I’m pleased to announce that this month I’m hosting the Go Ahead Honey It’s Gluten Free event. This event was created by my friend Naomi Devlin (Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried). It’s been going on for several years now and is always fun as well as a great way to share wonderful gluten-free recipes.
Each month the blogger who is hosting selects the theme. I’ve had the pleasure of hosting Go Ahead Honey twice previously. Most recently, I hosted a roundup with the theme Food So Simple, No Recipe Required (24 entries—woohoo!) and before that I shared my make-believe camping trip for almost 20 gluten-free blogger friends in Make Me a Happy Camper (19 entries—still, none too shabby).
This time the theme is: “When You’re Grain Free and Feeling Like A Nut, But Can’t Eat Tree Nuts or Peanuts!” Read that again. Okay, just in case that wording is confusing, here’s the gist of it. Some folks can’t eat nuts, but they love the flavor of nuts or the crunch, or maybe it’s chewiness that nuts adds to recipes. Maybe they even have a beloved recipe that uses nuts, nut butter, or nut flour, but it’s now off limits due to an allergy or intolerance to tree nuts or they’re following a nut-free protocol (e.g., paleo autoimmune protocol) for a while.
And let’s think about those who can’t eat peanuts either. Peanuts are a legume, not a nut of course, but many of us think of them as nuts because they are often combined with tree nuts for snacking and offer a similar flavor, crunch, and, again, chewiness. Peanut butter, like nut butter, can add a thickening quality to recipes and often allow one to do flourless baking. But for these recipes, we’re not going to include peanuts as an ingredient either.
For the grain-free requirement, in addition to being gluten free, I specifically mean NO rice, corn, sorghum, oats, or millet. Note that amaranth, flaxseed, quinoa, and buckwheat are considered to be pseudo grains and are allowed in the recipes submitted if they supply the characteristics of the missing tree nuts and peanuts.
Here are some examples of grain-free, tree nut-free, peanut-free recipes that would work for this roundup:
Apple Pie Balls from Paleo Parents (hint: coconut flakes are the key here)
Apple Pie Balls from Paleo Parents
Photo shared with permission from Stacy Toth and Matt McCarry
Baked Quinoa-Crusted Chicken Nuggets from Oatmeal with a Fork (hint: quinoa is the magical ingredient!)
Best Ever Salmon Cakes from Gluten Free Easily (hint: hemp seeds provide the “nutty” and crunchy taste in this recipe)
Flax Foccacia with Rosemary Parsley Topping from Elana’s Pantry (hint: flaxmeal is the wonder ingredient in this bread)
Flax Focaccia Bread with Rosemary Parsley from Elana’s Pantry
Photo shared with permission from Elana Amsterdam
Strawberry Chia Fluff from Diet, Dessert and Dogs (hint: chia seeds thicken and offer chewiness in this mousse-like dessert)
Strawberry Chia Fluff from Diet, Dessert and Dogs
Photo shared with permission from Ricki Heller
Can you create a recipe that does not include tree nuts or peanuts but is also grain free and feeds the need for that flavor, crunch, chewiness, etc. that those ingredients typically add? Of course, you can! Let’s beat that earlier Go Ahead Honey gfe personal record of 24 entries. I know that so many of you reading excel at creating grain-free recipes that happily satisfy the need for tree nuts or peanuts without using either. Hit us with your best stuff!
Submit your entry via email to me (with Go Ahead Honey in the subject line) at [email protected] by Thursday, May 30. If you’re a blogger, please email me both your post URL and your photo. If you’re a non-blogger, please send your entry via email (with your recipe in an attachment or within your email) with your photo attached. You do not have to be a gluten-free blogger or a gluten-free non-blogger individual to submit an entry, but your entry does have to be gluten free. Please send your entry along as soon as it’s posted/complete; you do not have to wait until the end of the month to share it. Feel free to use the badge in your post as well. (Here’s a smaller version below.)
Oh, and before I forget, last month’s GAHIGF event was hosted by Michelle Doll/Bakeshop 360 (Mash, Coulis, and Puree). Next month, Sunny of And Love It, Too! is hosting with the theme Primal Travel Food, which is perfect for summer travel! See all the hosts and themes for 2013 here. (FYI: December is still open if you are a gluten-free blogger and wish to volunteer.)
