Rosemary Returns: Dry your own herbs, lemon-coconut cookies & Jamba "pizza" bread

I looked at great little potted herb, lettuce and pepper arrangements online at Better Homes and Gardens a month or two back. However, the airplant from my sister, a poinsettia from my work's Christmas party and a shrimp plant at my desk is all that's going on. I could use some outdoor time but what's holding me back? I don't know.

I did see a commercial for Home Depots Black Friday sale, 5 plants for $10...tempting! Maybe if I try starting my seedlings at work they will do better than last year. My other plants are thriving in the window there.


Even without herbs readily available on my patio, my box has started supplying again.  I set out the rosemary to dry on a cookie sheet since I can't get through all of it in two weeks. Here's a nice article on drying your own herbs and you don't need any fancy tools!

 With a cookie contest coming up at work and the lemons beaming at me from the window, it was inspiration for a twist on the super easy macaroon recipe I found during the holidays (hmm, this post will also feature a recipe with tomato paste like my one in December).

LEMON-ROSEMARY MACAROONS adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

• 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (Try stores that carry items sold in bulk bins or, Fresh & Easy near me carries Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tbsp flour of choice (I went with white rice flour)
• 1/2 cup lite canned coconut milk (or full-fat)--if you use full fat can save the rest for coconut milk whipped cream or dump 1/4 cup in with a frozen banana, some water and protein powder.
• 2-3 tbsp honey or other liquid sweetener (2 tbsp if you really want the rosemary to shine)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• tiny bit over 1/16 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 tbsp lemon juice.

1. If using the regular oven pre-heat to 350. I use my toaster oven since this makes a small batch of about 16-1 tbsp sized cookies.

2. Chop rosemary leaves finely or pulse in your food processor.

3. Place all ingredients into a medium microwavable bowl and mix until evenly combined. Microwave for 3 minutes

4. Use a tablespoon (can press the batter into the scoop with your fingers to give the cookie better shape). and scoop out onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet.

5. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes (check earlier to see browning, seems like with lemon juice added it browns fast, you can see from the picture!)

 It reminds me of lemon bars without so much sugar-just that amount of tartness.

PIZZA BREAD adapted from Gluten Free Goddess

The next recipe is not perfect with the substitutions I tried (I think it may I may be using flax seeds instead of eggs and chickpea flour being quite dense. I also accidentally forgot to add the oil) but for some reason I still like this bread's flavor with the rosemary and tomato paste. I was happy that it did rise. It also kept me feeling full for a long time. From my hazy memories of high school hang outs, I thought of the pizza protein sticks from Jamba Juice. I was really happy doing the lemon-jam muffins earlier this year with ratio baking, so next need to gluten-free ratio for bread making which does the ingredients by weight. Or get a weight on the original ingredients (the oat flour) Though the portion may or may not work with my size bread machine.

Again, I used the bread machine recipe from Gluten Free Goddess, with a few changes:
.
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch or potato starch (not potato flour!)
1/2 cup chickpea flour (maybe since it's so dense...the loaf baked weird)
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/ 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 packet rapid dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup finely chopped rosemary

WET INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups warm water (at 110 to 115ºF) 
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey- or raw agave nectar to keep it vegan 
1/2 teaspoon mild rice vinegar or lemon juice
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp ground flax seed with 8 TBSP hot water-mix and cover to let sit separately (or 2 eggs)

Add the ingredients in the order suggested by your bread machine (mine is dry, make a hole, add yeast, then add wet ingredients on top. Use the quick bread setting was a great tip from Gluten Free Goddess. And don't let the bread sit in the machine too long after it finishes baking (keep the crust from getting soggy).

My machine beeps when you can add in nuts or cheese, chocolate chips, etc. So I take that time to use a spatula to help things mix if they are looking a bit uneven.

Do you have an award winning recipe you're willing to share? If you haven't competed, what kind of contest would you want to enter?