Official blog of Glutenfreeda.com

Menu Monday: Quick Weeknight Meal

2011-05-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Ready in 30 minutes or less (with a make-ahead dessert!) this Asian-themed weeknight meal is quick, easy and super tasty!

Pork Lettuce Wraps
An excellent appetizer or light lunch, these wraps are super easy to make and incredibly impressive!

Beef Teriyaki Bowl
Better than any teriyaki you've had before, the beef is super tender and delicious served over rice!

Make-Ahead Lemon Squares
What can be more refreshing than lemon bars in the spring?

Product Review: Chebe Cinnamon Rolls

2011-05-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

As you know, Glutenfreeda has been a long-time supporter of Chebe products - back when there was only the single, basic bread mix. Now, with a full line of mixes and frozen par-baked goodies, Chebe continues to impress with Focaccia, Breadsticks and Cinnamon Rolls.

Ingredients: Manioc (tapioca) flour, modified manioc starch (100% manioc), evaporated cane juice, cinnamon, iodine-free sea salt.

Like all of their mixes, the cinnamon rolls come together in just minutes! Just add oil, an egg, applesauce and a little bit of milk or soymilk, roll it out and you're set! If you want to include nuts or raisins, you easily can, and if you don't, they're delicious as-is.

While the dough puffs up considerably and looks flaky, I felt like the sticky buns were mostly...bun. As the dough expanded, space was created between each layer, forming a sort of pastry rosette, with most of the filling leaking out onto the bottom of the pan. Still delicious (and significantly better warm!) but not quite the same as a traditional cinnamon roll.

As soon as they start the cool, the buns become fairly chewy and a little bit dry - much like the standard bread rolls. But just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds and they are warm, moist and delicious once again.

Available nationwide, across Canada and in Puerto Rico.

Product Review: Fosse Farms' Dressings & Marinades

2011-04-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

Visit Fosse Farms Inc. for more information!

Elaine Fosse began making salad dressings in 1987 because she was dissatisfied with the current market offerings - and I can't tell you how happy I am! Certified gluten free, soy free, dairy free, salt free, vegan and free of additives and preservatives, Elaine's line of dressings are healthy and delicious.

With an ingredient list that reads "Pure Olive Oil, Cranberries, Vinegar, Sugar and Herbs" how can you go wrong? It is my understanding that as many ingredients as possible are produced on the farm, including the vinegar and berries, and Elaine sources her olive oil from California - creating a local and sustainable product grown and produced using West Coast ingredients.

While I had the luxury of trying all of Fosse Farms' fabulous dressings, my personal favorite was the extra-garlic Blackberry -- lightly sweet, tangy and with a garlic taste that was pungent without being overwhelming. We loved it on spinach salads with goat cheese and walnuts, as a marinade for barbecued chicken, and as an interesting way to add an extra kick to your sandwich. Definitely a new favorite!

Flavors Available:
- Raspberry (also organic)
- Cranberry (also organic)
- Marionberry
- Blackberry (also organic)
- Blackberry with extra garlic (my favorite)
- Organic Provencal

Available in-store and at farmer's markets across Western Washington and Northeast Oregon and of course online, Fosse Farms dressings are most easy to find at Whole Foods.

Product Review: Jones Mock Salt

2011-04-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

You may be thinking "Oh, just another salt-free seasoning alternative..." but that's where you're wrong! Jones' Mock Salt is a super delicious no-sodium seasoning blend that is gluten free, organic and produced in the Pacific Northwest. June Jones developed the seasoning over the past several years in an effort to help family and friends who suffer from heart conditions which require limiting sodium intake - and what a success!

With a fine texture and complex flavor, what could be better? This seasoning blend is anything but bland and includes a few surprises - like orange peel - which creates a subtle blend of flavors that packs a big punch and lingers on the palate.

For sure, Jones' Mock Salt is my favorite seasoning blend!

Product Review: The Good Cookie(s)

2011-04-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

If you like (or love) oatmeal cookies, the Good Cookies are right up your alley! All five flavors are gluten free/dairy free, delicious and pretty good for you too! Sold by the dozen, they are baked fresh and are the perfect combination of soft 'n chewy + crunchy cookie awesomeness. Not excited yet? Just keep reading...

Flavors: "Pure and Innocent" (Peanut Butter & White Chocolate Chip), "Rais'n Shine" (Good ol' Oatmeal Raisin), "The Choc-o-holic" (Double Chocolate with Chocolate Chips), "Goodie Goodie" (Cranberry & White Chocolate Chip) and their signature, "The Good Cookie" (Peanut butter Chocolate Chip)

Overall Score - 4/5 stars

Taste
Becky: First, go buy a quart of milk (if you don't already have some). Second, pour yourself a large, ice cold glass. Next, open your package of The Good Cookies, and just start eating. Trust me, you will be in cookie heaven. The taste of each and every of the five flavors of cookies are so unbelievably delish. My personal favorites? The Choc-o-holic, and the "Goodie Goodie" (Cranberry White Chip). All the flavors do have an overtone of peanut butter flavor (it's used in all the cookies - beware, those who are allergic), but it's not overpowering - except in the Peanut Butter and White Chip flavor, where it's the main attraction! - and honestly, all have unique enough personalities that the common ingredient makes no difference. OH yeah - these are called "GOOD" for a reason!

Kelsey: As someone who never liked oatmeal raisin cookies (in fact, I avoided them like the plague as a child) I was awed by these cookies. I wasn;'t totally in love with the general peanut-buttery taste, but it definitely does not detract from the five distinct flavors and isn't pronounced unless you a) eat all of them in one sitting (which I definitely did not do... at all... stop looking at me like that!) or b) are on the lookout for those nutty undertones. My favorite? The straight up Rais'n Shine and the Choc-o-Holic - yum!

Texture
Becky: Homemade. Need I say more? Okay, yes, I'd better, because I feel like rhapsodising for a moment. These cookies have the soft and tender crumb I've been working so hard for in my own kitchen since I was a child. Each cookie is firm enough to not fall apart, yet delicate enough to literally melt in the mouth. Oatmeal, along with peanut butter, is another common ingredient, and for me that adds a nice element of interest. I also feel far less guilty eating these cookies (okay, okay, gorging on them, just keep it quiet) because I can convince myself that they're healthier for me! I kept thinking I'd like to make ice cream cookie sandwiches with these, and the texture is definitely right for that use: soft and moist, yet firm enough to withstand a little melted ice cream. Additionally, it's important to note that I kept these cookies in my freezer until review time (moment of truth - I ate a bunch before putting them there) and they lasted like a dream with no issues.

Kelsey: The only thing stopping you from believing that you baked these amazing cookies yourself is that your kitchen is not perfumed with the aroma of freshly baked cookies and they aren't quite fresh-from-the-oven-warm, but really, that's it. They're just like homemade (because they are) and as far as I'm concerned, that's a win right there. They're just the right amount of soft & chewy and crunchy-cookie, perfect for light dunking, straight-up devouring or whatever else you could think to use them for.

Storage
Becky: I felt like my Aunt Irma and Uncle Ollie had arrived for a visit when these cookies showed up on my doorstep. You see, they always brought these really delicious baked goods from a bakery near their house, and I always looked forward to tearing open the tissue paper to see what goodies they'd brought. The box arrived from The Good Cookies, and lo and behold, inside were two lovely bakery boxes. And inside the bakery boxes? Jaunty pink tissue paper. And inside the paper? Neatly packaged cookies, with really cool stickers detailing the contents, ingredients, and all the other necessary information. I've previously divulged that I tucked into a bunch of cookies before freezing them, so some of the plastic wrappers were opened already. Guess what? It didn't matter to the freshness of the cookies at all - they stayed fresh as the day they were baked, and as tasty, too. The only thing I'd hope to see happen in the future is a resealable wrapper, for those who aren't gluttonous like me. Who needs to worry about storage, though, when these won't really last that long anyway?!

Kelsey: Bakery boxes. Pink tissue paper. What else do you need?! Oh, right, cookies. So of the remaining half that I didn't inhale (ahem), I put a few in a ziploc-type bag in the freezer, a few just in a baggie on the counter and left the rest in their unsealed cellophane wrapper (blasphemy, I know) and guess what? They all held up almost equally well. The freezer didn't work for me at all because when I want a cookie, I am not about to wait for it to slowly and delicately defrost but I also recognize the horrors of microwaving a frozen cookie (or at least, I do now!), and while those in the sealed baggie did stay fresh after two weeks (my mandatory waiting time for baked goods), those left in the opened cellophane held up remarkably well. Obviously you probably won't just leave them out the way I did, but even if you do, they'll stay pretty darn fresh for at least a week. Wowza!

Availability
Becky:
The Good Cookies website offers all the cookie flavors, sold by the dozen. They may also be found in various stores in the Los Angeles, CA area (including Malibu), and two stores on Long Island, NY. Hopefully word will spread (I've already started alerting my local stores) because these are a worthwhile addition to the gluten free bakery section of any market. Oh, heck - they're a worthwhile addition to ANY section - unqualified - of the baked goods aisle!

Cost
On the website The Good Cookies sell for $8 per dozen. I think that for the home-baked quality and gorgeous custom packaging of these delectable (and generously sized) cookies, that's a pretty decent deal at sixty-seven cents per cookie! Shipping always adds more to the cost, if you are unlucky enough to not live in L.A. or Long Island, so be sure to budget for the added expense. Overall, definitely one of the most cost-efficient gluten free cookies I've tested to date. And well worth it!

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Orange Almond Cake

2011-04-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

Also our GFCF feature for the month, this recipe is perfect for spring when most citrus fruits are just past their peak and are no longer quite at their peak. The almond meal is super healthy, low glycemic and low carb, and the only fat is from the delicious and heart-healthy olive oil - yum!

The olive oil keeps the cake moist (perfect for leftovers) and is sweet enough for dessert, but not so unhealthy you couldn't enjoy some for breakfast or brunch. By grinding your own almonds into a meal, you can control both the texture and certify that the product is 100% gluten free.

Serving Suggestions

Ganache or chocolate glaze, Sabra glaze (orange-chocolate liqueur), confectioner’s sugar. Honestly, our house isn’t huge on super-sweet desserts and we love it plain. Next time, I’ll probably press sliced almonds into the top of the cake half-way through baking for a more elegant appearance.

For storage, keep at room temperature and cover tightly with plastic wrap to maintain moisture. This cake improves with age and is best on its second or third day.

Orange Almond Cake
Serves 4-6

1 small/medium orange*
1 lemon*
6 ounces whole almonds**
1 cup gluten free flour (like Jules Gluten Free Blend)
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 large eggs (or 5 medium), at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup olive oil (the higher quality the oil, the better)
Confectioner’s sugar, for serving (optional)

First things first, get started on preparing the citrus. Put the orange and lemon in a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. They’re going to float, don’t worry about it. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

In the mean time, preheat the over to 325F (one rack in the center) to toast the almonds. Distribute the almonds on an ungreased sheet pan and bake for 10-15 minutes until they look golden and smell all roasty and delicious. Err on the side of over-toasted, just make sure they don’t burn! Let them cool completely, (I dumped mine out onto a tea towel to expedite the process) then toss ‘em in the food processor until finely ground, like corn meal. Set aside and don’t worry about cleaning out the food processor.

Bump the oven temperature up to 350F and grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan. The baking time will differ depending on which size you choose/have on hand.

When the fruit has cooled, cut the lemon in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds; discard. Cut the orange in half also and remove the seeds, leaving pulp in tact. Put the lemon rinds and orange halves in the food processor and chop until they form a really coarse paste.

Meanwhile, combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl.

In a mixing bowl or the base of a stand mixer, combine eggs and salt, then beat until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar. If using a stand mixer, switch to the blade attachment, stir in the flour/baking powder mixture. Beat in (on low speed) the fruit, almonds and olive oil, until just incorporated, but be careful not to over mix! Pour batter into springform pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean: 45-60 minutes for a 9-inch pan, 30-40 for a 10-inch pan.

Remove from oven and cool in the springform pan on a wire rack (I used the stovetop of my gas range– you just need circulation to facilitate quicker cooling). Remove the sides of the pan (by far, my favorite aspect of using the darn things) and serve.

Notes

* Because you are eating the whole fruit, rind and all, if possible, use organic fruit.

** You can substitute pre-roasted almonds but it turns out so much better with freshly toasted almonds.

Recipe of the Week: Almond-Stuffed Prunes Wrapped in Bacon

2011-04-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

Also known as "Devil's on Horseback" (don't ask me why), bacon wrapped prunes (or dates) are a delicious and elegant appetizer! The sweet and salty flavors compliment each other well, the crunchy bacon, soft and juicy prunes and chewy almond create an interesting texture combination that will please all of your dinner guests!

Almond-Stuffed Prunes Wrapped in Bacon
1/2 pound large pitted prunes
2 ounces blanched whole almonds
Thin, lean bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Stuff each prune with an almond. Cut each strip of bacon in three equal pieces. Wrap a piece of bacon around each stuffed prune and secure with a round toothpick.

Bake on a foil lined baking sheet for about 15 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
Serve immediately.

Tips
These are best when made with very thin bacon.

Related Recipes...
Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake
Meatballs with Almond & Garlic Sauce
Pan Seared Red Potatoes, Snow Peas, Cilantro Vinaigrette with Almond Crusted Chicken

Menu Monday: Quick Springtime Weeknight Meal

2011-04-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the fresh flavors of spring and splurge on local produce with this quick and easy menu! What says spring like fresh asparagus and a meringue pie?

Asparagus Salad with Toasted Walnuts
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Seared Tenderloin with Prosciutto, Provolone & Mushrooms
Lime Meringue Tart

Photos by Missy and the Universe and Sistak.

Thirsty Thursday: Saffron-Limoncello Shandy

2011-04-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

While you may be thinking that cider is only an autumnal treat, you would be soo wrong. First of all, in Early America, cider was the beverage of choice over ale and wine, and definitely instead of mostly-toxic water. Because it was fermented, there wasn't a risk of food borne illness and it would keep for months (versus fresh juice which, without refrigeration, lasted a few hours). In any case, as a young adult with Celiac who tries to make it a habit of being social, coming up with easy, readily available and relatively inexpensive alternatives to beer is a serious challenge - and thus, I discovered hard cider. Strongbow (imported from England) is my brand of choice because it's a dry cider and therefore not very sweet - perfect for a refreshing spring mixer.

Saffron-Limoncello Shandy
Inspired by British shandies — beer mixed with ginger ale or sparkling lemonade — this refreshing drink ups the ante with English hard cider and limoncello. - Creator Darren Creely, Café Nell, Portland, Oregon

1 oz. limoncello
1/2 oz. saffron sryup (see below)
4 oz. gluten free dry hard cider (like Strongbow)
Ice cubes

In a shaker, combine limoncello, saffron sryup and ice. Shake for 30 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with cider and garnish with a lemon twist.

To make the saffron syrup: Combine 1 cup of water, 1 cup of granulated sugar and ¼ tsp. of saffron in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and saffron. Remove from heat and chill before using.

Photo by Muffet

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Coconut Chicken Soup

2011-04-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about this recipe (in addition to its refreshing flavor) is that you can set it up the day before. Roast a whole chicken, clean off the extra meat and set aside; boil the carcass with roasted vegetables to make homemade stock and voila - the main ingredients are already there, better tasting and healthier than store bought alternatives - yum!

Coconut Chicken Soup

3 cups gluten free chicken stock (ideally, homemade - see above)
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into thin disks
1 cup (canned) coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons honey or agave nectar
6 ounces cooked (ie leftover) chicken
1 cup mushrooms, cleaned and halved
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

In a medium-sized pot, bring chicken stock and ginger to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sweetener (honey or agave), chicken, mushrooms and carrot sticks.

Just prior to serving, add lime juice and cilantro. Serve.

Photo by Edsel L

Menu Monday: Spring Dinner Menu

2011-04-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

Everything about this menu screams "fresh!" and "spring is HERE!"so why not take it for a test drive this week? The crisp apples and creamy gorgonzola make a perfect pair, but instead of being set atop a fresh arugula salad with candied walnuts and a nice vinaigrette (yum...), here they make for bite-sized appetizers perched on crispy garlicky bread slices - oh and for something much quicker, easier (and maybe even a little better...) try using slices of Udi's Bread cut into triangles instead of baking a whole loaf of French bread just for the occasion.

And really, what says spring like these pristine coconut cupcakes?

Bruschetta with Gorgonzola & Apples
Spring Risotto with Artichokes
Chicken with Lemon Shallot Sauce
Coconut Cupcakes

Photo by Jamieanne

Recipe of the Week: Chiles Rellenos with Goat Cheese

2011-03-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I've been on a major Mexican/Southwest/TexMex food kick lately, but bear with me - it seems like the perfect kind of cuisine for this time of year. Back in the days before we were diagnosed with Celiac and forced to adopt a gluten free diet, chiles rellenos was one of my favorite restaurant meals, but I never tried to make it at home. Now that dining out is significantly more difficult than cooking at home, this seemed like the perfect recipe to try

Chiles Rellenos with Goat Cheese

Ingredients
8 poblano peppers
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 Tablespoon cilantro, minced
1 Tablespoon almonds, chopped & toasted
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup Jules Gluten Free flour
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Place peppers on a baking sheet and set oven on broil. Broil peppers until skins char. Turn peppers until skins are blackened all over.

Remove peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Remove charred skins and make a slit in each pepper leaving stems in tact. Carefully remove and discard seeds.

In a bowl, mix together goat cheese, jack cheese, parsley, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Divide mixture into 8 equal portions and stuff into peppers.

Heat about 3/4" of oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until temperature reaches about 375 degrees F.

Place flour on a plate and set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat egg whites and salt until they hold stiff peaks. Add 1 tablespoon flour and yolks, one at a time, beating in between each egg yolk.

Dip each stuffed peppers into flour and then into egg batter and then into hot oil. When they are golden turn them over and fry on other side. Remove to a paper towel with a slotted spoon. Cook them in batches so you don't overcrowd pan. Keep them warm as they are cooked by placing them in a 200 degree F. oven.

Top with pico de gallo salsa* and serve immediately.

For the Pico de Gallo
1/2 small white or red onion or 8 slender scallions finely chopped, rinsed, and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded, if desired, and finely diced
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 medium garlic clove minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Combine all ingredients.

Photo by mkorcuska on Flickr

Menu Monday: Spring Lunch Menu

2011-03-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

The perfect menu for this week! In most locales, it's still too cold (and damp) to go out for a picnic lunch, so stay warm and dry with this menu that perfectly combines cozy comfort food with light spring flavors! Don't forget, Orange and Lemon Day is on Thursday so be sure to try out these delicious biscotti!

Salmon Chowder, garnish with a lemon wedge and fresh parsley.
Monte Cristo Sandwich, serve with a dusting of confectioner's sugar and a dollop of blackberry jam.
Orange Pecan Biscotti - especially excellent served with tea.

Photo by truk on Flickr

Product Review: Glow Gluten Free Cookies

2011-03-26T01:46:00.000-07:00

Ingredients by Cookie

Chocolate Chip
Garbanzo & Fava Bean Flour, Brown Sugar, Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla), Organic Palm Oil, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Eggs, Xanthan Gum, Pure Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt, Baking Soda. Contains Eggs, Soy Lecithin.

Double-Chocolate Chip
Garbanzo & Fava Bean Flour, Brown Sugar, Organic Palm Oil, Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Eggs, Natural Cocoa, Organic Coconut Flour, Coffee, Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Pure Vanilla and Chocolate Extract. Contains Eggs, Soy Lecithim, Tree Nuts.

Gingersnap
Garbanzo & Fava Bean Flour, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Palm Oil, Molasses, Eggs, Ground Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, Xanthan Gum, Sea Salt, Baking Soda, Pure Vanilla Extract, Natural Coffee Extract. Contains Eggs.

Snickerdoodle
Garbanzo & Fava Bean Flour, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Palm Oil, Eggs, Cinnamon, Xanthan Gum, Pure Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar. Contains Eggs.

Overall Rating - 4.5/5 Stars
These cookies are perfect for dunking - like a gluten free version of Chips Ahoy (yum!)

Taste
Becky: A blast from the past for a moment, please - my mother places before me a saucer holding three gingery snaps and a delicate teacup filled with piping hot lemon curd, homemade from lemons she's squeezed herself. My five-year-old fingers tenderly dip a cookie into the pudding, and together they form the perfect mouthful - the resounding "bite" of ginger, the zing of lemon, and the over-riding sweetness of both. Yes, Glow Gluten Free Gingersnaps are this delicious, and I admit I purchased a box of lemon meringue pie filling in an attempt to recreate my childhood passion. And it was heaven! The Double Chocolate Cookies didn't disappoint (make-your-own ice cream sandwiches, anyone?), and the Snickerdoodles were great, too. The cookies are made with garbanzo bean flavor, and while one really can't tell, if you are really looking for it the taste is there. But honestly, it's not a biggy for these - all three flavors are good, and certainly better than many of the gf cookies out there right now.

