Tasty... and Gluten Free!

Spaghetti (Squash) with Meat Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:14:00 +0000

This recipe represents one more small step on my never-ending quest to feed my children and husband more healthfully. As I've mentioned before, as the resident chef here I walk a fine line between "healthy" and "too healthy". When any meal falls into what my children might qualify the "too healthy" category (meaning that they don't think it tastes delicious enough to merit the high vegetable intake) they will mainly push the food around on their plate a little before asking what else we have in the refrigerator.

Luckily, a mommy really can't go wrong with spaghetti. Whenever my kids ask me what we are having for dinner and I reply, "Pasta with red sauce", their little faces illuminate as though I have just told them that Santa Claus himself is coming to share the meal. There may well be many children out there that don't enjoy spaghetti, but in my house, it is an absolute favorite.

Thanks to this incredible good will in our home toward spaghetti I felt like I could experiment a little and push the envelope... so lately I've been working on this homemade ragout using spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta.

I hadn't really cooked much with spaghetti squash before. In general, I think I've always been a little intimidated by most winter squashes. Luckily my local grocery store places a little sticker on each squash with specific directions for how to cook it using either the conventional oven or a microwave. The first time I tried my hand at making a spaghetti squash, I definitely didn't cook it for long enough and so the threads of squash were more difficult to fork out of the rind and perhaps a bit too al dente.

My main advice with this recipe would be to make sure that you cook your spaghetti squash until the threads are soft and supple, and then be sure to saute them a little longer once you have combined them with your meat and vegetable sauce. I always know when I've cooked the spaghetti squash perfectly because my children don't ask me why their "pasta" is crunchy. (I think this is one occasion when it is definitely preferable to overcook rather than undercook the spaghetti!) When served fresh, warm and perhaps dusted with a bit of Parmesan cheese, this meal makes an ideal option for a truly heart-healthy yet traditional family meal.

Spaghetti (Squash) with Meat Sauce

What You'll Need:

1 spaghetti squash
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, minced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 handfuls mushrooms, minced
3-4 small zucchini squash, minced
1/4 cup red Zinfandel
15 oz diced tomatoes
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
Italian seasoning
garlic powder

How It Works:

With a cleaver or strong long-bladed knife, cut spaghetti squash in half width-wise. Place one-half of squash with cut end down in about 1/2 inch of water, in a glass dish. Cover with well with plastic wrap (so that plastic is well affixed to sides of the glass dish, creating a sort of air pocket all around the base of the squash). Microwave on high for about 12-14 minutes or until you can easily remove squash "spaghetti" strands from the rind with the tines of a fork. Repeat all steps with 2nd half of spaghetti squash. Pour squash spaghetti into a large bowl, cover it and set aside.

Meanwhile...

Pour grapeseed oil into the base of a large, deep saucepan and heat at a medium-high temperature. When oil is warm but not smoking, add ground beef and break up any chunks with a large wooden spoon. Stir beef while cooking, seasoning with salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to taste. (I use about 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp garlic powder... but you should make it to suit your personal enjoyment and/or any health restrictions you may have.)

When meat has browned, remove it from the pan and place to the side in a separate bowl. Return your deep saucepan (with the same oil) to the stovetop burner and add minced onions. Saute for about two minutes, stirring constantly and then add garlic. Saute for another minute. When garlic smells fragrant (but has not burned), add the minced mushrooms and zucchini. (You may decide to add another glug of grapeseed oil at this point.) Combine everything well with your wooden spoon and then saute the vegetable mixture covered for 3-5 minutes. (Covering will release the moisture in the mushrooms and zucchini without drying them out.) Remove the cover, check your mixture. Stir, reduce temperature a bit and allow to continue sauteing over medium-low heat if the veggies seem too moist or raw.

When your vegetables have finished their dance in the saute pan, re-add the browned ground beef and combine well using the wooden spoon. Next add your diced tomatoes and stir them gently. Cook for the entire sauce for 2 minutes, and then add the zinfandel. Reduce heat to low, stir well, and allow to simmer uncovered. Simmer for a minimum of 10-15 minutes on low. Feel free to simmer longer, the flavor only gets more delicious with increased simmering.

As the time nears when you are ready to serve, add about 3/4 of your squash "spaghetti" strands into your meat sauce and combine everything on the stove over low heat for a few minutes to re-warm the squash strands and fuse all of the flavors together. (You may also prefer to serve the squash pasta as a "bed" with the sauce spooned gently onto its top.) If you enjoy cheese, try grating a bit of Parmesan cheese over the top of each plate before serving.

