This delicious and different cake comes from Nadia Hassani, author of Spoonfuls of Germany. Nadia writes about traditional German cuisine on her blog and wrote a cookbook by the same name. In Germany, wheat farina is used for many different recipes and is not solely regarded as a breakfast cereal, as it is in the United States. She wanted to share this recipe with you, which has been adapted to use our whole grain brown rice farina. Nadia emigrated to the United States in 1998 and found there was a lot left to be explored  in German cuisine here. She took up the challenge of writing Spoonfuls of Germany to bring more awareness to the diversity of German food and get a taste of the German culture. The revised and expanded edition of Spoonfuls of Germany will be available this Spring, see her website for details.

(c) Ted Rosen

Hazelnut Loaf Cake with Brown Rice Farina

• 1 cup Milk
• 1¼ cups + 3 Tbsp (7 oz) Brown Rice Farina, plus more for the pan
• Butter or Oil for greasing
• 2¼ cups (8 oz) Hazelnut Flour
• 1 Tbsp gluten-free, aluminum-free Baking Powder
• 2 Tbsp Natural Unsweetened Cocoa
• Pinch of Salt
• 1¼ cups Sugar
• 1 large Egg
• 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan. Add the farina and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the sides and the bottom of a 8½ x 4½ x 2½ loaf pan very well. Sprinkle the bottom with farina. Turn the pan upside down over the kitchen sink and knock off any excess farina.
3. Mix the hazelnut flour, baking powder, cocoa, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add the egg and the vanilla to the cooled farina mix and stir well.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold just until evenly moistened. The dough will be quite thick. Pour it into the prepared pan and gently shake the pan to distribute the dough evenly.
5. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Gently loosen the sides with a knife and unmold the cake onto a wire rack. Turn it over at once and let cool completely before cutting.
    

Makes 12 servings

What a perfect way to cure the winter blues. Sure, mangoes aren’t in season, but you know what else isn’t in season in Oregon? Sunshine! This colorful salad is just the ticket to brighten up your day and beat back the doldrums.

Amaranth Mango Salad

•     1/2 cup plain Yogurt
•     1-1/2 tsp Curry Powder
•     1 tsp grated Ginger (about 1-inch)
•     1/2 tsp Sea Salt
•     1 cup Organic Amaranth Grain
•     1-1/2 cups Water
•     1-1/2 cups chopped Mango (about one 1 lb mango)
•     1/2 cup diced Red Bell Pepper
•     1 Tbsp diced Jalapeno
•     1 Tbsp minced fresh Mint
•     2 Tbsp chopped Cilantro

Directions

Step 1

Combine the yogurt, curry, ginger and salt and chill until ready to use.

Step 2

Bring water to a boil. Add amaranth, reduce heat to low and simmer until water has been absorbed, about 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off excess water.

Step 3

Toss cooked amaranth with mango, bell pepper, jalapeno, herbs and yogurt sauce. Serve immediately or chilled.

Makes 4 servings.

How about a warm, comforting meal for dinner tonight? The warmth of ginger, turmeric, and coriander, combined with green chilies and a dash of cayenne bring a taste of India to your table. The creaminess of Chana Dal contrasts nicely with crisp zucchini for a dish that you’ll want to snuggle up to on these cold winter nights. Serve this hearty, heart-healthy dish with some warm Naan for an easy, satisfying dinner. 

Chana Dal with Zucchini

This recipe is adapted from Complete Book of Indian Cooking by Suneeta Vaswani.

•      1 cup Chana Dal Beans
•     2 Tbsp Oil
•     1-1/2 Tbsp Ginger Root, peeled and minced
•     2 tsp Green Chilies, minced
•     1 cup Onions, finely chopped
•     3 cups Zucchini, chopped
•     1 tsp Coriander powder
•     1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste)
•     1/2 tsp Tumeric
•     1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
•     14 oz canned Tomatoes, diced (with juice)

Directions

Soak chana dal in 2 cups cold water for 20- 30 minutes. Rinse and drain.

In a small sauce pan, heat oil over medium- high heat. Add ginger and chilies

and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.

