Living Easy Gluten Free

A GF Delight

2011-01-24T22:54:00.008-05:00

The other day I went to the local bakery to pick up some pastries, and I was surprised and delighted to find that I longed for nothing there. I attribute this freedom to my home baking, which makes me feel so satisfied in mind and body: a true Celiac success story. I encourage you too to bake on a regular basis and make whatever you want. Almost all recipes can be adjusted to satisfy GF baking, and when you feel good apparently the "other stuff" really does lose its appeal. Who knew things could be so good?

The following are some cookie recipes that can be made in a 9"x13" dish or tin and cut into 50-60 pieces/bars. If you have a variety of choices available where you can take a small piece (or two) for dessert or a snack, it is fun, satisfying, and you really are not overindulging.

Wishing you good food, gluten free.

Geri Buxbaum
Founder, GF Delights

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter Bars
Mix together:
-1/2 stick soft butter--OK to use more for a richer bar
-1 cup raw sugar, or mix raw and brown sugar

Add:
-2 eggs
-3/4 cup peanut or almond butter

Mix in:
-1 cup rice flower and 1/2 cup coconut flour (if you do not have coconut flour--great for texture and taste!--make it all rice flour)
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/3 cup boiling water -- Add more to make a thick but pourable batter

Put batter in 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle with 1 cup (or more) GF chocolate chips (Ghiradeli 60% is great)

Bake for 5 minutes at 350˚F, remove from oven, and use a knife to swirl chocolate through the batter. Continue baking for about 30 minutes until lightly golden.

Cool and cut into 50 pieces.

Coconut Bars
Bottom Layer:
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
-1/2 cup raw or brown sugar
-1 1/4 cup flour--GF oat, white, or brown rice

Combine ingredients for bottom layer and pour into pan, 9 inch for thicker bars, 9x13 inch for thinner bars. Bake for 15 min in oven 350-375˚F.

Top Layer:
-2 eggs
-1 tsp baking powder
-3/4 cup sugar (OK to use a little less)
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 cup shredded coconut
-1/2 cup walnuts (or nuts of your choice)

Beat eggs and add in all other ingredients. Spread over lightly baked bottom crust and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool 20-25 minutes and cut into squares. Easier to cut when slightly warm.

Oatmeal Bars
Mix together:
-1 stick butter (OK to use less for a drier bar)
-3/4 cup raw sugar

Add and mix well:
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp ground cloves
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 cup rice flour
-1 cup GF Oatmeal
-1 cup coconut or chopped walnuts (your preference)
-1 cup raisins
-1/3 cup boiling water--should be pliable and thick. Use more water for desired consistency

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Cool and cut into bars. Easier to cut when slightly warm.

Optional: After cooling and before cutting into bars, make a drizzle icing of powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little liquid (water, milk, or cream).

Sugar Cookies
Cream together:
-1 stick butter (or 1/2 cup other fat)
-1 cup raw sugar (or 1/2 cup raw sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar)

Add and mix in:
-1 egg
-2 tsp GF vanilla
-2 Tbsp milk, cream, or water

Mix in and blend well:
-1 1/2 cups rice flour
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 tsp baking powder

Chill for one hour. Roll out and use cookie cutters, or drop by teaspoonful, or press into 9"x13" and cut after cooling (slightly warm) into 50-60 pieces. Bake in 400˚F oven for 8-10 minutes.

Options to add in or use as a topping:
-1 cup chopped nuts, 1 tsp cinnamon. If making a topping, add 1/2 cup sugar to mixture.
-1/2 cup raisins (this goes well with nuts and chocolate)
-2 ounces of melted chocolate or 1 cup chocolate chips. Can be added in or melted and drizzled on top
-1/2 cup or more of shredded coconut
-Pinwheel cookies: Divide dough in half, add melted chocolate or 2 heaping Tbsp of cocoa to one half. Roll out each half on parchment paper, place one half on top of the other, roll up together, and cut into 1/4" slices.

Our Newest Listed Restaurants and Bakeries!

2010-12-13T13:38:00.001-05:00

Il Capuccino Ristorante
30 Madison Street
Sag Harbor, NY
(631) 725-2747

Recommended by a reader! Il Capuccino offers award-winning Italian food in a cozy atmosphere. GF starters, entrees, and dessert available. Check out the wine list as well!

Par Delà Bakery
Stafford Springs, CT 06076
(860) 851-9830

Par Delà pies have been making quite the splash around Connecticut, and we'll tell you where to get them! Started by gluten-intolerant moms Sherri Seekins and Rachel Reindeau of Union, CT, the company aims to provide stunning, delicious baked goods to the GF community. While you won't find a physical bakery, you can find Par Delà pies and other products at the Tolland, CT and Ashford, CT Farmer's Markets, as well as many CT retailers. For more information, visit www.pardela-pies.com or find them on Facebook.

Anthony's Cheesecakes
71 Washington Street
Bloomfield, NJ
(973) 415-8885

All the cheesecakes are GF at Anthony's, which is new this winter to Broomfield. Choose between, chocolate, cherry, blueberry, chocolate Boston cream, white chocolate macadamia, baked cinnamon apple, caramel pecan, and pumpkin. Yum!

Easy Make-Ahead Meals

2010-10-15T16:59:00.012-04:00

Sassy Citrus and Sage Chicken

2 oranges
2 Tbs chopped shallots
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 Tbs chopped fresh sage, divided
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 whole roaster chicken (about 6 lbs)
1 sprig each fresh rosemary and fresh sage

1. Heat oven to 350˚F. Zest and juice oranges; reserve rinds. In small saucepan over medium heat, cook shallots in butter and 1 Tbs olive oil 2 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tsp chopped rosemary, 2 tsp chopped sage, garlic and wine. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; let simmer 5 minutes, or until reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2. In bowl, combine 1 Tbs orange zest and remaining olive oil, chopped rosemary and chopped sage. Season surface of chicken and inside cavity with salt and ground black pepper, if desired. Spread orange zest mixture over chicken. Place rosemary sprig, sage sprig, and reserved orange rinds inside chicken cavity; tie legs. Place chicken in roasting pan. Cover loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour. Remove foil. Roast 30 minutes more, or until thermometer inserted in thigh reads 175˚F, basting occasionally with 1/2 wine mixture. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Let sit five minutes before slicing.

3. Pour pan drippings into liquid measure; skim off and discard fat. Return drippings to roasting pan. Place roasting pan over medium heat on 2 burners. Add remaining wine mixture, stirring to scrape up brown bits. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes more, or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and ground black pepper, if desired. Serve sauce with chicken.

Forest Green Bean Salad

8 oz green beans, trimmed
1 bag (5.5 oz) salad greens
6 radishes, slices
1/2 cup each crumbled feta cheese, pitted olives and canned white beans
1 orange, zested and juiced
1/4 cup prepared oil-and-vinegar dressing
1 Tbs each chopped fresh chives and parsley

1. In saucepot of boiling salted water, cook green beans 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.

2. In bowl, gently toss green beans with next 5 ingredients.

3. In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/2 tsp orange zest and last 3 ingredients. Drizzle over salad.

Lemony Lentil Toss

7 oz whole red lentils
3 Tbs white balsamic vinegar
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
3 Tbs olive oil
1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced cucumbers
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 can (15 oz) white beans, rinsed and drained

1. Cook lentils according to package directions, until tender but still firm. Drain; rinse in cold water.

2. In bowl, whisk together vinegar, 1 Tbs each lemon juice and zest, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and ground black pepper, if desired.

3. Add peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and scallions; toss gently to coat. Stir in beans and lentils. Chill 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.

Macadamia-Crusted Salmon

1 salmon fillet (about 3 lbs)
1 cup crushed corn chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
2 Tbs each chopped fresh chives and fresh parsley
2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided
1/3 cup, plus 2 Tbs mayonnaise, divided
4 tsp Dijon mustard, divided
1 Tbs GF soy sauce (optional)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 Tbs chopped fresh dill

1. Heat oven to 425˚F. Place salmon on baking sheet. In bowl, combine corn chips, nuts, chives, and parsley. Season with salt and ground black pepper, if desired; set aside.

2. In bowl, combine 1 Tbs lemon juice, 2 Tbs mayonnaise, 3 tsp Dijon mustard and soy sauce, spread over salmon. Sprinkle corn chip mixture evenly over salmon; pat to adhere chip mixture to salmon. Roast 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with fork, covering loosely with foil if chips brown too much.

3. In bowl, combine sour cream, dill, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp lemon zest and remaining mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Serve dill sauce with fish.

Sugar Snap-Corn Medley

1 large ear corn on the cob
8 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup diced red peppers
1/3 cup diced white onions
1 Tbs each olive oil and butter
1 Tbs each chopped fresh chives, chopped fresh parsley and lemon juice

1. In a saucepot of boiled salted water, cook corn 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender, adding snap peas during the last minute of cooking. Drain peas. Let corn sit until cool enough to handle; cut kernels from cob.

2. In skilled over medium-high heat, cook peppers and onions in oil and butter 2 minutes, or until tender.

3. Add corn; cook 1 minute. Stir in snap peas, chives, parsley and lemon juice; cook 1 minute, or until heated. Arrange veggies on platter.

Chocolate-Raspberry Cake

1 box (18.25 oz) chocolate-fudge cake mix
1 1/3 cups cold strong-brewed coffee
3 cups heavy cream, divided
2 bars (4 oz each), bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 container (8 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pint fresh raspberries
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, substituting coffee for water. Divide batter among 3 greased and floured 9" round cake pans. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling rack; remove from pans. Let cool completely.

2. In small saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup heavy cream just to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and let sit 2 minutes, stir until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes, or until chocolate mixture is at room temperature, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, in bowl of electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and remaining heavy cream 4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Stir in vanilla extract. Place 1 cake layer on serving platter. Spread 1/3 cup chocolate mixture evenly over cake. Top with 1/3 cream cheese, 1/2 cup raspberries and 1/4 cup madarin oranges. Repeat layering once. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining chocolate mixture evenly over top of cake. Top with remaining cream cheese, raspberries and oranges. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

Dinner by Moosewood!

2010-09-20T22:40:00.004-04:00

Greek Stuffed Zucchini

Serves 4

Total time: about 1 hour

Zucchini

2 zucchini (10 inches long)

¼ cup dry sherry

Cinnamon Tomato Sauce

2 Tbs olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 Tbs tomato paste

3 ½ cups chopped tomatoes with juice (28-ounce can)

1 tsp minced fresh oregano (1/2 tsp dried)

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

2 to 4 Tbs dry sherry

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Filling

1 cup chopped onions

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 Tbs olive oil

¾ to 1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts*

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup currants

3 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 cups cooked brown rice

dash of olive oil (optional)

grated feta cheese

fresh oregano leaves (optional)

*Toast walnuts in a single layer on an unoiled baking tray at 350˚F for 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

2. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise. With a paring knife, score the flesh about ½ inch deep. Place the cut sides down on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the sherry and cover with foil. Bake for about 20 minutes, until yielding but still firm.

3. While the zucchini bakes, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and garlic, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, and sherry. Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.

4. While the sauce simmers, prepare the filling. Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. In a bowl, combine the sautéed onions with the walnuts, feta, currants, and lemon juice. Stir in the rice.

5. When the zucchini is tender, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving a thin ¼-inch shell. Chop the flesh and add it to the filling. Mound the filling in the shells and sprinkle with olive oil, if desired. Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot.

6. To serve, ladle some of the tomato sauce onto each plate. Place a stuffed zucchini on the sauce and top with grated feta. Garnish, if you wish, with oregano leaves.

Caribbean Sweet Potato Gratin

Serves 6 to 8

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Baking time: 60 minutes

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

1 ½ tsp freshly grated lime peel

2 Tbs fresh lime juice

2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

½ tsp dried thyme

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 ½ cups coconut milk*

4 cups peeled and sliced sweet potatoes** (1 ½ pounds)

1 cup cooked rice

1 ½ cups cooked black beans (15-ounce can, drained)

1 ½ cups fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed, and chopped

Topping

¾ cup cornmeal

1 Tbs vegetable oil

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp salt

* About 20 ounces. Most coconut milk comes in 14-ounce cans; store extra in the freezer in a sealed container.

** Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, then slice them thinly.

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

2. Combine the garlic, lime peel and juice, cilantro, thyme, salt, pepper, and coconut milk in a measuring cup. Pour one-third of this mixture into the prepared baking pan. Layer half of the sweet potatoes in the bottom, topped by half of the rice, half of the black beans, and half the spinach. Pour on another third of the coconut milk mixture and repeat the layers of sweet potatoes, rice, beans, and spinach. Pour the remaining coconut milk mixture over all.

3. In a small bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the gratin.

4. Bake, uncovered, for about 60 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven after 30 minutes to ensure uniform baking. When the potatoes are tender and the topping is crisp and golden brown, remove from the oven and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until the potatoes absorb any remaining liquid.

Polenta Cutlets With Olives

Serves 4 as a main dish, 8 as a side dish

Prep time: 30 minutes

Sitting time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes

½ cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

½ tsp salt

1 Tbs olive oil

¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)

8 to 12 pitted and chopped kalamata or other black olives

1 cup cornmeal

2 cups water or vegetable stock

¼ cup grated Parmesan, mozzarella, or provolone (optional)

1. In a saucepan, sauté the onions, garlic, and salt in the olive oil on medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions are golden. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the olives and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the cornmeal and stir just until the mixture is dry, less than 1 minute.

2. Slowly pour in the water or stock and stir briskly until the polenta thickens. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the polenta is creamy (see Note). Pour the polenta onto an oiled baking sheet or baking pans to about ¾-inch thickness. Spread with a rubber spatula for even thickness. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes. The polenta will thicken as it cools.

3. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

4. With a table knife, cut the polenta into squares, rectangles, diamonds, or other shapes. With a spatula, transfer the cutlets to a lightly oiled baking sheet and place them about an inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes. For a golden crust, turn the cutlets over, brush lightly with oil, and bake for 5 minutes longer or, if you like, sprinkle the cutlets with grated cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking.

5. Note: For cutlets, make thick polenta that can still be poured. The amount of water needed and the cooking time will depend on the cornmeal used. Finely ground cornmeal might be done after just a few minutes of simmering; coarsely ground and stone-ground cornmeal’s may need to simmer for up to 45 minutes. Add more hot water during cooking if the polenta becomes too thick.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Serves 6

Prep Time: 1 to 1 ¼ hours

Baking Time: 10 to 15 minutes

1 cup raw quinoa

6 medium bell peppers

3 Tbs olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

1 ½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp salt, or more to taste

1 cup peeled and diced carrots

¾ cup diced celery

1 cup diced zucchini

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 ½ to 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Lightly oil a baking pan.

2. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse well under running water. In a covered pot, bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and the water absorbed.

3. While the quinoa cooks, cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and, leaving the stems on, seed them. Brush the bell pepper shells with about 2 Tbs of the oil, inside and out. Place them cut side down on the prepared baking pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until softened and slightly browned, but not collapsed. When the bell peppers and roasted, reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F.

4. Meanwhile, in a skilled, warm the remaining tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions and garlic on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onions have softened. Stir in the cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, salt, carrots, celery, zucchini, and corn. Cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.

5. Combine the sautéed vegetables and the cooked quinoa and add salt to taste. Turn over the roasted pepper shells and spoon filling into each half. Sprinkle each bell pepper half with some of the grated cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

All recipes courtesy Moosewood Restaurant New Classics cookbook, 2001.

Sweeten Your Gluten-Free Easter with Chutney

2010-03-19T01:20:00.008-04:00

Homemade chutneys are a simple and wonderful way to jazz up your holiday ham!

More Gluten-free Easter recipes below:
-Baked Ham With Glazed Apricots
-Chardonnay Poached Salmon with Dill Dijon Whipped Cream
-Rum Buttered Glazed Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Scented Mascarpone
-Mini Frittatas
-Perfect Hash Browns
-Grand Mimosas

Simple Fig Chutney

2 pounds fresh figs, cleaned, stemmed, and halved
2 cups red wine vinegar
2/3 cups of sugar
2/3 cup water

1. Put water into a large pot over medium heat
2. Add sugar and stir until dissolved
3. Add figs and bring to a boil
4. Reduce to a simmer on low, partially covered, for an hour. The figs will reduce. The consistency should be thick, but not dense or dry. It will thicken up as it cools
5. After it cools, you may can the chutney or store it in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Apple Chutney

2 large tart cooking apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and chopped
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon allspice

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes
2. Uncover and simmer over low heat for a few minutes more to cook off excess liquid; let cool.
3. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
4. Makes about 2 cups.

Mint-Coriander Chutney

1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh coriander
5 cloves garlic
1” piece of ginger
2 green chillies
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp lime juice

1. Cut off roots from the coriander and any thick stalks from the mint and discard. You should now have enough coriander and mint to loosely fill 1 ½ to 2 cups with each of them.
2. Peel garlic and ginger and remove stalks from green chillies. Wash all these ingredients thoroughly.
3. Grind all the ingredients (including the salt) into a smooth paste in a food processor.
4. Chill and serve.

Baked Ham With Glazed Apricots

1 ready-to-eat ham with bone in (12 to 16 pounds)
Whole cloves, to cover the surface of the ham
¼ cup Dijon mustard (Heinz Dijon mustard is GF!)
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 cups apple juice
1 pound dried apricots
1 cup Madeira
Favorite GF mustards, for serving
Favorite chutneys, for serving

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Peel the skin from the ham and trim the fat, leaving about a ¼-inch layer to protect the meat. With a sharp knife score the fat in a diamond pattern.
3. Set the ham in a shallow baking pan, insert a while clove in the crossed point of each diamond, and pat the mustard evenly over the top and sides of the ham. Sprinkle the top with the brown sugar and pour the apple juice into the bottom of the pan.
4. Bake the ham for 1½ hours, basting frequently.
5. Meanwhile, combine the apricots and Madeira a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat.
6. At 30 minutes from the end of the baking time, add the apricots and their liquid to the roasting pan and continue to bake and baste the ham.
7. Transfer the ham to a large platter. Attach the apricots to the top of the ham with toothpicks. Skim the fat from the pan juices and pour the juices into a sauceboat. Accompany the ham with the mustards, chutneys, and pan juices.

Chardonnay Poached Salmon with Dill Dijon Whipped Cream

3 cups Chardonnay
3 cups water
1 lemon, sliced
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
10 juniper berries, crushed
3 bay leaves
1 stem fresh basil
3 fronds fennel
1 (2 ½ to 3 pound) salmon fillet, skin on
Olive oil
2 lemons, sliced for garnish
Dill Dijon Whipped Cream (recipe below)

Special Equipment:
2 (18 ½-inch or 10 ½-inch) foil pans; Pastry brush

Directions
1. Put the Chardonnay, water, lemon, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves, basil and 2 fennel fronds into a large saucepan. Place the pan over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let the liquid simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the fennel and basil and let cool.
2. Put the salmon into the foil pan and top with the remaining fennel frond. Pour the poaching liquid over the salmon. Cover the pan with foil and seal it tightly. Place the pan into the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil halfway through the cooking process and baste the salmon. Reseal and finish poaching. Remove the pan from the oven, remove the foil and brush the top of the salmon with the poaching liquid to remove any white bits.
3. When the pan is cool enough to handle place it over your sink. With a sharp knife, make a few punctures in the bottom of the pan to let the poaching liquid drain. Place the pan directly into the second pan to prevent dropping. Brush the salmon with olive oil, cover the foil, and refrigerate overnight.
4. To serve, cut the end off the foil pan and, with a spatula, slide the salmon onto a platter. Fan the lemon slices out along the top and garnish the sides with the dill. Serve with Dill Dijon whipped cream on the side.

Dill Dijon Whipped Cream

½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dill, chopped
Salt and pepper

Pour the heavy cream into a large bowl and, using an electric mixer on high, beat until soft peaks form. Add the mustard and continue to beat on medium for 1 minute. Fold in the dill and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a decorative bowl for serving. Yield: 1 cup.

Rum Buttered Glazed Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Scented Mascarpone

6 ounces unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ cup dark rum
1 ripe pineapple, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
9 ounces mascarpone
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
½ cup fresh blueberries

Directions
1. Melt butter, sugar, and rum in a small saucepan. Grill pineapple on both sides until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Spoon rum glaze over grilled pineapple.
2. Whisk together mascarpone and vanilla seeds, Top each slice of pineapple with a dollop of vanilla mascarpone. Garnish with a few fresh blueberries.

Mini Frittatas

Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
8 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces thinly sliced ham, chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
2. Spray 2 mini muffin tins (each with 24 cups) with nonstick spray. Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt in a large bowl to blend well. Stir in the ham, cheese, and parsley. Fill prepared muffin cups almost to the top with the egg mixture. Bake until the egg mixture puff and is just set in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittatas from the muffin cups and slide the frittatas onto a platter. Serve immediately.

Perfect Hash Browns

2 large russet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable pil

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
2. Scrub the potatoes well and dry with paper towels. Poke several holes in them with a skewer to allow steam to escape. Place the poatoes on a small baking sheet and bake, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour.
3. Allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in a plastic bag with a resealable closure overnight.
4. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/3-inch dice. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onion to a small bowl. Add the vegetable oil to the skillet and heat until almost smoking. Add the potatoes and leave to form a crisp crust.
5. Do no disturb the potatoes until a crust is formed, about 5 minutes. Check to see if a crust has formed; if so, give a quick stir. If not, continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the crust has formed. With a spatula, turn over large chunks of the crusted potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until golden brown. Stir in the onion, season again with salt and pepper, and stir until the hash in heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Grand Mimosas

6 tablespoons orange liqueur (e.g. Grand Marnier)
1 bottle brut Champagne or sparkling wine
½ quart orange juice

Directions
To each Champagne flute, add 1 tablespoon orange liqueur. Add Champagne to fill 2/3 of each flute. Top glass of with orange juice. Serve.

