Hello there Dharma Cakes!

Hi! Welcome to Dharma Cakes, My name is Alicia, I am an artist and full time graduate student working towards my masters in education, and I've survived my first month living allergen free - for me this means no gluten, dairy, eggs, or soy... I won't go into the gruesome details of the multiple reasons why I choose to embark on this new way of life, but needless to say most foods just really did not like me... I mean not at all. I could not understand why my "healthy" diet which consisted of whole grains, fruits, veggies, and no red meat was making me feel so miserable, and to top it all off I was packing on pounds like it was my job.

Having been previously diagnosed with two other autoimmune diseases, I was also aware that I had problems with dairy, soy, and eggs. The former caused some discomfort, and the latter two brought on full on allergic reactions (which included chugging benadryl whenever I ate soy.) What is truly amazing was that I continued to make exceptions for these foods. Just because I may love tofu and enjoy the occasional cheese omelet, does not mean that I should tolerate the horrible side effects they brought upon me. So I started to do some research on my various ailments, and having some family history of celiacs led me to understand the missing link. After much soul-searching, I decided I was tired of feeling sick and tired and declared 2011 the year of allergy free eating and self-care.

I know it sounds like every other New Years resolution everyone has ever made, but after just four weeks I feel fantastic! I have so much more energy, my skin is clearing up, my joints feel better, my headaches have gone away, and I don't need to make my escape from the dinner table 30 seconds after I eat... plus I am 10 pounds lighter to boot! I am learning that this is a lifestyle change, a way of being, not a "diet". I am enjoying discovering different types of grains and flours, experimenting in the kitchen with baked goods, and learning to better listen to and understand my body and its needs.

That is where Dharma Cakes comes in. I love to cook and bake, and just because I could no longer eat traditional baked goods, did not mean that I should have to give up a favorite hobby of mine. Deciding to combine my love of baking with my love of writing, this blog is where I will list recipes I have found and tried, chronicling my successes and failures in the world of gluten free, vegan baking. Come along and join me if you like, its a whole new world out there and all the rules have changed...

My first attempt at successful G-Free, Vegan baking was sandwich bread... I know jump right into the fire with yeast bread... crazy but I was determined. Really is there anything better than warm bread fresh from the oven with butter melting into a nice thick slice? Speaking of butter, earthbalance makes really delicious vegan margarine spread that is soy free! Seriously I was super excited when I found this out. Look for the one in the red container. I found it in Whole Foods and Wild By Nature, but sadly not in the regular supermarket...

So anyway I found this recipe for totally awesome gluten-free, vegan bread on this blog; Aprovechar I felt like a kindred spirit to Sally, the woman who writes it, (you can also check out her new website tilth) and had to give it a go. So I went out and collected the assortment of flours I needed, took out my trusty kitchen aid and got baking. The results.... Oh my goodness... It's way better than any gluten filled bread I have ever made... the whole family agrees this one is a keeper. Try it for yourself, you won't be disappointed. So thanks Sally, you and your amazing bread brought hope to my first days of living gluten free.

Delicious Gluten-Free, Vegan Bread

Recipe for 2 loaves—it is okay to halve the recipe if you want to make just one

Note: If you are using a mixer that doesn’t have a great engine, you may want to mix it by hand at the end to ensure it’s all mixed. Since there’s no gluten to get tough from overmixing, you can mix until you’re confident.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

1 1/2 cups millet flour
1/2 cup teff flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup cornstarch (or double the potato starch if you can’t eat corn)
1 cup potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
4 tsp xanthan gum
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp active dry yeast (not rapid rise)

Add:

4 tsp olive oil
3 1/4 cup warm water (not hot)

Mix with electric mixer–using paddle attachment, NOT regular beaters or bread hook–for two minutes. The bread dough will be more like cake batter than traditional bread dough.

Pour into two nonstick or well-greased loaf pans, place on a warm surface (such as on top of the pre-heated oven), and cover with a towel. Allow to rise until batter extends a bit over the top of the pan–generally 50-70 minutes. (Batter should take up about half the loaf pan before rising.)

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove loaf pans from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes, depending on your oven. (Insert a toothpick or knife into the center to see if it comes out clean or doughy, if you aren’t sure when you pull out the bread.)