Kinda Real Gluten Free Food

New Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies: Yay!

2015-01-22T16:51:00.001-08:00

For the 2015 cookie season, the Girl Scouts are offering two new gluten-free goodies, Toffee-tastic and Trios. Toffee-tastic is a buttery cookie with yummy toffee bits and Trios are peanut butter oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips. The gf cookies cost a dollar more than their non-gf cousins, but when everyone else is enjoying their Thin Mints and Samoas/Caramel deLites, it's amazing to be able to join in with your own tasty treat.

Toffee-tastic

Trios

Also new this year, the super helpful online cookie finder app. Just type in your location, or specific cookie, and the app will find the closest Girl Scout Cookie booth. It's the 98th year of Girl Scout Cookies and they just keep getting better and better!

Another Deal from NoGii!

2014-12-01T14:10:00.002-08:00

Happy Cyber Monday!

Enjoy this deal from NoGii Gluten-Free Protein Bars:

Black Friday NoGii Bars Deal!

2014-11-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth Hasselbeck's gluten-free journey started in Australia while on the reality show "Survivor." While the rest of the cast was getting weaker and feeling worse on a limited diet, Elisabeth was feeling better the longer she was there. She found out later that she has celiac disease, so a diet of only rice and fish was actually helping to heal her gut.

Since her diagnosis, Elisabeth has been the golden girl of gluten-free eating, writing two bestsellers on the subject and starting a brand of protein bars and powder. NoGii bars and protein powder are a smart and delicious way to get your protein on the the go, without worrying that you're ingesting gluten. And because she wants to take care of people with celiac disease and others who can't consume gluten, she's offering us a Black Friday special.

Gluten-Free Stuffed Mushrooms

2014-11-18T17:42:00.000-08:00

Stuffed Mushrooms are one of those dishes that seem like a really big deal, but are really very easy. A little bit of prep work, a little bit of cooking time...BIG payoff! I loved stuffed mushrooms before my Celiac diagnosis; I'm a little embarrassed that it took me this long to figure out that one little switch was all that was needed to make them gluten-free. I could have been eating this little delights for years! Oh, well. Chalk it up to gluten brain fog. Here's the recipe for you, whether you want to share them with your whole crew at Thanksgiving, or just make them and enjoy them all by yourself. I won't judge.

Gluten-Free Stuffed Mushrooms
by KindaRealGlutenFreeFood

12 medium white mushrooms, cleaned
2 T. butter, margarine, olive oil (or a combo)
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped fine or 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
Salt and pepper
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pop the stems off the mushrooms. Cut off the very bottoms of the stems, then finely chop the rest.

Chopped mushroom stems, onions and garlic

3. Arrange mushroom caps stem side up on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. (You can also line it with foil, then spray.)

(these 'shrooms were huge, so I only used 6.)

4. In a medium saute pan, heat butter, margarine or oil over medium heat about 1 - 2 minutes.

5. Saute onions, garlic and mushroom stems until onions begin to get translucent.

6. Add bread crumbs and parsley. Cook until bread crumbs are thoroughly moistened. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
7. When slightly cooled, add Parmesan cheese and mix well.

8. Fill each mushroom cap with mixture, packing firmly.

9. Bake for about 20 minutes until top begins to brown and mushrooms release a small amount of liquid.

Okay, I know. It's not the prettiest thing. But trust me-it's delicious. And gluten-free! (And vegetarian.) You'll be the hit of Thanksgiving!

What's So Bad About Celiac Disease?

2014-10-31T16:56:00.002-07:00

What's So Bad about Celiac Disease?

To the (woefully) uninformed, Celiac Disease is an eating disorder, fad or a way to drop a few pounds. For those of us who have it, however, it can mean years of misdiagnosis and pain.

Have you ever had a version of this conversation in a restaurant?
You: Does this entree have gluten?
Server: I don't know. Does it matter?
You: Well, yes. Can you check with the chef?
Server: I'm pretty sure it's gluten-free.
You: Well, can you make sure, please?
Server: I guess. What's the worst that can happen? Aren't you just allergic? Can't you just take a Benadryl?

Just an allergy. We Celiacs love that. And malignant melanoma is just a skin condition.

But, going back - our brilliant server asked what was the worst that could happen. Well, here's a list, Buddy:

abdominal pain
diarrhea, sometimes debilitating
embarrassing gas
painful mouth sores and skin rashes
incapacitating fatigue
bone and/or joint pain
headaches, sometimes migraine
"brain fog"
depression and/or anxiety
tingling and/or numbness of the extremities
seizures
missed menstrual periods
mood changes

If Celiac Disease is undiagnosed, or if one continues to ingest gluten after diagnosis (even just a tiny little bit) the consequences can be serious. Long-term, CD patients may have certain cancers in their future, such as Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and small intestine cancers. Celiac Disease can leave patients susceptible to certain conditions, such as: osteopenia/osteoporosis; dental issues, like enamel and structure defects; infertility and/or miscarriage; birth defects; anemia; failure to thrive (children.)

People who have Celiac Disease have higher rates of other autoimmune disorders, especially: Thyroid disease

Type 1 Diabetes
Lupus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sjogren's syndrome
Psoriasis

So obviously, there's nothing here that a Benadryl is going to fix. People with Celiac Disease have to be diligent about what goes in their mouths, especially when dealing with the under-informed public. I'm sure you know your body, and your CD, better than anyone. If you don't feel like you can trust a restaurant, don't eat there! You don't have to make a scene, but a follow-up phone call may go a long way to helping that place get with the program in the future.

