Gluten Free Anna - Recipes, Food, Restaurants, and Hollywood

Christmas Sugar Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:38:00 +0000

I used to make these cookie-cutter cookies with my mom every year. I knew Christmas was right around the corner, which meant I'd work myself into a guaranteed immune-system-busting holiday frenzy. Like clockwork, I'd contract a nasty coldflufever, adding to the agony of the Christmas countdown since all I could do was hang out at home, bored offa my gourd. Making Christmas cookies is a sweet tradition, although if you have a sickie at home, I recommend separating out the sick dough so as not to infect everyone in the house.

I still have the same cookie cutter shapes of a stocking, bell, Christmas tree, and santa that I used in the 70s and 80s to make these cookies with mom. Since I love the holidays, I had no choice but to figure out how to make these cookies GF.

Make & decorate these sugar cookies with the children in your life, and you will be sure to feel festive in no time flat.

Sugar Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened to room temp

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 egg

2 1/2 cups GF baking flour, such as Bette's Featherlight Flour Blend

2 rounded tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Extra GF baking flour for rolling/cutting surface

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla. Add in egg until smooth. In separate bowl, sift GF flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until a dough forms. The heat from your hands will fully form the dough. If it gets too warm, wrap dough in plastic wrap and cool in the fridge for 30 mins.

Liberally sprinkle extra GF flour onto rolling surface and rolling pin. Evenly roll out your dough, one section at a time, until about 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes with cookies cutter, re-rolling the excess until you use up all of your dough.

Bake on cookie sheet (1/2 inch apart) 8 mins at 375 degrees. Let cool on rack completely before decorating cookies.

Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter, melted

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

5 drops to a quarter teaspoon of preferred GF food coloring

Using a hand mixer, blend melted butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until it forms a smooth icing. Split icing into separate containers and add desired amount of GF food coloring. Use icing, granulated sugar, sprinkles, etc. to decorate the sugar cookies, but make sure to check the labels of the decorations to ensure they are gluten free.

Brisket

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:03:00 +0000

Since I didn't grow up Jewish, the wonders of the cut of meat that is brisket never crossed my path. We were Methodists. Sure, we had our delicious white trash staples, oftentimes pork-based roasts and chops, dumplings and ham hock soup. But I was so thrilled every time I ate Jewish food, like Mrs. Zeitz's fantastic latkes, that when I wound up at Emory (a Methodist school that has an over 40% Jewish student body), I was in heaven when I was lovingly overfed lox, matzoh, kugel, and brisket.

Fast forward to years later, with a spotlight on my love of cooking with the crockpot shining brightly. I surveyed the Jews, the Interwebs, and all the Jews on the Interwebs, but eventually I resorted to inventing my own brisket recipe. Here it is in all of its melt-in-your-mouth glory. If you make it for your family and friends, they will swear allegiance to you mightily.

fresh outta the crock pot, before slicing

Crock Pot Brisket

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup GF soy sauce

1 can tomato paste (6oz)

1/2 cup water

1/2 GF boullion cube (I had chicken, but you can use beef or veggie)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt & Pepper

1 onion

3-7 pound brisket (get a brisket as large as can fit in the crock pot b/c they shrink)

1. Slice 1 onion, place slices in bottom of crock pot.

2. Rub salt & pepper into the brisket. Place fat side up in crock pot, atop of sliced onions.

3. Whisk together remaining ingredients until you've made a marinade with a ketchup-like consistency. Pour over brisket.

4. Cook on low in crock pot for 8 hours.

If you don't have a crock pot, you can use a dutch oven. Combine all ingredients above, cover, and cook in oven at 250 degrees for 8 hours.

Larchmont Bungalow

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:41:00 +0000

I rarely do product reviews or restaurant plugs on this blog.

First, I just don't have the time. Second, I rarely find products worth crowing about. I've wasted a lot of money on a lot of shitty gluten-free products. So when I do find something or some place I like/love, I will find the time to shout it to the rooftops and praise whoever does the makin'.

When I heard that Larchmont Bungalow created a new vegan/gluten-free menu, I was intrigued. Then when they contacted me to come try it, I was impressed. If there's a neighborhood restaurant that takes the time to do the proper research and come up with a menu that's safe for me to eat, I will definitely come give it a try.