A Gluten-Free Passover

2010-03-19T01:03:00.004-04:00

Passover is a major festival in the spring, observed and celebrated by Jews around the world, which involves abstaining from forbidden foods. It is a family holiday with different foods, the special meal of the Sedar, and dietary restrictions throughout the following week. Being GF only adds a little twist that can be overcome.

The question of what flour to use when it is generally accepted that only flour from matzoh can be used during Passover has to be answered on an individual basis. GF recipes will not include matzoh meal or matzoh flour because that is usually made from wheat. The Sephardic community considers rice and legumes as acceptable during Passover because these are the main articles of food in their geographic locations. Therefore, many of the following recipes will include these ingredients. Many of the following recipes were adapted from Classic Kosher Cooking for Sam Finkel.

On the Sedar table there is a Passover tray which has symbolic foods arranged and served during the course of the Sedar. All of these foods are GF.

The symbolic foods are:
1. Morar—bitter herbs, horseradish
2. Karpas—a vegetable (a potato, cucumber, lettuce, radish, or parsley)
3. Chazeret—a second more bitter vegetable
4. Charoset—a nut, apple wine mixture
5. Zeroa—the shankbone or neck or poultry, roasted
6. Baytza—a hard boiled egg

APPETIZERS

Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Tastes and looks exactly like chopped liver, yet far easier to digest

3 large onions, diced or thinly sliced
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 1-pound, 4-ounce can peas, drained
½-2/3 cup walnuts
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 hard-boiled eggs
tomatoes and cucumbers, sliced, for garnish

Sauté onions in oil until deep brown. (It is important for the onions to become a deep brown—without burning—in order for color to be the same as chopped liver.) Drain peas, thoroughly squeezing out liquid. Grind walnuts in a food processor or grinder. Add onions and process for an additional half-minute. Add peas and remaining ingredients and process with only a few on-off bursts until combined and smooth. Do not over-process. Serve on lettuce leaves. Yields 8 appetizers.

Chicken Salad Supreme in Orange Shells
This attractive salad is a great way to use leftover chicken. Ideal as an appetizer. An especially big hit with children if you turn the orange shells into “baskets,” making handles from strips of orange peel or colored pipe cleaners.

4 oranges
2 ½ cups cooked diced chicken
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 stalks celery, diced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon salt
whole blanched almonds, for garnish

Cut the orange into halves. With a grapefruit knife, hollow out fruit from peels. Chop fruit coarsely. Combine with remaining ingredients. Pile high in orange shells and garnish with almonds. Makes 8 orange “baskets.”

Variation
Combine chicken or turkey cubes with small green grapes (instead of oranges), thinly sliced celery, diced green pepper, coarsely chopped nuts, and mayonnaise. Pile high on a platter and garnish with small bunches of green and red grapes and parsley.

PASSOVER RECIPES

Gefilte Fish
Serves 8-10

Fish Stock:
Head and bones of fish
1 large onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ quarts water

Place all ingredients for fish stock into a large pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer while preparing gefilte fish.

Fish:
2 lbs of ground fish (carp, whitefish, pike, or a combination)
1 large onions, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon salt
4-5 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon pepper
3 eggs
2 tablespoons potato starch

Combine all of the ingredients for the fish, form into oval balls, drop into fish stock, cover and simmer over low heat for 1 ½ hours.

Serve with homemade mayonnaise or horseradish.

Homemade Mayonnaise
Why make your own mayonnaise when it’s so readily available? Because there’s nothing like the special taste of homemade mayonnaise without preservatives or additives. It transforms a simple salad into a delicacy. Refer to “Variation” of Homemade Horseradish (see following recipe) for a delicious sauce.

2 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups pure virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

Mix eggs, mustard, sugar, and salt in a blender or food processor for about 4 seconds. Then, while motor is running, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture thickens. Stop motor and stir in vinegar by hand. Cover and refrigerate. Yields 2 ¾ cups.

Homemade Horseradish
Horseradish and gefilte fish are almost inseparable companions. The combination originated in Russia, but today it is savored by the Jews of many countries. Gefilte fish is served without horseradish or Rosh Hashanah, when many people avoid sharp or bitter foods and only eat sweet foods to symbolize a sweet year to come. The beets not only add color, but they make the wild root milder.

1 8-ounce horseradish root
4 medium beets, peeled and cooked
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

Peel horseradish root. Grind horseradish and beets in a food processor or blender until fine. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into jars, cover, and refrigerate. Can be frozen (leave 1-inch space at top of jar for mixture to expand).

VEGETABLES

Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups
Sweet potatoes—also known as yams—are far more perishable than regular white potatoes. They are high in vitamin A. To keep from darkening after peeling, sprinkle with lemon juice. This is a festive way of serving sweet potatoes. It can be made the day before and heated before serving. Use the scooped-out orange pulp for fruit salad or fresh orange juice.

6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked
3 tablespoons margarine
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1 7 ½-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
6 oranges, cut into halves

Peel and mash sweet potatoes with margarine, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Stir in raisins and pineapple. Prepare orange cups by scooping out orange pulp or pressing out with the juicer, being careful to leave the shells intact. Pile hot mixture high in the orange shells. Place on a greased cookie sheet and heat in a preheated 350˚ oven for 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 12 orange cups.

Potato Shells
This is an attractive way of serving vegetables. It can be made ahead of time, then filled with cooked or creamed vegetables and heated just before serving. Lends a professional touch to your table.

2 ½ pounds potatoes, cooked, drained, and mashed
2 tablespoons margarine
salt and pepper, to taste
2 eggs, beaten

Combine all ingredients. Fill a pastry bag with mixture and squeeze to form 8-10 flat solid circles on a well-greased baking sheet. Pipe an additional circle on the edge of each circle to form a shell. Bake in a 375˚ oven for 15-20 minutes. Fill baked shells with hot seasoned vegetables—cooked peas, string beans, carrots, or as desired. Yields 8-10 2 ½-inch shells.

Variation
To form shells without using a pastry bag, place a small mound of mashed potatoes on a well-greased baking sheet. Hollow out center and smooth edges to form a shell. Bake as directed above. Fill with steamed or creamed vegetables.

Braised Brussels in Mustard Sauce
You can use any kind of prepared mustard in this recipe, from Dijon to good old French’s yellow. Serves four.

1 pound brussel sprouts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup minced shallots
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
1/3 cup water, divide
¼ cup mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut off the base of a sprout with a sharp knife. Slice a piece from one side of the sprout. Slice a piece from one side of the sprout. Place it cut side down and cut it crosswise into about 5 slices. Repeat with all the sprouts. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium for 1 minute. Add olive oil and swirl to coat skillet. Add shallots; sauté for 2 minutes. Sir in sprouts, salt (if using), and 3 tablespoons water; spread everything evenly across the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine mustard, brown sugar, and remaining water in a small bowl, stir until blended. Once sprouts have cooked for 5 minutes, pour mustard mixture over them and stir. Reduce heat to low, cover, cook for 3 minutes, then stir. Remove from heat or, if you prefer, cook for 5 minutes more—the sprouts will get browner and more intensely flavored. Serve hot or warm with black pepper.

Roasted Potato Medley
Serves six.

2 sweet potatoes
4 Yukon Gold potatoes
8 new potatoes
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes. Scrub the new potatoes and cut into cubes. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Add enough lightly salted water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for potatoes for 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a large nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with tarragon, salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes until browned and crisp, about 25 minutes.

DESSERTS

Pesach Coconut Cake
A chocolate cake with a thick layer or coconut. A real favorite for Pesach.

6 eggs, separated
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups shredded coconut
3 tablespoons oil
½ cup potato flour, sifted
¼ cup sweet red wine
1/3 cup cocoa

Beat egg whites until frothy, gradually adding ¾ cup of the sugar. Beat until they hold stiff peaks. Divide beaten egg whites into 2 equal parts. Fold coconut into 1 of the parts. Beat egg yolks with remaining sugar until light and thick. Stir in oil, potato flour, wine, and cocoa. Fold in the portion of the egg whites without coconut. To create a sandwich effect, pour ½ of the cocoa mixture into a 10-inch springform, or tube pan. Pour egg white-coconut mixture on top, spreading evenly. Spread remainder of cocoa batter evenly over coconut mixture. Bake in a preheated 350˚ oven for 45-50 minutes. Let cool, and frost with Continental Chocolate Icing. Serves 10-12.

Continental Chocolate Icing

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons margarine, softened
2 tablespoons Sabra liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt chocolate and margarine over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in Sabra liqueur and vanilla extract. Spread while warm.

Pesach Chocolate Nut Torte
A rich, delicious torte, made without matzo meal.

10 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt

Beat egg yolks until light and thick, adding sugar gradually. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. To egg yolk mixture, stir in melted chocolate, nuts, and salt. Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and old carefully into yolk mixture. Pour into a 10-inch tube pan, greased on bottom only, and bake in a preheated 350˚ oven for 1 hour. Invert to cool.

Chocolate Flake Potato Flour Sponge Cake
A sponge cake for those who don’t eat matzo meal on Pesach.

7-8 large eggs, separated
1 ½ cups sugar
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon or orange
¾ cup potato flour
1 packet vanilla sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, grated

Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add half of the sugar, and beat until they can hold stiff peaks. Set aside. In another bowl, without washing beaters, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar until light and thick. Stir in remaining ingredients except chocolate. Gently fold beaten egg whites into yolk mixture. Fold in grated chocolate. Pour into a greased, 10-inch tube pan. Bake in a preheated 350˚ oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and invert over neck of a bottle. When cool, spread with Orange Icing.

Orange Icing

3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons margarine
grated rind of 1 orange

Place cornstarch, orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Cook over low heat while stirring until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in margarine and orange rind.

Sachertorte
Adapted from the Frog Commissary Cookbook by Steven Poses, Anne Clark, and Becky Roller

Cake
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
8 ounces Unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract
1/3 cup potato starch
1 cup walnuts, very finely ground
8 egg yolks
8 egg whites
2/3 cups apricot jam

Icing
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons instant coffee
6 ounces Semisweet chocolate, chopped (don’t use chocolate chips)

Butter and flour 9” x 2 ½ spring form pan. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Melt chocolate and cool until lukewarm. Cream the butter, salt, vanilla, and sugar. Toss together the potato starch and walnuts. Add the egg yolks one by one to the butter sugar mixture. Stir in the chocolate and the nuts. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and stir ¼ of them into the chocolate mixture to lighten the batter, fold into the remaining egg whites. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for one hour. Let cool for 20 minutes and remove from pan. Push down the sides to be even with the middle. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack set over wax paper. The bottom is now the top. Cool completely.

Heat the apricot jam, push it through a sieve, and brush over the top and sides of the cooled cake. Let the glaze set for about 1 ½ hrs before icing the cake.

Snack Time Is Back!

2010-01-26T23:37:00.005-05:00

Who says being GF means you have to miss out on snack time? Try this yummy mix for an afternoon craving!

Chex® Chili and Garlic Snack Mix

8 cups Corn Chex® or Rice Chex® cereal
1 bag (3 oz) GF popcorn, popped
1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder

1. Heat over 300˚F. In a very large bowl, mix cereal, popcorn, and peanuts. Drizzle with oil; toss until evenly coated.

2. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients; sprinkle over cereal mixture. Toss until evenly coated. Spread cereal mixture in ungreased large roasting pan.

3. Bake, uncovered 15 minutes, stirring once. Spread on wax paper to cool, about 10 minutes. Store in airtight container for up to one week.

For more GF recipes from Chex®, click here.

GF Snack Lists: Gluten-Free Chips & Snack Foods

• Trader Joe’s: BBQ Chips; Blue Corn Tortilla Chips; Crunchy Curls; Hemp Tortilla Chips w/Black Sesame Seeds; Jalapeño Cheese Crunchies; Organic Baked Blue Corn Tortilla Chips; Organic Baked Nacho Tortilla Chips; Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips; Organic Corn Chip Dippers; Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips; Organic Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips, Round; Popped Potato Chips (Barbeque and Salted); Potato Chips; Red Bliss Potato Chips; Reduced Guilt Tortilla Strips; Restaurant Style Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips; Salsa Tortilla Chips; Sea Salt & Pepper Rice Crisps; Soy & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips (Spicy and Regular); Sweet Potato Chips; Vegetable Root Chips; Veggie & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips; White Corn Tortilla Strips; Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips; Lightly Salted Rice Cakes; Savory Thins (Original, Minis, Edamame, or Multiseed with Soy Sauce); Lundberg (found at Trader Joe’s) Organic Brown Rice Cracker; Buccaneer Joes White Cheddar Corn Puffs; Fat Free Caramel Popcorn; Gourmet White Popcorn; Kettle Corn (Regular and Lite); Lite Popcorn 50% Less Salt; Microwave Popcorn (94% Fat Free, Natural Butter); Reduced Fat Cheese Crunchies; Organic Popcorn with Olive Oil; White Cheddar Popcorn

For others, visit: http://www.traderjoes.com/labels_and_lists.html

• Frito-Lay: Their list of gluten-free products is huge! Visit http://www.fritolay.com/your-health/products-not-containing-gluten.html for more information.

• Kettle: All Kettle Brand ® Potato Chips (including Kettle Brand ® Baked, Organic, and Krinkle Cut Potato Chips) are gluten-free. Other products (including their tortilla chips), are not gluten-free.

• Herr’s: Potato Chips: Cheddar & Sour Cream; Crisp N’ Tasty; Lightly Salted; Honey BBQ; Jalapeño Kettle; Ketchup; Lightly Salted; Mesquite BBQ Kettle; No Salt; Old Bay; Old Fashioned: Original Kettle; Red Hot; Ripple; Russet Kettle; Salt and Vinegar; Salt & Pepper; all of the Corn and Tortilla Chips are free of gluten. For other GF Herr’s products, please visit: http://www.herrs.com/Products/AllergyInfo.html

• Snyder of Hanover: Many chip, crisp, and popcorn options! See the list at http://snydersofhanover.stores.yahoo.net/glfrprli.html.

Throw A Super Bowl Party!

2010-01-26T22:53:00.013-05:00

Anyone who’s been to one knows that a good Super Bowl party is as much about the food as it is about the game. In fact, after Thanksgiving, the Super Bowl rings in as the second largest day of food consumption for Americans. GF Delights has you covered for the big day with delicious recipes, as well as tips for making your Super Bowl party one to remember.

1. Limit the guest list. “The more the merrier” may sound like a good idea before you’re coordinating food for everyone and rearranging the living room. Try limiting your guest list to 10-20 people, and invite only people you really want to spend the time with—or at least ones that will be likely to help you with the big cleanup once the party’s over.

2. Involve a big screen, if possible. This may sound like an obvious tip for those who have offered to host, but the TV you know and love may not provide the optimal viewing experience. Consider setting up more than one TV, asking a friend to bring a second, smaller set, or renting a large screen TV. Big-screen TVs can be rented from audio/electronics companies, or regular rental places such as Rent-a-Center. If you do rent, be prepared to pay anywhere from several hundred dollars up to $1000.

3. Use the BYOB system. Most guests will have no problem with BYOB, especially if they want to be sure to have their favorite brew on hand. Still, be sure to stock with fridge with both GF- and non-GF brews for all to enjoy. You can also setup a cooler close to the couch, so as to avoid missing game time, and restock during halftime. Wondering what’s out there in terms of GF offerings? Check out our report on gluten-free beer, found here: http://gfdelights.blogspot.com/2009/06/good-beer-gluten-free.html

For those who don’t drink, but sure to have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages on hand.

4. Setup a food station. Whether you’re sticking to finger foods or setting up a make-your-own taco station, keep the bulk of the food apart from the couch and TV setup (with the exception of snack mix and nuts!). That way those who want food will be able to get some without disturbing those watching the game, and you’ll be contain some of the party mess to one food area. Make it fun! Try a build-your-own ice cream sundae bar, complete with toppings like nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, and chocolate syrup (always remember to check the labels!)--and have a selection of GF ice cream brands on hand (see a great list here).

5. Don’t forget the fun stuff! If you’re feeling festive, decorate your house with the colors of the team you’re rooting for—a great way to get even non-football fans involved. Many party supply stores also sell football and Super Bowl-themed decorations. For use during game time, buy a couple of square foam pieces (available at any fabric or craft store) to be used as “bad-call bricks,” to be chucked at the TV by frustrated guests, without the damage.

Fancy Quesadillas

1 medium fresh Anaheim pepper or one 4-ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained

1 ½ cups shredded asadero, Chihuahua, or Monterey Jack cheese

6 8-inch GF corn tortillas*

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

½ cup chopped, seeded tomato (1 small)

3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro, oregano, or basil (optional)

Guacamole (optional, see recipe above)

Salsa Fresca (see recipe in our salsa article!)

1. If using Anaheim pepper, halve it lengthwise; remove the seeds and the membrane. Cut the pepper into thin slivers.

2. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the cheese over half of each tortilla. Sprinkle peppers, chicken, tomato, green onions, and cilantro over cheese. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently.

3. In a large skillet or on a griddle, cook quesadillas, two at a time, over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove quesadillas from skillet and place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 300˚F oven. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.

*Gluten-Free Corn Tortilla and Tortilla Chips Brands & Products

• Mission: Corn Tortillas; Corn Tortilla Chips; Taco Shells; Tostadas; Corn Gorditas; and Sopes

• Frito Lay: Baked! Tostitos Scoops Tortilla Chips, Sabritas Rancheritos Flavored Corn Chips, Sabritas Turbos Flamas Flavored Corn Chips, Santitas White Corn Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips, Santitas Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Bite Size Rounds Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Crispy Rounds Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Natural Blue Corn Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips, Tostitos Natural Yellow Corn Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips

See more at http://fritolay.com/your-health/for-special-dietary-needs.html

Restaurant-Style Buffalo Chicken Wings

Yields 10 chicken wings

Oil for deep frying
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 dash ground black pepper
1 dash garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 chicken wings

1. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375˚F (190˚C). The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep. Combine the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.

2. In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in a large nonporous glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.

3. Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown. Remove from heat, place wings in serving bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together. Serve.

Spicy, Salty, Sweet Roasted Mixed Nuts

From ivillage.com

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon dried mint leaves

1 tablespoon sumac (can be found in Middle Eastern stores) or sweet paprika

¼ cup brown sugar

2 large egg whites

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut (check the label to make sure it’s GF)

6 or 7 cups mixed nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts)

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the egg whites. In another bowl, add the egg whites and whisk until very soft peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add to the nut mixture and coat well. Place the coated nuts onto 2 baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, remove, turn the nuts with a spatula, and rotate the pans, putting the bottom pan on the top rack. Return for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and the shredded coconut is a deep golden color (but not burned).

3. Remove from heat and don’t stir more often than needed, or the spices won’t adhere well. When completely cool, place in individual bags or in an airtight container. Nuts can be stored 5 days in an airtight container.

Potato Skins with Cheddar and Bacon

From ivillage.com

4 servings

4 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed

7 oz bacon, rind removed, cut into sticks (check the label to make sure it’s GF)

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

½ cup whole milk

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Prick the potato skins all over with a form. Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes, until tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F (180˚C).

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a frying pan over medium-high heat about 4 minutes until golden. Add the shallots and cook until they soften, about 1 minute more.

3. Slice off the top third of each potato, horizontally. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh into a large bowl. Reserve the hollowed-out skins and place in a lightly oiled baking dish.

4. Mash the potato with a potato masher. Add the milk and butter, and beat until smooth. Stir in the Cheddar and bacon mixture along with the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Spoon and mixture back into the potato skins and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and golden on top. Serve hot with extra chipped parsley sprinkled on top, if desired.

Easy GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

¾ cup butter, softened

1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

1 egg

2 ¼ cups gluten-free baking mix (try Arrowhead Mills, Pamela’s, WOW Baking, NOW Foods, or Bob’s Red Mill)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Prepare a greased baking sheet.

2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Gradually add replacer eggs and vanilla while mixing. Sift together gluten- free flour mix, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the butter mixture until blended. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Using a teaspoon, drop cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Simple Salsas (Guac, too!)

2010-01-26T22:44:00.012-05:00

Delicious salsas are never out of season!

Salsa de Chile Chipotle

3 dried chipotle peppers or 3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, rinsed, drained, seeded, and finely chopped

6 to 8 tomatillos or one 11- to 12-ounce can tomatillos, rinsed and drained

¼ cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1. Cut open dried peppers; discard stems and seeds. Place peppers in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to soften. Drain well. Cut peppers into tiny pieces.

2. Meanwhile, remove husks from fresh tomatillos; rinse. Finely chop the fresh or canned tomatillos (you should have about 2 cups). In a medium bowl, combine pepper pieces, chopped tomatillos, onion, thyme, garlic, brown sugar, and salt.

3. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve as a dip for chips or as a condiment for grilled meats, hot dogs, burgers, steaks, or poultry. Makes about 1 ½ cups.

4. Make-ahead directions: Spoon the salsa into a storage container. Cover and chill for up to 1 week.

Salsa De Mango

1 ½ cups chopped, peeled mango, papaya, peaches, plums, and/or pineapple

½ cup chopped red or green sweet pepper

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro or parsley

2 tablespoons lime juice or lemon juice

1 to 2 fresh jalapeño or Serrano peppers, seeded and finely chipped, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Anaheim peppers

1. In a medium bowl, stir together fruit, sweet pepper, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeño peppers. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

2. Serve as a dip for chips or as a condiment for tacos, quesadillas, burgers, steaks, chicken, or fish. Makes about 2 cups.

3. Spoon the salsa into a storage container. Cover and chill for up to 2 days.

Guacamole

2 ripe medium avocados (about 12 ounces total), halved, seeded, and pulp scooped out and cut up

1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice

½ cup chopped, seeded tomato (1 small)

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

1 to 2 fresh Serrano or jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1/3 teaspoon salt

Chopped tomato (optional)

1. Place avocado pulp in a medium bowl. Using a fork, mash the pulp with the lime juice (mixture will be slightly chunky).