Interested in learning more about Celiac Disease and what it does to you, physically and mentally? Check out these articles:
Allergic Living: Celiac Disease's Toll on Your Teeth
NFCA: Celiac Disease Related Conditions
Celiac.com: Malignancies in Celiac
Celiac Disease Foundation: "Brain Fog"
NIH: Celiac Disease and Reproductive Problems

Just for fun: What's the most ridiculous thing you've heard when ordering at a restaurant, regarding your desire for Gluten-Free food? Comment below and we can all roll our eyes together. :)

Your Gluten Free Child's Rights at School

2014-09-01T12:42:00.001-07:00

Please see my post on And Love It Too about your gluten-free child's rights at school.

Gluten-Free Peach and Raspberry Pie

2014-08-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

It was the perfect dessert storm*: my husband had raspberries leftover from his batch of raspberry wheat beer and peaches were super cheap at Walmart (reduced to .88/lb.) All I needed was a crust and I was in business.

Crust
1 6 oz. package Annie's Gluten-free SnickerDoodle cookies
(or 1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs)
2 T. butter or margarine, melted


Annie's GF SnickerDoodle Cookie crumbs

Filling
6-7 fresh peaches, cut into chunks
1 c fresh or frozen raspberries
1 t lemon juice
1/2 c sugar
2 T cornstarch


Cheap peaches and raspberries from my husband's raspberry patch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crush the cookies (I used my trusty Magic Bullet), then mix with melted butter. Reserve about 2 tablespoons (for the top), and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate. (I use the flat bottom of a measuring cup.) Bake in the preheated oven for 8 - 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Mix the peaches and raspberries in a large bowl. Drizzle lemon juice over the fruit. Add sugar and stir well. Sprinkle corn starch over mixture and stir. (If you're not ready to bake yet, refrigerate the fruit until you are.) Pour mixture onto crust, sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Right out of the oven!

I've never been much of a pie baker, but this pie won raves from my non-GF family. I especially love the way the cinnamon in the cookies brought out the sweet flavor of the fruit.

*See what I did there? :)

Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity

2014-07-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

You have all the symptoms of celiac disease: stomach pain after eating gluten, fatigue, headaches, "brain fog" - but your tests came back negative. What gives? Are you crazy? Is your doctor? Frustrated, you give up and stuff yourself with pizza and beer. It can't hurt, right?

Well, yes and...maybe. Debated about for years, recent research has uncovered a "less severe [than celiac disease] non-specific immune response," according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, called Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS.) Both conditions are clinically similar, however NCGS does not cause long-term intestinal damage, nor does it seem to be genetic. In his new book, Gluten Freedom, Alessio Fasano, M.D.,world-renowned expert and founder of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Celiac Research, explains the differences between celiac disease, NCGS and wheat allergy. "Celiac disease is not a food allergy. Food allergies, including wheat allergy, are conditions that an individual might outgrow." Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that never goes away; even with complete avoidance of gluten, sufferers will always have it. NCGS may go away on its own.

Should you be gluten-free?

Celiac disease affects about 1% of the population, or 1 in 133 Americans, while research estimates that 6% of Americans (mostly adults) suffer from Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Celiac disease can only be diagnosed by blood tests and biopsy. There is no definitive test for NCGS. Sufferers must be sure to first rule out celiac and wheat allergy, then follow an elimination diet and subsequent gluten challenge. Of course, whenever these maladies are suspected, it is important to find a doctor who has experience with gluten issues. This is not the time to self-diagnose.

Dr. Fasano says "Celiac disease is driven by even minimal cross-contamination of gluten. In gluten sensitivity, this is not necessarily so." Some NCGS patients may be able to tolerate a small amount of gluten; their symptoms emerge when they ingest too much wheat, rye or barley. They undoubtedly feel better off gluten, sometimes right away. Most celiac sufferers also begin to feel better soon after quitting gluten but it can take many years for the intestinal damage to heal, and often it never heals completely. Undiagnosed, celiac disease can cause serious long-term problems like osteoporosis, infertility and cancer.

So, is Gluten Sensitivity a fad? Sometimes. But sometimes it is a very real syndrome with very real symptoms. And if gluten causes distresses, by all means, stop ingesting gluten! But remember, it's always better to err on the side of caution and seek out educated medical help.

Gluten-free Jules: We're here for you!

2014-04-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

If you know me, or my blog, at all, you know that one of my all-time favorite [gluten-free] people is Jules Shepard. Jules' was the first gluten-free flour mix I used, and I still use it today. We met in person at an NFCA event in Philly over a piece of her incredible chocolate cake and, as far as I was concerned, I had a friend for life. So when I heard Jules was leaving her company I kind of freaked out a little.

After some soothing communication from Jules and reading the blogs of some GFers I trust, I feel much better now, thank you.

For those of you who don't know what's going on, or were waiting for the abridged version, here's the facts, Jack:

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

First of all, about Jules: Jules Shepard was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 1999. She conceived of and created a gluten-free flour that produced delicious baked goods, without the typically (up to that point) gritty, cardboard-like texture and non-flavor of most GF flours. She has written three important books on celiac disease and living gluten-free and is an unflagging supporter of the gluten-free community. In fact, when the new FDA GF labeling goes into effect this summer, guess who we have to thank? (Hint: That's her adorable face, above.)