Even better, once I got there and tasted the food, I knew for sure Larchmont Bungalow needed a far and wide rooftop holler to my gluten-free Los Angeles peoples. Best part, you can go with those who aren't gluten free and know you're not dragging them to someplace where all there is to eat is carrot sticks and alfalfa.

I am only GF, not vegan, but I LOVED these vegan "chicken" tostadas off of their "Vegan/Gluten-Free" menu.

For my dinner, I ordered from the regular dinner menu. I got the pulled pork on the plate (skipping the flour tortilla) with a mango, papaya, cucumber salad on the side. The staff were extremely knowledgable about substitutions and safe preparation in order to avoid cross-contamination. This Carolina style pulled pork was absolutely delicious. Everything was fresh and fantastic.

I only wish they had more GF desserts, but at least they had an option. My chocolate bundt cake was tasty (suspiciously similar to the Sensitive Baker's bundt cake, although I was told it was made by a different baker).

If you live in Los Angeles and have been running out of restaurant options, I'm glad to say that Larchmont Bungalow can be added to the safe places rotation. I hope more restaurants follow their lead and start to cotton to us GF folks.

Larchmont Bungalow

107 Larchmont Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA

323-461-1528

A Heaping Plate of Appreciation

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:22:00 +0000

Gluten Free Thanksgiving Plate (Taken Before Gravy)

I hope everyone has a joyous pig out session with people they love.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:54:00 +0000

For the love of turkey, where in the heck is the whipped cream?

Pie, like soup, is a simple thing to make, containing basic ingredients but a million different ways to assemble those ingredients. When it's done right, serving a kick-ass homemade pie is a pretty satisfactory feeling, especially when it's entirely gluten free, but your guests are none the wiser.

This pumpkin pie starts with a perfect gluten free crust, baked on its own for 15 minutes before baking with the pie filling so the crust doesn't get soggy. The filling is very liquid, so careful not to slosh it around while putting the pie in the oven. You can see the burn around the edge where my filling sloshed up the side of the crust. Best to learn from my mistakes.

If your crust is uneven, feel free to call it "rustic."

The liquid filling cooks up into a very light, smooth custard, which is a perfect way to finish off a Thanksgiving meal without overdoing the richness. Serve with fresh whipped cream, and forget it. The richness is back.

"Rustic" pie crust ready to go in the oven.

Perfect Gluten Free Pie Crust

1 cup Bette's Featherlight Flour Blend (plus extra for the pan)

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 cup sugar

5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed (plus extra for greasing the pan)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease and flour your pie pan.

2. Combine butter cubes, sugar, and vanilla extract in electric mixer until balls form.

3. Sift GF flour, xanthan gum and pinch of salt into electric mixer. Blend until the mix is crumbly. Add in milk and continue blending for another minute. Remove bowl from mixer and knead with your hands until dough forms.

4. Roll out your dough evenly and press into your pie pan. Trim the edges to make even, and you can make fancy fork marks around the edges to finish off the crust.

5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is a light golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a cookie sheet to cool for a few minutes before adding the pumpkin pie filling.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie Filling

2 large eggs at room temp

1 can (16 oz) pumpkin

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 35 degrees. In large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add the evaporated milk and pumpkin and whisk until mixed.

2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves. Whisk the sugar-spice mixture into the wet ingredients until mixed.

3. Pour pie filling into crust and bake for 30-35 minutes. When you check on the pie after 30-35 minutes, the center will still be pretty jiggly. Turn oven down to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the center has firmed up.

4. Remove from oven and let the pie stand for a couple of hours minimum. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Mixed Berry Clafouti Flaugnarde

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Confession time: after studying French for 14 years in school, then forgetting French in the subsequent 15 years after school, I had never heard of a clafouti until I saw the play "God of Carnage" at the Ahmenson Theatre. A baked French dessert I've never heard of? How could such gaping holes exist in my francophilia? I was determined to redeem myself. Immédiatement.

Lo and behold, Ms. Martha Stewart's people put out an easy-to-follow cranberry clafouti recipe, facilely adapted by moi to be made Gluten Free.

I use an 8x8 Pyrex baking dish, buttered really well. The clafouti is a thick flan with chunks of fruit in it, so it walks the line between custard and cake in a delicate, delicious way. This is a super quick dessert to make, and it doubles as a yummy brunch dish, too.