Kelsey: The chocolate chip is just what I remember from childhood school lunches; the gingersnaps are gingery (although they could maybe use some more snap...); the double chocolate is chocolatey without being too sweet and the Snickerdoodle - while admittedly, not my favorite - was cinnamon, spice and everything nice. For being made with both garbanzo and fava flour - notorious for their notable aftertaste - these cookies are totally delicious and the only way you could tell is if you're reading the nutrition info.

Texture
Becky: These are not soft-baked cookies. They're crisp yet tender, and not at all hard as rocks as some gf cookies are. The crumb is delicate, but the cookies hold up well to dunking - in both milk AND hot lemon pudding. The Double Chocolate cookies have little chocolate chunks in them that melt away and coat the tongue - a nice textural addition for certain! Overall the texture for all three flavors was exactly like non-gf cookies, and honestly, I think no one would know the difference if these showed up on a dessert buffet or after school snack table!

Kelsey: Crunchy without being teeth-shattering, like a grown-up version of my favorite childhood snacks. The gingersnaps are the most texture-flavor appropriate, but aside from the Snickerdoodles - a flavor which should only be served soft-baked - the texture is perfect.

Storage
Becky: The seven cookies come in an adorable Chinese food container, with colorful labels and a cheerful logo. Storage is easy if more than one flavor is in your pantry or cupboard because they stack easily. Inside is a sheer plastic wrapper that keeps them extra fresh. I feel I must make a guilty admission here - I opened the three containers when they arrived and had a cookie from each (with a huge glass of milk), and then hastily wrapped them in their inner wrappers and tossed them into the freezer until review time. I certainly had my doubts about the freshness of the cookies, but guess what? After thawing on the counter overnight, the remaining cookies were fresh as could be, unbelievably tasty as I'd remembered, and impressively unspoiled in every way. Who can argue with that?!

Kelsey: The most darling packaging ever! The cookies are wrapped in cellophane and boxed up in an adorable Chinese food-style container. The bright colors, cute logo and - here's the best part - AD LIBS on the back! That's right, delicious cookies AND fun in every box. What's not to love?

Availability
Becky: Widely available in the U.S and Puerto Rico, although not all of the "50 nifty" yet. I suspect this is rapidly changing, but until they're available in your local area, you can find Glow Gluten Free cookies at www.glutenfree.com as well. I was pleased to find 5 retailers local to me - a miracle in my very rural area, so keep your eyes peeled for these in your town, too. And until then, I'll just sit here with my milk and cookies and glow(t)...

Kelsey: Surprisingly, there is only one retailer identified by their store locator in Washington State. That being said - at least it's available in person! Always available online, these cookies are (so I hope) spreading like wildfire to nearby markets and grocers.

Cost
Becky: Not a budget-breaker at about $5.50 per box. There are seven very large cookies in each container, and one cookie is pretty filling, so they're certainly worth the money. That's about seventy cents per cookie, and given the cost of the high quality ingredients, I'd say this is a decent buy. Don't forget to add in shipping costs if you're ordering from the website!

Kelsey: Not a bad price point at $5.50/box, but for only 7 3-inch cookies - delicious, satisfying cookies - they're still a little steep. Worth it for these delectable dunkers, but maybe as more of a special cookie than an everyday lunch box sort of thing.

Thirsty Thursday: Fruit Smoothies Perfect for Spring

2011-03-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

For many of us it is often hard to find the time to make time to make a nutritious breakfast in the morning. One great option is to whip up a quick, fruit packed smoothie. Smoothies are delicious, quick and provide a full serving of fruits (and vegetables, if you choose to include them) in one simple glass. All you really need is a blender and an assortment of fruit and you are in smoothie business!

Great tips for getting the most out of your smoothies

Keep an assortment of frozen fruit on hand in the freezer for smoothies. Frozen fruit is perfect for smoothies because it gives it a thicker texture, plus it is keeps for a long time and sometimes you just don’t always have fresh fruit on hand.

For added nutritional punch you can also add in flax or a gluten-free protein powder as well. Add in some carrots or even some spinach for some additional sweetness and added nutrients. This month we created several delicious fruit smoothies that will surely brighten your early spring mornings. This delicious drink also makes a great snack (my daughter often prepares them for herself after school).

Black & Blue Smoothies
(serves 2)
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup blueberry pomegranate juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon honey
1-1/2 cups crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Note: you can also use frozen blueberries and blackberries in this recipe. If you choose frozen fruit cut the crushed ice down by 1/2 cup.

Orange, Pineapple & Coconut Smoothie
(serves 2)

1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup fresh pineapple
1/2 banana
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 Tablespoons shredded coconut
1-1/2 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Note: you can also use frozen fruit in this recipe. If you choose frozen fruit cut the crushed ice down by 1/2 cup.

Mixed Berry & Banana Smoothie
(serves 2)
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1 banana
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 Tablespoon honey (or more to taste)
1/2 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Note: you can also use frozen fruit in this recipe. If you choose frozen fruit cut the crushed ice down by 1/2 cup.

Photo by realSMILEY

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Lemon Polenta Cake

2011-03-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of Oranges and Lemons Day next week (March 30th), I thought this would be the perfect recipe to feature! The whole thing comes together really quickly and the bake-time rivals a pan of brownies. Polenta, reconfigured as grits in the South, comes in both an instant and original varieties.

GFCF Lemon Polenta Cake
Ingredients
2 cups gluten free flour
1/4 cup polenta (coarse ground cornmeal)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lime zest
Powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9" springform pan on the bottom and sides.

In a medium bowl, combine gluten free flour, polenta, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small, separate bowl, combine oil, lemon juice and vanilla extract. In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar on medium speed until thick, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually beat in oil mixture and lime zest. Gently fold in dry ingredients until just blended.

Scrape batter into prepared springform pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until center springs back when lightly pressed. Let cake cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Release cake from spring form pan and let cool completely. Cut into wedges and dust with powdered sugar.

Photo by avlyxyz on Flickr.

Recipe of the week: Beets with Mixed Greens

2011-03-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

This week's recipe features fresh beets - still available at farmer's markets across the nation at the tail end of their season. Because they are root vegetables, it is pretty important that they are organic -- they are definitely on the Dirty Dozen list. To add a little bit of interest, feel free to use golden beets instead of, or in addition to, standard beets - they are much less messy, guaranteed not to stain your tablecloth and hands and hardly taste any different. Now the recipe calls for boiling the beets, but I'm a big fan of roasting - so if you have some extra time, I would recommend trimming off the greens (set aside to use later!)

Beets with Mixed Greens
Ingredients
2 beets (preferably organic)
1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup English cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced red onion
6 cups mixed greens
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon stone ground mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 oz thinly sliced aged Gouda cheese

Directions
Cut the stem and leaves off the beets and quarter. Place beets in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove beets from water and let cool. When cool enough to handle, slice.

Meanwhile, place carrots, cucumbers, red onion and mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, and stone ground mustard. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add cooled, sliced beets to salad and drizzle half the dressing over the top and toss. Leaves should be just nicely coated with dressing, not drenched. Add more dressing if need be.

Divide salad among 6 salad plates and top with aged Gouda slices. Serve immediately.

Photo by Ralph Daily

Menu Monday: Early Spring Casual Entertaining Meal

2011-03-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

This menu highlights the incoming warmer weather and fresh produce hitting grocery stores and farmers markets across the country. This meal is elegant and can be at least partially prepared ahead of time - definitely the endive appetizer and asparagus salad. The meal is light and fresh, but still hearty and sophisticated. Omit the steak and you can have a tapas-style picnic lunch for some al fresco dining!

Early Spring Casual Entertaining Meal
Smoked Salmon Stuffed Endive
Asparagus Salad with Toasted Walnuts
Potato Galette
Steaks with Shallots & Madeira
Marinated Strawberries with Sweet Mascarpone Bruschetta

Grilled Asparagus Image by Missy and the Universe on Flickr.

Product Review - Eena Kadeena Mock-Zah Ball Mix

2011-03-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Produced by Eena Kadeena, LLC.
2095 NW Aloclek Dr.
Suite 1114
Hillsboro, OR 97124

Tel. (503) 705-3007
info@eenakadeena.com
Twitter @eenakadeena // on Facebook

Ingredients
Organic quinoa flakes, organic potato flakes, dehydrated onion, salt, organic dehydrated garlic, guar gum, vegetable mono diglycerides, black pepper.

Overall Rating - 5/5 Stars
With Passover coming up, keep these in mind! They are sure to be crowd pleasers and make for a gluten-friendly holiday for everyone. Not traditional, but allergy friendly - I'm down.

Taste
Becky: Delicious. Period. Okay, not really, because I'm not known to be a woman of few words, and leaving my review at "delicious" just wouldn't cut it where Mock-Zah Balls are concerned! I do believe that this will be the first time my review will be an unqualified, no-questions-left-to-ask "Five Stars." I'm not Jewish, and matzah balls have never been in my culinary repertoire, so this was a whole new world for me. My only experience with matzah balls was when I was very young, and I just don't remember anything spectacular about them. That all changed when I made them from this mix. These are truly wonderful - tasty on their own (yes, I ate two right out of the pot), and even more so after dropping into my homemade chicken soup. I will add these to my grocery list from now on because they are... I'm repeating myself... DELICIOUS!

Kelsey: I was actually rendered speechless by these little pockets of perfection. Really and truly! I was incredibly skeptical after the "dump everything in a bowl and combine" instructions, and when the balls floated to the surface of the boiling water only a minute after I first submerged them, I feared for the worst: "25 more minutes? Are they nuts?" But as with every product review, I always follow the instructions to the letter - and were my (non)efforts rewarded! This mix came together so easily, the most difficult part was waiting while the mix chilled in the refrigerator and boiled merrily on the stovetop! They were perfect - better than the "real deal", if you ask me. Perfectly seasoned (not too salty, just enough garlic and spices to taste like they have been simmering in Bubbe's chicken soup all day!), they soak up just enough broth to taste like whatever soup you're serving them in without becoming flavorless themselves - so perfect!

Texture
Becky: It's hard to be critical when something is as tasty as these are! The texture is NORMAL. Yep - totally, utterly, dumpling-y NORMAL! Perfectly chewy and full of the broth flavor of my soup on the outside, tender and flavorful on their own inside. There's nothing more to say here except "perfection".

Kelsey: I swear, better than their gluten-filled counterparts! Not in the least bit dry or mealy, the quinoa and potato flakes combined into the dynamic duo of deliciousness! They weren't gummy or soggy or chewy or crumbly or anything less than unbelievable! Now, I didn't finish all of mine in a single batch, so I took one of the dozen or so that wound up in a tupperware container in the refrigerator and ate it. Cold. Standing right in front of the fridge, door open. It was amazing. They were still moist, 36 hours later in a container that, admittedly, does not seal very well (I'm a broke post-grad, ok?!) and they were still perfect. How do you top that?!

Storage
Becky: This is the most gorgeous, space-saving packaging I've ever seen. There's little waste here - the box is small - about the size of a box of tea - , and I actually held a nagging doubt that there was enough mix in the box to be worth it. There is, and the box is so pretty I might just want to store it on the counter! Inside is a clear plastic liner that I really like - easy to see exactly what I'm getting in that pretty box, and such thin plastic that there's little waste inside the box, too.

Kelsey: Cutest. Packaging. Ever. "Mock-Zah Balls" and "'Chai' our pancakes" - stylish design, conveniently sized box, trendy colors and punny titles - love it!

Cost
Becky: On the Eena Kadeen website this mix sells for $7.95 - not out of the realm of realistic for such a high-quality gluten free product, and I will certainly be purchasing these to have on hand. Also, from what I can glean about the making of gluten-rich matzah balls, the simplicity of making these in comparison makes the cost well worthwhile. I hope the price doesn't go any higher, though - that might put them into the category of "special events food," instead of the category they belong in for me: "staple".

Kelsey: AMEN.

Availability
The Mock-Zah Ball mix, along with a range of other gluten free mixes, is available on the Eena Kadeena website for now. Those living in California, Washington state, and Oregon will find the mixes in a small handful of stores as well. I still give this a five star rating because the web ordering through the company is so safe and easy, and also given the number of people who own computers on which to do their ordering!

St. Patrick's Day Recipe Roundup

2011-03-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

Because no food-related holiday is complete without a recipe roundup! Here are a few of our favorite St. Patrick's Day appropriate recipes - including a different take on the traditional corned beef brisket!

Orange Marmalade Glazed Corned Beef
Champ (mashed potatoes with green onions)
Hot Cabbage & Cranberry Salad
St. Patrick's Day Milkshakes

GFCF Weekly Roundup: WAFFLES

2011-03-16T00:31:00.000-07:00

That's right, WAFFLES - in all caps. I love waffles; I miss waffles; and with this allergy friendly recipe, now they can be enjoyed by everyone around.

Perfect for breakfast in bed or a weekend brunch, these gluten-free and dairy-free waffles are a crowd pleaser. Even though berry season is still a few months away, the beauty of this recipe is that it works best with frozen fruit! While dairy free pancake and waffle recipes are easier and easier to come by, they don't always make for the most traditional-style breakfast - but not these! While they are deliciously GFCF, these waffles will bring back memories of your favorite weekend brunches. No matter what time of year, these waffles will make you feel like spring is right around the corner!

Gluten free, Dairy/Casein free Waffles with Berry Syrup

Ingredients
For the waffles
1-3/4 cups gluten free flour (like Jules All-Purpose)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 Tablespoons Earth Balance butter, melted
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1-1/2 cups soymilk up to 1/2 cup water (to thin batter, if needed)

For the syrup
1-1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1-1/2 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
For the Waffles

Preheat a waffle iron.

In a large bowl, combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, melted Earth Balance butter, canola oil and soy milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until the mixture is just combined. (If the batter is too thick, thin with a little water. You may need to thin the batter between waffles - it tends to thicken as it sits.)

Spoon 1/2 cup of the batter onto the hot waffle iron. Close the lid and bake until the waffle is golden or the waffle iron indicates it is ready. Repeat process with remaining batter.

For the Syrup

While waffles are cooking, combine the berries, maple syrup and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated and some of the berries have broken down. Serve syrup over waffles.

Recipe of the Week: Pasta with Tuna, Capers & Golden Raisins

2011-03-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking: "Capers and raisins? I'm all for sweet & sour, but this seems a little much..." and that's where you're wrong! Give it a shot; I know pickled flower buds and dehydrated grapes sound like unlikely bedfellows, but this recipe is perfectly unusual - maybe our first foray into the world of flavor-based gastronomy? Bon appetit!

Ingredients
Prepare the tuna
2/3 cup sake
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce/tamari
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tuna steak

For the pasta
1 cup asparagus tips (2 inch pieces)
1 lb. dried gluten free pasta (we recommend Bi-Aglut/Le Veneziane or Orgran pastas)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, tender green and white parts only, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons drained, bottled capers
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Directions
First, prepare the tuna by placing the sake, gluten free soy sauce, fish sauce, red wine vinegar, ketchup and sugar in a large zip lock bag. Add the tuna steak, seal and turn to coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Prepare a grill. Remove the tuna from the marinade (discard marinade). Grill the tuna for 3-5 minutes per side. Cut into large chunks and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the asparagus tips from the water and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water. Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water then drain pasta and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic; cook until tender and golden, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the capers, raisins, parsley and reserved cooking water. Add the mixture to the pasta along with the grilled tuna and toss to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Product Review: Feel Good Foods' Asian-Style Dumplings

2011-03-12T07:07:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Dipping Sauce
Low Sodium Wheat Free Tamari (water, organic soybeans, salt, organic vinegar), sugar, white vinegar, ginger, garlic, and ground black pepper.

Wrapper sweet rice flour, water, potato starch, rice flour, soybean oil, salt, xanthan gum, corn starch.

Chicken Dumplings
Filling chicken, cabbage, sesame oil, green onion, sugar, salt, garlic, ginger, cilantro, yeast extract, black pepper

Pork Dumplings
Filling cabbage, pork, potato starch, water, sugar, green onion, garlic, ginger, corn/soy bean oil, sesame seed oil, salt, yeast extract, black pepper

Shrimp Dumplings
Filling Shrimp, cilantro, carrot, green onion, ginger, sesame oil, sugar, salt, garlic, yeast extract, black pepper

Vegetable Dumplings
Filling Cabbage, yellow onion, vermicelli (pea, mung bean, corn starch, water) carrot, green onion, corn starch, sesame oil, dry shiitake mushroom, sugar, salt, yeast extract, ginger, black pepper

Overall Rating - 4.5 out of 5

Kelsey: While the cooking instructions are very particular (and must be followed to the letter) and they retail for ~$8.00/box, these are much easier and tastier than any homemade gluten-free potsticker/dumpling/gyoza I've had in the past 8 years!

Taste
Becky: So out of the four flavors of these potstickers (chicken, pork, vegetable, and shrimp) I first chose to cook the chicken and shrimp for a seafood-loving (and non-gluten-free) friend, and my extremely picky gluten free daughter. We sat down together to have these as our meal, along with some homemade fried rice as an accompaniment. WOW! These dumplings are delicious: full flavored, savory and tasty, and oh-so-Chinese-food-satisfying! The dipping sauce that's included is gluten free and perfect - when I warmed it up a bit, it was just like the sauce that comes from the Chinese restaurant, minus the little plastic container. We decided to cook the pork and vegetable flavors the following night, and we were equally satisfied with these. To pick a favorite flavor would be impossible - they're all delicious, and would be a terrific appetizer or hors d'oeuvre to serve for guests. Not only will no one know they're gluten free, they won't care: these are worth the effort! Besides, you could tell a little white lie and say they're homemade!!!! Five stars!

Kelsey: Three words: oh my gosh. These potstickers/dumplings are delightful! They come in four flavors (Chicken, Pork, Shrimp and Vegetable) but due to a very severe shellfish allergy, I could not try the shrimp - but the other three were fantastic! The chicken was my personal favorite, but it was a tough contest to be sure. The vegetable was a little cabbage-heavy and tended to be the most delicate in terms of holding its shape, but they were all DELICIOUS! 5 stars!!!

Texture
Becky: Once I got the directions down pat, the texture of these was wonderful - soft and chewy melded with just enough crispy counterpoint to feel like a dumpling just prepared and served at a restaurant or dim sum bar. The key is to follow the directions to the letter - in my excitement to eat, I plopped the dumplings into a cold pan of water and oil, and the first three were a disaster, literally dissolving before my eyes. But once I actually slowed down and read the box, the dumplings that came out of the pan were cooked perfectly. Given the sensitivity of the directions, one needs to keep an eye on these so the texture isn't crumbly or falling apart. But OH, the perfect yumminess of these once I got the hang of it! Without reservation, five big ol' stars! BC

Kelsey: Aside from some minor melting issues with the vegetable variety (probably because I added too much water -oops!), they steamed up perfectly and fried up in a minute without any added oil, becoming the perfect combination of crispy-crunchy and soft'n'chewy. It IS incredibly important to follow the directions to. the. letter., otherwise you end up with a mushy dissolving mess - but really, for all of their specific instructions, these dumplings are so worth it! Be really careful though, the "non-stick pan" part is crucial to proper texture! 5 stars!

Storage
Becky: My potstickers arrived on dry ice, and they need to remain frozen right up to the point of putting them in the pan. This was how I achieved the best results in cooking them. The box is small, and holds 8 dumplings plus sauce, and the four boxes I was sent were perfect to fit into my already crowded freezer. I wonder, though, how long I'd actually need to store them, since they disappeared the night after they arrived! Five stars!

Kelsey: The boxes are petite, smaller than most frozen meals and hold 8 dumplings + sauce packet. They store beautifully in the freezer, but it's really important to keep them frozen until you begin cooking (again, from frozen) - the product itself is raw and defrosting could pose some unpleasantness. Five stars.

Cost
Becky: Yeah, well - these are pricey little packages of heaven, so watch out for the sticker shock. But I'll qualify that by saying that for a real treat, and worth every penny, the flavor and ultimate satisfaction far outweigh the price per dumpling. On the Gluten Free Mall the price is over $8 per box, and then one needs to allow for shipping costs on top of that, so with 8 dumplings per box these are well over $1.00 per dumpling. I say they're worth the splurge because two boxes are a filling meal for three hungry people, so when that's totaled up, the cost is far less than a take-out meal. AND it's totally and safely gluten free! Four stars.

Kelsey: I'll be honest, at over $1 per dumpling I was a little bit skeptical, but really, they are so worth it. Even when we used to be able to go out for dim sum, it would cost just as much (and you had to deal with chicken feet...) and, obviously, was not gluten free. While the sticker price may first seem a little ridiculous, keep in mind the price of take out and remember that you can't put a price on peace of mind... right?

Availability
Because this is a new product, word is only just beginning to spread. This New York City-based company has just started distribution on the Gluten Free Mall, and is also branching out to health food and gourmet markets in the Northeast and eastern Mid-West. I imagine shipping will cause a problem with distribution, since the potstickers need to stay frozen, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this hurdle is an easy one to get over, because these are worth it! 3.5 Stars!