What happened? Management disagreements. (To say the least!) Jules brought on partners to help run the business end of things in 2008, when her company really started taking off. According to Gluten Dude's site: "The relationship with her partners eventually became hurtful and contentious, with her partners eventually no longer paying Jules for her work, locking her out of their communications program, preventing her from sending out her weekly recipe e-newsletter, denying her administrative access to her blog, and cancelling flour orders Jules had placed to make her wedding cake next month, among other things." Um...what? That is NOT how we do things in the GF world! Jules resigned and immediately began work on a new company. Then the "partners" did a bunch of other real nasty stuff (check out Gluten Dude for the sordid details. It's bad. Real bad.) and now Jules is scrambling to start all over again. From scratch.

Now what? The new website is gfjules.com, where you can purchase her flour blends and mixes (whose formulations have never changed, by the way,) sporting a new name and logo. (Jules tried to get the "partners" to stop using her cute little likeness, but they won't.)

Want to help? Me too. Here's what to do. First of all, if you were a subscriber to the old website (julesglutenfree.com) when Jules was at the helm, please go unsubscribe now. And obviously, don't buy anything from them.

Check out the new site, gfjules.com, and subscribe. Then you'll know the minute stuff happens. Since Jules is actively working on it, there's always something new.

If at all possible, support Jules. She's spending a gazillion dollars defending herself against these guys, plus trying to get her new business off the ground. There are some great ideas on the site for ways to help.

Because that's what the gluten-free community is all about (besides eating GF): helping each other. Jules has been there for all of us for the past several years; I know we can pull together and help her through this difficult time.

Thanks GF friends.

You rock.

Have a Gluten-Free St. Patrick's Day!

2014-03-16T16:20:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be honest here:  I could have spent hours in the kitchen, creating gluten-free Irish recipes for you, but that would be a bunch of malarkey--I'm Italian, not Irish! So I left it to the experts. Here are 5 brilliant recipes for St. Patrick's (or any) Day courtesy of our friends in the GF blogosphere. Click On their links to be transported to their savage recipes. Sláinte!

1. Gluten-Free Goddess: Irish Soda Bread Buns 

www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

2. Gluten-Free on a Shoestring: Shamrock Shake Cupcake

www.glutenfreeonashoestring.com

3. Gluten-Free Recipe Box: Irish Coffee

www.glutenfreerecipebox.com

4. Katherine Martinelli: Shepherd's Pie

www.katherinemartinelli.com

 5. Baked Bree: Irish Potatoes candy

www.bakedbree.com

Gluten-Free in the News

2014-02-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

You don't have time to keep up with the latest in GF news? I understand. Here's a little wrap-up for you.

Gluten-Free Olympians in the 2014 Winter Olympics
Fellow Examiner Jennifer Harris gives a great summary of all the GF athletes competing at the Olympics this winter.

Olympic Rings at Sochi 2014

Quicker Blood Test for Diagnosing Celiac Disease
Scientists may have come up with a quicker, easier way to diagnose CD, which doesn't involve snipping into the small intestine. Score!

Unmanaged Celiac Disease = Increased Risk for Hip Fracture
Yet another reason not to "cheat" on your gluten-free diet.

9 Things You Should Know Before Going Gluten-Free
The Huffington Post gets in on the action, mostly warning away faddists. There is some useful info here.

Gluten-Free Celebrity News: Scandal's Dan Bucatinsky
A celebrity living with Celiac Disease.

A Gluten-Free Holiday: All I Want for Christmas is...Perky Villi

2013-12-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

Two front teeth? I'm okay there. Whiskers on kittens? Well, that would be great, but my husband would have a fit if we brought any more pets home. Bright copper kettles? Well, maybe...

If you're in the market for thoughtful gift ideas for someone who has Celiac disease (or who must eat gluten-free) look no further. I've compiled a wish-list. And since I actually have Celiac, I should know, right?

In the Kitchen

For the newly diagnosed, it is imperative that they do a kitchen make-over. Most of their pots and pans, bowls and tools have been contaminated with gluten. Yes, contaminated. I know that sounds dramatic, but it's accurate. Even long-time Celiacs, like myself, can use new stuff. Case in point: I was diagnosed with CD over 11 years ago, but recently I noticed that some of my symptoms were reappearing. I couldn't imagine what was going on: I'm always super-careful cooking at home, I constantly checked and re-checked ingredient lists and I was mindful of cross-contamination (and of course, I have a dedicated toaster.) It wasn't until I read Gluten-Free Cookware and Kitchen Utensils by Jane Anderson that I realized I needed to go shopping for some new kitchen items. Many of these same items make very appreciated gifts.

Cutting Board

Since it's the scratches in cookware and surfaces that hide microscopic particles of gluten, it's only natural that their cutting board is likely harboring tons of the little buggers. And there's no real way to get rid of them. Be safe; get your GF loved-one a dedicated GF cutting board like this one.


Dedicated Gluten-Free Cutting Board

Rolling Pin

If their rolling pin was ever used to make non-GF pastry or cookies, it's time for a new rolling pin. Nothing says Happy Holidays like a fresh new rolling pin.

Cooking Tools

New cooking tools make great stocking stuffers, like this GF bamboo set.

Bread Machine

If your GF loved one is tired of paying upwards of $5.00 for a loaf of mediocre gluten-free bread, it could be time for a bread machine. There are many out there, but the Zojirushi consistently wins raves among the GF community. It has a gluten-free cycle and great GF recipes in the included cookbook.