Serves 6. Just as delicious on the second day, makes great leftovers!

Betty Crocker's Cream Cheese Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:49:00 +0000

I grew up in the 1970s and '80s as the youngest of five children. Thanks to the spread in our ages, many of my siblings were already out of the house by the time I was a kid riding bikes, trading stickers and singing in the local elementary school pageant.

I loved listening to stories about my siblings and their adventures in the world, and longed to be as old as they were. I missed having them around. Being a youngest child with such a large age spread was a lot like being an only child - the house where I grew up was pretty quiet - and I looked forward more than anything to the holiday season when everyone would congregate back together in our parents' house to enjoy games, music, movies, laughter and lots (and lots, and lots) of food. And then there was the dessert... have I mentioned the dessert?

So many gorgeous, fabulous, decadent desserts graced our holiday table throughout the years. Of course we experimented with new recipes but certain sweet treats showed up annually by popular demand. These included sugar cookies, almond crescents (which would be fun to try making gluten free!) and our very favorite of all, Betty Crocker's cream cheese cookies.

My mom made most desserts from scratch and usually without a lot of sugar. In retrospect, that may have been part of the tantalizing allure of these fabled cream cheese cookies. Since they were made with yellow cake mix, the sugar had been pre-added by the cake company and mom couldn't tone it down or cut the proportions in half. The sweet result? A definite addiction to cream cheese cookies by all members of our family - most especially my dad :-)

Holiday meals and family gatherings have been a little more challenging to navigate since I first went gluten free two years ago. Food, usually such a uniting factor for my family, has been a sensitive topic. I get asked what people should cook, whether I will be able to eat the food they are bringing, and if not - why not.

I try in general just to enjoy whatever part of the meal that I can without putting anyone to extra trouble. This is rarely a problem as there are usually many tasty sides and vegetables that I can enjoy, and quite often the main course for holiday meals turns out to be fish. In a lasagna year, I bring along gluten free pasta or some kind of meat that has not been marinated.

The only real sense of loss that I have experienced in the last few years during the holidays has centered around the dessert table - so gorgeously piled with cakes, pies and cookies. None of which I can eat.

Which is why I absolutely FREAKED OUT when I read a few days ago that Betty Crocker is now making a gluten free yellow cake mix that can be purchased in major food chain stores all over the country. I was so excited that I did a happy dance AND called my mother to tell her that once again, I will be able to enjoy her famous cream cheese cookies at Christmas.

Of course I couldn't wait that long, since the holidays are still months away. I searched around my town until I found a grocery store that carried the magical goodies (Betty Crocker is also vending Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie mix, Brownie mix and Chocolate Cake mix). As soon as my husband returned home from work I handed him our three children and set forth to claim my Betty Crocker destiny.

So here it is... the famous Betty Crocker recipe for cream cheese cookies that my family has used for the last thirty years or so. I won't lie, the gluten free version doesn't taste exactly the same as they did when made with regular white flour - but they are still light, fluffy, moist and delicious. Your gluten free family will love them! Happy Holidays to you all three months early :-) and thank you Betty Crocker! for bringing gluten free goodness to the shelves of 'regular' grocery stores everywhere.

Betty Crocker's Cream Cheese Cookies

What You'll Need...

1/4 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese (or 1/3 less fat Neufchatel cream cheese)
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 pkg Betty Crocker yellow cake mix

*Optional
1/2 C shredded coconut or nuts

How It Works...

Cream butter and cheese. Blend in egg yolk and vanilla. Add cake mix (1/2 at a time). Mix well. If you're using a mixer, add the last part of the cake mix by hand. (If you decide to opt for the coconut and/or nuts, now is the time to add those too.) Chill dough 30 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Either use a cookie press/ ungreased sheet/ 6-9 minutes or drop by scant tea onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until delicately brown.

Makes about 24 two-inch cookies.

Fabulous French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Lately, my children have inspired me to be a pretty crafty chef. Today's recipe will show you how to sneak eggs into the gluten free breakfast of a cranky two year old. That said, your adult family members and guests will love it too!

Kids seem to go through phases with eating. My elder child loved tomatoes as a baby and suddenly one day decided that he would no longer eat them. Same thing with carrots... once his favorite food, now looked upon with disdain. And I've already told you about the problems we're having with bell peppers.