Très intellegente!

PS: According to our nerd friends at Wikipedia, a Clafouti made with anything other than black cherries (with their pits, yikes!) is called a Flaugnarde. Both names are so awesome, I can't choose which I prefer. Eh bien...allons-y.

Mixed Berry Clafouti Flaugnarde

Butter at room temperature for greasing the baking dish

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons GF flour (I use Bette's Featherlight Flour Blend)

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup heavy cream (save 1/4 cup for whipping for topping)

3/4 cup whole milk

zest of one orange, finely grated

1 and 1/2 cups coarsely chopped berries

Dusting of powdered sugar for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter your baking dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar on bottom of dish. Scatter loosely chopped mixed berries into dish.

2. Sift remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the GF flour, xanthan gum, and salt into mixing bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then 3/4 cup of the heavy cream, the milk, and the orange zest. Pour mixed wet ingredients over berries in dish evenly.

3. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until puffed and brown around edges. The liquid should be cooked through. Let cool. Clafouti will sink in the middle. Whip the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream to soft peaks, dust clafouti with powdered sugar, and serve lukewarm or cooler topped with whipped cream.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:34:00 +0000

Happy Halloween, My Little Gluten Free Ghouls!!!

This fall-tide risotto will make you eager to crank up the oven and scarf down the comfort foods. Right now, Trader Joe's has pre-cut and cubed butternut squash, so there's really no excuse to not add this sweet, luscious vegetable to your already perfect risotto.

Make this risotto for dinner so you don't accidentally ingest "too much" candy tonight.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (or a 1 lb. pkg., pre-cut and cubed)

olive oil, salt, pepper

1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1 and 1/2 cups Arborio rice

2/3 cup white wine

6-8 cups chicken or veggie stock, heated on stove while cooking risotto

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with tin foil for easy cleanin' up. Put butternut squash cubes in bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread evenly & separately on cookie sheet. Roast for 12-14 minutes, then toss the squash (they burn easily). Roast an additional 12-14 minutes, until soft and browned. Remove from oven and let cool. Loosely smash the squash cubes for later mixing into risotto.

2. In a large dutch oven or sauce pan (I use my le creuset pot), heat 2 tablespoons olive oil to medium high heat. Sautee chopped onion 12-15 minutes until very soft and translucent, almost caramelizing. Add Arborio rice, let rice get coated with olive oil and start to toast, about 2 minutes. Add white wine, letting the rice sizzle, about 2-3 minutes. Ladle 2 scoops of stock into your risotto, stirring well. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Keep ladling in stock, 2 scoops at a time, stirring well each time, as the liquid gets absorbed into the rice. In about 30 minutes, the rice will have absorbed 6-8 cups of the stock. Taste the rice to make sure it's finished and not too al dente. Add in the parmesan cheese, stir thoroughly. Add in the smashed butternut squash cubes and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately with a dusting of parmesan cheese.

Fall goodness.

Gluten Free Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 15:08:00 +0000

This is the world's most divine Bolognese, found at Ristorante La Costa, tucked into the tippy-top of Sannicandro di Garganica, the hill town in Puglia my grandfather left in 1913 to pursue a better life in America. This Bolognese dish is entirely Gluten Free.

In Italy, the people are well aware of Celiac. "Sono celiaca" means literally "I am celiac," and "sensa glutine" means "gluten free." Most places had multiple gluten free alternatives, and if they didn't, they knew which menu items were safe for me to eat. The grocery stores and markets have gigantic Gluten Free sections. I needed an extra suitcase for all the GF pasta and baked goods I brought home.

My only regret is that I didn't have my camera on me more often so I could more closely document the gluten free goodness. OK, I do have one more regret...that we never ran into the cast of Jersey Shore while we were all in Firenze at the same time.

Homemade Mozzarella Knots

Salmon Crudo

Gluten Free Linguine with Mussels and Clams in a White Wine Sauce

One of 47 Caprese Salads eaten in a 12 day window

Bistecca Fiorentina

I ordered The Gluten-Free Guide to Italy to begin my research before I left. The book was extremely helpful, and I highly recommend it. Just know that you are going to Italy, which means that on any given day, the restaurant you want to visit could be closed for no good reason. The Italians don't need a reason.