Books and Magazines

Great gluten-free recipes can be found everywhere - cookbooks, magazines and all over the internet. There are so many great gluten-free cookbooks on the market, here are a few fan favorites:

Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, Quick and Easy: 100 Recipes for the Food You Love--Fast! by Nicole Hunn

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef: A Love Story with 100 Tempting Recipes by Daniel Ahern and Shauna James Ahern

Unbelievably Gluten-Free: 128 Delicious Recipes: Dinner Dishes You Never Thought You'd Be Able to Eat Again by Anne Byrn

And these magazines offer the very latest health reporting, along with delicious recipes and great tips. A subscription is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

Easy Eats (online only)

Simply Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Living

Living Without

Delight Gluten-Free

Clothes and Accessories

Do your friends have a "Gluten for Punishment" apron? Does your baby have a "Please don't feed me gluten" onesie?

Gluten for Punishment Aprons by trishf429
See more Celiac Aprons at zazzle.com

Please don't feed me gluten! t-shirts by trishf429
View other Gluten T-Shirts

Food and Drink

You can never go wrong with an edible present. If you eat gluten-free yourself and are confident in your skills, by all means, prepare your famous GF casserole or cookies and give that as a gift, along with a recipe card. If, however, you're afraid of "glutening" your friend or loved one, there are alternatives. Many large grocery stores and health food stores have excellent gluten-free food selections. Gift baskets are always appreciated. Some suggestions:

A snack attack bowl - fill a bright plastic bowl with a variety of GF chips, cookies, candies and fun flavored sodas.

A tour of Italy - pile packages of GF pasta, olive oil, grated cheese and a jar of pasta sauce in a shiny new (read: uncontaminated) colander.

If you don't think your gift basket skills are up to par, there are certainly companies that would be happy to make them and send them for you. I Can Have That! and Gourmet Gift Baskets are just two.

I Can Have That! The Nosh basket

Finally, if your gluten-free friends were beer drinkers once upon a time, I have a great gift idea for you. And believe me, I don't think anyone else is going to come up with this one. Present your GF pal with a 6-pack of flavorful GF beer and you'll have a BFF for life.

This is a list of the best gluten-free beers on the market, according to Bon Appetit and Men's Fitness magazines.

The Alchemist: Celia Saison
Bard's
Green's Endeavor Dubbel Ale
Estrella Damm: Daura
Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales: Tweason'ale
Omission Beer: Lager
Harvester Fresh Hop IPA
New Planet Pale Ale
Lakefront Brewery New Grist

So there you have it - KindaReal's holiday gift idea list. I hope you find something for all the Celiacs on your list. I mean, we deserve it, don't you think?

Happy shopping! :)

Free Jules Gluten-Free Thanksgiving e-book

2013-10-19T14:22:00.002-07:00

If you're anything like me, Thanksgiving is not even on your radar yet. I have birthdays and Halloween coming up, plus all of the day-to-day stuff to deal with first. But, it was just pointed out to me, Thanksgiving is less than 6 weeks away. Luckily for us, we have Jules of Jules Gluten Free looking out for us. She has published this amazing Thanksgiving e-book (I refer back to mine throughout the year!) and is offering it to me and my readers for FREE! What did I tell you about her? She's a sweetheart! It's only available for a short time so - quick - get to her site and download the Thanksgiving e-book (scroll all the way to the bottom of the Deal of the Day page.)

This 60 page e-book has been updated for this year and has lots of tips for being gluten-free during the holidays, a helpful pre-holiday timeline and over 20 awesome recipes, including this one that I've been enjoying for more than five years, Jules' Cornbread Stuffing.

www.julesglutenfree.com

Believe me, it's tough to be GF during the holidays, but Jules helps make things a little bit tastier.

Gluten-Free Meat Pies from the Land Down Under

2013-09-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

I am a very predictable cook. I get it from my Italian family: When I was growing up, Monday through Wednesday we ate some version of four or five chicken and beef dishes and Thursday and Sunday dinners were always "macaroni" (some kind of pasta). I try to be a little more creative than that, plus I'm so sick of pasta that I never make it at home (I'm sorry, Grandmom!) Since I am so picky and don't eat fish, game, veal or anything weird, my dinner choices are slim. We try to eat beef only once a week, so when it was time for ground beef again, even I was tired of my "usuals."

I was ~~trolling~~ (trolling sounds so ugly, doesn't it? Let's try browsing-) browsing around the web, looking for gluten-free ground beef recipes and who should I happen upon? In the words of my youngest, "that cute GF New Zealander" Chef Jason Roberts, cookbook author and regular of The Chew. Actually, it wasn't Jason that caught my eye (sorry, mate!); it was this:

www.chefjasonroberts.com

Chef Jason Roberts' "Almost an Aussie Meat Pie." Now, normally, I would just make a Shepherd's Pie with mashed potatoes on top, as Chef Jason suggests if you eat gluten free. But it just so happens that my older daughter had recently bought me Pillsbury Gluten Free Pie and Pastry Dough

so I thought, Hey! (I really did think that!) This would be a great time to try this stuff! And so I did.


1. So far, so good. The dough rolled out pretty nicely		between sheets of waxed paper.


2. Uh oh...the dough started breaking apart. And sadly, I don't have cool ramekins like Chef Jason, so I had to use mini foil pie plates. :(


3. A little reconstructive surgery and egg wash	makes	everything better.

4. Success! The crust was golden and crumbly and the meat filling was savory and satisfying...simply amazing! Thanks to Chef Jason Roberts and Pillsbury's Gluten Free dough, I can add another ground beef dish to my repertoire.