Our two year old started eating scrambled eggs about six months ago and couldn't get enough of them. Whenever my husband or I would ask what we should make for breakfast, the answer was always "Eggs!" Over the last two weeks though, he has begun to play a game with us when it comes to eggs. We ask what he wants for breakfast, he replies "Eggs!" but when we cook eggs for him he refuses to eat them. Worse, he will actually scoop up a cooked egg off of his plate in his grubby little hand, carry it over to my plate, plop it down (covered in crayon shavings, mind you) and say, "This is for you, mommy!" Did I mention his hysterical giggling? We are certain that he has no allergic reaction whatsoever to eggs, so it seems to be far more of a I'M-TWO-AND-I'M-IN-CHARGE type of thing. He likes to refuse to eat his breakfast to see who will blink first.

Healthy kids need more than bread and sugar for breakfast... so I decided to look beyond cereal, fruit, juices and bagels to find an alternative. The solution was so simple, I'm amazed I hadn't thought to make it years ago with my first child.

French Toast!

Yes, the same fabulous fluffy toast that your mother or grandmother might have made you when you were small... but healthier and even more delicious. This meal is a win-win: your children will get protein, choline and B12 from the hidden egg while you (wink, smile) avoid the frustration of an early morning tantrum. As my son said just this morning, "Eggs are yucky mommy! French toast is yummy!"

Preparation is simple and fast - you will be able to start from scratch and have it on the table in less than 10 minutes. What more could a tired mommy with demanding (but picky) little eaters ask for? Oh yeah, that someone would make me a piece! :-)

Fabulous French Toast

What You'll Need...

4 slices of gluten free bread*
1/4 vanilla rice milk
1 egg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 - 2 tbsp butter

*I recommend the frozen variety that you can find in many health food stores or ordered direct from companies such as Kinnikinnick. For this recipe I typically use the Whole Foods Brand Gluten Free Sandwich Bread which is sweet and thick.

How It Works...

In a medium sized bowl combine rice milk, egg and cinnamon and whisk it lightly with a fork. Are you using frozen bread? If so, toast it now so that when you are ready to soak the bread slices, they will be warm and firm. (If not using frozen bread, skip that step.)

When your bread is ready, soak it for 30 seconds per side in the egg mixture until it has absorbed the liquid but not become overly sodden.

Remove each slice after it has soaked on each side and place aside on a plate or tray until you are ready to fry it.

Melt about half of your butter in a medium sized saucepan over low-medium temperature. When the butter is warm but not smoking, add the first slice (more than one is fine if the pan is wide enough) and fry it for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Should excess egg accumulate on the sides of your toast, it is easy to gently "trim" off with your spatula before serving.

Delicious! May be served with jam, sprinkled sugar, maple syrup, apple sauce or your own favorite breakfast topping. I personally love this recipe so much I usually eat my slices just as they are, without any extras.

Serves 4. Yum!

P.S. You can make this recipe dairy/casein free by substituting canola oil or vegetable oil for the butter.

Simple Pasta with Red Sauce (...and sneaky bell peppers!)

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:21:00 +0000

With three children under the age of five to take care of, I don't have a lot of time these days to experiment with new recipes. Not to mention, money is a little tighter with so many mouths to feed. When it's time to make dinner, I need to know that my kids are going to both like and eat their food. Yet I also want to make sure that they are getting the nutrition they need. Which means that as much as they would love to subsist on nuggets, fries, macaroni and ice cream, it just isn't possible. They need vegetables.

One of my favorite vegetables to cook with is the bell pepper (both red and green). My husband and I use them all of the time, and they remain a staple item on our weekly grocery list. We try to buy organic (thanks to the high level of pesticide residue on regular peppers) but when we can't I just give the regular ones a good scrubbing with a fruit and vegetable rinse. Bell peppers are an amazing superfood. Not only are they a great source of vitamins B6 and C, plus folic acid and beta carotene, but they are chock full of antioxidants.

However, try telling this to a four year old child. Or actually, don't bother. If yours is anything like mine, you might as well avoid this tantrum: "BUT I DON'T LIKE PEPPERS! I HATE PEPPERS! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME EAT PEPPERS!" I'm not going to lie, my children have gone so far as to throw their peppers right off of the plate and out the door.

So why not avoid the argument altogether? Here is our family recipe for a simple pasta with red sauce where the bell peppers are so tiny, your kids (or picky partners) won't even notice them!

Simple Pasta with Red Sauce
(...and sneaky Bell Peppers)

What You'll Need...