A few places to eat when you go to Italy (make sure you let them know you are gluten free, and they will let you know what they have available that day for you to eat):

Voglia di Pizza, Rome

Il Vicolo, Terlizzi

Trattoria la Casalinga, Firenze

Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni, Firenze

I wish I could get back there immediately.

Keep On Keepin' On

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:17:00 +0000

This guy's rant hurts my heart...and a lot of other people's hearts as well, apparently, as it's making it's way across the Gluten Free community like a bat outta hell. Obviously this chap's got a lot of misplaced anger (don't we all). What at first seems like a simpleton's tirade quickly reveals itself to be the action plan of a decided Pussy with a capital "P." Frankly, fucking with people's food is the oldest trick in the Passive Aggressive book.

While it's obvious that the Gluten-Free-Backlash is here to stay, I think this particular guy serves as a wonderful reminder to every single person who has celiac or who is gluten intolerant that we cannot control the actions of others. We must stay vigilant for our own safety, all the while politely educating whenever possible. Order more salads, veggies...and wine. Frequent the establishments that welcome the Gluten Free people with open arms. Appreciate how much more awareness there is now than there was ten years ago, how many more choices we have as consumers and as patients.

So don't sweat Damian Dumbass and his lame bag of tricks. There are many more like him, and there always will be. Let's turn this rock fight into a bake-off, which means I'm off to go make a kick-ass GF chocolate cake.

Many thanks to @KarinaAllrich and @StephanieODea for source links.

Gluten Free Pizza Wars: Garlic Jims vs. Z Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:41:00 +0000

Garlic Jims is the winner, hands-down. They nail the crust, the sauce, and the funky toppings (that's pepperoni, basil and toasted cashews pictured above). Plus, their regular pizza is a huge hit with the gluten-eaters in the house. I've been back to Garlic Jims several times, which says a lot because Husband is choosy about his pizza.

Z Pizza ain't bad either. They've got lots of vegan options in addition to a GF crust. I think I got the wrong toppings when I tried their pizza (I tried the BBQ chicken pizza upon the server' recommendation). It looked beautiful, but too many veggies made the crust soggy. I will go back and try again, and focus on what makes a pizza good: meat.

My wish for you: that someone opens a Garlic Jims down the street from you...

Lasagna Bolognese

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 19:45:00 +0000

If you are newly diagnosed with celiac, or just discovered that gluten is not your friend, never fret, dollfaces. There is still lasagna in your future. This past New Year's Eve, a gorgeous friend made me a gluten free lasagna, and I was beside myself with appreciation since it had been at least 9 years since lasagna was in my life. It was time to make my own lasagna. I wish my camera sucked less because these crappy pictures don't do the eye-talian masterpiece any justice.

This bolognese lasagna was adapted from The Silver Spoon
cookbook, the bible of Italian cooking. I used Tinkyada Lasagna Noodles, Authentic Foods' & Bette's Featherlight Rice Flour Blend for the bechamel sauce, added some flavorings here and there, and voila...a perfect gluten free lasagna!!

Unless you like putting on 10 lasagna pounds, invite some people over so you can have help eating it.

Lasagna Bolognese

2 tablespoons olive oil
10 baby carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 pk grass-fed ground beef
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra to grease pan
1 package Tinkyada GF Lasagna Noodles
Bechamel Sauce (see recipe below)
1 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper for seasoning

Heat the olive oil to medium high heat in a large fry pan, add the carrot and onion and saute until soft, about 5-8 minutes. And the ground beef, breaking it up into chunks, and cook until browned through. Pour in wine and cook until evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt. Add the can of tomatoes, basil, oregano, and the tomato paste (optional). Turn down the heat to medium low and let simmer for 30 minutes. Season with pepper (and more salt if necessary).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil your lasagna noodles per the instructions on the box. Drain and rinse in cool water. Lay out noodles individually on damp towels to let them dry off. Make your bechamel sauce.

Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish with butter. Place three noodles on the bottom of the casserole dish, spoon some meat mixture over the noodles, then some of the bechamel and parmesan, dotting with some butter. Repeat with 3 more layers, making sure the top layer is bechamel/parmesan/butter. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Let stand at least 20 minutes before serving.

