GFCF Weekly Roundup: Orange Almond Cake

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.

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Coconut Chicken Soup

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

Product Review: Glow Gluten Free Cookies

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.

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Lemon Polenta Cake

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.

Menu Monday: Early Spring Casual Entertaining Meal

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

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

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

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.

Product Review: Feel Good Foods' Asian-Style Dumplings

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!

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!

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Coconut Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice

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

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

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!

Happy Chinese New Year!

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)

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Carrot Cake

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.

Product Review: Mixes from the Heartland Hawai'ian Bread

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!

Menu Mondays: Quick and Healthy Dinner

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!

GFCF Weekly Roundup: Raisin Bread

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

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