Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

It's finally warm and sunny so I hope you're ready for lots and lots of summer recipes!

I decided to kick spring and summer off with this Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

I used some amazing First-Flush Darjeeling from Tea Campaign Canada. I'm currently running the Instagram for this tea company and I highly recommend their darjeeling. Check out their website here: http://www.teacampaign.ca

Iced Honey Lemon Darjeeling

4 cups hot water (175F)
4 tsp loose leaf darjeeling (find the darjeeling I used here: http://www.teacampaign.ca)
2-3 Tbs honey
1 lemon

1) Measure out 4 tsp. of darjeeling and 3 Tbs of honey

2) Heat water to 175F and steep the darjeeling in 4 cups of water for 12-15 minutes (this can vary depending on your preference)

 

3) While the tea is still hot, add 2-3 tablespoons of honey and stir to help it dissolve

4) Add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice until the taste is to your liking

5) Set tea in fridge for 2-3 hours until chilled

Gluten-Free Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Yesterday I tried out a Lemon Earl Grey Cookie recipe from http://www.tastyeatsathome.com

Since I didn't have the exact ingredients, I made some alterations- and the results were beautiful!
I'm not a big fan of quinoa flour in desserts since it's more bitter. I used brown rice flour in it's place and it worked great. I also used real butter in this recipe- because what are tea cookies without butter?

I used Scottish Earl Grey Tea from http://www.craftoftea.com/
I highly recommend this tea- it is a lovely blend flavored with bergamot

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoon of earl grey tea leaves (crushed up)
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 1/2 or 2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1) Mix all dry ingredients (rice flours, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, tea leaves) together in a bowl
2) Mix softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl (on medium speed) until completely combined
3) Add egg and vanilla to butter/sugar, mix until combined
4) Add lemon zest and juice to the wet ingredients and mix until combined
5) Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients while mixing on low
6) Mix all ingredients on low until combined
7) Place dough in fridge for 30 minutes
8) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake cookies for 10 minutes (until golden brown on edges)

GF Lemon Blueberry Muffins

These gluten-free lemon blueberry muffins are seriously the best muffins I've made in quite a while! A while back I made lemon poppyseed muffins which turned out...awful. I also made blueberry muffins a few months ago and they came out super dry. These, on the other hand, are magical. They are so moist and delicious!


If you love lemon and blueberries then you will love this recipe whether you are gluten-free or not!

GF Lemon Blueberry Muffins 

6 1/2 tablespoons softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons milk (or almond milk)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 lemons zested 

1 1/4 gluten-free all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 cup of frozen blueberries 

(you will also want one more lemon for zest on top of the muffins) 

preheat oven to 350 degrees

line cupcake tin with liners 

1) whip the butter and sugar in a mixer until smooth

2) add in egg, vanilla, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest

3) combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients

4) lightly stir in blueberries until just combined (or else all your batter will be blue!)

5) Spoon batter into cupcake tin 

Bake for 20-25 minutes 

sprinkle lemon zest on the top of the muffins once cooled

Lemon Cake

Yesterday I just had a longing to bake a cake. I ended up making this delicious gluten-free lemon cake.

Here's the recipe that I followed: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes
The only thing I did different was add a teaspoon of vanilla! I pretty much put vanilla in everything.

I rarely make gluten-free cakes but I love how this one turned out. It's very soft and spongy- which is rare for a gluten-free cake. Normally gluten-free cakes are super dense.

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

For Mother's Day I made these delicious gluten-free lemon coconut bars. I didn't have all the ingredients I needed to follow an exact recipe so I decided to wing it-and it turned out wonderful!

Gluten-Free Lemon Coconut Bars 
(Adapted from this recipe: http://www.greenkitchenstories.com)

Crust

5 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
3 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
2 cups shredded coconut
3/4 cup almond meal/flour
1/4 cup all purpose gluten-free flour (I used Trader Joe's blend)
2 egg whites (save the yolks)

Filling

3 eggs and the 2 egg yolks
7 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup and 2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour

Crust: Preheat the oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients together until fully combined and press into a small pan (I put parchment paper underneath so the bars came out easily). Bake for 10-13 minutes.

Filling: beat the eggs until foamy and then add the rest of the ingredients. Beat all the ingredients for two minutes. Pour the filling onto the crust. Bake for about 18 minutes (on 350) until the filling is set (not liquid).

Let bars cool and then cover with powdered sugar. I suggest keeping the bars in the refrigerator after they cool.