Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookie (Recipe)

As a food lover, I tend to find experimenting with different types of ingredients very fun, interesting and potentially delicious. Although I do not have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, I have jumped on the "part-time" gluten-free bandwagon and have started experimenting with alternative flours and sugars.

One of the aspects of gluten-free baking, that I have recently discovered, is the extra nuance of flavors and scents of gluten-free flours. Nut flours give baked goods a nice toasty, comforting taste and quinoa flour gives items a slightly bouncy texture and springtime aroma, as well as adding a bit of extra protein. All of this experimentation has led me to believe that gluten free can be tasty and we need to forgive the 1990's and early 2000's for giving us gluten-free baked goods that were crumbly and bland.

My first gluten-free recipe is below. The fruit and seed ingredients can be swapped out for others you may prefer. Chocolate chips or cocoa nibs can also be added, if desired.


Here's what you'll need:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup coconut sugar
1/8 cup honey
1 large banana (very ripe)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 pinches salt
2 cups rolled oats (I prefer organic, which, I think, adds more in terms of texture and taste)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup sliced almonds (or roughly smashed or chopped whole almonds)
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup chopped dried candied ginger
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Here's what you'll do:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the coconut oil, coconut sugar, and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for about three minutes, or until emulsified.
- Then add the banana, broken into chunks, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and salt and mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Then add the oats, coconut flour, quinoa flour, almonds, cherries, candied ginger, and sunflower seeds and mix on low speed until just combined and everything sticks together.
- At this point, you can also add optional ingredients like chocolate chips or other dried fruits or seeds.
- Portion onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet by forming hockey puck-sized cookies using an ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup.
- Wet your hand with water and pat down each cookie to smooth jagged edges, if desired.
- Bake for 22 minutes, turning the cookie sheet, front to back, at the halfway point.
- Let cool and eat as needed. These will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to one week.
- Enjoy!

Kolobok--Bay Area (Russian Soul Food Truck)

I consider myself a pretty good culinary detective. I seek out answers to questions, and in doing so, I usually find acceptable pieces that fit some part of a puzzle. My search for decent Russian food, however, has led me to very few tangible results. After giving up for a few months, this food truck fell in my lap when it stopped by my workplace. The universe works in mysterious ways.

I made a purchase as an afterthought and absently took a bite of a crepe with low expectations. My brain was not able to compute how delicious it was. Once my neurons regained awareness, I did some research.

I was not surprised to learn that both owners were born in Moscow, given their accents. I was, however, surprised to learn of their long culinary history, particularly that of the main chef, Ellen. She acquired culinary training in New York, with years of experience under her belt working for high-end restaurants, and has even fed members of the Warriors basketball team as a personal chef.

The memory of that crepe continues to haunt me, and I have since been hungrily obsessed with their ever-changing whereabouts.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

https://kolobokfood.com/



Piroshki. A bread bun filled with savory mushroom, potato and spices. It was brushed with egg wash and then baked until golden. This was a great appetizer and it would make an easy portable snack.

St. Petersburg Crepe. I was very impressed with this crepe. It was thin, tender and soft with a gentle sweetness that complemented the smoked Norwegian salmon and caper filling. The topping of sour cream and green onion added a nice freshness and creamy tang.

Siberian Meat Dumplings. Cute little dumplings were filled with savory, juicy meat and spices. The side of jalapeno cabbage salad was wilted enough but still had a nice crunch. The adjika, made with three types of chili, coriander, garlic and tomato, was an amazing dipping paste.

Plov. This was a very comforting dish of seasoned rice made with carrot, onion and garlic. The bits of "seven spice" chicken were succulent and tender. The sides of jalapeno cabbage salad and that wonderful adjika gave it a nice complement and contrast of textures. It was savory, the spices were totally infused in the rice and I enjoyed every bite.

I will happily visit this truck again and again. I hope to try their other Russian specialties and I really hope they stick around.