Creative Cooking : Gluten Free

Grilled Mini Portabella Burgers

2010-05-03T09:45:00.000-07:00

Bryan's sister is a vegetarian, and lately we've been talking about recipes and cooking together this summer, so I've been trying to think of some vegetarian recipes to try out and make together. I honestly don't know if I could ever be a vegetarian - I would miss chicken and fish way to much with the occasional read meat consumption. I give people who are all the credit in the world But I tell you what, I could defiantly do it for a little bit especially if I ate a lot more portabella mushrooms. They are so meaty and juicy that when I made my grilled portabella mushroom burgers I don't even miss the hamburger aspect of it. When grocery shopping today I grabbed a pack of mini (stuffing) portabella mushroom caps instead of the big ones. Grab some romaine lettuce and some mozzarella cheese and made some mini portabella burgers tonight. They were so good! Plus you can't really beat meal that takes 20-25 minutes to make (including marinade time)

Grilled Mini Portabella Burgers (you can do this with the large caps also)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 table spoon chili oil

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 large portabella caps or four small caps - remove stems

In a shallow dish mix together the first six ingredients until well combined. Add the mushroom caps and coat well. Let them sit in the marinade for about 15-20 minutes, turning once or twice. Heat grill or grill pan to medium, medium-high heat. Oil the grates of the grill or grill pan to prevent sticking. Place mushroom caps step side up for 4 minutes (for large caps, and 2 minutes for the smaller caps), turn and repeat on the other side. Once cooked, top with mozzarella cheese and slices of tomatoes. Instead of a bun I use romaine lettuce leaves. Served with a yummy salad instead of fries! Enjoy

Leigha .... this recipe is for you!

Faces of Celiac Disease

2010-05-03T03:52:00.000-07:00

Another Gluten Free Blogger - Heidi of Adventures of A Gluten Free Mom posted this on Facebook yesterday...when you have a chance please check out this video and her blog!

I was diagnosed almost two years ago now with Celiac Disease. "Celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. If you have celiac disease and eat foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in your small intestine, causing damage to the surface of your small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients." "The exact cause of celiac disease is unknown, but it's often inherited. If someone in your immediate family has it, chances are 5 to 15 percent that you may as well."

Since I was about ten years old (if not younger) I always had problems with being sick especially after eating. Around that time I was diagnosed with being lactose intolerant. For many years I went dairy free but still was getting sick...ALL THE TIME. Little did I or my doctors realize that it wasn't the dairy making me sick, it was everything I would eat with it. At fifteen years old I was diagnosed with both IBS and Fibromyalgia. The Fibromyalgia was very uncommon for someone my age at the time and still is. The IBS was no surprise because many of my family member either have that or Crohn's Disease.

After twenty six years of eating pretty much anything I wanted: Pasta, Breads, Pizza, Chinese Food, Soy Sauce etc it was a hard change for me to switch my lifestyle to be completely gluten free. I'm not going to lie its a challenge, but honestly having a good attitude about it, a great support system of friends (none of which are gluten free but made every effort to cook/bake gluten free so I can enjoy it also) and being forced to be creative with my cooking (hence my blog name) it hasn't been that bad. There are a few days where I miss the texture of real Italian/French bread but besides that, the joy and feeling of not being sick all the time is truly amazing. I can enjoy almost all the food I truly love with out fear of getting sick. I cook at home most of the time and have learned to recreate my favorite gluten filled meals to be gluten free with all the taste that one could hope for. These past two years have been a journey for sure and I'm sure all the years to come will be even better. I have an amazing boyfriend who is willing to eat gluten free meals (he can go out and get real food, but at home it will be all gluten free). He is extremely well at looking out for me and reading labels on products. I'm very thankful for him.

May is Celiac Awareness Month and I would strongly encourage you to get tested if you have symptoms of Celiac Disease (especially if someone in your family has Celiac!-hint hint to my family members)

Thanks Heidi for posting this.

Almond Joy Chocolate Bark - Elana's Pantry

2010-05-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

I truly love all of the recipes I have tried from Elana's Pantry. This woman is amazing!! Her recipes are simple yet filled with flavor. She posted this recipe not that long ago and today was the second time I made it. Actually today I made a double batch of it!! Everyone that has tried it loves it. Best part...its only 3 ingredients!! Who does that not appeal to??

Almond Joy Chocolate Bark - Elana's Pantry

1 ½ cups dark chocolate 73%
½ cup almonds, toasted
¼ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened (toasted at 350° for 6-8 minutes)

Melt chocolate over very low heat

Pour chocolate into a parchment lined 8x8 inch baking dish

Scatter almonds and 3 tablespoons of coconut over chocolate

Using a spatula spread the mixture evenly back and forth to ½ inch thickness

Sprinkle remaining tablespoon of coconut on top of mixture

Place bark in fridge for 2 hours to set

Break into square bars

Serve

Raise Awareness

2010-04-30T02:20:00.000-07:00

I have plenty of T-Shirts and many of which raise some type of awareness. From Invisible Children to TWLOHA, it stops and makes people think and ask questions. Those are two great organizations and if you have a second I highly recommend talking a look at their sites and seeing what they are all about.

So, if we wear shirts for organizations, why not wear one for Celiac Awareness? Check out these links from Cafe Press for your Celiac, Gluten Free, Wheat Free etc t-shirts, bumper stickers, aprons, bags/totes etc!! Spread the word this month!

Cafe Press : Celiac

Cafe Press: Gluten Free Stuff

Cafe Press : Celiac Chicks

Cafe Press: Gluten Free

May is Celiac Awareness Month!!

2010-04-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

Gluten Free

May is Celiac Awareness Month!! Want to help spread awareness? Please read the an excerpt from the Triumph Dining Blog

"Celiac Awareness Month (May) is quickly approaching, and we're looking to get the word out in a big way! Each year, it seems we get closer to the tipping point, with more restaurants offering gluten free menus and more groceries labeled as gluten free. But, there's more we can do in our quest to truly make Celiac Disease and the gluten free diet mainstream.

That's why we've teamed up with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) to run a website badge campaign to generate awareness. Placing a badge (like the one above) on your website is a great way to get a dialogue started and to let the world know that you support Celiac Disease Awareness.

And, until the end of May, when you add the badge to your website we're going to give $5 (up to a total of $5,000) to the NFCA, to help them raise even more awareness of Celiac Disease. Participating in this event and using the badge is 100% free for you. We'll make the $5 donation on your behalf. So, what are you waiting for? The only thing standing between the NFCA and up to $5,000 is a 30 second copy and paste job.

Thank you for participating in these efforts and helping to raise awareness of Celiac Disease. The more we do to the get the word out, the better all our lives become. Together, we can make a difference!

Sincerely,
Ross Cohen
President, Triumph Dining

How to Participate

Copy the code for any of the badges below and then paste it on your home page.

E-mail us at awareness@triumphdining.com with a link to where you placed the badge on your site.

You'll automatically be entered into a drawing for one of several Triumph Dining Gluten Free Survival Kits (a $50 value!).

Help us spread the word to raise even more money for the NFCA with the sharing tools (e-mail, twitter, and facebook) below.

Celebrate your good deed for the day.

At the end of May, we'll present a check for up to $5,000 ($5 per person who pastes a badge on their site) to the NFCA."

Get your Celiac Awareness badges HERE

Gluten Free

For more information about Celiac Disease please visit:

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

Celiac Disease Check List

Favorite Cookbooks (at the moment)

2010-04-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one out there but I read cookbooks, not just skim the recipes but read them like they are a novel. I truly love cookbooks (and books in general). Then I go back and put little sticky notes on all the recipes I want to try. This past Christmas I got a few of them as presents and sadly some of them I haven't even cooked from yet. Once the big move is over and we are finally settled somewhere my big plan is to make weekly menus for at least a month from all of these cookbooks that I have in my collection.

There is one in particular that I can't wait to cook from, and that is Tom Colicchio's Think Like A Chef. The recipes in this cookbook are simply amazing sounding. I would love (and I mean LOVE) to eat at one of his restaurants in the near future! Who knows maybe it will happen.

Lately I've been adapting recipes from a cookbook that my friend Janine had signed and sent to me by Ellie Krieger called So Easy. And she isn't kidding her recipes are very easy and extremely tasty. One of my favorite ones so far is her Garlic-Basil Shrimp. I could probably eat this once a week (but I don't).

Another current favorite cookbook of mine is the Allergy-Free cookbook by Alice Sherwood. I use many of her recipes also. For example the great blueberry muffins that I just made are from this cookbook. This cookbook is so helpful because it will take a recipe and tell you how to make it: gluten free, nut free, dairy free, and or egg free!!

A friend of ours got me a cookbook for Christmas because he always sees me posting recipes or pictures of food on facebook and saw that it said gluten free. Turns out to be an amazing cookbook that got some rave reviews! Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking. I've made a few recipes out of here and they were all very very good. Even Bryan's mom made a recipe out of here on my last night in New Jersey.

On the list of cookbooks to concur when we move (besides Tom Colicchio's) are the following:

The Flying Apron

BabyCakes

On the list of cookbooks to buy are the following:

The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

Jamie's Food Revolution

The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook

Gluten Free Girl and the Chef

A new take on chicken tenders and fries

2010-04-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I filled out a form on Tropical Traditions website to be considered to review their coconut oil. Not thinking that me and my little blog would get picked but I did! Yesterday I received my Coconut Oil in the mail and instantly began to think "what should I make first?", "should I use one of their recipes or try and create my own?", "what does it smell like?", "will it have a strong coconut flavor?". Needless to say my brain was on 20 question mode, but I had a photo assignment last night and couldn't experiment right away, so I did it tonight. I was nervous and excited to experiment and swore that if my first try came out bad I wouldn't blog about it. Thankfully it came out pretty tasty!

I've read so many great things about coconut oil, both for cooking/baking but also the health benefits of it. Below are a few interesting facts that I have found in my research:

Coconut oil is very heat stable so it makes an excellent cooking and frying oil. It has a smoke point of about 360°F (180°C)

The oil is also used to give movie theater popcorn in the United States its distinctive flavor

Made from fresh coconuts, not dried copra

Has a fresh coconut fragrance

Apart from coconut oil, the only other source of lauric acid found in such high concentrations is in mother's milk

I had been curious about coconut oil for a while now and been wanting to try it out for myself so I am very thankful to Tropical Traditions for sending me this amazing sample to experiment with and write about.

So back to my 20 questions:

"what should I make first?" - I decided to try and make a play on chicken nuggets and fries. Instead I made coconut flour dusted chicken tenders and sweet potato fries. They were fried in a little bit of coconut oil (recipe below). It was very very tasty. The chicken came out fantastic!! So juicy and tender with a hint of coconut flavor (just a hint). The fries came out great too, however I think I prefer my fries baked instead of fried.

"should I use one of their recipes or try and create my own?" - I went with making my own recipe this time, but Tropical Traditions has tons of great looking recipes that I look forward to trying!

"what does it smell like?"- It definitely smells like coconut but in a good way (not like suntan lotion).

"will it have a strong coconut flavor?" - A slight coconut flavor is there but its not over powering or anything like that. I rather enjoyed it.

Chicken Tenders and Fries

1/4 cup of coconut flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1 medium to large sweet potato - cut into "fries"

2 boneless/skinless chicken breast - cut into 1/2 inch strips

coconut oil - enough to lightly fry the fries and chicken - about 1/4 -1/2 cup

In a medium bowl mix the coconut flour, tapioca flour, salt and pepper until combined. Dredge the sweet potato fries in the flour and shake of any excess flour before adding to the oil. One the fries are finished cooking cool them on a wire rack. Lightly sprinkle with salt (if you desire). Next, add the chicken to the same flour mixture, coat lightly and shake of any excess flour before adding to the oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until fully cooked. I dipped my chicken in a little bit of honey....oooh so good!!

Seeing as I was given this very generous sample to try I have decided that for the next month before packing everything up to ship across the country I will make one coconut oil recipe a week, so please stay tuned for more recipes and reviews. Now...what to make next, hmmmmm Maybe I'll try baking something next.

Please check out this video from Tropical Traditions about their Coconut Oil:

Sweet Baby Ray's (review)

2010-04-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

Back East we have "cook outs" where you cook outside on a grill, usually some steaks, BBQ chicken, veggies etc. However, when I moved to California people call cook outs BBQ's, which I found a little confusing. I was invited to my first BBQ thinking "oh, nice we are going to have some BBQ pork or chicken". No, there was NO BBQ sauce to be found anywhere. Cooking on a grill (or as they call it here, a BBQ) was what they were talking about all along. Needless to say I was a bit disappointing and still haven't gotten over the difference from one coast to another. In my mind to have a BBQ - you must have BBQ sauce!! (I know I'm not alone on this, but people here think I'm crazy)

Since moving here and being to many BBQ's with out BBQ sauce I realized a few months ago, that I haven't had BBQ sauce in years!! Bryan is always raving about this one brand, his all time favorite to be exact - Sweet Baby Ray's. I said well if its gluten free, lets try it. I read the back of the package and I didn't see anything containing gluten/wheat so I went online and sure enough its gluten free!! Its a good thing that it is, because I don't think he can live with out it, and he is very excited that I can eat it. Here is what it says on their website:

Allergen

Is the product gluten-free?

All products except for the meatballs with sauce are gluten free. Always read labels closely for ingredients before consuming.

This stuff is AMAZING. Such a great flavor, not too over powering but the perfect balance of tangy sweetness. Its thick and has a little bit of a kick to it. I've only tried the original one but they have several other flavors: Honey, Hickory & Brown Sugar, Ray's Hot 'N Spicy and Sweet Vidalia Onion. Probably one of the best sauces I have had. You can pretty much find this everywhere so if you haven't tried it yet you should. It's almost summer time lots of grills will be heating up waiting for some BBQ chicken!! I don't we'll ever have another kind of BBQ sauce in our house.

I don't own a grill right now (and hopefully we'll be able to get one when we move to Rhode Island) so tonight I'm baking some chicken drumsticks that have been brushed with Sweet Baby Ray's and when they are just about finished I'll pop them under the broiler for just a little bit to get that char on them. Then of course I'll be dipping the meat in the sauce :) Tonight's meal will be some steamed broccoli, Sweet Baby Rays Chicken and a tomato and cucumber salad. Light and tasty.

Blueberry Muffins

2010-04-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

I've been searching for some new breakfast ideas. In the past I've made some bagels, muffins, or the old stand by crustless quiche. Lately I've just been having some yogurt or eggs for breakfast. Usually my weekends are my baking time but not so much this weekend, I had to work on Saturday and today was spent watching one of my best friends and her mom cross the line of the Big Sur Marathon, then off to hang out and relax with them for the day. - Way to go Lisa and Lorraine. But tonight when I got home I was determined to make some muffins before The Amazing race started. I picked up a bag of frozen blueberries today and blueberry muffins would be made tonight! I went to one of my favorite Gluten Free Cookbooks - The Allergy Free Cookbook by Alice Sherwood (if you haven't tried any recipes from this cookbook you really should).

Blueberry Muffins (page 63) - The Gluten Free Version

1/4 cup butter

2 cups GF all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1/4 cup superfine sugar plus extra for dusting (optional)

2/3 cup milk + 1/4 cup - per the gluten free version of this recipe (I use soy)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten

1 cup blueberries

1/4 cup chopped pecans*

ground cinnamon for dusting*

* I added the pecans and cinnamon (into the mix) which weren't called for in the recipe. The cinnamon was just suggested for dusting.

Line 6 large or 10 small sections of a muffin pan with paper muffin cups or butter the pan well. (I have cupcake tins so I needed all 12 of mine lined) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Melt the butter in saucepan. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir in the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Make a well in the center, pour in the milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract and egg. Fold the mixture quickly to combine, but don't worry if there are a few lumps. Fold the blueberries and pecans carefully into the mixture.

Spoon (I use an ice cream scoop) the mixture into the prepared pan (they will be almost full).

If desired, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake in the oven until risen, lighlty golden in color and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes.

Transfer to wire rack, dusk with superfine sugar and let cool.

These muffins are so good!! Same great texture of a real muffin, awesome flavor and I think the addition of the cinnamon and pecans into the recipe was a good idea :) Eventually I would like to get a muffin tin to make slightly larger ones but for now my cupcake tin works just fine. The great thing about this recipe is you could add pretty much any fruit you like to it...next time I think I'll add some cranberries, orange zest and a little bit of walnuts, hmmmm.

I love this cookbook and the recipes I have tried out of here. This is also the cookbook that I get my bread recipe from.