2 large ripe tomatoes
1 medium green bell pepper, finely minced
1 medium yellow onion, finely minced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 shallot, finely minced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 bay leaves
Penzeys Tuscan Sunset seasoning*
15 oz tomato sauce
grapeseed oil
1/2 pkg gluten free penne
salt

*If you can't get the Penzeys, their Tuscan Sunset is a mix of: sweet basil, Turkish oregano, Aleppo pepper, garlic, thyme, fennel, black pepper and anise seed

How It Works...

Boil the gluten free penne in a large pot of salted water, following directions on the package. While this is happening...

Mince up your bell pepper, onion, garlic and shallot. If you have a Cuisinart mini-chopper this can cut your prep time considerably, but if not just use a sharp knife and mince away! Combine them in a bowl close at hand.

In a large, deep saucepan pour a good sized glug of grapeseed oil and heat at medium temperature. When the oil is hot but not smoking, use your clean bare hands to squish two large ripe tomatoes over the pan and then add their juice and flesh to the warm oil. Next add the minced vegetable mixture and saute over low heat until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the chili and garlic powders, a liberal sprinkling of Penzeys and the bay leaves. Stir and saute for about 1 additional minute. Finally, pour in the tomato sauce, and reduce heat.

Simmer the sauce on low for about 8-10 minutes and then remove from heat and allow to sit for a few minutes. It will thicken slightly. When your penne has finished boiling, drain it and then add it into the sauce pan full of red sauce. Stir gently with a large wooden spoon until all pasta is well coated with the thickened red sauce. Salt and pepper to taste (if necessary... I don't add extra salt or pepper to ours.) Serve to your family or guests while still warm.

P.S. I made this pasta with red sauce again last week and not only did my kids not notice the green bell peppers, they asked for seconds and thirds :-) HeeHee!

Serves 4-6 and makes a fabulous comfort food.
Yum!

Quiche Lorraine with Spinach and Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:07:00 +0000

Birthdays were always extraordinary in my family growing up. My mother made them into really wondrous occasions (especially when we were small) involving special presents, clothes, foods, friends and activities. She celebrated the mere fact that we were alive with absolute joy, which is darn sweet considering that she was the one who should really have been getting the presents from each of us! After all, she was the one who put in the hard work to give us life.

Somewhere along the way I internalized these birthday rituals as part of my personal code of living. Birthdays are special, because they remind us how lucky we are to have a certain person in our life.

Last week my husband celebrated his 35th birthday. He's a no muss, no fuss type of guy so it's rare that he actually wants anything specific for his birthday. H is genuinely happier to go hiking or for a ride on his bicycle than he would be to receive a fancy new watch or gadget. For this reason, I try to find ways to appreciate him on his birthday that I know will truly mean something to him.

Luckily, my man's heart is definitely in his stomach!

For his birthday this year, I decided to bake him a quiche. I don't know who said that real men don't eat quiche... because my father loved it and so does H. He especially loves Quiche Lorraine for its bacon. Usually I try to minimize bacon consumption in our house as I am hoping my husband will live a long life with clear arteries and a healthy heart. Still, every now and again the occasion calls for bacon or sausage... and this was one of those times.

Quiche is such a wonderful dish. Using the simplest of ingredients, you create a sophisticated masterpiece brimming with flavor. I invented this gluten free recipe for Quiche Lorraine working from three main ingredients my husband loves under all circumstances: eggs, mushrooms and bacon. From there, the ingredients seemed to suggest themselves one by one... caramelized onions, spinach, cream, crumbled cheese. They just made sense together.

My husband ate no less than three large slices of his birthday quiche for his birthday dinner. His main comment was that he wished I'd doubled the recipe and made two of them, since we managed to polish off the entire pan in one sitting. This heartfelt praise made me glow... and I feel so confident about this recipe that I expect that you will be glowing with pride too when you serve it with love to your family, friends or co-workers.

With a relatively fast preparation and cooking time, such a yummy meal doesn't have to wait for special occasions. It could be your comfort food after a long day at work, the dish you bring to exhausted parents caring for a new baby, or even your contribution to a potluck supper. You don't need a reason for quiche. Or shall I say, there's always a reason for quiche.

Quiche Lorraine with Spinach and Mushrooms

What You'll Need:

Italian Style Gluten Free Breadcrumbs (3-4 oz per glass pie dish)
5 eggs
6 strips bacon
1/2 cup crumbled sharp white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 small onions
8 oz crimini mushrooms
1/2 bag baby spinach leaves
Sea salt (to taste)
Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
Penzeys Bavarian seasoning (to taste, optional)

How It Works:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

While it is heating, grease a standard 9.5 inch pie dish (I use glass) with a thick layer of butter. Next, dust the entire dish liberally with your gluten free breadcrumbs, until there is a thin coating of breadcrumbs covering all of the butter.

