Blueberry Pie sweetened with Maple Syrup

You can make a fine blueberry pie using dark maple syrup as a sweetener instead of granulated sugar. This pie is refreshingly fruity and not as sweet as the more common sugar-sweetened pie.

Here are the general rules:

for 5-6 cups of Maine wild blueberries, add the following in a large bowl:

1 cup of pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons of cornstarch

3 Tablespoons of flavorless tapioca starch (Authentic Foods offers a tapioca starch) or 1/4 cup instant granulated tapioca. If you use instant granulated tapioca, let the whole mixture sit for 15 minutes before constructing the pie.

1/8 teaspoon salt

3-4 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to offset the maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Use a 2-crust recipe for pie crust, and use a 9 or 10 inch glass pie dish. If you use a larger pie dish, the pie will have less depth, and if you use a smaller pie dish then the pie will be more "heaped up." Line the pie dish with 1 piece of crust pastry, fill with the blueberry mixture, top with the second crust. Sprinkle the top crust with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 1 hour. If the blueberries are frozen, the pie may need a few extra minutes. Cool the pie on a rack before cutting.

Use all gluten-free ingredients!

© Gf-Zing! | Alice DeLuca

Homemade Hot Cocoa MIx

Hot cocoa mix from GfZing! is easy to make at home. Here's how to make an instant cocoa mix that will spice up your breakfast. Make sure that each individual component of the mixture is gluten free - the cocoa, the spices etc.

In a jar that holds 750 ml, place:

* 3/4 cup sugar (or the equivalent sweetening amount of a gluten free sugar substitute)
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional to add spiciness - you can grind up one dried cayenne pepper and add that)
* 1/4 cup finely ground skinned almonds (optional - this adds a gritty texture)
* 3.2 ounces of nonfat powdered dry milk (the amount to make one quart)

Shake this mixture up until it is completely homogeneous.

Use 3-4 Tablespoons of the mixture with 1 mug of hot water to make your cocoa.

© Gf-Zing! | Alice DeLuca

Flageolet Beans with Smoked Paprika

This is a tasty dish to serve in the fall using your locally grown peppers, cayenne peppers, leeks, and garlic, along with your fabulous imported flageolet beans. This is a bean stew which would go well with chicken, pork or just plain bread and a salad.

1 leek, cleaned and sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 small green or long italian peppers, deseeded and cut into strips
1 dried cayenne pepper, chopped finely
2 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 tsp smoked spanish paprika
4 small tomatoes, chopped coarsely
1 pound flageolet beans, soaked and pressure cooked until done (pressure cook about 12 minutes after the pressure is up - use plenty of water), then drain
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

Clean the leek and slice it thinly. In a 12" non-stick pan, heat the oil for 30 seconds then add the sliced leek. Stir and fry for 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften then add the green peppers and the cayenne pepper. Stir and fry for 3 - 4 minutes, then add the garlic and the smoked paprika. Cook for another minute over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and the chicken broth, stirring all the while. Cook the this sauce for another 2 minutes then add the drained flageolet and cook for another 3-4 minutes until heated through. Season to taste with sugar, salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

The quality of this dish is entirely dependent on the quality of the chicken stock you use, so it is best to make your own.

Make sure all your ingredients are gluten free!

© Gf-Zing! | Alice DeLuca