Cupcakes - what's not to love??

2010-04-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

So last week I made two different brands of brownie mix and this week, you guessed it...cupcakes! Technically it's cake mix that I am comparing this week just made into cupcake form. In my mind cupcakes are way better than cake :) Little individual cups of yummy goodness. Again, its Betty Crocker Chocolate Cake Mix compared to Arrowhead Mill's Vanilla Cake Mix. I've made the Betty Crocker ones before and loved them and I'll be making the Arrowhead Mill's ones for the first time. The Arrowhead Mill's mix was in the batch of mixes one of my co-workers brought me a few weeks ago.

I love cupcakes, and I seek them out. Over the Christmas I went to New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts to visit Bryan and our families. On one of our little adventures to NYC we got the chance to go to BabyCakes! Now those are some tasty cupcakes!! Wow. I think I spent almost $40.00 on cupcakes, why?? Not because of the price (well sort of) but because I couldn't decide which ones to buy. Sooo Bryan and I picked a few and got two of each so we could both try them, because I don't share cupcakes very well. I think we ended up with the Vanilla, Chocolate and Brownie cupcakes. All of which were AMAZING but I think the brownie ones were our favorite. - I can't wait to go back there again!

When Bryan came to visit me in February we took a weekend trip up to San Francisco. We kept seeing this van that says "Kara's Cupcakes" on the side and I obviously kept trying to figure out where they were located. On our last night there, we are heading to go pick up the car at our hotel and he saw there store and Bryan, being the amazing boyfriend that he is, went in just to see if they offered gluten free cupcakes. To both of our surprise they did! But, sadly they were sold out. I was a little crushed until he told me that they had another store, and if I knew what flavor I wanted they would call over to see if they could hold two for us. Thankfully the other store had some left, we got there right before they closed and the best part was, they were two blocks from out hotel! ha ha. While at the store I started chatting with the girl behind the counter and to my surprise they started with Erin from BabyCakes NYC's recipe and adapted it to make it their own...no wonder why they were so good and we loved them so much. We were patient enough to not eat them until we got home (about 2.5 hours) before digging into our little gems. Again, the cupcakes were AMAZING!!

This summer when I move I am hoping to try some cupcakes from Tu-Lu's Gluten Free Bakery (also in NYC). If anyone has tried them, I would love to hear your thoughts :)

So here are the results of this weeks battle of the cupcakes (both sets of cupcakes will have the same frosting-yes its gluten free!!):

Betty Crocker Chocolate Cupcakes with Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Rainbow Chip Frosting

Arrowhead Mills Vanilla Cupcakes with Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Rainbow Chip Frosting

Betty Crocker - I followed the directions on the back of the package and cooked it according to the time given.

Moist, tasty, chocolaty. Taste and texture of a "real" cupcake. As with the brownie mix from Betty Crocker you can't tell the difference from the gluten containing cupcakes.

Arrowhead Mills - I followed the directions on the back of the package and cooked it according to the time given.

Moist, tasty vanillay. The taste was pretty good, however the texture was a bit different. They were a little grainy, almost like it has a little bit of a crunchy texture, more like cornmeal-ish texture to it. Over all they were still very good, I really enjoyed them.

Now I have a little more than two dozen cupcakes and I am only one person so as with the majority of things I bake these will be coming to work with me tomorrow. My co-workers have become my "test kitchen" over the past two years.

And the winner is....

I have to say that the winner of this one has got to be the Betty Crocker mix, but probably only because of the texture of the Arrowhead Mills. You really can't tell that these and the frosting are gluten free. Betty Crocker has done very well with these mixes, I am highly impressed.

Now to wash these down with a nice big glass of soy milk!!

Trader Joe's Vegetable Panang Curry - Gluten Free!

2010-04-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

When I first was diagnosed with Celiac I was told that Whole Foods and Trader Joe's were the best places to shop for Gluten Free items, and I don't think I will ever forget the first shopping trip I did - it almost ended in tears! No lie, I about cried in the middle of whole foods. I was beyond overwhelmed with this new lifestyle. Which is kind of funny seeing as in my opinion Whole Foods is by far the best place to shop for Gluten Free items because everything is labeled, not just on the package but on the shelves they have these little tags that say what is Gluten Free. I just wasn't used to this kind of shopping. I wasn't used to having to read everything on the label and learning what many of these ingredients that you need to carry a dictionary around with you to figure out if they contain Gluten Free or not. If you have Celiac or shop for someone who does, I'm sure you can relate to my experience. Over the past two years I've gotten better with reading the labels and figuring out where gluten "hides" on the ingredients list.

Trader Joe's on the other hand doesn't come right out and label everything. Well they have gotten better over the last two years, but when I first started shopping for Gluten Free items it was so frustrating. Their Gluten Free list isn't store specific like Whole Foods is, they don't put any markings on the shelves and for the most part you had to read every ingredient on the box, do some research online etc to figure out what was Gluten Free and what wasn't. Now thankfully they are starting to label many of their products as Gluten Free! (Thank you Trader Joe's!). Their selection is still a bit limited compared to Whole Foods and they aren't labeling everything but they are getting better.

For the most part I try to buy fresh ingredients, including herbs, meats, veggies etc. and try to avoid many of the processed/packaged foods, but lets be honest, sometimes its just hard to do. Some days I just want to grab something quick and not have to prepare a whole meal just for myself. I've tried a few of the frozen meals from Whole Foods and Trader Joe's...they are okay for a quick meal, but I try not to eat them too much. About a month ago I tried this frozen meal from Trader Joe's and it was very very tasty, however I went to get another one to blog about and they were gone. Today on my lunch break I tried to restaurants in town and both were extremely rude and unhelpful with my gluten free diet so I decided to run over to Trader Joe's and see if by some chance they had any in the freezer section and they did! So I grabbed one to bring home for dinner and decided to blog about it.

(You can find this in the frozen section at Trader Joe's (items vary by location))

Vegetable Panang Curry with Jasmine Rice

Ingredients: Thai Jasmine Rice, Brown Jasmine Rice, Panang Sauce (coconut milk, Thai Chili, Shallots, Garlic, Basil, Galangal [Thai Ginger], Kaffir Lime Leaf, Palm Sugar Lemongrass, Coriander, Soy Oil, Sea Salt), Vegetable Blend (Zucchini, Onion, Asparagus, Kale, Green Beans, Snow Peas, Baby Corn and Spinach).

Granted this isn't the healthiest of meals but its tasty and good for a quick meal as long as you don't eat it too often!! So if you are looking for something tasty, quick (takes all of five minutes in the microwave), filling and GLUTEN FREE check this out! You really can't go wrong for only $2.49!!

Now if Trader Joe's could stock my local stores with some Gluten Free baked goods I would be all set!!

Brownie Battle

2010-04-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Last week a co worker of mine brought me a bunch of gluten free mixes to try. They were from Arrowhead Mills (Brownies, Yellow Cake, Cupcakes and Chocolate Chip Cookies). I made the brownies and they were pretty tasty. I have a hard time just eating straight chocolate, I really like to have something with it such as nuts, peanut butter, coconut etc. Yesterday I found some of the Betty Crocker mixes (which I haven't seen much of around me or they are either way to much money to buy and try). I made the Arrowhead Mills Brownie mix last week and the Betty Crocker Brownie mix today and here are my thoughts on them:

Arrowhead Mills

I followed the directions on the back of the package, and added about a 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. I baked them in a square pan and these turned out to be very cake like, very thick and chocolaty. I think the peanut butter and nuts were a great addition to these! I don't know if I would of been as much of a fan of them if they were just straight brownies.

Betty Crocker

Again, I followed the directions on the back of the package. They also listed the baking times for different pan sizes, so this time I decided to bake them in an 11x7 pan. The brownies were a lot thinner, which I enjoyed sooo much more. I like the crunchy edges and these tasted just like the real ones. Even though they came out a bit thin due to the pan size they were very moist. I couldn't tell the difference at all with these. I will buy these again for sure. My other favorite Betty Crocker GF mix is the chocolate cake - Love it!

I would have to say that the Betty Crocker ones are by far my favorite of these two mixes. I just loved that they still truly tasted like the original Betty Crocker mix.

Here are the final product from the Betty Crocker Brownie mix:

Coconut Macaroons by Elana's Pantry

2010-04-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

I truly love the recipes on Elana's Pantry. They are tasty and easy to do. Today I made Elana's Pantry's Coconut Macaroons and they are awesome. The only alteration I made to the recipe was I topped it with some melted chocolate. I'll be honest, it's really hard not to eat these all tonight. I've had about three little ones already and could continue to eat them. You should all give these a try.

Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons
6 egg whites
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups shredded coconut

In a mixing bowl whisk egg whites and salt until stiff

Fold in agave, vanilla and coconut

Drop batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet, one rounded tablespoonful at a time

Pinch each macaroon at the top (like a kiss)

Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned

Serve

Bacon-Cheddar Scones

2010-03-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Oh yes you read the title correctly! People say bacon makes everything better and I would have to agree (well for the most part). I try my hardest not to eat too much bacon, but I love it and its really hard to restrain myself when its around. Being gluten free one of the hardest things for me is breakfast foods. I can't eat first thing in the morning so I usually eat at my office. Lately its been yogurt, but I was craving something else. Eggs are good but I don't always want to make them before work and then put them in a container to heat up a little later on. I'm always on the hung for breakfast type recipes. I need to build my recipe bank with more of these of recipes.

So I did some searching online for some gluten free recipes. Even though its not gluten free I found a recipe online for these Bacon Cheddar Scones (check out this blog - Buns In My Oven for step by step photos and the non-gluten free version!!!) scones and tried to create them to the gluten free recipe that I had posted on here. They just came out of the oven and they look, smell and taste fantastic! You really have to try these!

Gluten Free Bacon-Cheddar Scones- (adapted from Bun in my oven's Bacon Cheddar Scones)

Ingredients:
3 C. gluten-free flour mix (see below)

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 tsp salt

8 slices of bacon (cooked and chopped or crumbled)

1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

4 green onions, sliced thin

6 oz cold butter cut into small cubes

1 C. milk (or gluten-free soy milk) mixed with 4 T. vinegar–I used apple cider vinegar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons water

Jeanne’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix (mix together and store in fridge):
1 1/4 C. brown rice flour
1 1/4 C. white rice flour
1 C. tapioca flour
1 C. sweet rice flour (also known at Mochiko)
2 scant tsp. xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with a Silpat sheet. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Mix until blended well. Add butter and keep mixing with your hands until it is crumbly and your butter is in small pea size pieces. You can also use a pastry cutter or two knives. Add the cheese and mix until well blended.

Slowly pour in the milk mixture–do this carefully, because you might not need it all. I used about 7/8s of the milk. The dough should be just barely wet. Use your hands to carefully mix in the last bits of flour. The dough should be extremely light and fluffy. Handle carefully.

Turn out only a floured board. I use tapioca flour to lightly flour a large cutting board and lightly press out the ball of dough until it is about 1/2 in thickness (you can also follow the original recipe and use a rolling pin and cut the scones according to Jeanne’s instructions). Cut in half and depending on how many scones you want to make cut each half in third or quarters. Place the scones on the baking sheet lined with the Silpat sheet.

In a small bowl beat egg and water together. Lightly brush the tops of the scones and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool on a rack and enjoy warm!

A few of my favorite blogs

2010-03-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

[caption id="attachment_31" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="I Blog Gluten Free"][/caption]

I love finding new recipes, trying them out and altering them (if not gluten free). I own too many cooking magazines and cookbooks (to some peoples standards, but not mine). I read cookbooks like some people read novels. I love them. Now, with technology I find myself reading tons and tons of blogs. Getting new ideas, new recipes to try and of course continually learning more and more about this gluten free world.

Here are a few of my favorite blogs (you can also find these and a few more on the blog roll tab)

101 Cookbooks

Heidi has some amazing recipes on here, and plenty of gluten free options! Here is a little blurb from her site:

Hi there, my name is Heidi Swanson. 101 Cookbooks is my recipe journal. It's where I write about the recipes that intersect my life, travels, and everyday interests. Often the recipes are from my cookbook collection, sometimes not - they might come from a friend, or I might write about a recipe I created myself.

I focus primarily on natural, whole foods and ingredients - vegetarian recipes that are good for you and for the planet. Welcome!

Elana's Pantry

After finding out I had celiac disease this is the first blog/site that I came across and it is by far one of my favorite ones. I am continually going here for idea, trying her recipes and sharing it with others. I find Elana's knowledge and creativity amazing. (I still need to buy her cookbook!!) Here is a little blurb from her site:

In my 20’s I studied ayurvedic cooking. When my son and I were diagnosed with celiac disease, this three-year study came in handy. Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder triggered by eating gluten. Out of necessity my cooking took on an entirely new dimension as we both went on a gluten-free diet.

Unwilling to cook two separate meals each night for my family, I needed to make gluten-free food that tasted like regular food. Would I be able to do this well enough to convince my husband to come home for dinner?

I threw myself into this culinary challenge and my husband, a tough critic, held nothing back. With much trial and many errors, I developed a gluten-free repertoire that tastes delicious. Friends and family now ask for my recipes, even those who are not on restricted diets!

While my cooking might not be complex, I appreciate that my food brings people together –those who eat regular food and those who can’t –to break bread in the warmth of my kitchen. I love to make food that is not only good for you, but actually tastes good. This has become a passion for me.

If you are interested in buying her cookbook you can get it on AMAZON

Four Chickens

I absolutely love this blog. Jeanne has some tasty tasty recipes. I've made her doughnuts and her scones...both are wicked good! I'm very excited to try her new puff pastry recipe hopefully in the near future. You should defiantly check out her blog and recipes. Here is a little blurb from her site:

I have 1 daughter, 1 husband, 5 chickens, 1 organic garden in a constant state of disrepair, 100 million books, 10 million skeins of yarn, 5 million cookbooks, 2 million projects in progress rolling around the house, and 1 PhD in theatre history/theory.

I am gluten-intolerant. I also have a life-threatening allergy to wheat. My daughter has a life-threatening peanut allergy. This combo platter keeps life interesting, to say the least.

I make fabulous gluten-free baked goods and it's my goal to help others do the same.

Adventures Of A Gluten Free Mom

This is my latest obsession. I was drooling looking at all of her recipes tonight. I came across Heidi's blog the other day because she had posted a link on my Creative Cooking GF Facebook page. I can't seem to get enough of her site right now. Sadly I don't have a little blurb from her page about her.

I hope you take some time and check these out and the others listed on the blog roll tab.

Balsamic Steak

2010-03-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine (issue #43 - June 2007) This recipe is so simple and is already gluten free! The original recipe calls for skirt steak, however I had a little bit of a hard time finding that so I used flank steak the first time and the next time I made it I filleted a piece of tri-tip (a cut that is native to California) in thirds and used that. I also had the meat sit in the marinade over night. Again, another really simple recipe yet very tasty!! Its great for those busy nights, you are going to love it, I promise.

Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak (see note above)

1/2 Cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak

oil for grates

- In a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish, combine vinegar, sugar, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pierce meat all over with a fork; add to marinade and turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature at least 15 minutes (or over night in the refrigerator and then let sit out for 20 minutes or so before grilling).

- Heat grill to high; oil grates. Remove steak from marinade, allow excess to drip off. Grill steaks 2-4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate; cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 5 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve.

- A nice side for this is mashed or bakes sweet potatoes.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with Orange Glaze

2010-03-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

I adapted the following Bob's Red Mill recipe - instead of raisins, I added some dried cranberries and topped them with an orange glaze. This recipe was really quick and makes about four dozen cookies.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
Contributed by Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods


Ingredients 1-1/2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour 3 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats 1 cup Butter (softened) 1 cup Brown Sugar 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla 1 tsp Baking Soda 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 1 tsp Cinnamon 2 large Eggs* 1 tsp Xanthan Gum 1 cup Raisins (Unsulfured)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugars together until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. In a separate bowl, blend flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and Xanthan Gum. Stir flour blend into wet ingredients. Add oats and raisins and mix well. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool one minutes then transfer to wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. *Eggless Option: Mix together 2 Tb. Flaxseed Meal with 6 Tb. of water and let sit for a minute. Add to recipe as you would the eggs.

