also incredibly versatile.  You can throw in whatever you want.  Nadiya, winner of one of the British bake-off, shared this idea - only she used fresh mushrooms and a sun-dried tomato paste.  We gave it a try, tweaking it a bit, and found that it's a fun, easy lunch or dinner recipe.  You can easily add things like mushrooms, but I prefer to saute them first with some onion and then add them where I used a leafy green in the recipe below. 

Mmm.. a nice, hot egg sandwich roll.  

Quick and Easy Egg Sandwich Roll Ups

Based on a recipe from Nadiya's Time to Eat show

 I find I use about two eggs per roll-up, so depending on how many you want to make, you can adjust how many eggs you whisk together. Instructions for 4 roll-ups are here.   

Spread on top of four gluten-free tortillas, then set aside:

mustard OR homemade basil pesto OR spread of your choice

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together: 

8 eggs

salt & pepper generously

Heat over medium-low to medium heat: 

1 Tbsp butter

Once melted, add approximately 1/4 of your egg mixture.  Immediately top with: 

cheese of your choice, shredded or sliced in smaller pieces

sandwich meat, sliced in smaller pieces (optional)

leafy green (spinach, baby kale, cilantro, fresh basil)

Egg topped with cheese, a little turkey and some spinach

On top of your egg, place your gluten-free tortilla, face down, so the spread is pressed into the egg mixture.   

Face-down tortilla topped with mustard

When the egg mixture has mostly set, carefully flip the entire egg and wrap over.  Let it cook a couple minutes, until your tortilla has had a change to get nice and crispy.  

Flipped over and cooking to crisp up the tortilla and let the egg finish cooking. 

Remove to a plate.  Let rest for a minute or two.  Roll up your egg sandwich roll.  Slice in half and serve!   Repeat with the remaining egg, filling, and tortillas.  Happy eating!

So fun and easy!

Quick and Easy Egg Sandwich Roll Ups by Successfully Gluten Free!

I was blown away by how popular these gluten-free, nut-free bakewell bars were at my house.  Nut allergies inspired me to adapt the idea of the bakewell tart first into a nut-free variety, then into bar form, for easy baking, slicing and eating.  Who would've thought that coconut flour would give such a perfect texture when used to replace the more traditional almond flour.  These have been eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks around here. Enjoy! 

Yummy gluten-free British bakewell bars. 

Bakewell Bars made with leftover cranberry sauce (cranberry sauce made with half water & half orange juice simmered with the cranberries and sugar)

British Bakewell Bars - gluten-free and nut-free!

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter 9 x 13 pan. 

In a bowl, dice together with a pastry cutter until butter is in small, pea-sized pieces: 

1 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour 

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

10 Tbsp (1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp) butter, chilled

Add and mix in with a spoon: 

1/4 cup milk

Press into prepared 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes, until pale golden. 

The pastry crust, baked for 15 minutes, until just browning at the edges.

While baking, prepare this topping: 

Beat until fluffy: 

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch salt

Add and mix in: 

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk 

Add and mix in until well combined (no lumps): 

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

Place the fluffy topping in a piping bag (or freezer ziploc) until ready to use.  

After 15 minutes of baking, remove the crust from oven.  Immediately spoon small spoonfuls across the top of: 

12 oz raspberry jam OR strawberry jam OR cherry jam OR 2 cups leftover cranberry sauce (from Thanksgiving)

Spread the jam gently and evenly over the surface of the crust.  It should spread nicely because it melts a bit on the hot crust. 

12 oz of raspberry jam spread on top of the crust.

Snip a small piece off the corner of your ziploc bag.  Pipe lines of topping gently back and forth on top of the jam.  You can use wet hands or a wet spoon to gently smooth the top layer after piping.  (I find this doesn't "spread" well without making a mess of things, but the piping works really well. and just keep dipping your hands or spoon into water to get it to spread nicely). 

Piped top crust.  You could bake it like this if you prefer.  However, I like to smooth it out.

Used a wet spoon (dipping repeatedly) to smooth out the topping.  I didn't aim for perfection. 

Bake the bakewell bars at 350 F for another 30 - 35 minutes, until golden.  Place pan on a wire rack to cool.   We can't help sneaking pieces of hot bakewell bar, but if you want nice, neat pieces, then let it cool before slicing.  Cool, slice and enjoy!  

Mmmm.. fresh from the oven.  We couldn't resist and had to taste-test immediately.

Look at those layers. Yum! 

British Bakewell Bars - Gluten Free and Nut Free by Successfully Gluten Free!