Gluten-Free Spiced Tea Biscuits (Sugar free!)

I am calling these “biscuits” because they are not quite cookies, yet they are not quite a quick bread either. They are a softer-type cookie which makes lovely for dipping into tea. Instead of going the ordinary shortbread route, which focuses on the butter’s flavor, I added some crushed cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and lavender to add just a hint of spice. While it is evident that the flavor is more exciting than that of a shortbread, it is also subtle enough to serve as a tea-dipper and not quite as overwhelming as the spice of a spiced wafer.

Gluten-Free Spiced Tea Biscuits (Sugar Free!)
Makes about 15 small biscuits

½ stick butter
½ c Teff flour
¼ c agave nectar
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of crushed cardamom seed
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
½ tsp crushed lavender (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and agave nectar until smooth and creamy. While still beating, add the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl combine the spices, teff flour and salt. Stir gradually into the butter/agave nectar mixture, stirring only until the flour is combined. Let the dough cool for at least 1 hr in the fridge.

Given that the unique texture of teff flour is not conducive to rolling, take small pieces of dough and roll into a ball using your two hands. Press down to flatten creating a small, silver-dollar sized biscuit. Place each biscuit onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes until done. Remove promptly from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

A note about the dough: The dough is easiest to work with when it is chilled, if you notice that the dough is sticking to your hands and a nuisance to roll, put it back in the fridge for a couple minutes until it is re-chilled.

Sautéed Polenta and Mixed Vegetables

The winter weather has subsided for the past two days which means that I no longer crave a starchy bowl of brown rice and butter; I even ate a salad yesterday for lunch! Yes, a salad! In efforts to make a light, veggie friendly dish and to use the last of the polenta, I came up with this easy meal. Keep the veggies crisp and fresh, to maintain most of their nutritional benefits, and to keep the meal light yet satisfying. It is almost like eating a salad but with just a slightly warmer feel; after all it isn’t summer yet!

Sautéed Polenta and Mixed Vegetables

Feel free to substitute vegetables/beans of your choice; allow about 1c total veggies/person, 1/4c beans, and 1/4c chopped polenta

I used:
¼ carrot sliced with a peeler
1 extra large Swiss chard leaf and stem (chopped)
¼ small red bell pepper thinly sliced
2 large asparagus spears chopped
1/4c canned lentils
1/4c chopped polenta
1tsp olive oil
Pinch sea salt

Combine carrot ribbons, chopped Swiss chard stem, pepper, asparagus, lentils, polenta and oil in a pan. Stir to lightly coat polenta and veggies in the olive oil. Heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes until veggies are cooked, yet still crisp and until polenta is slightly browned. With about 2 minutes of cooking time remaining stir in the pieces of Swiss chard leaf and cook until slightly wilted.

Serve and add a pinch of sea salt to taste.

Fight the Cold with Homemade Herbal Tea

The snow is falling, the wind is blowing, and the temperature is dropping! It’s even snowing in Paris, which never happens! If you are having trouble staying warm and surviving this never ending flu season, homemade tea can be a comforting, natural way to reduce cold symptoms and to sooth that inner chill.

I put together a tea favorable to easing typical cold symptoms: Marshmallow root eases body aches and inflammation. Thyme, the ultimate cold-fighting herb, is known to reduce allergy symptoms, chest and nasal congestion, flu symptoms and even increases circulation which is essential to the healing process. Peppermint not only adds a sweet taste, it also eases breathing difficulties, nasal and chest congestion, coughs and headaches. Ginger adds a bit of spunk and also is capable of warming inner chills. Rosehips fight fatigue, rosemary pacifies headaches and lavender eases migraines, sore throats and vomiting. Lastly, for some good measure and personal preference, I added some lemon grass…because, I just like the taste!

Below I provide the recipe for this tea, however, feel free to alter the proportions according to your personal taste preferences. I also added a few drops of rose water and some lemon peel to add a bit of flavor. Feel free to play around with optional flavor ingredients such as orange peel, honey, stevia, cinnamon, vanilla etc…the possibilities are endless!

Fight the Cold Homemade Herbal Tea

1 tsp Marshmallow root
3 small branches of fresh Thyme
1 tsp dried peppermint
1inx1in pc of ginger (peeled)
3 large rosehips
3 small pcs or 1 tsp rosemary
½ tsp crushed lavender
1 ½ tsp lemon grass
Rosewater (optional)
Lemon peel (optional)
3 cups Water

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring water to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 20min until about 1/3 of the liquid is reduced. According to your taste preference, you can reduce the cooking time for a weaker, less potent tea.

I also like to make an extremely potent tea and add a few drops of it to a water bottle creating “herb water”, creating a sweeter, healthier water.