Happy Celiac Awareness Day! Have some Zucchini Bread.

2013-09-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

I was going to write an informational post about Celiac disease for Celiac Awareness Day (which is September 13th), but my good buddy Jules, of Jules Gluten Free explains it better than anyone on her blog, Jules Speaks, so just go there. Really. I'll bet you'll learn more in just a few minutes than you have from some of your doctors! (Including what this guy has to do with Celiac disease...)

Dr. Samuel Gee 13 September 1839-3 August 1911

But since I'd be doing a disservice to my fellow Celiacs by just cheating and posting a link to someone else's blog, how about a recipe? Okay, so maybe it is another blogger's recipe, but still...my friend Nicole has written three great gluten-free cookbooks and has a super cool site, Gluten Free on a Shoestring. Her Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread is yummy; truly a delicious way to use up some of summer's bounty. (Nicole is the reason I have bags of shredded zucchini stuffed in my freezer.) It's called bread, but you'll say cake. Or "Mmmm." Or both.


www.glutenfreeonashoestring.com

Gluten Free on a Shoestring's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
by Nicole Hunn

Be sure to check out all the recipes on the site. You'll find great tips and different options there. -trish

Gluten-Free Brownie Bottom Ice Cream Cake

2013-08-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

My son always requests an ice cream cake for his August birthday. Not being afflicted...uh...I mean not living with Celiac Disease, I usually buy or make him a normal (read: non-GF) frozen confection. Since we had a GF guest this time, bringing our total number of gluten-free cake eaters up to two, I decided to make a GF ice cream cake. Using Moosetracks and Tater Stacks' amazing (non-GF) Ice Cream Cake Recipe as my base (mostly because her instructions and pictures were fantastic and looked really yummy!), I set out to...well, de-glutenize her recipe. (I just made that word up!)

Here's what you need:

Springform pan (at least 8 1/2")
Parchment or wax paper
GF brownie mix (or homemade) I used Betty Crocker because it's easy and good.
At least 1 flavor of GF ice cream (I used 2: Peanut Butter Ripple and Moose Tracks)
1/2 cup hot fudge (store-bought is fine, but have you tried my home-made version? Click it!)
About 1/2 cup GF cookies (I used Kinnikinnick Chocolate KinniKritter Animal Cookies, but Trader Joe's Joe Joes would be awesome, too. Or anything chocolaty.)
Cool Whip or whipped cream
Candy bar, chopped

Prepare the springform pan according to the brownie mix directions. You can line the pan with parchment paper now, but I knew I would be bringing it to the table with the paper still attached, and I didn't love the idea of presenting scorched parchment paper. But that's just me. If you want to put it in now, go right ahead. If not, hang on; we'll get there.

Mix up the brownie mix (or make mine!) Scrape into prepared pan and bake according to mix directions. Watch carefully! You do NOT want this to overcook/burn! Undercooked is even okay. Once it's baked, set it on a rack to cool for about 10 - 15 minutes. Place a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap on the top and press down, concentrating all the brownie goodness into a delicious crust. Let it cool completely. (Overnight is fine.)

If you haven't already placed your parchment lining in, now is the time. (See photo at right.) Cut some pieces of parchment so that they stand at least 4 inches above the top of your pan. Open your springform (it's okay - as long as the brownie is totally cool), tuck the parchment paper into the sides so that it's standing up tall and proud, then close up the springform again.

Take your ice cream (one flavor, if you're using two) out of the freezer to soften a bit. Crush the cookies. I used my handy dandy Magic Bullet, but you can just smash them in a Baggie with a rolling pin if that's how you roll. (Get it?)

Spoon all but 2 or 3 tablespoons of the hot fudge sauce into a microwavable bowl. Microwave on medium (or defrost) for 20-30 seconds; continue until it is warm and very smooth. Add the cookie crumbs and stir. (Don't tell anyone, but you have just made a GF version of the crunchy insides of an ice cream cake made by a certain ice cream company whose initials are DQ. Sshhhh!)

Cookie Crumbs + Fudge Sauce

With a heavy spoon or ice cream scoop, plop (yes, that's a cooking term) some ice cream on top of the brownie layer. How much? Hmmm...3 or 4 scoops? It's a judgement call - you'll see. Use an offset spatula or spoon to smooth the ice cream. Now this is tricky: Pour the hot fudge-cookie mixture on top of the ice cream, and smooth that around. It will NOT smooth easily. And it will look ugly. Just do the best you can; no one will see it anyway. Now quick, get that cake back in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.

See? Not very pretty.

After about 15 minutes, take your second flavor (or the only flavor, if you're using one) out of the freezer to soften, as well as the Cool Whip (if it's frozen.) You can use this time to chop up the candy bar, if you haven't already.

Just like before, pile on the next layer of ice cream, smooshing it down. (Wow, you are really learning some cool new cooking terms!) Back in the freezer it goes, for at least 15 minutes.

NOT smooshed...

Now get ready, it's almost time to serve this baby. Spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons of fudge sauce into a microwavable bowl, and heat on medium (or defrost) for 20 seconds. Carefully pour into a zip top bag or Baggie, and cut a small hole in a corner of the bag. Set aside.

