Is there such a thing as Agave crystals or powder, I'd love to do more cooking with it, but some recipes don't need the liquid.
Take care.  CB

I dont know if it comes in crystal or powder, but if it doesn't, may I suggest adding less of another liquid to equal out the liquid of the agave. That being said, I bake and cook w/ agave all the time. I never adjust other liquids. I use about 1/2 of the agave that the recipe calls for in sugar. It's always sweet enough for me, but while I do like sweets, I don't like them overpoweringly sweet.  

I tried baking once with agave, but it always seemed to leave everything having a gooey consistency.  

Did any of you find that to be the case, or am I doing something wrong?  I mean, I've rarely ever tried baking anything in my life, so I'm not surprised if the gooeyness was due to my inexperience.

It does take some experimentation.  Best thing I found, when I first started using agave, was to look up recipes that used honey instead of sugar.  You know, those old musty smelling health cookbooks from the 70s that you can find at any thrift store....full of honey recipes that you can use agave in place of, and substitute the whole wheat flour for something else.....

Thanks, Ribbit.

I wonder if I could substitute quinoa or millet for wheat flour.  

Quoted from 521

I wonder if I could substitute quinoa or millet for wheat flour.  

Have you tried kamut flour?

I think it works well and may taste better than spelt for holiday treats like cookies and such. It has been awhile, but if I remember right I think it has sort of a natural buttery flavor.

Kamut flour is delicious.  I have only made a couple of things with it, but it's really tasty.  If somebody can't find a source for it, I can get the whole berries at my local farmers market and would be happy to mail a container to anybody who wants it.  

You can use millet flour nicely, or a mix of millet and quinoa.  Quinoa flour is rather strong tasting, though.  Millet is a little more like corn meal, but if you grind it down long enough the texture improves. And if you're not doing anything else strange in the recipe, like trying to omit eggs, it'll work.  You can't make a nice slicing loaf of bread with it, but you can make quick breads, cookies, muffins, cakes (nothing really fluffy), and the like.

Ron, You can get kamut flour, any many other things, conveniently and for a good price from Azure Standard since they are in Dufur, OR.

CB, I found granulated cactus honey at my HFS. Only problem is it has maltodextrin. But my brother, who works at Whole Foods, is checking their brand to see what it has. I've also read that you can use agave syrup in place of sugar at a 1/3:1 ratio (I've read varying ratios but I find the agave syrup to be very sweet so I think 1/3-1/2 cup for every cup of sugar is sufficient--you could of course adjust as needed) and reduce the other liquids in an amount equal to that of the syrup used. Also suggested reducing cooking temp by 25 degrees F.

http://www.foodsubs.com is a good place to look up substitues for all-purpose and wheat flour. It gives tips on adjustments to make as most of the BTD flours tend to produce more "crumbly" results than wheat or all-purpose.

Don,

Okay, I'll see if I can create something like cookies out of kamut and agave... That would really be something.

My next concern then becomes what to use instead of baking powder, which contains aluminum and corn starch.  

Quoted from 521

My next concern then becomes what to use instead of baking powder, which contains aluminum and corn starch.  

See the Baking Powder Recipes.

If I can get the children busy doing something later I'll create some recipes for you.

Just realized I'm out of ghee.  I can post cookie recipes I've had from pre-BTD, but some of them have sugar.  Sugar is what gives the cookie good crunch.  Without it, the cookies will be chewier.  As soon as I can make some ghee I'll work out a couple of recipes, but it probably won't be before Tuesday (if you need them by then).

Lime Drop Cookies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1 1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/2 c. white rice flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. grated lime zest
1/4 c. lime juice
6 Tbsp. oil
6 Tbsp. apple sauce
1 tsp. vanilla
confectioners sugar for dusting

Sift dry ingredients except sugar.  In mixer bowl, mix sugar and lime zest.  Add oil and applesauce.  Beat well.  Add vanilla and lime juice.  On low speed, gradually add flour mixture.  Cover and place bowl in freezer 30-45 min.  Preheat oven to 325.  Cover baking sheets in parchment paper.  Drop batter by teaspoon onto sheets.  Bake 16 min.  Let cool, then dust with confectioners sugar.  Makes 4 dozen.
***I can guarentee agave won't work in this recipe.  But if you're asked to bring a dessert to a party, and you think you can live with a little sugar, this is something you can take and eat a couple of.  Same for the Wedding Cookies below.***


Wedding Cookies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 c. rice flour
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. oil (scant) or ghee
1/2 tsp. vanilla
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix all ingredients.  Shape into 1-in. balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 min.  Roll in powdered sugar while still hot.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes 2 dozen.


