Blueberry-Strawberry Cobbler

Baking at sea level- in an unfamiliar oven- has been a challenge that has humbled your intrepid gluten-shunning goddess at large. My mojo is askew. All my old tricks and tweaks for high altitude baking are no longer required. It's like losing a third of your favorite play list. Or half your shoes. All the left ones. I have to realign my route. I must toss out all my assumptions (a favorite mid-life goal, anyway, so I may as well practice it).

Cooking temperatures are hotter here. And the stove is a gas stove- a more intense heat than my bottled propane fired oven back in the wild desert hills of New Mexico. I am burning cookies. I am slicing into gummy bread. I am all thumbs in the kitchen- and then some. I am banging my head on the tile counter (no, not really; I've already developed a very laid back LA 'tude; I merely sigh in the face of culinary disappointment, then shrug and mutter, Fuck it, and go walk on Santa Monica beach, south of the pier).

Luckily, my third- or was it fourth?- attempt at sea level baking showed some improvement. I figured out that not only is cooking "heat" hotter here, this particular gas oven- like so many artsy, brainy, creative types here in La La Land- may be running a tad on the high side.

The clues?

Batter and dough is cooking fast on the outside, rising and browning like the golden grails you dream of. But the bottoms border on scorched, and the center remains tacky, rather humid and under-baked. Not qualities you enjoy in a cookie or slice of focaccia.

So a note to the ocassional reader who reports the same experience I describe. Try this:

Lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees F. Make sure your oven rack is squarely in the center. And line your pans and baking sheets with parchment. See if that helps.

As for me, I rallied. I ran up to the cozy little Whole Foods around the corner and fetched fresh blueberries and strawberries, determined to bake up a vegan cobbler for the Fouth of July weekend. I was inspired by the beautiful magic cobbler at Eat Out Loud. Check out his version if you use wheat flour. And be safe this holiday weekend. Have fun. Eat good food.

Celebrate independence from gluten.

Blueberry-Strawberry Cobbler Recipe

My gluten-free cobbler recipe is vegan, meaning no eggs or milk or butter. But if you prefer using those ingredients instead- be my guest. It should work.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (as mentioned above, I baked mine at 325 degrees F). Line a 9-inch pie or cake pan with parchment, if you wish; or lightly oil it.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup potato, tapioca or arrowroot starch
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Whisk to mix. Add in:

4 tablespoons light olive oil
Egg replacer for 2 eggs (I used Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with warm water)
2/3 cup hemp, almond, coconut or rice milk, more as needed
1/4 teaspoon light tasting vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or raw agave nectar

Beat the batter briefly until it is smooth. If it's too thick add more liquid until it resembles a cake batter. Set aside.

For the fruit you'll need:

1 heaping cup washed fresh blueberries, drained
1 heaping cup washed strawberries, drained, stemmed and halved or quartered
A sprinkle of sugar if you like

Pat the berries dry. Toss in a sprinkle of sugar (or omit this step).

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Shimmy it to make it even. Add the berries on top.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven until golden and baked through- about 40 to 50 minutes, depending upon your oven. Keep an eye on it.

Serve warm.

Makes 5-6 servings. To make it a red, white and blue dessert, top the berry cobbler with your favorite vegan vanilla or coconut ice cream.

Printer-friendly recipe.

Karina's notes on substitutions-

The sorghum and millet flours have such a lovely flavor and texture, but if you are unable to use them, try subbing a fine brown rice flour and buckwheat flour.

Summer in Santa Monica- and a recipe round-up

The first notes from our Santa Monica summer sublet-

After living in the brittle high dessert of Northern New Mexico for three years, I am drunk on oxygen. I walk Ocean Avenue cradled in moisture, intoxicated, breathing deep. And although we sleep seventeen blocks from the Pacific, I smell the ocean in the sheets. I wake with the sensation, the awareness of the sea. It infuses the day with an unnameable pleasure I can almost taste. If I could live on air I would eat the on-shore breeze with a spoon.

Steve has found his own source of bliss at Caffe Luxxe on Montana Avenue. Rich, caramel Italian espresso with the perfect artful brush of creamy foam. If further persuasion is needed to lure him into staying here, I only need to whisper, “Una bella tazza” and he'll be putty in my hands.

Things are looking up.

Our first swim into the Santa Monica Farmer's Market scene was almost overwhelming, a culinary and sensory culture shock, after the chronic and splendid isolation of our New Mexico casita. Navigating the waves of shoppers, strawberry topped rolling carts, baby stuffed double strollers and roaming hoards of white clad culinary students shouting, "Marco!" "Polo!" was at first intimidating- but soon morphed into invigorating.