2011-03-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

In the Anaheim, CA area this weekend? Stop by the Natural Products Expo (aka Expo West) and say hello! We'll be at booth #4056 sample our burritos, oatmeal, granola and NEW pizza wraps (Chicken Pesto, Three Cheese and Italian Sausage- yum!) as well as gluten free cheesecake. Yes, CHEESECAKE.

We would LOVE to see you (and feed you!) but if that's not enough, we're in fabulous company!

Product Review: Jo-Sef Gluten Free Cookies

2011-03-04T10:18:00.000-08:00

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Taste
For the first time in my ever-lengthening life, chocolate was not my favorite flavor for these cookies. The Cinnamon-O's sandwich cookies are divine - a blast from the past that tasted like those pink-iced animal cookies from my non-gluten-free childhood - YUM! The more elegant (dare I say mature?) square version, without the sandwich, were equally great. Vanilla-O's, and their plain square counterpart were both good, too. The chocolate could definitely have been more chocolatey, and I admit to being disappointed, but then I freely admit that the one item I miss from my pre-gluten free life is a certain chocolate sandwich cookie that is way too good to be good for me. Ah, well - these are still satisfying with a good glass of milk! Be forewarned: the sandwich cookies are sweet - almost too much so, and I think the sandwich cream is the culprit. One cookie was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. Oh, and the Animal cookies? Who needs the little circus-car-shaped box - these are perfection! BC

While I agree that the Cinnamon cookies are absolutely the star flavor, I didn't think the chocolate was quite so lacking - I don't have a huge sweet tooth and the composition of these chocolate biscuits was just perfect for me! A glass of milk, while maybe not a necessity, was an ideal partner for these great little treats and, for being gluten-free, dairy/lactose/casein-free, egg-free, corn-free, nut-free AND vegan, these cookies are unbelievably awesome! Sign me up! KG

Texture
These are a bit on the gritty side, and for some reason the Chocolate-O's and chocolate squares were more so than the Cinnamon and Vanilla cookies. The grittiness is a function of the rice flour, of course, and maybe a finer grind might do the trick here. It's nothing to detract from the great flavors, except in the chocolate cookies - again, they were much grittier, and the grit did make me pause and think about it - NOT something one wants to be doing while enjoying a sweet treat. BC

While the cookies could be a little "gritty", I'm all about keeping things in perspective -- as biscuit cookies, these are amazing! They hold up to being dunked without crumbling/falling to pieces/dissolving into mush at the bottom of my morning cup of coffee. While there is no major texture difference between any of the three shapes (O's, squares or animal cookies), this does mean that that O's are a little thick on the cookie and thin on the frosting -- perfect for dunking, but a little challenging for solo consumption. KG

Storage

The cookies are in a thin plastic tray (except the animal cookies) and the tray slides into a plastic foil wrapper. On all the boxes of cookies I opened, every single wrapper caught on the tray and ripped to shreds - I blamed myself at first, but after all the packaging did this while I was being mindful, I'm pretty sure it wasn't me. I think the cookies will be stale before I can eat them all, and this is disappointing, especially since I really like these cookies! It's too bad a different packaging method couldn't be attempted, or that the wrapper couldn't be made bigger. It all slides into a beautiful box, of course, but the box won't protect against freshness. BC

The freshness issue is a big one - to be fair, I didn't have quite the same issue with the wrapper but regardless, I did end up sticking all but one box of them in ziploc bags to keep them fresh. That one box - the Vanilla Squares - was kept out as an experiment and I have to say, after a week of sitting on the counter in nothing but their opened foil wrapping and cardboard box, they were still pretty fresh - maybe not exactly fresh, but not soggy or stale tasting either - I was pretty impressed! KG

Availability

Four stars! Widely available in most grocery stores and natural markets, and through the Jo-Sef website as well. Worth seeking out, that's for sure! BC

While what Becky writes is true on the East Coast, these cookies are a rare find in grocery stores out West. Available online from Amazon.com, Gluten Free Mall and the Jo-Sef website you can definitely still order them, but good luck finding them in a grocery store. Sorry guys, but I'm giving you a 2/5... KG

Price Point
With an MSRP of $4.89/box for the O's, $4.49/box for the squares and $3.99/box for the animal cookies, these cookies fall into the average price range for gluten free baked goods - on the upside, the boxes are pretty darn full so I felt, at least, that I was getting a lot of bang for my buck -- instead of just packaging!

Hale's Kitchen: A New Spin on Bruschetta

2011-03-03T22:57:00.000-08:00

This month, Hunter Hale show us how to take traditional bruschetta to a whole new level! Instead of demonstrating a few of the (probably) hundred variations on savory bruschetta, our young chef has developed several sweet adaptations that make for a simple, elegant desserts! Watch out Food Network, Hunter Hale is on his way!

Part I:

Part II:

The Recipes...

Sweetened Ricotta, Pistachio & Chocolate Drizzled Bruschetta
Ingredients
4 slices of Udi's Gluten free White Sandwich Bread, crusts removed and sliced on the diagonal, toasted
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup confectioner's sugarDash of vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pistachio's
2 Tablespoons chocolate sauce or chocolate shavings

Directions
In a small bowl, beat the ricotta with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract until incorporated.

Spread ricotta mixture on top of the toast triangles and top with chopped pistachios and drizzle with chocolate (or top with shaved chocolate).

Marinated Strawberries with Sweet Mascarpone Bruschetta

Ingredients
4 slices of Udi's Gluten Free White Sandwich Bread, crusts removed and cut on the diagonal, toasted
1 cup strawberries sliced
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Dash of vanilla extract
Mint leaf for garnish

Directions
Toast the bread triangles under the broiler until just browned.

In a bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In another bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese along with the confectioner's sugar and a dash of vanilla extract until incorporated.

Spread about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the mascarpone cheese mixture over a toast triangle and top with marinated strawberries. Drizzle the top with any reserved marinade and garnish with a mint leaf.

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Coconut Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

2011-03-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

A naturally dairy/casein-free recipe, gluten free fried rice can be pretty difficult to come by in commercial kitchens. Using tamari or gluten free soy sauce, this is an incredibly easy recipe to duplicate take out at home! With the added twist of curry powder, coconut milk and - a personal favorite - pineapple juice, this is not on your traditional take out menu!

Coconut Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
3 Tablespoons gluten free soy sauce/tamari
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 onion, cut into 1/4" pieces
4 cups cooked long grain rice
1/2 cup cooked chicken meat, cut into ½” pieces
1/2 cup snow peas, cut in half

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine coconut milk through pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Place a wok or large skillet over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat sides. Add ginger and onion and cook until the onion is softened about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the rice. Add chicken, snow peas and sauce. Cook and stir until well blended and heated through. Serve immediately.

Photo: fakelvis

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Halibut with Mole and Pico de Gallo

2011-03-01T22:45:00.000-08:00

This week's recipe is a hopeful gesture towards a summer that, at least for those of us in Seattle, seems so very far away! Even better, this recipe is naturally gluten free, dairy/casein-free, egg-free, soy-free and peanut-free - wow! Featuring fresh pico de gallo and homemade mole sauce, this dish will make you feel like summer sunshine is right around the corner!

Grilled Halibut with Mole & Pico de Gallo

Ingredients
Mole Sauce
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 yellow bell peppers, seeded & chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2-1/2 cups gluten free chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt

For Pico de Gallo
1/2 small white or red onion or 8 slender scallions finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded, if desired, and finely diced
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

4 halibut filets
Olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions
For mole sauce

Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add sunflower seeds, garlic, bell pepper, onion, cumin and cinnamon and stir until blended. Cook until onions are translucent. Add chicken broth and season to taste with salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Transfer sauce to a blender and blend or process until smooth.

For Pico de Gallo
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Prepare a grill or coals.

Brush filets with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until fish is opaque, about 5 minutes per side.

To serve
Top fish with mole sauce and then salsa.

Product Review: Enjoy Life Soft Baked Cookies

2011-02-25T13:17:00.000-08:00

From left to right: Double Chocolate Brownie, Lively Lemon, Snickerdoodle

Ingredients
Free of wheat, gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish products!

Double Chocolate Brownie
Sorghum Flour, Brown Pure Cane Sugar, Date Paste, Expeller-Pressed Vegetable Oil (Safflower Oil and/orSunflower Oil), Juice Concetrates (Grape, Apple, Pear), Chocolate Chips (Evaporated Cane Juice, Chocolate Liquor, Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter), Water, Natural Process Cocoa Powder, Natural Rice Dextrin, Vanilla, Baking Soda, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Rosemary Extract.

Lively Lemon
Sorghum Flour, Brown Pure Cane Sugar, Expeller-Pressed Vegetable Oil (Safflower and/or Sunflower), Juice Concentrates (Grape, Apple, Pear), Lemon Granules (Evaporated Can Juice, Rice Flour, Rice Syrup, Non-Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Natural Flavor, Tumeric Concentrate, Salt), Date Paste, Unsweetened Applesauce (Water, Apples), Natural Rice Dextrin, Ground Flaxseed, Baking Soda, Xanthan Gum, Natural Lemon Flavors, Water, Salt, Citric Acid, Rosemary Extract.

Snickerdoodle
Sorghum Flour, Brown Pure Cane Sugar, Date Paste, Expeller-Pressed Vegetable Oil (Safflower Oil and/or Sunflower Oil), Juice Concentrates (Grape, Apple, Pear), Natural Rice Dextrin, Water, Ground Flaxseed, Vanilla, Baking Soda, Xanthan Gum, Salt, Cinnamon, Rosemary Extract.

Overall Score
Five out of five stars!

Taste
I sampled three of the flavors available - Double Chocolate Brownie, Lively Lemon, and Snickerdoodle. All three were perfection! The Double Chocolate Brownie tasted like a delectable bite of brownie freshly cooled from the oven, complete with little tidbits of yummy chocolate chunks. The Lively Lemon were a perfect balance of tangy fresh lemony flavor and just-sweet-enough. These almost tasted like they were soaked in fresh lemon juice and would be a wonderful complement to a hot cup of tea on a snowy day, or a frosty glass of iced tea (with mint, of course!) on a hot summer's day. The Snickerdoodles tasted just like I remembered from my childhood - sweet and vanilla-y, with more than a hint of cinnamon that was just enough- a glass of milk is all one needs to feel content. Interestingly, there is sorghum flour in these cookies, and even though I don't care for it, I had no idea it was there! Hands down, five stars! BC

Enjoy Life does it again! Creating great-tasting snacks that take "allergy friendly" to a whole new level! My favorite is the Double Chocolate Brownie which, at 65 calories per cookie, is the perfect afternoon snack, lunchbox addition or light dessert! Chocolatey with little pockets of chocolate chip deliciousness! KG

Texture
Of the three cookies the best, texture-wise was, for me, the Lively Lemon (although trying to decide between those and the Double Chocolate Brownie was next to impossible). Now, Snickerdoodles will forever be etched in my mind as a more flat cookie with crisp edges and soft centers, so these were different that what I am used to, but it was nothing the taste didn't make up for! Overall, the textures for the three flavors was consistently excellent - moist, tender crumb, and virtually indistinguishable from cookies made with wheat flour. The texture of these cookies is something professional and home bakers alike can strive to achieve. BC

Soft and just the right amount of chewy, these cookies are the perfect soft-baked bite of dessert. The Brownie is just as a little brownie bite should be; the Lively Lemon is packed with little chunks of sweet and tangy lemon. KG

Storage
A nicely sized 6 oz. box of cookies won't last long enough for storage to be an issue, but if you purchase them by the case like I just might, the boxes are small, and the inner wrapper keeps the product utterly fresh. Also, Snickerdoodles and Chocolate Chip (which we didn't review here) come in individual serving-sized 2-cookie pouches to send in school lunches or to toss in purses or backpacks - a great idea for what will sure to be a much sought after treat! BC

The perfect sized cookies in an easy to store shelf-stable package, as Becky reminds us, the Snickerdoodles are also available in two-by-two packs for school lunches, taking to the office, etc. KG

Availability
Widely available in grocery stores across the U.S. and Canada, Enjoy Life also has a convenient website that makes online ordering a breeze!

Recipe of the Week: Cream of Mushroom Soup

2011-02-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

Perfectly paired with our hot sandwich recipes featuring Udi's Gluten Free Bread and some really unique flavors! With winter weather still being felt across the nation, warm up and hunker down with the ultimate comfort foods...

Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
2 pounds mushrooms, reserve 4 mushrooms and chop the rest
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
4 shallots, minced
5 cups cream
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon chives, minced
1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped

Directions
Select and set aside 4 nice looking mushrooms for garnish.

In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Add chopped mushrooms and shallots to the pan and saute for 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cream and stir, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 more minutes.

Transfer small batches of soup to a food processor and puree. Return to the pan and add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Reheat the soup. Cut the reserved mushrooms into 1/4" slices and toss them in the lemon juice. Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with mushroom slices, chives and parsley. Serve immediately.

Our Granola - #1 Gluten Free!

2011-02-21T10:52:00.000-08:00

...as voted by Real Simple Magazine in their February issue! They taste-tested over 91 varieties of granola and selected ours as the winner in the Gluten Free category - wahoo! Check out the whole review here.

Available in 3 flavors (Cranberry Cashew, Apple Almond and Raisin Almond), our granola now has nationwide distribution - check out our Store Locator to find a retailer near you (or of course, order through Amazon.com)!

Product Review: Sof'ella All-Purpose Baking Mix

2011-02-18T12:25:00.001-08:00

The Review
Ingredients
White Rice Flour, Navy Bean Flour, Cornstarch, Tapioca Starch, Vanilla Powder (Dextrose, Vanilla Bean Extractives), Baking Powder, Sea Salt, Baking Soda, Xanthan Gum.

Overall Rating - 4 out of 5 stars

Taste
I made pancakes, a much anticipated treat, and the first I'd tasted since going gluten free. Plain with no "trimmings" the pancakes had a definite aftertaste which I believe can be accounted for by the inclusion of navy bean flour. The vanilla powder flavoring counteracted the aftertaste a bit, but not enough to completely mask it. A pat of butter and some maple syrup helped the palatability, but the after-taste was still present, no matter what I tried (and I tried three different flavors of jam after the syrup). I'm not sure this would be my first choice of mix when making pancakes or waffles, but it's an alternative when something else isn't handy. Of course the navy bean flour contains terrific nutritional value, so each cook will need to decide what's most important. BC

For this review, I prepared both pancakes and a Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe included with the mix. For the pancakes, I did notice a distinct aftertaste- but promptly did away with it by including (a lot of) chocolate chips. Whoops. The taste is not overpowering and for me, it wasn't even that distracting (so maybe my chocolate chip to pancake ratio was a little high) but still... they were pretty good! And, as Becky reminds us, Navy Bean flour is a really healthy ingredient and, much like flax, I can handle a little healthy getting in the way of my pancake inhaling erm, eating...

As for the coffee cake, the taste was hardly noticeable! There was a bit of a taste, but I'm 99% sure it was from my nutmeg and not the mix -- similar incident a few recipes ago. Either way, the coffee cake had no such aftertaste but could use a little bit more brown sugar in the crumb topping. Maybe not the best coffee cake I've ever tasted EVER, but perfect for a short-notice breakfast or brunch! KG

Texture
WOW - the pancakes I made cooked up exactly like those made with wheat flour! They were moist, light but dense (who knew that was possible?) and cooked like a dream. As they were cooking, the pancakes even filled with little bubbles that popped as they were cooking, just like the pancakes from my old-style cooking days. My mother's rule of thumb was always five bubbles popped and they were ready to turn, and I'll be darned if that wasn't the case here as well! Lightly browned, moist and tender - a great texture overall! BC

Pancakes - epic! Fluffy and light and bubbly and deep enough to wrap my chocolate chips in a nice big hug - I would call this a win. The coffee cake was unbelievably moist without being dense (see photo above) - with air pockets and crumbs and awesome baked in a cake pan. KG

Storage
Inside the box is an inner paper bag to preserve freshness, and this is handy for easy re-sealing. The box holds 1 lb., or approximately 3 1/3 cups of mix, so there's enough for several weekends' worth of pancakes or waffles. BC

Amen! But the package is kind of disappointingly small... with only 3 1/3 cups in the whole box, you can only really make one recipe + pancakes/waffles with a single box...KG

Availability
Available through the Sof'ella website for both commercial and wholesale orders. Also available in some specialty food markets nationwide with a growing distribution weekly!

Recipe of the Week: Eggs Benedict

2011-02-15T15:14:00.000-08:00

This week's featured recipe is Eggs Benedict, the foundation for the perfect brunch for two -- or ten!

Eggs Benedict
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 slices of gluten free french bread, toasted**
8 thick slices of gluten free ham, precooked and warmed
8 poached eggs
Hollandaise sauce

Directions
Prepare gluten free hollandaise. Place 2 pieces of toast on each plate. Lay one piece of warm ham and 1 poached egg on each piece of toast. Spoon hollandaise sauce equally over each portion. Serve immediately.

Hollandaise Sauce
Ingredients
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt
White pepper

Directions
Cook egg yolks and 1/3 of the butter in the top of a double boiler, stirring rapidly over boiling water until butter melts. Add 1/3 more of the butter, stirring rapidly. Continue process until all of the butter is melted; the mixture will thicken. Stir constantly.

Remove pan from water, stir in lemon juice, 1 tsp at a time. Stir in a dash of salt and pepper. Heat again over boiling water, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. If sauce curdles, beat in 1-2 Tbsp boiling water.

Tips

**Have some gluten free french bread prepared. Cut diagonal slices and toast. OR use slices of Udi's Gluten Free Bread OR Kinnickinick English Muffins - yum!

Menu Monday: Quick Weeknight Meal

2011-02-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day from Glutenfreeda!! For ideas for tonight's special meal, be sure to read last week's post! This week we are featuring a quick and easy weeknight menu, ready to please the whole family - picky eaters included!

On the menu...
Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops with Shallots & Mushrooms (pictured, above)
Champ (Mashed Potatoes with Green Onions)
Blanched Green Beans
Chocolate Cups (pictured, right)

Hale's Kitchen: Hunter's Valentine Lava Cakes

2011-02-11T22:06:00.000-08:00

This month, Glutenfreeda's budding young chef Hunter Hale shows us how to make Chocolate Lava Cakes, just in time for Valentine's Day! Perfect single-serving desserts, these decadent cakes come together as easy as pie and are a great way to impress and pamper that special someone this weekend!

Chocolate Lava Cake

Ingredients
Centers**
2 oz. semi-sweet gf chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup whipping cream

For cake
Unsalted butter or gf non-stick cooking spray for ramekins
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup gluten free flour mix (we love Jules All-Purpose Blend)
Fresh strawberries for garnish

Directions
Centers

Add chocolate and whipping cream to the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until all is melted and blended. Remove from heat and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill. When chilled, scoop chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula and form into 6- 1" balls.

Place balls in a small bowl and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Cake
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray 6 ramekins with gf non-stick cooking spray.
Add 4 oz. chopped chocolate and butter to the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir until melted and blended; remove from heat. Add eggs, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla to a medium bowl and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes, until pale and thick. Fold melted chocolate and flour into egg mixture until all is blended.

Spoon batter into ramekins. Place 1 chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin. Gently press ball to bottom of ramekins. Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Run a small knife along the edge of the ramekins and invert onto serving plates. Top each lava cake with sliced strawberries. Serve immediately.

**For an even easier option, use store-bought gluten-free chocolate truffles in the flavor of your choosing and simply press into the batter as you would our chocolate centers!

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate Coffee Mousse

2011-02-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

The perfect make-ahead Valentine's Day (or any occasion) dessert, these chocolatey, espresso infused mousse cups are rich and decadent! With just the right ratio of chocolate to coffee, these dessert cups can be dressed to impress with whipped cream and chocolate curls, with enough caffeine to get you through the evening, without being up until the crack of dawn.

Chocolate Coffee Mousse

Ingredients
6 ounces gluten free bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons coffee
1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla flavoring
3 large egg yolks
3 Tablespoons coffee
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold heavy cream whipped cream
1 ounce gluten free semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated for garnish

Directions
Heat 1 inch water in a large skillet over low heat until bubbles form along the bottom; adjust the heat to maintain the water at this temperature. Combine 6 ounces of gluten free chocolate, unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons coffee or water, and gluten free vanilla in a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in the water bath and stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the water and set aside.

Whisk egg yolks, 3 tablespoons coffee, and 3 tablespoons sugar together thoroughly in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in the water bath and, whisking constantly, heat the mixture until thick and puffy, like marshmallow sauce. Remove from the water bath and whisk thoroughly into the melted chocolate. Let cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until the peaks are stiff. Using a large rubber spatula, stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites.

In another bowl, beat 1/2 cup cold heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Gently but thoroughly fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. Turn mousse 6- to 8-ounce individual cups.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve with fresh whipped cream. If you wish, sprinkle with 1 ounce grated gluten free chocolate.

