Sugar High Fridays – Sweet without the Wheat

When I read that this month’s Sugar High Friday was to be desserts without any wheat, I knew I would be making something frozen using my much loved ice cream maker(I think I’ve become a little obsessed).   I came to love tea with honey and lemon as a child when my Czech next-door neighbour, who I visited often, would freshly brew it using a coffee maker.  I was curious how it would translate into a sorbet, and have been experimenting in balancing the sourness and tang of the lemon with just enough sweetness.

Sorbets have the added benefit for those with food allergies and sensitivities that not only are they gluten-free, they are also egg and dairy-free.  It came at a good time too, as I came down with a nasty bout of laryngitis right at the beginning of the Canadian Victoria day weekend (of course!).  Honey-lemon tea is known to soothe a raw and sore throat, and I discovered it works even better when frozen! 

Honey-Lemon Tea Sorbet

A true “iced” tea

Ingredients

• 4                            Tea bags (I used Orange Pekoe)
• 1/2 Cup               Sugar
• 3 Tbsp                  Honey
• 2 Cups                  Water
• 2  1/2 Cups         Cold water
• Juice from one lemon (approx. 1/4 cup)

Directions

1. Boil 2 cups of the water and sugar together until sugar dissolves.  Take off heat.
2. Add tea bags.  Steep for 5 minutes.
3. Remove tea bags and add honey, stirring to dissolve.
4. Mix in 2 cups cold water and lemon juice.
5. Put in fridge to chill until thoroughly cold, at least 2 hours.
6. Freeze in ice cream machine according to manufacture’s instructions.
7. Keep in airtight container in freezer.  Will tend to freeze rock hard after a few hours, let thaw in fridge at least 10-15 minutes until softened. (If frozen in a microwaveable container, I have found putting it on 30 second bursts and checking works too, works well especially for the impatient like me).

Eggless, Milk-free Pancakes

One of the many things I have had to reluctantly give up is pancakes, since every time I would eat them I would feel sick. There are milk ingredients in the boxed mix, the kind that you just add water to, which of course never dawned on me until about the third or fourth time feeling funky after a pancake breakfast. I feel the same way after Eggo waffles. Whether it was the milk, or the egg (I am assuming there would be powdered egg as well) or just the heaviness of the pancake itself, I’m not sure. I am sure there are lactose intolerants that can eat pancakes or waffles with no problems.
I have had this recipe from The Milk-Free Kitchen, sitting on my computer for a long time, but have been too afraid to try it, thinking there was just no way it could work.

I made a couple of changes but they were surprisingly good. They were fluffy and moist, and you can taste the cinnamon without it being overpowering. It has also not left me with a stomach ache. I think you could almost fool someone if you didn’t tell them there was no milk or egg in it.
That said, the way the recipe is written, its not dairy-free, as it calls for margarine. Some brands can contain some milk ingredients. I can handle butter and margarine, but for severe lactose intolerance, milk allergies or vegans, you can substitute the margarine in the batter for applesauce, and a very light oil for frying. This recipe will also work if you have a craving for pancakes and you just happened to have run out of milk and eggs!

Eggless, Milk-free Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup white flour (can substitute half or all for whole wheat)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons margarine or butter (can be substituted with applesauce)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 egg or 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or other fruit), optional
• pinch cinnamon
• (If not using margarine or butter, small amount of light oil to grease pan)

Directions

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into medium mixing bowl.
Melt 2 1/2 Tbsp margarine in frying pan until melted. Be sure to tip the pan side to side to coat/grease all over.
Pour melted margarine in a small bowl, add water, vanilla and egg (if you are using), Mix well.
Mix blueberries or other fruit with dry ingredients, just before adding the liquids.
Stir liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until it is thoroughly moistened; It is OK if this batter is lumpy.
Cook the pancakes over medium-high heat on the stove-top (or 375F on electric frying pans). Cook pancakes until the tops are bubbly and the bottoms browned. Turn the pancakes over to cook other side (*Approximately four minutes per side).
Serve hot with margarine, honey, brown sugar or maple syrup.
*Actual cooking time will depend on the size of the pan you are using
Adapted from the Milk-Free Kitchen

I didn’t have any blueberries on hand so I left them out. These would be great when blueberries come into season in the summer, as I find frozen will turn the entire pancake purple, and you don’t get that lovely texture of fresh. I see no reason you could not use strawberries or raspberries tossed in there instead.
The original recipe didn’t call for cinnamon, but I found it really added something extra. I would love to try these with some apples chopped or thinly sliced in the batter…like an apple pie pancake.
Pass the syrup, and Enjoy!