We found fistfuls of organic herbs for one dollar a bunch, tomatoes so voluptuous they needed only a dab of extra virgin olive and a pinch of sea salt to become a perfect lunch, and ruby hued carrots that taste like no carrot I've ever eaten- clean and bordering on spicy rather than sweet.

Because I'm still setting up my kitchen (rounding up a few new baking pans, a small wok, and cooking utensils we were unable to jam into the overstuffed Honda Fit) I haven't developed any new recipes this week. So please bear with me. Inspiration is in the air- Santa Monica is thick with it. I'll be sharing lots of summer recipes and photographs from around town. In the meantime, I thought I'd post a quick round-up of gluten-free recipes to inspire your July Fourth celebration.

And don't forget to throw some fresh herbs into the mix- one of the joys of summer.

Some Gluten-Free Recipes for Summer Picnic Fun

Horseradish Spiked Red Potato Salad from Karina's Kitchen
Potato Salad with Apples and Bacon from Elise at Simply Recipes
Grilled Veggie Kebabs on Dirty Rice from Karina's Kitchen
Warm Chicken and Potato Salad from The Gluten-Free Homemaker
No-Mayo Cole Slaw from Karina's Kitchen
Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives and Feta Salad from Kalyn's Kitchen
Cucumber Salad with Mint and Feta from Simply Recipes
Mango Mint Gazpacho from The Perfect Pantry (use g-free bread)
Favorite Basil Pesto from Karina's Kitchen (use in g-free pasta salad)
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus from Karina's Kitchen
Grilled Chipotle-Lime Chicken from Gluten-Free Bay
Spicy Grilled Eggplant with Fresh Mint from Kalyn's Kitchen (check Spike seasoning for GF status)
Grilled Jicama Bean Salad from Book of Yum
Cool as a Cucumber Salad from Karina's Kitchen
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free BBQ Sauce from Elana's Pantry
Easy Summer Blueberry Crisp from Karina's Kitchen
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Sherbet from Karina's Kitchen
Strawberry-Blueberry Tapioca Parfaits from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Two Potato Salad- with sweet potatoes

This is a fun and colorful potato salad recipe from the archives. It's a welcome change from the ordinary white spud con mayo and boiled egg salads so ubiquitous at backyard get-togethers. Why? Beyond the no Hellman's and huevos part, it features sweet potatoes, Dude. Sweet potatoes.

Pairing tender orange sweet potatoes with sturdy gold potatoes makes this salad not only flavorful but lower in carbs. And around this house, that's a good thing. Because certain individuals living the rural life in Northern New Mexico need to watch their waistline. Food blogging is hazardous to your size 8 jeans. I speak from experience. When I started three years ago I was a size 6. Now I'm a size 10.

I blame my Strawberry Cobbler Cake. No. Wait. I blame my Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies. Well, those and my damn broken hip. But now that I'm more mobile and walking twice a day down the dusty road to the highway and back I'm seeing a little progress. I've lost two pounds.

And maybe this potato salad will help.

Two Potato Salad Recipe

This recipe is an adaptation from my Roasted Two Potato Salad in my first cookbook, Recipes from a Vegetarian Goddess (now out of print but a few copies of the reprint- Cooking by the Seasons- may still be available- note this is not a gluten-free cookbook; it's a vegetarian cookbook). It's blissfully dairy, mayo and egg-free.

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
2-3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, diced
Sea salt
Cracked pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Apple cider vinegar, to taste (use a clean, light vinegar- not too strong)
2-3 teaspoons dill
Sliced or chopped red or purple onion, to taste

Place the cut potatoes into a pot of fresh salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender- about 20 minutes. Drain well.

Season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Sprinkle with apple cider vinegar. Drizzle with olive oil. Add the dill and onion. Toss gently to combine.

Taste test.

Keep adding vinegar, sea salt and olive oil a sprinkle at a time; and toss; until the salad achieves the flavor you prefer.

Note- I add a lot of vinegar because I love the combination of vinegar, sea salt and potatoes. So I add more than I expect to usually, based on tasting. That's why it's so important to taste test while you're seasoning.

A recipe is only a blueprint. You have to engage your own senses.

One flavor tip I've learned from experience- it's better to season assertively when it comes to potato salad- especially if you're going to chill it before serving. Chilling dulls the flavors. You'll often need more than you think.

Serve this two potato salad warm- I love it still warm. Or cover and chill it for serving later. It's also good cold.

Serves 4-5.

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More yummy vegan egg-free soy-free mayo-free salad recipes:

Horseradish Spiked Red Potato Salad

Champagne Vinegar Potato Salad
Snappy Crunchy Coleslaw

Rustic Strawberry Cobbler Cake

Dear Gluten-Free Goddess,

Not another strawberry recipe! Please. And a cake recipe at that? Pfffft. I've had it with all your so called strawberry deliciousness. Will you just get over it already? What do you think this is, strawberry season? I'm totally bored with the whole strawberry thing. Good Gracious Lord In Heaven. Where the bleep are the broccolini recipes? The watercress and sardine tarts? The marinated scapes, head cheese, and tripe? Where's your squid ink linguini recipe? I can't find it anywhere.