This post is linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays and Allergy-Free Wednesdays.
Lauren says
What a great list, thanks for including me Shirley! 😀
Shirley says
Hey Lauren–My pleasure! Your recipe included one of the ingredients I wanted to highlight and those chicken nuggets looked great. 🙂
Shirley
Linda says
I’ll have to really think on this one, Shirley. Since going grain free, I’ve been using nuts in one form or another much more. Hopefully I’ll have time to figure something out.
Shirley says
Linda–I think if you just start thinking grain free and nut free, an idea will come. I know you’ve been using coconut flour some and I’m thinking that something would work in conjunction with that. Or you might go a completely different route. 😉 Hope it works out! 🙂
Shirley
Ricki says
Love the theme, Shirley! I’ve been trying to do more grain-free lately, so I will do my best to participate! Thanks for sharing my Strawberry Chia Fluff, too. 🙂
Shirley says
Ricki–Thank you for letting me share your Strawberry Chia Fluff photo. It’s so photogenic. 🙂 So glad you love the theme and I hope it works out for you to join us. I think you regularly use a number of ingredients that would work for a suitable recipe entry. 😉
Shirley
Deanna says
Well, this sounds right up my alley. Wheels turning….
Shirley says
Deanna–Yay! I can’t wait to see what you come up with! 🙂
Shirley
Vicky says
Mmmm feeling like a nut! Well that’s me most of the time!
I’ll try to participate Shirley, it’s a great theme! I’ll get my thinking cap on!
Shirley says
Vicky–Hehe! Sounds like this is right up your alley for sure! 🙂
Shirley
Naomi says
I use lots of nuts too, so this is a great one for the thinking cap. However, buckwheat, flax, arrowroot and quinoa leave alot of room for experimentation. I’m thinking flat breads as I’m currently writing a book on Middle Eastern Food…
x x x
Shirley says
Naomi–I am intrigued by your upcoming cookbook, especially with the mention of possibly developing a Middle Eastern style flatbread recipe for this event. 🙂
xo,
Shirley
Tessa says
Shouldn’t be a problem..I don’t do we’ll with lots of,nuts so try to,limit,them inmy,grain free cooking anyways! Now just to get it written up in time,for,you!
Shirley says
Terrific, Tessa! Will look forward to what you have to share. I’m sure you can do it! 🙂
Shirley
[email protected]TessaTheDomesticDiva says
Now I am having a hard time deciding which recipe to use! Smoothie…raw cookies, no-peanut peanut sauce….hmmm, the vast majority of my grain free posts ARE nut free…what to do?>!
Shirley says
Hey Tessa!–I’m glad we got to chat via email and that you’ll be sharing several of these great recipes for Go Ahead Honey! Be sure to send me the links! 🙂
Thanks!
Shirley
Ina Gawne says
Shirley – all of these recipes look mouth watering delicious…and they are making me hungry…Yummm!
Shirley says
Hey Ina–These folks did great, didn’t they? I know you are super busy these days, but I wonder if you have a recipe that works for this month’s theme? 😉
Shirley
amber says
Hi Shirley,
Well this is right up my alley!! I don’t eat nuts at all these days. Great theme, Shirley. I have the perfect recipe coming your way. For the last month I’ve been working on a nut-free raw apple cinnamon cereal recipe. I have a batch in the dehydrator as we speak!!! I am crossing my fingers this is the winning batch. I’m a dedicated recipe tester before I share anything. Want to make sure it’s just right. Thanks for hosting.
xo,
-Amber
Shirley says
Hi Amber–I’m loving everyone’s enthusiasm for this theme! And boy does your choice sound really great. 🙂 We all appreciate you doing all that recipe testing! Can’t wait to see your recipe later. 😉
xo,
Shirley
Kathryn says
Now that school is easing up and there’s a bit more wiggle room in my days I’m up for the challenge – sounds fun! Thanks for hosting.
Shirley says
Hey Kathryn–Yay for more wiggle room! 🙂 And I’m so excited that you’ll be joining us for the event. Can’t wait to see what you come up with! 🙂
Shirley