Basic Bechamel Sauce

1/2 stick salted butter
1/4 cup GF flour blend (I use Bette's Featherlight 4 Flour Blend)
2 and 1/4 cups of milk
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat. Whisk in the GF flour. Pour in all the milk, whisking constantly and making sure all clumps are whisked out. When it starts to boil, lower the heat, season with a pinch of salt, cover, and let simmer gently. Whisk the mixture every 3-5 minutes. If your sauce gets too thick, add in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove from heat, add pinch of nutmeg, a twist or two of fresh pepper, and more salt if necessary.

Fig Preserves

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:45:00 +0000

Fig preserves sell for $5 to $25 per jar online! Why pay retail, my pretties??? Make this easy fig preserves recipe instead. Figs are in season here in sunny Callie, so if you live near me, expect a special delivery soon.

Fig Preserves

2 lbs figs (24 figs in the Costco pack I bought)
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 lemon slices, seeds removed

1. Boil 4-6 cups of water. Cut them stems off the figs. Rinse figs and put them in a big bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of baking soda over the figs. Pour the boiling water over the figs and baking soda and shake the bowl gently to make sure all figs get rinsed. Let figs sit for 15 minutes and then drain and rinse. This step is very important to remove any little fuzzies that may be on the outside of the figs.

2. Halve or quarter the figs depending on how chunky you like your preserves. Yes, I said "chunky."

3. Pour the 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water, and lemon slices into a big pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Add fig quarters and stir in. Bring to boil, and then lower a heat to a simmer. You will cook the fig mixture for 2-3 hours, stirring about every 20 minutes. Do not leave your pot completely unattended as this is a sugary mix and can burn easily. About an hour into the simmer, I like to use my potato masher to really smash up the figs into small pieces.

4. When the preserves are the consistency you like, ladle it into Ball Mason jars. You can process your jars by sealing them and placing them in a boiling water bath for 5 to 15 minutes. This should keep the preserves for 6 months. If you don't process the jars, they are still safe to eat, but only for a month and should be kept refrigerated.

Makes 6 half pint jars. If you want to increase the yield, just increase your figs, sugar, and water proportionally. That's math for "double your recipe, if you wanna."

Chebe Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Ups Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:45:00 +0000

Let's face facts. All gluten free processed food products are created to satisfy cravings. Gluten free pizza, donuts, cupcakes, baguettes, pumpkin pie, lasagna, cheesecake, and mongolian beef are not gonna make themselves. These products spring out of the raw, visceral need to get our sweet, salty, fatty cravings met.

Thank gawsh for companies like Glutino, GF Pantry, Bob's Red Mill, Authentic Foods, PF Chang's, Whole Foods, Amy's, Chebe, and countless others, who have developed good-tasting gluten free products and mixes so that we can eat hormonally in peace without having a total-body auto-immune response. I salute you, makers of gluten free junk food! May you develop gluten free begnets and french dips in my lifetime!!

There are only so many years I can go without eating a cinnamon roll (are you listening, Cinnabon???). After 9 years had passed, I pounced on this mix from Chebe when I saw it. I like Chebe. They brand themselves as "unusual," which resonates with me. This mix is certainly unusual, especially in texture, but it was satisfying in every way. In fact, the two giant cinnamon buns that the bag yielded completely ruined my latest schmactressy diet attempt. My only complaint was that they had so many recipe variations on the back of the bag, but no clear instructions on how to make traditional cinnamon buns. I just figured it out for myself, since I'm scrappy.

Here's a recipe for some icing to drizzle on top, should you finally give in to your 9-year long cinnamon bun craving.

Cinnamon Roll Icing

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon Karo's corn syrup (light or dark)
2 tablespoons milk
1/8 tsp vanilla
1 tsp of butter

Melt all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Drizzle hot icing on hot cinnamon bun fresh out of the oven. Gain five pounds.

Babycakes LA

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:30:00 +0000

It is a blessing and a half that Los Angeles got its very own Babycakes bakery...plus it's half a blessing that they opened the LA location downtown, which requires some tricky traffic planning for me to make the trek. Close, but not dangerously close.