Using an offset spatula or large spoon, spread the Cool Whip on top of the cake, making it at smooth as possible. It will probably take 2 to 3 cups of Cool Whip. Or more. Sprinkle the chopped candy on top of the Cool Whip. Using the bag of fudge sauce, quickly drizzle abstract chocolate lines all over the top of the cake. Go crazy! Let your inner Jackson Pollock come out! Now, undo the springform ring and remove the parchment paper. Accept praise and kudos. You deserve it.

Gluten-Free Frozen Perfection!

One of the awesome things about this ice cream cake is that it is extremely easy to modify. You can use caramel sauce instead of fudge or marshmallow cream instead of Cool Whip.
If you make this cool (get it?) cake with some changes, comment below and let me know. I'd love to know what you did!

Gluten-Free? There's an App for That.

2013-07-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

I'm going to sound like an old lady in a rocking chair (and I'm not, really!), but when I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2002, information and gluten-free foods were few and far between. There wasn't much on the internet, except for a Listserv (does anyone still do that?), where desperate people shared symptoms and recipes. I bought or borrowed just about every book out there (there were 21.) Many were self-published small handbooks, put together by patients for patients. Others were books I refer back to, even today, by authors who are still big names in the gluten-free world (Bette Hagman, Danna Korn, Jules Shepard.)

Nowadays (love that old-lady term!) there are thousands of books (over 200 published in 2012 alone) and over 16 million blogs dealing with celiac and GF issues. Recently on the scene are gluten-free apps - application software - which are used on one's smart phone, tablet or i-device, and with which the user can interface directly. Looking for a restaurant with a gluten-free menu within 10 miles of your house? Ding! You got it. Is this cereal GF? Ding! No! Stay away! (I don't think they actually ding...but, you get the picture.)

Following is a list of 8 important gluten-free apps. (I'm sure there are more. Please comment below if you know of a particularly helpful app.)

Allergy Eats

iPhone and Android
Free

Some restaurants are happy to help you have a pleasant, gluten-free meal; others cringe at the word "gluten." This app's peer-based feedback lets you see how friendly a restaurant is to its customers with special dietary needs. You are encouraged to leave your thumbs-up or -down, too.

Find Me Gluten Free

iPhone and Android

Free

Locate all gluten-free-friendly restaurants in your area with this app. View menus, read reviews and get directions quickly and easily. Use the barcode scanner to determine if popular products contain gluten.

Is That Gluten Free?
iPhone and Android
7.99

Lists over 24,000 manufacturer verified gluten-free products, with more being added all the time. You can rate products and even add your own notes.

Noshed It

iPhone

Free

"Noshed It combines the mapping database of FourSquare with the social sharing of Twitter and Facebook. Other users with food allergy constraints can share their favorite (and least favorite) dishes for people with the same food allergies. Pick a restaurant based on reviews, or find other customers’ favorites at the restaurant your friends picked."

ShopWell
iPhone and Android
Free

The ShopWell App is marketed as hand-held "healthy grocery lists and food scanner," but for someone who must eat gluten-free, it's much more than that. "Tell" the app that you can't have gluten, and it will alert you whenever you scan a product containing gluten. (This is one of my personal favorites. It has helped me out of many jams.) You can create personal grocery lists and make choices based on nutritional information.

Gluten Free Restaurant Cards from CeliacTravel.com

iPhone

Free

This app includes restaurant cards in more than 40 different languages that can be shown to a server, chef or manager to help ensure a safe meal.

Screenshot of Gluten Free Restaurant Card from CeliacTravel.com

Whole Foods Market Recipes

iPhone

Free

Browse by special diet through this app's 3000+ recipes to find something yummy that's safe for you to eat. A great feature is the "On-Hand" search, in which you can find recipes that use ingredients you already have.

Kids with Food Allergies Foundation Forums

iPhone

Free

KFA is the largest online community for families with children dealing with food allergies. This app provides access to KFA's many forums, live chats and blogs authored by experts in the field of pediatric food allergies. More than one thankful parent has said that the KFA community saved their child's life.

Any of these apps can be searched for using Google, or in iTunes or Android.

Pinterest is a Great Source for Gluten-Free Info

2013-06-13T09:13:00.004-07:00

You know Pinterest, right? That uber-addictive site where users can find and share inspiration, via "pins" or photos of items or ideas, displaying them on "boards," much like the now-archaic bulletin boards. (If you've never heard of Pinterest, I'm sorry. You may go back to underneath your rock and I promise to leave you alone.) Pinterest has become so widely used that now you can type just about anything into its search box and find corresponding pins. In fact, I just searched "Food Tattoo" and I got to 200 pins and stopped counting.

Many people use Pinterest to share decorating ideas, wedding images, vacation destinations and more, but it has become a treasure trove of great recipes, especially specialty recipes, like sugar-free, vegan and, of course, gluten-free. I've made many dishes whose recipes came from Pinterest and many of my favorite GF authors and bloggers have Pinterest accounts. Check out Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, with its budget friendly GF dishes and fun copycat recipes; find great GF foods among Budget Savvy Diva's money-saving tips and advice; Glutenista Gluten-Free has recipes, tips and tricks and on Gluten Free Works, you'll find more recipes than you can possibly make and eat in your lifetime. Easy Eats, a cool online GF magazine, has a ton of up-to-the minute gluten-free and Celiac Disease information and recipes. The photos alone will blow you away! (Just look at that cupcake, below!)

Devil's Food Cupcake by Easy Eats

If you want to see who I'm following, check me out. I promise to follow back! :)

Gluten-free Cinco de Mayo? Desde Luego!