It takes a little while to fry bacon, so I would recommend cooking your bacon on the stove in a separate pan while you begin the process of chopping the mushrooms and onions.

Using a very sharp knife, finely chop your onions and mushrooms. Depending on how much you enjoy the texture of mushrooms, you may also use a Cuisinart mini-prep machine to mince them for this recipe.

In a large saute pan, add a large glug of extra virgin olive oil over medium temperature. When it is hot but not smoking, add your onions and mushrooms. Stir frequently until onions begin to turn translucent. While the mixture sautes, season it with sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and Pensey's Bavarian Seasoning to taste. (If you can't find Penzeys, consider whipping up your own mixture of crushed brown mustard, rosemary, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and sage). Once the onions are a bit caramelized (and your mushrooms may have given off a good deal of liquid) remove the pan from burner and cover it.

You will need a large bowl in which to make the custard. Add the eggs, milk and heavy cream and blend it well with an electric hand mixer or fork. Set aside.

Now you are ready to assemble the quiche for baking. Take your greased pie plate full of breadcrumbs and layer the bottom with healthy handfuls of baby spinach leaves (about half of a standard pre-washed bag). Next, sprinkle your crumbled sharp cheddar cheese on top of the spinach. Pour the custard on top of the spinach/cheese mixture. Finally, crumble all the cooked bacon on top of the custard and allow it to sink slightly into the mixture.

Bake in your preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes until its top has browned and your tester (whether toothpick or knife) has come out clean when dipped into the center of the quiche.

Serves 4 to 6 (two slices each vs. one larger slice each).

Tasty, Gluten-Free and Fast! Anti-Inflammation Breakfast Hash

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:30:00 +0000

When I was first diagnosed with gluten intolerance almost two years ago, it came as a real shock to me that I could possibly be having trouble digesting wheat - which was my absolute favorite food staple. I knew that some of my favorite foods (cheese danishes!) were not the healthiest, but I attributed that to their saturated fat or sugar content and never suspected the grain or gluten.

At that time, my doctor/nutritionist talked with me about the silent, chronic inflammation taking place in my body in the form of autoimmune thyroiditis. He explained how important it was for me to avoid the foods that caused inflammation in my gut, so that I could heal and reduce my TPO antibodies which were at that time off the charts.

Everything he said proved to be true - I followed his dietary and supplement suggestions and experienced a complete and perfect healing. Since then, I've been fascinated by what I've read about internal inflammation, and the foods that can help protect a person from silent long term inflammation that triggers serious diseases including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's.

The basic premise of the anti-inflammation diet is fairly simple. To protect your health, it is recommended that you:*

Eat a variety of whole grains plus fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts daily.

Indulge in the leaner meats, preferably chicken and fish.

If you must have red meat (like me!) consider buffalo or the leanest possible cuts of beef.

Stay away from saturated fats, processed foods, most dairy and sugar.

Make sure to get a good helping of Omega-3s every day, and don't forget that diet is only part of the picture.

Exercise and work on reducing your stress level

I have to admit, I was a little concerned at first about the emphasis on eating a "variety of whole grains". Since my diagnosis with gluten intolerance I have typically turned to rice in its many forms to meet my refined carbohydrate needs. Apparently I've been ingesting my fair share of empty calories. Still, other than quinoa, I haven't spent a lot of time experimenting with other gluten free grains.

So... it's time for us to learn more about buckwheat, steel cut oats processed in a dedicated gf mill, and sorghum. I also need to focus on cooking for my family with brown rice rather than the nutrient-poor white kind.

I'm pleased to report to my gluten free readers that the anti-inflammation diet seems to go along very easily with a typical gluten free repertoire. So far, following the guidelines hasn't required much change - just a heightened focus on where my food supply is coming from (do they use pesticides?) and the need to cook with less butter and cream.

This morning, inspired by my readings about the anti-inflammatory qualities of egg whites and turmeric, I decided to throw together a quick and delicious anti-inflammation breakfast hash. I'll probably keep experimenting with this one... use a little minced fresh garlic perhaps. Still, if you're looking for a quick and tasty meal that will give you lots of energy while reducing any hidden inflammation I think you will like today's result.

