The cookbook that I am reviewing today not only helps those on a gluten-free diet, but also those that require to eat dairy-free as well. The Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Kitchen by Denise Jardine contains 150 recipes that are both free from dairy and gluten. In this book you will find recipes for pizza, pancakes, French toast, lasagna, ice cream, brownies and more. I must say, the pizza pictured on the front cover has really got me intrigued. It uses a Creamy Macadamia Pine Nut Cheese, which is featured on page 175.
I am really quite impressed with this book. Besides being gluten and dairy free, any other allergens that it is free from are listed under the recipe title. For example, the Maple Raisin Scones (page 146) are also free from Eggs, Soy, Nut and Sugar (as long as a soy yogurt is not used).
The book also includes recipes for the basics in her book, like her flour blend (which uses rice flour, potato starch, tapioca or arrowroot flour, and sorghum or garbanzo bean flour), and Date Syrup (page 189), which is used as one of the sweeteners in some of the recipes.
I did make the Maple Raisin Scones (page 146) and we all thought they were really good. Especially fresh (but what GF baking isn’t best fresh?). Although they are not as light as my scones (which are not as allergen friendly), they were really good. I liked that they did not have any refined sugars in them as well, makes for a great, healthy option.
Another recipe I tried was the Cranberry-Banana Oat Bread (page 149). This quick bread is also free of soy, nuts, sugar and oil, in addition to the gluten and dairy. It was a very soft, moist loaf, which would be perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon.
Cranberry-Banana Oat Bread
Source: the dairy-free and gluten-free kitchen by Denise Jardine
Makes one 9-inch loaf
“By adding your choice of chopped nuts or any type of dried fruit in place of the cranberries, you can easily adapt this basic recipe to your taste.”
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups Gluten-Free Flour Mix (see recipe below)
- 3/4 cup gluten-free quick oats
- 1 Tbsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed rip banana (about 2 medium bananas)
- 1/2 cup Date Syrup (see recipe below)
- 1/4 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch bread pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
To Prepare the Batter:
Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a bowl. Thoroughly mix together with a whisk and set aside. Whisk the eggs, banana, date syrup and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Add the cranberries and mix until blended. Stir in the flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
To Bake the Bread:
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and with a rubber spatula, smooth out the top. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil (so that steam can escape), and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 25 minutes longer or until an instant-read thermometer
Gluten-Free Flour Mix:
- 1 1/4 cups brown or white rice flour
- 3/4 cup potato starch (do not use potato flour)
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
- 1/2 cup sorghum flour or garbanzo bean flour
Combine the rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour and sorghum flour in a large bowl. Mix together with a whisk until thoroughly combined. Transfer the flour mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. This gluten-free flour mix will keep for 4 months in the refrigerator.
Date Syrup:
Makes 2 cups
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups filtered cold water
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates, halved (12 to 14 dates)
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
To prepare the syrup:
In a blender, combine all the ingredients. Cover the blender and pulse the mixture a few times to break up the fruit. Whirl at top speed, occasionally scraping down the sides, until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Transfer the syrup to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid, label it with the date, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Before using, stir the syrup to blend.
So, to sum it up, if you are on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet (or don’t mind eating dairy free), the dairy-free and gluten-free kitchen is a clear, easy to follow cookbook with a wide variety of recipes, something for everyone’s tastes. My only complaint…not enough pictures. 
Looks like a book I definitely want to add to my collection. Adding it to my amazon wishlist right now. Thanks so much for sharing.
I don’t have celiac disease, just gluten sensitivity. I don’t have worry too much about cross contamination, but I like you check the ingredients, just in case. I am really happy that there are cookbooks for people like me. Some 10-15 years ago, there was not much information about gluten-free foods. Fortunately, things got better. Nowadays, there are more and more restaurants that specialize in gluten-free cuisine. I can call myself lucky because there are quite a few such eateries in Toronto. Hibiscus Café is my favourite one. However, I cannot afford to eat there every day. Therefore, I try to cook at home as often as possible. It saves me a lot of money.
Your photos look so good Jeanine and I hear ravings about your baking so I know this will have tasted great.
Thank you so much, Betty! Glad to hear that others are liking it.