2013-04-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

Taco Salad Shell by CarolFensterCooks.com

Type "Gluten-Free Cinco de Mayo" into Google and you're liable to get zillions of responses. Okay, maybe not zillions, but there are tons of articles and recipes and videos out there. I'm going to share just a few that have caught my eye.

Jules Shepherd, of Jules Gluten-Free flour mix fame, has a free radio podcast for you. She shares recipes, tips for eating out and some GF product reviews.

Carol Fenster shows us how to make beautiful GF tortilla bowls, to fill with your favorite salad, meats or seafood (with Mexican seasonings, of course!)

The theme of Heather's Gluten Free Menu Swap at Celiac Family is, lucky for us, Cinco de Mayo. Head over there for tons of great ideas and recipes, like Cilantro Lime Shrimp.

If you're not up for cooking on 5/5, click over to Celiac Restaurant Guide, where they list 100% GF eateries in North America, as well as spots with gluten-free items on their menus, like these popular Mexican restaurants:

Chipolte Mexican Grill (the only item WITH gluten is its flour tortilla!)

On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina

Qdoba Mexican Grill

Taco del Mar

...so that's just a small sampling of the zillions - I mean - many articles around the web focusing on Cinco de Mayo. ¡Salud!

PS: Desde luego means Of course. :)

Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies

2013-02-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that Girl Scout cookie time brings out the best in a lot of people. Some wait all year for that first minty bite of Thin Mints, gladly handing their money over to the sweet green-clad sprites who are raising funds to better themselves and other girls. For some of us, though, it can be a rather sad time. Those of us who must eat gluten-free, due to Celiac disease or gluten-intolerance, can only look at those bright boxes and shake our heads, remembering the yummy past when we gleefully chomped away, oblivious to any future intestinal damage.

I've heard rumblings that the Girl Scouts are working on a gluten-free cookie. Some areas have written up petitions begging for them. The official statement from the scouts' website says, "Girl Scout Cookies are produced only once a year and for a limited time, so our bakers never achieve the volume required to support the specific production of specialty cookies. The demand has not been great enough to make it economically feasible" to produce a GF cookie. Sigh...I guess that makes sense. Luckily, there are some very talented gluten-free bakers out there who have tried their darnedest to recreate these seasonal treats, minus the unsafe gluten ingredients like wheat, malt, barley, rye and more. With the use of excellent flour blends (like Jules' and Thank God It's Gluten-Free!), it's becoming easier to make copycats.

If you're really jonesing for a Girl Scout cookie, give one of these gluten-free versions a try. The best thing about making your own Thin Mints or Trefoils is that you don't have to wait until mid-January - you can enjoy them anytime!

Nicole at the excellent site Gluten-Free on a Shoestring has yummy recipes for GF Samoas (aka Caramel deLites) and Tagalongs (aka Peanut Butter Patties.) You'll love the gorgeous step-by-step photos. Food porn, baby!

Gluten-free on a Shoestring's Samoas

www.glutenfreeonashoestring.com

Gluten-Free on a Shoestring's Tagalongs

www.glutenfreeonashoestring.com

Angela's Kitchen has a whole section of the site dedicated to Gluten Free Dairy Free Girl Scout Cookie Makeovers.

www.angelaskitchen.com

Jules Shepard from Jules' Gluten-Free and GF Flour mastermind has added her culinary two cents. Try her recipe for GF Tag-a-Longs (which are also called Peanut Butter Patties--Hey! What's up with all the names?)

www.julesglutenfree.com

Glutenista shares some of fabulous-ness and her recipes for Homemade Gluten-Free Samoas and GF Thin Mints.

www.glutenista.com

Allergy-friendly cook, cook-book author and blogger Cybele Pascal takes food safety even further with Allergy-free, Vegan Thin Mints. These little babies are egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, sesame-free, tree and peanut -free and, of course, gluten free.

www.cybelepascal.com

Before you had to go gluten-free, what was your favorite Girl Scout cookie?

Gluten-Free Valentine's Day Candy 2013

2013-01-23T13:37:00.001-08:00

Just when you thought you knew exactly what is safe to eat and what is gluten-filled, companies change recipes or even factories and suddenly your favorite GF treat contains gluten. NOT a good thing, especially when you're getting ready to enjoy a sweet from your sweetie. I'm sure you know by now, it's always a good idea to check labels, even if it's something you've eaten a thousand times before. Just for you, I've checked the labels on some popular Valentine candies. (Tough work, but somebody's got to do it!)

Gluten-Free candy

Almond Joy (snack size)

Andes Creme de Menthe Sweet Heart Assortment

Baby Ruth

Butterfinger (but possibly not hearts; check the package)

Celia's Milk Chocolate-covered cherries

Dots

Dove Heart Promises

Dum Dum lollipops

Ghirardelli Squares (all except those containing "crisps")

Goobers

Hershey's Bliss Chocolates

Hershey's Kisses (all flavors except Cookies and Cream)

Hershey's Pot of Gold

Hot Tamales

Jelly Belly Conversation Beans

Jolly Rancher

Junior Mints

M & Ms (all except those with pretzel inside)

Melster Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Hearts

Milky Way Midnight

Milky Way Caramel

Mounds (snack size)

Necco Sweetheart Conversation Hearts

Peeps

Palmer foil-wrapped chocolate hearts

Pop Rocks

Raisinets

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (snack-size, miniatures and hearts)

Reese's Pieces

Smarties

Snickers (fun-size and mini)

Starburst

Toblerone

Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops

York Peppermint Patty

NOT Gluten-Free

Brach's Conversation Hearts

Ferrero Rocher

Godiva Chocolates

Lindt Chocolates

Mars Bar

Milky Way

Mrs. Field's Valentine's Day selection

Nestle Crunch

Reese's Peanut Butter filled chocolate hearts (individually foil-wrapped)

Russell Stover chocolates

Twix

Twizzlers

Whoppers

Jules Gluten-Free: You Sweet Talker!