Anti-Inflammation Breakfast Hash

What You'll Need:

2 egg whites, combined with a fork (preferably from Omega-3 eggs)
3 oz of tinned trout in olive oil (salmon would be even better!)
1 large handful of rinsed baby spinach (preferably organic)
Turmeric (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)

How It Works:

Heat a non-stick saute pan over medium heat for about a minute so that heat is distributed. Add the tinned trout in olive oil and use a wooden spoon to break up the larger chunks. Before the olive oil begins to bubble, add the two egg whites to the trout mixture and stir it all together into a hash. Remove spoon and allow to cook for a minute. Egg will begin to change color. Next, sprinkle in turmeric and black pepper to taste. (I personally use a big dash of turmeric and a small dash of pepper.) Stir well into the rapidly cooking egg/trout mixture. Finally, add the baby spinach leaves and integrate them well into your hash. Cook for approx 30 seconds to 1 minute until the spinach begins to wilt. Turn off heat under pan and allow it to sit undisturbed for about a minute to allow the flavors to set. Especially wonderful if eaten immediately...

To add a special anti-inflammatory "ooomph" consider serving with:

a side of fresh fruit

sliced fresh tomatoes

a mug of green tea

Serves 1-2.

*Guidelines from The Complete Idiot's Guide to The Anti-Inflammation Diet by Christopher P. Cannon, M.d. and Elizabeth Vierck

Gluten Free Molasses Cookies... Comfort Food For Happy Kids (and their anxious parents)

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:52:00 +0000

They say that fear is a great motivator... and if so, then today's parents must be the most motivated group of individuals who ever lived. Because frankly, there is so much out there to be afraid of if you love your kids. (And I'm just talking about food!)

I woke up this morning to an email from my GP explaining his thoughts about the currently proposed United States national health care legislation. He had a lot to say, in his own very articulate way. One of the key points that caught my attention early on in his message revolved around the risk of getting cancer in your lifetime. According to my GP, an average person in the year 1940 had about a 1 in 65 risk of getting some kind of cancer during the course of their lifetime. Apparently today that risk stands at 1 in 1.5 people (can this really be true!?!) and current projections indicate that within the next decade, every single person on the planet will develop some kind of cancer during their lifetime if they don't die from some form of accident or infection.

Now I haven't reviewed the fine print to his statistics. I assume that he must be including all forms of cancer in this number - so I'm guessing he is lumping benign skin cancers or other easily treatable forms of cancer in with the more serious stuff. Still... chills ran up my spine as I read his words. Two of my three small children were busy playing Legos by my feet and I couldn't help looking at them and wondering with a little despair, "Are both of you really going to get cancer some day no matter what I do?"

What a terrible notion. If you are like me, you would probably do anything and everything that you could think of to protect the people you love -- your spouse, kids, parents, siblings, friends -- from such a fate.

My doctor believes, as I do, that you are what you eat. Health begins and ends in the gut, and so as a mother I take feeding my children very seriously. I answered my doctor's call to arms today by worrying once again about the meals I am feeding my children.

Lately my second child, aged two, has been undergoing tests for a suspected food allergy. His diapers have been just awful for months. Our pediatrician and I went immediately for the celiac tests, given my own history. The bloodwork came back negative for an inflamation or immune response to wheat, so they are now running stool tests. We have begun the process of beginning an elimination diet for him... and will be eliminating all of the major allergens from his diet one by one for two weeks at a time. Two weeks of no dairy. Two weeks of no soy. You get the picture. Mommy (that's me) keeps a detailed journal of what he eats and how it affects his bowel movements. For me it means a lot more of what most celiacs are already great at - reading labels, looking for hidden ingredients, finding creative alternatives and watching to see how what you eat affects how you feel. Except in this case, I worry so much more about the results because the person feeling badly is a tiny, fragile child that I gave life to only two years ago.

The pressure that comes along with trying to keep little children eating a specialized, limited diet is intense - especially if you are working with a limited budget, which we are. The obstacles to success are also great. First of all, how do you convince the child to abstain from favorite foods that are bad for him or her? What small child doesn't want to live 24/7 on pizza, chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese? How does a well-meaning parent explain to their child why they are the only kid who can't eat the cake at birthday parties? How can a parent be sure that teachers along the way won't "forget" and give their child 'forbidden' gluten, dairy, soy, etc. in the form of a little treat here and there? How can you be sure that well meaning people like grandparents, family friends and babysitters won't slip your kid something with an allergen?