Ginger Cookies  ***I let my children snack on these***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. molasses
1/3 c. agave or honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in 1 Tbsp. hot water
3 c. rice flour

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine oil, molasses, agave, ginger, and salt in med. saucepan.  Stir to mix, bring just to boiling.  Remove from heat.  Add baking soda/water.  While foaming, add flour.  Srir well and allow to cool slightly.  Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased pan.  Bake 10 min.  (do not overcook)


Pacific Rim Cake ***no eggs! (except what might be in the mayo)***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 - 2/1 c. spelt flour
1 c. fructose or 1/2 agave
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried orange peel or chopped dried apricot
1/2 tsp. each nutmeg, cloves
3/4 c. mayo
1/3 c. rice milk
4 kiwi, mashed (~1 1/3 c.)
1/2 c. toasted almonds or macadamia nuts, chopped
3 Tbsp. minced candied or fresh ginger

Coat 3-qt. Bundt pan with cooking spray.  Combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl.  Add other ingredients and mix.  Pour into pan and bake 50-55 min.  Let stand 5 min.  Invert onto plate and let cool.

Icing (optional)
~~~~~
1 c. confectioners sugar (you might be able to use agave here)
3 Tbsp. lime juice
Mix together and drizzle on.


Coconut*-Date Confection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1/2 lb. pitted dates
3/4 c. angel-flake coconut (contains sugar--you can probably substitute plain shredded coconut)

In food processor, combine dates and 1/2 c. of the coconut.  Process until well mixed.  Shape into 3/4" balls.  Roll in remaining 1/4 c. coconut.
*Even if coconut is an avoid for you, it may be better than eating the wheat and sugar that's in everybody else's cookies.  So if you're hard-pressed to come up with something, these are really tasty.


Millet Brownies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 1/2 c. millet flour
1/4 c. arrowroot
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/3 c. chopped unsweetened chocolate
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 c. agave
1/2 c. oil
1/4. c. water
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine dry ingredients.  Combine liquid ingredients.  Mix all together gently.  Pour into greased 8X8" pan.  Bake     Hm.  My recipe ends here.  I didn't write down how long I baked them.  Phooey.  I guess you would bake it about 20-30 minutes.  The top tends to crack on this one, so only bake it just long enough to get the middle done.  Or, if it does crack, it'll still be good!  If allowed, top this one with a mixture of peanut butter and agave.

I suggest everyone add recipes to the recipe database and then provide a link here versus posting them in the forums.

Quoted from 521

I tried baking once with agave, but it always seemed to leave everything having a gooey consistency....  or am I doing something wrong?

Ron, when I bake w/ agave in place of sugar, I always at least half it. If it calls for 1 cup, I use 1/2 cup and to be truthful the ratio of 1/3 C to 1 Cup that kate4975 listed is probably more realistic. I don't like anything super sweet tho.

On another note,I made some homemade ice cream for Rich tonight w/ the agave. The recipe called for 1-1/8 C sugar and I used 3/4 Cup. I didn't calculate that right for 1/2 even and it was really really sweet. He even commented on that and suggested not using any sweetner, tho I know he wouldn't like that either. I know he shouldn't have dairy, but I also know he's going to eat ice cream, so I figure if I make it, it will at least be 'pure'. I do wholely intend to cut the cream little by little until it's just a mixture of other milks, or make sorbet. After he ate it, he said "Is that supposed to make your throat sore". I told him no, but it was prob the reaction to the dairy.     So he is slowly seeing the results of eating dairy.  
For those that can eat ice cream, below is the machine I used. It works really great. All you do is blend the well chilled milks/cream w/ the agave with a whip, pour it into the pre-frozen metal bowl, turn the machine on for about 25 minutes and it's done. After you've put it in smaller bowls and put it in the freezer, just take it out of the freezer about 15 minutes prior to eating. It doesn't stay 'soft' like commercial ice creams because it contains no gums.  
http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=45&item_id=82&cat_id=10
http://www.cuisinart.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe_id=95

italy,

Thank you for that info.  I'm left wondering what sort of safe gums are out there, that could be used.  The only gum I've heard spoken of in a positive sense is guggul gum, but I don't think it can be added in the normal sense of the other gums... or can it?

Quoted from Don

I suggest everyone add recipes to the recipe database and then provide a link here versus posting them in the forums.

That's a great idea, Don. Things tend to get lost when posted in individual threads; and not everyone reads all the threads.

I just bothers my conscience to actually post stuff in the database that's not compliant enough (contains sugar), plus it takes so long to go through and click on what ingredients are good for who!

Quoted from Ribbit

... plus it takes so long to go through and click on what ingredients are good for who!

You apparently haven't added a recipe since the whole thing was overhauled. The Add a Recipe interface Preview function allows you to view the BTD Analysis of all the ingredients and therefore easily determine what blood types the recipe is OK for.

Also realize that recipes get reviewed and edited if necessary so the original author doesn't need to worry about that if they don't want to.

I did add the ginger cookies and saw the change, but didn't take the time to look at what Preview was.  Thanks, Don.  If I can have a few minutes of nobody crying in the house, I'll post and do that.  I'm glad they get reviewed and edited.  Thanks, you who do that.  BTW, who do I contact if there's a problem with a recipe?  I made some amaranth flat bread and it called for about 4 times as much salt as it really needed, and that's coming from somebody who likes salt.

Quoted from Ribbit

BTW, who do I contact if there's a problem with a recipe?

You can post it in the Suggestion Box board or PM Drea, Lola, Rodney, or myself. Also Organicmamma and Melissa have edited a few recipes and can probably help too.