Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free

Baguettes

Amy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:06 +0000

My dear friend, Jen Cafferty, and I were in the middle of a planning meeting for Nourished – you know, the first ever gluten-free and allergen-friendly food blogger conference we’re hosting in April? I must say that we have put together one heck of an event. Don’t take my word for it – you can check out the agenda here. And the stellar presenter line-up here.

Anyway, back to the baguettes.

Somehow Jen and I started talking about bread baking. I told her that I’d never made a gluten-free baguette in my life. Jen said, “Oh Amy, it’s so easy. Just make the dough into the shape of a baguette.”

Duh. I should have known that. That’s what you do with wheat dough, right? And it’s not like I didn’t have a baguette pan in my pantry. (I have a habit of buying kitchen supplies and not using them in a timely manner. Like the English muffin rings, the mini springform pans, the 10-inch cake pans, the truffle dishes, the wire cake stand…I should stop there.)
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Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; 2/7/12

Amy — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:00:00 +0000

Thanks for stopping by Slightly Indulgent Tuesday! We had an incredible round-up last week of healthier recipes of all kinds including gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free and more.

Please Vote….

My dear friend, Maggie, from She Let Them Eat Cake has been nominated for Circle of Mom’s Top 25 Vegan & Vegetarian Moms. PLEASE take a second and vote for her. (I’ll adore you always and forever if you do…)

All you have to do is click to vote – nothing else required!

Maggie has an incredible blog – and she’s also my partner-in-crime for The Balanced Platter. She’s so passionate about helping people find healthier and delicious ways to eat. I’d love to see her win this!

VOTE for Maggie HERE!

Healthier Highlights

My Picks
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A Well-Stocked Kitchen: Meal Planning Made Simple

Amy — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:55 +0000

Welcome to Meal Planning Made Simple! If this is the first time you’re visiting this series, you might want to check out:

Week 1: Meal Planning Made Simple
Week 2: How to Meal Plan

A Well-Stocked Kitchen

When you work in a professional kitchen, there’s something called par stock which is simply the items you keep on hand at all times. These are the items you use on a regular basis. Without a par stock, the kitchen wouldn’t run.

Several years ago my friend, Helen, pointed out to me that I was always at the grocery store. Yes, I love to grocery shop. But, I hadn’t translated my knowledge about how a professional kitchen runs to my kitchen at home. I wasn’t stocking my pantry and freezer.

All those grocery runs were taking up valuable time. Now, I keep my pantry and freezer stocked. It’s a necessity.

Here’s what I did to get started:
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Grain-Free Orange Cake & Nutritional Content of Gluten-Free Flours

Amy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

If you read my blog regularly, you know I don’t do a lot of almond flour baking. I love it. It’s delicious, moist, and fun to play around with. And, it has some health benefits too.

But, I’m not going to tell you it’s the only high (higher) protein flour out there. It’s not.

And, I have to be honest. It’s quite calorie and fat dense. Yes, it’s low in carbs. So, if you’re a low-carber (and I’m not) then it might be a great option for you.

Our bodies need carbs, though. I’m not talking about refined, simple carbs. I’m talking about healthier complex carbs – fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans. They help with energy, brain function, add fiber to our diets which assists digestion, and help our bodies digest other nutrients.

Enough of my babbling about our bodies and carbs. Let’s look at the flour facts.

Almond Flour

1/4 cup contains:
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6 Tips for Balanced Living for The Balanced Platter

Amy — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:47 +0000

Lately my life has been more hectic than I could have imagined. Our baby is due in just over 14 days. I’m preparing for maternity leave, cooking extra meals so our freezer is well-stocked, organizing the baby’s room, have weekly doctor’s appointments, and am trying to tie up any loose ends before the big day gets here.

I’m striving for balance in the middle of what could be a really stressful time. I don’t want to feel pressure. I want to savor every moment. Though I won’t claim perfection, I can honestly say I’ve managed to do pretty darn well.

What have I been doing to stay balanced more of the time than not?

1. Every appointment and commitment goes into one calendar.

One central calendar lets me see everything going on in my life at a glance. Using more than one calendar is a sure recipe for disaster.

I use the iCal on my Mac which is set up to automatically sync with my iPhone and iPad. Each morning I review my daily calendar so I’m prepared for the day. I also set alarms with important appointments to help me remember commitments.

Read the rest of my tips for balanced living at The Balanced Platter, the new gluten-free site for living well.

While you’re there, check out our Baking Gift Pack Give-Away sponsored by iHerb.com!