Even if your kid doesn't have dietary restrictions or food allergies, it's still tough to keep them thriving on a healthy and balanced diet. Buying organic is tough on a shoestring. These days I usually resort to getting non-organic vegetables and fruits and then washing them really well with the special soaps that are supposed to get rid of pesticide residue. I feel guilty every time I feed the non-organic stuff to my family, but I would feel just as guilty and stressed if I broke the family budget during these tough economic times just to buy "fancy" groceries.

Then you have all of the conflicting advice given to parents from various experts. Celebrities and doctors on the television tells me that milk does a body good, but the blood type books of Dr. Peter D'Adamo tell me that milk is toxic for blood type As. Who do I believe?

Speaking of which... as I've mentioned in past blogs, my children have different blood types which necessitates that I follow different dietary guidelines for each of them. Doggone it, even though I keep a thorough list of what they can and can't eat in my purse, I keep messing up. Today I picked up three packages of unsulfured sweet mangoes for my little guy to eat since he can't have dairy for the next two weeks (which rules out most of his favorite desserts) and then found when checking his blood type list in the car that Type As should avoid mangoes. Doh! I've been feeding them to him for days now.

My last example relates to food processing... today I bought white rice flour to bake these cookies and I felt really great about baking gluten free... until I read that I should be avoiding processed grains altogether. Ack!

It's almost enough to drive a well meaning parent to drink... In my case, I found comfort in creating these delicious Molasses Crackle Cookies for my family from Elizabeth Barbone's lovely Easy Gluten-Free Baking.

Despite the fact that I used processed grains and granulated sugar, at least I can take pride in the fact that they are (a) gluten free, (b) dairy free, (c) delicious and (d) homemade with love for my children. I know it isn't everything, but at least it's a start, right?

I am so excited to sit with them on our back porch tomorrow, eating cookies while telling them stories from my own childhood... which seems so carefree in retrospect.

"When I was a little girl, my mother used to make me Bisquick pancakes with apples and cinnamon on weekend mornings. I loved to eat huge stacks of them while watching cartoons for hours. This was of course before anyone knew that wheat, sugar and dairy are slowly killing us and that apples are actually not approved for people with my blood type. No-one had yet informed my parents that television would rot my brain, lower my IQ and reduce my chances of going to college. Yep, those were the good old days..."

This Deliciousness Was Created Gluten Free...

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:52:00 +0000

Hi there! Well, after 34 very challenging weeks we welcomed our gluten free baby into the world. While the pregnancy itself was quite difficult thanks to a placenta previa and other unexpected perinatal concerns, I firmly believe that my gluten free diet played a major role in her exquisite health when born 6 weeks early via c-section. There is no question in my mind that she would have gone full term if left to her own devices... but when the doctors saw that her umbilical cord was wrapped four times around her neck (yes, 4x!) they recommended immediate c-section to prevent decelerations or a cord compression.

So there you have it... 6 months on a modified pregnancy rest followed by eight days in the hospital and two weeks visiting a baby in the NICU, these are my main reasons for having been a HUGE SLACKER in the gluten free blogging department.

I am still ardent about a gluten free lifestyle however and intend to begin cooking and blogging again as soon as I've figured out how to juggle running a household and taking care of three tiny children simultaneously.

Here were some of the greatest benefits of my gluten free pregnancy:

I had more energy and patience than in the prior 2 pregnancies.

Gained only weight necessary to maintain a healthy pregnancy and placenta, despite eating all the time...

My baby was born completely healthy at 34 weeks and able to breathe on her own outside of the womb. Her only risk factor is prematurity, and other than that she is considered to be a medical miracle by her perinatologists.

I'm having a "textbook recovery" so far from the c-section.

I was able to share lots of information with my doctors and nurses at the hospital about the health benefits I've experienced living gluten free. Many of the people I chatted with seemed really interested!

Looking forward to sharing more gluten free cuisine soon... well, as soon as we've slept more than 2 hours at a time!

Eating Well in a Mixed Blood Type Family

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Years before I met my husband, I first discovered the writings and blood type diet of Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo. I had been following a strict vegan diet for slightly more than one year, and was surprised by how consistently unhealthy I had become. I seemed to pick up every single cold, flu and bacterial infection out there... and since I worked as an elementary school teacher, there were A LOT of little germs out there to catch! I was also having a lot more trouble healing than ever before, and had begun to experience endometriosis-like symptoms. To put it simply, I grew exhausted with feeling sick and going to the doctor all the time. During my search for answers and for a key to better health, I picked up "Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type" one day at the bookstore and could not put it down.

