We Got It; Flatbread Pizzas

I'm so excited to wake up early tomorrow morning and get cooking on breakfast; these little flatbread pizzas led me to the discovery that we can actually make those family breakfast crepes which dad would tempt us out of bed with, also rousing us with the clamber of pots and pans in his frustration to re-close the drawer underneath the stove. And cursing under his breath as one slipped behind into the dusty cavern which no one could reach.

It was completely by accident that I found this recipe, just as I perused a week old magazine mum had left on the counter top, and as I munched on a nutritious egg breakfast and sipped my tea I read the article about the qualities of quinoa flour. Which I ended up not using because we didn't have it, but I also figured that tapioca flour would do just the trick because of the similar consistency between the two.

I also remembered a delicious bun I had a few weeks before Christmas when mum and I went out for lunch at a little family owned cafe tucked in a side street of North Vancouver. In the window coolers were mouth watering gluten-free sweets and bakes displayed, and breakfast was served all day. Immediately upon reading the chalkboard sign, and in our hunger, mum and I were sold on the breakfast dishes. The tapioca bun which my breakfast came with was so light and flavourful, without any crumbs falling behind on the plate, I felt compelled to at least give this flour a chance.

And boy, am I glad I did.

Crepes, come back to me.

And making these flatbreads made it almost seem like those typical Friday family nights, when pizza is ordered in and delivered quickly after a long week to be inhaled by hungry family members. Except this time we made them, they were gluten-free, and tasted so much better than any regularly made pizza.

I love how the pictures turned out as well, the bright colour green of the spinach is brilliantly lit up with the rich red of the salmon, and both colours a brought out by a touch of each in the cream cheese spread, a sprinkling of dill and sun dried tomatoes. It looks delicious. Appetizing.

"Are those even gluten-free?"

You bet they are.

To get the ingredients needed for the pizzas on our way home from a trip to Main Street, a plan made as we drove into town and decided to go for lunch and get off the rock, mum and I had to quickly stop by the grocery store, split up the ingredients which we needed to get between us, run frantically throughout the aisles and meet up a split second later at the cash register. All in the effort of making it home on a reasonably ferry. We must have seemed a little crazy as our feet paced quickly along the linoleum tiles and our eyes scanned the shelves ferociously for what we needed. Then, as we caught each other at the other end of the store, we ducked in and out of line ups to pay earnestly finding the quickest thoroughfare.

Now that's speedy pizza.

Tapioca Flatbread Salmon Pizzas
Print recipe here.

No gums in this recipe, yet the flatbreads stayed together without any crumbling or cracking. The combination of the brown rice and tapioca flours was just right, and the outcome was a light and flavorful pizza bread, with just a hint of freshly minced .

Keep the temperature of the stove down low, it will increase cooking time, however the edges of your flatbreads will stay round and they'll be more evenly cooked.

Serves 3, makes approximately 6 flatbreads.

Ingredients

1 egg
1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1 1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp dried dill
2 tbsp chopped capers (optional)

2 oz (55 g) smoked wild salmon, sliced
1 cup baby spinach leaves

Directions

In a large bowl, beat egg lightly. Stir in brown rice and tapioca flours, water, minced garlic, and salt. If the mixture seems too thick, stir in water 1 tbsp at a time. Let mixture sit at room temperature for 15 - 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the cream cheese spread, combine the cream cheese, sun dried tomatoes, dill and capers in a small bowl. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Over medium-low heat, grease a skillet with grape seed oil. Pour 1/3 cup of flatbread mixture into the centre of the pan.

Cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. With a spatula, flip, and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Keep cooked flatbreads on a plate situated in the oven.

Before serving, prepare flatbreads by spreading the cream cheese evenly on top and adding equal amounts of smoked salmon and spinach leaves. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.

Rain Grows the Flour

The rain finally fell today.

It's been over a month of dry weather; streams have dried up, and on long walks with my dog she jumps in excitedly at the site of every bed... Only to the thud of her paws on parched stones, and the scraping of her claws against rocks as she glides across them. Despite the lack of water, and to my surprise, there was still mud at the sides of the trails, an oozing dark brown with green skunk cabbages dotted throughout. It ushers dogs in, and their paws end up muddy, like little boots, just as you turn to leave. Its my dog's way of getting a bit more out of our walks.