Babycakes is a vegan bakery. Most items they sell are gluten free, but some items are made with spelt. The staff are very knowledgeable and clear which items have spelt (in the above pic, the spelt items are sitting on the red-lettered shelf). Everything I brought home was delicious. So were the 2 doughnuts that I ate before I left.

I usually only trust Karina Allrich's recipes for at-home vegan baking, but I bought the Babycakes cookbook and tried a red velvet cupcake recipe. the results were beyond disastrous. I made little red Mars rocks that tasted like sand.

I'll revisit my Babycakes cookbook eventually, but until then, I'm planning a field trip to the bakery. Isss'wunderful.

Coconut Flour

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:38:00 +0000

Just bought this prettily packaged bag of coconut flour from Whole Foods.

What should I make with it?

Pretty Princess Cocktails

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:19:00 +0000

Make a French Martini for your next girl's night. If there are boys around, gay or straight, they'll want one too. These French Martinis are little pick-me ups that are princessy in appearance, not taste. Make one, and then call me for a long chat.

French Martini

Vodka (I use Chopin or Ciroc)
Chambord (comes in a bottle that looks like drugstore perfume)
Champagne (preferably pink)

Fill your cocktail shaker to the brim with crush ice. Pour in vodka 3/4 of the way. Pour in a splash of chambord (don't over do it unless you like SWEET, and i don't).

Wrap a towel around your shaker and shake the hell outta that thing. Set it down for 30 seconds, and then resume shaking. When you're bored, that means the drink is probably ready.

Fill 4 martini glasses 2/3 of the way full with strained vodka-Chambord mixture. Float pink champagne on top to complete the cocktail.

Turkey Mince Shepherd's Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:41:00 +0000

It was the UK vs. the USA, and what better way to watch the World Cup than with Shepherd's Pie? And what better way to stick it to the Brits than to make a healthier version with ground turkey instead of beef and lamb?

Make this shepherd's pie. It will serve 6-8 people, but you may wanna keep it all to yourself.

Adapted and made Gluten Free by ME from this recipe.

Turkey Mince Shepherd's Pie

3-4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks for boiling
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cream (or whole milk)
olive oil
1 finely chopped brown, yellow, or vidalia onion
5-6 baby carrots, shredded
1 pk of fresh mushrooms, chopped (I use cremini mushrooms from trader joe's)
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon or half cube of Gluten Free chicken buillon
1 tablespoon of Gluten Free flour or flour blend
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until tender, about 25-35 minutes.

Put potatoes through ricer, or mash with butter and cream. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Saute mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, until nice and browned. Set aside.

Saute onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft, about 8 minutes. Add in carrot, garlic, parsley, thyme and oregano, and saute another 5-10 minutes until soft. Set aside.

Saute ground turkey, stirring meat until it is minced and cooked through. Drain the turkey and put back into the pan. Add in the chicken bouillon and mix evenly. Add in mushrooms and onion mixture and mix evenly. Stir in the Gluten Free Flour to help thicken up the turkey mince. Season with salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

Transfer the turkey mince into a deep casserole dish. Spread potatoes over turkey mince and top with optional thin coat of freshly grated parmesan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are lightly golden on top.

Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:12:00 +0000

When a lovely, talented actress like Emily Deschanel comes over to the house to record, what else am I supposed to do but attempt to BAKE for Emily Deschanel? But oh dear, she's got that whole vegan thing going on, and neither of us likes to eat soy, so this is gonna be a challenge. Make gluten free, vegan, soy free baked goods for bonafide TV star. I smell a blog post brewing.

When life hand-delivers me a call-to-action such as this, I know exactly where to turn: Karina Allrich, AKA The Gluten-Free Goddess. If you love all things Gluten Free, you must know about the good work Karina does over at her blog. Her recipes are amazing, her words, inspiring, and her pictures are beautiful art.

Now, Sister Karina has had a pretty shitty time of it in the hospital as of late, and I'm thrilled to see on her blog today that she's back at home in her own bed. So get your ass over there and send her some love.

Here are the three recipes from Karina that I decided to make. They were all huge hits, and I sent Emily home with a ginormous amount of sweets. Click through the links for the whole recipes and Karina's perfect pictures.

This Mexican Chocolate Cake is right on. Deliciously rich with a hint of cinnamon (despite my over-flouring of the pan).