2. In a food processor or blender, combine tomato, onion, cilantro, and serrano pepper. Cover and process or blend until finely chopped.

3. Stir tomato mixture and salt into mashed avocados until combined. Spoon into a serving dish. Let stand about 30 minutes for flavors to blend. If desired, garnish with additional chopped tomato. Makes about 2 ½ cups.

What's Cooking For Breakfast II

2009-11-02T01:29:00.004-05:00

Two great breakfast muffin recipes!

CORN CAKES
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a griddle. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Cook large spoonfuls of batter on griddle. Turn to cook on both sides.

• Beat together: 2 Eggs, 1 Tbs. oil, ½ cup liquid (milk, water, other.)
• Mix together and add to above:
1 C Cornmeal
1/2 cup rice flour
1 tsp GF baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Dash of salt
1 cup corn (frozen or canned)

• Add a little more liquid if you want a thinner batter.

• Serve with applesauce, maple syrup, or a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream.

BANANA RAISIN-NUT MUFFINS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 standard muffin pan cups or use liners.

• Beat: 2 large eggs
• Add: ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) or oil
3/4 cup sugar (Raw sugar if available.)
1 T. GF vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon and ½ tsp. allspice or cloves.
• Add and mix in: 1 cup butter milk, or yogurt, or sour cream.
• Mix together: 1 ½ cups brown rice flour ( or ¾ c. white rice flour & ¾ c. brown rice flour for a lighter muffin) ¾ tsp. salt,
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda,
• Add and mix in: 2 large mashed bananas.
½ cup raisins
½ -3/4 cup walnuts (pecans or other preferred nuts.)

Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake 15 -18 minutes.

When the muffins cool sometimes I like to drizzle on a little icing made with ½ cup confectionary sugar and cream (or milk) and 2 tsp. of vanilla or almond extract. Your choice to drizzle a little or a lot.

GF Dessert Spotlight: Crème Brûlée

2009-11-02T01:09:00.004-05:00

Make an elegant (and delicious!) statement with crème brûlée. This sophisticated French dessert is naturally gluten-free, and best of all, simple even for even a novice pâtissier.

Some tips when making crème brûlée:

• Heat eggs and milk or cream just to the point where they set and become perfectly smooth and creamy. If the custard exceeds a certain temperature the egg proteins will shrivel into tiny lumps, giving the custard a hard, dry, grainy consistency.

• A water bath, also known as a bain-marie, is the cook’s principal means of managing heat during the cooking of custards. Baking a dish of custard in a larger pan of water partially insulates the custard from the oven’s heat and thereby protects it from overcooking. To bake custards in a water bath, choose a pan large enough to accommodate the cups comfortably. They should not touch one another or the pan sides. Set a cake rack in the pan or cover the pan bottom with a dish towel or several layers of paper towels; the rack or towel(s) will prevent the custards from coming into direct contact with the hot pan bottom. Arrange the custards in the prepared pan, place the pan on a rack in a preheated 325˚F oven, and immediately pour enough scalding-hot tap water into the pain to come one-half to two-thirds of the way up the sides of the custard dishes. By pouring the water into the pan after setting the pan in the oven, you are able to keep the pan steady and prevent splashing water into the custards.

• In testing for doneness, gently shake a cup, and remove the custard from the oven as soon as the center appears quivery, like firm gelatin. Or insert a knife near the edge of the cup; if the blade comes out clean, the custard will be set all the way through when cooled—there is sufficient stored heat in the cups to finish the cooking process. Remove the custards from the pan and cool on a rack. Test them at the centers. If they are as well done as at the edges, set the cups in ice water at once to stop further cooking.

Maple Crème Brûlée

from The Joy of Cooking

A classic recipe with a twist!

2 cups heavy cream

8 large egg yolks or 4 large eggs

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

¾ teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Heat the 2 cups of heavy cream almost to a simmer. Simultaneously stir the eggo yolks (or large eggs) with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl until just blended.

2. Gradually stir in the cream. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla.

3. Pour into four 6-ounce or six 4-ounce custard cups or ramekins and place in a water bath

4. Set the pan in the oven and set the oven temperature at 325˚F. Bake until the custards are set but still slightly quivery in the center when the cups are gently shaken, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the custards from the water bath and let cool to room temperature.

5. Cover each one tighly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, and up to two days. Shortly before serving, gently blot any liquid that has formed on the surface. Sprinkle with sugar to form a thin layer and place under a low broiler. Watch carefully; it will caramelize quickly. Remove and serve promptly.

Pumpkin Crème Brulée

Perfect for fall

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup sugar, plus extra to carmelize top layer

¼ cup brown sugar

8 large egg yolks

1 cup canned 100% pure pumpkin

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine cream and sugars. On stovetop, cook until dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Using mixer with whisk attachment, whisk eggs on high for 2 minutes, until lemon colored. With mixer on low, add ¼ of the cream mixture, mix properly, and then continue to slowly add the rest of the cream in small batches.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to the cream and egg mixture, and mix thoroughly with a spoon.

4. Place 8 custard cups or ramekins in a water bath (as described above). Place in a preheated oven and cook for 50-55 minutes, or until the crème brulée is set. Refrigerate overnight.

5. Remove from fridge and place ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar evenly on top of each Crème Brulée. To caramelize the sugar, either use a kitchen torch or broil in oven.

6. After caramelizing sugar, let cool for five minutes before serving.

Scrumptious, Satifying Soups

2009-11-02T01:01:00.000-05:00

Fall is a wonderful time for warm, soothing soups, and for celiacs looking for a good home-cooked meal, few options are come by as naturally. Soup’s versatility (ingredient-wise) makes it a particularly good option for those who are gluten-free, and its low-maintenance approach means that practically anybody can make great soup!

It’s true, soups can require a bit of patience, although there are plenty of soups that can be made quickly (see our Chicken, Avocado, and Tomato soup, below). The trick is to have all of your ingredients on hand, and to look thoroughly through your recipe before you begin so you know what’s ahead of you.

If you don’t have time to make your own stock, you may certainly use store-bought stock or broth (do, however, check the label thoroughly—sometimes gluten-containing additives make their way into these products!). If you have the time, however, using homemade stock will simply transform your soups! We’ve included a recipe for poultry stock, below, as required by some of our recipes. Homemade stocks can keep 3-4 days in the fridge, or can be frozen (incredibly!) for up to 6 months. Make your homemade stock in advance to cut down on your soup’s start-to-finish time.

Poultry Stock
About 10 cups

Combine in a stockpot over medium heat:
3 to 4 pounds poultry parts
Cold water to cover
Bring slowly to a boil, reduce the heat at once, simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes, skimming often. Add:
1 onion, quartered
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
8 black or white peppercorns
Several sprigs of fresh dill
2 whole cloves (optional)
Simmer, partly covered, for 3 to 4 hours, adding water to cover, if necessary, and skimming. Strain and cool uncovered, then refrigerate covered. Remove the fat when ready to use.

Making a bouquet garni
If you don't have fresh dill (or even if you do), creating a bouquet garni is a more involved, but wonderful, alternative. A bouquet barni is a bundled mixture of vegetables, herbs, and spices that is used to flavor soup, stock, and sauces. The bundle is removed before the soup, stock, or sauce is used. If you have fresh herbs available to you,
Bunch together:
3 or 4 sprigs parsley
1/3 to ½ bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1 leek, white portion only (optional)
2 wholes cloves (optional)
Bind tightly with kitchen string.

Don’t have fresh herbs to use? Wrap dry herbs—coarsely crumbled but not powdered, in 4-inch squares of cheesecloth tied into pouches. They may be stored in a tightly covered container for up to a month.

Yields 12 bags:
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
12 bay leaves
2 tablespoons dried celery leaves

Pumpkin Soup
About 5 cups

Heat in a soup pot over medium heat:
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
Add and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes:
1 cup minced onions
½ cup minced celery
Stir in:
3 cups canned pumpkin or 2 pounds fresh pumpkin, cooked
3 cups GF poultry stock or vegetable stock (McCormick, Herb Ox, and Pacific are all GF)
1 tablespoon sugar or 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)
Heat through, but do not boil. Puree and reheat.

Chicken, Avocado, and Tomato Soup
5 cups

Bring to a boil in a large saucepan:
4 cups poultry stock
Stir in just before serving:
1 cup cooking chicken, shredded or diced
Garnish with:
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
¼ cup diced yellow or sweet onion
¼ cup diced tomatoes
2 red radishes, slivered (optional)
Season with:
Salt and pepper to taste

Mediterranean White Bean Soup
About 6 cups

Soak:
1 cup dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini, rinsed
Drain and place in a soup pot, along with:
¾ teaspoon dried rosemary
8 garlic cloves, chopped or sliced
7 cups water
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the beans are tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours. Stir in and heat through:
½ cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Corn Chowder
About 6 cups

Cook, stirring, in a soup pot over medium-low heat until beginning to crisp, 10 to 15 minutes:
4 slices GF bacon, chopped (many brands are GF, but check the label; Oscar Meyer, Boar's Head, Hormel, and Applegate Farms bacon are all GF)
Leaving the bacon in the pan, spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add and cook, stirring, under tender and slightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes:
1 small onion, chopped
2 medium celery ribs, diced
Meanwhile, remove the kernels from:
6 small ears corn
Set the kernels aside and add the cobs to the pot, along with:
4 ½ cups milk
2 medium potatoes, diced
Submerge the corncobs in the milk. Bring the milk almost to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cobs. Stir in the reserved corn kernels, with:
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon white or black pepper
Simmer gently until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. With a slotted spoon, remove 1 ½ cups solids from the soup and puree until smooth. Return to the soup and add:
1 tablespoon butter
Let stand until the butter is melted, then stir and serve.

Host A Wine & Cheese Party

2009-09-25T10:24:00.005-04:00

An elegant wine and cheese party can be a fun and memorable event for both celiacs and non-celiacs alike! Arranging a wine paring party may sound daunting, but the experience can be guided by your own tastes and interests. With tasting parties, the possibilities are nearly endless, and your own creative touch is the key to success!

Whether you stick to a particular wine region or to one type of cuisine, creating a theme for the party can help focus your event and give your guests a unique experience. One popular approach to this type of party is a wine and cheese party.

White to Red, Light-bodied to full-bodied
Although conventional wisdom continues to dominate ideas about wine tasting and pairing, the rules are changing. No longer is it unacceptable to have a full-bodied red with a fish dinner, or to forget food altogether and enjoy wine all by itself! While you should feel free to go by your own preferences and instincts, there are some guidelines that may enhance your tasting experience.

Take A Good Look
Taking note of a wine’s shade, brilliance, and overall appearance are the first steps in a wine tasting. To get a good look at your wine, tilt your glass forward and look at the color of the wine against a white background(make particular note of the color at the very edge of the wine—it will be lighter—this is the true color of the wine). Is the wine cloudy, clear, or brilliant? Does the wine appear young or old? (Typically, younger wines will have much deeper colors.)

Use Your Nose
All that swirling and sniffing isn’t just for show—it’s a powerful tool that will help you discover the wine’s character. To sniff your wine effectively, keep the glass on the table (especially if you’re new to swirling) and rotate it several times so that the wine swirls around the inside of the glass and mixes with air. Only swirl a glass that’s half-full or less.

Immediately after swirling, place your nose into the airspace of the glass and smell the wine. This is the time for you and your guests to jot down your first impressions of the wine—but sure to offer everyone tasting sheets with information about the wine and extra space to record their observations. There’s never a “wrong” answer when it comes to wine, only different experiences. Consider using a wine aroma wheel at the party to help your guests identify what they’re smelling
(http://www.ccaws.net/Articles/AromaWheel.jpg).

At Long Last—The Sip
After you’ve looked at it and smelled it thoroughly, you may finally sip your wine! Take a medium-sized sip and hold it in your mouth. As you hold the wine over your tongue, draw in some air through your lips. Then, swish the wine in your mouth—get a good feel for its body and character. Finally, you may swallow it (you may have guests who would like to taste the wine without actually consuming any; for this reason, you should have some type of spitting cup or bowl present).

What Do You Feel and Taste?
Is the wine sweet, or dry? How present is the wine’s acidity? Is the wine firm, soft, crisp? Is it light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied? These are some good questions for you and your guests to think about as you enjoy your wine tasting. But of all the questions, perhaps the most important one to ask yourself is, “Do I like it?” The true emphasis of the party should be on enjoying the wine—and being your own judge.

Enjoying Wine With Cheese
People have long enjoyed wine with cheese together because of the way they enhance one another. The following suggestions for wine/cheese pairings are first grouped by different grapes, and then by the wines created with grape blends.

Cheese by itself is GF, but occasionally the mold that grows on some cheeses—particularly blue cheese—can contain gluten because of the way it was produced. These days, the mold for blue cheeses is often grown on synthetic products (as opposed to loaves of bread), but not always, and Celiac consumers should be wary of consuming blue cheese.

GRAPES

Cabernet Sauvignon
Camembert (France, soft)
Sharp Cheddar (England, semi-hard)
Danish Blue (Denmark, semi-hard)

Chardonnay
Bel Paese (Italy, semi-soft)
Brie (France, soft)
Bucheron (France, soft)
Cambazola (Bavaria, soft-ripened)
Cotija (Mexico, semi-hard)
Gruyere (Switzerland, hard)
Jarlsberg (Norway, hard)
Kasseri (Greece, semi-soft)
Parmigiano-Reggiano (Italy, hard)
Pecorino (Italy, hard)
Provolone (Italy, semi-hard)

Gamay (as found in Beaujolais)
Brie (France, soft)
Camembert (France, soft)
Cheddar (England, semi-hard)
Emmentaler (Switzerland, hard)
Feta (Greece, soft)
Kasseri (Greece, semi-soft)
Morbier (France, semi-soft)
Muenster (France, soft)
Raclette (France, hard)

Gewürztraminer
Boursin (France, soft)
Chevre (France, semi-hard)
Garrotxa (Spain, soft)
Muenster (France, soft)
Pecorino-Romano (Italy, hard)
Swiss (U.S., hard)

Grüner Veltliner
Chimay (Belgium, soft)
Double Gloucester (England, semi-hard)
Muenster (France, soft)
Livarot (France, soft)

Malbec
Cashel Blue (Ireland, semi-soft)
Iberico (Spain, hard)
Manchego (Spain, hard)
Taleggio (Italy, soft)

Merlot
Camembert (France, soft)
Gouda (Holland, semi-hard)
Gruyere (Switzerland, hard)
Pecorino Toscano (Italy, hard)
Roncal (Spain, hard)

Muscat
Crème Fraiche (France, soft)
Marscapone (Italy)
Valdeon (Spanish, soft)

Pinot Noir
Light Cheddar (England, semi-hard)
Chevre (France, semi-hard)
Comté (France, semi-hard)
Edam (Netherlands, semi-hard)
Gouda (Holland, semi-hard)
Gruyere (Switzerland, hard)

Riesling
Chesire (England, semi-hard)
Colby (U.S., semi-soft)
Cotija (Mexico, semi-hard)
Gouda (Holland, semi-hard)
Monterey Jack (U.S., semi-hard)
Swiss (U.S., hard)

Sauvignon Blanc
Amarelo
Brie (France, soft)
Sharp Cheddar (U.S., semi-hard)
Cheshire (England, semi-hard)
Derby (England, hard)
Double Gloucester (England, semi-hard)
Goat Cheese (France/varied, soft)
Gruyere (Switzerland, hard)
Neufchatel (France/U.S., soft)
Sonoma Jack (U.S., semi-hard)

Viognier
Goat (France/varied, soft)
Livarot (France, soft)

Zinfandel
Asiago (Italy, hard)
Dry Sonoma Jack (U.S., semi-hard)
Goat Cheese (France/varied, soft)
Gouda (Holland, semi-hard)
Gruyere (Switzerland, hard)
Muenster (France, soft)
Zamorano (Spain, hard)

Champagne/Sparkling Wine
Baby Swiss (U.S., semi-soft)
Beaufort (France, hard)
Brie (France, soft)
Brillat-Savarin (France, soft)
Camembert (France, soft)
Chevre (France, semi-hard)
Gouda (Holland, semi-hard)
Langres (France, soft)

BLENDS

Bordeaux
Brie (France, soft)
Camembert (France, soft)
Havarti (Denmark, semi-soft)

Tawny-Port
Roquefort (France, semi-hard)

The Details
Set the scene—developing ambience is key! This is where you as the
host/ess can bring out your creative side. Do you envision a formal
setting with fine china, or a more informal gathering with a few close
friends? It’s all up to you! Consider the following touches to make your
event spectacular:

• Buy and send invitations to your guests—or better yet, make your own.
Sending invitations is a great way to set the party’s tone and to get your
guests excited about your event.

• Clearly label your cheese. There are many cute cheese marker sets on the market that can bring an elegant touch to your party (http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?itemId=14465). If you’d prefer not to buy them, make your own. Type up descriptions of the cheeses and print them on the bottom-half of a piece of cardstock. Fold the paper in half and place your pop-up descriptions next to the cheese.

• Print out tasting sheets. Many examples and templates can be found
online, such as this one:(http://www.wine-tastings-guide.com/wine-tasting-notes-template.html).

• Develop a rating system for the wines/wine and cheese pairings that is unique to the party. Have your guests compare notes throughout the event.

• Garnish, garnish, garnish! Garnishes are lovely touches, whether they are real flowers, paper, or leafy vegetables. Get creative!

• Light the scene, indoors or outdoors. White Christmas lights (occasionally available in the off-season) or paper lanterns (found at Cost Plus World Market, Target, etc.) can be instrumental in getting guests feeling good and in the mood.

• Don’t forget the music! If you’re stumped, ask your guests to submit three songs or artists they’d like to hear over the course of the night. With their suggestions, make a playlist and you’re set.

What's Cooking For Breakfast

2009-09-21T20:34:00.003-04:00

They say that breakfast is a very important meal. From what I hear people say, it really is very personal as to what you do about that first meal of the day. A lot depends on when, where, and even with whom you are eating. The question here is what to do about breakfast when you are Celiac. To answer that I like to think about what most people eat in the morning and how to have it gluten free. It gets back to basics and “Good Food-Gluten Free.” Here are some of my ideas for quick breakfasts, and I would love to hear from you with your suggestions for quick GF breakfasts.

Please check the individual sites of the companies mentioned to see their full line of GF products.

Quick Breakfasts: The days of grabbing a bagel or muffin at the local coffee spot may be gone, but we can still have bagels, muffins, waffles, cereals - hot or cold, or a “healthy cookie to grab when you are on the run. All of the following should go well with a quick cup of coffee, tea, or milk.

· Gluten Free Pantry – Muffin and Scone Mix – Add nuts, raisins, cranberries or any berry, to suit your taste.

· Erwhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal

· Gluten Free Pantry Sandwich Bread or Country French Bread, or Food For Life GF Bread. These could be the foundation for a quick grilled cheese – open faced or closed. Lightly butter the bread before cooking. Add a slice of tomato before cooking (pan, microwave, broil in oven) for extra taste and nutrition.

· Glutino Bagels - Plain, Cinnamon Raisin, or Sesame.

· Greek Yogurt topped with granola, homemade or Bakery on Main Nutty Cranberry Granola. They also have other combinations, but check to see if they are GF.

· Van’s Wheat Free Waffles. They are gluten free too.

· GF Oatmeal. Bob’s Red Mill and Gluten Free Oats are two companies I have ordered from. Oatmeal can be made in a large batch and frozen in individuals portions to be heated in the microwave for a quick hot meal.

Many GF commercially baked bagels, etc are a little dense for me, so I prefer to make my own baked goods to suit my taste of the week. When possible I try to purchase organic products, and always GF.

Muffins: (All measurements are within ranges, depending on your preference)

· Mix together (a food processer works well) 1/2 stick butter (OK to use more if you prefer) or ½ cup oil, and ¾ cup raw sugar.

· Add two eggs, 1-2 tsp vanilla ½ tsp cinnamon, a dash of salt.

· Add and mix in 1 ¾ cups rice flour (brown, white, half of each, some buckwheat flour for a denser texture.)

To this basic mixture you can add and mix in one of the following. Try different combinations each time you bake to suit your taste.

· Two bananas, ½ -3/4 C. walnuts, and raisins.

· ¾ cup Apple sauce and ¾ cup shredded unsweetened Coconut

· Juice of 2 lemons and 1 cup of blueberries.

The above can be baked as muffins or in an 8” square.

Bake in loaf or 8” square. Bake about 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

After it cools you can drizzle on a light icing; Mix together ½ to one cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp. of Vanilla or Almond extract, and a little milk, cream, or e even water to desired texture. Spread or drizzle before cutting into 9-12 pieces.

Oat and Walnut Cookies – Good with coffee, tea or milk.

· Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

· Cream together 6 Tbs, butter and ¾ cup raw and brown sugar - total.

· Beat in 2 eggs, 2 tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp. Allspice and ½ tsp Cinnamon, a dash or two of salt. ( In all recipes adjust the spices to your liking.)

· Add and mix in 1 cup rice flour, 2 tsp baking soda, and 1 cup rolled GF oats.

· Add ¾ chopped walnuts and ¾ C, raisins

Drop by teaspoons on baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes. Check for golden color. Cool and ice.(See above.)

Apple & Apricot Tea Loaf ( A food processor works well.)

· Beat together butter and sugar: ½ cup butter , ¾ cup brown sugar

· Add and beat in: 2 eggs, 1-2 tsp. Vanilla, a pinch of salt, ½ tsp Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. Allspice.

· Mix in 1 ½ cup rice flour (*) 1 ½ tsp baking powder.

· Add and mix in: 2 grated or chopped apples and 2 chopped apricots, and ¾ cup walnuts.

Bake in loaf or 8” square. Bake about 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

After it cools you can drizzle on a light icing; See above.

To wonderful, healthful, GF breakfasts!

Best,

Geri Buxbaum

Founder, GF Delights

GF Recipes from "The Silver Palate"

2009-09-01T21:22:00.006-04:00

Great for entertaining! All recipes from The Silver Palate, Workman Publishing Company, 2007.