Product Review: Better Batter Brownie Mix

2011-02-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

In addition to bringing you a brand-spanking-new product review this week, I would also like to introduce you to our new format! Instead of our traditional style - i.e. one person reviewing a given product each month to be published in the magazine and shared with our readers - we have decided on an innovative new approach: two reviewers taste-testing a different product each week! You all know me, Kelsey, as your blog mistress and product-reviewer, but now you will also have the chance to hear from Rebecca Collins as we share a new review each week!

A little bit more about me...
I'm a 20-something college grad, living gluten free for almost 8 years (wow, has it really been that long?!) who has always had a passion for food & cooking and a recent interest in food photography. I have been with Glutenfreeda, unofficially, for a few years now and officially your e-mistress (blogger, Facebook-er & Twitter-er) for six months - I am passionate about our company (of course!) and the world of gluten free living in general. I live in the Seattle area, a great hotspot for gluten free activity (many of you may know Shauna aka gluten free girl, another Seattleite) which has, in no small way, impacted my world view.

A little bit more about Rebecca (Becky) Collins...
I'm a gluten-free mom to a gluten-free teenager, who lives in rural
upstate New York. I come from a family of foodies - there are even a
few professional chefs tossed into the mix - but none are gluten free.
While they watch in fascination, I've been exploring the gluten free
world with growing enthusiasm, and my passion for good food (in every
sense of what "good" means) has been a steep learning curve, with a
growing number of successes in the kitchen. I'm helped greatly by
some great new product lines, and a huge wonderful network of gluten
free friends, and I love being able to share what I've learned so I
might be able to bring good food to some more gluten free tables!

The Review
Taste
As always, Better Batter comes through with an authentic-tasting product! Rich and chocolatey, but not too much of either - no strange aftertastes (you know what I'm talking about...), nothing but pure brownie deliciousness! I even took a half-pan down to my coworkers and while everyone agreed they weren't "quite like normal", they were gone within the hour with rave reviews! KG

It was virtually impossible to tell the difference between
wheat-based brownie mixes, and Better Batter’s. The infamous “gluten free
aftertaste” was nonexistent. A gluten-eating family member ate the
majority of the pan before he asked, “Uh, is this gluten free?” when
he realized I was eating them, too! These are even comparable to a
scratch recipe batch of brownies from an old cookbook I used before
going gluten free – truly delicious! BC

Texture
So, I followed the directions for cake-like brownies (one more egg, basically) and they came out just as I had hoped. Brilliant direction-reader that I am, I ended up using a too-big baking pan and they came out a little thin, but perfectly cooked, moist and delicious! My only, albeit quite minor, complaint is that they stuck to the bottom of the pan despite ample greasing and I felt like a good percentage of chocolate-goodness was stuck to my pan and spatula rather than my fingers! KG

I followed directions for the chewy brownies, rather than
the cake-like ones. I used two eggs, and baked following the
directions on the box to the tiniest detail. They cooked up
perfectly, with soft-but-crispy edges, and a deliciously moist and
chewy center. There was no grit typical of some gf mixes, and the
texture matched the taste – perfection. BC

Storage
Shelf-stable as always, the box is a little on the large size (though not inappropriately so), but storage is no different than any other cake or brownie mix. KG

This mix is in a box similar in size to a typical brownie mix
– easy storage, even if purchased by the case, which I plan to do next
time, since they’re so yummy, and since gluttony reigns when these
brownies come out of the oven. BC

Availability
Better Batter is available in some specialty and grocery
stores nationwide, and through the Better Batter website. While store
availability is still growing, the best place to be sure to purchase
the mix is through the website (check the website for stores in your
local area). Because of its popularity and deliciousness, however, it
is sometimes out of stock! BC

Menu Mondays: Valentine's Day Dinner

2011-02-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the most romantic evening of the year at home with this year's Valentine's Day menu, featuring a few favorite, romantic recipes for a flawless evening.

On the Menu...
Green Apples with Crème Fraiche & Smoked Trout
Mixed Greens with Gorgonzola Herb Dressing
Filet Mignon with Sauteed Mushrooms & Port Sauce (pictured above)
Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary
Asparagus & Leeks
Chocolate Crème Brulee with Caramelized Bananas (pictured, right)

Happy Chinese New Year!

2011-02-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

Today marks the beginning of the most important Chinese holiday - the lunisolar New Year. Lasting for 15 days, this annual festival begins on the first day of the new month and ends with the Lantern Festival, welcoming spring. With themes of happiness, wealth and longevity, this is a very family-oriented holiday featuring beloved traditional recipes. Here are our interpretations of some of these classic dishes....

Peking Duck
Fresh Vegetable Spring Rolls (pictured above)
Fried Mushroom & Leek Spring Rolls (pictured at right)

Recipe of the Week: Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

2011-02-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

With spring right around the corner, fresh asparagus is cropping up in grocery stores across the country! With the subtle sweetness of the cream cheese and the saltiness of the prosciutto, every part of this recipe accentuates the bright flavor and crisp texture of fresh asparagus.

Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

Ingredients
4 ounces whipped gf cream cheese
24 asparagus spears, cut to 3" from tip of spear and blanched
1 clove of roasted garlic
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
12 slices of proscuitto, cut in half crosswise

Directions
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic and pepper. Mix well.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread cream cheese mixture on each slice of proscuitto. Wrap a proscuitto slice around the center of two asparagus spears. The cream cheese mixture will allow the proscuitto to stick to itself nicely. Place each bundle on a baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

Roasting Garlic: Cut about 1/4" off the top of a head of garlic to expose the cloves. Rub head all over with olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Tips
For the best presentation, select small to medium spears.

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Carrot Cake

2011-01-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

GFCF Carrot Cake
Ingredients

For the cake
1 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups + 1 Tablespoon gluten free flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Few grates of fresh nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

For the icing
1/4 cup EarthBalance butter substitute
4 ounces Tofutti cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a bundt pan. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of gf flour into the pan and tap the sides and bottom to lightly coat the interior of the pan with gf flour. Shake out excess flour.

Place the oil, sugar and eggs in a mixer and blend until incorporated. Add the carrots and mix briefly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gf flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda.

Add the gluten free flour mixture to the sugar-egg mixture and mix until well incorporated. Stir in the nuts. Transfer batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a baking rack and let cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing. Place the EarthBalance and Tofutti cream cheese in a mixer and mix until incorporated, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to mix. (If the icing is too thick, thin with a little milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a spreadable consistency.)

When the cake has cooled, spread with the icing. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Slice into wedges and serve.

Menu Mondays: Perfect Winter Lunch

2011-01-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

This has to be one of my all-time favorite menus. Featuring liquid warmth and comfort in the form of a creamy potato soup, a great new take on a childhood favorite and the perfect make-ahead dessert- this recipe is great for a hearty winter lunch or light dinner!

On the menu...
Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Creamy Potato Soup
Chocolate Chili Dessert Cups

Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Makes one sandwich.
Ingredients
2 slices Udi's whole grain or sandwich bread, defrosted if frozen
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1-1 1/2 teaspoons basil pesto
2 slices of provolone cheese, torn or cut to fit on the bread slices

Directions
Preheat griddle or panini grill. Begin by lightly buttering one side of each bread slices. Stick bread slices, buttered-sides together, to each other and spread half of the pesto on each slice. Peel apart slices and place first slice butter-side down on grill or griddle. Layer cheese on the bread slice until gone, top with remaining slice.

Cook until golden brown on bottom, then flip and repeat.

Product Review: Mixes from the Heartland Hawai'ian Bread

2011-01-20T11:48:00.000-08:00

I’ll be honest, when I received this mix as a hostess gift, I was more than a little skeptical. I am not a fan of tropical flavors or sweet pastries and somehow, knowing that this mix was from Harry and David did little to bolster my confidence -- but I was so wrong. We baked up the mix within a day or so (to be able to provide honest feedback to the gift-giver, of course) and were pleasantly surprised. The mix comes together in minutes and is one of the least labor intensive bread recipes I have ever encountered. Even better, the bread only improves after sitting (wrapped) overnight, giving the flavors some time to get to know each other a little better -- if it even lasts that long! I would absolutely find it and make it again!

Easily dairy free, the recipe itself is super easy - simply substitute EarthBalance for real butter!

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, cream 1 cup softened butter and 4 eggs. Add dry mix. Blend well. Grease 1-2 lb loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. DO NOT UNDERBAKE. ** May add 1/4 cup milk, if dough seems too dry.

Ingredients
Brown and white rice flour (organic), cornstarch (NON GMO), tapioca starch, xanthan gum, sugar, non aluminum baking powder, coconut, freeze dried papaya and pineapple, vanilla powder (cornstarch-NON GMO and vanilla beans)

Taste
With just the right amount of sweetness and fruit, this bread must be cornbread’s delicious distant cousin.

Texture
A little bit on the crumbly side, the texture compares well to cornbread - moist without being mushy, and not so dry as to crumble into bits with every bite.

Storage
The ready-to-use packets are just the right size to have on hand for brunch or a sweet snack!

Availability
In select Harry and David locations and available online.

Overall Score (4.0)
A delicious for breakfast, brunch or any time, the bread is ready in minutes and thoroughly enjoyed by foodies, gluten-free or otherwise!

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Chicken Wings

2011-01-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

What says "Superbowl Party" like pizza, beer and chicken wings? Unfortunately, for those of us who are gluten-ly challenged (aka intolerant or have Celiac Disease), all of these down and dirty party favorite are a big "no-no" - but have no fear, our Super Bowl Promotion is here! Featuring the best in pizza, beer and snacks, this promotion helps direct you to the best available.

Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup gluten free ketchup
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons gluten free brown sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons gf chili paste
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon gluten free hot sauce
14 chicken wings, washed

Directions
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil. When oil is hot, add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and stir and cook for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add catsup, vinegar, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt, dijon, chili paste, chili powder and hot sauce. Stir to blend and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Add chicken wings to a large bowl and cover with sauce.

Prepare a grill.

Grill wings for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear when pierced.

Menu Mondays: Quick and Healthy Dinner

2011-01-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

Eating well is always a challenge -- not necessarily what to eat or when, but how to reconcile our hopes and dreams of a better diet with the time crunch of reality. There's a reason we don't prepare four course meals every evening, why we keep frozen pizza shells or burritos on hand -- we're busy people! But don't let your hectic schedule get in the way of eating well with this week's menu...

On the Menu
Edamame
Steamed Brown Rice
Teriyaki-style Beef Bowl
Low-fat Brownies with Applesauce

Either modify the brownies to be GFCF using Earthbalance and soy milk OR try Cybele Pascal's Allergy Friendly Fudge as a dairy-free substitute!

Hale's Kitchen: Jule's Gluten Free Flour Pizza Crust

2011-01-13T11:14:00.000-08:00

In this month's edition of the magazine, we have a new feature: Hale's Kitchen. A new monthly video series featuring Hunter Hale, our teen chef in residence, teaching a cooking class. This month's recipe is for Jule's GF Flour pizza crust (our favorite so far). In this month's video, Hunter shows us how to make both Jule's GF Flour pizza crust and turn it into a pepperoni pizza. We are so excited to have two fantastic video cooking classes - Cybele Pascal's allergy friendly webisodes and now, Hunter in Hale's Kitchen.

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Raisin Bread

2011-01-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

Because sometimes all you want in the morning is a slice of moist and delicious cinnamon raisin bread, this recipe is an allergy friendly crowd pleaser!

GFCF Raisin Bread
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
2 Tablespoons water
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon orange zest
1 cup Tofutti sour cream substitute
2 cups gluten free flour (like Jules)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/4 cups raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and grease a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, egg whites, water, sugar, oil and orange zest until blended. Stir in sour cream. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and beat until blended. Stir in raisins. Spread batter into loaf pan and bake for 1-1/4 hours or until the sides come away from the pan and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes.

Menu Monday: Warm & Cozy Winter Meal

2011-01-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

With a new spin on some comfort food classics, this week's menu will keep you warm and toasty on even the coldest and snowiest of nights! Better yet, this meal is perfect for company - just adjust each recipe as needed to serve the number of guests in attendance!

Make this menu GFCF/Dairy-free by substituting EarthBalance for butter in the recipes, omitting the biscuits and swapping out the Butterscotch Pie for Cybele Pascal's Allergy-Friendlty Fudge!

On the Menu
Gougere with Cheddar and Pecans
Apple, Walnut & Endive Salad
Braised Beef with Soft Polenta
Broccoli Casserole
Butterscotch Mousse Pie

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Coconut Tapioca Custard

2011-01-05T19:08:00.000-08:00

One of our tried and true favorites, this soymilk based custards is silky and delicious! Topped with sliced bananas and toasted coconut, this dessert combines the best of silky and crunchy, sweet and salty. Perhaps add a drizzle of homemade rum caramel for a more decadent option.

Coconut Tapioca Custard
Ingredients

1 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons soy milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup uncooked, quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon salt
One 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sliced bananas & shredded coconut for garnish

Directions
In a medium saucepan whisk together soy milk, sugar, tapioca, salt, coconut milk, and egg. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Bring to a boil over medium heat; stirring constantly. Cook for 30 seconds at a boil; stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour mixture into individual ramekins. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

To serve: slice bananas over the top of each custard and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Recipe of the Week: Artichokes with Ricotta, Spinach & Pine Nuts

2011-01-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

The New Year is always a time of reflection, introspection and reevaluation, and probably the most common resolutions involve dieting and weight loss. Let Glutenfreeda help you eat healthier this year, all of our recipes use fresh "real" ingredients and can help you to be the best possible you!

Low Fat Artichokes with Ricotta, Spinach and Pine Nuts

Ingredients
2 artichokes (top trimmed and sharp ends of leaves cut off)
1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
5 oz. chopped, frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 ounces ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the artichokes, cover, and cook for about 40 minutes or until the artichoke leaves can be pulled away with only slight resistance. Remove the artichokes from the water and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, sauté the shallots for about 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic; sauté for 30 seconds. Add the drained spinach and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ricotta, lemon juice, and pine nuts. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let cool.

Spoon the ricotta mixture into a bowl and serve alongside the artichokes.

Tips
To toast the pine nuts, place the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook the pine nuts, shaking the pan occasinally, until lightly browned on all sides. Note: watch the pine nuts carefully as they cook - it is real easy to burn them instead of the intended "toasting".

Menu Mondays: Satisfying Low Fat Dinner

2011-01-03T11:45:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I love winter - clear, crisp mornings, staying warm by the fire, hitting the slopes - the whole shebang - but most especially, winter comfort foods. Richy & hearty, creamy & cheesy, as far as I am concerned there is nothing not to love about these wintertime favorites! That being said, they are maybe not the most um, health conscious choices - so here is a collection of some of our favorite low-fat recipes to keep you warm this winter!

Skillet Toasted Almonds
Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette & Apple Slices
Chicken with Winter Vegetables
Low-Fat Brownies

GFCF Weekly Round-up: Spicy Sesame Dip

2010-12-29T12:11:00.000-08:00

Perfect for entertaining (New Year's, anyone?), this Asian-inspired dip is spicy, tangy, naturally dairy free and absolutely delicious!

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons gluten free Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup cooled, brewed black tea
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-1/2 Tablespoons gluten free soy sauce (like Tamari)
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 cup mayonnaise
Paprika for garnish

Directions
Place the garlic, mustard, cayenne pepper and chili powder in a food processor and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the cooled tea, red wine vinegar, gf soy sauce and tahini; process until incorporated. With the machine running add the mayonnaise and process until smooth. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Sprinkle paprika over the top and serve with fresh vegetables.

Tips
This dip is packed with flavor! It is great served with a variety of fresh vegetables or you can even mix it into cooled gluten free pasta for a nice lunch "salad".

Recipe of the Week: Lemon Bars

2010-12-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

Sweet and tangy, few desserts are as refreshing as our classic lemon bars!

Lemon Bars with Cheesecake Filling
Makes 16 lemon bars

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup gluten free flour
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup Key lime juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Garnish with lime or lemon slices

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 8 inch square baking pan.

In a stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, beating until blended. Add the gluten free flour and beat on low speed until incorporated. Press the dough into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and the powdered sugar utnil creamy. Add the egg, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until combined. Cover and chill.

Combine the egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan; stir in 3/4 cup water and key lime juice. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in 2 teaspoons lemon zest and 2 tablespoons butter. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Spread the cream cheese filling over the cooled crust. Pour the lemon curd over the cream cheese filling. Bake at 325°F for 40 minutes or unil the edges are lightly browned. Let cool completely on a wire rack then cover and chill for 2 hours. Cut into squares and garnish with lemon or lime slices.

Tips
We used Jule's All Purpose Gluten-free flour mix in this recipe.

Menu Monday: New Year's Eve Celebration

2010-12-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Here at Glutenfreeda, we are all about planning ahead and designing menus that make for flawless execution. With recipes that can be begun in stages, from several hours to several weeks in advance, our New Year's Eve menu will not only impress your guests - its ease will impress you, too!

Here are Chef Yvonne's Top Ten Tips for an effortless New Year's Eve party!

10…Focus on appetizers that are naturally gluten-free. Your hors d’oeuvres won’t taste funny (or gluten-free) because they are what they are supposed to be — naturally authentic. This will also help you out because you won’t have to hunt for special gluten-free items — you can actually shop at the grocery store! What a concept!!!

9…If hors d’oeuvres are the only food offered at your party there should be at least 6 different appetizers — figuring 2-3 pieces per person per appetizer.

8…To calculate for hors d’oeuvres not in pieces (like dips or pâtés) assume 1 ounce is equal to 1 piece.

7…Create a balance between hot and cold dishes.

6…If you are planning on having 20-25 guests or more for hors d’oeuvres you should include some ‘bulk’ type items in your menu. Otherwise you will find yourself making hundreds of little things.

5…For an hors d’oeuvre party where you are not planning on serving a ‘meal’, plan on serving some more substantial items with small plates and forks.

4…Be creative with your serving dishes. Plan some hors d’oeuvres to be served in fun cocktail glasses for a festive touch.

3…Plan desserts that can be served in bite-size portions and that can be prepared a day or so in advance.

2…Stock up on liquors and wine. Unless you plan on hiring a professional bartender, sometimes it is easier and more fun to serve just one type of cocktail, made up in batches. Or display just the four basic liquors — Scotch, Bourbon, Gin & Vodka along with an assortment of appropriate mixers, a bucket of ice and glasses of various sizes.

1…Once the party has started, sit back, relax and enjoy! Don’t fret about the little things. Most likely you will be the only one who will notice if forgot the garnish on the shrimp!

On the Menu...

Recipe of the Week: Apple Cranberry Pie

2010-12-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

This week's featured recipe is our famous Apple Cranberry pie - an all-American favorite with a festive twist!

Even better, making this recipe gluten-free/dairy-free (GFCF) is well, as easy as pie! Especially using Gluten Free Mama's pie crust mix (our latest and greatest discovery!) and Earthbalance butter substitute, this can be allergy friendly in minutes. Egg free? Just follow Mama's directions using honey instead of egg white and skip the egg white glaze and you're good to go!

Apple Cranberry Pie

Ingredients
Our Basic Pie Crust recipe OR Gluten Free Mama's Pie Crust Mix
6 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon arrowroot
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place sliced apples and cranberries in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and arrowroot. Add sugar-spice mixture to apples and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover tightly and set aside.

Prepare dough according to package directions. Divide dough in half and roll out to 10 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thickness (this is best achieved between 2 sheets of plastic wrap). Carefully remove top sheet of plastic wrap and invert over pie dish. Peel off top layer of plastic wrap and fit crust into the bottom of the pie dish, allowing about 1 inch to fall over the sides of the dish. Roll out remaining dough to the same size, again between plastic wrap. Place apple mixture in the pie dish. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap from pie crust, invert and lay on top of pie. Remove remaining sheet of plastic wrap and fold under edges to seal the crust. Crimp edges with the index finger of one hand and the thumb and index finger of the other. Cut several small slits in the pie to allow steam to escape. Brush center of pie with egg white (but not edges, since this could cause the outer edges to brown too quickly). Sprinkle top of pie with sugar.

Bake pie at 450°F for 10 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce heat to 375°F and continue to bake for another 45-50 minutes, or until top of pie is nicely browned, apples are tender and juices are bubbling. Remove pie from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour before serving.

Menu Monday: Intimate Holiday Dinner Menu

2010-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

In slight contrast to our Elegant Holiday Dinner Menu, this meal is much more, shall we say, cozy. While still quite impressive and perfect for entertaining a small group of guests, this menu features more comfort-style foods, perfect for a wintry dinner party!