Gluten Free Products from General Mills

2010-03-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

General Mills now offers over 250 Gluten Free Products!!! Check out the list at Live Gluten Freely

Gluten Free Cosmetics

2010-03-02T05:21:00.000-08:00

I have been on the hunt for the past month for some new gluten free cosmetics and I never thought it would be so difficult to get an answer. It started with going to the store to hopefully find something...anything but sadly it didn't work out that way. Most of the brand name cosmetics that you find in the stores have a laundry list of ingredients in them. Who has the time to sit there and read all of these ingredients, plus have the ability to know all the technical names of ingredients that contain or are derived from gluten/wheat? I surely do not so instead I decided I would start e-mailing and calling companies instead.

I started by looking at their websites only to find that just one company had the information listed on their website...just one (I sent them and e-mail just to double check)! All the others I had to fill out the "contact us" forms online. Some responded with the ingredients they use that contain gluten and wheat, however they would not list which products were free of them. And again I ask, who has the time to read all the ingredients, especially in small print....not me. Finally only two places got back to me. Neutrogena and Bare Escentuals.

It took several days and a phone call later to hear back from Neutrogena, but bottom line, they responded and yes they have GF products!!! Bare Escentuals responded in less than a half hour. Below are the responses from both companies. I think I will start out with trying the Neutorgena products because: 1) they are a bit less money and 2) they are pretty much everywhere. Bare Escentuals look great but a bit out of my price range for now.

As for skin care I currently use Burt's Bees and LOVE it. I think for now I will stick with them, however on the Neutrogena list they have a good number of options for you in this area also.

NEUTROGENA GF(WF) LIST (Not available online)

Dear Jenny:

Thank you for contacting Neutrogena Corporation. We appreciate your interest in our company.

Neutrogena Gluten Free (Wheat Free)
Updated 06/29/06

Active Breathable Sunblock SPF 30 (Discontinued)
Active Breathable Sunblock SPF 45 (Discontinued)
Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Eliminating Peel
Advanced Solutions Acne Therapy System
Advanced Solutions Facial Peel is now Ageless Restoratives™ 5 Minute Facial (2009)
Advanced Solutions Lip Rejuvenating Treatment SPF 20 is now Ageless Intensives Lip Plumping Treatment SPF 20 (2009)
Advanced Solutions Skin Transforming Complex Daily SPF 15 Moisturizer (Discontinued)
Advanced Solutions Skin Transforming Complex Nightly Renewal Cream (Discontinued)
After Sun Treatment (Discontinued)
Age Fighting Moisturizer SPF 15
Age Shield Sunblock SPF 30
Age Shield Sunblock SPF 45
Age Shield Face Sunblock SPF 55 (2009)
Age Shield Face Sunblock SPF 70 (2009)
Ageless Essentials Continuous Hydration Moisture SPF 25
Ageless Essentials Continuous Hydration Night
Ageless Intensives Lifting Treatment Eye (2009)
Ageless Intensives Lifting Treatment Night (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Booster Serum (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Detoxifying Cleanser (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Eye (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Moisture SPF 20 (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Anti-Oxidant Night (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Energy Renewal Brightening Minerals- Eye (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Energy Renewal Exfoliating Cleanser (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Energy Renewal Moisture (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Energy Renewal Moisture- Night (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Instant Eye Reviver (2009)
Ageless Restoratives Total Skin Renewal Puffs Refill (2009)
Alcohol-Free Antiseptic Cleanser (Discontinued)
Alcohol-Free Toner
Anti-Cellulite Treatment (Discontinued)
Anti-Residue Shampoo
Blackhead Eliminating 2-in-1 Foaming Pads
Blackhead Eliminating Astringent (Discontinued)
Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub
Blackhead Eliminating Treatment Mask (Discontinued)
Blackhead Eliminating Warming Cleanser (Discontinued)
Body Clear Body Lotion (Discontinued)
Body Clear Body Scrub
Body Clear Body Wash
Body Emulsion
Body Lotion
Body Oil
Build- A- Tan
Clean Conditioners- All
Clean For Color- Color Defending Foam (Discontinued)
Clean Replenishing Instant Shine Detangler (Discontinued)
Clean Shampoos- All
Cleansing and Makeup Removing Towelettes
Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask
Clear Pore Oil Controlling Astringent
Clear Pore Shine Control Gel (Discontinued)
Clear Pore Treatment (Discontinued)
Combination Skin Moisture
Conditioner for Permed/Color Treated Hair (Discontinued)
Comforting Butter Body Cream is now called Deep Moisture Body Cream, Butter Cream (2009)
Comforting Butter Hand Cream is now called Deep Moisture Hand Cream, Butter Cream (2009)
Deep Clean Astringent
Deep Clean Body Scrub Bar
Deep Clean Cleanser
Deep Clean Gentle Scrub
Deep Clean Invigorating Cleanser/ Mask
Deep Clean Invigorating Scrub
Deep Clean Invigorating Self Foaming Cleansing Pads
Deep Clean Mask
Detangling Conditioner (Discontinued)
Energizing Body Wash
Energizing Sugar Scrub
Extra Gentle Cleanser
Foot Cream
Fresh Body Herbal Body Wash
Fresh Cooling Body Mist SPF 30
Fresh Cooling Body Mist SPF 45
Fresh Finish Loose Powder/Healthy Skin Loose Powder
Fresh Finish Pressed Powder/Healthy Skin Pressed Powder
Fresh Foaming Cleanser
Hand Cream
Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30- All
Healthy Defense Eye Cream SPF 30
Healthy Defense Protective Powder SPF 30
Healthy Defense Sheer Bronzer SPF 30 (Discontinued)
Healthy Defense Sheer Makeup SPF 30 (Disctontinued)
Healthy Defense Sunblock Spray SPF 30+ (Discontinued)
Healthy Defense Sunblock Stick SPF 30+
Healthy Defense Trio
Healthy Defense UVA/UVB Block SPF 30 + / SPF 45
Healthy Radiance Exfoliating Wash
Healthy Radiance Eye Cream
Healthy Radiance Moisturizer SPF 15
Healthy Scalp Shampoo
Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Anti Blemish Cleanser
Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Anti Blemish Cream
Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Anti Blemish Scrub
Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Cream
Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Intensive Eye Cream is now Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Eye (2009)
Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Intensive Night Cream is now Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Night (2009)
Healthy Skin Anti Wrinkle Intensive Serum is now Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Serum (2009)
Healthy Skin Blends Natural Radiance Bronzer
Healthy Skin Blends Sheer Highlighting Blush
Healthy Skin BlendsTranslucent Oil- Control Powder
Healthy Skin Cream Powder Makeup SPF 20
Healthy Skin Enhancer
Healthy Skin Eye Cream
Healthy Skin Face Lotion
Healthy Skin Face Lotion Sensitive Skin/Delicate Skin
Healthy Skin Face Lotion SPF 15
Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup SPF 20
Healthy Skin Rejuvenator
Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick
Healthy Skin Visibly Even Daily SPF 15 Moisturizer
Healthy Skin Visibly Even Exfoliating Body Wash
Healthy Skin Visibly Even Exfoliating Cleanser
Hydrating Eye Reviver
Instant Lip Remedy
Instant Nail Enhancer (Discontinued)
Intensified Day Moisture SPF 15
Intensified Eye Moisture (Discontinued)
Invigorating Hair and Body Wash
Light Night Cream
Lip Boost Intense Moisture Lipstick SPF 20
Lip Boost Intense Moisture Therapy
Lip Moisturizer SPF 15
Lip Nutrition- All (Discontinued)
Liquid Neutrogena
Makeup Correcting Stick
Makeup Correcting Stick
Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
Maximum Strength Oil Controlling Pads
Mineral Sheers for Eyes
Mineral Sheers for Face
Moisture Boosting Body Wash (Discontinued)
Moisture for Sensitive Skin
Moisture Rich Sunless Tanning Lotion SPF 20
Moisture Shine Tinted Lip Balm- All
Moisture SPF 15
Moisture SPF 15 Sheer Tint
MoistureShine Lip Gloss
New Hands (Discontinued)
Oil Free Acne Mask/ Scrub
Oil Free Acne Wash Daily Scrub
Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover
Oil-Absorbing Acne Mask (Discontinued)
Oil-Free Acne Wash
Oil-Free Acne Wash pink grapefruit facial cleanser
Oil-Free Acne Wash pink grapefruit foaming scrub
On the Spot Acne Patch (Discontinued)
On the Spot Acne Treatment Tinted
On the Spot Acne Treatment Vanishing Formula
On The Spot Blemish Wand
Overnight Lip Therapy
Pore Refining Cleanser
Pore Refining Cream
Pore Refining Cream SPF 15
Pore Refining Mask
Pore Refining Mattifier (Discontinued)
Pore Refining Toner
Pure Glow Daily Cleansing Cushions (Discontinued)
Pure & Free Baby Sunblock Lotion SPF 60+
Pure & Free Baby Stick SPF 60+
Radiance Boost Eye Cream is now Ageless Essentials Continuous Moisture Eye Cream (2009)
Rainbath Dry Oil Spray (Discontinued)
Rainbath Moisturizing Body Mist (Discontinued)
Rainbath Shower & Bath Gel- All
Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion
Rapid Clear Gel
Rapid Clear Treatment Pads
Razor Defense Daily Face Scrub
Razor Defense Face Lotion
Relaxing Overnight Moisturizing Body Cream (Discontinued)
Sensitive Skin Solutions Alcohol Free Toner (Discontinued)
Sensitive Skin Solutions Cleansing Wash - Combination Skin (Discontinued)
Sensitive Skin Solutions Cream Cleanser - Dry Skin (Discontinued)
Sensitive Skin Solutions Oil-Free Foaming Cleanser - Oily Skin (Discontinued)
Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion SPF 60+
Shimmer Sheers (all shades)
Skin Clearing After Shave (Discontinued)
Skin Clearing Compact Foundation
Skin Clearing Concealer
Skin Clearing Face Bar (Discontinued)
Skin Clearing Face Wash
Skin Clearing Liquid Makeup
Skin Clearing Moisturizer
Skin Clearing Pressed Powder
Skin Clearing Targeted Acne Treatment (Discontinued)
Skin Smoothing Body Lotion (Discontinued)
Skin Soothing Eye Tints
Skin Soothing Under Eye Corrector
SkinClearing Clean Tint
SkinClearing Shave Gel
SkinClearing Trio
Soft Color Blush
Soothing Relief Anti-Itch Moisturizer
Summer Glow Daily Moisturizer SPF 20
Sunless Tanning Lotion- All
T/Gel Conditioner
T/Gel Overnight Dandruff Treatment
T/Gel Shampoos- All
T/Sal Maximum Strength Shampoo
Transparent Facial Bars- All
Transparent Sunblock Gel SPF 30 (Discontinued)
Triple Moisture Active Soothing Conditioner
Triple Moisture Active Soothing Shampoo
Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo
Triple Moisture Deep Conditioner
Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask
Triple Moisture Healing Shine Serum
Triple Moisture Pure Strength Oil Therapy
Triple Moisture Sheer Hydration Leave- In Foam
Triple Moisture Silk- Touch Leave-In Cream
Triple Protect Face Gel
Triple Protect Face Lotion SPF 20
Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 30/ SPF 45
Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 55
Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 70
Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 100+
Ultra Soft Hydrating Sunblock SPF 30 (Discontinued)
Ultra Soft Hydrating Sunblock SPF 45 (Discontinued)
Under Cover Concealer Stick
Visibly Even Natural Look Makeup (Discontinued)
Visibly Firm Eye Cream
Visibly Firm Eye Treatment Concealer
Visibly Firm Face Lotion SPF 20 is now Ageless Intensives Firming Moisture SPF20 (2009)
Visibly Firm Lift Serum
Visibly Firm Moisture Makeup
Visibly Firm Night Cream
Visibly Younger Hand Cream
Wave Power-Cleanser and Deep Clean Foaming Pads Refills
Wave Deep Clean Gentle Exfoliating Pads Refill

Again, thank you for your interest in our company. Should you have any comments or questions in the future, please contact us via our website www.neutrogena.com or by calling our toll-free number, 1-800-582-4048. Our specialists are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m - 8:00 p.m. EST and will be happy to assist you.

BARE ESCENTUALS - Gluten Free

Dear Jenny,

Thank you for contacting Bare Escentuals. I would be happy to assist you! I certainly understand your concern regarding gluten in our products!

The only products that we carry containing gluten are the 100% Natural Lipcolors, 100% Natural Lip Glosses, RareMinerals products, and the Skin Rev-er Upper contains Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract. The 100% Natural Lip Liners contain barley lipids but it has been tested to be gluten free.

While the list below shows the Wheat, Oat, Rye and Barely free products please keep in mind that these products may be made in an environment that handles Wheat, Oat, Rye and Barley derivatives.
bareMinerals:
All-Over Face Colors - all shades
bareEyes Eye Makeup Remover
Blush - All shades
Blush (SPF 20) - all shades
Brushless Mascara
Body Minerals - all shades
Eyecolor - all shades
Extreme Glimmers - all shades
Faux Tan
Faux Tan Body Moisturizer
First Base Lip Balm
Flawless Definition Mascara - all shades
Foundation (SPF 15 Original) - all shades
Foundation (SPF 15 Matte) - all shades
Gossamers - all shades
High Shine Eyecolors - all shades
Hydrating Blush - all shades
Liner Shadow - all shades
Lip Rev-er Upper
Makeup Remover Wipes
Mineral Veil - all shades
Mineral Veil (SPF 25) - all shades
MultiTasking Minerals - all shades
On the Spot Swabs
Prime Time Eyelid Primer
Prime Time Foundation Primer
Prime Time Oil Control Foundation Primer
Quick Change Brush Cleaner
Radiance Rocks - all shades
Soft Focus Colors - all shades
SPF 15 Lipgloss - Fiji
SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen - all shades
Weather Everything Liner Sealer
Well Cared For Brush Shampoo

BUXOM:
Buxom Insider Liner - all shades
Buxom Lash Mascara
Buxom Lashliner - all shades
Buxom Lip Polish - all shades

RareMinerals:
Blemish Therapy
Moisture Burst Facial Mist

When I find more I'll be sure to post it.

Gluten Free Pizzelles

2010-02-20T12:20:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year I received a Pizzelles maker. I was beyond excited because I have wanted one of these for years. Pizzelles are by far one of my favorite "cookies" in the world. I can remember being little and my Grandma Lu would always make these for the holidays.

My grandmother suffers from altzheimers and a few years ago my sister, my Aunt Sue and I took my grandmothers recipes and put them in a cookbook for our other family members. This is one thing that all her daughters were sure to fight over. So we thought why not give it to all of us! My Grandma Lu is amazing, she has taught me so many things over the years. I miss her terribly and its hard being so far away. I'm afraid that she will forget me at some point. Even if she does I will never forget her, her love, encouragement, support, wisdom and of course recipes and love of food.

As soon as I received this pizzelles maker, I started searching for recipes right away and found a few. The first one I tried is AMAZING, tastes just like my gram's recipe and I don't plan on trying another one.

Pizzelles #2 Recipe from Celiac.com

1 whole egg

1 egg white

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup sifted all purpose gluten free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill - see link above for their suggestion)

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

2 tablespoons melted butter - cooled slightly

1/2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla

If too thin and runny, add another spoon of flour or cocoa. Beat the eggs and salt in a small bowl until well blended. Beat in the sugar and beat until sugar is incorporated and the egg is has lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the flour and xantham and stir slowly until all flour is moistened. Beat another 15 seconds to remove all lumps. Add melted butter and stir until well blended. Do not over mix. Bake using pizzelle iron.

I followed the directions of my pizzelles maker - use the spoon that it comes with and scoop 1 - 1/2 spoon fulls into the pizzelles maker on setting number 3 or 4 and when the green light comes on pull them off with a heat proof spatula and cool on a rack.

Enjoy...these are seriously awesome. Bryan loved them too and said he couldn't tell the difference from regular ones!!

Garlic-Basil Shrimp

2010-02-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

This super simple recipe has become one of my favorites (and Bryan's too I think). Its from the "So Easy" cookbook by Ellie Krieger. You really have to give this a try and best part, the original recipe almost 100% naturally gluten free. The only substitution I have to make is instead of orzo pasta, I use either white or brown rice

Garlic-Basil Shrimp by Ellie Krieger

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 pounds shrimp (20-25 per pound), peeled and deveined (I used tail on frozen shrimp)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup finely chopped basil

salt and freshly grounded black pepper, to taste

3 cups of brown or white rice (original recipe calls for whole wheat orzo pasta)

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then add the shrimp and cook, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil remaining in the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook over high heat stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook just until heated through. Serve with rice (or orzo).