This week I took my dog, a springer spaniel, and my neighbours two dogs, both cocker spaniels mixed, one with pug and one with springer spaniel. They were tons of fun running around, chasing one another, and jumping in the lake nearby. We ended up staying far too long at the beach, where sticks strewn about were picked up by the dogs to be thrown. My dog, with her huge webbed feet, loves the water, and splashes in jovially kicking off the ground to get height with each jump. The other two, both small and frisky, rolled around in the grass, tumbling over each others backs in play.

I met friends at the beach who were enjoying the bright sun and the peaceful air; squatting on the beach they looked out at the rippling water until the dogs disturbed their rest. Tourists lazed on the beach as well, but their serenity was halted as a wet dog made her way over to nuzzle their faces. Luckily, they didn't become angry, and instead played with the dogs, rubbing their bellies and running around in circles, looking for the excited faces of the dogs to watch in earnest, prized on the stick.

And still the rain fell as the day turned to night, the crisp in the air turned icy, and the drops became heavier, soaking into the parched ground, washing away debris.

It's so cleansing watching droplets run down windows, streaking the glass as if wiping it clean. The air becomes fresh as well, with the heaviness diminishing after each cloud burst.

Although its very different when it rains here compared to England, when the rain feels depressing, somber, and heavy. Rainy days weren't comforting when I visited this summer, however perhaps because I was jet lagged the first week of my holiday gave the wrong impression. It poured continuously as I stayed with uncles, until mum arrived. And from that day on, the sun shone, and I wore shorts and tank tops everyday, even tanning in London!

The freshness of this rain is much needed for the plants, to wear fall clothes (and boots!), and especially to enjoy the comfort of autumn foods. And I remind myself to dress warmly when I awake, when the night still darkens the morning until I leave the house. It's as if I still expect it to be sunny in just a few short hours, wiping away the brisk morning front.

Brisk morning fronts. As if standing atop a Scottish castle, overlooking the moors.

I've got Scotland on my mind, just as I've got my nana on my mind as well. My grandad recently sent me gluten-free recipes that my nana worked on to make a cookbook, although it has not been published. I've only received a couple of recipes, but I hope to try each recipe and post how it goes on here, including pictures to add.

It started in the late 1970's when my grandad first became sick. Initially he was brought to the doctors attention because of pain in his appendix, which transitioned into the discovery of his celiac disease, and the reason for his declining health.

When my grandad explains this story he always jokes about the numerous cakes and pies he ate, in hope of gaining weight, but further compounding the problem with even more gluten.

My nana, as a young woman, trained in the field then known as "domestic science," which included nutrition, diet and cooking, as well as an exploration of the research behind the science of cooking. This knowledge also helped her to make cordials and jams, as well as wine from tea. If only I knew how!

So when my grandad got sick, and was diagnosed as a celiac, my nana enthusiastically jumped at the challenge to help him, including tackling her own recipes. Everything she cooked was formulated by herself, as there was no access to the internet for tips on blogs like today.

Over the years she worked on recipes to help him, and was able to bring my grandad back to full health. Now, I start with her first recipe, a gluten-free flour mix, and the basic element to gluten-free cooking.

Having a strong base to cook with results in an easier time in the kitchen, no mixing flours every time, and packets aren't at risk of spilling across the floor each time you bake when rows of packets precariously line the counter tops.

My Nana's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
Print recipe.

Stir together a large batch of this mix and store in an airtight container in the fridge for later use in any baked goods. It is preferable to use within 3 months.

One thing to note, is that chickpea flour does have quite a strong, earthy taste, which you may not like at all. Recently, I have taken chickpea flour out of this recipe and replaced it with coconut - a sweeter, softer flour. So feel free to mix it up, but the general guidelines are as follows.

Makes 1 kg, however if you bake a lot, double this recipe.

Ingredients

250 g potato flour (not starch)
200 g tapioca flour
175 g rice flour
250 g maize flour
125 g chickpea flour, coconut or sorghum flour can also be used to    
                               replace chickpea flour, or any of the above   
                               flours in the same quantities.

Directions

Combine, and mix well.

Pour into an airtight jar, and store in a cool, dry place.

Add baking powder when called for in recipes.