These Chocolate Muffins are perfect for a treat anytime. They're a little less sweet and wonderfully satisfying. I need to work on uniformity of muffin size (and that's not an innuendo).

For the final treat, I went for the Vegan Vanilla Cupcake recipe and the Vegan Orange Creme Frosting recipe made with oranges fresh off the tree. These cupcakes literally melt in your mouth.

A huge THANK YOU to Karina for pointing me in the right direction and for illuminating fine details like "froth that egg substitute in warm water," so that I would be sure to succeed in my first vegan baked goods foray. I could NEVER have done this without her help.

Sprinkles Gluten Free Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sat, 15 May 2010 21:42:00 +0000

You know you are loved when friends drive all the way to Sprinkles in Beverly Hills to pick you up a couple of these badass gluten free red velvet cupcakes.

I don't know which was better, receiving this wonderful gift, or eating it.

Lime Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:08:00 +0000

Sometimes there is a dessert that is so delicious, I cannot stop thinking about it until I make it again. And again. And again. This lime tart is so refreshing and wonderful, it is now in the rotation of, "Delicious Foods I Wanna Make For People 'Cause I'm A Feeder."

The tart shell is an adaptation from "Gluten-Free Baking Classics," by Annalise Roberts, and it would work wonderfully for any tart or even cut and baked into shortbread cookies. The filling is an adaptation from the Barefoot Contessa's drool worthy Lime Curd Tart recipe.

Eat this tart. It's fanflippintasticslapyourmommagood.

Gluten Free Tart Shell Crust

1 cup Bette's Featherlight Flour Blend (plus extra for the pan)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease and flour your tart or pie tin. I spray with olive oil and flour with GF flour blend, tapping off excess flour.

2. Combine GF flour, xanthan gum and sugar in electric mixer. Blend in unsalted butter until the mix is crumbly. Add in vanilla and milk and continue blending for another minute. Remove bowl from mixer and finish kneading with your hands until dough forms. Press dough evenly into a tart or pie pan.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crust is a light golden brown. Let cool.

Lime Tart Filling

4 limes at room temperature (5-6 limes if they are small)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temp
4 extra large (0r 5 large) eggs at room temp
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Remove the zest of all the limes with a zester (I use my fantastic Microplane), avoiding the white pith. Put the lime zest and the sugar in a food processor or blender and process for 2-3 minutes, until the zest is very finely minced.

2. Squeeze the limes to make 1/2 cup of lime juice. In the electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter with the sugar/lime zest mixture. Add the eggs one at a time. Then add the lime juice and the salt until mixed.

3. Pour the combined mixture into a sauce pan and cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 10-12 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil. Once thickened, remove from heat and fill the tart shell with the thickened lime mixture, and allow to set at room temp. I like to then put it in the fridge until it's ready to be served with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

Quickie Asian Marinade

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:07:00 +0000

It's grillin' time, peeps. Here's a quickie marinade that works for any meat, veggies, or tofu you'd wanna throw on that grill, even if your grill is a Foreman. As you'll see below, each ingredient has an alternate ingredient. This means you can pretty much use any or all of the ingredients interchangeably and make a wonderful marinade from scratch. No chemicals or pre-bottled crap!

Quickie Asian Marinade

4 garlic cloves, chopped (or 2 tsp minced garlic)
1 tsp dried mustard powder (or you can sub Dijon mustard)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (or lime)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 tablespoons Gluten Free Tamari (or GF Teriyaki)
2 tablespoons agave nectar

Whisk all ingredients together, marinate some meat, veggies, or tofu, and then grill when you are ready (disposing of excess marinade).

DONE.

Curried Turkey Spring Rolls with Spicy Peach Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:48:00 +0000

When I got married, someone gave me the ultimate "Congrats, You're Now a House Frau" cookbook called 365 Ways to Cook Hamburger and Other Ground Meats by Rick Rodgers. The back cover says, "Hamburger has always been a great quick-and-easy mother's helper," which we all know is a euphemism for, "if you're broke and breeding, throw ground meat at the rugrats." And Rick Rodgers gives us 365 recipes, one for each day of the year...oh, the ground meats we'll eat!