Add zucchini and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the coriander, salt, turmeric, and cayenne. Mix well and cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes making sure not to burn the spices.

Add the tomatoes with juice and chana dal with 2 cups water. Stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer, covered. Stir every 10 minutes, until chana dal is soft. This should take 20-25 minutes depending on how old you chana dal is.

From farm fields to our facility and kitchens around the world, Bob’s Red Mill guarantees the quality and safety of our products every step of the way. This commitment really shows in our gluten free protocols, which include especially rigorous purity testing and processing products in a dedicated facility.

Quality. Integrity. Safety. Trust.

That is the Bob’s Red Mill promise.

Our commitment to quality begins at the source.

Bob accepts nothing but the highest quality ingredients and has put in place industry-leading quality assurance standards.

Each arriving shipment is thoroughly inspected, sampled and tested.

Because we’re committed to keeping Bob’s Red Mill foods natural, we built our own GMO testing lab with cutting-edge technology. Our staff scientists use state-of-the-art, German engineered equipment to test for the presence of GMOs.

We use a Farinograph to measure the performance of our flours, so we can be sure customers will have a successful baking experience.

The source of gluten free ingredients matters—that’s why we work with farmers who understand safe gluten free practices.

At our facility, we isolate our gluten free products and store them in dedicated silos.

We sample and test each gluten free shipment immediately upon arrival and continue testing throughout the entire process.

We meticulously test all products, including gluten free foods, to ensure purity.

All gluten free products must meet a standard of less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

Our quality control lab employs an R5 monoclonal antibody ELISA test to ensure maximum safety.

We regularly test samples from the packaging line to make sure customers are getting only the best gluten free products.

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Chef Sarah House is continually developing and refining recipes in the Bob’s Red Mill Test Kitchen.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

We’ve shared this amazing recipe before, but we wanted to share it again in case you need a quick dessert for Valentine’s Day. I can’t even begin to tell you just how easy this pie is to whip up. It’s vegan and gluten free and, speaking from experience, it’s sure to fool your most skeptical chocolate pie lovers. The key is to be sure to process the tofu really well to get it very, very creamy. No one wants a pie with little bits of tofu floating around. This would be especially lovely topped with chocolate shavings and fresh raspberries for Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Silk Pie with Almond Crust
recipe by Chelsea Lincoln

Filling:

• 2 – 12.3 oz pkgs Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (Extra Firm)*
• 1-1/2 cups vegan Chocolate Chips, melted
• 3 Tbsp Sugar

Almond Crust:

• 2 cups Almond Meal/Flour
• 1 Tb Cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/4 cup vegan Margarine
• 1 Tbsp Soy Milk

Filling:  Melt the chocolate chips either in the microwave or the stove top.  Use low heat and stir to a smooth consistency.  Place all ingredients including the melted chocolate in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  *Any brand of silken tofu will work but this tends to be most commonly found in grocery stores.

Almond Crust: Mix together almond meal, cornstarch, sugar and salt.  Pour melted margarine and soy milk into mixture and use a fork to combine.  Pat almond mixture into 9-inch pie pan.  Pour blended pie filling on top of crust, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Teff is one of the most interesting whole grains that we offer, but it often leaves folks scratching their heads wondering how to use it. Teff is quite possibly the world’s smallest grain. It is a traditional staple of Ethiopia, where teff flour is used to make the flat bread Injera. You wouldn’t guess it, but this tiny grain packs a nutritional punch. Because of its small size, each kernel has a higher proportion of bran and germ than other grains. A single quarter-cup serving delivers a healthy dose of fiber (4 grams), protein (7 grams) and calcium (10% of your RDA).

Teff makes a wonderful breakfast porridge, but we were craving something a bit more savory. Our Label Content Manager, Michelle (who also writes the beautiful blog Je Mange la Ville) came up with this extraordinary twist on polenta. Not only is teff nutritionally far superior to corn, it has a complex flavor that is sure to delight your inner foodie. Bonus: this recipe is entirely gluten free!