MUSHROOMS STUFFED WITH WALNUTS & CHEESE
12 medium-size mushroom caps
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
5 ounces frozen chipped spinach, thoroughly defrosted and squeezed dry
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled
1 ounce Gruyère cheese, crumbed
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Remove the mushroom stems and save for another use. Wipe the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil and butter together in a small skillet, over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400˚F
4. Add the walnuts and garlic to the onion and cook for another minute. Add the spinach and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Stir in the cheeses, dill, salt, and pepper.
5. Arrange the mushrooms, cavity side up, in a baking dish. Divide the spinach mixture evenlty among the mushroom caps.
6. Set the baking dish on a rack in the upper third of the oven. Bake, until the filling is browned and the mushrooms are thoroughly heated, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Yields 12 mushrooms, 3 or 4 portions

MINIATURE LAMB KEBABS
These little kebabs liven up any party, whether an informal get-together or something more upscale. The marinade makes the lamb deliciously fragrant, savory, and tender.

Cubed lamb (1/4 pound per person)
Marinade for Lamb (recipe follows)
Cherry tomatoes
Green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch squares
Small white onions, peeled

1. Cut the lamb into ½-inch cubes and marinate overnight, covered and refrigerated.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. Remove the lamb from the marinade and drain on paper towels. Slide the cubes onto skewers (either metal skewers or wooden ones that have been soaked in water), alternating with 2 cherry tomatoes, a square of green pepper, and a small white onion.
4. Broil until done, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Other great skewer combinations:
-Shrimp and green grapes
-Melon and prosciutto with smoked turkey
-Apple chunks and ham
-Lime-marinted sea scallops and avocado chunks
-Cherry tomatoes and vinaigrette-marinated cubes of roast beef
-Swiss cheese cubes, ham cubes, and watermelon pickle

SEVICHE
2 pounds bay scallops
1 fresh hot red pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into julienne
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into julienne
½ small red onion, cut into julienne
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups fresh lime juice
½ cup fresh lime juice
2 avocados, peeled and cut into 16 slices, brushed with lemon juice, for garnish
Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. In a large glass bowl combine all the ingredients except the avocados and parsley for garnish. Toss gently but thoroughly being certain the scallops are well-coated with citrus juice.
2. Cover and refrigerate until the scallops lose their translucent appearance, at least 5 hours. Stir them occasionally during the marination.
3. Serve in individual bowls garnished with avocado slices and additional chopped parsley.
8 portions as a first course

TAPENADE DIP
½ cup imported black olives, such as alfonso or kalamata, pitted
¼ cup imported green olives, such as Sicilian, pitted
4 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons capers, thoroughly drained
2 tablespoons oil-packed tuna, drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry, or more to taste
¼ cup best-quality olive oil
¼ cup Homemade Mayonnaise (optional)

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE
Luscious and versatile, and ready in minutes. Use very high quality, fresh eggs.
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups corn oil or other vegetable oil, or best-quality olive oil

1. Combine the egg yolks, whole egg, mustard, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and half of the lemon juice in a food processor. Process for 1 minute.
2. With the motor running, dribble in the oil in a slow steady steam. When you have added all the oil, shut the motor off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
3. Taste the mayonnaise. Correct the seasoning if necessary; if you are using vegetable oil, you will probably need the remaining lemon juice. Scrape the mayonnaise into a storage container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. The mayonnaise will keep safely, if refrigerated, for at least 5 days. Let it return to room temperature before stirring and using.
3 cups

LAYERED VEGETABLE TERRINE
Three layers—tomato, leek, and white bean—combine in a rich, spicy, and satisfying pâté. Serve as is or garnished with Aïoli Sauce or Tomato-Basil Mayonnaise.

White Bean Layer
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canned white cannellini beans
¼ cup Basil Purée (see below)
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk

1. Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan or skillet over low heat. Add the onions, cover, and cook slowly until tender and lightly colored, about 20 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to the onions, and cook, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Rinse the beans and drain them well. Combine the beans, onion mixture, and basil purée in a food processor, the process until smooth.
4. Add the whole egg and egg yolk and process again until the eggs are completely incorporated. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.

Tomato Layer
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
4 medium-sized tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons Basil Purée (see note)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk

1. Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan or skillet over low heat. Add the onions, cover, and cook slowly until tender and lightly colored, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cut a small X in the bottom of each tomato and drop them into boiling salted water for 10 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon, drop them into a bowl of ice water, and let cool. The skins will peel off easily when the tomatoes are cool. Cut the peeled tomates into halves crosswise, scrape out the seeds, and squeeze out and discard the juice. Chop the tomatoes and add them to the onions. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring often, for 20 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, basil purée, tomato paste, chili powder, and salt and pepper, and cook until the mixture is very thick, 15 minutes or longer. Taste and correct the seasoning. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
4. Beat the whole egg and egg yolk together in a small bowl and stir into the tomat mixture. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Note: Basil Purée: Process or blend 7 cups washed and dried fresh basil leaves or 7 cups fresh parsley leaves and 1 tablespoon dried basil, with 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil. Cover and refrigerate.

Leek Layer
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups (about 8 medium-sized) thinkly-sliced, well-rinsed leeks, white part only
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk

1. Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan or skillet over low heat. Add the leeks, cover and cook slowly until very tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Add the curry powder, garlic, parsley, pepper, and salt, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
3. Beat the whole egg and egg yolk together in a small bowl, an stir into the cooled leek mixture. Cover and refrigerate.

To Complete the Terrine
2 carrots
6 thin asparagus spears
12 large leaves of green cabbage (avoid the coarse outer leaves)
Unsalted butter

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of ice water.
2. Scrape the carrots and cut them lengthwise into quarters. Drop them into the boiling water and cook until very tender but not mushy. Lift from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice water.
3. Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and drop the spears into the boiling water. Cook until tender, remove from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice water.
4. Drop the cabbage leaves into the boiling water and press with a spoon to be certain they are submerged and cooking. Blanch them until they begin to become translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove the cabbage leaves from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and drop them into the ice water.
5. When all the ingredients are cool, drain them and pat dry. Lightly butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf of bread pan. Trim the heavy ribs from the cabbage leaves. Line the loaf pan with the leaves, covering the sides, ends, and bottom, and overlapping the leaves slightly. Be sure you have 2 or 3 leaves left for the top of the terrine.
6. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the water bath.
7. Remove the leek, tomato, and bean mixtures from the refrigerator. Stir the leek mixture to be sure the ingredients are well combined and spoon it into the bottom of the loaf pan. Smooth with a spatula and arrange lengths of carrot on top.
8. Stir the tomato mixture and spoon it on top of the leek mixture, being arrange the asparagus spears on top of it.
9. Finally, pour in the bean layer and smooth it. Rap and loaf pan several times on your work surface to expel any air bubbles. Cover the terrine with the remaining cabbage leaves tucking the excess down the sides of the pan.
10. Wrap the loaf pan in aluminum foil and set it in a larger baking pan. Pour boiling water into the baking pan so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Set the pans on the center rack of the over and bake until the center of the terrine feels firm to the touch, 2 hours.
11. Remove the loaf pan from the hot water and unwrap it. Let it cool for 15 minutes, then weight it down by placing another loaf pan on top and putting a weight inside, such as canned good or coffee mugs, until completely cool. Remove the weights, cover, and chill thoroughly.
12. To unmold, dip the pan briefly into hot water and run a thin knife around the sides of the pan. Set a platter upside down over the terrine and invent; the terrine will drop out onto the plate.
13. Serve cold, sliced and garnished with any of the sauces suggested in the headnote.
8 to 10 portions as a first course

The Gluten-Free Birthday Party

2009-07-20T11:33:00.004-04:00

For kids with Celiac disease, having a carefree birthday party can be tough. Not only are the quintessential “birthday foods” often chock-full of gluten, but kids may also want to avoid feeling different on their special day. Additionally, parents are faced with the challenge of creating a safe party environment for both their own children and their guests. GF Delights has tips to make your child’s birthday a smooth and enjoyable affair.

The Preparation
Eliminate anxiety from the beginning—keep the food plans as simple as you can, and plan the birthday party in a way that keeps the focus on your child, not the food. Centering the party on an event or activity your child is truly excited about will get things going on the right foot.

The Activities
Birthday parties are a great time to get kids active—both physically and mentally. Consider locations such as parks, indoor jungle gyms/mazes, indoor/outdoor climbing walls—even museums with hands-on and interactive exhibits (e.g. “discovery” or “tech” museums). Try activities such as scavenger/treasure hunts, sports games (with teams and brackets), and classics like Capture the Flag. For birthdays in the hot summer months, try a super-soaker-themed party, set up a Slip N’ Slide, or have kids fill up balloons for a water-balloon fight. If you’re keeping things indoors, try setting up arts and crafts stations.

The Food
Perhaps the most worrisome part of ensuring a Happy Birthday is getting the birthday cake just right. Luckily, as awareness about Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity increases, more and more options become available for easy GF baking. Here are some of the mixes you’ll find both in markets and online:

Gluten-Free Cake Mixes
• Bob’s Red Mill: Chocolate
• ‘Cause You’re Special: Moist Yellow, Rich Chcolate, Golden Pound, Chocolate Pound, Moist Lemon
• Cherrybrook Kitchen: Chocolate
• Food-Tek: Minute Chocolate
• Gluten-Free Pantry: Old Fashioned Cake, Spice Cake, Gingerbread, Angel Food, Decadent Chocolate
• Glutino: Vanilla, Chocolate
• Kinnikinnick: Chocolate, White, Sponge, Angel Food
• Pamela’s: Chocolate, Vanilla
• Namaste: Spice/Carrot
• Really Good Food: Golden, Chocolate, Devil’s Food, Lemon Poppy, Orange

And don’t forget about Betty Crocker! The new GF mixes (Yellow and Devil’s Food cake) are on the shelf and getting rave reviews in the GF Blogosphere! (See the great, in-depth review from the writers at BeFreeForMe.com: http://tinyurl.com/mj2zdv.)
Gluten-free frosting mixes are not nearly as numerous, but they do exist. Like the cake mixes, you’ll be able to find the following both in markets and online:

Gluten-Free Frosting Mixes
• Cherrybrook Kitchen: Vanilla, Chocolate
• Food-Tek: Vanilla, Chocolate
•Miss Roben’s: Milk Chocolate Buttercream, Vanilla Cream
• Namaste Foods: Chocolate Fudge
• Sof-ella: Organic Chocolate Mix (comes with cake mix)

Note: Try to avoid mainstream commercial brands. While some of these brands may be GF, they may not be mandated to list gluten-containing ingredients other than wheat. Double-check with companies directly if you must use these brands.

Luckily, homemade frosting is easy to make!

White Frosting
½ cup shortening (not butter flavored)
2 egg whites
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups powdered sugar (around one boxed package)
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla (e.g. Rodelle)

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add salt and half of the powdered sugar. Cream the shortening with the other half of the powdered sugar and vanilla. Combine the two mixes and continue to mix until fluffy. Frost cake with mixture immediately and refrigerate unused portion.

Cream Cheese Frosting (Great for carrot and spice cakes)
¾ cup heavy cream
1 cup cream cheese (Philly is always GF)
¼ cup agave nectar (can be found in health food stores, a truly delicious addition!)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whip heavy cream until stiff. In a separate larger bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth. Blend agave and vanilla into whipped cream cheese. With rubber spatula, gently blend whip cream into cream cheese mixture.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Icing
5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream

This works best with a double broiler. In the top of a double broiler over medium-high heat, melt chocolate chips (you may also use a microwave). Remove from heat and cool until warm. Promptly stir in sour cream and vanilla, and add the heavy cream. To reach desired consistency, stir in additional heavy cream.

The Homemade Cake

Although cakes from mixes can be great, an easy and delicious cake to make yourself is an ice cream cake made with a crust of GF cookies, brownies, or macaroons, filled with ice cream and topped with chocolate shavings/your favorite candy.

To make the cake, line a springform pan with parchment paper. Cover the bottom of the pan (the thickness depends on your preference) with crushed GF cookies or brownies. Then scoop the softened ice cream of your choice into the lined pan, over the “crust” layer. How much you scoop in depends on the depth of the pan and your preference: if you’d like to make two layers of ice cream in the pan, fill the pan halfway with the first ice cream, refreeze, then take out of the freezer, layer with your crust material, and fill the rest of the pan up with the second ice cream. Each time smooth the ice cream out and then put it back into the freezer to harden. You can make a tiered cake by using various sized springform pans, and preparing the cake as detailed above. To combine the tiers/place them on the serving plate, loosen the sides with a knife. Act quickly and freeze as soon as you get the cake pieces on the serving place. Combine the tiers with a layer of frosting. After refreezing again, take the cake out, frost it, and then return it to the freezer until you are read to serve. Sprinkle with melted chocolate, chocolate chips, or your candy of choice. Serve with homemade whipped cream.

Note: When selecting your ice cream, check the label to make sure it is gluten-free! Beware of added ingredients (candy pieces, etc.) in the ice cream that may contain gluten. Dreyer’s, Edy’s, and Blue Bunny all have a large gluten-free selection.

Beyond the Cake: Other Food Ideas

Getting the cake down is great, but what about food for the rest of the party? There are lots of simple, kid-friendly GF snacks that can be used for munching during birthday parties.

-Fruit Plate: Kids love finger foods, so consider putting a fruit plate together with strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe, and watermelon.
-Snack Foods: Try setting out GF rice cakes, GF corn chips and salsa, GF popcorn, and mixed nuts
-Quesadillas with Corn Tortillas: This is an especially easy option that everyone will enjoy

Planning somewhat of a larger “dinner” for your child and his or her guests? Consider the following ideas…

-Build-Your-Own-Tacos: Get kids busy building their own tacos! Set up a station with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, meat, beans, rice, and of course, taco shells (Mission is GF, among other brands). Many salsa brands of gluten-free, including Pace Picante, Chipotle, Lime & Garlic, and Thick and Chunky; Newman’s Own hot, medium, mild, peach, pineapple, and roasted garlic salsa; all varieties of Southwest salsa.
-Build-Your-Own-Pizzas: Similar to the taco station, try buying GF pizza crusts (try Kinnickinnick’s) for everyone and set up stations with different toppings. Kids will love the chance to get creative, choose what they eat, and get a little messy, too. For easy-baking, have each child build their pizza on a large piece of foil.

Remember that in the end, although food is important, your child’s guests will have come for the fun and festivities—not the food.

Have you thrown a gluten-free birthday party for your child? Have any special tips and ideas? Leave us a comment below!

Betty Crocker, Gluten-Free: What Do You Think?

2009-07-11T15:27:00.006-04:00

Now that Betty Crocker's new line of GF brownie, cook, cake, and devil's food mix has hit the shelves, we'd like to hear from all of you: What do you think? How do the mixes measure up against other GF mixes? Do you think its presence in supermarkets will bring more awareness about Celiac disease and gluten intolerance?

Drop us a line by clicking the "Comments" link below, or a Tweet @gfdelights!

A Mouth-Watering Fourth!

2009-07-02T12:04:00.011-04:00

This 4th of July, be sure to stick to the “ABCD” system for a safe holiday:

AWARENESS: Whether you’re hosting, or joining in at a friend’s 4th of July bash, be aware of cross-contamination risks. To reduce risk, never share utensils or silverware, even if you think you’re in the clear. Be sure utensils meant for GF food stay with those foods! Try wrapping colored masking tape or rubber bands around the GF utensils. If you feel comfortable enough, inform those around you of your needs so everyone else can be mindful, too.

BRING FOOD: If you’re enjoying festivities as a guest and are unsure what your GF options will be, bring the food you just can’t live without! Or try one of our great GF 4th of July recipes below, and bring some to share!

CHECK INGREDIENTS: Sometimes meats (including hotdogs and sausages) and other products that are naturally gluten-free contain added ingredients. If you’re barbequing this year, make sure the meat you select is gluten-free! Also make sure that gluten-free food items and being grilled separately from those that make contain (or potentially become contaminated with) gluten.

DIVE IN: If you’ve been invited over for the 4th, explain your gluten intolerance to the host and offer to help prepare some GF food for the occasion.

Need to Know Tip: BBQ sauce can be a big part of the 4th of July—make sure the kind you’re enjoying is gluten-free! Some BBQ sauces contain gluten from barley in the form of beer or malt, whereas others may contain soy sauce, which contains wheat. Additionally, some sauces may contain Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and ketchup, which may or may not be gluten-free.

BBQ Sauces that are GF include •Daddy Sam’s •Bone Suckin’ Sauce •Sweet Baby Ray’s •Annie’s Naturals

• Kraft and Nabisco BBQ products (including Bull's Eye BBQ) will list ingredients that contain gluten on the ingredient label, ingredients such as wheat, barley, oats, and rye.

•Be careful! KC Masterpiece BBQ sauces may be gluten-free, but you need to verify from the ingredient list. Both companies are required by law to list wheat on the label, but the sauces may include other gluten-containing ingredients.

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GOOD FOOD, GLUTEN-FREE: Four Fantastic Recipes for the Fourth

GF Potato Salad
The trick to an incredible potato salad is to work while everything is still warm!

2 pounds unpeeled potatoes (around 6 medium)
6 hard-boiled eggs (older eggs will peel easier than new ones)
1 ¼ cups Hellman’s or other GF mayonnaise (some mayonnaise is GF, some is not; check the label!)
¼ teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoon spicy mustard (to taste)
½-1 cup (depending upon taste) diced celery
1 teaspoon celery seed
salt and pepper to taste

1. Start by mixing the spicy mustard, celery seed, diced celery, and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan place unpeeled potatoes (rinsed and cleaned of dirt), ¼ teaspoon of salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain well. As soon as you can handle the potatoes (while still warm), peel and cube.

3. Simultaneously hard-boil the eggs: place eggs in a medium saucepan, cover with water by an inch. Bring to a boil, then take off of heat and let the eggs sit in the water, covered, for 30 minutes. Drain the water and remove eggs from saucepan. Peel and coarsely chop.

4. At this point you should have warm, chopped potatoes, and warm, chopped eggs; mix together in large bowl. Immediately add mayonnaise mixture, stir well. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Scoop into casserole dish/serving dish, garnish with paprika.

Easy GF Strawberry Pie

1 baked Whole Kitchen (Whole Foods Brand) GF Pie Crust
8 cups medium fresh strawberries
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons GF* cornstarch (cornstarch, by itself, is GF, but be sure to check the label for any added gluten-filled ingredients)
Red food coloring (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)

1. Hull the strawberries; rinse with water. Cut any large strawberries in half lengthwise.

2. For the pie’s glaze, in a blender or food processor combine 1 cup of the strawberries and the water. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Add enough additional water to the mixture to equal 1 ½ cups. In a medium saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in blended strawberry mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. If desired, stir in red food coloring. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes without stirring.

3. Spread about ¼ cup of the glaze over bottom and sides of baked pie crust. Arrange half of the remaining strawberries with stem ends down in the pastry shell.

4. Carefully spoon half of the remaining glaze over strawberries, making sure all berries are covered. Arrange remaining glaze over berries, covering them. Chill for 1 to 2 hours. If desired, top with whipped cream.

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook

Easy Skillet GF Cornbread

1 ½ cups plain yellow cornmeal
½ cup GF* cornstarch (cornstarch, by itself, is GF, but be sure to check the label for any additional/added ingredients)
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons cooking oil
½ cups buttermilk (to make, add enough milk to ½ tablespoon of lemon juice to make ½ cup)
1 tablespoon cooking oil (for cast-iron skillet)

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.

2. Combine and mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix beaten eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, pour egg mixture in well and mix thoroughly.

3. Place greased cast-iron skillet in heated oven for 5 minutes. Remove hot cast-iron skillet carefully and add cornbread batter. Place back into over and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Test for doneness using a toothpick.

Serve with Bush’s baked beans or your other favorite GF brand!

GF Chicken Kabobs

6 or 8 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1” chunks
6 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup minced red onion
½ cup minced cilantro
1/3 cup olive oil
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper

1. Marinate the chicken for as long as possible (for maximum flavor, up to 24 hours) by combining all ingredients in a large zip-lock bag. Refrigerate while marinating.

2. Around 30 minutes prior to preparing kabobs, soak skewers (if wood) in water.

3. Remove skewers from water. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Thread chicken onto skewers, leaving a small amount of space in between each piece of meat.

4. Grill or broil kabobs until the chicken is golden and the juices run clear.

For variation, slice up bell peppers and onions and layer them between chicken on skewers.

HAVE A FUN AND SAFE HOLIDAY!
GFDelights.com

Good News!

2009-07-01T20:51:00.006-04:00

Good news, Twitter fans! GF Delights is now on board at www.twitter.com/gfdelights.

Be sure to follow us for updates on GF news and resources, yummy recipes, new blog posts found right here, restaurant reviews, and more!

Not on Twitter just yet? You can sign up at www.twitter.com by clicking the "Get Started--Join!" button.

Have a hot tip or some info you'd like us to "tweet" about? Send us a Direct Message and we'll be sure to share it!

Good Beer, Gluten-Free

2009-06-26T18:07:00.007-04:00

Summertime means warm weather, BBQs, and a great time to enjoy cold brews. Most people who cannot process gluten, however, are challenged to find beers that don’t contain barley, wheat, rye, spelt, oats, kamut, or triticale—all common in modern American and international brews. Some of the substitutions for gluten-rich grains including buckwhat, sorghum, rice, maize, corn and sunflower, amaranth, flax, millet, quinoa, teff, wild rice, soybean, ragi and rape.
Sorghum, perhaps the most popular grain for GF beers, is native to Northeast Africa. It came to America via trade routes that passed through India and China. It is especially tolerant of dry weather; this makes it a great grain for use in African beers (see Sprecher’s Shakparo and Mbege beers, below).

Buckwheat, also used often in GF beer production, has origins in central and western China. It is considered an herb of the buckwheat family polygonaceae. Once its beechnuts are milled, and the groats are separated from their hulls, the groats are roasted and used as a grain product.