White Farmhouse Loaf

2010-01-24T09:29:00.000-08:00

One of the best allergy/gluten free cookbooks that I have come across is called Allergy-Free Cookbook by Alice Sherwood. This cookbook gives you recipes that can be made with out: dairy eggs, nut and gluten. Simply said, its amazing. I love trying and re-creating these recipes. I truly love her bread recipe - White Farmhouse Bread. The quote on the page for the gluten free version is "Crustier, lighter and tastier than many store-bought equivalents" and hands down I agree. Its nice and fluffy on the inside with a great crust. I use this for sandwiches, toast or just spreading some yummy cheeses on it. This would be great to make breadcrumbs too.

White Farmhouse Loaf - Gluten Free (also dairy and nut free)

1 3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour (Plus extra for dusting) - I use Bob's Red Mill's all purpose flour

1tbsp xantham gum

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 tbsp raw sugar

1 tbsp instant yeast

4 tbsp flavorless nut-free vegetable oil, plus extra for the loaf pan

1 tsp lemon juice (I use fresh lemon juice)

1 egg, beaten

1 1/3 cups lukewarm water

- Sift the flour, xantham gum, salt and sugar into a bowl. Add the yeast, oil, lemon juice and beaten egg.

- Add the water and mix to form a thick paste. Beat well with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until smooth.

- Transfer the dough to an oiled 2lb loaf pan, dusted with a little gluten free flour. Smooth the surface. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place until the mixture reaches the top of the pan, about 30 minutes. Dust with a little gluten free flour.

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees

- Bake in the oven until risen, richly golden in color and the base sounds hollow when turned out and tapped, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

- Cool on a wired rack

-Don't be tempted to cut it before it cools because you'll spoil its lovely soft texture!

Lemon Squares

2010-01-16T10:26:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I went to a farm stand in Moss Landing and bought tons of awesome fruits and veggies. I also picked up some huge Meyer Lemons. I have been pretty much bed ridden this past week due to my back and was trying to think of a way to use these before they went bad. When life gives you lemons, make .... lemons squares!

Now, to find or create a gluten free lemon square recipe. Hmmmm. I did some searching online and couldn't find one I wanted to try. I looked at my flour supply and realized I'm a bit low on all that they are requiring anyway. Not a good start to my plan of making lemon squares.

I had a package of Bob's Red Mill - All Purpose Flour, and an old Betty Crocker Cookbook. I found a recipe for lemon squares and decided to just adapt that recipe with the flour I had on had. Nothing fancy or anything. I have to say they turned out pretty darn good!

Gluten Free Lemon Squares

1 cup of Bob's Red Mill - All Purpose Baking Flour

1/2 cup of butter, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon Xantham gum

3 teaspoons of lemon zest

3 table spoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

Powdered Sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, butter, powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Press in un-greased square pan (I lined mine with parchment paper), 8x8x2. building up 1/2 inch on the sides.

Bake the crust for 20 minutes. While the crust is baking, mix the remaining ingredients in an electric stand mixer on high speed for three minutes until light and fluffy. Pour over the hot crust.

Bake an additional 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly in the center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.

A Very Merry Christmas

2010-01-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

This year I saved up my vacation time the best I could so I could spend almost three weeks with my boyfriend and our families back east. We don't get to see each other very often and its really hard. We get to see each other every few months, its really taught us not to take each other for granted. We met over five years ago now but we've learned a lot about each other over the past ten months. For example I learned that he is lactose intolerant and allergic to onions, raw apples and a few other things. So, not only will our house be Gluten Free, it will be Onion Free and mostly Dairy Free.

I got my first experience cooking both GF and DF while he was here for Thanksgiving. I made a complete dinner for us. GF stuffing, a turkey, gravy, mashed sweet potatoes and to top it all off a GF Apple Pie! He and I both loved it. And have to admit looking forward to doing it all over again next year.

This year we sent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family back in Mass. Christmas Eve is spent with my mom's side of the family each year. Lots of food and plenty of family to share the holiday with. Its never a dull moment, trust me! Christmas day is spent with my dad and step mom. I had filled my parents in on Bryan's allergies and my step mom made one amazing meal. Completely GF, DF and OF! Prime Rib with DF scalloped potatoes, green beans with pancetta. The only part that wasn't 100% GF, DF was the cheese cake. My step mom makes the best cheese cakes, I swear!! She even made me own special one with no crust. Oh man I can still taste it.

They also wanted to take us out to dinner one night at the 111 Chophouse in Worcester. I've been there once or twice before, but this was before finding out about having Celiac. I made sure to bring my little Triumph Dining card with me, however I didn't need them. The Chophouse has a gluten free menu. Not just a few things either, it was a very complete menu. It had apps, salads, main dishes, and deserts. I was highly impressed with their selection for GF guests. I ended up going with the Wagyu Flat Iron Steak. (Thanks again Dad and Sue for another amazing meal!)

After about a week in Mass we headed back down to New Jersey to spend some more time with Bryan's family and our friends. We went to The City a few times, ate at Risotteria twice. Shared the goodness of that place with our friends and Bryan's Dad. (I have to say they were good sports to go to a GF place just for me! - Thanks guys). On our first trip to the City we also went to MoMA to see the Tim Burton Exhibit, which is AMAZING. I highly recommend going if you are there. He is an extremely talented man, that is for sure. Next stop was the Empire State Building!! My dream finally came true. (I know a self proclaimed dork, but I've always wanted to go since seeing An Affair To Remember). Not only was it almost empty - no lines believe it or not, but we got to go to both the 86th floor and the 102 floor! Both of which are amazingly beautiful. It was night time and the city looked like it had a million Christmas lights all lit up.

Our next trip was with Bryan's Dad to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex, NYC (which sadly closed on 1/3/10). They had some amazing things on display. When you first got in they show you a "movie" of different artists who have been inducted. It made me sad that I've missed some pretty amazing artists growing up. Don't get me wrong, I grew up listening to great music, but sadly didn't get to see any of these artists. I realized that we have lost amazing talent over the years and most musicians now a days just don't measure up.

On our way home we stopped at BabyCakes!! Its a small little place, but the cupcakes are unbelievable. I walked out of there with six cupcakes and two brownie cupcakes. Don't worry I didn't eat them all myself, I shared ;-) I even love whats printed on the back of the box "Saving your behind one cupcake at a time". My friend Adina gave me their cookbook for my birthday, and now I can't wait to try some of their recipes.

For photos from my trip back home visit my Flickr page!

Mighty Tasty Muffins (Bob's Red Mill)

2009-12-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

I'm excited for winter to be here. Although I have a completely different idea of what winter should be vs. what it is here in Monterey. I want it to be cold, with snow, scarves, fires etc. I get some of that here but there is no snow. After living here for four and a half years I truly miss living back east during this time of year. Its not very Christmasy here. People put lights up but its just not the same with palm trees. Am I the only one that feels this way?

Every year thought I am lucky enough to head back home for Christmas. I get my snow and cold air with a nice warm fire going for a good few weeks. This year though I get to spend Christmas with Bryan and our families for almost three weeks. I am very much looking forward to being in New York City and especially Boston!! Nothing says winter and Christmas like the East Coast to me. The big trees all lit up, Christmas lights all over, snow, hot chocolate, first night etc...

On chilly mornings I want something fulfilling for breakfast...a nice warm muffin with a little butter or honey on it sounded really good today. Its a bit chilly here lately, nothing compared to back home (even though I've come accustomed to the weather here). The only bad thing about this time of year is being sick! I try so hard not to get a cold but I feel a cold coming on so I'm bundled up, making some tasty veggie soup with brown rice and some Mighty Tasty Muffins for breakfast this week. I tried one and they are as their name says...Mighty Tasty!

Mighty Tasty Muffins (Bob's Red Mill)

Adapted from Special Diet Solutions by Carol Fenster, PhD.
Ingredients 2 Tb GF Might Tasty Hot Cereal 2/3 cup Milk 1 Tb Apple Cider Vinegar 1 large Egg 1/3 cup Molasses 1 tsp Vanilla 3/4 cup GF Garbanzo Fava Flour 1/2 cup Potato Starch 1/4 cup Tapioca Flour 1/3 cup Brown Sugar 1 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Xanthan Gum 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, ground 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1/4 tsp Ginger, ground 1/4 tsp Allspice 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350�F. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Let sit for 15 minutes while the cereal softens. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid and stir until just moistened. Spoon batter into grease muffins tins and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are firm. Makes 12 muffins. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Servings Size: 1 Muffin Calories 120, Calories from Fat 10, Total Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 20mg, Sodium 180mg, Total Carbohydrate 26g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 12g and Protein 3g.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Tenders

2009-10-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite "bar" foods is Buffalo Wings...love love love them, especially boneless ones, but 9 times out of 10 they are coated with flour or fried in the same oil that other battered things are fried in, so I never get to eat them. Today after talking with Bryan, who had them for lunch today I figured I would try and make some myself...it couldn't be that hard, right? - Thanks Bryan for the inspiration!!

Wicked easy to make and extremely tasty! Served them tonight with some baked sweet potato fries.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Tenders

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in to 1/2 strips

1/4 cup potato starch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup Franks Hot Sauce

1/3 cup butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large skillet, heat the oil (do not let it get too hot and smoke). In a small pan melt oil and add hot sauce and lemon juice, keep on low heat. In a medium bowl mix the potato starch, salt and garlic powder until well combined. Dredge the chicken strips in the potato starch. Shake off any excess starch and cook chicken in the oil for about 2-3 minutes per side, until lightly golden brown.

When chicken is completely cooked through, add to pan with butter and hot sauce, stir and coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Any extras would be great cut up and put in a salad!

Pumpkin Seeds

2009-10-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

I've carved two of my three pumpkins for the season. When carving the second one I thought I should save the seeds and roast them...something I've never done before. I had no clue what I was doing but I guessed and they came out pretty darn good I must say. A tasty little snack!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

When cleaning out the pulp and seeds from your pumpkin before carving it separate the seeds from the pulp. I think the best way to do this is to run them under cold water and discard the pulp. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lightly oil the seeds and sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast in a pre-heated oven set at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. About half way through mix the seeds around so they don't over cook on one side. Cool and enjoy. Store in an airtight container.

Below are some pictures of the pumpkins so far...only one more to carve and not sure what it will be just yet...

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

2009-10-24T03:51:00.000-07:00

Cheese cake is so good, but the idea of a whole cheese cake is to tempting for one person. I would be tempted to eat the WHOLE thing! A while ago I made some crust-less cheesecake cupcakes and they turned out pretty good so I thought, why not make cheesecake cupcakes again, but with pumpkin and gingersnap crust. Talk about the perfect little fall treat. These would be great for Thanksgiving instead of the typical Pumpkin Pie. Little individual cheesecakes for everyone, especially the kids.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

2 cups of gluten free gingersnap crumbs (I use Trader Joe's)

6 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 8oz packages of cream cheese - softened

1 cup sugar

1 15oz can of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake tins with paper liners. I only have one regular cupcake tin and an mini cupcake tin, so I used both.

Crust:

Crumble the ginger snaps either in a plastic ziplock back with a rolling pin or in a food processor. Melt the butter in the microwave. Add the brown sugar and butter to the crumbled ginger snaps in a medium bowl and mix until all crumbs are moist.

Scoop about one table spoon into the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down (I used the bottom of one of my spice jars...it fits perfectly for the regular tins, for the mini tin I used the back of my coffee scoop).

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, let cool in pan on wire rack.

Filling:

In a stand mixer, cream the sugar and cream cheese together until smooth, add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin spice and salt. Mix well. Add one egg at a time. Continue to mix until the mixture is completely combined and smooth.

Scoop the mixture into the prepared cupcake liners. I used the same coffee scoop that I used to press the crust into the bottom to do this. It was the perfect size - three scoops for the regular tin and 1 1/2 - 2 for the mini ones.

For the regular tins bake for 40 minutes, rotating 180 degrees half way through. For the mini tins bake for 30 minutes, rotating 180 degrees half way through.Cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least six hours.

Top with whipped cream, caramel sauce or candied pecans if you wish. I hope you enjoy these tasty little treats!

Green Bean Salad w/ Lemon Rosemary Mini-Muffins

2009-10-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to eat a little healthier. Trying to be good about not eating rice or potatoes with every meal. Cutting back on some of the more starchy foods and eating more fruits, vegetables and nuts in my diet. I even bought a few bags of nuts and some dried fruit to make my own trail mix instead of going for the sweets when I want to much on something. My weakness is peanut butter cups and snickers...and this time of year with Halloween right around the corner they are on sale, I'm fighting the urge to buy some.

I've been on a salad kick this past week, I can't seem to get enough of them. I had a nice hearty salad for dinner last night and another one for lunch today and why stop here....I had one again tonight for dinner! No lettuce in this one though, just some veggies and cheese.

Green Bean Salad

1 pound of green beans

5 mushroom caps (white button, crimini, what ever you have on hand) sliced

1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

1/3 cup of grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 inch of goat cheese log, crumbled

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 garlic clove minced

Boil green beans and mushrooms until tender, about 4-5 minutes in lightly salted water. While the green beans are cooking, slice the tomatoes and crumble the goat cheese. Toast the pine nuts in a small sautee pan, until they are lightly browned and fragrant. When green beans and mushrooms are done, drain and run under cold water

In a medium bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper until well combined. Add the green beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and pine nuts. Mix well and top with crumbled goat cheese.

I served these along side Elana's Pantry's Lemon Rosemary Mini-Muffins! Such a great combination. These little muffins are awesome, give them a try some time.

Gluten Free Bagels

2009-10-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Last year for my birthday my sister gave me a subscription to Living Without Magazine. They have some great recipes in there and lots of articles and resources. However the October/November issue this year had a recipe called "Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Best Bagels", of course I was dying to make these. I love Bagels, bread, pasta...carbs you name it, I love them!! And I kow they aren't really dairy free when you put cream cheese on top but I'm only Gluten Free so its ok ;) The Tofuti Cream "Cheese" is really good too for all of you how are Dairy Free!!

These came out great!! Oh man, its like a real bagel, not as fluffy but still amazing. I did some salt, garlic and then some plain ones. I thought I would mix it up a bit.

The whole process was really really easy, don't be intimidated by the ingredients especially in the flour mixture. Its well worth it! I will be making these again. The recipe says that you can freeze these, and I'm sure I'll be doing that and NOT eating all 8 bagels right now, even though they are that good.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free - Best Bagel

Makes 8

3 cups gluten-free Multi-Grain Flour Blend - See below
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons flax meal
1½ teaspoons egg replacer
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1¼ cups warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
Brown rice flour, for rolling bagels
Cornmeal, for dusting pan

Line a baking pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Put some brown rice flour on a second baking pan or cookie sheet.

Put Multi-Grain Flour Blend, salt, flax meal, egg replacer, xanthan gum and yeast into a mixing bowl and whisk together.

In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, oil, cider vinegar, and 1 cup warm water.

Using the paddle attachment of the mixer, slowly incorporate the liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Add more warm water, if necessary, to create a smooth consistency. Mixture should be quite thick. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.

To shape the bagels, use a large spoon to scoop out the batter. Drop a spoonful on to the baking pan or cookie sheet sprinkled with the flour. Lightly roll dough in the flour to coat it and then shape into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly and using your index finger, create a hole in the center, large enough not to close during rising and baking. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Place each bagel on the baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly cover bagels with an oiled piece of plastic wrap and place pan in a warm place for bagels to rise, about 20 to 30 minutes.

When bagels have risen, bring a skillet of water to boil. Add 1 teaspoon sugar to the water. (Sugar helps create a shiny crust.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Drop a few bagels into the boiling water. Simmer for 30 seconds, turn over and cook for another 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove bagels, drain away excess water and put bagels back on same baking pan. Once all bagels are boiled, bake them for 25 minutes in preheated oven. Cool on a rack

You’ll love the taste of these flavorful bagels. And they freeze well.

Multi-Grain Flour Blend
MAKES 9 CUPS

1¼ cups garfava flour
1¾ cups super-fine brown rice flour
2 cups potato starch or arrowroot flour or chestnut flour
2 cups cornstarch or potato starch
1 cup tapioca starch/ flour
1 cup sorghum flour or amaranth flour

Mix all ingredients together. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator until used.

Zucchini Bread

2009-10-09T22:39:00.000-07:00

Last week there was a party at work and someone had made zucchini bread. It looked and smelled so good but sadly I couldn't taste it. I've been looking for fall recipes that include pumpkin, apples, breads, muffins, pies etc. I want warm, tasty comfort fall treats. I plan to make a pumpkin cheesecake soon, but I really wanted to make a bread or muffin this time to have an alternate thing to eat for breakfast.