Since I had just bought 4 lbs of ground turkey, I needed something other than chili or tacos to use up this meat. Naturally, I turned to Rick Rodgers to come to my rescue with one of his 365 recipes. Never one to disappoint, Rick totally hooked me up with Curried Chicken Spring Rolls with Pineapple Dip. I subbed turkey, gluten free Rice Paper (the Thai kind with the Red Rose on the package), GF tamari, and peach preserves, and next thing I know, people are showing up at the house to eat these little taste sensations. I'm proud to have become the budget-friendly house frau I never thought I'd be.

Curried Turkey Spring Rolls with Spicy Peach Dip

1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup veg oil
2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped
1 medium sweet or brown onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground turkey or chicken
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon potato starch (or GF flour blend or corn starch)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 package rice paper (the kind with the rose on the package)
Vegetable or grapeseed oil for frying

Spicy Peach Dipping Sauce

1 cup apricot, peach, or pineapple preserves
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup wheat free tamari
1 tablespoon asian garlic chili sauce (optional)

1. In large skillet, melt butter in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add apples, onion, garlic, and ginger and sautee, stirring often, until onion is super soft, about 5-7 minutes. And ground turkey, breaking up lumps of meat, until it loses its pink color, about 5-10 mins. Sprinkle on curry powder and potato starch, cooking and stirring in for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let filling cool completely.

2. Put water into a shallow bowl. Moisten each individual rice paper just until it softens and is pliable. Do not over moisten, or you will break the rice paper. Place 2 tablespoons (or more if you want large spring rolls) of filling into center of rice paper. Fold tightly like a burrito (fold top, then two sides, then roll up the bottom). The rice paper is sticky enough that the end will stay in place.

3. Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in large skillet until very hot. Test the oil by dropping a little piece of moistened rice paper in the oil to see if it sizzles. Fry up your spring rolls until browned a bit on each side (rice paper won't brown too much), about 4-6 minutes each side. Let drain and cool on paper towels and serve immediately.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine peach preserves, wheat free tamari, garlic chili sauce, and rice vinegar in a pan until smooth and melted. Serve with spring rolls for dipping!

Gluten Free Integration at Ralph's

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:21:00 +0000

Endcap of GF goodies in a sea of gluten at the bakery department of Ralph's.

Most traditional grocery stores are clinging to the antiquated design notion that they should have a tiny, shittily lit, dusty "health food" section to appease the food allergy peeps.

Thank you, Ralph's, for placing GF items throughout the store in the departments of where I'd want to find those items, as evidenced above. The GF chips are now in the chip aisle. The alternative flours and sugars are now in the baking aisle. Even the frozen GF meals are within the mainstream frozen section. This is forward thinking, Ralph's. Keep it going.

FDA Research on Gluten Free Food Labeling

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:59:00 +0000

Please let's all y'all go fill out this survery (took me 7 minutes):

www.synovate.net/forgluten

Oikos Greek Yogurt

noreply@blogger.com (Gluten Free Anna) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:10:00 +0000

Is there anyone in our great nation not yet obsessed with Greek yogurt? Hell, even yesterday on Oprah, Kirstie Alley talked about how delicious it is. The older I get, the less dairy I'm able to eat, so I save it up for the truly necessary dairy experiences like Greek yogurt.

I tried Oikos yogurt from our friends at Stonyfield Farms. It's all organic, which is why we love Stonyfield Farms! If you haven't seen Food, Inc., please crawl out from under a rock and watch it. Stonyfield is fighting the good fight and winning. They're even feeding their cows more Omega 3s so that the cows don't fart behemoth methane bombs and ruin the ozone with their ass gas (bucolic-legend bust: this link says cows produce more methane from belching).

I've been obsessed with Stonyfield's products since the bebe was wee and noshing on YoBaby. Others must feel the same way, since Oikos was sold out at my Whole Foods three weeks in a row. Stonyfield is the model of what a food company should be...plus the yogurt is damn good, so it's very easy to buy and to recommend their products.

I've been using the plain Oikos on everything--with cereal, in place of sour cream or creme fraiche, in dips, and on fruit.

If you're smart (which I know you are), you'll make this recipe from Karina Allrich and slap a dollop of Oikos on each serving:

Karina's Turkey & Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Now go eat already..but pick up some Oikos and save the planet along the way.