This holiday menu is a little more toned down, but still perfect for entertaining a smaller crowd. This menu starts off with mouthwatering Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms – each mushroom cap is filled with a sausage – cornbread stuffing and then topped with cheese and baked until juicy and brown. Follow the starter with a salad that is not only beautiful in presentation but also packed with flavor – Pear, Beet & Fennel Salad. For the entrée serve Apple Stuffed Cornish Hens, Rice Pilaf with Apricots and Green Beans with Toasted Hazelnuts. Depending on the appetites of your guests you can either serve each guest with a whole hen or half. I typically like to serve half a hen just due to the number of the other menu items. And for dessert treat your guests to Lemon Bars with Cheesecake Filling….make sure to make plenty as it is difficult to just eat one.

-Chef Yvonne

On the Menu
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Pear Beet & Fennel Salad (pictured, below)
Apple Stuffed Cornish Hens (pictured, right)
Rice Pilaf with Apricots
Green Bean with Toasted Hazelnuts
Lemon Bars with Cheesecake Filling

We have many other menus for you to choose from if perhaps you are looking for something a little different this year. For more menu ideas check out our article archives under the holiday months or look in our menu archives. We hope you and your family and a wonderful, safe and delicious holiday!

Product Review: Zing Bars

2010-12-16T15:05:00.000-08:00

Zing! bars are unbelievable! With six “deliciously different” flavors (Chocolate Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Coconut, Almond Blueberry and Cranberry Orange) Zing bars are healthy and delicious. Developed by a team of four registered dietitians (each with a master’s degree in nutritional biochemistry - wow!) Zing bars are healthy without being healthy tasting (if you know what we mean). Each bar contains 10-13g of protein, all-natural ingredients and are soy-free -- three of the six flavors are even vegan (dairy-free)!

Ingredients
Vary by flavor; all are wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free and the Cranberry Orange, Chocolate Coconut and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip flavors are also vegan/dairy-free.

Taste
I’ll be honest, I’m a picky eater - especially when it comes to protein bars. Usually, if I’m lucky, there will be one or two flavors of a given product line that I will enjoy - but this is absolutely not the case with Zing! bars! While my favorite is the Chocolate Coconut, I can (and have...) happily eaten and enjoyed all six of their flavors

Texture
Just the right combination of chewy and crunchy, these bars don’t leave you looking for a glass of milk or water!

Storage
Small enough to fit in your purse or backpack, these bars are perfect for on-the-go snacking.

Availability
Widely available in grocery stores on the west coast, you can also order Zing bars online both through Amazon.com and directly through store.zingbars.com

Overall Score (5.0)
Nutritious, delicious, free of soy proteins, three gluten-free/dairy-free flavors and routinely tested for gluten content - what’s not to love? Sign me up!

Special offer to Glutenfreeda readers: enter Glutenfreeda in the coupon code at checkout and receive $5.00 off per box-no limit. Offer good through December 31st, 2010

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Mock Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2010-12-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love coffee cake? Especially cooked in a decorative bundt pan, this recipe is always an impressive hit. Elegant and delicious, you and your guests will never be able to tell the difference at your next holiday brunch or dinner party!

Mock Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups gluten free flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance butter substitute
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Tofutti soy sour cream substitute
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan with the Earth Balance.

Combine the walnuts, 1 Tablespoon sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, blend well.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine Earth Balance, oil and 2 cups sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low and blend in sour cream substitute and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 1/3 increments until all is incorporated. Pour 1/3 of batter into prepared pan then top with the walnut mixture. Cover with remaining batter. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. When cool, invert onto a serving plate.

This Week's Recipe: Potatoes au Gratin

2010-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

This week we're actually featuring two different versions of this classic comfort food. The first recipe is more traditional, but still comes together quickly. The second version, in addition to being low-fat, is one of my favorite no-muss no-fuss one-pan dishes! Enjoy!

Creamy Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients
2 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/4 cups hot Cheddar Cheese Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
Dash of paprika

Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Place the potato slices and garlic cloves in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook 8 minutes or until just tender. Drain.

Combine the Cheddar Cheese Sauce, salt and pepper.

Arrange half of the cooked potatoes and garlic in a 2-quart lightly buttered baking dish. Pour half of the sauce mixture over potatoes. Repeat the procedure with remaining potatoes and garlic and remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Creamless Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients
3 cups gf chicken stock
Salt and fresh ground pepper
6 large white new or Yukon potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced to about 1/4"
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 3 quart baking dish.

Add the stock to a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the sliced potatoes in the baking dish and pour the hot stock over potatoes to cover. Cover the dish with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Sprinkle the Gruyere over the top and place under the broiler. Broil until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Creme Brulee

2010-12-08T11:31:00.000-08:00

It's that time again - here are this week's favorite gluten-free, dairy-free/casein-free recipes! Especially with more holiday meals right around the corner, these treats are perfect for anyone at your holiday table!

GFCF Creme Brulee (pictured at right)
Ingredients
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups Silk soy milk creamer
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
1/4 cup air-dried light brown sugar (see Tips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 275º F.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half of the granulated sugar. In a small saucepan, warm the soymilk creamer with the vanilla-bean scrapings and the remaining granulated sugar until the soymilk creamer is steaming. Gradually whisk the hot soymilk creamer into the egg-yolk mixture until blended. Strain the custard and pour it into four 5-ounce ramekins or shallow gratin dishes.

Set the ramekins in a small baking dish and add enough hot tap water to the dish to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the custards are just set. Let the custards cool in the water bath for 10 minutes, then remove from the baking dish and allow them to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. The custards may crack a little on top, this will not affect the taste.

Preheat the broiler. Sift a thin even layer of the air-dried brown sugar over each of the custards. Broil one ramekin at a time as close as possible to the heat source until the brown sugar melts, forming a caramelized crust on top of the custard. Serve immediately.

Tips
Instead of cream, we used Silk soymilk creamer which produced a lovely creme brulee. Their web site is www.soymilk.com and it is distributed by White Wave, Inc. from Boulder, Colorado and available nationwide.

To air-dry brown sugar, sift it onto a plate and leave it out, uncovered, for 1 day. Alternatively, if the weather is humid, the sifted brown sugar can also be dried in the oven. Set the temperature at 250ºF and put the sugar in the oven for 20 minutes.

You might also like:
GFCF Cherry Coconut Scones, perfect for a holiday brunch!
GFCF Chestnut Torte, another holiday favorite featuring a seasonal treat!

Weekly Recipe: Cauliflower and Thyme Frittata

2010-12-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

Each week we feature one of our favorite recipes and I want to do more to share these recipes with you! This week, we are featuring a fantastic new spin on an old-time favorite: the frittata. Infused with cauliflower, baby broccoli and thyme, this favorite brunch feature is chock full of vegetables and can be enjoyed hot, cold or at room temperature.

Cauliflower Frittata with Thyme
Ingredients
2-1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 medium cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
1 cup of baby broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh chives, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
10 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated

Directions
Preheat the broiler. In a 10-inch non-stick, oven-proof skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in the olive oil. Add the cauliflower, season with salt and cook over high heat, without stirring, until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Toss the cauliflower florets in the pan. Add the broccoli and cook until the cauliflower is golden all over and both the cauliflower and baby broccoli are just tender, about 3-4 minutes longer. Add the sliced onion and 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and swirl the pan to melt it.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grates of freshly ground black pepper. Whisk in the herbs. Pour the eggs over the vegetables and cook, without stirring, until the bottom of the frittata is just set, about 2 minutes. Lift the edges of the frittata and tilt the pan to allow the uncooked egg mixture to seep underneath. Continue to cook the frittata until the bottom is golden and the top is just slightly runny, about 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle the top of the frittata with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the top is just set. Slide the frittata onto a work surface or platter and cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Menu Monday: An Elegant Holiday Dinner

2010-12-06T11:16:00.000-08:00

So as I wrote last Wednesday, I'm trying something different - more predictable - with my articles. On the first and third Mondays of the month, I will share one of our featured menus! This week, one of our favorite holiday menus for an elegant dinner.

This menu is elegant from start to finish. Start off the evening with light, but delicious Parmesan Crisps with Pecans & Basil – the perfect snack to keep your guests happy as they arrive. Follow up with a creamy and sinful Baked Swiss Chard. This dish may sound a little different but it happens to be one of our favorite starters. The Swiss chard is stuffed with cheese and then topped with cream and baked until bubbly and brown. This truly is a show-stopper. The salad is a beautiful combination of mixed greens, apples and pomegranate seeds lightly tossed with vinaigrette. The entrée will be one your guests will be talking about for months to come – Pepper Crusted Prime Rib with a Mushroom & Brandy Reduction sauce accompanied by Creamy Potato Gratin and roasted asparagus & leeks. And let’s not forget dessert! Finish the meal off with a delightful Pecan Pear Torte with Cream Cheese Frosting and if you really want to go that extra mile (and you happen to have an espresso machine), a cup of cappuccino!

-Chef Yvonne

On the Menu
Parmesan Crisps with Pecan & Basil
Baked Swiss Chard
Mixed Greens with Apples & Pomegranates
Pepper Crusted Prime Rib with Mushroom & Brandy Reduction
Creamy Potato Gratin
Asparagus & Leeks
Pecan Pear Torte with Cream Cheese Frosting (pictured at right)

Gluten Free Mama & Holiday Stained Glass Cookies

2010-12-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

For our last post this week, you can check out our guest article over on Gluten Free Mama's blog!

From Rachel aka Gluten Free Mama:

Christmas is the time of sharing and our friends over at Glutenfreeda have been so kind to share with us one of their favorite Christmas Cookies, Holiday Stained Glass Cookies. I couldn't think of a better cookie to make the list for Day 4 of Mama's 25 Days of a Gluten Free Christmas.

Glutenfreeda.com is a great resource for those living gluten free with one of the largest gluten free recipe databases in the world. Glutenfreeda also manufactures some of my favorite gluten free products including, Gluten Free Instant Oatmeal, Real Cookies (authentic frozen cookie dough), Granola, Burritos and Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches.

My friends Kelsey and Kristine over at Glutenfreeda have been beacon of support for Gluten Free Mama, specifically by helping us with resources to expand our products into grocery stores in the Northwest region. They are such a huge support for the gluten free community. Thanks Kelsey for sharing with us! For more information on Glutenfreeda go to http://www.glutenfreedafoods.com/ or http://www.glutenfreeda.com/

Holiday Stained Glass Cookies
Since 2004, this has been one of our most requested cookie recipes! What would Christmas be without cookies? Perhaps the tradition began with our childhood and the humble offering to Santa placed beside the fireplace the on Christmas Eve. Whatever the case, cookies and Christmas seem to go hand in hand. But what happens when you add the dynamic of the gluten-free diet? Great gluten-free cookies are often a challenge. Many times they come out either flat and misshapen or so dry that if you accidentally inhale as you take a bite you may choke! We’ve spent many years experimenting and developing some great cookies that don’t taste gluten-free. In fact they are truly delicious, even for those not on a gluten-free diet.

Ingredients
2-1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
3 cups Gluten Free Mama's Coconut Blend Flour
Gluten free apricot or seedless raspberry jam

Cookie cutters: one 2-inch round, bell-shaped or ornament-shaped cookie cutter, and 1-inch cookie cutters in different festive shapes (stars, trees, bells, etc.) for the "window".

Royal Icing, if desired

Directions
With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Beat in egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla until well combined. On low speed, beat in gluten free flour, 1 cup at a time, until just combined.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and flatten each into a smooth disk. Wrap separately in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out one disk at a time between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/8" thickness.

Using cookie cutters, cut dough into simple holiday shapes (bells or ornaments or disks) - make sure you have an even number of "frames"! Using the 1-inch mini-cutters, stamp out patterns in half of cookies to form the "windows".

With a metal spatula, transfer cookies to a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until pale golden.

Let cookies cool on parchment, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining disks. Spread a rounded teaspoon of jam on each of solid cookies and top each with a windowed cookie.

Decorate with Royal Icing if desired
Ingredients

4 cups confectioner's sugar (approx. 1lb), sifted
3 egg whites

Icing Directions
In a grease-free bowl combine 4 cups confectioners’ sugar and egg whites. Using clean beaters, beat on low speed. After 30 seconds, scrape down bowl with a rubber spatula and gradually increase speed to medium-high. Beat until icing is glossy and stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted, 5 to 7 minutes.

If icing is to be applied with a paint brush, stir in water, a few drops at a time, to achieve desired consistency. If icing is to be piped through a pastry bag fitted with a decorating tip, stiffen icing by stirring in more confectioners’ sugar.

GFCF Weekly Roundup - Holiday Desserts

2010-12-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here at the Glutenfreeda Blog we're going to try something a little different - we're going to have established columns with new articles on a weekly and/or monthly basis. From gluten-free/casein-free recipes to product reviews, you'll soon be able to mark your life by our articles! =)

GFCF Chocolate Peppermint Squares
Makes 24 bars

Ingredients
1 ounce gluten free bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup Earthbalance butter substitute, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup gluten free flour
1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons Earthbalance butter substitute, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ounce gluten free bittersweet chocolate
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour an 8x8 inch pan with gluten free flour. Cream Earthbalance, sugar and egg. Add 1 ounce of melted chocolate, 1/2 cup gluten free flour and nuts. Place mixture into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile combine 2 Tablespoons Earthbalance, powdered sugar, water and peppermint extract. When cake layer is cool, spread Earthbalance mixture on top.

Melt remaining 1 ounce chocolate and 1 tablespoon Earthbalance; pour over filling. Chill in the refrigerator. Cut into 24 small bars.

GFCF Fresh Pear Crisp with Dried Cranberries
Ingredients
Topping
5 Tablespoons Earth Balance butter substitute, melted
1/2 cup gluten free flour
6 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling
3-1/4 pounds slightly underripe Anjou pears, peeled, halved, cored and cut into 1" pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon orange zest

Directions
For the topping
Melt the "butter" in a small saucepan, remove from heat. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add flour mixture to butter, tossing with a fork to form crumbs. Set aside.

For the filling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 11"x7" baking dish. Add the pear pieces and the cranberries to the baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and orange zest. Sprinkle the mixture over the fruit. Crumble the topping over the pears. Bake for 50 minutes. Serve warm (for the dairy indulgent, serve over gluten free vanilla ice cream).

Other GFCF favorites
GFCF Cranberry Apple Pie* (pictured at right)
GFCF Apple Cinnamon Cake
GFCF Pumpkin Apple Sauce Bread (substitute soy or almond milk)

*For this recipe, and all of our holiday pies, we recommend using Gluten Free Mama's Pie Crust Mix which can easily be dairy-free and egg-free!

Creative Crostini

2010-11-29T10:37:00.000-08:00

Even though Thanksgiving has passed, Christmas is right around the corner and many of us are only beginning to entertain for the holidays. This week, we're featuring a lot of different options for one of our favorite appetizers: crostini. Crostini, Italian for "little toasts" are toasted slices white bread, topped with fruits, vegetables, cheeses and/or nuts to create a sweet & savory appetizer. Also known as bruschetta, crostini are traditionally prepared by first toasting the bread slices and then topping with fresh vegetables or fruits, etc. however, another great way to prepare these perfect hors d'oeuvres can also be topped and then baked or broiled for a warmer alternative.

Crostini or bruschetta has always been one of my favorite appetizers. And I’ve had success making gluten-free French bread to then make gluten-free crostini, however, the problem is it is time-intensive and requires a lot of prior planning. Often, when I’m entertaining, I’m focusing most of my attention on the main entrée and want just some yummy appetizers that can be easily and quickly thrown together. Prior to being gluten-free crostini was just that – quick and easy. Just buy a baguette, toast and top with a delicious topping. But as you probably know, there aren’t that many, if any, good gluten-free baguettes readily available at the grocery store. So what was once an easy appetizer then became kind of a more difficult challenge…until now.

This past month I had a dinner party and really wanted to make crostini and I had an idea that I thought might work to once again make crostini easy and delicious, gluten-free. I have had great success with Udi’s gluten-free bread for sandwiches and toast, but since it’s sold as sandwich bread that is really as far as I had taken it. Then I thought, why wouldn’t it work to use it as crostini? So I cut off outer crust of each slice and cut each piece on the diagonal to give me cute little bread triangles. I then lightly coated each slice with oil (in this case I used walnut oil) with a pastry brush and toasted them in the oven. Then I topped them with my topping and voila – what resulted was perfect, delicious crostini appetizers that were beautiful in presentation!

Not only was the crostini great but the topping I used was spectacular as well. This is a great recipe for the holidays and now only takes just a few minutes to pull together

-Chef Yvonne

Here are some of our favorite crostini & bruschetta recipes from over the years. Although most recipes officially call for gluten-free french bread or a baguette, we have had such great luck using Udi's that we recommend you give it a try!

Don't forget - crostini and bruschetta can easily be gluten-free/dairy-free - just omit the cheese! The most basic and traditional Italian recipe calls for lightly toasted bread slices topped with freshly diced tomatoes, minced basil, a little bit of minced garlic or onion, and a sprinkle of olive oil.

Bruschetta with Tomato, Smoked Salmon & Herbs
Kalamata Olive Pate with Roasted Garlic & Basil Crostini
Lemon Basil Crostini
Warm Goat Cheese Crostini with Honey, Rosemary & Walnuts
Bruschetta with Gorgonzola & Apples
Bruschetta with Honeyed Tomatoes & Mascarpone
Goat Cheese & Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta (seen above)
Roasted Pepper Bruschetta

Gobble gobble

2010-11-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! May today be as stress-free as possible, filled with food, family and friends. May your turkey be golden, your stuffing spongy, your pie perfectly done and your football team victorious!

Happy turkey-day from Glutenfreeda Foods =)

Thanksgiving Leftovers

2010-11-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

After the tryptophan-induced food-coma has worn off and you have exhausted your quota for turkey sandwiches, what do you do with all of those delicious leftovers? While Turkey Tetrazzini is a traditional standby, why not mix things up this year with some creative leftover solutions?

After the big feast of Thanksgiving is over, often you are left with extra turkey. Perhaps in the days before you were diagnosed with gluten intolerance, you would use the leftovers for turkey sandwiches (or perhaps you still do with gluten-free bread), but there is so much more that can be done with the delicious already wonderfully roasted turkey meat. Over the years we have amassed a large selection of amazing recipes utilizing already cooked turkey meat. Below you will find a large selection of recipes categorized by lunch, dinner or soup/chili -- which can be enjoyed as a lunch or main course dinner!

Lunch

Chilis/Soups

Dinner

**Turkey Photograph copyright National Wild Turkey Federation // Joe Blake**

Showstopping Stuffings

2010-11-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing just isn't Thanksgiving. Whether you prefer wild rice, cornbread or a traditional stuffing, we have a whole recipe box dedicated to sensational ideas for your turkey's favorite sidedish sidekick!

Recreating traditional stuffing, gluten free, can be a challenge. Over the years, we have tried using everything from store-bought gluten-free breads to baking mixes to baking from scratch - with some really great results. But given that Thanksgiving dinner is already an all-day (or two day) event, trying to add bread-baking to the process is not always the easiest (or least-stressful!) idea. Instead, we have had unbelievable results with both Van's Gluten Free Waffles and Udi's Gluten Free Bread. For both, simply defrost, cube and you're ready to go!

Whether you prefer to ‘stuff’ your turkey or bake the stuffing separately, the following recipes will steal the show at your holiday table. Each of the following recipes have received a five star rating from our readers and we agree, stuffing never tasted so good!

-Chef Yvonne

Herbed Bread Stuffing

Ingredients
2 boxes (12 waffles) Van’s gluten-free/wheat-free frozen waffles, toasted and cut into 1/2" cubes
3 medium onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced crosswise
1-1/2 teaspoons herbs de provence
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1-1/2 cups gluten free chicken stock
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Toast the frozen waffles 1-1/2 times, until crispy but not burned. Let cool, then cut into 1/2" cubes. Set aside. (Alternately, defrost, cube and toast in the over on a baking sheet until golden brown.)

Cook onions, celery and herbs in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, toss together bread cubes, vegetables and stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the stuffing to a large baking dish. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Cornbread, Bacon, Spinach & Cashew Stuffing

Ingredients

For the cornbread (see Notes, below)
1 cup gluten free flour
1 cup corn meal
2/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups whole milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup canola oil

For the stuffing
2 onions, chopped
1 lb. sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch wide pieces
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
9 oz. baby spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 cups cashews, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup gf Chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Make the cornbread
(Cornbread can be made a day ahead of time.)
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine gf flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs and canola oil. Pour liquid ingredients into dry and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into an 13x9-inch greased baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely on a rack. Cut the cornbread into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Lay out on a baking sheet. Preheat the broiler. Broil cornbread cubes, turning halfway through, for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cook the bacon in 2 batches in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat.

Add the chopped onion and celery to the skillet; sauté until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers; sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic; sauté for about 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and stir in the spinach, cashews and cornbread cubes. Add the butter, stock and bacon. Stir to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Transfer the stuffing to a large baking dish. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Notes: In the past, we have also used Pamela's Cornbread Mix which is super quick and easy, available in most grocery stores.