So I did some searching online today for zucchini bread. I came across this recipe. I didn't follow it exactly (go figure!). Below is my adaptation

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread with walnuts

Moist Ingredients:
1 cup diced zucchini (washed but not peeled)
2 egg
1⁄2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla

Dry Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup white rice flour
1⁄2 cup sweet rice flour
1⁄4 cup corn starch
2 Tablespoons tapioca starch
1⁄2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup sugar
3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts*
Zest from one small lemon*

Glaze Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

Combine moist ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients by mixing together well in a large bowl.

Add moist ingredient mix to dry ingredient mix. Stir until blended well. Grease a loaf pan and put mixture in pan. Bake 1 hour at 325 °. Check center for doneness with a toothpick. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Prepare glaze, which should be runny. Remove bread from pan and drizzle with glaze. Let cool.

*The original recipe says combine moist ingredients in a blender and mix until it resembles a milkshake. I don’t own a blender so I finely chopped the zucchini. The original recipe also did not call for any chopped nuts or lemon zest.

Apple Pie

2009-10-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Today is almost the perfect Fall day....almost. If only my leaves would change colors... The wind is blowing, its nice and chilly, I bought a perfect little pumpkin and made my first gluten free apple pie!! I usually LOVE and only make apple crisps but I didn't have any gluten free oats so I thought I would try my hand a a pie.

I found the recipe below online and made a few adjustments when making it. My adjustments will be marked with an *

Awesome Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

Pastry Crust Makes Two Crusts

1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (Bob's Red Mills All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, Avail at Kroger & online)

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum (Bob's Red Mills)

8 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg

1 tablespoon gluten-free vanilla extract (Available online at the Gluten Free Pantry)

Apple Filling

7 medium apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced. Use mildly sweet to tart very crisp apple (such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, Cortlands)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

*I used 4 medium/large Granny Smith Apples*

Crumble Topping

3/4 cup light brown suga

3/4 cup gluten-free flour (See above)

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup butter, chilled & cut into small piece

*I used 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup gluten free flour and cut the butter and nutmeg down a bit also*

Directions

***Pastry Crust Instructions***.

In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, xanthan gum and cornstarch.

Then add the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla and mix until combined.

Remove dough from bowl and knead and fold on a surface dusted with GF flour until well well combined.

Divide into two pieces and wrap in plastic wrap, place one in the refrigerator to chill and place the other in the freezer for later use.

--Go ahead and make Apple Filling while the Pastry Crust is chilling.

After approx 20 minutes, remove dough from refrigerator and roll into a ball.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out on a lightly GF floured surface until it is the thickness of a normal pie crust.

Place crust in a 9 inch glass pie dish that is lightly sprayed with non stick spray.

Using a fork poke a bunch of holes in the sides and bottom of the crust.

***Apple Filling Instructions***.

In a large bowl mix apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

Set aside and let the juices mix.

***Crumble Topping Instructions***.

In small bowl mix together brown sugar, GF flour and nutmeg.

Next mix in the chilled butter and cut it in with a fork or other tool until you have a course crumbly mixture.

***Assembling your Pie***.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Spoon apples into your pie crust, mounding in the middle and pouring the sugary juices over top. (*I didn't use all the liquid, about half and it came out a bit soupy*)

Sprinkle your Crumble Topping all over the top (use it all).

Use tin foil to cover edges of crust as it will burn easily.

Bake for approximately 35 minutes, topping will be lightly browned and filling will be bubbly.

Let cool for at least an hour before serving.

The perfect desert for a tasty fall dinner (boneless pork chops, with fresh chunky apple sauce and mashed potatoes-yummmm)

Hearty Chicken Soup

2009-09-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Cold season has hit! Thankfully its just a cold and not the flu. So the past few days have been spent drinking many cups of tea with honey and eating plenty of soup. I'm not good at being sick...I have a hard time taking it easy and resting. I always feel like I need to be doing something, and that usually means cooking/baking. So the other day I had made a potato and corn chowder but when I'm sick I want a clear broth...so tonight I made a hearty chicken soup.

Hearty Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1 large shallot (or onion, I didn't have an onion so I used shallot)

3 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, diced

3 medium potatoes, diced

1 cup each firmly packed green and red chard roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 table spoon dried oregano

1 table spoon rosemary chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cups gluten free chicken broth

1 cup water

1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts diced

salt and pepper to taste (shouldn't need to much with the chicken stock)

*try to dice the veggies all about the same time for even cooking. I tend to dice mine bigger but I like the chunkiness of the soup. I also don't peel my potatoes first, I like to leave the skin on, it adds a slightly different texture to the soup.

In a large pot heat one table spoon of grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for two minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook for an additional five minutes until softened. Add potatoes, garlic, rosemary, oregano, and red pepper flakes. turn heat to medium high and add one cup of water and four cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes, add chicken and stir. Once chicken has cooked through add the green and red chard, stir well. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Enjoy with a little grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Cranberry Nut Scones

2009-09-19T05:24:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe that I found on the Four Chickens Blog. I had been searching for something to bake today and went back to her blog to see if I could find a recipe to use with her Gluten Free Flour Mix (see recipe below) and sure enough I found one.

I took her basic recipe and added a few things to it: some dried cranberries, chopped pecans and lemon zest.

Cranberry Nut Scones

ngredients:
3 C. gluten-free flour mix (see below)

1/3 C. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 C. copped pecans

The zest of two small lemons or one large lemon

1/4 C. (or 1/2 C.) dried cranberries

6 oz cold butter (or dairy-free butter substitute--I used Earth Balance)

1 C. milk (or gluten-free soy milk) mixed with 4 T. vinegar--I used apple cider vinegar

Jeanne's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix (mix together and store in fridge):
1 1/4 C. brown rice flour
1 1/4 C. white rice flour
1 C. tapioca flour
1 C. sweet rice flour (also known at Mochiko)
2 scant tsp. xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with a Silpat sheet.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the cold butter pieces and using your fingers, (a pastry blender, or two knives), work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Don't worry about the larger nubs of butter--these add to the scones' flakiness. Add in the cranberries, pecans and lemon zest. Mix well.

Slowly pour in the milk mixture--do this carefully, because you might not need it all. I used about 7/8s of the milk. The dough should be just barely wet. Use your hands to carefully mix in the last bits of flour. The dough should be extremely light and fluffy. Handle carefully.

Turn out only a floured board. I use tapioca flour to lightly flour a large cutting board and lightly press out the ball of dough until it is about 1/2 in thickness (you can also follow the original recipe and use a rolling pin and cut the scones according to Jeanne's instructions). Cut in half and depending on how many scones you want to make cut each half in third or quarters. Place the scones on the baking sheet lined with the Silpat sheet. Lightly sprinkle each scone with sugar (if you have raw sugar use that, if not, regular white sugar will work just fine)

Bake the scones for 17-20 minutes. They are done when they are lightly golden on the top. Cool briefly (or as long as you can stand it before devouring them).

Thanks Jeanne for another awesome recipe!

Gluten Free: Pizza and Bread Stick Dough

2009-09-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

Let me start this post by saying I did not create this recipe (I wish I did), however I can't remember where online I found it. I thought I had it bookmarked but sadly I do not and its not 100% accurate of the original. I only wrote down the Rice Flour Mixture and kind of guessed at the rest of the directions...wooops, but it turned out great, I promise!! I tend to find recipes and re-create them.

Tonight I made a gluten free spinach and mushroom pizza which was wicked good! I don't eat pizza much because to me its more of a snack food than a real meal. I have to have a salad or something with it for it to be a meal.

Pizza or Bread stick Dough

1.5 cups of Brown Rice Flour Blend (see recipe below)

1 teaspoon Xantham Gum

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoons Sugar

2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1.5 Teaspoons Garlic Powder

1 Packet of Quick Rise Yeast (or one Tablespoon Yeast)

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

3/4 Cup plus one Tablespoon Water at 110 Degrees

In a stand mixer add all of the dry ingredients including the Yeast. Heat water and olive oil to 110 Degrees and add to dry ingredients. Mix on low until combined and then on high for two minutes

For Bread Sticks:

Add a little bit of oil to a zip lock bag and scoop dough into bag. Cut a small hole (not too big) in the corner of the bag and pipe out bread sticks (you should have about 8 bread sticks) on to either parchment paper or a silplat sheet. Cover with lightly sprayed plastic wrap in a warm place for 45 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. For Garlic bread sticks - at the very end brush with melted butter or oil and a little bit of garlic.

For Pizza:

Scoop the dough onto a silplat sheet and spread out with lightly oiled hands (the dough is going to be sticky....let rise and reshape a bit). Cover with lightly sprayed plastic wrap in a warm place for 45 minutes. Once dough has finish rising a bit reshape into a medium - large pizza. Heat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. Take out and add sauce and toppings. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Brown Rice Flour Blend

2 Cups Brown Rice

2/3 Cup Potato Starch

1/3 Cup Tapioca Flour

Blend well! Store in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

2009-09-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm always searching for and creating new recipes. I'm not the best at creating recipes when it comes to bread products and baking. I haven't quite mastered how all these different flours work together. So many times when it comes to baking recipes I search for them on other people's GF blogs.

I found this blog called "I Am Gluten Free" the other day and found a recipe for Cinnamon Rolls. These rolls are AMAZING!! No lie...fantastic. I made them the other day when my family was in town (all who aren't gluten free) LOVED them. This is definitely a recipe I will make again and again.

I agree with the blogger of this recipe - these are so friggin' good. These are as good (if not better) than the ones you get at the mall....oh you know which ones I'm talking about and yes I am saying they are as good if not better than them!!! The original recipe was a little too sweet soooo I cut back on the filling a bit. The original recipe is listed below with a link to the blog I found it on. You have to give these a try...super easy recipe with awesome results....trust me you won't be disappointed, I promise!

Cinammon Rolls
Serves 8 or 9

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons shortening (I used butter)
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup of milk, room temperature
1 packet yeast (about 1 tablespoon) (*see Ellen's note at end of post)
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup potato starch
1 cup corn starch (someone subbed arrowroot successfully)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons xantham gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO SPRINKLE ON BOARD COVERED WITH PLASTIC WRAP
1 - 2 tablespoons sugar

FILLING (*see Ellen's note at end of post)
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped nuts - optional

GLAZE
¾ cup powdered or confectionery sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
milk to thicken (I used soy milk)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine shortening and sugar. Mix well. Measure warm milk and add yeast to milk. Whisk well to fully dissolve (**see Ellen’s note).

Add milk/yeast to sugar mixture. Add remaining ingredients. Mix very well, being sure to remove all lumps. Dough will be quite soft (***see Ellen’s note).

Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it out so it covers a 13 1/2" x 13 1/2" square. Sprinkle sugar on the wrap. Lay ball of dough on top of that. Then pull out another sheet of wrap and gently lay over the dough. Pat the dough down into a roughly squarish pancake. Lift the top wrap up and then reposition it. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough in between the two layers of wrap. Occasionally you'll have to lift and reposition the wrap because it gets "stuck" under the edges. You might have to occasionally flip the whole thing over. Make sure that when you're done you've got ABOUT a 13 1/2" x 13 1/2" square of dough.

Remove top piece of wrap. Combine filling ingredients. Spread evenly across dough's surface. (Original recipe poster suggested leaving about a 1 1/2" sugar free edge because when you roll the dough all the sugar shifts and fills this in; otherwise all the sugar spills out).Use the bottom piece of wrap to lift the edge of the dough and start to roll it up forming a long cylinder. Start with the sugary edge, which will be the center of your roll and roll toward the sugarless edge. Cut off or trim up the irregular ends of your "log". Then cut into 8 or 9 slices of similar size, about 1 1/2" wide. Place rolls into a greased round glass pie pan.

Bake approximately 20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned.

Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make glaze. The amount of milk you use will depend on how thick you want the glaze to be. Stir until all lumps are dissolved. Drizzle over warm rolls if desired.

Notes:
*I thought the rolls were a bit too sweet, so the next time I make them I will cut the amount of filling ingredients to about 2/3 of what the recipe calls for.
**It seems odd that the recipe doesn't call for proofing the yeast. I decided to cover the milk and yeast mixture with plastic wrap and allow it to at least begin proofing.
***The mixture is very, very soft - I was convinced that I'd made a mistake, but it ended up being fine.

For the love of cupcakes

2009-09-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

I love cupcakes! I know I can't be alone in this but I would choose a cupcake over a piece of cake any day. They are cute and individualized...they just make me happy (and I'm pretty sure they make others happy to when I bake them and share the goods). I make them a ton, probably too much. But people have often asked where my love of cupcakes from and I never had a good answer, until last night that is!

This week I'm getting ready for my sister, brother in law and nephew to come for a visit before they move to Australia for three years!! So I did some deep cleaning of the apartment, got rid of a few things and put some rings back in my jewelry box. In doing so I found my charm bracelet that was given to me about ten years ago. I don't wear it much and only have a few "charms" on it. I have a fish and scallop charms from my dad, my baby ring and a cupcake from Julie. The cupcake was my first charm. She use to call me her "little Cupcake".

I guess its to Julie that I owe my love of cupcakes!! Ten years ago this summer I fell in love with that charm and cupcakes.

I love baking cupcakes, playing with different frostings, food coloring, sprinkles etc. Like I said I bake these A LOT! Now with my family coming to town I'll be making another batch this weekend for my sisters 30th birthday celebration. She's pregnant with baby number two and is trying to eliminate sugar during this pregnancy, so I'm on a mission to create sugar free cupcakes and frosting. I have a cupcake recipe and I found a frosting recipe online so I'll be trying that this weekend and will be sure to post my results. Fingers crossed they turn out.

I love cupcakes to the point I will not have a cake at my wedding...there will be cupcakes, maybe even a "cupcake tree"!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

2009-08-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

I'm going to give P.F Chang's a run for their money with this chicken. (ok maybe only in my mind). I love P.F.'s Spicy Chicken but this one I made tonight has got a good kick of heat to it.

Last week at the Farmer's market I found some Thai Chili's and have been trying to think of ideas of what to make with them. I plan to make some pad thai with tofu later this week. I wanted to create something by playing with the spice and contrasting it with sweet. And out came my Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

1 chicken breast - boneless, skinless

1/4 cup corn starch

4 tablespoon veggie oil

Sauce:

1/4 cup honey

3-4 Thai Chili peppers finely chopped (keep seeds in for even more heat...adjust the amount of peppers depending on your spice level)

3 tbl spoons of water

1 tbl veggie oil

Mix honey and chopped peppers, let sit over night. When you are ready to use it add three table spoons of water and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds and mix well.

Cut up chicken in bit size pieces. In a medium bowl add the corn starch and cut up chicken. Coat well and shake off any excess corn starch. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add half the chicken and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Place chicken on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with second half of chicken.

In the same skillet add the honey - chili mixture and bring to a boil for two-four minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Add chicken back to the pan and coat well. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Serve over white or brow rice. Its a bit sweet with a nice spicy finish.

Pumpkin Spice-Walnut Pancakes

2009-08-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

The past few days here have been abnormally hot....about in the 90's which is pretty rare around here. Except yesterday that is...it was slightly chilly, very over cast and almost fall type weather. I wanted something filling for breakfast, not cereal. I was going to try and make a flour blend that I could use for pancakes but realized I needed to order some more flours to do that and saw that I had half a package of Trader Joe's GF Pancake mix left so I decided to make those.

I am not one for plain pancakes. I love chocolate chips in mine. I didn't have any yesterday so I looked around to see what I had and could incorporate into my pancakes. I found some cinnamon, some nutmeg, some pumpkin pie spice and some walnuts.

1/2 package of Trader Joe's GF Pancake mix (follow directions on the back of package)

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (Trader Joe's)

1/4 cup chopped walnut pieces (Trader Joe's)

Prepare Pancake mix as the package says. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice. In a large pre-heated skillet with a little bit of non-stick spray drop in about 3 pancakes (about 1/4 cup each of batter...or however large/small you like them). Then they start to bubble add walnuts and then flip over to cook on the other side.

Pancakes should only be flipped once. When you see the bubbles start to form you know that is almost time to flip. The bottom should then be a nice golden brown.

You can make all of the pancakes at once and either refrigerate or freeze them. Or you can make what you would like and then save the batter for a day or two in the refrigerator. I made all of mine at once and just put them in the toaster this morning to have again. Very tasty.

"Lasagna"

2009-08-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

When I was little every year for my birthday we would have lasagna and I loved it so much. Mostly loved it with out meat but on the occasion meat was ok . I haven't had lasagna in such a long time and the other day Lisa was talking to me about a recipe she made with squash instead of noodles. It sounded pretty tasty so I thought I would give it a try.