Teff “Polenta” with Sautéed Chard

Serves 4-6

• 4 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1/2 tsp dried Basil
• 1/2 tsp dried Thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Teff
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tbsp unsalted Butter
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

For Sautéed Chard:

• 1 bunch Rainbow Chard
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/8 tsp Pepper
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced

Optional: balsamic vinegar for drizzling and shaved Parmesan cheese

For Teff Polenta:

Add broth, basil, thyme, oregano and garlic powder to a pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Whisk in Teff, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broth is absorbed. Stir in butter and cheese. Teff should be soft and slightly creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Spread teff out in a 8-inch (or similar) square pan coated with non-stick spray. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate at least 2 hours (and up to 24).

When ready to finish polenta: Heat a non-stick skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil, over medium heat. Slice polenta into 4 or 6 squares and sauté in the oil about 3-4 minutes per side, until slightly golden.

For Chard:

Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough portions, then cut stems and ribs into 1-inch pieces. Cut chard leaves into 1-inch-wide strips.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then add onions and garlic, lower heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and begin to color, about 8 minutes.

Add the stems and ribs to the pot, along with salt and pepper. Cover and stir occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add chard leaves to pot and cover. Cook 4-6 minutes until tender and wilted. With a slotted spoon, divide chard among four plates, atop a square of polenta. If using, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and a little shaved Parmesan to finish.

I love this recipe because it’s simple, healthy and has all of the flavor of a spring roll without the hassle! Plus, it uses millet, one of my all-time favorite grains. I made this with crispy pan fried tofu (check out Herbivoracious for a great method) and it was plenty for a meal for two with leftovers. I didn’t try this, but crispy wonton strips would be a fun addition to this salad (awesome how-to video here).

Millet Spring Roll Salad

Prep Time:        15 minutes + 60 minute rest
Cook Time:       20 minutes
Yield:  10 servings as a side dish

Dressing

• 1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Lime Juice
• 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 2 tsp Sriracha Chili Sauce
• 2 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced

Salad

• 1 cup Hulled Millet
• 4 cups Water
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 medium Carrot, shredded
• 1-1/2 cups Green or Napa Cabbage, shredded
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
• 15 oz Baby Corn, ½ inch pieces
• 3 Green Onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup Basil, chopped
• 1/3 cup Mint, chopped
• 1 – 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

Step 1

Bring water and salt to a boil.  Rinse millet and add to boiling water.  Reduce temperature to medium-low and simmer until grains are soft, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients and mix well.  Set aside.

Step 3

Drain the cooked millet well and combine with the carrot, cabbage, red bell pepper and corn.  Add dressing and toss well.

Step 4

Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.

Step 5

Add the green onions and herbs and mix well.  Garnish with sesame seeds.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

We’ve teamed up with Julia from The Roasted Root on The Pancake Project. Julia, as you may recall, developed a wonderful Whole Grain “Cornbread” Quiche for us last May. We’ve become big fans of The Roasted Root around here and were very excited to hear about her new project to create a pancake recipe each Friday “to get you geared up for a relaxing pancake weekend.” She asked us to provide flour for her experimentation and we jumped at the opportunity. We can’t wait to see what she’ll create! In addition to the recipe, she’ll also be giving away her featured flour each week to a lucky winner. Her first week featured Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Pancakes and this week she has created Bacon and Egg Buckwheat Stacks (oh my!). So check it out each Friday to see what’s on the menu for the weekend and enter to win some Bob’s Red Mill flour.

We’re going to get a little personal up in here. Not too personal, mind you, but perhaps sitting at the same table rather than just eating in the same restaurant. I had a baby (our first) last October and, as any parent can attest to, life got complicated quickly. Gone were my hours to fiddle with this recipe and that. Heck, it was a miracle if I got into the kitchen at all! Luckily, I had planned ahead (thanks to the wonderful mom-friends I have) and had several meals in the freezer. I also stocked my cupboard with a few packages of our Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix for dinners that my husband could prepare in a pinch. I knew money would be tight and ordering out was likely to be out of the question for a while. Additionally, I knew that I didn’t want to spend any unnecessary time kneading or rising pizza dough from scratch.

