Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This is not my recipe. I identify recipes with whomever baked it, and brought it to me. This is a GF Potluck recipe from Dec. 2008. You really could come to our support meeting in December and die a happily fulfilled GF person.

I made it for the 4th of July GF family brunch and it ended the meal nicely.

Preheat oven to 350, grease a 9 inch tube pan (I used a removable bottomed angel food pan)

Mix and set aside:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 t. cinnamon

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Prepare

1 medium apple peeled and sliced thinly

Mix up dry ingredients: (The original recipe called for white rice flour, but I need some nutrition in my desserts!)

1 cup brown rice flour

3/4 cup amaranth flour

1/4 cup corn starch

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

Mix

2 large eggs

2 t. vanilla

3/4 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup agave syrup)

1 cup sour cream (I used plain yogurt-cause the country store wasn't open).

1/3 cup canola oil

Then combine the wet and dry ingredients, blending thoroughly. Spread 1/2 of the batter into the bottom of pan, layer in apple and 1/2 of nut mixture. Spread rest of batter on top and finish with the rest of nut mixture.

It looks like a miniscule amount of cake, but it bakes up thicker and is beautiful when finished. I didn't even have enough dough to spread atop the entire second layer. But this recipe is very forgiving!

Bake at 350, 45 minutes at least! The recipe says without opening oven, but it was the 4th and I had a loaf of amaranth bread and egg quiche that had to be baked, HELLO?

It baked up in about 50 minutes (with the oven opening and all that) and then I cooled it for about 10 minutes (it was already late) and then I ran a knife around the outside edge (or rather the husband did as I was outside flipping GF flapjacks as quick as they gobbled them up! (GF'ers and nonGF'rs alike love my flapjacks!) When lifted out of the pan it was beautiful!

Anyway, it turned out delicious, delightful and I can't wait to eat the last slice this morning. Happy 5th of July and aren't you greatful for the opportunity to celebrate freedom of all kinds?

A Food Fad?

GF is a FOOD FAD. I'm INSULTED!

Okay, I'm busy therapudically writing --on another page, so you won't be bored by it, but I gotta address the newest article I read.

http://www.parade.com/export/sites/default/food/2009/07/01-gluten-free-diet.html

I so hate to waste time on this issue. I'd rather be cooking and eating... but once again I read an article in the HEALTHY STYLE section of Parade magazine on Sunday that disputes all "these people stupid enough to eat GF when it may not be necessary."

I need to send this response.

#1 Very few of us are masochists who like to abuse ourselves. Many people eschew sugar--a much more difficult diet in my mind--without criticism. It's all about health.

#2 to the author's comment "You may just have IBS instead of CD" I say, would you let your doctor diagnose you by saying, "You have a headache. Okay, go home."

#3 CD is called the GREAT PRETENDER, not because of it's disguise as other diseases, but the opposite. Because it is misdisgnosed as so many others.

#4 It cannot be diagnosed by a blood test and a biopsy. As a third generation celiac --it doesn't always work that way.

#5 That's why it takes an average of 11 years of misdiagnoses to discover it.

I am so an advocate of trying the diet. Just do it! See if you don't feel better? Whose it gonna hurt? Your doctor?

My sister has the funniest story about this. Her son has been on the diet for a couple of years due to ADD stuff.

She goes to the doctor.

"We must get him officially diagnosed!" The doctor says shocked!!!!

She responds, "Why?"

"So he can be treated." responded the doctor.

"Uh," awkward pause...

"There is a treatment?" My CD sister says incredulously? ...thinking, "cause if there is, I want some of that."

"Uh," another, longer awkward pause...

AS we all know... she is already treating him.

People feel better when eating GF or they stop. And that is the end of the debate.