baking

If Celiac disease, allergies or food intolerances require you to eat a gluten-free diet, you know from experience that it can take a bit more time and planning to get your meals on the table.

This is certainly a one-size fits all dessert: with ingredients like maple syrup, fresh whipped cream and strawberries, it's a hard dessert not to like.

As you may or may not know, I am not an expert baker. My attempts are infrequent and my successes fleeting. But I sure felt like a star after I made these Gingerbread cookies and watched them quickly disappear at a toddler's birthday party, particularly when I saw adults also going back for more. And more. The cookies were soft, chewy and not overpoweringly sweet. They were, if I may say so, perfect.

With a crispy streusel topping, tons of fresh berries and a hint of nutty whole wheat, these aren't your everyday blueberry muffins. Bonus: They're deliciously moist inside!

Baking amateurs and enthusiasts alike will be baking up a storm for this weekend's Toronto Bakes for Japan event, a Toronto-wide bake sale to raise awareness and funds for the Japanese Red Cross Society.