Let me tell you, we fell in love that first groggy October night when I’d finally convinced myself to put down the baby and enter the kitchen. I have liked our pizza crust mix since we released it in 2008, but this is new, this is love. I don’t eat a gluten free diet, but I happen to find this mix to be a wonderful combination of ingredients for a pizza crust. It’s not for everyone, I’ll give you that, but it sure beats many recipes that I’ve attempted. It has whole grains and so what if those grains happen to exclude wheat?

Here is what I do to make this mix really shine. I’ve even tested these minor adaptations on my husband who managed them and made a delicious pizza from *mostly* scratch.

• Instead of eggs, I use the suggested egg replacer of flaxseed meal and water. I first tried this when we were out of eggs and the store was out of the question. Not only did it work well, we liked it more. Plus, it gets a little extra flax in our lives and, for that, I am grateful.
• I make sure my hands are wet, like really wet, when spreading out the dough. I know it seems kind of gross, but truly, it makes a huge difference. As soon as my hands start to get sticky, I run them under the water again. Making sure to spread the dough out as thin as possible. Don’t worry, with the pre-baking step, the little bit of extra liquid becomes negligible.
• In that vein, I spread the dough out as thin as possible. Thinner = crispier.
• Then, and here is what I think is our coup de grace, I sprinkle a *light* layer of mozzarella cheese over it before pre-baking. I think this makes it a little crispier. You could try this method with a non-dairy cheese such as Daiya.
• I don’t do this every time, but you can add a bit of garlic powder, oregano and red pepper flakes to the dry mix to give it a little extra pizzazz.

From there, I cook according to the package directions. We like pizza pretty simple at our house, so it’s usually just a combination of cheeses. Sometimes we add tomatoes, sometimes we make it a barbecue pizza with pineapple, bell peppers and chicken (“chicken” at our house). It doesn’t really matter what we top it with. It comes out great and it is E-A-S-Y and that’s a four-letter word that I can get behind now that I have a B-A-B-Y.

Do you have a secret to making this mix work for you? Share in the comments. Who knows? I may just kick down some random coupons to those who comment (that’s another word that has a whole new meaning!).

It’s terrible, I know. I just couldn’t help myself. Nut flours have been very popular lately on blogs and recipe sites. We’ve noticed that almost everyone is trying almond meal these days, although what they’re doing with it is pretty varied. Some people are making decadent desserts, like French macarons and frangipane, while others are using it to cut back on carbohydrate consumption. Still others are trying to mix it up a bit and use it as a more nutritious alternative to bread crumbs in their cooking. Recipes using almond meal.

Coconut flour has also become very popular with bakers and low-carbers, alike. It’s a little more tricky to add into your baking, but that isn’t stopping people from experimenting. From lighter versions of favorite baked goods to savory cooking applications, coconut flour is bringing new inspiration into kitchens. Due to its high fiber content, coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid. Older recipes using coconut flour often call for obscene amounts of eggs. As more bloggers and recipe developers experiment with it, the recipes are changing to call for alternative liquids and not relying so heavily on eggs. Recipes using coconut flour.

Did you know we also make hazelnut meal? It can be used in the same way as almond meal, but will give you a different flavor profile. Unlike almond meal, hazelnut meal is ground from whole hazelnuts with the skins intact. It might not be as light and pretty as almond meal, but it’s equally as tasty. Recipes using hazelnut meal.

Whether you just want to try something new or are trying out a diet, these flours are a fun way to get creative in the kitchen. To celebrate these wonderful ingredients, we’re giving away three gifts sets containing one each of Coconut Flour, Hazelnut Meal and Almond Meal. All three of these flours are gluten free, but can be enjoyed by everyone.

To Enter:

In the comments, tell us what you do with Almond Meal, Hazelnut Meal or Coconut Flour? Never used it? Tell us what you want to do with it. Be sure to use the Rafflecopter app below to enter. Leave a comment and click on “I did this” in the app. We’ll select three winners using this app from all those who enter by 12:01 am on Tuesday, January 8th.

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