In the age of the ever-popular microbrewery, celiacs and others who are gluten-sensitive are finding more and better options for gluten-free beer every year. What’s more, beer lovers everywhere are finding unique flavors in these alternative-grain beverages.

AMERICAN GLUTEN-FREE BREWS

Bard’s Tale Beer Company
Bard’s Gold, Dragon’s Gold
On Bard’s website (www.bardsbeer.com), the owners of the Bard’s Tale Beer Company write: “We made it our mission to give beer back to the over two million people who are intolerant to gluten.” Celiacs themselves, the owners have worked hard to do just that. With an interactive website that allows you to input your zip code to find the nearest Bard’s dealer, you can also order the beer online and have it shipped to you if it’s not offered locally. Hailed as the first craft-brewed gluten-free beer, it’s certainly worth a try.

Bard’s Gold has a malty, sweet aroma, an American lager-like taste with caramel and brown sugar notes, and a tart finish. It is medium-bodied.

Bard’s Dragon’s Gold has a fruity aroma, a tangy, hoppy taste and a floral finish. It is medium-bodied.

Ramapo Valley Brewery
Honey Beer
Located in New York’s Rockland County, Ramapo Valley’s award-winning Honey Beer is both gluten-free and Kosher for Passover (in fact, Ramapo Valley is the only Kosher brewery in the United States). As the Honey Beer is brewed in its own brew house, there is no chance of cross-contamination. Ramapo Valley has distributors across the tri-state region. For more info email info@rvbrewery.com.

Ramapo Valley’s Honey Beer: The main fermentable is amber honey. Molasses is used for flavor, nutrients and color. Bright golden in color, the taste naturally has notes of honey and hop. Noble hops add a touch of bitterness to balance the honey sweetness. (www.rvbrewery.com)

carries a mead- and wine-like aroma, a taste of honey and light molasses, with minimal hop flavor. It is a slightly dry, light-to-medium-bodied beverage.

Anheuser-Busch
Redbridge
Anheuser-Busch worked directly with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) to develop Redbridge Beer. A full-bodied “lager” with a moderately hopped taste made from sorghum, Redbridge is widely available across the United States but can also be purchased online from www.internetwines.com.

Anheuser-Busch’s Redbridge: A rich, full-bodied lager brewed from sorghum for a well-balanced, moderately hopped taste. (www.redbridgebeer.com)

Lakefront Brewery
New Grist
Brewed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, New Grist beer is Lakefront Brewery’s offering to the gluten-free lifestyle. An easy-drinking “session ale,” the sorghum, hops, water, rice, and GF yeast that go into this beer are grown on molasses.

New Grist is the first beer brewed without malted barley or gluten-rich products to be authorized by the United States Government. Every batch of New Grist brewed at Lakefront is tested for gluten prior to fermentation. (www.newgrist.com)

Sprecher Brewing Company
Shakparo, Mbege
These gluten-free offerings from Secher originated as creations for Milwaukee’s African World Festival. With these two unique fire-brewed African-style ales, Sprecher has entered the gluten-free beer market.

Sprecher’s Shakparo (fire-brewed African-style ale): An unfiltered, light, crisp ale with a cider or fruit profile and a dry vinous aftertaste, it is best characterized as an easy-drinking or session beer perfect for summer gatherings. This beer pairs nicely with lighter fare such as sandwiches, salads, chicken, fish, and spicier foods. (www.sprecherbrewery.com)

Sprecher’s Mbege: Bananas are the main ingredient in mbege style beers popular in Eastern Africa. In keeping with tradition, this is brewed with real bananas and presented unfiltered. Light hints of banana remain present in the aroma and flavor of this unique offering. (www.sprecherbrewery.com)

Water's Edge Restaurant, Long Island City

2009-04-23T11:39:00.007-04:00

Water’s Edge Restaurant

44^th Drive and The East River

Long Island City, NY

Water’s Edge is an elegant Landmark New York restaurant with a magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline. Recently I had a wonderful birthday dinner at Water’s Edge, and after my guests' exclamations of how wonderful the food was I happily informed them that the whole party menu (made especially for the occasion) was gluten-free! The Chef and restaurant easily accommodated me, and the party menu only stated the occasion without bringing attention to the fact that everything had been prepared GF. I was delighted with the success of the meal and my friends' (not Celiacs) overwhelming enjoyment of their dining experience. Besides the great food, there is a piano player that fills the room with music that adds to the whole event.

Of course, who wouldn’t enjoy a menu of salad or rigatoni, filet, mignon or Chilean sea bass with wonderful side dishes, and as always the most important desserts of molton chocolate cake with coffee ice cream or crème brûlée. The menu appealed to all tastes and everyone had a wonderful meal. The party was a success!

I highly recommend Water’s Edge Restaurant for any party, wedding or corporate event. And there is outside dining where you can sit on a balcony over the water which is just wonderful now that spring is here. Try this restaurant for a special dinner – gluten-free!

Geri B., Founder, GF Delights

GF Greek!

2009-04-21T14:06:00.003-04:00

Greek cuisine is wonderfully versatile for the gluten-free diner. The prominence of vegetables, rice, legumes, fresh herbs, meats, as well as simply prepared marinates, sauces, and stock makes for many naturally gluten-free options. True, you’ll have to pass on the phyllo dough and the pita bread, but you’ll still get to enjoy a world of rich flavors and textures.

For gluten-free Greek food when dining out, be sure to speak to your server up front about your dietary needs. If you want to take extra precautions, print out this restaurant card, written in Greek, and show it to your server: http://www.celiactravel.com/gluten-free-cards/16-greek-high.html (Courtesy CeliacTravel.com).

Remember that most dishes are prepared simply with ingredients like lemon juice, herbs, and olive oil, but be sure your food doesn’t come into contact with foods like pita bread and phyllo, which sometimes can be served near or alongside otherwise gluten-free entrees. Try dishes like souvlaki, dolmades, skewers, and vegetable moussaka (traditional moussaka almost always includes breadcrumbs, but vegetable moussaka does not always use breadcrumbs—check with your server!). Pick appetizers like hummus and tzatziki, and consider bringing your own rice crackers and chips to dip in!

Making GF Greek food at home is another option and will ensure your dinner is made just for you! Try our recipes below

Dolmades (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Serves Four

12 fresh (or preserved—don’t rinse them) vine leaves
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tbsp pine nuts
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup cooked rice (long grain is best)
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeding, and finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint (not essential, but adds a nice flavor)
1 lemon, sliced
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable stock (make sure no gluten has been added!)
salt and pepper

1. Blanch the wine leaves in boiling water for about 2 minutes, or until they turn dark and soften. Rinse the leaves under cold water and drain.
2. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and stir until softened. Add the pine nuts and garlic and cook with the onion, stirring continuously until the onions and pine nuts are golden.
3. Stir the mixture into the rice, then add the tomatoes and mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Place a spoonful of the rice mixture at the stalk end of each vine leaf. Fold the sides over the filling and roll up tightly.
5. Place the stuffed leaves close together, seam side down, into a casserole dish. Place the lemon slices on top and in between the stuffed leaves. Pour the white wine and sufficient stock just to cover the stuffed leaves and lemon slices. Cover the dish with lid and place into an unheated oven. Set oven to 400˚F and cook for 30 min. Reduce heat to 325˚F and cook for another 30 min.
6. Enjoy! Dolmades can be served either hot or cold, drizzled with a little extra olive oil!

Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers
Serves 4

2 large ripe tomatoes
1 green bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chooped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup long grain rice, boiled and drained
1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tbsp golden raisins
3 tbsp ground almonds
salt and pepper

1. Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon
2. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Halve the peppers, leaving the stalks intact. Scoop out the seeds. Brush the peppers with 1 tbsp of the oil and bake on a baking tray for 15 minutes. Place the peppers and tomatoes in a shallow ovenproof dish and season with salt and pepper.
3. Sauté the onions in the remaining oil until they are transparent. Add the garlic and chopped almonds and sauté for a minute or two longer.
4. Remove the pan from heat and stir in rice, chopped tomatoes, mint, parsley, and golden raisins. Season well with salt and pepper and spoon the mixture into tomatoes and peppers.
5. Pour 2/3 cup boiling water around the tomatoes and peppers and bake, uncovered, for 20 min. Sprinkle with the ground almonds and sprinkle with a little extra olive oil. Return to the oven and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until turning golden. Enjoy!

Avgolemono Soup
Serves 4

This classic Greek soup works equally well as a first course or the main course!

3 3/4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/3 cup long grain rice
3 egg yolks
1-4 tbsp lmon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper
lemon slices and parsley sprigs for garnish

1. Pour stock into pan, bring to a simmer, then add the drained rice. Half cover and cook for about 12 minutes, or until the rice is just tender. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then add about 2 tbsp of the lemon juice, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Add a ladleful of soup and whisk again.
3. Remove the soup from the heat and slowly add the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Stir in the parsley. Serve immediately, without reheating, and garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs.

Chicken with Figs and Mint
Serves Four

3 1/4 cups dried figs
1/2 bottle fruity white wine
4 chicken breast fillets, about 6-8oz each (skinner or unskinned)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp dark orange marmalade
10 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper

1. Place figs in a pan with wine and bring to a boil, then simmer gently for an hour. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.
2. Fry the chicken breast fillets in butter over a medium heat until they are cooked through and golden. Remove to keep warm.
3. Drain any fat from pan and pour in the juice from the figs. Boil and reduce to about 2/3 cup.
4. Add the marmalade, mint, and lemon juice, and simmer for a few minutes. When the sauce is thick and shiny, pour it over the chicken, garnish with figs and mint leaves, then serve immediately.

Tzatziki (Yogurt Dip) *Easy!*
Serve as an appetizer with GF crackers/chips for dipping, or use as a sauce over meats!

1 8oz. container of plain Greek-style Yogurt (try brands like Fage, or pick another full-fatted yogurt. For a lower-calorie version, use lowfat yogurt—the texture may change, but not the taste!)
1 cucumber, peeled, scraped of its seeds, and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
mint (optional, to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl. The flavors will mix and develop best if stored in the fridge for a day or so before serving, although tzatziki can be served immediately.

Review: Miller's Gluten Free Bread Co.

2009-04-09T17:39:00.004-04:00

Miller’s Gluten Free Bread Co.
162 Rochelle Avenue
Rochelle Park, NJ 07662

Forget the economy – life is sweet now that we have Miller’s Gluten Free breads and cookies. Developed with heart and soul by the owner baker Thomas Miller the products aim to have the texture of gluten without the gluten. When Tom Miller was diagnosed with Celiac he started baking with the hope of developing a product that would hold up without the gluten. After his trail, error, and success word of mouth spread the news of his success. My non-Celiac husband really enjoyed the Cinnamon Raisin loaf, which I think is a great testament to the product.

Tom’s advice to his customers is “There is life after gluten.” He also advises that you do the research before you purchase a product to make sure you get what want. Check out www.millersglutenfree.com for the full line of breads, rolls, and cakes to order.

Geri B., Founder, GF Delights

Gluten Free Easter!

2009-04-09T11:36:00.007-04:00

With Easter only a few short days away, be sure your holiday dining is about family time, not food worries! Easter brunch can easily be elegant without hours of preparation. If you’re concerned about entertaining, remember that a good approach is to stick to what you like and what you know best. Do you make a mean scrambled egg? Try dressing it up with some avocado and chives, or making a tasty frittata. Don’t forget brunch options like bacon and sausage (check the label to make sure they are gluten-free), hash browns/potatoes, and fresh fruit--right now you’ll find lots of variety in stores as more fruits come into season. Know of a Kosher bakery nearby? Now’s the time to find gluten-free goodies as Passover begins (wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, and soy are forbidden during the holiday).

Think “ABCD” when preparing or each gluten free food around the holidays:

AWARNESS: Whether you’re the chef or a guest, be aware of cross-contamination. Never share utensils or silverware if gluten-free food is being prepared!

BRING FOOD: If you’re a guest and unsure how many GF options you’ll have, bring the food you just can’t live without.

CHECK INGREDIENTS: Sometimes meats and other products that are naturally gluten-free contain added ingredients (for preservation, etc.) that may contain gluten. Double-check everything!

DIVE IN!: If you’ve been invited over for Easter brunch or dinner, explain your gluten sensitivity to your host and offer to help plan the meal. Chances our your host will appreciate your assistance as well the chance to learn something new.

Here’s a few tasty recipes to get you started...

Gluten Free Easter Recipes

Gluten Free Egg Bake
1 large package of Gluten Free shredded hash brown potatoes (or 2 packages of Simply Potatoes)
1/2 cup of butter
18 large eggs (properly whisked)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 package sausage links (Pre-cooked and cut up into pieces. Make sure your sausage is gluten free! Most common brands are, but always double check.)
1-2 teaspoons GF Italian seasoning/your favorite GF seasoning

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350˚F
2. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Precook the hash browns (thaw them first if frozen) with a light coating of melted butter (with a few dollops on top) in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. While that’s baking, combine eggs, milk, cheese, and seasoning in large bowl until thoroughly mixed. Remove pan from oven and push warm hash browns into the pan, forming a “crust.” Pour egg mixture on top, and then place sausage into the mixture.
4. Bake at 350˚F for 50 minutes to one hour—until a knife comes out clean. Let bake sit for 10 minutes and serve immediately.

For even more variety, try adding green peppers, mushrooms, and (cooked) ham to the bake!

Gluten Free Spiral-Sliced Ham with Maple and Orange Marmalade Glaze
Serves 18 to 20
1 8-to-9lb. gluten free, boneless, pre-cooked spiral-sliced ham
1 cup maple syrup (but sure to check the label; by itself, maple syrup is naturally GF)
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 oranges, sliced (optional)
6 cinnamon sticks (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a sharp paring knife, make shallow crosshatch cuts all over the outside of the ham. Arrange ham in a large roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine syrup, marmalade, juice, ground cinnamon, pepper and cloves in a small bowl to make a glaze. After ham has baked for 30 minutes, remove from oven; increase oven temperature to 425°F.   Arrange oranges and cinnamon sticks (if using) around ham in roasting pan, then brush ham and oranges liberally all over with glaze, pouring remaining glaze over the ham. Return to oven and bake, basting about every 10 minutes, until ham is hot throughout and caramelized on the outside, about 45 minute more.   Transfer ham to a cutting board or platter and set aside to let rest for 15 minutes. Arrange oranges and cinnamon sticks around ham and serve.
(www.wholefoods.com)

GF Hot Cross Buns
3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour mix (try Bob’s Red Mill Pizza Mix, found in many supermarkets)
1/3 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons guar or Xantham gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup olive oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 cup yellow raisins
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions
1. Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar in warm water. Add yeast and let proof.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the eggs, olive oil, and vinegar separately and then add to dry ingredients.
3. Add proofed yeast and beat on high speed for three minutes. Stir in the raisins.
4. Grease two round pie pans. Using lightly-floured hands, cut the dough in half and roll eight buns out of each section. Place eight buns in each pan.
5. With a knife dipped in rice flour, cut an X on top of each bun. Brush with melted butter.
6. Let rise in a warm place for 35-40 minutes. Bake each bun at 375˚F for 30 to 35 minutes.

GF Hot Cross Buns Icing
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon water
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon orange extract

Directions
Blend all the ingredients above, adding more sugar to get desired consistency. While the buns are still warm, ice a cross on top of each roll.

GF Lemon Ricotta-Almond Cake
3 eggs
1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour (finely ground)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup GF Pancake/Baking Mix (try Bob’s Red Mill or Pamela’s, both found in most supermarkets)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs and sugar. Add almond meal and butter, and stir well. Pulse ricotta in blender or mash by hand, and then add to batter. Stir thoroughly to combine before folding in Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix. Lastly, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract and mix the batter to blend. Grease 8" round cake pan. Pour batter into the cake pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm. Dust with powdered sugar and/or garnish with fruit.

Gluten Free Easter: The Kids
Candy
With all the candy involved, keeping GF kids safe during Easter is a primary concern.
Be sure to check out our GF Halloween entry for more info on gluten free candy and companies. Here’s a small list to get you started. If you’re unsure about a particular candy, remember to check the label! Hershey’s, Just Born, Nestle, and Mars identify even trace amounts of gluten on product labels. All Tootsie Roll products are gluten free.

Wonka/Nestle
Wonka Gobstopper Eggbreakers
Wonka Runts Freckled Eggs
Wonka Large Golden Egg (Milk Chocolate hollow egg with SweeTARTS candy inside)
Wonka SweeTARTS Candy Canes
Nestlé Baby Ruth Crème Eggs
Nestlé Butterfinger Nesteggs and Crème Eggs
Nestlé Caramel Nesteggs
Nestlé Milk Chocolate Nesteggs
Nestlé Turtle Crème Eggs

Just Born
Marshmallow Peeps Chicks and Bunnies
Marshmallow Peeps Eggs (Strawberry, Vanilla, and Orange Crème flavors)
Mashmallow Peeps Inside Milk Chocolate Egg
Mike and Ike Easter Treats
Just Born Jelly Beans

Baskets/Egg Hunts
Check out “50 Ways to Fill an Easter Egg,” a great list for ideas on filling Easter eggs and baskets with fun GF treats!
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/holidays/qt/easteregg.htm

Mmmm Muffins!

2009-02-08T12:32:00.006-05:00

Raisin or Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

The tang of buttermilk and the texture of cornmeal add interest to these versatile muffins. Check out the Variations and create your own favorites!

2 cups gluten-free flower mix (see our GF Baking Series below for recipe, or use your own)

1 1/3 cups cornmeal

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp. GF baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. milled flaxseed (optional)

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1 cup raisins or frozen blueberries (see Variations)

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a deep bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs; add oil, buttermilk and vanilla.

4. Make a well in the dry mixture, stir in the egg mixture and beat well. Fold in the fruit.

5. Line muffin cups with paper liners and fill cups 2/3 full with batter.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Makes about 18 medium muffins.

Variations: Instead of raisins or blueberries, substitute GF chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, sliced hazelnuts, dried cranberries, sesame seeds, coconut (1 cup), or a combination of any or all these.

Blueberry Sorghum Muffins

Sorghum flour, cornstarch and soy flour make an interesting gluten-free combination for these muffins.

1 1/2 cups sorghum/cornstarch mix (3 cups sorghum flour to 1 cur cornstarch)

1/4 cup soy flour

1/4 sugar

2 1/2 tsp. GF baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. xanthan gum

2 eggs

1 cup milk or soy milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries (rinsed and drained)

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. Put the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.

3. Beat eggs lightly, add milk, oil and vanilla; beat until well mixed.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and beat until smooth. You can beat as long as needed, dough will not get "tough" like muffins made with wheat flour.

5. Add blueberries and fold in gently.

6. Fill muffin cups (use paper liners) 2/3 full.

7. Bake for 19 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes about 12 medium muffins.

Mighty Tasty Muffins

The special flours and cereals used in these muffins complement the brown sugar and spice mixtures. This recipe requires more ingredients, but is worth the effort!

2 tbsp. Bob's Red Mill (TM) Mighty Tasty GF Hot Cereal (brown rice, corn, "sweet" white sorghum, buckwheat) Bob's Red Mill products can be found in most grocery stores, but can also be ordered online here.

2/3 milk

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar*

1 large egg

1/3 cup molasses

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill (TM) GF Garbanzo and Fava Flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. GF baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. xantham gum

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Let sit for 15 minutes, while the cereal softens.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and stir until just moistened.

5. Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins. Fill tins 2/3 full.

6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are firm.

Yields 12 muffins.

*Distilled white vinegar is also gluten-free and can be substituted for apple cider vinegar.

All recipes from Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide by Shelley Case.

10 Essential Gluten-Free Recipes

2009-01-19T11:45:00.003-05:00

About.com has a list of the "10 Essential Gluten-Free Recipes"--from GF sandwich bread to hamburger and hotdog buns to blueberry pancakes--to make your gluten-free diet as versatile as possible. Check it out! 10 Essential Gluten-Free Recipes

Gluten Free Baking Series, Part 3: Recipes

2009-01-07T19:52:00.011-05:00

For these recipes, use the following GF flour blend—simple and sweet!

Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Combine 2 cups rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Store in container with tight-fitting lid; stir before using.

Feel like making it simpler? Don't be afraid to use only rice flour (white and /or brown). Sometimes I add a little buckwheat flour for a denser (a little more texture) recipe. I love baking because you can make each treat to your preference.
Happy Baking!
Geri Buxbaum, Founder, GF Delights

****************************************************
CHEWY GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preparation time: 45 min Baking time: 9 min
Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend (see above)
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla
1 (12-oz.) package (2 cups) gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips

How to prepare:
Heat oven to 375°F. Combine flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum in medium bowl. Set aside.

Combine butter, brown sugar and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. (DO NOT OVERBAKE). Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets.

*************************************
GLUTEN-FREE LEMON BUTTER BARS

Preparation time: 30 min Baking time: 33 min
Yield: 16 servings

Crust:
1 cup gluten-free flour blend (see above)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar

Filling Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (see above)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

Topping Ingredients:
Powdered sugar

How to prepare:
Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all crust ingredients in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients except powdered sugar in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Pour filling over hot, partially baked crust. Continue baking for 18 to 20 minutes or until filling is set.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool. Cut into bars.

*********************************************************************
GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND MERINGUE DROPS (Low in calories, naturally GF!)

Preparation time: 30 min Baking time: 48 min
Yield: 5 dozen cookies

4 egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar

How to prepare:
Heat oven to 225°F. Combine egg whites, almond extract and cream of tartar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until soft peaks form (about 1 minute). Increase speed to high. Beat, gradually adding sugar 2 tablespoons at a time and scraping bowl often, until stiff peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved (2 to 3 minutes).

Spoon level tablespoonfuls of meringue, 1 inch apart, onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, using a knife or spatula to remove meringue from spoon. Swirl top of meringue with knife or back of spoon.

Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven; let stand in oven for 1 hour. Sprinkle each with powdered sugar.

Recipe Tip: Substitute cookie sheets lined with aluminum foil which have been sprayed with no-stick cooking spray for parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Recipe Tip: It is important to make sure no egg yolk gets into the egg whites. Egg yolk will keep the egg whites from forming stiff peaks.

Gluten Free Baking Series, Part 2: Texture Tips & More!

2008-12-29T04:46:00.006-05:00

So now you’ve got your flour—how to beat the dryness of GF baked goods and enhance the flavor?
• Be sure to sift flours, starches, and mixes prior to measuring, and then sift together again. Coarse flours may require more sifting than white flour. This may seem like a lot of work, but it will pay off in the long run: sifting usually improves the texture of your baked goods!
• Coarse flours will also require more leavening than white flours, so for each cup of coarse flour, use 2 ½ teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder.
• For rice flour recipes that need a good binder, unflavored, powdered gelatin works very well. First soften the gelatin in half the water (or other liquid) called for in the recipe, before adding the liquid. Use 1 teaspoon of Certo ®, or if that’s unavailable, ½ teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum will also do the trick.

Sick of the Crumbs?
• As any GF baker knows, GF baked goods can be particularly crumbly. Try substituting buttermilk for the milk or water in the recipe to produce a lighter, more finely textured bread. To make a lighter textured product (for cakes, pancakes, etc.), try using carbonated beverages in place of water or milk.
• If you’re making GF muffins or biscuits, try making them smaller than you might normally. Smaller baked goods tend to be less crumbly than loaves and larger ones made from the same recipe.

Makin’ That Dough!
• Make sure you let your gluten free dough sit at least ½ hour, or even better, overnight in the refrigerator to soften. This will result in better textured baked goods.
• Keep in mind that baking is affected by both altitude and temperature. If the kitchen (or outside) is too hot, batter with butter, margarine, or shortening will have a more liquid consistency, which will affect the overall texture. To produce the best batters, make sure to always use cold ingredients (particularly the fatteners).

When It’s Ready for the Oven
• Put a pan of water in the oven (on a rack under your baked goods) during baking. This will keep the moisture in your creations!

Storage
• When your baked goods are still warm, place them in plastic bags to preserve moisture. Refrigerating them will also help decrease the crumbling.
• If you’re making bread, consider slicing, wrapping, and freezing your loaves unless you know the bread will be eaten without two days. After two days, the bread will likely be dry and less flavorful. You can freeze loaves for up to two months (and cookies can be frozen for 3-4 months).

From Shelley Case's Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide, 2001.

Gluten Free Baking Series, Part 1: GF Flour

2008-12-18T11:34:00.009-05:00

Yes, you can make delicious and satisfying baked goods without the gluten! There are many different GF flours that will provide your baked goods with a variety of tastes and textures—it all depends on your preferences. For the novice GF-baker, muffins, pancakes, and cookies are the easiest to prepare, but like anything, practice makes perfect.

How to Choose an Adaptable Recipe

To find a recipe to adapt using GF flour(s) without much hassle, look for ones that use a small amount of wheat flour (less than 2 cups), or a combination of wheat with other flours—these will be the easiest to work with. Recipes that call for cake flour are the most easily adaptable with GF flour.

Gluten-Free Flours: Many Choices, Varying Results

Arrowroot Starch: This is ground from the root of a West Indian plant. It works especially well as a thickener, and therefore makes great creams and glazed. It can be exchanged for cornstarch.

Buckwheat Flour: This flour comes from unroasted, ground buckwheat groats (dehulled buckwheat kernels). Buckwheat flour is someone dark in color and has a strong, distinctive flavor. It has a mild flavor and is best used in small amounts with more bland flours to add flavor to the mix.

Corn Flour: Corn flour is milled from maize (corn), and is easily blended with cornmeal for cornbread or corn muffins. It is light in texture, and like buckwheat flour, is best used in combination with other flours.

Garfava Flour: This flour comes from a mix of ground fava (broad) beans and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). When used, it makes baked goods with good volume a sufficient moisture content—two things typically missing with baked goods made from GF flour. This mix was first developed by Authentic Foods (www.authenticfoods.com)

Garbanzo Flour: Made from ground garbanzo beans, it is high in protein and fiber and can be used with other flours.

Potato Flour: This flour is creamy and heavy in texture, and is coarser than potato starch. Additionally, it absorbs more liquid than potato starch does. Like buckwheat flours, it is best combined in small quantities with other flours. Tapioca and cornstarch make good pairings.

Potato Starch: This flour is a fine, white starch. It can work very well for GF baking if it is sifted several times, and used in recipes that call for eggs. Like arrowroot flour, it works well as a thickener.

Rice Flour: Rice flour is well known to GF bakers. It can be found in different forms such as white, brown, or sweet, and used according to your particular need. White rice flour is fairly bland, brown rice flour is high in fiber (be sure to store it in the fridge because the oils in the bran can quickly become rancid), and sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour) is sticky and helps to bind ingredients when baking. All rice flours are somewhat gritty in texture and are best used in combination with other GF flours, such as potato or corn.

Sorghum Flour: This flour is ground from new food sorghum varieties. It can be a fine substitute for rice flour and can work in GF flour mixes.

Soy Flour: This flour has a nutty taste to it and comes either “regular” or “defatted.” The defatted flour works better for baking and will store longer. Soy flour is high in protein and a good source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and calcium, but it works best when used with other flours, mostly because it has a strong flavor. Be sure to store your soy flour in the fridge.

Tapioca Starch Flour: This flour comes from the cassava root. It works great to thicken soups, puddings, cream, glazes, and fruit pies. It is colorless and tasteless, and can be interchanged with potato starch quite effectively.

Whole Bean Flour: This flour is make from romano (cranberry) beans, and is a great source of protein (in addition to calcium, iron, potassium, folate, riboflavin, thiamin, and dietary fiber). Baked goods made with whole bean flour are generally denser than those made from wheat flour, so less flour needs to be used for the best results.

Notes on bean flours:
• Bean flours have more nutrients that more traditional GF flours (rice, tapioca, potato). Baked goods made with bean flours generally have a better texture and more closely resemble those with wheat flour, but the flavor is different.
• Many companies who produce bean flours mill their flours. To reduce the flatulent effects that sometimes accompany bean flour ingestion, some companies “treat” the beans before grinding them. These treatments vary, but as usually part of the company’s trade secret and are described by names like “precooked,” “processed,” “toasted,” or “micronized.” Celiacs usually tolerate the “treated” flours better than the untreated, but nevertheless, bean flours should be gradually introduced into one’s diet.

Basic GF Flour Mix Recipe

4 cups - White rice flour or a combination of brown and white rice flours

1 1/3 - cups Potato starch

1/3 - cup Tapioca starch

• Combine all ingredients and store in a covered container. For a longer storage, store in the fridge (especially brown rice flour). Let the flours warm up to room temp before using, and stir them before using for even distribution.

Adapted from Bette Hagman, Alas! Not All Bean Flours Are The Same. Gluten Intolerance Group Newsletter, April 2001.

Chain Restaurants for Celiacs

2008-12-09T10:35:00.010-05:00

I found this great article on the work Uno's is doing to serve gluten-free food, here is an excerpt:

Uno Chicago Grill is the nation's first casual dining chain to offer a gluten-free pizza, currently testing the new menu item in its Northeastern Region. The new pizza debuts during Gluten- Free Diet Awareness Month (November) and has received a very positive reaction from guests who suffer from celiac disease, which affects approximately 1 percent of the population.
Uno Chicago Grill, recently lauded as America's Healthiest Chain Restaurant , has added cheese and pepperoni pizzas to what is already one of the most extensive gluten-free menus available for a casual dining chain. This is good news to the estimated three million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease, as well as an additional seven million Americans who have a wheat intolerance or allergy and rely on gluten-free foods. While awareness of celiac disease is rising, an estimated 97 percent of those who have it remain undiagnosed....

Read the full version.

GF Holiday Tips

2008-11-20T22:37:00.007-05:00

Surviving the holidays is enough of a challenge without a gluten-free diet to worry about! Gluten-free eating can be more difficult during the holidays, but it doesn't have to be a dread. Whether you are a host or a guest this season, GF Delights has tips to make your holidays fun and tasty!

1. Help plan the meal. If you've been invited to dinner, let your host know about your dietary restrictions as soon as possible. Offer your help (and knowledge!) in the planning of the meal. Let your host know that many holiday staples can easily be prepared gluten-free by using brown/white rice flour, cornstarch, and GF bread (see our GF gravy recipe below).

2. Bring the food you can't live without. If your holiday just wouldn't be complete without stuffing, make sure to bring your own GF version to the party--that way, whatever the menu, you won't miss out. Consider bringing a dish to share (try our Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake, below); not only will your host find you gracious, but you can show others just how tasty gluten-free can be!

3. Double-check the ingredients. Turkey: what couldn't be GF about it? Some turkeys are actually injected with broth/TVP that can contain gluten, so check the label carefully. Bouillon cubes generally have gluten in them as well.

The following brands carry GF turkeys:

Empire Kosher

Honeysuckle White

Perdue

Pilgrim's Pride

Note: Many other top-brands are GF as well, but this may not be noted on labels. If you have a favorite brand, be sure to call the company and ask if their product is gluten-free.

4. Be aware of cross-contamination. When the dishes are rotating around the Thanksgiving table, make sure the utensils don't wander! And don't forget that if non-GF stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, most people with gluten sensitivity will not be able to eat the meat around it. Either cook the stuffing outside of the turkey, or make a GF stuffing recipe below.

GF Cooking Tip: Brining

One technique that works well with turkey (and can be much more flavorful than birds cooked with stuffing) is brining. Brining, which is as simple as soaking meat in a saltwater or seasoned water bath, is a great way to make juicy, moist Thanksgiving turkey. Please note, if you’re using a Kosher turkey, it has already been brined as part of the koshering process.

There are few rules to follow regarding brines, so get creative! A good, simply brine solution is 1/2 cup of Kosher salt and 1/2 cup of sugar to a gallon of water. But this is just a starting point! Consider adding garlic, onions, hot pepper flakes, thyme, sage, rosemary, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, anise, vanilla bean, oranges, or apples to the brine. The liquid used can be just as unique: try apple juice, cider vinegar--even GF beer (try Anheuser-Busch's Redbridge).

12-14 pound turkeys will need to brine for around 24 hours. During this time, the turkey must be refrigerated and entirely submerged in the brine (make sure the brine is completely cool before beginning the process). Some supermarkets sell bringing bags (and retailers such as Linens-in-Things and Bed, Bath & Beyond stock them, too—prices range from $3-$10), but XXL Ziplock bags will also do the trick. After the brining is done, wash off the meat with water and allow the surface to dry a bit before cooking (you may pat it dry with paper towels). Start cooking and enjoy!

GF Holiday Recipes

Wild Rice with Apples and Cranberry Stuffing
Courtesy of Glutenfreeda.com

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 1/3 cups of GF chicken broth
1 cup wild rice
1 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 cup dried apples, minced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large heavy saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté just until softened. Add garlic and sauté one minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add wild rice and reduce heat to a simmer; cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add brown rice; cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Stir in cranberries, apples, parsley and thyme. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in hazelnuts and scallions; season with salt and pepper.

Butter a 15"x10"x2" glass baking dish and transfer stuffing to dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes before ready to serve. Serves 6-8.

Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing
Courtesy of aglutenfreeguide.com, adapted from Health Magazine

1-2 loaves gluten free corn bread, cut into 1 inch cubes *
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts  4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking
 2 large chopped onions  
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries  
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley  
1 1/2 - 2 cups GF chicken broth (I used Pacific Foods Brand)
1 teaspoon salt  
1 teaspoon black pepper
 Cooking spray

*GF cornbread tends to crumble easily, so you may need two to get enough cubes.

If time allows, leave corn bread out for a day to become stale. If not, bake in a roasting pan for 20 minutes at 300°, shaking pan occasionally.   Toast nuts in a large skillet over medium heat until aromatic (about 5 minutes), shaking pan occasionally; transfer to a bowl. Heat oil in pan; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent. Add onion and next 5 ingredients to bowl with nuts. Stir the cornbread in last, and make sure that you have enough chicken broth to keep the mixture moist without getting the bread too soggy. Start with one cup in the mixture and pour the rest over the top after it is in the pan.
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Place corn bread mixture in dish; cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20-30 minutes or until top is lightly browned and stuffing is thoroughly heated.

GF Gravy

2 1/4 cups chicken broth (or homemade chicken stock), divided
2 Tbsp millet flour or white rice flour, plus more if necessary
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 Tbsp dried
Several leaves fresh sage, or 1 tsp dried
Salt and pepper

In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups chicken broth or stock to a boil over medium-low heat. While broth is heating, combine remaining broth with 2 Tbsp millet or rice flour in a small bowl or mug. Stir thoroughly, adding more flour as necessary until you have thick liquid that's still pourable.

When the broth in the pan starts to boil, reduce heat to low and slowly add the flour-broth mixture and the herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir constantly for a few minutes to ensure that lumps don't develop. Gravy should be bubbling gently; if it isn't, raise or lower heat as necessary. Cook to reduce to desired consistency and thickness. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as necessary. Serves 4-6.

Note on buying gluten-free chicken broth: Many national brands of chicken broth contain gluten, so check the label. Two larger brands that carry gluten-free broth are Pacific and Imagine.

Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake
Courtesy of glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
Yield: 15 pieces

3 extra large eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
2/3 cup l olive oil
1 15-oz canned cooked pumpkin (or two cups of fresh cooked pumpkin)
2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract
2 cups GF flour mix**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10 x 13" baking pan with greased foil or parchment. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl till light and frothy; add the brown sugar, beat till smooth; add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the GF flour mix through sea salt). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture a little at a time and beat to combine- for two minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool on a wire rack while you make your frosting.

**GF Flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour (the strong, nutty taste of the Quinoa flour compliments pumpkin and spice)

Maple Frosting

8 oz. softened cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar (more, if needed)

Beat until the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time; beat till smooth. Add another tablespoon maple syrup, if needed. Add more sugar, if needed.

When the cake is cool, frost with the Maple Cream Cheese Icing. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.

Gluten Free Halloween!

2008-10-23T22:06:00.000-04:00

Halloween is right around the corner, and with all the sweet temptations it brings, it's good to know what's in all that candy! Aside from product recipes that require gluten, frequently candy and gum will come in contact with flour during processing: to aid in rolling, molding, coating nuts--even to keep them from sticking to what they're wrapped in.

To help make your Halloween even sweeter, GF Delights has compiled a list of some of the most popular gluten free treats, although it is far from exhaustive. The following information comes through research done by the Celiac Sprue Association on product information (www.csaceliacs.org), as well as information provided by individual companies.

Ferrara Pan Candy Co.

Assorted Fruit Slices

Assorted Sours

Atomic Fireballs

Black Forest Apple Mellos

Black Forest Fruit Parade Assorted Puffs

Black Forest Gummy Bears

Black Forest Gummy Glo-Worms

Black Forest Gummy Sour Bears

Black Forest Gummy Worms

Black Forest Peach Mellos

Black Forest Sour Gummy Lightening Bugs

Boston Baked Beans

Gum Drops

Jaw Busters

Jelly Bean Fruit Tub

Lemonhead

Mini Red Fish

Orange Slices

Red Hots

Spearmint Leaves

Spice Drops

Hershey's

Hershey's Kisses Chocolates

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar with Almonds

These products are part of a very limited and inconclusive "gluten free" list provided by Hershey's upon request. The company states: "We have found that allergen lists quickly become outdated as our product lines change over time. Rather than have you make purchase decisions based on outdated information, we encourage you to check the ingredient label on the package. This label provides accurate, current information about all the ingredients in the package." GF Delights has confirmed with Hershey's that even trace amounts of gluten will be mentioned on the label.

Just Born

Hot Tamales Fire

Hot Tamales Original

Just Born Jelly Beans

Marshmallow Peeps Cocoa Cats

Marshmallow Peeps Pumpkins, Spooky Cats and Ghost

Mike and Ike Berry Blast

Mike and Ike Jelly Beans

Mike and Ike Jolly Joes

Mike and Ike Original

Mike and Ike Tangy Twisters

Mike and Ike Tropical Typhoon

Mike and Ike Zours

Peanut Chews Milk Chocolatey

Peanut Chews Original Dark

Peeps (All varieties)

Teenee Beanee Americana Medley

Teenee Beanee Country Retreats

Teenee Beanee Island Breeze

Teenee Beanee Luxor Licorice

Mars Snackfood

Mars, like Hershey's, does not publish product lists or specific allergen info, but rather encourages those who are concerned to read product labels. The company states: "Our goal is to provide safe, high-quality food products for our consumers. Therefore, we have developed strict rules about the labeling of allergens on our products." These rules, which can be found here, include the declaration of the presence of top allergens in the product recipes, and the labeling of even trace amounts of allergens to prevent all risk.

Necco

Banana Split

Canada Mint and Wintergreen Lozenges

Candy Stix

Clark Bars

Haviland Peppermint

Haviland Thin Mints

Haviland Wintergreen Patties

Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses

Mary Janes

Mint Julep Chews

Necco Ultramints

Necco Wafers

Skybars

Squirrel Nut Caramels

Squirrel Nut Zippers

Talking Pumpkins

Ultramints

Nestlé

Nestlé Baby Ruth

Nestlé Bit-O-Honey

Nestlé Butterfinger (NOT including Butterfinger Crisp and Butterfinger Stixx)

Nestlé Oh Henry!

Nestlé Milk Chocolate

Nestlé Goobers

Nestlé Nips (Regular and Sugar Free)

Nestlé Treasures (Including Treasures Bars)

Nestlé Spree

Nestlé Raisinets

Nestlé Sno-Caps

Wonka Bottlecaps

Wonka Gobstoppers (Chewy and Original)

Wonka Laffy Taffy (Laffy Taffy Rope and Fruitarts Chews)

Wonka Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip

Wonka Mix-Ups

Wonka Pixy Stix

Wonka Runts (Chewy and Original)

Wonka Shockers

Wonka SweeTARTS

Wonka Nerds (Nerds Rope and Nerds Gumballs)

For other Gluten Free Nestlé products (including baking materials, juices, and Nesquik, please click here.

Tootsie Roll

Andes Mints

Candy Carnival (Variety bag, all included products gluten free)

Caramel Apple Pops

Cella's Cherries (Milk Chocolate)

Charleston Chew

Charms Blow Pops

Charms Flat Pops

Child's Play (Variety bag, all included products gluten free)

Cry Baby

Dots & Crows

Dubble Bubble (Twist gum, ball gum, candy, special gum)

Fluffy Stuff

Frooties

Junior Mints

Nik-L-Nip

Razzles

Sugar Babies

Sugar Daddy

Tootsie Pops

Tootsie Roll

Wack-O-Wax

Zip-A-Dee Mini Pop

Wrigley

Big Red Gum

Doublemint Gum

Eclipse Gum

Extra Gum

Freedent Gum

Juicy Fruit Gum

Orbit Gum

Orbit White Gum

Spearmint Gum

Winterfresh Gum

As always, when in doubt, don't be afraid to contact the companies directly--they will be more than happy to help!

Ferrara Pan Candy Co.: 1-800-787-9338 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. CST)

Hershey's: 1-800-468-1714 (Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST)

Just Born: 1-800-645-3453 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST)

Mars: 1-800-627-7852 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST)

Necco: 1-781-485-4500 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST)

Nestlé: 1-818-549-6000 (Monday-Friday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. PST)

Tootsie Roll Industries: 1-773-838-3400 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m - 4:30 p.m. CST)

Wrigley: 1-800-974-4539 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST)

GF Pumpkin Muffins for Fall

2008-10-20T14:33:00.006-04:00

The leaves are now turning and we are surrounded by beautiful Fall colors. The weather is getting a little cooler and it is a great time to cook and bake. I just had to make pumpkin muffins. The following recipe can result in some very good muffins, or a coffee cake. Please use the recipe as a guideline, because cooking and baking is all about your particular preferences and it is OK to add a little something to make it appeal just to your taste.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS or Coffee Cake

Preheat Oven at 450 degrees. Bake at 350 degrees.
Mix gently in food processor, or beat together by hand; 2 Eggs, ½ stick butter, ¾ C. raw sugar
Add and mix in 1 T. vanilla, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp cloves, 1 Cup canned (or cooked) pumpkin. (I use Libby’s, all pumpkin no added spices, etc.)
Add and mix in 1 ½ cup rice flour, 1 heaping tsp GF baking powder, a little salt (1/4 tsp or less) and ¼ C. milk or other liquid.
Add and gently mix in 1 cup of raisins.

Put into 12 muffin cups or an 8” square pan. Bake 15 minutes and check. Continue baking and check every 5 minutes for doneness. Baking time is somewhere between 15 -25 minutes.

After muffins cool they can be iced.

· ICING; Mix together ¾ cup confectionary sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and some milk or cream to preferred spreading consistency.

Holiday Recipes for the New Year

2008-09-29T09:53:00.007-04:00

It is now Fall and a season of holidays will be starting soon with Rosh Hashanah, and then Yom Kippur, Halloween, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas and Kwanza. It may be time for you to do some cooking and baking. These are some recipes adapted for gluten free cooking. Please feel free to submit some of your favorite GF recipes for holidays and daily living.

HAPPY HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Many of the following recipes come from The Complete American-Jewish Cookbook and are adapted for gluten free cooking. Please contact me if you need names of companies for gf products.

Hungarian Plum* Cake (Apple or Peach)
½ c. butter
½ tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
½ tsp. lemon extract (GF)
1 cup white rice flour
10 fresh or canned plum halves
1 tsp. baking powder

Cream butter and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. (Love that food processor.) Add flour, baking powder, salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, and lemon extract. Mix well. Pour into a well greased pan (8X8). Press plum haves into batter. Sprinkle mixture of ½ cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon over the top. Bake at 375 or 30 minutes. (Check after 20 minutes to determine the rest of the baking time.)

