Persian-Style Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

One thing I don’t love about gluten-free baking is the amount of effort required to “recreate” the properties and flavors of wheat. It is inevitable that I’ll be missing that one obscure gluten-free flour required to make a perfect cookie.

Of course, I always have plenty of rice flour on hand. I use it constantly for various recipes, so when I encountered this cookie recipe featuring rice flour, I was thrilled. I was even more excited by the short list of ingredients. Talk about easy to whip together!

But even better, these are delicious (if a bit crumbly) cookies. I brought them to the office..and they were gobbled up quickly. One co-worker confessed to eating more than a few all by herself. These would be great for afternoon tea, holiday parties, or even as a dessert after a dinner of small plates.

Quinoa and Vegetable Stuffed Bell Peppers

Another weeknight quickie, especially if you’re using leftover quinoa (or rice). It’s a great vegetarian option that is highly flexible when it comes to ingredients. For example, instead of spinach, I’ve used dandelion greens or kale. In fact, you can mix up the ingredients all sorts of ways…to the point where instead of a bell pepper, maybe you’re stuffing an acorn or butternut squash (note: this may increase cooking time!).