This recipe is awesome! So tasty and has a little bit of crunch from the squash. I used a Trader Joe's sauce with a little bit of spice to it.

"Lasagna"

2 medium-large yellow squash

1/2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup frozen spinach (after its been thawed and drained well)

1/2 cups Sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the squash in 1/4 inch pieces. Lay them on a paper towel, salt to draw out the extra water/moisture from the squash. In a bowl mix the spinach and ricotta, season with salt and pepper. In a baking dish (I used a small 2qt baking dish) layer the bottom of the pan with a small amount of sauce. Place the first player of squash down to cover the bottom of the pan (you may have to cut a few pieces to make it fit), evenly spread out the ricotta and spinach mixture, top with sauce. Repeat. You should get about three layers out of these ingredients. Sprinkle with some grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese or top with sliced/shredded mozzarella. (This cal also be done with eggplant or zucchini, again after slicing place on a paper towel and salt to draw out excess water).

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (or until mozzarella is golden brown)

Thanks Lisa!!!

Sweet Potato Fries

2009-08-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

You know those nights where all you want is a cheese burger and fries?? Well tonight was one of them...minus the cheese burger. At last weeks farmer's market I picked up two sweet potatoes and figured, why not make fries out of them tonight.

Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium - large sweet potatoes

1 teaspoon of sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 garlic clove minced

1/2 paprika

enough olive oil to coat the fries

Peel and cut sweet potatoes in 1/4 inch pieces (try to get them as even in size as possible so they cook evenly) In a small bowl combine the garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. In a large bowl coat them with oil, season with the seasoning mixture. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the coated "fries" on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes in a 450 degree oven, turning once.

Let cool and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce or ketchup.

I've had sweet potato fries before with different kinds of dipping sauces, all different and all very tasty. I've had a few may based sauces, and normally I wouldn't even think to dip a fry in mayo. I actually don't eat much mayo anymore but happened to have some in the fridge so I thought I would try and make one myself:

Sweet Potato Fry Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup fat free mayo

1 tbl spoon fresh lemon juice

1 clove of garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 black pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Gluten Free Eating in Monterey, CA

2009-08-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

Its been a little over a year since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and I'm continually learning new things. I'm always on the hunt for new recipes, ideas, and places to eat. Eating out is by far the hardest part of being Gluten Free. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to cook. I love to experiment and try new things but there are those days where I would much rather just grab something quick to eat.

When I was first diagnosed I did a bunch of research online and found these amazing little cards called Triumph Dining Cards. These are amazing! They come in 10 languages and I always keep the "American Cuisine" in my wallet. I figured these not only would be good with eating out but also for future travel.

I've used these cards quite a bit. I used it last weekend when eating at a Thai restaurant in San Francisco (Khan Toke Thai House). Not only does it help you with picking foods but it also helps the wait staff and chef understand what you can and more importantly can't eat.

Over the past year I have found a few places that are not specifically Gluten Free, however they are very accommodating. I thought I would take a few minutes to share these places with you.

Chinese:

P.F. Changs - Del Monte Center, Monterey, CA

They have a specific Gluten Free menu, its small but has a good selection. Their Chang's Spicy Chicken is by far my favorite!

Full Moon - Alvarado Street, Monterey, CA

A small family run restaurant in down town Monterey. They are very accommodating for me. I have brought them large bottles of gluten free soy sauce and they cook all of my food with it. All of their food is cooked to order (except maybe the spareribs which are pre-marinaded). I eat there often (to the point they know me by name and my "usual" orders) so when I first found out they had another customer with Celiac Disease and offered to cook my food with their soy sauce, so I have in turn offered that they can use my soy sauce for any one else with Celiac.

If you have any questions they are very friendly and honest people. I've never had to worry about any cross contamination there either.

Sushi:

Ocean Sushi - Monterey and Pacific Grove, CA

Who doesn't love sushi?! (ok a lot of people, I know) Again, nothing is specifically Gluten Free, however sushi has some great options ... AvoEbi Roll (shrimp, avocado), Philadelphia Roll (salmon, cream cheese and JPN cucumber) and Edamame are great choices. There is not extra sauces or tempura to worry about. They don't provide gluten free soy sauce but I've been known to bring my own and they are fine with that. I've talked with a few of the staff about Celiac and they are very accommodating to Gluten Free eaters.

Mexican:

Chipotle Mexican Grill - Del Monte Center, Monterey, CA

Here you have to be a little more careful of cross contamination, but I've eaten there plenty with out getting sick. On their website you can read all of the ingredients in their marinades, sauces, salsas etc.

As I try more places I'll update on here, but these are some of my favorites...next up Siamese Bay

Chicken Picatta

2009-08-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

Again I did some searching for Chicken Picatta recipes. The chicken is usually dredged in flour but seeing as this is GF I decided to use sweet white rice flour. I followed a standard Picatta recipe with the oil, butter, lemon and capers and this is what I came up with:

Chicken Picatta:

Salt and Pepper

2 Chicken Breasts - butterflied

1 Cup Sweet White Rice Flour

5 Tbls Butter

4 Tbls Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Lemon Juice (Fresh)

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

1/4 Cup of Capers rinsed and drained

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley chopped

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper then dredge in the rice flour. Shake off any access flour. In a large skillet heat 2 tbls of butter and 3 tbls of oil, when it starts to bubble/sizzle add one of the chicken breasts. Cook for three minutes on each side. The chicken should have a nice golden brown color. Remove chicken and keep warm on a plate. Add an additional 2 tbls butter and one tbls of oil, repeat the same process with the chicken. Once chicken is done keep it warm on a plate with the other chicken breast. In the pan add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers, whisk well and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and any juices from the plate. Simmer for five - seven minutes. Remove chicken again and place on a serving platter. Add the remaining butter to the pan and whisk well. Pour the sauce over the chicken and top with parsley.

Serve with green beans, roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes.

Frittata

2009-08-16T01:24:00.000-07:00

Today I made my first frittata. I looked in my Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking cook book to get the basic idea of how to make a frittata and just ran with it. I looked to see what I had, pancetta, fresh spinach, baby potatoes, onion, garlic and rosemary and just used all of it. I have to say it came out pretty darn good.

I like many other cooks don't always measure. I learned that from my grandmother. It was always a pinch of this, a dash of that. Many times I find it hard to actually follow a recipe, I tend to read them, get the basic idea and adapt them. So if these amounts are not accurate, I'm sorry.

Frittata

1 package of diced pancetta

1 small onion diced

1 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh spinach leaves chopped

4 small potatoes - cubed

1/4 cup olive oil

6 eggs

two cloves of garlic minced

2 sprigs of rosemary chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp pepper

1/2 cup parmsean cheese

Turn oven to 350 degrees

In a small skillet sautee the pancetta until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels. In the same pan sautee the onions until lightly browned (3-5 minutes). In a 10 inch sautee pan add the oil and cubed potatoes. Cook until softened and browned, about 8-10 minutes. Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the onions and pancetta to them, keep on low heat. Sautee the spinach and garlic in the pan you used for the onions and pancetta. Add to the potatoes

While the potatoes cook beat the eggs, rosemary and cream in a medium bowl. After the spinach and garlic has been added to the potatoes, add in the beaten egg mixture. Cook over low heat until eggs have set and the top is still loose.

Sprinkle with cheese and put in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes until set and lightly browned on top. Take out of oven, cool for a few minutes. Loosen the frittata by running a rubber spatula around the edges of the pan. Transfer to a plate and slice like you would a pie to serve.

Donuts - Gluten Free

2009-08-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

I have a love for Dunkin Donuts, Not just their coffee but their donuts are great (well so aren't N&J's for all you people in Oxford). I miss Dunkin's and we don't have any out here in California. So when I go home for Christmas, its one of the first things I want. To the point I know just where they are at Logan Airport. Sick huh? They now sell the coffee in bags out here at some places but its not the same. So when I make it home I stock up by buying a few bags to bring with me. Since finding out about having celiac disease they donuts are out of the question now.

I was talking to my boyfriend this morning about running out of coffee and how I wish I could have a donut. He lives in the land of Dunkin's, aka the East Coast. So I went on a search today to find a recipe to try out. I read a few of them and decided I would try one found on a blog called Four Chickens.

Not thinking I had all the different flours to make the mixture I emailed Jeanne to see if another option would work and she responded right away. It would work, however I ended up having all the right flours so I followed her recipe. So I set off to make donuts and let me tell you, they are AMAZING!! You can't even tell they are Gluten Free.

I don't have cookie cutters or a candy thermometer so I improvised. I used a drinking glass for the large circles and a top of a water bottle for the holes. I heated the oil and just tested it with the first donut.

Please check out her website and recipes. Thanks again Jeanne!!

NY Times -8/14/09

2009-08-15T01:56:00.000-07:00

There was a great article in the New York Times: Patient Money - The Expense of Eating With Celiac Diseas

When you have a sec, check it out.

Veggie Pad Thai

2009-08-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Simple recipe...thanks to Trader Joe's!

Veggie Pad Thai

1 box of Trader Joe's Pad Thai with sauce

1/2 of a white onion

1/2 cup of broccoli

1/4 cup edamame

1 can of baby corn

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

(and/or any other veggies you might have: sprouts are great in this, but didn't have any tonight)

1 egg

1/4 cup crushed peanuts

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Follow instructions on the back of the box for the noodles.

In a sautee pan add all the veggies and sautee for 3-5 minutes in oil until they are well cooked. Scramble the egg in a separate pan and set aside. Once noodles have finished cooking add to veggies and mix in the sauce packet. At the very end add the scrambled egg and crushed peanuts.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

2009-08-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

Tomato and Goat- Cheese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

(from Everyday Food Magazine # 54 page 132)

1/2 Cup packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

coarse salt and ground black pepper

3 ounces fresh goat cheese

3 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced crosswise about 1/4 inch thick

In a blender, combine basil, oil, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon water. Blend until smooth, 2-3 minutes. season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

With a warm knife (wiped clean after each slice) thinly slice cheese. Arrange tomatoes and goat cheese on a serving plate; drizzle with dressing to taste.

Coconut Cream-Cheese Squares

2009-08-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

I found this on Tropical Traditions website when I first ordered their Coconut Flour. I was a little skeptical about making them because the Coconut flour is very dense and I'm not used to baking/cooking with it yet. But these turned out great. I didn't have coconut oil so I just used canola oil. I added a chocolate topping to them too.

Coconut Cream Cheese Squares:

1 box (8 oz.) organic cream cheese (soften)

1 stick butter

1 cup organic coconut flour

½ cup organic whole sugar

4 large eggs

2½ tsp. organic vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. Virgin Coconut Oil

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees F. Brush pan with coconut oil.

Beat butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well. Add sugar gradually, continue mixing. Add coconut flour and vanilla; beat until well blended.

Pour batter into a 11x7 inches rectangular pan (pre-greased, see above.)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Cool the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Topping:

1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

1 tablespoon of Butter cut in fours

1 table spoon of water

Add all ingredients to a microwave safe bowl. Melt together in 30 second intervals, until completely melted. Spread evenly over the top of the lightly cooled squares. Once chocolate and squares have cooled completely, cut and enjoy.

Edamame Hummus and Corn Chips

2009-08-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

The Edamame Hummus is from Ellie Krieger and the chips are mine.

Edamame Hummus:

2 cups shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions

1 cup silken tofu, briefly drained of excess liquid

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice, plus more, to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, plus more, for garnish

Set 1 tablespoon of edamame aside for a garnish. Place the rest of the edamame, tofu, salt, garlic, oil, lemon juice[, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin in the bowl of a food processor and process until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, plus more lemon juice, if desired. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with reserved edamame, and some cumin.

Corn Chips:

Six Corn Tortillas

2 Teaspoons lime juice

1/2 Teaspoon sea salt

3 Table Spoons Veggie Oil

Cut the corn tortillas in half and then in thirds. Place them on two non-stick cookie sheets. In a small bowl mix together the remaining ingredients. Brush the mixture over the tortilla chips. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Let cool.

Aprons, Shirts, Mugs and More!

2009-07-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

Playing online today I came across some fun gluten free goods on a pretty cool website called Cafe Press. They have a wide selection of aprons, t shirts, mugs and more. Some are really funny. I have to say my favorite is the skull and cross bones that says gluten sucks!

Enjoy.

Peanut Butter Cookies (Paula Deen's)

2009-07-19T23:44:00.000-07:00

Gluten Free - Flour Free Peanut Butter Cookies from Paula Deen (www.foodnetwork.com)

1 large egg

1 cup peanut butter (smooth/creamy)

1 cup sugar

In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients until a dough forms.

Make small balls of dough and place on a cookie sheet about an inch, inch and a half apart.

Press the tops of the cookies down in a criss cross patter with a fork.

Bake at 350 ° for 10 minutes.

Citrus Chili Chicken with Roasted Grape Tomatoes

2009-07-16T01:17:00.000-07:00

Citrus Chili Chicken with Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Roasted Grape Tomatoes
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp salt

Roast at 400° for 10-15 minutes until they start to split open
In a bowl combine roasted tomatoes (with any juices on the pan) and 1/8 cup crumbled feta cheese

Citrus Chili chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast - butterflied
1/4 cup Williams Sonoma Citrus - Chili Finishing Sauce

Marinade the chicken in the sauce for 30 minutes
Cook on in a sautée pan for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear

Cheesecake

2009-07-16T00:06:00.000-07:00

I had a huge craving for cheesecake the other day. I've made some mini crust-less ones in cupcake pans before but never a full cheese cake. I figured I have the pan, why not try it. I'm so happy I did. I have to say it came out pretty tasty for being my first attempt at it. Best part, its 100% gluten free!
Crust:
1 bag of the Trader Joe's Gluten Free Ginger Snaps (about 1 1/2 cups of the crumbs)
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter

Mix the melted butter, sugar and cookie crumbs together in a bowl and then press into a 9 inch spring form cheese cake pan. Make sure that the crumbs come up a little bit on the sides.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375° - COOL

Cheesecake:

3 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tbs Lemon Zest
3 eggs, at room temperature

Mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest until creamy and smooth in an electric stand mixer
Add eggs (one at a time) until blended
Pour mixture into cooled crust
Bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool and then refrigerate for a minimum of three hours or over night.

Serve with fruit or your favorite topping!

The not so GF, GF Menu

2009-07-10T07:03:00.000-07:00

Today for lunch I went to Islands Grill and ordered off of their Gluten Free menu. The list is small but they have some really good grilled fish tacos, so I went for those. They come with a side of "ranch beans". Just an FYI to anyone who is GF and ordering off of this GF menu...the beans are NOT GF. They contain WHEAT. It is not listed anywhere on their printed menus however its listed online. For more info on items that contain WHEAT/GLUTEN please click here.

After being sick, I called the restaurant and the person I spoke with said they were "officially gluten free". I explained very nicely that on their website it lists them as not being gluten free and containing wheat. He kindly went and checked again and had his manager come on the phone who also looked online and sure enough the website is correct.

Also their french fries (which I didn't order) aren't coated in anything, however the oil they are fried in contains flour so those are also not gluten free.

I've started to find it harder and harder to eat out. In a way its a good thing because it saves money and forces me to be even more creative with my GF diet, however every once in a while you want to eat out. So i suggest doing some research before venturing out. Many more places are starting to list allergens on their website and printed menus. Don't always trust what your server tells you. If you have any doubts, don't risk it.

Betty Crocker to the rescue...

2009-07-07T03:45:00.000-07:00

Oh happy day! Hopefully they are actually in a wide variety of grocery stores this summer. Check out Betty Crocker's website. Here is a link to some gluten free recipes on their site.

Risotteria Restaurant NYC

2009-07-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

Risotteria A little piece of gluten free heaven found in NYC!!!

I did a little bit of research before going on my trip to NYC and came across this place and said to myself...I have to go there. The menu looked really good and I have to say it was better than I expected. Its a tiny little place on Bleecker Street in the Village.

Bryan and I went and there was about a 30 minute wait (but I think it was a bit less), when you get seated they come over with a cup of bread sticks. These were the best bread sticks I've ever had. Better than even the Olive Garden ones. (You can buy the mix for these bread sticks and a bunch of other gluten free goodies - there is no form online however, you can call them for a phone order). So after drooling over the menu we both ended up getting panini's his a regular one and mine a gluten free (The menu consists of Pizza, Panini's, Salad, Risotto's, and Pasta all of which come in regular or GF, you can also get many of the options Vegetarian and Dairy Free!) The serve a selection of GF beers, wine etc.

