Did you know I can't bake to save my soul?

Like at all. Ok, I can bake banana bread and a frozen pizza, but other than that...not a chance. It's so precise and I'm not all that interested in following directions thoroughly. Just ask Andy, never once have I been able to make a chocolate chip cookie.

 

Now, this hasn't been that big of a deal until we got the no gluten, no egg, no soy for EthMike information. The boy...he can't have baked goods that are premade; there is either egg or gluten in everything!!

 

I wanted to at least bake the kid a cake for his birthday (that we sandwiched together on Thanksgiving...along with Emmie's too...a Thanksbirthgiving celebration if you will).  But to not be the baking kind and then have to figure out if the egg is a binder or leavening agent or what I could substitute where...overwhelming to say the least.

 

And then, Sarah, a little Facebook angel/sorority sister/gluten free baker extraordinaire gave me some simple but amazing advice. Egg free equals vegan!

 

Yeah, I didn't know that at all and it for sure changed my outlook on things. It helped me narrow down my recipe searches and knowing I would just have to substitute a gluten free flour...way easier. She also introduced me to foodgawker.com - Ahhhmazing.

 

Now. I'm still a terrible baker, but I'm seriously trying so hard! And guess what...Ethan will eat anything! So even though my muffins have all been flat as pancakes and look nothing like the internet pictures...they're getting eaten.

 

Gatorade and Coke: not for the recipe.

 

So far I've tried Banana Almond Muffins, Banana waffles, Vanilla cupcakes, and Chunky Apple Cinnamon muffins.

 

The Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes are the only thing to really turn out so far.

And in the non-bakery category, I have mastered Mac and Cheese from scratch with gluten free corn noodles. And for real from scratch: milk and corn starch plus cheese, that's it! And last night I tried my hand at Garbanzo flour pizza crusts. Emmie thought they were awful, but I thought there were totally ok.

 

 

Emmie did however enjoy the gluten free, not-so-much-true-Vegan-once-I-layered-frosting-on cupcake.

 

 

He really will eat anything, bless his little heart.

 

And then he helps me do the dishes.

 

I am starting to enjoy baking a bit...I just wish things would actually turn out like the internet pictures! So, I will hopefully figure it all out and until then, Ethan will enjoy his flat ol' muffins and gummy waffles (along with the rest of his fruit, veggie, meat and dairy filled diet).