*Hungarian Apple Cake: Substitute 3 sliced tart apples for plums
*Hungarian Peach cake: Substitute 10 halves of fresh or canned peaches for plums.

Banana Upside–Down Cake (A change from Apple Cake)
2 T. butter
2 eggs, beaten
½ c. brown sugar
1 tsp. GF vanilla
3 medium bananas, cut in quarters
1 1/2 c. white rice flour
½ c, raisins
2 tsp. GF baking powder
Walnut halves – Enough to cover bottom of baking dish
½ tsp salt (amount used to taste)
1/3 cup milk (liquid of your choice-Water or juice- to make it non-dairy)
½ c. shortening (butter or oil of your choice)
2/3 c. sugar

Melt butter. Add brown sugar and blend well. Pat into bottom of 8” square pan. Arrange bananas, raisins and nuts over butter/sugar and pat down. Cream sugar and shortening, add beaten eggs and vanilla and beat well. (I use a food processor. Easy and effective.) Add flour baking powder salt and liquid and blend well until batter is smooth. Pour batter over bananas. Bake 350 until done, about 45-55 min. (Check after 35 minutes to determine remaining time. ) Turn out upside down.

Chicken Soup
4-5 lbs. of Chicken parts
Fresh dill
3 quarts of cold water
1 large or 2 small onions cut in quarters
1-2 carrots
2 stalks celery
½ tsp pepper

Place chicken parts in cold water and bring to a boil. Skim top and then add seasoning and vegetables. Simmer for 3 hours. Strain, chill and remove top fat. Some people like to add the cooked vegetables and chicken cut in small pieces back into the soup broth. Make it to your taste and enjoy!

Meatless Vegetable Soup (Increase or decrease vegetable amounts to your choice.)
1 large onion, minced
2 tsp. chopped parsley
4 T. Butter, olive or vegetable oil
1 cup diced potatoes
1 carrot diced
6 cups boiling water
½ cup peas
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup string beans diced
2 tsp. salt
1 stalk celery
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/c whole kernel corn (Organic, if possible. Read the label for ingredients.)

Saute onion in butter or oil until transparent. Add remaining vegetables, except potatoes and cool 10 minutes stirring constantly. Add potatoes, water, seasonings and tomatoes. Simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serves 6-8 (maybe 4 hungry ones.)

Kasha ( From A Good Appentite, NY Times, September 24, 2008, Melissa Clark)
3 cups kasha (buckwheat groats)
2 T olive or vegetable oil
1 large onion
6 cups GF chicken or vegetable broth, or water
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
½ tsp pepper

In a large saucepan toast kasha over medium heat, stirring constantly until it darkens and starts to smell nutty, about 2-3 minutes. Add oil, heat for a few seconds, then add oinion and sauté about 3 minutes. Pout in broth or water and bring to a simmer. Cover pot, turn heat to low and cook until kasha is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Makes 10-12 servings.

GF Skin Care & More!

2008-09-29T02:25:00.006-04:00

Like our featured Gluten Free makeup companies, many great GF skin care products can be found through smaller, independent businesses. The following companies offer products safe for Celiacs.

SKIN CARE

Gluten-Free Savonnerie
Gluten-Free Savonnerie’s entire line of bar soaps, liquid soaps, hair, and skin products are gluten free! Founder Christine Muir began the business with her husband shortly after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2001. Since then they’ve been dedicated to bringing attention to the disease and helping create specially-formulated products.
Shop online here

Dakota Free
Dakota Free products are manufactured by Potter’s Hand, Inc., a family-owned business. Dakota Free has a “full disclosure” policy with their products, so you know everything that goes into them. They offer facial cleansers, masks, soaps, lip balms, and more.
Shop online here

Monavé
Monavé, a company we covered in our GF makeup post, also has a great selection of GF skin care products. The only product that is not GF is the Unscented Emollient. Still concerned? Email the owner and President, Debbie Bilezikian (debbie@monave.com), and she’ll be happy to tell you how to make some of your own simple, GF skincare products!

TOOTHPASTE/DENTAL PRODUCTS

Finding GF toothpaste and dental products can be a bit trickier. After all, who buys toothpaste off the internet? Many companies cannot guarantee GF products, because although they do not generally add gluten to products, the raw materials they receive from supplies may contain gluten. Luckily, some brand-name dental products are 100% gluten free. The following information has been verified by company representatives at GF Delights’ request.

Colgate: All products 100% GF

Crest: GF products: Crest Whitestrips, Crest Night Effects, Crest toothpaste varieties, and Gleem toothpaste; **Crest Pro-Health Rinse and Crest Whitening Rinse may have trace amounts of gluten**

Glide: All floss is 100% GF

Tom’s of Maine: All dental products 100% GF; (the vast majority of Tom’s of Maine products are also GF, with only two exceptions: the Natural Moisturizing Hand Soap liquids and the Natural Moisturizing Body Wash)

Do you know of or have experience with a great GF product or company? Let us know by commenting below, or email us at
info@gfdelights.com.

Gorgeously Gluten Free!

2008-09-15T17:45:00.009-04:00

Here at GF Delights, bringing you information on how to live easier (and tastier) with celiac disease is our first priority! But as many celiacs know, food choices are not the only things affected by gluten sensitivity. Many people who cannot digest gluten find that cosmetics and other toiletries containing gluten also cause problems. While gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin (a common misconception), products with gluten can enter the digestive track through the mouth via chapstick, lip gloss—even mouthwash! For this reason, spouses and partners of those with celiac disease often choose gluten free products to better protect their significant others.

But where to find these products? If you are a person who has been committed to brand names for years, finding GF options can be particularly difficult. By and large, the rule is the smaller the company, the greater the chance for GF offerings. Additionally, smaller companies will often hand-pack the products themselves, leaving little room for contamination—a greater risk when packing machines are used.

Today we bring you two exceptional companies devoted to GF cosmetics: Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics and Monavé Cosmetics.

Afterglow Cosmetics
www.afterglowcosmetics.com

Afterglow boasts an impressive line of cosmetics—all of which are 100% gluten free! Having grown up with a celiac mother and sister, founder Kristin Adams intimately knows the importance of such products. While the cosmetics are not made in a strictly-GF facility, sterilized steel equipment is used in their manufacture and all products are hand-filled in a clean room free of any contamination threat.

Products include mineral foundation, blush, bronzer, and eye shadow in powder form, as well as pencil eye and lip liners, lipstick and mascara. Afterglow’s products are organic whenever possible, and are all made in the U.S. The cosmetics are also free of chemicals frequently found to cause allergic skin reactions, including paraben and bismuth oxychloride.

Lists of all ingredients for every product are available here.

Best of all? Afterglow offers a 30-day money back, satisfaction guarantee! Personal, free phone consultation is also available (please call 866.630.4569), as well as Live Chats with their Beauty Advisors to find the best makeup for your needs!

Visit their website for user-friendly online shopping, or find Afterglow products (selection not guaranteed) at the establishments below:

Begin Within Wellness Spa
151 Hoffman Road
Barto, PA 19504
610.754.1747

The Grove Approach
7040 Sherrod Hill Road
Edinboro, PA 16412
814.734.4240

Monavé
www.monave.com

Our second impressive company is Monavé (modern, natural, versatile), based out of Maryland. President Deborah Bilezikian has been selling her hand-blended mineral makeup for years. Manufacturing is done without animal testing and local products are used. ALL cosmetics products are gluten free as of July 2008, as Monavé has started using rice-based Vitamin E instead of the traditional wheat germ Vitamin E. If you order online, however, be sure to specify your need for products with the rice-based Vitamin E.

Products include loose powder, cream, and “mousse” foundation, as well as blushes, bronzers, illuminizers, lip tints, lip crayons, gloss, loose glitter and body shimmer. They also have a newsletter than can be subscribed to online, as well as cosmetic samples that can be purchased for as low as $10.

Some East Coast, independent vendors of Monavé products:

Renew Organic Day Spa
842 W. 36th Street
Hampden, MD
410.400.2745

Shades and Hues Hair Studio
Suite 8726-A, 121 Liberty Road
Randallstown, MD 21133

Mermaid II
1074 Glenwood Blvd.
Schenectady, NY 12308
518.377.8710

Merriweather’s
39 LaGrange Ave.
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
845.454.5566

Remember, the best way to ensure you’re getting 100% gluten-free product is to be proactive! Read labels, contact sellers, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Those devoted to your health and satisfaction will always be happy to help you!

Stay tuned for further posts from GF Delights concerning GF shampoos, lotions, and more!

Teaching the Next Generation of Gluten Free Chefs

2008-08-07T15:33:00.011-04:00

The Gluten Free Guide recently posted an interview with Chef Richard Coppedge of the Culinary Institute of America. He teaches classes in gluten-free baking to both chefs-in-training and lay people, and is considered a leader, innovator, and inspiration in gluten-free baking by many. Here is an excerpt:

How did you become interested in adapting your gourmet recipes to be gluten-free?
I was teaching in the pastry program and there was a curriculum change. One of the classes included lessons on gluten-free baking. I did some research on the topic and asked many questions of various people. One thing led to another. Before I knew it, I was meeting Bob and Ruth of Bob and Ruth's Gluten-Free Dining and Travel Club, and doing demonstrations and tastings for the many patrons of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

What kind of training does a CIA student receive with regard to gluten-free baking?
Every student takes a class on advanced baking principles. Students learned about celiac disease and how to adapt recipes to be gluten-free. At the end of the semester, they produced nine different gluten-free products and discuss with their peers what they did and how they did it. Celiac disease is also discussed in nutrition classes but only in terms of presenting the dietary restrictions and not in a hands-on kind of way.

Please tell us about your students in your Saturday gluten-free baking classes for nonprofessionals.
I offer three different basic gluten-free baking classes and they are always sold out. I have also offered a gluten-free holiday baking class and next fall...(more)

For more of the interview visit: The Gluten Free Guide to NY

A Gluten Free Independence Day Brunch

2008-06-27T11:41:00.003-04:00

Barbequing on the 4th of July goes without saying and if you need help with preparing a gluten free barbeque, check the archives for the Memorial Day blog. I thought I’d take a different approach to celebrating our Nation’s birthday by focusing on the delicious, healthy, gluten free berries that are in season. Berries are a healthy, red, white and blue way to start off Independence Day. Prepare a delicious and patriotic brunch with beautiful desserts for your family and friends.

Blueberry or strawberry pancakes or waffles topped with Horizon Organic Cream (add a little confectionery or raw sugar to sweeten it to your liking) are a crowd favorite. An alternative is to bake fresh blueberry muffins (see recipe below) and accompany them with egg omelets. Bob’s Red Mill makes excellent pancake and muffin mixes and Maple Grove Farms has a delicious pancake/waffle mix.

For dessert, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries (blackberries work too), combine to make lovely red, white and blue parfaits when layered with the aforementioned organic cream and sugar or Greek Yogurt (Fage is a great brand) in a clear glass. Another yummy fruit dessert is fruit dip served with a platter of fresh berries. The simplest recipe is to beat together a 6 oz. container of Dannon or Horizon strawberry or raspberry yogurt and an 8 oz package of Organic Valley Farms Cream Cheese and then refrigerate it for an hour.

The below recipe make scrumptious blueberry muffins:

Ingredients:
1 c brown rice flour, 1/2 c white rice flour , 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 3 tsp grated lemon peel, 2 eggs, 3/4 c firmly packed brown sugar, 1 c plain yogurt or sour cream (Greek yogurt, such as Fage, is really good), 1-2 tsp GF vanilla extract, 1 1/4 c fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries.

Icing:
Mix 1 c confectionary sugar with a little cream or milk and drizzle on cooled muffins. Make icing as thin or thick as you like. Top with 2 or 3 blueberries and a raspberry or slice of strawberry for a red, white, and blue effect.

Baking Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Spray muffin pan with a non-stick spray. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and lemon peel. Mix well. In a food processor or large bowl beat eggs. Beat in brown sugar. then add and beat in yogurt and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour mixture and gently fold together until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Whatever you choose, enjoy some fresh, in-season berries before you hit the barbeques and have a happy, healthy 4th of July from GFDelights.com!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

2008-06-09T11:23:00.002-04:00

Baseball and summer go together like peanut butter and jelly. I love going to a Saturday afternoon game or a warm summer night contest. I try to always be responsible by having a meal beforehand that will hold me over, but sometimes I need a mid-game snack. Whether the innings are particularly long, the game goes into extra innings or I just want to indulge in some over-priced, unhealthy stadium food, every now and then it’s necessary.

Most stadiums and most security guards won’t give you a hard time if you bring your own snack and sandwich and explain your “food allergy”, but if you forget your snack or finish it and are still hungry, you may have to venture to the concession stands. This can be a risky endeavor because the cleanliness and therefore cross-contamination-freeness of stadium concessions stands can be iffy, so always scope out the situation (whether you’re gluten intolerant or not!) before ordering. Hebrew National and Ballpark Franks are gluten free, as are cotton candy and whole, still in the shell peanuts (but check the package anyway!). Popcorn can be ok, but that depends on what it’s cooked in. If you have your tickets in advance, call up the stadium’s customer service and inquire about all the brands and ingredients. I know Yankee and Shea Stadiums sell Carvel ice cream, which is also gluten free (although the chocolate crunchies and sprinkles are not)!

So, as usual...be well prepared by eating before the game, bringing your own gluten free snacks and trying to get as much information as possible ahead of time. Enjoy the baseball season and Let’s Go Yankees! Sorry, Red Sox fans....check out GFDelights.com to find a great pre or post-game restaurant to accommodate your gluten free needs!

Memorial Day Gluten-Free Grilling

2008-05-22T11:37:00.004-04:00

Memorial Day is just around the corner and with it comes the season of barbeques! I love barbeques for the fun, carefree atmosphere and for all the delicious food. Freshly grilled meat, fruit salad, pasta salad…yes, pasta salad. One of my favorites is a light and refreshing Greek pasta salad. Simple to prepare and a perfect compliment to grilled chicken, shrimp or even a hot dog! I like to toss chopped plum tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, crumbled feta cheese (Boar’s Head and Organic Valley are good) and kalamata olives with 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, a few tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, about a teaspoon of dried oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Then throw in about 8 oz (half a box) of your favorite gluten free pasta (try Mrs. Leeper’s or De Boles corn pasta or Ener-G Foods or Annie’s rice pasta) and you’ve got a beautiful, flavorful side dish.

Potatoes make great barbeque side dishes. Set up a baked potato bar with all your favorite fixins: sour cream (Organic Valley), bacon (Boar’s Head), chives and cheddar cheese (Boar’s Head) or roast potatoes in a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Potato salad is one of my favorites. A basic recipe needs 5 medium sized red potatoes, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup mayonnaise (Hellmann’s is gluten free), 2 tbl vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp pepper. Simply cube and boil the potatoes, boil the eggs and mix the other ingredients in a bowl. Once boiled, cool and peel and chop the eggs and mix with the other ingredients and the cooled potatoes. This recipe can be jazzed up with bacon, cheese and sour cream to make baked potato salad or with red pepper flakes to make it a little spicy.

Chicken and seafood taste great on the grill, especially between chopped peppers, onions and mushrooms on a kebab, but I eat a lot of that stuff all year-round and come barbeque season I like to indulge in a hot dog every now and then. Hebrew National is my favorite brand and they are gluten free. Ball Park and Applegate Farms are also safe to eat and Applegate Farms has several delicious, all-natural, organic and gluten free products on their website. I personally love a plain hot dog, cut up with some ketchup and sauerkraut, but if you like yours on a bun, try this recipe. I originally found it online and it turned out well when I tried it:

Gluten Free Hot Dog Buns:
• Mix 3/4 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup tapioca starch, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp xanthan gum, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbl sugar in a bowl.
• In another bowl, mix 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil and 1/2 cup milk
• Mix all ingredients together and spoon batter in a hot dog bun shape about 5 inches long on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 14 mins, or until golden brown. Cool completely, and slice a slit for the hot dog.

Have a happy holiday and lots of happy grilling from GF Delights. If you aren't in the mood to make your own food, check out the famous Blue Smoke, they have some great gluten free options including two types of slow-smoked, tasty ribs.

Cross-Country Gluten Free

2008-05-16T12:07:00.002-04:00

My apologies for being absent these last few weeks; I took a road trip from Vancouver, Canada to New York and internet access was scarce. A few of the days we drove upwards of 450 miles, stopping only for gas (the timing of the trip could not have been worse--$4.19 a gallon in San Francisco!), so out dining options were limited to what was available at rest stops. I found that eating healthy while on the road, whether sticking to a gluten free diet or not, is challenging. We tried to frequent Subway over the like of McDonald’s and KFC not only because Subway’s salads are gluten free, but also because in general, the options are healthier.

The trip started out promising, with the Cinnamon Works bakery in Seattle’s Public Market advertising gluten free items in their window, unfortunately we got there just after closing so I didn’t actually get to try their “Monster Cookie” which apparently is not only the “best cookie in the world”, but is also gluten free! Next time I’m in the area, I’ll be sure to try one. I did, however, get to enjoy a delicious gluten free cup of joe at the original Starbucks store in the Public Market.
Unfortunately, after a day and a half delay in the Oregon wilderness (involving complications with out tow hitch), our in-city stops in Portland, OR and San Francisco were scratched or shortened so that we could catch up on our driving and I was forced to abandon my plan to discover gluten free gems in those cities. Instead, we stocked up at the supermarket and ate most of our meals en route. I would recommend this as a general rule for all road trippers—this way you have complete control over what you eat and when. We did manage to enjoy a wonderful tour of the William Hill Estate winery in Napa, CA and the wine selection I sampled was delicious. Wine, as you know, is naturally gluten and wheat free.

Another wonderful West Coast delight is In-N-Out Burger. Now, I don’t make a habit of eating fast food, but because of all the time we spent on the highways, we made a couple of stops here. In-N-Out prides itself on freshness and quality and in homage to the West Coast’s health-conscious, beach-body cuisine, they offer their burgers “protein style”, which means your burger comes in a lettuce wrap instead of on a bun. Lucky for those of us with celiac or a gluten allergy, that also means they’re gluten free. Ask for it without their spread, because they have yet to confirm that it’s gluten free. Their burgers and their fries are gluten free—the fries are cut from whole potatoes right in the restaurant and are fried in gluten free oil.

We had a fantastic trip, despite the rushed nature of it, and saw some amazing sights, which really opened my eyes to the incredible beauty of our country. For someone who loves to travel, I’d never seen much of my own country between the right and left coasts, as most of my travels have been overseas. It’s worth taking a cross-country road trip if you have the time...and the money for gas!

It’s good to be home and back to my staple gluten free eateries. One of my first stops upon my return was Zambetti’s in New City, NY to stock up on some of their gluten free pastas and snacks. That’s all for now. If you’re planning a road trip, remember to check out GFDelights.com’s restaurant list to map out gluten free eating stops along the way.

Passover—Gluten Free for Everyone

2008-04-16T11:52:00.000-04:00

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins this Saturday, April 19 at sundown and continues until sundown on Sunday, April 27. The first two nights of Passover are traditionally the nights for seder: a large, multi-course meal that ranges from one to five hours depending on the thoroughness and adherence to the haggadah (a small book that contains the steps, prayers, songs and stories that shape the meal). While seeing family and singing festive songs are two of the highlights of Passover, the most significant and unique aspect of the holiday is keeping Kosher for Passover. There are varying levels of keeping kosher. Some Jews skip it all together, some stick to it for just the nights of the seder, many strive to maintain kashrut the entire holiday and the most religious and traditional will go to extreme measures; eliminating every box and crumb of chametz (food not Kosher for Passover) and using special sets of flatware, tableware and cookware for the entire holiday, so as not to contaminate themselves with chametz.

For those with Celiac disease, matzah is also a no-no. At this time most companies make matzah from some form of wheat. Rice is allowed by some Jewish groups and that makes following the Passover requirements easy enough. And, as always, the potato is acceptable for latkes, kugels, baked or roasted as a side dish. Potato starch can be used as a thickener in sauces and baking.

Here are a few of GF Passover recipes to serve at your own seder. They really can be enjoyed anytime. Happy Passover from GFDelights.com

Pistachio Chicken with Blackberry Sauce
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts, finely chopped. (You can also use almonds or walnuts, if preferred.)

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, salt and pepper to taste. Cut chicken breasts into three strips.
• 1 cup white wine. Place chicken in bowl and cover with 1 cup of white wine. Marinate for 1 hr.
• Remove chicken strips from wine, and press into nuts to cover.
• Bake on cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes. Check after 15 minutes and continue baking until done.

“Blackberry” Sauce
- One 15 oz. can blackberries, blueberries, or sweet pitted cherries ( Check for not fillers.) 2 T sugar, 1 tsp. potato starch.
• Drain liquid from fruit can. Mix with sugar and potato starch. Heat over medium heat, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil for one minute until thickened and bubbly. Add in reserved fruit.