Apricot Wild Rice Stuffing

Ingredients

3/4 cups wild rice
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Directions
Cook the wild rice according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine apricots, white wine and water. Heat in the microwave on high 1 to 2 minuts or until hot. Let stand 10 minutes; drain.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole. Drain apricots and discard the soaking liquid; place apricots in a large bowl. Add cooked wild rice, cherries, pine nuts, parsley, nutmeg, cloves, salt and pepper.

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add celery; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Add scallions, cook another 30 seconds. Add to wild rice mixture; mix well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spoon into casserole.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until hot.

Pear & Pine Nut Stuffing

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped
1/3 cup gf cornbread
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup gluten-free Chicken Stock

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add remaining ingredients and cook until heated through. Add melted butter and stock and toss to blend.

Transfer to baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve.

For more recipe ideas, visit Glutenfreeda.com!

Tradition? Tradition!

2010-11-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

While we love coming up with new and innovative gluten free recipes and menus for Thanksgiving (and the rest of the year!), sometimes you just want traditional comfort food! So here it is, our most traditional gluten-free Thanksgiving menu - featuring old favorites, new flavors and our best recipes yet!

Our Traditional (Gluten-Free) Thanksgiving Menu
While you won't find any candied yams or cream of (vegetable) soup anywhere in this menu, this collection of recipes features our favorite, most well-cherished memories. Maybe one day these recipes will become some of your favorites, too.

Starters

Main Course

Dessert

Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Our Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Game Plan

2010-11-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

This month, in addition to featuring a gluten-free Thanksgiving menu which serves 10-12 guests, we also have an amazing menu on a smaller scale -- serving 4-6 people. Although the recipes from our first menu are initially scaled to serve 4-6, the number of dishes in this menu -- and the different blend of flavors! -- are better suited to a more intimate dinner party.

A holiday message from our chef and founder:

Although the “day of” preparations may seem exhausting, keep in mind that since you have already done a lot of the prep work in the days before, the actual “to-do” items on Thanksgiving day are not at all hard, but actually rather easy, because you are just assembling or re-warming, for the most part. One final suggestion is to make time in the middle of Thanksgiving day to relax and enjoy the day. This is time for you to take a shower, put your feet up and enjoy the wonderful aroma’s floating through your home.

We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

-Chef Jessica

Appetizer

Bruschetta with Honeyed Tomatoes and Marscapone

Main Course

Dessert

Pumpkin Brulee

Game Plan & Timeline1 week before Thanksgiving

Read through all recipes in menu
Make grocery list
Go shopping

3 Days before Thanksgiving

Thaw the turkey breast in the refrigerator
Make cranberry sauce

2 Days before Thanksgiving

Toast bread for stuffing and cube

1 Day before Thanksgiving

Make the stuffing
Butterfly turkey breast
Make candied walnuts for the salad
Caramelize the onions for the mashed potatoes
Make Pumpkin Brulee
Make gluten-free baguette

Day of Thanksgiving (assume dinner is served at 3pm)

9am Wash greens for salad; chill. Make dressing for salad
9:45am Remove the cranberry sauce from the refrigerator
10am Stuff the turkey breast and roll into roulade; cover and set aside
10:30am-12:30pm RELAX
12:30pm Toast baguette slices for appetizer
12:45pm Make Honeyed Tomatoes
1pm Start roasting turkey roulade
2pm Make mashed potatoes, re-warm the caramelized onions
2:30 Serve Bruschetta
2:45 Remove the turkey from the oven and let rest; while resting make gravy
3pm Serve Main Course
5-6pm Serve Pumpkin Brulee

Holiday Pies

2010-11-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

With the holidays fast approaching, gluten free chefs everywhere are already beginning to plan and test their dessert menu. From pie crusts to cake batter, cheesecakes and tarts, creating elegant and delicious gluten free confections is a challenge to be faced and overcome each holiday season. With all of the amazing recipes available at Glutenfreeda.com, we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite recipes and techniques.

While this recipe calls for creating pie crust from scratch, we have recently discovered (and fallen in love with!)Gluten Free Mama's Pie Crust Mix, making this recipe Gluten-free/Dairy-free (or GF/CF) is, well, easy as pie! Even easier, her pie crust can also be egg-free by substituting honey for an equally delicious option. Using this pie crust, not only can you make a delicious, easy and impressive gluten free dessert, but it can just as easily be
dairy free/casein free and egg free as well. (For more information, check out our product review of Mama's Pie Crust!)

A message from our head chef:

This holiday season, if you’d like to enjoy your favorite fruit pies without all the construction work, we have a beautiful and delicious option; free form pies. A free form pie is simply a pie without the pie dish. The steps are easy and the result is a gorgeous dessert that we think is much more beautiful than a traditional pie.

Free form pies are best suited to fruit pies, such as apple, peach or cherry; fillings made of mostly fruit because they do not have the pie dish to hold in a great deal of liquid.

The chilled dough is rolled out the same as a traditional pie and cut into the largest even circle you can make. Transfer the dough disk to a parchment lined baking sheet and fill the center with sugared fruit. Gently fold an edge of the dough about 3” over the filling then lift another section of the edge and fold it up over the filling, laying it on top of the last fold. This process is continued around the pie until all edges are folded over. The end result will leave the center of the ‘pie’ uncovered with the fruit exposed.

This is a beautiful dessert that is simple to make and eliminates any of the typical difficulties associated with making gluten-free crust. Try this recipe and you may never need a pie dish again!

-Chef Yvonne

Apple & Cranberry Free Form Pie
Be sure to thoroughly chill the dough and this recipe will be as easy as pie!

Makes 2 pies/Serves 10

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups gluten free flour mix
1/2 cup sugar (extra for sprinkling)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces and chilled
1/2-3/4 cup ice water
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 egg white, beaten

Directions
Add gluten free flour, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the bowl of a electric stand mixer. Add chilled butter and mix with a paddle at low speed until the mixture resembles the size of small peas. With the machine running gradually add the ice water, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, until the dough is evenly moistened and looks like it will hold together when kneaded into a ball. (We used about ¾ cup water to get to this stage) Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and form into two balls. Form each ball into disks, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly (gluten free) floured surface, roll out a disk into a large round, dough should be about 1/8” thick. Loosen the dough from the surface with a spatula and carefully transfer it to the baking sheet. Repeat with other disk.

In a large bowl, add 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Add apples, cranberries and lemon juice and toss well. Arrange apple mixture in the center of each dough round, leaving a 3” border all around. You can decoratively arrange the apples so they make a design when baked. Brush the overlapped top of the crust with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Place pie in oven and bake for 55 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a plate and cut into wedges to serve.

Give Thanks with a Gluten Free Feast!

2010-11-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving dinner is a challenge for even the most seasoned chefs, and being gluten-free does not make things easier. This year, in addition to sharing our thousands of gluten-free (and dairy-free!) recipes, we also have several menu plans that we have tried over the years to great success. As you know, we at Glutenfreeda pride ourselves on producing both recipes and food products that stand up against non-gluten-free foods and taste-testers. This means that you can serve your gluten-free Thanksgiving with confidence to the gluten-intolerant/celiac and not-so-much alike - to smashing success!

Here is one of our favorite menu plans, featured in the November 2008 edition of the magazine, including a timeline (beginning the week before!) to help make this meal as stress-free as possible!

What we're serving... (10-12 people)

Appetizers

Starter

Roasted Yellow Pepper & Roasted Tomato Soup

Main Course

Dessert

1 week before Thanksgiving

Read through all recipes in menu
Make grocery list
Go shopping

5 days before Thanksgiving

Make Spiced Walnuts (store in an airtight container)
Make sausage for Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms (if making homemade sausage)

3 days before Thanksgiving

Make Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup
Make Roasted Tomato Soup
Make Jalapeno Crème Fraiche for soup
Thaw turkey in refrigerator

1 Day before Thanksgiving

Make Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Make Cumin-Chive Stuffed Devilled Eggs
Clean turkey and Inject with solution in recipe
Prepare the stuffing for turkey up to the point of adding shrimp
Make Pumpkin Pecan Pie
Make Chocolate Mousse Cake (prepare the Cinnamon Cream Day of)
Clean green beans
Set Table

Day of Thanksgiving (assume dinner is served at 3:15-3:30pm)

8am remove the turkey from the refrigerator – let come to close to room temperature
9am hydrate the chipotle pepper for the Sweet Potatoes. Make chipotle glaze. Peel and cut
potatoes, cook and rinse under cold water, toss with prepared chipotle glaze. Place on
baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
9:30am Finish stuffing.
10am Stuff turkey and begin roasting (assuming your bird will take about 4 hours, size will dictate)
10am prepare the onions up to the point of glazing. Place on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
10:30 prepare the Cinnamon Cream for the Chocolate Mousse Cake, cover and refrigerate
11-1pm RELAX
1pm Start warming soups over medium low heat, remove jalapeno crème fraiche so it’s not “cold”
1pm Bake Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
1:45 Serve Appetizers
2pm Plate and serve soup
2:30 Remove turkey from oven (check internal temperature and make sure it’s done – meaty part of thigh should be 180°
2:30 Put onions in oven
2:35 Start Green Beans
2:45 Put the Sweet Potatoes in oven.
3:00 Carve turkey
3:15 Serve Main Course
5-6pm Serve Dessert

NotesThis menu is based on having 2 ovens. If you don’t have two ovens then omit the Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms. You also may need to double or quadruple some of the recipes, like the onions (double and only serve quarters), soup, green beans and sweet potatoes (these should all scale without problems)

Thanksgiving is fast approaching!

2010-11-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well, with Halloween officially behind us, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and now is the perfect time to start planning your feast! The biggest meal of the year for most, Thanksgiving dinner is often a time for reviving old favorites - but it can also be the ideal venue for experimenting with new recipes. So this year, in addition to offering dozens of tried-and-true Thanksgiving recipes and menu ideas, we also have a menu plan for a Mexican-themed Thanksgiving feast. This year, be adventurous and try out these new recipes from your favorite gluten free recipe source!

In addition to offering traditional favorites - and traditions reinterpreted - our Thanksgiving Dinner menus offer a complete timeline from grocery shopping to carving the turkey! Everything you need to execute an elegant, effortless Thanksgiving feast is available at your fingertips through Glutenfreeda.com Stay tuned throughout the month for menu plans and some of our favorite recipes.

For a preview of our Mexican-inspired Thanksgiving Feast, check out our featured article in this month's magazine.

-Glutenfreeda

Pumpkins Revisited: The Savory Side

2010-10-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I've already written about pumpkin-themed recipes - but I can't help it, I'm obsessed! The air is crisp and clear, leaves are turning red, gold, brown and covering the world in a shimmering, festive blanket - and pumpkins fit right into this glowing, golden world. That being said, there is so much more to pumpkins than jack-o-lanterns and pie! Last week's post investigated the sweet side of this iconic gourd, and this week I want to share a few recipes that highlight the savory applications of the pumpkin: from stem to seed.

Here is some advice from one of our resident experts, Chef Jessica, on making homemade pumpkin puree:

Most recipes call for pumpkin puree. You can obviously use canned pumpkin puree for many recipes and this is a big time saver, but if you are a purist then by all means get your carving knife out and be prepared to get your hands messy! There are several ways to prepare pumpkin puree.

Steam: Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds, pulp and any stringy stuff. Remove the hard outer peel or rind and cut the flesh into small pieces. Place the pumpkin pieces in a steamer basket set over simmering water and steam for about 45-50 minutes or until the pumpkin pieces are tender. Transfer the pumpkin to a blender or food processor and puree.
Boil: Repeat the same process as above except this time place the pumpkin pieces in a saucepan and cover with water and lightly salt. Boil for about 25-30 minutes or tender. Puree in a blender or food processor.

After the pumpkin puree has cooled completely, you can divide it into freezer containers and freeze in smaller portions for future use. A 5lb. pumpkin should yield about 4-1/2 cups of pumpkin puree. Just as a comparison, one 15 oz can of pumpkin puree is about 2 cups of pumpkin puree.

-Chef Jessica

Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

To be perfectly honest, this is one of my favorite parts of pumpkin carving! In the process of preparing your pumpkin for carving, you scrape out all of the seeds -- and then clean them off and toast them! Crunchy, salty, spicy - these are the perfect (healthy!) snack on a cold Halloween night!

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons melted unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash of ground mace
Salt to taste

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Rinse the seeds to remove pumpkin pulp. Dry seeds on paper towels. Place the pumpkin seeds in a bowl and toss with melted butter, cayenne pepper, mace and season with salt.

Spread the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Pumpkin Soup with Gruyere

Ingredients
One 5-6 pound pumpkin
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
6 cups gluten free Chicken Stock*
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 cup light cream
2 Tablespoons grated orange zest
2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 pound gruyere cheese, shredded
Salt and white pepper
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions
Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out all strings and seeds. With a sturdy knife, cut away hard peel. Coarsely chop pumpkin flesh; you should have 8 cups.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until golden,
4-5 minutes. Add gluten free stock, chopped pumpkin and bay leaf. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, 15-30 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Using a food processor, puree soup in small batches. Alternately, use an immersion blender.

Return puree to pan and stir in cream, orange zest, orange and lemon juices, nutmeg and ginger. Reserve a handful of cheese and sprinkle the rest into soup, stirring over low heat until cheese melts and blends in.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a warmed tureen, individual bowls or pumpkin shells and garnish with reserved cheese and chives.

Tips
You can serve this lovely soup in a large pumpkin shell, or small individual ones. You will need additional pumpkins. Cut off the stem end of pumpkin and carefully scrape out flesh leaving a shell 1/2 inch thick. Fill the shell with soup, and garnish.

* - You can either purchase premade stock (Pacific Naturals produces a gluten free (and low-sodium) chicken and vegetable stock) OR you can make your own! Here's our recipe for homemade chicken stock!

Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups aborio rice
6 cups gluten free chicken broth
1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
Salt and pepper
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon butter
Dash of nutmeg

Directions
In a large, heavy saucepan heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and onions; saute until translucent. Add rice and saute, stirring about 5 minutes. Add wine and allow to cook off for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. Cook after each broth addition until liquid is absorbed and then add more broth. When risotto is almost done and after last broth addition, add pumpkin and let cook until risotto is a creamy consistency. Add parmesan cheese and stir to melt and until well blended. Stir in butter and serve.

Spinach Ravioli with Sage and Pumpkin

1 3/4 cup gluten free flour
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, loosely packed and then chopped

1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions
Place chopped spinach in center of a large square of cheese cloth. Gather edges of cheese cloth and squeeze all water out of spinach.

Place gluten free flour, salt, olive oil and spinach in a food processor. Pulse until just combined. Turn out dough onto a lightly (gluten free) floured surface and knead dough until smooth. If dough seems sticky, add a little more gluten free flour until it reaches a nice doughy consistancy. Cover dough and let rest for 30 minutes.

While pasta is resting, combine pumpkin purée with ricotta, nutmeg, egg, cinnamon, salt and freshly ground black pepper; set aside.

Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil.

Run dough, a little at a time, through your pasta machine until it reaches the 3rd press. (For complete instructions on how to make pasta, take a look at our online cooking classon homemade, gluten free pasta!) Cover each sheet with plastic wrap and continue until all pasta has been pressed into long sheets.

Working with one sheet at a time, cut pasta into 1-1/2 inch squares. Top one square with a teaspoon of filling. Dip your finger in water and run along edge of square containing filling. Top with a pasta square and press on edges to seal; squeezing out any air pockets.

Place finished ravioli on a cookie sheet dusted with cornmeal. Repeat with remaining pasta. A word of caution: if you stack the ravioli, dust with cornmeal to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Boil ravioli until they come to the surface of the water and are al denté when tested. Drain.

In a large skillet, melt butter and sage over medium heat until butter is lightly browned. Add pasta and toss gently to coat. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar on each plate. Top with ravioli and garnish with parmesan and sage leaves. Serve immediately.

Tips
You will need a pasta machine to make this recipe!

Super Salads

2010-10-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

Nutritious and delicious salads can be created from a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, sorghum and gluten-free oats. These healthy gluten-free ingredients can improve the nutritional quality of the gluten-free diet which is often lacking in fiber, iron and B vitamins.

Salad dressings using balsamic or red wine vinegar or fruit juices such as lemon, orange or pineapple, combined with olive or canola oil and various herbs can add unique flavor combinations. If purchasing store bought dressings remember to read labels carefully. Make sure they do not contain wheat flour, wheat starch, hydrolyzed wheat protein, soy sauce (made with wheat), seasonings (often contain wheat flour or wheat starch as a carrier agent) or malt vinegar (contains barley).

-Shelley Case, RD

Shelley's article highlights some very important concerns for all of us living gluten-free: being wary of everyday ingredients which can pose a health risk, as well as the importance of proper nutrition and a well-balanced diet.

Greek Lentil Salad

Ingredients
1- 19 fl oz can of lentils, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup calamata olives
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup green peppers, chopped
1 cup cucumber, sliced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh parsley and/or cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp dried oregano

Instructions
IN a large bowl, combine lentils, olives, vegetables, and feta cheese.
WHISK dressing ingredients together.
ADD parsley and/or cilantro to salad and toss with dressing to coat.
CAN be eaten right away or covered and left in fridge to marinate for 2 hours before serving. Salad can be made a day in advance.

Green Bean Salad with Apples & Bell Peppers

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half diagonally
2 ears of corn
1 small red onion, cut in half through the root (root trimmed), and cut lengthwise into thin slices
1/3 cup English cucumber, diced
1 Gala apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, larger ones cut in half
1/4 cup basil, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons crumbled Feta cheese

Directions
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the green beans from the water and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Add the corn to the boiling water and cook for about 1 minute. Drain through a fine sieve and place sieve containing the corn in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process; let sit for 2 minutes. Drain the corn and the beans and transfer them to a large salad bowl.

Meanwhile, place the onion in a small bowl filled with ice water (this will crisp it and mellow the flavor).

Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Place the garlic paste in a small bowl and add the vinegar and oil and whisk until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Just before serving, drain the onions. Add the onions to the beans and corn along with the cucumber, apples, cherry tomatoes, and basil. Add the vinaigrette and toss. Adust seasonings, if necessary, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with crumbled feta and serve.

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients
2 cups gluten free quinoa
3 cups water
6 tomatillos
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
7 Tablespoons lime juice
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups corn, cut from cob and micro-waved for 1 minute
4 ounces soft mozzarella cheese
1 Tablespoon lime zest

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place quinoa on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes.

In a medium saucepan bring water to a boil; adding quinoa. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Let cool.

In a large saucepan blanch tomatillos, drain and place in cold water.

Using a blender combine tomatillos, onion, cilantro, lime juice, parsley, oil, vinegar, chile and garlic; puree. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and mix in quinoa. Season with salt and pepper.

Place a large spoonful of quinoa mixture in individual bowls or salad plates and top with cucumber, radishes, red onion, bell pepper, corn, mozzarella and lime zest. Serve immediately.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients
1/2 lb. sugar snap peas
2 Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
6 scallions, thinly sliced
3 carrots, shredded
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped

3 Tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Juice from 1 lime
4 Tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 Tablespoon sugar (or more to taste)
1-1/2 teaspoons gluten free Chinese chili sauce

Directions
Place the water in a wok and heat to a simmer over medium high heat. Add the sugar snap peas; cover and cook for 3 minutes or until the peas are just tender. Drain peas in a colander and rinse under cold water; set aside. Return the wok to the heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken to the wok, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir fry until chicken is browned and just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; let cool.

Place the peanut butter and sesame oil in a large salad bowl. Whisk in the lime juice. Add the soy sauce, ginger, sugar and chili sauce. Whisk until dressing is thoroughly mixed. Adjust seasonings to taste with sugar more chili sauce. Add the chicken, snap peas, cabbage, peppers, scallions, carrots and cilantro. Toss until all ingredients are coated with dressing. Serve immediately.

Shelley Case, RD is a consulting dietitian, speaker and author of the national best seller Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. See www.glutenfreediet.ca

Seeing Orange

2010-10-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

With Halloween right around the corner, it is no surprise that pumpkins are everywhere: white pumpkins, orange pumpkins, fairy tale pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, giant pumpkins, mini pumpkins, tall pumpkins, squat pumpkins - pumpkins everywhere! Faced with this all together pleasant bombardment of squash, I spent some time in our recipe archives looking for fun and fabulous pumpkin recipes to use in the next few weeks.

Since almost everyone has a favorite pumpkin pie recipe, be it your Grandma Ruth's grandmother's sister's recipe, passed down on a crumbling recipe card, or the recipe from the back of the can of pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie is a personal journey. So instead of providing even more alternatives in that category (although our Maple Sugar Pumpkin Pie with Rum Cream recipe is amazing!) we have a whole list of other - equally delicious - pumpkin ideas. Happy Pumpkin picking!

Pumpkin Apple Sauce Bread

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup apple sauce
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
3-2/3 cups gluten free flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F

Using a elecric mixer at medium speed, beat together sugar, molasses, pumpkin, apple sauce, oil, eggs and milk. Mix in dry ingredients.