2013-01-14T08:20:00.000-08:00

You sweet talker, Jules Shepherd!

First, she gave us flour...real, fluffy flour that we could use for baking, coating, thickening (Jules Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour.)

Then cookie mixes, so we could make her goodies virtually fool-proof.

Followed by cornbread mix, muffin mix, pancake and waffle mix, cake mix...I could go on and on.

But TODAY my GF friends, and tomorrow, too, generous Jules is offering her wonderful Cake Mix e-book to you for FREE!

Seriously, I mean it! Click right here and it's yours.

You'll find all these recipes and MORE...

Chocolate Layer Cake by JulesGlutenFree.com

Diet Soda Cupcakes by JulesGlutenFree.com

Brownies
Cake Mix Cookies
Diet Soda Cupcakes
Dirt Cake
Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake
Pina Colada Cake
Pumpkin Cake
Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake
Rainbow Cake
Rum Cake
Spice Cake
Strawberry Cake

T.G.I.G.F! Baking and Bread Mix Review & Giveaway

2012-11-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

My good friend Elizabeth, at Thank God It's Gluten-Free! recently sent me some of her GF baking and bread mix to try. I was so impressed, I just had to tell you about it!

First, I tried it as a straight-up bread mix (a packet of yeast is included.) It was easy-peasy to mix up and pop in the trusty old Welbilt Breadmaker. A few hours later, I was rewarded with a nice warm loaf of GF bread. It was perfectly cooked and nice and dense, just like I like it (Holes are cool in jeans, but not in my bread!) There was none of the grittiness that you sometimes find in GF breads and the crust was just a little crispy. Through the week, I enjoyed the bread toasted with PB&J, plain with a smidge of butter (okay, maybe a little more than a smidge...), I even used the crumbs to coat pork chops. It behaved just like the non-GF bread you probably miss.

A few days later, feeling a bit more adventurous (and craving chocolate), I made Elizabeth's Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies (recipe below.) Wow, friends - you have got to try these! Yes, they taste like brownies, but less crumbly and cakey. They were super chocolatey, but not overwhelmingly rich. Even my own personal non-GF cookie monster (Emma) loved them. The recipe made about 3 dozen cookies, but you must keep in mind that I might have tasted the batter a little. (I know, I know - it's unhealthy! But I miss batter so much!) They were amazing warm, fresh from the oven; but also awesome at room temp. I was going to try to freeze some to see how they held up in the freezer, but...well, they seem to have disappeared.

Thank God It's Gluten-Free! baking and bread mix is great for anything for which you would use regular flour, like cakes, pies, cookies, pancakes, waffles, pizza and pie crust. Thank God It's Gluten-Free! bread mix is made and packaged in a dedicated, certified gluten-free and Kosher facility. It is free of dairy, egg, soy, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish. This flour blend contains all natural, non-GMO ingredients and has a 12 month shelf life.

T.G.I.G.F! Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

6 T. unsalted butter, softened

1/2 t. vanilla extract-I use Spice Islands

1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1 lg. egg

1 1/2 c. T.G.I.G.F! Baking and Bread Mix

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 c. dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars, add vanilla extract, cooled chocolate and egg. Mix well until fully blended. Combine T.G.I.G.F! Baking and Bread Mix and baking soda, add to wet ingredients, mix well. Stir in dark chocolate chips with spoon. Scoop out dough [I used my mini ice cream scoop -Trish] and bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool 1-2 minutes on pan before placing on cooling rack.

...and now for the giveaway!

T.G.I.G.F! is offering you a chance to win two bags of its amazing gluten-free baking and bread mix (523 g/each), plus a cute angel cookie cutter, a handy zippered pie crust bag, a cool oven mitt and a sweet cupcake spatula. (ARV $45 )

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Appetite for Awareness 2012

2012-10-01T16:20:00.003-07:00

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness recently hosted its 8th Appetite for Awareness: a Gluten-Free Cooking Spree at the old Strawbridge building in Philadelphia. Please check out my Examiner posts about Appetite for Awareness 2012!

Just a small sampling of the vendors and restaurants present:

Alma de Cuba
Amy's Kitchen
Blue Diamond
Grandma's Grotto
JAR BAR
Palm Restaurant
Sweet Christine's Bakery
Taffets Bakery
Terra

Celiac Awareness Day...September 13, 2012

2012-09-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Last year, Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Senator James Inhofe introduced Resolution 550, which declared September 13th National Celiac Awareness Day. Do you know why September 13th was chosen? It's the birthday of Dr. Samuel Gee, a British pediatrician who is credited with identifying the link between celiac disease and diet in 1887. Dr. Gee is known for saying “if the patient can be cured at all, it must be by means of diet.”


Dr. Samuel Gee

In honor of the good doctor, why not make a delicious gluten-free birthday cake? Check out this gorgeous cake from Amy's Starry Night Cake at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

Starry Night Cake from Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free