To serve lightly drizzle sauce over chicken and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Passover Chocolate Nut Torte
• Serves 12-14
• Preheat oven 350 degrees
• Separate 10 eggs and beat the egg yolks until light and thick. Gradually add 1 Cup sugar.
• Add 2 cups finely chopped walnuts, ¼ tsp. salt.
• Melt 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, add to egg yolk/sugar mixture
• Beat 10 egg whites until they form peaks and fold into yolk mixture
• Pour into 10 in tube pan, greased on bottom
• Bake 1 hour, cool inverted before removing
Coconut Cake
• Serves 10-12
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Separate 6 eggs, beat whites until frothy, gradually add ½ c sugar
• Divide beat egg whites into 2 parts, add 1 ¼ c shredded unsweetened coconut into one part
• Beat egg yolks until thick. Add 3 T. oil, ½ cup potato flour, ½ cup wine, 1/3 cup cocoa.
• Fold a little egg white into yolk mixture, layer both batters evenly in baking tin.
• Bake 45-50 min. Frost with chocolate icing.
Chocolate Icing
• Melt 4 oz chocolate and 2 T butter
• Add 1 tsp GF vanilla. (Optional: Add 1 T wine or liqueur)
• Spread while warm

Coconut Macaroons (For Passover or anytime!)
• Yields 36 macaroons
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Beat 3 egg whites, 1 T lemon juice until frothy
• Gradually add ¼ cup sugar, 2 tsp GF vanilla to egg whites, beat until stiff
• Fold in 2 T honey, 2 T potato starch, and 2 ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut.
• Drop from tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet
• Bake for 20 min. Remove from baking sheet while still warm

Gluten Free Oats

2008-04-11T10:51:00.003-04:00

There is continuing debate about oats and whether or not they should be included in the definition of gluten. As of now, there is no consensus amongst the leading health agencies and institutions on whether oats should be excluded from a gluten-intolerant person’s diet. Much research suggests that up to 50 grams of oats per day can be tolerated by people with Celiac or gluten intolerance. So, one argument is that including oats in the gluten definition would deprive people of products that contain oats and no other source of gluten. The flip side is that if oats are not included in the definition, people who cannot tolerate 50 grams of oats per day risk contamination by ingesting a product that is “gluten free”.

Oats themselves do not contain gluten, but the manufacturing process normally exposes them to it as they usually share manufacturing facilities with other grains such as wheat and rye. Thankfully, several companies have now started to successfully produce gluten free oats. Gluten Free Oats (www.glutenfreeoats.com) and Bob’s Red Mill (Bobsredmill.com) are two of those companies.

Here is a delicious gluten free recipe for Oatmeal Chip Cookies:
• Heat oven to 450.
• In food processor, mix 1 egg, 4 T melted butter or oil (Peanut oil, Almond oil or Walnut oil work well,) 3/4 c brown sugar, 1 T. GF vanilla, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp allspice
• Add and mix 1 ½ c GF oats, ½ c rice flour, 1 full tsp baking powder
• Add and mix to your taste ½ c (or more) chocolate chips, ½ c raisins, ½ c chopped walnuts
• Place heaping teaspoons of cookie dough on greased cookie sheet. You will have about 24 cookies
• Bake 350 degrees for 11 – 15 minutes. Check cookie color and smell after 11 minutes, and increase time as needed.

Enjoy from GFDelights.com!

FALCPA and Gluten: How Labeling Laws Effect You

2008-04-03T19:55:00.005-04:00

FALCPA, the Food Allergy Labeling Consumer Protection Act was passed in 2004 and went into effect on January 1, 2006. It requires that companies list any and all of the eight top food allergens present in each of its products in clear language in the ingredients section of the product’s label. The eight allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy. Wheat makes up a large portion of the gluten in gluten-containing foods, but unfortunately, under FALCPA, rye and barley (and sometimes oats), which are the other gluten-containing grains, do not have to be disclosed. So, while FALCPA certainly helps those with Celiac disease and gluten allergies in determining which products to avoid based on the presence of wheat, there is still no such assistance for products that contain barley or rye or ingredients derived from these two grains.

In response to FALCPA, the FDA has been working on a definition of “gluten” and regulations that will dictate a company’s right to voluntarily label their products “gluten free.” A summary of the key points of the current proposal can be read here. The full proposal can be read here and a final ruling is required this coming August; so stay tuned. The ongoing discussion is very detailed and would be impossible to layout in a concise blog posting, so I just want to discuss a few concerns I have after reading through the very dense proposal.

First, according to the current proposal, the FDA is considering allowing companies to voluntarily label any product that contains fewer than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten “gluten free.” This will certainly help gluten intolerant shoppers in determining which products have little to no gluten, but what about those people who cannot tolerate even 19 ppm of gluten? Another concern is that someone consuming several products in the course of a day, week, or month containing fewer than 20 ppm of gluten could inadvertently accumulate a substantial (and harmful) amount of ingested gluten and therefore experience adverse effects. By the way, 20 ppm has been chosen because that is the minimum level at which the FDA believes gluten can be consistently and accurately detected by current analytic processes.

Second, the FDA is debating whether or not to allow companies to label naturally gluten free foods such as rice “gluten free” by including a label that says “All rice is gluten free” (so as not to mislead consumers to believe that rice Brand X is gluten free while rice Brand Y is not, simply because Brand X chose to include the “gluten free” labeling, while Brand Y did not). But, with this labeling, what if rice Brand Z’s processing plant is a not a gluten free dedicated facility? This labeling seems dangerous because a consumer may now incorrectly assume, based on the FDA’s labeling laws, that all rice is gluten free, while in reality the production process of each brand may not uphold the gluten free integrity of the product.

For a continuing discussion on gluten labeling laws, check GFDelights.com frequently. We will update you with any new regulations as they are enacted.

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Gluten Free Ice Cream!

2008-03-29T14:52:00.001-04:00

I don’t know about you, but once it gets warm out (to be honest, I should say, once it’s above freezing) I have a hard time getting through a week without some ice cream. Ice cream is one of my favorites and with Spring only a couple weeks away, I’m already looking forward to lots of ice cream eating, right through till it gets cold again next fall (who am I kidding, I eat ice cream year round). Alright, you caught me. I’m trying to use the arrival of Spring to justify writing about ice cream, but I’m actually eating a bowl right now and the temperature outside is in the low 30s. I just want to write about ice cream because it tastes SO GOOD!

The good news about ice cream is that many brands, such as Ben and Jerry’s, say their flavors are wheat and gluten free, except for those containing obvious gluten sources. So, Chocolate Fudge Brownie is not ok, but plain Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and Coffee are! Most of the companies I contacted were very helpful in providing me with the names of their gluten free flavors, so calling one up to inquire about a new flavor in your market’s freezer should prove fruitful for you too. There are lots of gluten free ice cream flavors out there—too many, in fact, to list here (isn’t that great news?).

Here are some flavors in which you can safely indulge: Haagen Dazs’ Vanilla, Coffee, Strawberry, Extraas™ Rocky Road and their Banana Strawberry Frozen Yogourt Bar are gluten free. Edy’s Grand Fruit Bars, Butter Pecan, Cherry Vanilla, Chocolate, French Vanilla and Neopolitan and Edy’s Slow Churned Butter Pecan, Caramel Delight, Fudge Tracks, Mocha Almond Fudge and Vanilla Bean are all gluten free. Turkey Hill’s Banana Split, Butter Pecan, Chocolate Marshmallow, Rum Raisin and a host of others are gluten free. Starbucks’ Coffee flavor is gluten free, as are Java Chip Low Fat Latte and White Chocolate. Dove Ice Cream, with the exception of Chocolate Chip Brownie Affair is ok!

So what about toppings for your frozen delight? Fruit and nuts are always safe and Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips are ok, but their white chocolate chips are not. Delicious Organics makes gluten free caramel and raspberry syrups as well as gluten free chocolate and rainbow sprinkles. You can order some here. Barkat also makes a delicious gluten free cone that passed a taste test by the pickiest of ice cream connoisseurs—kids (meaning they didn’t pause for a second while devouring their cones to question whether they were anything but standard ice cream cones)! So stock up online for those spring and summer birthday parties and barbeques! Happy ice cream eating from GFDelights.com!

Gluten Free Valentines

2008-02-13T14:19:00.000-05:00

Valentine’s Day is one of the sweetest of the year and thankfully there are plenty of gluten and wheat free goodies and recipes so that those of us stricken by Cupid and Celiac can enjoy the day. Classics like Hershey’s Kisses, Necco’s Conversation Hearts and M&Ms are confirmed gluten free. Check out this list of gluten free candies and be sure to double-check with the manufacturer before indulging your sweet tooth or giving a gift to your valentine. In addition to lots of sweets, there are some cute non-edible gluten free gifts here.

The recipe below is from a Celiac listserve. Look how beautiful the cookies turn out; what a romantic and delicious gift! Visit GFDelights.com to find a restaurant where you and your sweetheart can enjoy a stress-free gluten free Valentine’s dinner! From all of us at GFDelights.com, Happy Valentine’s Day!

In an electric mixer, beat 1/3 cup unsalted, softened butter, softened and 4-oz. Philadelphia cream cheese together until fluffy.
Whisk together 2 cups Beth’s All-Purpose Flour (Gluten Free Pantry), 1 cup sugar, ½ teaspoon Rumford baking powder, and ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel. Beat 1 cup of flour mixture into butter mixture.
Add 1 egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Beat in remaining 1 cup of flour mixture.
Cover and chill dough for 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375° degrees.
Divide dough in half. On a well-floured (rice flour) surface, roll half the dough at a time to ¼ inch thick – or thinner (keep remaining dough refrigerated).
Using a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Using a small heart-shaped cutter, cut out centers from half of the cookies. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Do not overbake. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Sprinkle powdered sugar on cutout cookies. Spread 1 teaspoon raspberry jam on each of the solid cookies; top each one with a cutout cookie.

A Gluten Free Super Bowl

2008-02-13T14:07:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl Sunday 2008: New York Giants v New England Patriots, obscenely overpriced commercials, pizza and beer! It’s not a holy day, but it sure is a fun one if gathering with friends on the couch and watching football all afternoon is your thing. If you’re throwing a Super Bowl party, attending one or just watching the game with friends or family, chances are there will be pizza, beer and snacks on the menu. Throwing the party gives you complete control over what is served, but if you’re going to a party, offer to bring along some gluten free options so that you’re not left out of the festivities. Here are some simple ideas and easy recipes for enjoying the day gluten free.

If the party’s at your place, consider making your own pizza instead of ordering it from the local pizzeria. Not only will your pizzas be delicious, healthy and wheat-free, but you’ll also be avoiding pizzerias on their busiest day of the year. No ordering days in advance, no lost or incorrect orders and no late deliveries of cold pizza whose cheese is stuck to the box instead of the pizza.

If you’ve never made pizza before, don’t worry...it’s really quite easy! Pick up some frozen gluten free pizza dough from the supermarket. Whole Foods carries several brands, including Amy’s Kitchen (which is delicious) and Ener-G-Foods. Amy’s Kitchen also makes some great gluten free tomato sauces and Simply Natural’s Organic Tomato and Basil Sauce is fantastic and gluten free. You can also make a simple marinara sauce at home:

• Add a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 cloves of minced garlic to a saucepan over medium heat
• Once the garlic turns golden brown, add a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• Once heated, add about 10 fresh, torn basil leaves, a couple stems-worth of fresh, chopped oregano leaves and, a handful of fresh, chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper
• Adjust heat to low and simmer

Stick the rolled out dough in the oven for a few minutes to allow it to crisp and remove it just as it starts to brown. Spoon your sauce onto the rolled out dough, add some gluten free cheese like Sargento’s Mozzarella and Provolone blend, top with your favorite toppings and follow the frozen dough’s instructions for cooking time and temperature.

If you’re attending a party, a more portable option is to make mini pizzas on gluten free pita bread. Cut a slit in the pitas to prevent them from puffing up, toast them lightly, cover with sauce, cheese and toppings and bake at about 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Make several with different toppings, cut them up and bring as an appetizer (if you don’t think there will be other food options available to you, bring another pita pizza for yourself as a meal).

Once the pizza’s been enjoyed, bring out some baked, not fried, buffalo wings. Try this delicious recipe:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake 20 chicken wings for 45 minutes, or until fully cooked and crispy.
• Mix 1/3 c melted butter, 1 (12 oz) bottle of Franks Red Hot, 1 (8 oz) can of crushed tomatoes, 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder and 4 dashes of cayenne pepper in a pot and boil over medium temperature for 5 minutes.
• Dip cooked wings in sauce and coat well. Place coated wings on broiler pan and bake 10 minutes, then dip again in sauce and bake another 10 minutes.

After the pizza and wings, set out bowls of gluten free snacks to munch on during the game. I just tried Riceworks’ Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps which are very tasty, come in several flavors including Wasabi and Sweet Chili and are wheat free, gluten free and Celiac friendly. Your go-to gluten free corn chips, salsa and guacamole will be crowd-pleasers as well. Making your own guacamole is a simple and beautiful dish to bring to a party:

• Chop up 4 avocados, 2 plum tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 shallot and ½ a jalapeno (increase or decrease according to your guests spice tolerance) in a bowl
• Add salt and pepper to taste and the juice of about half a lime and stir
• Refrigerate for a couple of hours so the flavors blend

Lastly, throw together a trail mix of nuts, raisins, a crunchy gluten free cereal and a little brown sugar. Put out this sweet munchy mix as a healthier dessert after the pizza and chips have been devoured.

As for alcoholic beverages, gluten free beer is pricey so hopefully there are only a few beer drinkers with a gluten intolerance at your party. If you’re attending a party, bring a 6-pack for yourself so you can indulge like a true football fan. Below are some gluten free beers. The links I’ve included list retailers where you can purchase the products. You can order online at some sites, although not in time for the Super Bowl.

Ramapo Valley Brewery: Passover Honey Beer
http://www.ramapovalleybrewery.com/outlets.htm

Lake Front: New Grist
http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/national_locations.html

This last one is not yet available in the US, but for you Canadian Super Bowl viewers, I’ve tried Fort Garry Brewing’s Nubru, a new gluten-free beer that is pretty good. It’s available in Winnipeg liquor stores and is slowly widening in distribution. A six-pack costs $17.60 CAD (I told you it was pricey!)

4 Ingredients for an Easy Gluten Free Super Bowl Party

• Homemade pizza
• Baked, not fried, buffalo wings
• GF chips and salsa and homemade guacamole
• Sweet dessert munchy mix
• GF beer

GFDelights.com hopes these ideas make your Super Bowl Sunday a fun one! And keep them in mind for any future parties you throw or attend...it’s really quite easy to entertain gluten free!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2008-01-29T12:25:00.001-05:00

The long lines, endless delays and occasional cancellations travelers face at airports are enough to cause mild anxiety in even the most seasoned traveler. When you throw gluten intolerance or Celiac disease into the equation, that anxiety level only increases. It’s fairly challenging for any health-conscious traveler to eat nutritiously during a long day of flying with Pizza Hut, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts as the staple airport dining establishments. So what is someone whose diet is severely limited by gluten intolerance to do? Be prepared.

According to the US Department of Transportation, only about 75% of flights departed on time in 2006, so if you’re planning to fly in the near future, there is a good chance you’ll experience some sort of delay. Be prepared by bringing lots of gluten free food with you (but don’t forget that liquids in containers over 3 fl oz are not allowed through security!). While Peanut M&Ms from the terminal vending machine may satisfy your gluten free requirement, they are not good for your waistline or your blood sugar. Moreover, delays are not limited to the terminal, where at least there are vending machines and restaurants. Delays once you’re on the plane—at the departure gate, on the taxiway and at your arrival gate—are all too common and the supply of gluten free snacks you’ve brought might be your only food source for hours.

As for the meal that some airlines provide for you on long-haul flights, the good news is that most carriers can prepare a gluten free meal for you if given enough notice (inquire immediately after purchasing your ticket). The bad news is that there is a high risk of cross-contamination because large catering companies without dedicated gluten free kitchens prepare airline food. The other bad news is that come mealtime, your gluten free meal may simply be unavailable. I’ve witnessed many disputes between hungry passengers and helpless flight attendants when a pre-ordered special meal goes MIA. If you’re willing to risk cross-contamination, order the gluten free meal but pack a back up in case your meal doesn’t make it on your flight. Don’t trust the airline snacks unless it’s a brand you’ve had before and verified as gluten free. What appear to be plain cashews may not be wheat free, as there is often wheat in nut coatings. Also, don’t forget to pack enough food for the first day and night at your destination so you can get settled and enjoy yourself without rushing to go gluten free food shopping.

After reading about the hassles of gluten free airline travel, you may have just sworn off flying forever! I hope that’s not the case, but if it is, trains and automobiles are your other options and each comes with its own set of surmountable challenges. There is a chef aboard each overnight Amtrak journey and speaking with the chef well ahead of time (check with Amtrak for this information) is an option. How much, if anything, the chef will be willing and able to do for you may vary by trip because the chefs, their pre-planned menus and, consequently, the available ingredients differ. One Amtrak passenger said they managed on an overnight trip by having the chef prepare steamed fish and a vegetable for dinner, eggs and fruit for breakfast and a salad for lunch (with dressing brought from home). If you’d rather not deal with the onboard food, it is important to know that Amtrak is forbidden by federal health regulations to refrigerate, handle or heat your food, so be sure whatever meals you prepare and bring are non-perishable, ready-to-eat, and taste good at room temperature.

Driving to your destination, although not always possible, obviously provides the most flexibility. You’re free to bring as much gluten free food as you can fit in your vehicle and with time to prepare, you can plan your route with gluten free friendly stops. Doing a quick search online, I was able to find out what restaurants and shops are at each service stop along the Massachusetts and Florida Turnpikes. Getting this information ahead of time enables you to research what gluten free options are available along your route. If you have more time and can make detours from the highway, searching for gluten free friendly restaurants in towns along the way is another option. Check out GFDelights .com’s list of gluten free accommodating restaurants to help plan your trip. Another important tip is to always keep a stash of non-perishable food and water in the trunk in case of a breakdown in a remote area or a serious traffic jam.

4 Tips for an Easy Gluten Free Travel Experience

• Prepare for the worst: pack enough food for hours of delays and cancellations
• If you’ve ordered a GF airline meal, bring a back up just in case
• Pack enough food for the first day and night at your destination
• Research your driving route and plan GF friendly stops

We at GFDelights .com hope that these suggestions make your next trip successful and relaxing so that you’re Living Easy Gluten Free!

Living Easy Gluten Free

2008-01-18T12:56:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Living Easy Gluten Free, GFDelights.com’s blog! While the focus of GFDelights.com is providing centralized, easy access to gluten free accommodating restaurants and their menus, this blog’s purpose is to discuss all aspects of living gluten free. Going out to dinner or attending a friend’s party—these are commonplace events that may at first seem unblog-worthy. But those of us who have had to adjust or completely reinvent our everyday routines on account of a gluten allergy or Celiac diagnosis know that what were once stress-free activities now have the potential to be anything but.

Every week we’ll be looking at another aspect of life from the gluten free perspective. Whether it’s dining out, travel, health and beauty, social events, or gluten free current events, we’re here to share what we’ve learned from our experiences in the hope that we can make your gluten free lifestyle more enjoyable. If you’ve been recently diagnosed and don’t know where to start, or if you’re a seasoned pro and are just looking for a few tips, let us help you live easy gluten free!

Let’s start with the most basic of weekly activities: going out to dinner. Most people love eating out; it’s fun, it’s easier than cooking...or is it?!? Unfortunately, for those of us who have to worry about ingesting gluten, dining out can be anything but fun and easy. Sometimes waiters think they know what gluten intolerance is and try their best to help, but in reality their understanding is limited and the consequences of eating hidden ingredients that contain gluten can be disastrous. Then there are servers who don’t appear to care enough, resulting in having to send back your meal time and again, which can be frustrating and embarrassing, not to mention unappetizing. Too often what starts off as a promising night on the town ends with a gluten intolerant diner who is aggravated and hungry and in the worst case, ill.

I’ve painted a rather bleak picture, but the good news is that with some planning and practice, the above situation can usually be avoided. First, if this isn’t a spontaneous event and you have the opportunity to call the restaurant ahead of time, do so. After making your reservation, ask to speak with the manager and explain your dietary needs in detail, using your gluten free restaurant card as a guide. Ask for a list of specific ingredients in any dishes you’re considering (if you have internet access to the menu, for instance) and inquire whether the chef has experience cooking for gluten intolerant diners. Ask that a note be included with your reservation if the same manager will not be present when you arrive. Calling ahead of time will answer your questions and alleviate the stress of having to explain your dietary restrictions in what can be a dark, loud and rushed atmosphere. By calling ahead, you are also giving the manager, the chef and the wait staff (if the manager is particularly vigilant) the opportunity to prepare—a generous gift in the often unpredictable and frenzied restaurant industry. Know that if you are able to call between the lunch and dinner rushes, you will have a much more relaxed and attentive listener.

When you arrive, ask to speak with the manager, announce yourself to him or her and request that they communicate the details of your earlier discussion to your server (always have your gluten free restaurant card on hand to clear up any confusion). In doing so, you now have a waiter who has been briefed on your situation so that you have less explaining to do and more time to enjoy yourself. Moreover, your server is more likely to pay attention to detail and make a strong effort to succeed when getting instructions from their boss versus from you. You also have made an ally in management to assist with any problems that may arise that evening and with whom to touch base before or during any future visits. Be sure to always thank the wait staff and manager at the end of your meal if he or she was particularly helpful. Showing your appreciation can go a long way in securing future cooperation and hassle-free dining. Following this simple advice is a great way to establish a network of local places where you can dine with confidence and in comfort. The more you prepare ahead of time, the more enjoyable your experience should be and as you frequent particular spots, the more effortless the process should become for both you and the establishments.

Don’t be afraid of taking such an assertive approach. You may feel uncomfortable at the prospect of being a “fussy” customer, but doing so will benefit both you and the restaurant. Not only will you have a pleasant, healthy dining experience and be able to enjoy time with family and friends outside the confines of your gluten free kitchen, but the restaurant will also profit from having you as a satisfied customer. When a restaurant does an excellent job accommodating you, you will tell your friends, email a gluten intolerance listserv and maybe even blog about it, increasing the restaurant’s business and helping anyone in search of a non home-cooked gluten free meal. Feel free to add your reviews to the restaurant profiles on GFDelights.com’s list of gluten free accommodating restaurants. If you’ve discovered a place that’s not yet on our list, send us an email and we’ll add it!

6 Tips for an Easy Gluten Free Night on the Town

• Call ahead
• Bring your gluten free restaurant card
• Announce yourself to the manager upon arrival
• Have the manager speak directly to your server about your gluten intolerance
• Thank members of the staff who were particularly accommodating
• Spread the word! Tell your friends and GFDelights.com about your find.

We hope you’ll visit again for more tips on Living Easy Gluten Free!