Spicy Chickpea and Vegetable Casserole

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas


• 2 tablespoons oil


• 1 large onion


• 1 clove garlic


• 3 teaspoons ground cumin


• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder


• 1/2 teaspoon allspice


• 14 oz crushed tomatoes


• 1 1/2 cup vegetable stock


• 10 oz pumpkin (cut into large cubes)


• 5 oz green beans


• 7 oz squash


• 2 tablespoons tomato paste


• 1 teaspoon dried oregano




Place chickpeas in a large bowl; cover with cold water and soak overnight; drain

Heat the oil in a large pan; add onions and garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes or until tender. Add cumin, chili powder and allspice; stir fry for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and stock to the pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour stirring occasionally.

Add the pumpkin, green beans, squash, tomato paste and oregano. Stir to combine. Simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes to reduce and thicken sauce slightly.

NOTE: I used canned chickpeas to cut down cook time. I only used a small amount of stock (no more than 1/2 cup) and reduced the initial simmer done to only 10-15 minutes. I also used frozen green beans and squash.

Zucchini and Carrot Muffins

2 medium zucchini (or zucchini squash)
2 carrots, peeled
2 cups self raising flour
Pinch salt
1+ tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs*
1 cup milk*
3/4 stick butter
1/4 cup agave nectar (optional)

Substitutions:
I used 2 tbsp flax meal & 6 tbsp warm water (let stand for 10 minutes) instead of eggs and almond milk instead of dairy milk. I also added agave nectar and a bit more cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 415 degrees F and grease muffin tins or line with muffin cups.

Grate zucchini and carrot. Sift flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Add carrot, zucchini and pecans.stir throughly until all ingredients are combined.

Combine eggs, milk and melted butter in a separate bowl and whisk until well combined.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add all the egg mixture at once. Mix quickly with a fork or spatula until all ingredients are moistened. (Do not over mix, batter should be lumpy)

Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Loosen muffins with a flat bladed knife and leave in muffin tin for 2 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup garbanzo and fava bean flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup agave nectar
6 tablespoons applesauce
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water or hot coffee
Frosting for serving (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line one, standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the oil, agave nectar, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water directly to the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth.

Pour 1/3 cup of the batter into each prepared cup. This portion will almost fill the cup up entirely. Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the tray 180 degrees after 15 minutes. The cupcakes will bounce back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Remove from the oven.

Let the cupcakes stand for 20 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack right side up and cool completely. Using a frosting knife, gently spread 1 tablespoon of Frosting over each cupcake. Place the cupcakes in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

*I used store bought gluten free frosting, but here is a recipe for some from the same cookbook:
1 1/2 cups soy milk
3/4 cup soy “Better Than Milk” powder
1 tablespoons coconut flour
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoon lemon juice
In a blender or food processor, combine the soy milk, “Better Than Milk” powder, coconut flour, agave nectar, and vanilla. Mix the ingredients for 2 minutes. As the machine blends, slowly add the oil and lemon juice, alternating between the two until all parts are incorporated. Pour the mixture into an airtight container. Place the container in the refrigerator for 6 hours, or for up to 1 month, before using.  Makes 12 cupcakes

 

 

This recipe was contributed by Suzi L.  Source: Babycakes