And must I mention, boutique beans? You, of all people, living in your precious New Mexico desert. Or have you moved to Hollyweird now? (that figures). I want boutique heirloom bean recipes. I need my daily fiber.

What? None of the above?

That's okay. I forgive you, I guess. Because, you know. I'm saved. I'm forgiven. So I can afford to be nice. You're only human, after all. You're not an actual living breathing goddess (as I'm all too sure you're aware). And I'm your biggest fan, by the way.

So I have a question for you, since you are such a know-it-all. If you don't mind helping me out here. I know you're very busy, but. I feel I'm entitled. Why does gluten-free vegan baking suck rocks? Just in a general kind of way. I followed your directions. Well, mostly. I did change a few ingredients. I do that. I took out the sugar. And most of the fat. I used bean flour to increase the protein ratio. I threw in boiled flax gel. But still. It turned out well, just ick.

Maybe it's the whole weird flour thing. The kids (spoiled brats) won't eat that quinoa stuff. And my husband can't stand the smell of buckwheat flour. And don't even mention tapioca. Not in this house.

And while we're at it? Some friendly advice. Can you just skip the unbearable intros? You're so self-satisfied. Could you be any more full of yourself? And keep your political insinuations, to yourself, too, would you please? Not everyone is a bleeding heart rainbow diversity blah blah tree hugger, believing in HOPE, like you. Some of us actually uphold the family unit as God intended. We honor the sacrament of marriage (well, the 50% of us who don't end up in divorce court do, anyway). After all, this is a food blog. Isn't the RECIPE the point? A sincere piece of advice- just post the recipe. Please. Nix the philosophical stuff (I don't really get it, anyway, what you write, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this- it's a little weird and I'm almost certain it's subversive in some sorta artsy feminist manifesto way).

Oh, and one last request. Aside from the whole vegan batter looking like snot thing. What the hell is xanthan gum, anyway? And which local store carries it?

Have a nice day,

B. Nudnik

PS: I decided last night to start my own gluten-free vegan baking business. My goal is either to start up a bakery or to be a personal chef for those who will appreciate me. And pay me for it. So thanks for all your recipes! I'll be using them.

Rustic Strawberry Cobbler Cake Recipe

The key word in this cake is rustic. I used a combo of hefty flours because I personally like a whole grain kind of feel in a cobbler cake like this.


You'll need:

1 heaping pint of fresh strawberries, washed, patted dry
A sprinkle of lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons organic sugar

Dry ingredients:

2/3 cup stone ground gluten-free cornmeal
1/3 cup buckwheat flour, millet flour, or brown rice flour
2/3 cup white rice flour or sorghum flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup organic light brown sugar, packed
Pinch of nutmeg- just a hint
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Wet ingredients:

1/4 cup light olive oil
1 cup hemp or rice milk, warm
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or light tasting rice vinegar
3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
Egg replacer for 2 eggs- I used Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with warm water
Organic raw sugar for the top, if desired (it makes a lovely crunchy top)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Warm up a seasoned 10-inch skillet (or use a hefty cake pan or casserole dish). I rubbed mine with a little light olive oil. Set aside.

Stem the strawberries; cut them in half; toss them into a bowl and sprinkle with a little bit of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons organic sugar. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine your dry ingredients: cornmeal, buckwheat and white rice flours, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl combine the wet ingredients: light olive oil, hemp milk, vinegar, agave, vanilla, egg replacer (or egg). Whisk till combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and lightly mix by hand until combined- don't over-beat (it isn't necessary).

Drain the strawberries and pour them into the warm skillet (reserve several for the top, as I did, if you like).

Spoon the batter onto the strawberries. Place the reserved berries on top, cut side down, pressing in slightly.

Sprinkle the whole top with organic raw sugar crystals.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, depending upon your altitude and oven (here at 6,700 feet it took 47 minutes).

Test for doneness by not only touching the top- it should be golden and firm- but by using a cake tester inserted into the center; it should emerge clean.

Place the skillet on a wire cooling rack to cool.

Serve slices warm or at room temperature. Wrap leftover slices in foil; bag and freeze. Thaw to room temperature or warm gently before consuming.

Makes about 8-10 wedges.

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More G-Free Strawberry Recipes:

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Scones
Strawberry Banana Muffins
Strawberries Citronge
Dairy-Free Strawberry Chocolate Chip Sherbet
Strawberry Hemp Smoothie- Dairy-Free
Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie- Dairy-Free