The service was great, the employees were very friendly and helpful. The food was amazing. It was cute, and little and flat out one of the best parts of my trip. Can't wait to go back again.

I still can't stop thinking about this place. I brought home a bag of the bread stick (and pizza crust) mix and plan on making them this weekend. So if you are ever in NYC and looking for a great little GF place this is it!! They are open from noon -11 7 days a week. http://www.risotteria.com/

(Thanks to Bryan for being such a great sport and trying new things with me!)

2009-05-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

From the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness May 2009 Newsletter

Chex Will Debut 5 More Gluten-Free Cereals This Summer This summer, Chex will offer five more gluten-free cereals! Gluten-free Rice Chex became available in 2008, but now gluten-free Corn Chex, Honey Nut Chex, Chocolate Chex, Cinnamon Chex and Strawberry Chex are beginning to appear on grocery store shelves. By early summer they will be widely available across the country, offering the same great taste as before! As this integration slowly occurs, it is very important for consumers to find “Gluten-Free” on the Chex cereal package. Gluten-Free boxes may be mixed in with older, gluten-containing boxes until they are fully replaced. The label “Gluten-Free” will appear near the ingredient declaration on package side panels and may also appear on the front panel, so be sure to find it before you purchase. Also, be sure to remember that Wheat Chex and Multi-Bran Chex have not been made gluten-free. Consumer insight and requests provoked the reformulation of Rice Chex back in 2008. The response was so incredibly positive that the company was excited to get to work on bringing even more gluten-free varieties to store shelves. Along with removing the gluten from their products, the company is also very aware of the dangers of cross contamination and takes steps to prevent it. Each gluten-free formula they create is tested against the FDA’s proposed regulations. Chex Marketing Manager, Adrienne Daniels, said “For the first time, people looking for a tasty, gluten-free cereal can shop the main cereal aisle at their market without paying a premium. Now, Chex brings even more gluten-free varieties to the breakfast table. And, to round out the offering, we’re introducing a wide range of gluten-free recipes at www.Chex.com/glutenfree.” Be sure to check it out! Can’t wait till the summer so I can stock my cabinets with boxes of delicious, affordable gluten-free cereal. Thanks, Chex! For more information, visit: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Say-Good-Morning-to-Five-More-bw-15104116.html?.v=1

Props to Starbucks

2009-05-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Props to Starbucks...for offering a gluten free option. Starting May 5th Starbucks started to offer a gluten free pastry to all of us Celiac people. They have a Valencia Orange Cake, and they are delicious! However, if you are allergic to nuts, I'm sorry...they have slivered almonds on top. Look for them at your local Starbucks!

Mongolian Beef (adapted from P.F. Chang's)

2009-04-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Mongolian Beef

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ginger, minced

1 tablespoon garlic, choped

1/2 cup Gluten Free soy sauce

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup...I used less with my non stick pans)

1lb flank steak

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 large green onions, sliced

~For the sauce: heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat (don't get oil too hot)

~Add ginger and garlic to the oil and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic and ginger start to brown.

~Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil for 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

~Slice the steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices

~Dip the beef pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of the steak pieces.

~Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the corn starch sticks.

~As the beef sits, heat up the one cup (or less) of oil in a skillet. Heat over medium heat until its nice and hot but not smoking.

~Add the beef to the pan and sauté for for two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need to cook the beef completely, because it will finish cooking when added to the sauce.

~After the beef is finished cooking use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and rest on paper towels, then pour the oil out of the skillet.

~Put the pan back over the heat, add the beef back into the pan and simmer for one minute

~Add the sauce and cook for another minute while stirring then add the green onions. Cook for another minute then remove the beef and onions to a serving platter. Leave excess sauce behind.

~Serve over white or brown rice.

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken and Green Bean Asparagus Salad

2009-04-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Roasted Chicken with Green Bean Asparagus Salad

Roasted Chicken

2 pounds of chicken legs (about two pieces, skin on)

1 Meyer Lemon

1/2 teaspoon sat

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon Oregano

1/2 teaspoon Parsley

1/2 teaspoon Dill

4 tablespoons good olive oil

Place the last seven ingredients in a zip lock bag. Cut the lemon in half. Cut two 1/4 inch slices of the lemon and place to the side. Squeeze the lemon into the bag with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Lift the skin of the chicken slightly with out tearing it. Under the skin place one of the lemon slices and about a 1 teaspoon of the marinade. Place the chicken in the bag and marinade for a three to four hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a non stick skillet on medium high heat brown the chicken legs (about one minute on each side). Place chicken and remaining marinade and lemon slices in an oven proof baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Green Bean Asparagus Salad w/ Mustard vinaigrette

1 pound fresh green beans

1 pound fresh asparagus

1/2 of a red or white onion sliced thinly

1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces

1/8 cup pomegranate seeds

Vinaigrette

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/8 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon of Oregano

1/8 teaspoon Parsley

1/8 teaspoon Dill

1/4 cup good olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.

Cut the green beans and asparagus in 1 inch pieces. Boil in salted water for 2-3 minutes until they are bright green and maintain a crunch. Run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside

In a large bowl combine onion, green bean, asparagus and the toasted walnuts. Add the mustard vinaigrette and mix until evenly coated. Top with pomegranate seeds.

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

2009-04-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

(adapted from Eating Smart w/ Ellie Krieger)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Two 14.5-ounce cans of Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Green Chillies*

1/4 Cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon finely minced dill

1 1/4 pounds froze and thawed medium shrimp peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the tomato juices thicken.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, dill and shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the feta over the top. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese melts, about 12 minutes.

Serve over rice.

*The original recipe calls for two 14.5-ounce cans of no-salt-added diced tomatoes. For a spicy version use two Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. If you do not like a lot of heat use one can of the TJ's and one of the no-salt-added.

Happy Birthday Rob

2009-03-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

Seeing as Rob's birthday is March 15th we decided that green frosting would go better with St. Patric's day better than hot pink (plus I couldn't find pink food coloring anywhere!)

Rob...I hope you had a great birthday and you enjoyed your cake! And to everyone else...Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Vanilla Frosting

2009-03-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

The cupcake recipe is from Bob's Red Mill. I was on the hunt for a new cupcake recipe and didn't find too much right away. I went on Bob's Red Mill site and looked to see if he had any and found this chocolate cake recipe instead. I figured why not just make cupcakes out of this cake recipe.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Vanilla Frosting

1-1/2 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour

1 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Xanthan Gum

3/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup Milk (cow, soy or rice)

1/3 cup Butter, Margarine or Shortening

1 large Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup warm brewed Coffee

Preheat oven to 350degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper lingers. Set aside. Place all ingredients, except coffee, in large bowl and blend with electric mixer. Add coffee and mix until thoroughly blended. Pour into prepared cupcake pan and bake for 20 minutes minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Serves 16.

Cinnamon-Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

4oz butter softened

4oz cream cheese softened

2 cups powder sugar divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

~In large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese with electric mixer
~Switch the mixer to low speed and add the powder sugar one cup at a time ~Mix until smooth and creamy, add cinnamon
~Beat in the vanilla extract

(I really do heart cupcakes!)

Gramma Lu's Chicken

2009-03-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

My grandmother is a great cook. We all have grown up loving and craving her cooking (especially her meatballs and sauce). All of her recipes are stored in a brown folder that has been coveted by every female in my family!! Knowing that there would come a time that we would all want these recipes from her but only one person would end up with the folder, my Aunt Sue, my sister and I decided to put all her recipes in a "cook book" and give it to our family as Christmas presents one year.

I have to give her credit for my love of cooking. I remember being very young and her pulling up a chair for me to stand on next to her while she taught me how to make chicken soup from scratch.

Gramma Lu makes the best chicken wings (to me anyway). Ever since I was little I looked forward to these chicken wings of hers.

I didn't have chicken wings or pineapple juice so I adapted the original recipe. I substituted the wings for drumsticks and omitted the pineapple juice and added a teaspoon of ginger. (The original recipe is below along with the ginger)

Gramma Lu's Chicken Wings

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup gluten free* soy sauce

1/4 cup pineapple juice

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 teaspoon of minced ginger*

1-2 lbs of chicken wings (or drumsticks)

~Combine first four five ingredients and mix well. Add chicken and marinate overnight. Place chicken in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees, turn once half way threw. Serve Hot.

(for drumsticks cook at 375 degrees for fifty minutes turning once. Turn oven to Broil and broil for five minutes or until skin is crispy).

Gluten Free Granola

2009-02-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Gluten Free Granola

Canola Oil or Silpat

1/8 cup honey

1/8 cup agave nectar

1 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats

1/2 shredded coconut

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees

~If honey isn't runny enough to mix, heat in the microwave for ten seconds.

~In a medium sized bowl all honey, agave nectar, oats, coconut, almonds and walnuts.. Mix until all ingredients are evenly coated with honey and agave.

~Either coat a cookie sheet with oil or use a Silpat. Evenly spread oat mixture in a thin even layer.

~Bake for 15 minutes. Turning pan half way through.

~Let cool. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Mix in any additional ingredients you wish to use...pumpkin seeds, dried fruit etc.

Noodles in hot ginger and garlic broth

2009-02-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

(Adapted from the recipe Noodles in hot ginger broth from the cook book: Allergy-Free Cooking)

Noodles in hot ginger and garlic broth

5 cups of gluten free chicken stock

large chunk of fresh ginger (about 1/2 ounce) peeled and fine julienne strips

3 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

7 0z of rice noodles (thin or medium)

8 baby corn, halved lengthwise

4 scallions sliced diagonally

1 packet of shitake mushrooms sliced (there are usually about 8-10 mushrooms in a pack)

(The originally recipe calls for 2 bok choy roughly chopped, and 1/2 cup of bean sprouts...I didn't have any so I made it with out)

Simmer broth, ginger, garlic and soy sauce for 3 minutes.

Bring to a light boil and add noodles. Cook as directed on package.

In a sautéed pan add one tablespoon of oil, and sauté baby corn to give a bit of color, then add the mushrooms. Cook for 1-2 additional minutes

Carefully add the baby corn and mushrooms to the pan of broth and noodles.

(If following the original recipe, add the bok choy, simmer until tender. Add bean sprouts at the very end

Simmer for an additional two minutes.

Garnish with scallions.

Serves 4.

Baked Fish with Mashed Cauliflower

2009-02-18T05:38:00.000-08:00

I love fish and some weeks, can't get enough of it. Last week I wanted to make something light and easy for dinner. I came home looked at what I had in the good old refrigerator/freezer and found some fish, cauliflower and cheese...and here is what I came up with.

Baked Fish

1/2 a packet of the instant mashed potatoes (from Trader Joe's...garlic flavor)

3 fillets of fish (any white flaky fish) about 1-2 lbs

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Mix half the uncooked potato flakes with half a packet of seasoning

Lightly oil fish and coat one side of fish in the potato flakes.

Place on a foil lined baking sheet

Season lightly with salt and pepper

Bake in oven for 8 minutes

Turn oven to broil.

Broil fish until browned and lightly crispy on top.

Mashed Cauliflower

1 large head of cauliflower

1/8 cup milk (cream or what ever you like to use)

1/4 cup of shredded cheese

1 tablespoon chives (chopped finely)

Bring a pot of water to boil and add cauliflower, season water with salt.

Boil for about 8 minutes, drain well

Return cauliflower to warm pan to dry up remaining liquid

Mash cauliflower, season with salt and pepper

Add milk and continue to mash until smooth.

Add in cheese and chives

Serve warm

Happy Birthday Lisa

2009-02-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

Last night we went out to celebrate Lisa's 30th birthday at the Swiss Bistro in Carmel. After dinner we headed back to my place for some cake and ice cream.I used the Bob's Red Mill Chocolate Cake Mix (which by the way is wicked good!!) with a little home made cream cheese frosting colored purple, just for her.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4oz butter softened
4oz cream cheese softened
2 cups powder sugar divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

~In large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese with electric mixer
~Switch the mixer to low speed and add the powder sugar one cup at a time until smooth and creamy
~Beat in the vanilla extract

General Tso's Chicken (A bit lighter)

2009-01-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

General Tso's Chicken

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine issue pg, page 34)

1/4 cup corn starch

1 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons ginger (freshly grated or jarred)

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

2 large egg whites

salt and pepper

1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Brown Rice

~Cook rice according to package or rice cooker.

~In a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes; toss to combine and set aside.

~In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.

~In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Lift half the chicken from the egg-white mixture (shaking off excess) and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, set aside (reserve skillet)

~Add snow pea mixture to the skillet. Cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with brown rice.

Steak and Salsa

2009-01-25T19:12:00.000-08:00

This is by far one of my favorite and easiest recipes. To me its definitely a comfort food. Sadly I didn't not come up with this one, but I try to make it my own.

Steak and Salsa

1 - 2 lbs of Steak

2 Garlic Cloves minced

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

4-5 Shakes of Gluten Free Soy Sauce

1 Medium size jar of Salsa (chunky salsa works great)

2 tbs White Sugar

*Olive Oil

White Rice

*If using a non-stick pan, there is no need to use oil

Cut steak into bite size pieces. Brown steak in a non-stick skillet. Add garlic. Pour salsa over steak. Add brown sugar, white sugar and soy sauce. bring to boil. After 5 minutes turn to low heat. Simmer about 45 minutes. Serve over white rice.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken

2009-01-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

Prosciutto - Wrapped Chicken

1 boneless skinless chicken breast halved length wise

2 pieces of Prosciutto (thinly sliced)

1 teaspoon olive oil

Season chicken breast with pepper (no need to season with salt when using the prosciutto). Wrap each piece of chicken with one piece of prosciutto. Place the seam side down on a baking sheet. Lightly rub the top of each chicken breast with oil.

Bake at 350@ for 10-15 minutes until almost cooked. Switch oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes (or until cooked fully)

Serve with sauteed spinach and zucchini.

Sesame Orange Shrimp

2009-01-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

Sesame Orange Shrimp

(Adapted from Martha Stewart's Every Day Food, #13 page 76)

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sesame seeds

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten free)

1 tablespoon sugar

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Steamed white rice

~In a large blow, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until frothy. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

~Heath 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp, 2-3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add more oil to skillet if necessary for remaining batches.

~Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add orange juice, soy sauce and sugar; boil over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4-5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; add scallions and cook until heated through and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.

~Serve over steamed white rice.

Steamed Fish Packets with Stuffed Tomatoes

2009-01-19T20:25:00.000-08:00

Steamed Fish Packet (with spinach, swiss chard and lemon)

1/2 pound fresh spinach, rinsed well

1/2 pound fresh swiss chard, rinsed well and chopped (removing stems)

three cloves of garlic sliced

four fillets of white fish (stripped bass) about six to eight ounces each

one lemon sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

4 pieces of Aluminum Foil

two tablespoons of butter divided

~ Start by melting one table spoon of butter and two cloves of garlic in a large skillet. Add spinach and swiss chard in batches. Once it has wilted enough add more until all spinach and swiss chard fits in the pan. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.

~ Lay out the four sheets of Aluminum Foil. Cut the remaining one table spoon of butter into four pieces, place a piece on each sheet of foil. Place 1/4 off the spinach and swiss chard on each of the sheets. Top with a piece of fish, add pieces of sliced garlic and a lemon slice. Season with salt and pepper.

~Wrap each up each piece of foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Every Day Food issue #3, page 101)

4 plum tomatoes cut in half lengthwise (slice off a small sliver from the skin side so they halves lay flat in the baking dish, discard the seeds)

1/2 cup cooked qunioa

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (thyme, marjoram etc.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

season with salt and pepper

~Stuff each tomato with the mixture and place in a baking dish

~Bake until tomatoes are soft and topping is crisp and browned, about 15-20 minutes.

Shrimp Stir-Fry and Egg Drop Soup

2009-01-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

[caption id="attachment_47" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Shrimp Stir-Fry and Egg Drop Soup"][/caption]

(Both of these recipes are adapted from Martha Stewart's magazine - Everyday Food)

SHRIMP STIR-FRY

1 Pound Shrimp

2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 small onions, cut into wedges

9 ounces button mushrooms, quartered

1 large red bell pepper (I left these out)

1 3/4 pound bok choy, cut into 1 1/2 pieces, stems and green pieces separated

1/4 pound snow peas trimmed

5 paper-thin slices fresh ginger

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water

lime wedges for serving

~In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil with tablespoon water; pour over shrimp. Marinate 5 minutes (RESERVE marinade).