Pour into 2 well-greased 9"x5" loaf pans and bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in pans before carefully turning out onto a wire rack. Allow bread to cool to room temperature and store loaves wrapped in foil. Can be frozen for up to three months.

Also check out our Golden Pumpkin Bread and Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread recipes!

Chocolate Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients
2 cups gluten free flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, pecans, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, canola oil, and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 2 inch squares and serve.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Brownie Crust

Ingredients
For the Crust
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup gluten free flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

For the Cheesecake
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pumpkin puree (16 oz)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves

Directions
For the Crust
Preheat oven to 325°F and lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan.

In a medium saucepan bring a small amount of water to boil.

Melt butter and 2 ounces of chocolate, stirring constantly, in a double boiler over simmering water; water should not touch top pan.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat and let cool slightly. Stir 1/4 cup sugar and 1 egg into chocolate mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk gluten free flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture. Stir in chopped walnuts.

Spread batter in prepared springform pan; smoothing surface with a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes, or until risen and dry to the touch. Set springform pan on a large sheet of foil and fold sides up around sides of pan.

For the Cheesecake
Melt remaining chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cornstarch and vanilla.

Add 1 cup of cheesecake batter to melted chocolate and stir well to blend.

Beat pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into remaining cheesecake batter. Pour 3/4 of pumpkin cheesecake batter over brownie crust.

Check chocolate mixture to see that is thin enough to spread. If it is too thick, heat it in micro-wave for 10 seconds. Pour the chocolate batter on top of pumpkin cheesecake batter. Spoon remaining pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of chocolate batter. Use a table knife to make a few decorative swirls. Do not overswirl.

Set springform pan in a medium roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan.

Bake pumpkin cheesecake at 325°F for 1-1/2 hours, or until it is firm around edges, but slightly jiggly in center. Turn oven off, prop oven door open and let cheesecake stand in the water bath in warm oven for 1 hour, or until completely set.

Remove pumpkin cheesecake from water bath and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove foil and springform pan ring from cheesecake. Carefully transfer cheesecake to a platter, cut into wedges and serve.

Also look at our Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust recipe!

Gluten Free Cupcake Madness

2010-10-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

Well, today is National Chocolate Cupcake day and to celebrate, here are a few of our favorite recipes from over the years - including a gluten-free, dairy-free recipe for chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow; a recipe for spooky Halloween cupcakes and Chocolate Mousse Grand Marnier cupcakes for the grown-ups. All three are delicious gluten free and perfect for celebrating National Cupcake Month!

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Filling

Ingredients
For the cupcake batter:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups gluten free flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup Tofutti sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 jar (7 ounces) Kraft marshmallow cream

For frosting
8 ounces Tofutti cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Directions

For cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350°F and line 12 muffin cups with liners.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. When melted, remove pan from heat.

In a medium bowl combine sugar, gluten free flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together soy milk, Tofutti sour cream and canola oil. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in chocolate.

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until all ingredients are smoothly blended. Fill muffin cups about two-thirds full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare cupcakes for filling, use a small, sharp knife, remove a 3/4" wide by 1" deep cylinder from top-center of each cupcake. Trim off and discard about 1/2" from bottom of each cylinder, retaining approximately 1/2" for further use with cupcakes.

With the tip of a knife, hollow out a small cavity inside each cupcake. Spoon marshmallow cream into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" plain tip. Twist end of bag tightly to secure.

To fill cupcakes, place tip into cavity of cupcake and without moving tip, squeeze filling into cavity to 1/4" from top of cupcake.
Fill remaining cupcakes in a similar way. Insert reserved cupcake cylinders back into holes, covering filling.

In a food processor, combine Tofutti cream cheese, vanilla extract, powdered sugar and cocoa powder; pulse until smooth.

Refrigerate for about 30 minutes prior to frosting cupcakes.

Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe onto tops of cupcakes or alternatively spread frosting onto cupcakes with a knife.

Featured Recipe: Spooky Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcake batter
1-1/2 cups gluten free flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon gluten free almond extract
1 cup gluten free chocolate chips (Hershey's and Nestle semi-sweet chips are gluten free)

For the frosting
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
dash of salt
1 unbeaten egg whites
1/2 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
Black food gel coloring OR recipe for Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine sugar, gluten free flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine apple sauce, egg, oil and almond extract. Beat until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into paper line muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool muffins in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the frosting, combine sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Very slowly add sugar syrup to 2 unbeaten egg whites in a mixing bowl. Beat constantly with a mixer until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

To create a spiderweb design in the image, reserve half of the frosting as white and color the other half with black gel coloring OR make a batch of chocolate ganache frosting. Frost with white first and, once the base has set, draw concentric circles using the black frosting and a fine, round tip. While the black frosting (or ganache) is still wet, drag a clean toothpick from the center of the "web" to the edge, creating six equal segments.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

This is my single-favorite frosting recipe of all time - and looking at the ingredients it's no wonder why! Based on David Lebovitz's frosting recipe from his (in)famous German Chocolate Cake, this is a show-stopper all on its own!

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 ½ ounces unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine 8 ounces of chopped chocolate with the corn syrup and butter.

In a saucepan, heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour over chocolate, butter and corn syrup mixture. Important: let stand for one minute (to melt the chocolate and butter) before whisking until smooth. Let cool to room temperature before piping onto cupcakes. If you use this for the base frosting, refrigerate the mixture for up to 45 minutes before attempting to frost (otherwise it is just a delicious semi-liquid mess...)

Featured Recipe: Chocolate Mousse Grand Marnier Cupcakes

Ingredients

6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier
1/4 cup gluten free flour
Whipping cream for topping

Directions

Line a 12 muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.

Combine chopped chocolate and butter to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir with a rubber spatula until melted. Remove from heat. Add sugar, eggs, egg yolks and Grand Marnier to a large bowl and beat with electric mixer for about 5 minutes, until thickened and light in color. Sprinkle gluten free flour over batter and fold in with a rubber spatula. Fold in melted chocolate. Fill muffin cups half full and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. You can keep these in the refrigerator for up to a day before baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake for about 7 minutes. Cupcakes should puff and crack and an inserted toothpick should come out with moist batter attached. Let cool, the center of the cupcakes may fall slightly. When cool, the center of the cupcakes will be soft, almost like pudding. Top cooled cupcakes with whipped cream and serve.

"...Adieu! Adieu! To you and you and yo-ou!"

2010-10-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

(Doesn't the Sound of Music make everything better?)

Well today begins the final section of the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge! A brief recap: the rally began on September 10th with over 120 vintage vehicles (bearing both a driver and navigator) setting out from Peking, China with plans to cover more than 14,630 km/8,923 miles in 37 days. While the rally participants were faced with many challenges along the way - mechanical, environmental & social - nearly everyone arrived this morning in France! Due to a last minute rally in Paris protesting a recent change in legislation, the route through the City of Light was revised late last night and released to the participants for tomorrow's final drive! Today's journey, from Aix les Bains to Troyes (both in France) covered 430km/267 miles from the foot of the Alps, northwest through the beautiful countryside and into central France.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 large yellow onions, sliced
Salt
5 cups gluten free beef stock
2 bay leaves
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound Emmenthaler or Gruyere cheese, shredded
4-6 slices gluten free french bread (1/2" thick and toasted golden brown)

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions; salt to taste. Stir to coat well with the butter, cover and cook stirring occasionally, until very tender about 20-30 minutes. Remove the cover, raise the heat slightly and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions turn a deep caramel brown, about 1 hour. Add the stock and bay leaves, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat a broiler. Discard bay leaves. Season the soup to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle soup into heavy soup bowls placed on baking sheet. Sprinkle a little cheese into each bowl, then place the toasted bread slices on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tips

The secret to wonderful onion soup is to cook the onions slowly so they caramelize. You can add sliced leeks or shallots with the onion for a more complex taste.

Like this recipe? Also try our French Onion & Garlic Soup

French Carrots

Ingredients

6 carrots, peeled and grated
2 shallots, minced
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the carrots and shallots. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the sugar and cumin. Sprinkle the cumin mixture over the carrots and toss to blend. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and toss gently. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature. Just before serving garnish with Italian parsley.

Coq au Vin

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
7 ounces gf bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
3 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound mushrooms, quartered
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup brandy
8 cups dry red wine
Bouquet garni: 1 parsley sprig, 1 thyme sprig, 1 bay leaf tied with butcher string or cheese cloth
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tabllespoons gluten free flour

Directions

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Salt and pepper chicken pieces and add to skillet. Brown chicken on all sides. Transfer chicken to a large casserole with a lid or a dutch oven. In the same skillet, fry the bacon pieces until the fat is rendered. Sprinkle the bacon pieces over the chicken. Saute the onions and garlic in the bacon fat for about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the chicken mixture. Add the mushrooms to the skillet; season with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms, without their liquid to a plate; set aside. Add the tomato paste and brandy to the pan with the chicken mixture; stir and ignite with a match. When the flames subside, add the wine. Add the bouquet garni, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat and reduce by half. In a small bowl, mix softened butter and flour into a paste and add to the sauce. Cook until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper and add chicken and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.

Viva Italia!

2010-10-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

As the Peking to Paris rally is quickly drawing to a close, we find ourselves on the Italian peninsula -- but only for a night. The rally participants left Greece this morning and, taking the ferry from Igoumenitsa, they crossed the Adriatic and docked in Ancona, a rather large city on the east coast of the Italian peninsula. As the day draws on, the competitors will head west and cross the Italian countryside, spending tonight in Viareggio, a seaside resort town most well-known for its annual carnival and parade of papier-mâché floats, traditions dating back to the late 19th century.

And so today, we proudly bring you an Italian-themed menu, using traditional ingredients and regionally inspired flavors!

Italian Country Garbanzo (Ceci) Bean Soup

Ingredients

One 14 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup gluten-free pancetta, chopped (may substitute bacon)
1 scallion, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
Pinch of marjoram
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup lean pork, chopped into 1/2" pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
Heat a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and when hot, add pancetta, scallion, garlic, parsley, marjoram and saute. Stir in beans and tomatoes. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Add pork. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Italian Roasted Chicken with Prosciutto

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large chicken breasts with bones & skin
4 slices of prosciutto
8 basil leaves, plus 1 Tablespoon minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup gluten free chicken stock
2 Tablespoons cream

Directions

Preheat broiler.

In a small skillet melt butter in olive oil over medium heat. Add half shallots and garlic; sauté, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Scrape mixture into a small bowl and let cool briefly.

Loosen skin of chicken breasts without completely detaching. Place a teaspoon of shallot mixture under skin of each breast. Top with a folded piece of prosciutto and
2 basil leaves. Smooth skin over fillings and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Set chicken in a roasting pan, skin-side up. Broil for 5 minutes. Turn and broil for 5 minutes more. The skin should be crisped on top.

Turn oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake chicken for 20 minutes or until juices run clear when meat is pierced.
Transfer chicken to a plate, tent with foil to keep warm.

Transfer juices from pan into a small bowl; spooning off any excess fat.

Place roasting pan over medium heat. Add remaining shallots and garlic; sauté until soft and golden. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of the. When wine is nearly evaporated, pour in chicken stock and cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced to about
1/2 cup. Stir in minced basil and reserved drippings. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place a stuffed breast on a plate and spoon sauce over top.

Tuscany Inspired Orange-Almond Cake

Ingredients
1 small/medium orange*
1 lemon*
6 ounces almonds**
1 cup gluten free flour (for this recipe, I used Jules All-Purpose GF flour)
1 Tablespoons baking powder
4 large eggs (or 5 medium), at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup olive oil (the higher quality the oil, the better)
Confectioner's sugar, for serving (optional)

Directions

First things first, get started on preparing the citrus. Put the orange and lemon in a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. They're going to float, don't worry about it. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

In the mean time, preheat the over to 325F (one rack in the center) to toast the almonds. Distribute the almonds on an ungreased sheet pan and bake for 10-15 minutes until they look golden and smell all roasty and delicious. Err on the side of over-toasted, just make sure they don't burn! Let them cool completely, (I dumped mine out onto a tea towel to expedite the process) then toss 'em in the food processor until finely ground, like coarse corn meal. Set aside and don't worry about cleaning out the food processor.

Bump the oven temperature up to 350F and grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan. The baking time will differ depending on which size you choose/have on hand.

When the fruit has cooled, cut the lemon in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds; discard. Cut the orange in half also and remove the seeds, leaving pulp in tact. Put the lemon rinds and orange halves in the food processor and chop until they form a really coarse paste.

Meanwhile, combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl.

In a mixing bowl or the base of a KitchenAid, combine eggs and salt, then beat until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar. If using a KitchenAid, switch to the blade attachment, stir in the flour/baking powder mixture. Beat in (on low speed) the fruit, almonds and olive oil, until just incorporated, but be careful not to over mix! Pour batter into springform pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean: 45-60 minutes for a 9-inch pan, 30-40 for a 10-inch pan.

Remove from oven and cool in the springform pan on a wire rack (I used the stovetop of my gas range-- you just need circulation to facilitate quicker cooling). Remove the sides of the pan (by far, my favorite aspect of using the darn things) and serve.

Serving suggestions: ganache or chocolate glaze, Sabra glaze (Israeli orange-chocolate liqueur), confectioner's sugar. Honestly, our house isn't huge on super-sweet desserts and we love it plain. Next time, I'll probably press sliced almonds into the top of the cake half-way through baking.

For storage, keep at room temperature and cover tightly with plastic wrap to maintain moisture. This cake improves with age and is best on its second or third day.

Notes
* Because you are eating the whole fruit, rind and all, if possible, use organic fruit.
** You can substitute pre-roasted almonds but it turns out so much better with freshly toasted almonds.

It's all Greek to me!

2010-10-11T11:20:00.001-07:00

The Peking to Paris rally officially left Istanbul this morning, destined for Thessaloniki, Greece! By Saturday, the rally will have officially concluded in Paris, awards will have been distributed and the first participants will begin packing up and heading home. With only 2,630km/1,634 miles separating the rally participants from the Parisian finish line, the last week is being met with mixed feelings: while everyone is excited to arrive in Paris and head home, there is also a feeling of disappointment that the adventure is already coming to a close. Here are some of the most recent and unbelievable photographs from Glutenfreeda's (#60) journey from Peking to Istanbul:

More of the Central Asian highlands

Anastasia and the mother of a goat herder in their home

At the Uzbek border with the lovely gentleman who helped repair our car!

From our brief detour to Moscow en route to Istanbul last week...

Greek-style Sausages

More like oblong meatballs than sausages, these have been a long-time favorite. One reader reported that his Greek fiance made this recipe for her family and it passed the test of tradition!

Ingredients

12 oz. (3/4 lb) ground pork
4 oz. (1/4 lb) ground beef
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried savory
Rind of 1 small orange, grated
1 teaspoon salt
8 black peppercorns, crushed
1/3 cup dry red wine
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Allow meat to marinade in the refrigerator at least 4 hours (ideally, overnight) to allow all of the flavors to blend and meld.

Preheat a broiler. Form the meat mixture into about 24 cylinder sausage shapes, about 2-1/2" long and place on broiler pan. Broil for a total of 15 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.

Alternately, cook the sausages in batches using a heavy skillet (we like our cast-iron cookware) over medium-high heat, turning frequently until browned on all sides and cooked through.

Serve with Tzatziki or a Greek Salad

Turkish Delight

2010-10-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

With only 8 days left in the Peking to Paris motor challenge, car #60 is still in Istanbul, with final repairs well underway. Our team has had nothing but praise for the city, harrowing the local mechanics as some of the most qualified in the world! Hopefully these latest repairs will last us the remaining 2,200km/1,367mi to Paris!

While Turkey has gifted the culinary would with many treats (baklava, Turkish coffee, pilafs and many more), our recipe today represents one of the most popular culinary traditions: kebabs. Technically, kebabs are Persian in origin, they have become a Turkish specialty and one of the region's most well-known foods! While we are only sharing one recipe today, our archives feature more than 18 kebab recipes for you to try!

Grilled Pork Kebabs with Fresh Grapes

Ingredients

3 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into small cubes (1" diameter)
1/2 lb. seedless red grapes
3 Tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bamboo skewers

Directions
Soak bamboo skewers in water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine curry, cumin, paprika, coriander and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, orange juice and garlic. Set aside.

Thread pork and grapes alternately on prepared skewers. Sprinkle spice mixture on skewers and pour marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Prepare grill. Grill kebabs, turning frequently for about 8 minutes or until pork is done (two minutes per side). Remove from grill, garnish with parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.

Fairs, Planes and Cupcakes - oh my!

2010-10-04T12:12:00.000-07:00

What a busy weekend - happy Monday, everyone! So much to tell you about today, including a recap of the Nature's Market 8th Annual Gluten Free Fair!

The Fair, hosted by Nature's Market in Kent, is a two-day gluten free extravaganza! With more than two dozen vendors sampling their wares, almost every gluten free product was on sale. From soups and pastas to seasoning salts and salad dressings, ice creams and dairy alternatives to convenience foods -- like our burritos and granola! We spent the day at the Market, hanging out with Zing! Bars, Enjoy Life, Kettle Cuisine, Amy's, Sunny Valley Wheat Free and many others. All of the vendors are kind beyond words and their products speak for themselves!

Positioned between Zing Bars and Lulu's Granola, we spent the morning sampling our Chicken & Cheese and Vegetarian Bean & Cheese Burritos as well as each of the three flavors of our granola: Apple Almond, Raisin Almond and Cranberry Cashew. We connected with so many wonderful individuals and families, some seasoned gluten free consumers (some going on 20+ years) and others who have only recently been diagnosed as gluten-intolerant (three weeks ago!).

On a related note, we also had the opportunity to do some product sampling while we at the Market - most notably, of Julie's new ice cream sandwiches featuring lemon frozen yogurt sandwiched between two of Glutenfreeda's vanilla cookies! Amazing! Just sweet enough, perfectly tangy and absolutely refreshing, another fantastic dessert from Julie's!

On another note, over the weekend, one of the Glutenfreeda teams (car #60) in the Peking to Paris motor challenge is in Istanbul, Turkey! After another broken axle en route to Samarkand to rejoin the group, it became clear that the safest choice would be to fly the car to Istanbul for more lasting repairs and better road conditions. After a day-long layover in Moscow, Douglas and Anastasia are now safely in Istanbul, working on repairing the car. The rest of the groups passed through Turkmenistan over the weekend - covering more than 1,550km/963miles! After a rest-day in Samarkand, the teams left Uzbekistan on Saturday and drove over across Turkmenistan, arriving in Gorgan, Iran this evening. With only one more scheduled rest day, the race will soon move into Turkey and the Central Asian chapter will come to close. From that point, the teams will move from Turkey to Greece, into Italy and through France on the way to Paris -- all in the next 12 days!

Don't forget, October is Cupcake Month over atGlutenfreeda.com! With cupcake ideas for everyone, we are featuring several fantastic recipes: our Chocolate Mousse Grand Marnier and Carrot Spice, just to highlight a few!

Surrounded by Land, Surrounded by Land...

2010-09-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today, the race entered Uzbekistan, traveling 260km/160mi from Shymkent, Kazakhstan to Tashkent (the capital city of Uzbekistan) along a mountainous route bordered by lush national forests and parks. Uzbekistan, one of six Turkic states, is one of two doubly landlocked nations in the world (i.e. a landlocked state surrounded by other landlocked states; the other is Liechtenstein), sharing its borders with five other countries. Formed in 1747 and recognized as independent in 1991, has a population of 27.6 million and is the third largest producer of cotton in the world.

Car #60 suffered another broken axle last night and spent the night in a repair shop, replacing the old shaft (which had broken and was welded back together in Almaty over the weekend) with a brand new one, ground to specification instead of welded. Hopefully this will hold a while longer than its predecessor and we can catch up to the pack!

Should your travels ever take you to Uzbekistan, Celiac Travel has a Celiac travel card in Uzbek to help facilitate safe eating!

Рогалики на сметане
Croissants with Cream

These traditional pastries from Uzbekistan, also known as the "lazy man's croissant", come together quickly and relatively easily for a wonderful result! Due to the authenticity of this recipe, measurements are initially provided in metric (grams), and while a scale would come in handy (much more accurate to measure ingredients by weight versus volume) I have converted the measurements to ounces for convenience.

Ingredients
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. sugar
250 grams (just over 8oz) butter, melted
250 grams (just over 8oz) sour cream
2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
Pinch of salt

Filling
200 g (7oz) strawberry preserves
200 g (7oz) walnuts, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.

Beat egg yolk and sugar with an electric mixer. Add sour cream and melted butter, mixing well to combine. Slowly add flour and salt until the dough forms a ball.

On a floured surface, knead the dough into a ball -- it will be very soft. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm. While the dough is chilling, make the filling.

Place strawberry preserves in a fine sieve or in cheese cloth suspended over a bowl and allow the liquid to drain off. If large pieces of fruit remain, you can mash with a fork or put the mixture into the food processor. Add chopped walnuts and mix well to combine.