~ Heat canola oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat. Cook shrimp about 1-2 minutes on each side. Set aside

~Stirring constantly, cook onions in skillet over high heat until browned, 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Add red pepper and bok choy stems; cook 3 minutes. Add peas and ginger; cook 1 minute. Add marinade, cornstarch mixture, bok choy greens and shrimp. Cook until heated through. Season with soy sauce as desired, serve with limes.

EGG DROP SOUP

2 Cans reduced sodium gluten free chicken broth

3 Cups of water

4 teaspoons gluten free soy sauce

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

8oz snow peas cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil and Scallions for seasoning

~ In a large saucepan, bring 2 cans reduced-sodium gluten free chicken broth (14.5 ounces each), 3 cups of water, 4 teaspoons gluten free soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger to a boil.

~Add 8 ounces snow peas, cut into 1/2 -inch pieces. Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 2-3 minutes.

~ While stirring slowly in ONE direction, pour 3 lightly beaten large eggs in a steady stream into soup (eggs will feather). Remove from heat. Season with rice vinegar, sesame oil and scallions as desired.

Enjoy!

Holiday Treats

2008-12-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

This year I decided that I would make some gluten free treats for everyone. I did some searching online for some new ideas. I was going to make some of my cookies or brownies but really wanted something else. About a month ago I heard that Chex® now has a gluten free option...Rice Chex®! So, I decided to make some Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies®. Who doesn't love these little treats??

Chex® Muddy Buddies®

Ingredients

9 cups Rice Chex® cereal (gluten free)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation Directions

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

I made a double batch and ended up with 40 of the bags you see in the photo above...ENJOY!!

Bagels

2008-12-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

For my birthday my sister Sara got my a subscription to Living Without (a gluten free magazine), which is awesome. Lots of cool tips, recipes and resources. One thing I found was Mariposa Baking Company . This place is awesome...they make bagels, brownies, bread, pizza crusts and biscotti! You can even order gluten free gift baskets from them. I ordered plain and sesame seed bagels on Saturday and got them in the mail today...so of course I had one for dinner tonight. They are pretty darn tasty I must say!

Oats

2008-11-19T21:44:00.001-08:00

Bob's Red Mill stopped selling their gluten free oats for a while so I had to make my apple crisp with out them (I used slivered almonds instead). I was just on their website and they are back! So I ordered some...hopefully I'll get them before next Wednesday so I can make myself some apple crisp for Thanksgiving.

Apple Crisp

2008-10-08T08:28:00.001-07:00

I LOVE the Fall and everything about it: The Weather. The colors of leaves. The smell in the air. Sweaters. Hot apple cider. Hearing the leaves crunch under my feet as I walk. Apple picking. Pumpkins. Soup and lots of it. Most of all is Apple Crisp! I can't live with out that come this time of year. With that said, I was on the hunt for some gluten free oats. I kept hearing that Bob's Red Mill carried them, but they are on hold right now. So I was even more determined to create a new apple crisp recipe with out oats and here it is:

Apple Crisp

7-8 Medium/Large Apples (Macs or any baking apples...I used pippins)

Flour Mixture:
1 Cup Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup White Sugar
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds
1 Stick of melted butter

(I double the above flour mixture so I can have a layer in the middle of the apples...see below)

~Butter the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish
~Mix together the dry ingredients
~Mix in butter (stir until well combined)
~Peel and slice/cube apples, squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the apples to keep from turning brown
~Pour half of the apples on the bottom of the buttered baking dish.
~Spread half of the flour mixture over the apples.
~Pour the remaining apples over the flour mixture.
~Spread the remaining flour mixture evenly over the apples.
~Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
~Turn the heat to 375 and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until it starts to bubble.
~Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Beer

2008-09-11T11:05:00.001-07:00

Ok I don't drink much beer to begin with but there are some days you really would like a nice cold beer (especially during Baseball and Football, I know I'm a tomboy what can I say). Last week we did a girls dinner at P.F. Changs and they had Redbridge Gluten Free Beer on the menu and Martha ordered me one! I know Gluten Free doesn't sound very tasty but let me tell you ...its is. Best part, they sell it at Whole Foods, so of course last night when I was there I picked up a six pack. I kicked back watched some House and enjoyed a nice cold beer last night with some tasty gluten free pizza. Ahhhh it was a good night.

Glass

2008-09-10T09:09:00.001-07:00

My shelves were getting a bit messy with all of the new flours and other baking items I've had to buy. Storing them in zip-lock bags wasn't working out too well so I broke down and ordered some glass jars to store everything it. I looked around a bit and ended up getting these from The Container Store.

Mac n Cheese

2008-09-09T09:08:00.002-07:00

Growing up my Grandma Lu would always buy Annie's Mac n Cheese for us. Still to this day its my favorite mac n cheese. Now it gets even better...they make Gluten Free Rice Mac n Cheese and its wicked good!!

I Heart Cupcakes!

2008-09-01T16:44:00.002-07:00

Today I thought I would attempt to create a recipe and bake cupcakes. Boy was I wrong! I created a recipe and tried it, only for it to be thrown in the trash in the middle of baking. You know when you make cupcakes from a box (Or even from scratch)the batter is all nice and runny? Not this one, it was like dough. This was my first attempt at using coconut flour, which I thought could just be replaced on a 1:1 ration, but after todays experiment I think I need to do more research. The dough smelt good anyway but no luck with turning this disaster into wonderful little cupcakes.

I went online and did a search for cupcake recipes that are made with coconut flour, which I didn't find many at all. I found one on Elana's Pantry so I thought I would give it a try. They turned out great. Sadly I can't take any credit for these cupcakes. I can take credit for the frosting though. The recipe is as follows and please visit her website for more awesome recipes:

Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup coconut flour (sifted)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

~In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda
~In another bowl beat together eggs, grapeseed oil, agave nectar and vanilla
~Mix wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth
~Pour batter in to 12 prepared muffin tins (either well oiled or with cupcake tins)
~Bake at 350 for 20 minutes
~Cool completely
~Top with Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)

Cream Cheese Frosting

4oz butter softened
4oz cream cheese softened
2 cups powder sugar divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

~In large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese with electric mixer
~Switch the mixer to low speed and add the powder sugar one cup at a time until smooth and creamy
~Beat in the vanilla extract

Enjoy!

(Please visit Elana's Pantry for more recipes and ideas on Gluten Free Cooking/Baking and Living)

GF Facial Care (Arbonne International)

2008-08-29T12:34:00.001-07:00

Gluten isn't just found in food, it's found in a bunch of things like make up, skin care, lotions etc. In the last few months I've been learning a lot about gluten, what it is, where it is and what to look for. I've pretty much got the food aspect covered however I completely forgot about skin care. I found that Arbonne International sells Gluten Free products. Here is a list of their products that are gluten free and for more information on how to purchase them please visit my friend, Trish Spencer's website.

About Face Blusher
About Face Brow Wax
About Face Cream Concealer
About Face Eye Pencil
About Face Eye Shadow
About Face Line Defiance Liquid Foundation SPF 15
About Face Lip Pencil
About Face Mineral Foundation SPF 15
About Face Sheer Shine
About Face Translucent Pressed Powder
About Face Wipe Out
Arbonne Baby Care Body Oil
Arbonne Baby Care Herbal Diaper Rash Cream
Arbonne Clear Advantage Acne Lotion
Arbonne Clear Advantage Acne Wash
Arbonne Clear Advantage Refining Toner
Arbonne Intelligence Body Lotion
Arbonne Intelligence Cleansing Gel
Arbonne Intelligence Daily Balancer
Arbonne Intelligence Daily Eye Cream
Arbonne Intelligence Daily Moisturizing Cream, Day & Night
Arbonne Intelligence Hand Cream
Arbonne Intelligence Skin Conditioning Oil
ASN HYBRIDS - Daily Nutritional Chews for Teens
ASN HYBRIDS - Daily Powder Punch for Kids
Awaken Sea Salt Scrub 16 oz.
Bio-Nutria® Herbal Colon Cleanse
Bio-Nutria® Herbal Muscle Massage Gel
Bio-Nutria® Joint Formula
BodyBetter™ Body Cream
EyeQ™ Cream Eye Shadow
f.y.i. Arbonne™ Secret Crush Color Palette
Figure 8 Vanish™ Pre-Shower Cellulite Scrub
Figure 8 Vanish™ Water Relief Treatment Serum
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Sweet Curry Chicken

2008-08-27T18:50:00.002-07:00

Sweet Curry Chicken

2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon red curry paste (Thai Kitchen)
1/4 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless)

~Mix together to make a paste
~Rub on to chicken breast
~Grill until no longer pink inside (a few minutes on each side)

Nothing like a quick, easy but tasty meal!

To Eat or Not to Eat

2008-08-27T15:28:00.001-07:00

I found this posted on the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness website and found this very useful and informative. I'm not going to post the whole thing but feel free to check it out at the link above.

The only treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet for life. It has been shown that as little as 1/8th teaspoon of flour will cause changes in the intestinal mucosa (Semrad 2004). Maintaining a gluten-free diet means constant vigilance.

Follow the golden rule: When in doubt, leave it out!

Safe Starches:
• Corn,
• Rice,
• Potato and tubers,
• Buckwheat,
• Amaranth,
• Quinoa,
• Tapioca,
• Teff,
• Oats*, Oats are considered safe but they are often time processed in a facility where there is the possibility of cross contamination.
• Arrowroot,
• Sourghum,
• Montina,
• Millet

In addition to the standard grains, bean flours offer gluten-free and nutritious alternatives to wheat flour.
• Chickpea
• Lentil
• Soy

Un-Safe Starches:
• Wheat: including Kamut, spelt, semolina, triticale,
• Rye
• Barley (including malt)

Beyond the foods that we eat, we need to be aware that gluten is contained in many other products. Wheat is commonly used as a thickener, a stabilizer and a texture enhancer, It is also added to many non-food products. Products may contain gluten as a filler, binder or texture enhancer and therefore they need to be eliminated from your gluten-free lifestyle.

Gluten Sources That You Might Not Think ABout:
• Chapstick, Lipstick
• Dairy Substitutes
• Licorice
• Malt or malt flavoring
• Modified food starch
• Playdough
• Brewers Yeast
• Prepared cake frosting
• Soy Sauce
• Medications (esp. in tablet form: Over the counter, prescription, and herbal supplements)
• Toothpaste
• Salad Dressing, Soups, Gravy (Malt Vinegar /wheat)
• Seasonings
• Malted Beverages
• Communion Wafers
• Vitamins

If the ingredient list does not contain gluten, it does not mean the product is gluten-free. Cross-contamination may occur in the processing of food, for example, dusting a conveyor belt with flour. Ask the manufacturer about the product’s process and contamination possibilities. Many boxes are labeled with information about the production process, for example, that the factory also mills wheat products. You will need to make a decision about whether to risk eating the product.

Safe Additives and Ingredients:
• Artificial color and flavor
• Baking powder
• Baking Soda
• Carmel color
• Citric Acid
• Maltodextrin
• Mono and diglycerides
• Monosodium glutamate
• Natural color and flavor (Most are fine)
• Soy
• Vanilla
• Vinegar (except malt)

What to look for on labels:
• Always read ingredient labels
• For example, a number of Tea’s may contain barley
• If the food contains any of the ingredients on the hidden sources list, then you need to contact the manufacturer and ask them if the product is 100% gluten free:
o Modified Food Starch (In North America, most are GF)
o Natural Flavors (Most are Gluten Free)
o Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HPV)
o Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP)
o Dextrin
o Seasonings

BREAD

2008-08-26T21:36:00.001-07:00

I don't have any of my own pictures to post yet but this weekend I made my first loaf of gluten free bread. And the best part...its not as bad as it sounds, actually its really tasty.

I bought a bag of bread mix from Bob's Red Mill and thought I would give it a try and I'm happy I did. I just ordered some of their other products and can't wait to give them a try!

Thai Chicken Soup

2008-07-08T14:40:00.001-07:00

Thai Chicken Soup
(Adapted from Elana’s Pantry – Thank you!!)

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 shallots, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
8 sprigs cilantro, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
28 ounces coconut milk
1 tablespoon agave
½ pound crimini mushrooms
1 head broccoli
1 can of baby corn (strained and cut in half lengthwise)
1 pound chicken breasts skinless-boneless, halved lengthwise, sliced on bias, cut into 18 inch thick pieces
2 Serrano chilies
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
3 tablespoons fish sauce

Garnish (Optional)
Minced cilantro
Scallions
Lime wedges

~ Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
~ Add shallots, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, cilantro, stirring frequently until softened (about 2-5 minutes)
~ Stir in stock, coconut mil and agave and bring to a simmer
~ Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard solids (shallots, cilantro and red pepper flakes)
~ Return broth to saucepan
~ Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms and broccoli and cook until tender (2 to 3 minutes)
~ Add Serrano Chilies
~ Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink (1 to 3 minutes)
~ Combine lime juice, curry paste and fish sauce in a small bowl then stir into soup
~ Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, scallions and a lime wedge

(Elana, Thank you for letting me add this to my blog with my own adaptation of your Thai Chicken Soup. )

Quinoa Muffins

2008-07-08T08:39:00.001-07:00

Quinoa Muffins
(Makes 12 Muffins)

1 cup quinoa rinsed
¼ cup vegetable oil, such as safflower, plus more for pan
1 ½ cups all-purpose gluten free flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for the pan
½ cup almond flour
¾ teaspoon of xanthan gum
¾ cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ crasins
½ chopped nuts
¾ cup whole milk (I use soy milk)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

~ Preheat oven to 350°
~ In medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 1 cup water to boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, 11 to 10 minutes.
~ Meanwhile, brush a standard 12-cup muffin pan with oil; dust with flour, tapping out excess.
~In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, crasins, nuts and 2 cups cooked quinoa (reserve any leftover quinoa for another use)
~In a small bowl, whisk together oil, milk, egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined; divide batter amount prepared muffin cups.
~Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
~Cool muffins in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
~Store in an airtight container up to 5 days

Adapted from Martha Stewart: Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2008 pg. 142

Brownies

2008-06-30T13:32:00.001-07:00

Ok I'm not a huge brownie person. Usually its just way to much chocolate for me, so unless there is nuts or peanut butter in there, I'll pass. So yesterday when making the chocolate chip cookies again, I decided to try making brownies, and I must say they are pretty darn tasty...

Gluten Free Brownies

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces dark chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 cup chopped nuts

~ Preheat oven to 400°
~ Grease an 8-inch square baking pan
~ Chop the chocolate into small slivers
~ Cup up butter into small chunks
~ Combine the two flours together
~ Put the chocolate and butter into a glass bowl and melt them together in the microwave (30 seconds at a time and stir until completely melted)
~ In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and eggs, whisking vigorously until they are creamed together, with a silky consistency
~ Add the vanilla extract and salt and stir well
~ Mix in the flours and stir
~ Pour in the melted chocolate-butter mixture and stir,with a rubber spatula, until the mixture has become smooth
~ Pour the mixture into the greased pan
~ Smooth the top with the rubber spatula
~ Cook for 20-25 minutes
~ Cool and enjoy!

Flour-less Cake

2008-06-30T08:42:00.001-07:00

Saturday night was girls night (well Victoria, Martha and myself). Victoria made a great meal (Turmeric Chicken which will be posted up here at some point) with some strawberry-lemonade Martini's and for desert was flour-less chocolate cake with home made whipped cream.

Flour-Less Chocolate Cake

4oz Chocolate
1 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

~ Butter a 9inch cake pan and set aside
~ Set oven to 375°
~ Melt chocolate with butter either over a pan of simmering hot water or in the microwave (I vote for the second option)
~ Beat in sugar and add eggs
~ Whisk well
~ When mixture is well mixed, sift in cocoa powder
~ Whisk well
~ Pour mixture into buttered cake pan and bake for 25 minutes (check at 20)
~ Let cool and enjoy!

Thanks Victoria!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-06-26T18:44:00.001-07:00

Yay! Chocolate Chip Cookies...Gluten Free
I had a sweet tooth really badly the other day, and thought I would try some gluten free baking. Well the cookies didn't turn out very well, they were pretty much like hockey pucks. So last night I was determined to make them better, and they were. It was a success, to the point I did a happy dance in my kitchen.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup (stick) margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
2 cups chocolate chips

~ Heat oven to 375°
~ Mix sugars, butter, egg and vanilla in bowl. Stir in flours, Xanthan Gum, baking soda, and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.
~ Place rounded spoonfuls of dough about two inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
~ Bake cookies 8-10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft).
~ Cool and transfer from cookie sheet to wire rack.