Divide dough into 5 parts (approximately 70 grams or 2.5oz). Roll out each piece on a well-floured surface, until dough forms a disk, 1/4 inch thick. Cut each disk into 8 equal, triangular pieces (think pizza) -- 40 in total.

Put 1 Tbsp. of the topping mixture 1-inch in from the base of each triangular piece. Fold in edges and roll up like a croissant. Bake at 400F until golden brown. To serve, dust with powdered sugar!

Recipe from Cook Eat Share
Image from Nasekomoe

From the Road: A Rally Update

2010-09-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

Car #60 (Dough and Anastasia) on the road in rural Mongolia last week

Today marks the end of the longest scheduled break during the Peking to Paris motor challenge: 48 hours of free time in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Although it was replaced as the capitol city by Astana in 1997, Almaty remains the largest commercial center in the country. Leaving early in the morning, the teams will set out on a 700km/430mi journey across Kazakhstan!

Dozens of teams have required repairs in the past week, with issues ranging from headlights bouncing off along the unpaved route to engine fires -- a competitor's car ultimately burned to the ground and #60 (seen above) suffered a similar, but much smaller, fire as well. Because all of the vehicles are vintage, repairing and replacing parts is challenging, especially in rural central Asia. We hope that the next leg of the journey will be a smooth (and safe!) one, with only paved roads for 400km of the 700km route - yikes!

Total distance travelled: 5,578 kilometers / 3,466 miles
Total distance remaining: 8,782 kilometers / 5,456 miles

Coming to you from Kazakhstan, a Manti Recipe!

2010-09-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

We would first like to give a brief shout-out to a few stores who have recently begun carrying products from the Glutenfreeda Foods, Inc. line:

Atkinson's Markets in Idaho are now carrying our burritos! Find them at Giacobbi Square in Ketchum, Alturas Plaza in Hailey and at the Valley Market in Bellevue!

Broulim's will now be carrying our oatmeal and burritos. Find them on South Main street in Driggs, ID.

Dan's Supermarkets in North Dakota are now carrying the burritos as well! Dan's has three locations in Bismarck, two in Dickinson and one in Mandan, ND - check them out today!

We join the Peking to Paris challengers along the route between Semey and Usharal in Kazakhstan. Today, I am sharing a traditional dumpling recipe for manti (plural of manta), a typical main course from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia. While a truly authentic recreation of this recipe would likely include horse meat (a Kazakhstan staple), this recipe calls for ground beef or lamb instead.

Manta Recipe

Ingredients
3 cups all- purpose gluten free flour
1 cup water
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

For the Filling
250g (one-half pound) ground beef or lamb
1 large onion (chopped in very small pieces)
Salt and black pepper

Yogurt Sauce
2 cups plain yogurt
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
In a large bowl, combine flour, water, egg, olive oil and salt. Kneading well to form a smooth, but not sticky, ball of dough. If it is too sticky, add more flour until the dough is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand, at room temperature, for one hour.

While the dough is standing, prepare the filling: in a medium bowl, combine chopped onion, ground meat, salt and pepper until well mixed.

Lightly dust a board or countertop and rolling pin with flour. Divide the dough into four equal sections, rolling out each piece as thinly as possible without tearing.

Cut each sheet into equal squares (about 1.5" by 1.5") Put a teaspoon of filling at the center of each square until you run out of dough or filling.

To fold the dumplings: fold diagonally to form a triangle. Press edges firmly together to seal the dumplings (if necessary, use a little bit of water on the inside edge to help the pieces stick together.) Take the two corners (connected by the longest, folded side) and pull together until corners overlap - pinch together (it will look like a floppy brimmed hat -- see image here.)

In a large pot, boil the water and add a little bit salt, olive oil. Add the dumplings and stir, cooking for approximately 15 minutes, until the dumplings rise to the surface. Periodically test filling for doneness and be careful not to overcook. While the dumplings are cooking, prepare the yogurt sauce.

Yogurt sauce: place the minced garlic, yogurt, water and salt in a small bowl, mixing well until combined.

When the dumplings are done, drain with a slotted spoon. Serve warm with yogurt and hot pepper sauce.

Image from Anna's Recipe Box

Border Crossing & A Traditional Russian Recipe

2010-09-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

We rejoin the Peking to Paris motor challenge in southern Russia today as the teams race between Mongolia and Kazakhstan! No news is good news in terms of mechanical issues (yay!). It seems that more than a few competitors had to fly in replacement parts from the nearest dealership (even as far away as Australia!) and others were forced to load their vintage vehicles onto a truck until the road conditions improve - yikes!

Basically, blini (plural of blin) are Russian pancakes, most similar to crepes. The primary differences is the occasional inclusion of yeast in blin recipes, as well as some recipes which call for buckwheat flour (naturally gluten free) instead of a wheat-based batter. Here, we simply substituted a gluten free all-purpose baking mix instead. Traditionally, blinis can be either sweet or savory, served with sour cream and red caviar or fruit preserves and powdered sugar.

Gluten Free Blini with Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
1 Tablespoon water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons gluten free all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup créme fraiche or sour cream
1 recipe of Pico de Gallo

Directions

Heat the milk and water to 110°F in a small saucepan. Pour the milk mixture into a medium bowl. Mix in sugar and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine gf flour, cornmeal and salt. Stir in yeast mixture. Add buttermilk and egg yolks. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until mixture is spongy.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold egg whites into cornmeal mixture.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, drop batter by tablespoons into the skillet (they will resemble small pancakes). Cook until golden on the bottom and bubbles break on the surface. Flip the blini and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to oven to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining batter.

To serve, spread a small amount of creme fraiche or sour cream over each blini and top with fresh Pico de Gallo.

Tip: You can make the blinis up to 8 hours in advance. Allow to cool before covering with plastic wrap and storing in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat the blini, uncovered, in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

1/2 small white or red onion or 8 slender scallions finely chopped, rinsed, and drained
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Tip: Jalapeño juice can burn your skin, you may want to use surgical gloves, (available at grocery stores) to protect your hands! Also, be very careful not to touch your face, especially mouth or eyes, before washing your hands!

**Blini image from Stephanie Lim @ stephanie.posterous.com **

Gluten Free Foodie Weekend & the Northwest Naturals Show

2010-09-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday everyone!

Over the weekend, I had the exciting opportunity to attend the Natural Products Northwest 2010 exhibition! In addition to representing Glutenfreeda Foods Inc., I was able to connect with other wonderful gluten free manufacturers: Udi's Handcrafted Foods, Rudi's Bakery, Hain Celestial Group, Zing Bars, WOW (WithOut Wheat) Baking Company, Happy Baby Organics, and many others.

We first ran into Rachel Carlyle-Gauthier (aka Gluten Free Mama) and her daughter, sampling mini pecan pies, raspberry thumbprints and chocolate cake - all of which were amazing! In addition to creating delicious gluten free baked goods, Gluten Free Mama's baking mixes feature almond and coconut flours, both of which are higher in fiber and protein than other flours. Rachel was generous enough to send us home with a couple of mixes, including a double pie crust! With fresh, local apples available right now, we're excited to take it for a test-run - stay tuned for a product review!

Walking through the expo, we met up with Don Braun of Schar Foods, an Italian-based company which provides gluten free foods to countries across Europe -- and now the U.S.! In addition to a vast selection of pastas in different shapes and grain compositions, Schar also produces cookies and biscuits and par-baked bakery items like crusty dinner rolls and fluffy sandwich buns. Round and airy, these buns can be easily cut in half and used for sandwiches or burgers, no toasting required.

Our next visit was to Shari Cole with Simply Shari's Gluten Free & Fabulous (formerly Gluten Free & Fabulous) and got a sneak peak at her fantastic new packaging! We were able to sample her melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies and so-good-you-can't-tell-they're-gluten-free individual pizzas (in cheese, pesto & cheese and organic pepperoni & cheese). Keep an eye out for a product review! And check out this article from the San Fernando Valley Business Journal about Shari's success and recent name-change.

And Now, For Something A Little Different...

2010-09-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

This morning, the race picked up in Tariat, Mongolia with plans to travel 336km/209mi to Uliastay, in the western part of the country. Because Monday will bring us to the Russian border, we will wrap up our travels through Mongolia with an expected, if not traditional, recipe for Mongolian Beef. Although this recipe is far from traditional, it is a well-loved American interpretation of traditional Mongolian flavors.

Mongolian Beef Recipe

Ingredients
1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into 1" pieces
1 Tablespoon gluten free hoisin sauce (like Premier Japan Wheat-Free Hoisin Sauce)
1 Tablespoon gluten free soy sauce (like Wheat-free Tamari)
1 Tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, cut into 1" diagonal slices
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 Tablespoons peanut oil

For the sauce
1 Tablespoon rice wine
1 Tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon gluten free Asian chile sauce (like Sriracha [rooster sauce])
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and garlic. Mix thoroughly with beef and marinate for 15 minutes to 8 hours in refrigerator.

In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients (rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, red wine vinegar, chile sauce, cornstarch, sugar and salt). Mix well, whisking until the cornstarch is well-combined and mixture is smooth.

Place a wok or large non-stick on the stove over the highest heat. When the wok is very hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil and roll around wok to cover the surface. When oil gives off a wisp of smoke, add beef. Stir and toss until browned, about 2 minutes. Immediately add scallions, stir and toss for 5 seconds. Stir in sauce and add bean sprouts. Stir until all ingredients are well-coated. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve immediately.

More from Mongolia

2010-09-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Today marks the fifth day of the Peking to Paris motor challenge. Kicking off this morning in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, the competitors plan to cover another 360km/224mi throughout the course of the day, spending the night in Kharakorin. The weather in Mongolia is a pleasant 68 F during the day, dropping below freezing during the long, clear nights. This leg of the journey is still along unpaved roads, causing some mechanical problems for several of the cars - including our own, #60 and #77, which have experienced problems with brakes, headlights and engine fans. The repairs were executed quickly and painlessly and our cars were back on the road this morning!

Lamb and Carrot Stew

Serves 4

In the northern regions of China, this recipe traditionally is made with either lamb or goat. Our version calls for lamb, but you can also use beef. This dish is also traditionally served as a hot pot; meat and vegetables in a broth. We thickened our liquid with a little cornstarch and water to make more of a typical stew type sauce.

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
¼ cup gluten free rice vinegar (like Kikkoman brand)
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 lbs lamb or beef stew meat, cut into 1” pieces
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, cut into ½” slices
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 Tablespoon cold water

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together 2 Tablespoons oil, vinegar and ground pepper. Place meat in a medium bowl and add the vinegar mixture, tossing to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Heat remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add meat and discard marinade. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes, until meat is browned on all sides and onions are translucent. Add carrots, tomatoes, broth, salt, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered for 1 hour or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves with a slotted spoon or tongs. Mix corn starch and cold water in a small bowl, stirring well to combine. Add to stew and cook over medium heat until the broth thickens.

To serve, spoon stew into individual serving bowls and top with generous handfuls of cilantro and scallions. Serve with boiled potatoes or steamed rice.

What do National Celiac Awareness Day and ground lamb have in common..?

2010-09-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

So much news today! The race has already left China, arriving in Mongolia yesterday! Go team! Don't forget, you can track the progress of the race live(!) through Skytag (our GPS-enabled car is #60 - Douglas Mackinnon and Anastasia Karavaeva!)

And although we have already left China, I want to share a few resources with you, dear reader, should your adventures take you East: Beijing Kids has information on support group meetings and local resources and Gluten Free Kids Travel details the difficulties of living and eating gluten free in China, especially with children. Even if you are not traveling through Asia, both of these sites highlight the challenges of any kind of gluten free travel.

And last, but certainly not the least, it is National Celiac Awareness Day! Udi's (@udisglutenfree) is hosting a Tweet Chat (using tag #NCDA2010) this afternoon, feel free to drop by any time today and join the conversation! The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) is always a wonderful resource and is even covering the race!

Because our drives now find themselves in Mongolia, we thought it appropriate to share some traditional Mongolian cuisine! ... However, upon closer inspection, we realized that the most traditional recipes may not be our best bet (roasted goat, anyone?) Historically, Mongolian cuisine is generally naturally gluten free! The traditional diet consisted of meat and milk from horses, camels, goats and sheep, and spices such as cumin, cilantro, scallions, and ginger. Cooking Mongolian "style" seems fairly straightforward, equivalent to modern grilling or cast-iron cooking (searing first and then slow-cooking). Here is a fantastic new recipe, straight from the Glutenfreeda Kitchen, featuring traditional ingredients and flavors but with a modern twist!

Mongolian Lamb Patties with Quick Tomato Chutney

Makes 16 small patties

This dish bursts with flavor and is naturally gluten-free. Serve the lamb patties with dollops of tomato chutney. This dish is typically served with a flat bread, but we serve it with steamed rice.

Mongolian Lamb Patties

Ingredients
1 lb ground lamb (you can also substitute ground pork or beef)
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tablespoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Directions
Place the garlic, scallions, cilantro and ginger in a food processor and pulse until all is equally minced. Combine ground meat with minced ingredients in a large bowl with salt and pepper; mix well by hand. Add the meat and the ingredients to a large bowl along with salt and pepper and blend together with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spoon about 3 Tablespoons of meat mixture and form into small patties. Set on a plate and repeat with remaining mixture. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1 Tablespoon of oil. When hot, add as many patties as will fit and fry for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and nicely browned on surface.

Quick Tomato Chutney

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup minced onion
1 dried red chile (whole)
½ teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
¼ cup minced cilantro

Directions
Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add cumin and saute for 5 seconds, then add the onion and chile, tossing to coat with oil and cumin. Add salt and cook until onion is soft and transparent (5-8 minutes). Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. Discard chile. Add cilantro just before serving.

Kicking off in Peking with a Recipe!

2010-09-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Since you cannot race on an empty stomach, we would like to formally kick off the first day of the Peking to Paris motor challenge with a traditional favorite: Peking (Roasted) Duck! The recipe dates back to a manual written by the imperial kitchen inspector of the 1330s, developing into its present incarnation over the course of the Ming Dynasty (14th-17th centuries).

Now, to be perfectly honest, this is a rather
involved recipe... You must begin a day in advance, in order to properly hang and dry the duck, but the whole dish comes together seamlessly!

Peking Duck Recipe

Ingredients

One 4-5 pound whole duck

For the Glaze:
1 piece of ginger, approximately 1 1/2" long, peeled and sliced
12 green onions, white and pale green parts only
3 cups water
5 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water

Preparing the Duck
The first step involves separating the duckmeat from the skin - for this, we suggest two potential methods to loosen the skin. The first, and more unusual method, is with a bicycle pump! (No, really!) Although, admittedly this sounds strange, it is surprisingly fun and effective! For this method, first insert a clean pin from the pump just under the skin of the breast. Pump up the duck, forcing air between skin and meat and gently separating one from the other. Repeat this process in several places, (namely the breasts, legs and thighs) until skin is fully separated, although it is not necessary to do so along the backside.

The alternate, and more traditional, method is to slip your fingers between the skin and breast meat. Carefully move your fingers around entire breast, completely (albeit gently!) separating skin from meat. Make small cuts at the tops of the legs and insert your fingers completely around legs and thighs until the skin comes away from meat.

Hanging the Duck
Don't discount this step - hanging the duck is an important step that will ensure that the skin of the finished duck will be crispy! To secure the duck for hanging, we used a needle threaded with butcher’s string and inserted it through the tail on either side of the backbone. Tie a secure knot and leave plenty of string to hang the duck.

Hang the duck in a cool, dry place. The temperature should be below 40 degrees F. Be creative! We hung our duck from a pull-down weight machine in our garage. Place a plate below the duck to catch any drippings and allow the duck hang over-night. If you can’t find a cool, dry place to hang your duck, you can dry it in the refrigerator by propping the duck up so that air can circulate around it.

Creating the Glaze
In a wok or a large deep pan, combine all of the ingredients except the cornstarch and water (ginger, water, honey, rice wine, rice vinegar) and bring to a boil. Make sure the cornstarch and water are well-combined and add to the ingredients in the wok. Return the mixture to a boil until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

Holding onto the string used to hang the duck, lower whole bird into the glaze, turning to coat completely. Raise duck and allow to drip for a moment before lowering to coat again. When duck stops dripping, return it to its drying place (the garage, the fridge, etc.) and re-hang. The duck should be hung for at least two more hours and allowed to drip onto a plate or bucket.

Roasting the Duck
While the duck is drying, turn your oven to 350 F degrees.

Place the duck in a roasting pan, breast side up, and add 1" of water to the pan to keep the duck moist as it roasts. Roast duck for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, turning halfway through to allow the skin to brown evenly. When the duck is done, the skin will be a glossy, molasses color and a thermometer inserted into the breast reads at least 165 F degrees.

Once the duck has cooled, begin by removing and preparing the duck skin and meat, cutting legs and thighs away from the body by slicing through the joints. Peel skin from legs and thighs, slicing into thin strips. Remove breast skin in one piece - it should come away easily by sliding your fingers between the skin and meat loosen it. Cut breast skin in half, lengthwise, slicing each piece of breast skin into thin strips. Remove meat from breast bone, legs and thighs and cut into thin strips.

For the Crepes
1/2 cup gluten-free flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated
Pinch of salt

In a food processor, combine the gluten-free flour, milk, lukewarm water, eggs, salt and 2 tablespoons butter, melted, processing until smooth. Pour batter into a pitcher or a container with a pouring lip, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes to thicken.

Heat a non-stick skillet (or seasoned crepe pan) over medium-heat. Melt enough unsalted butter to cover the bottom of the pan. Stir batter and pour 2 tablespoons into the crepe pan, lifting it off heat and tilting so the batter coats the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer. Cook until the top of the crepe is set and the underside is golden before gently turning the crepe over, allowing the other side is also golden. Remove the crepe to wax paper and proceed to cook rest of crepes, one at a time. Keep crepes warm until ready to serve.

For the Garnish
12 green onions (the reserved white
tops)
1 cucumber
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper

With a sharp paring knife, cut off root ends of the green onions. Make several inch-long cuts along the length of the onion stalks, moving inward from the white end. Put onions in ice water and set aside. (The ends of the green onions will curl as they soak up water and become quite charming brushes.) Next, score the cucumber lengthwise and then cut into thin rounds. Finally, julienne the peppers into 1/8" strips.

For the Dipping Sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup gluten-free hoisin sauce
3 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon water

In a small bowl mix all ingredients together, stirring to dissolve sugar. The sauce should be the consistency of thin ketchup and if it is too thick, add a little water.

To Present and Serve
Make a circle of cucumbers around the outside of a large serving plate, making an X pattern with the red and yellow pepper slices. Spoon a puddle of sauce into the center of the plate and dress with strips of duck meat and crispy skin. Serve with warm crepes and green onion brushes on the side.

To serve, fill crepes with strips of meat, crispy skin, cucumber and pepper. Drizzle with sauce and enjoy!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

2010-09-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

Already Thursday morning in China, the Peking to Paris motor challenge is only hours away! Here, both of the cars sponsored by Glutenfreeda: #60 (above), a 1939 Chevrolet Speedster (3600cc), driven by Douglas Mackinnon and Anastasia Karavaeva and #77 (below), a 1939 Dodge D11 Deluxe, (also 3600cc), driven by Vilnis Husko and James Kabrich.

Only in its fourth incarnation since 1907, the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge is sure to attract international attention! And what a fun venue for raising Celiac awareness across the world! With participants representing over 26 countries and a route which spans an additional 11 countries, the 2010 motor challenge is an unique opportunity to raise awareness, spread the word and educate individuals around the world. Just imagine: 1/3 of the Earth's circumference travelled in a single race!

Stay tuned for Friday's post - officially kicking off the race with Glutenfreeda's Peking Duck recipe!

From Peking to Paris, Join Glutenfreeda in Raising International Celiac and Gluten-Intolerant Awareness

2010-09-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

Starting Friday, September 10th, Glutenfreeda will be racing from Peking to Paris, along the old Silk Road to raise celiac disease and gluten-intolerance awareness. The route covers over 8,900 miles through 11 countries: China, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekhistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy and France and Glutenfreeda will be there all the way. Our cars, #60 driven by Douglas Mackinnon and Anastasia Karavaeva and #77 driven by Vilnis Husko and James Kabrich, will sport the Glutenfreeda logo from bumper to bumper!

The race was established in 1907 to "drive the impossible", before the Trans-Siberian railway had been built. There were no roads for the first 5,000 miles, instead participants raced across the open country. For the inaugural race, the participants hoped that this would provide incontrovertible proof of the power held by man and machine, proving international borders were but a nominal boundary. Of the five cars which set out from Peking, four made it back to Paris safely. Although this incredible challenge was first issued over a century ago, the 2010 motor challenge marks only the 3rd attempt since the 1907 inaugural run.

Since 1999, Glutenfreeda has supported the gluten-free lifestyle through education, the largest gluten-free recipe database on the web, and innovative new food: we make gluten-free delicious... It's what we do!