As it turned out, my Type O blood type made me a terrible candidate for the vegan lifestyle. I had been avoiding all of the foods that were most beneficial to me - such as meat, chicken, fish and eggs... and eating heavy amounts of pasta, dairy and beans to make up for the calcium and protein I knew I was missing in my diet. Within weeks of re-introducing meat, chicken and fish back into my diet I began to feel 100% better and people were commenting on my glowing skin and healthy appearance.

It wasn't until nearly a decade later that I was formally diagnosed with gluten intolerance - but in retrospect, I should have known about that since 1999 when I first began to loosely follow the blood type O diet. If I had followed its guidelines more strictly, I could probably have avoided putting on so much weight with my first two pregnancies, developing my autoimmune thyroid disorder, and having endless troubles with allergies.

Readers of this blog know that since I have embarked on a completely gluten-free diet and lifestyle (coupled with the Type 0 diet) my health problems and issues with weight have totally resolved. Now seven months into my third pregnancy, I remain nearly thirty pounds lighter than I was at the same stage with my second child (when I delivered at sixty pounds over my 'normal' weight). My thyroid remains totally normal, blood pressure is low, and I've had a lot more energy in this pregnancy - despite many other stresses we've faced in the last few months. The baby is growing really well and measures perfectly, despite the fact that I've put on such little weight.

Sounds great, right?

There's just one wee little catch... while one of my children is a Type O like me, my husband and other child are both blood Type A. Does that really make a difference, you may ask? Well, only in terms of grocery shopping and cooking every single meal, every single day.

Red meat? Fabulous for Type O eaters... toxic for Type As.
Wheat and Grain? Like nectar of the gods for Type As... toxic for Type Os.
Corn and Soy? Terrific if you're an A... toxic for Os (especially the soy).

"That's not so bad," one might say... "Surely you must have some common ground!" And in truth, there is a lot of common ground. Fish, vegetables, fruits and rice... we have most of these in common. Still, every meal takes a little extra thought and planning. For example, for lunch today I served one child chicken and peas while the other one ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread, also with peas. One ate bananas and the other had strawberries. One had mango juice while the other drank strawberry-kiwi nectar. The main problems come up when the two year old screams "I want bananas!" or the four year old whines, "Why can't I have peanut butter too?" They are a little young to understand that mommy is trying to keep them healthy, and that what is right is not always equal or fair.

Sometimes it gets a little wearing to have to cook two different types of pasta for every pasta dinner... or have to explain for the 100th time why I would prefer not to sample my husband's famous (delicious) brussels sprouts in cream sauce. Worse, my husband H doesn't really believe in either a gluten free or blood type diet... so merely planning the weekly grocery list together can be a power struggle of epic proportions. "Kids should drink milk!" he states, and I reply, "Neither of our kids should be drinking milk according to their blood types!" To which he laughingly responds, "Show me the facts! Show me the studies!" (What I wouldn't give to be Mrs. Peter J. D'Adamo at moments like those... so that I would have all relevant facts and studies at my fingertips!)

Still it hasn't escaped my observation that my little Type O who eats grain also has quite a big tummy and a lot of hyperactivity for a four year old... and my little Type A who eats dairy and drinks milk constantly has ear infections and a runny nose. So, today I'm back to fighting the good fight - aiming to keep the peace while also keeping our mixed blood type family healthy. I've posted D'Adamo's Blood Type Diet recommendations and restrictions on our refrigerator, put copies in my purse to refer to when shopping or at restaurants, and am now happily planning gluten-free recipes for next week (like Tarragon Chicken and Sauteed Fish on a bed of Quinoa) that will work for everyone in the house.

Sometimes I think back to when I was a kid and my mom tried to keep us healthy by feeding us wheat bread instead of white bread and vegetables instead of meat. It was a little less complicated back in those days for moms to feed their kids "healthy" food. Oh well - at least now I understand why some of my mom's healthiest specialty dishes (like eggplant with tomato sauce) left my stomach in knots... and I know enough about food allergies to help my children avoid the 'healthy' foods that will make them feel lousy. Is this generational progress? I'll keep you posted.

*Photos courtesy of FreePhoto1.Com

Savory Cannellini Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Readers of this blog will know by now that I haven’t posted any recipes in over two months. My pregnancy with our third child has been surprisingly complicated, taking up a huge amount of time and energy... and although I’ve found comfort in cooking for my family, I haven’t had much opportunity to blog about our meals. Rather than inventing my own recipes I've been reprising family favorites and turning gratefully to delicious dinner recipes developed by my favorite gluten free bloggers including Karina Allrich and Shauna James Ahern.

Thanks to a happy accident however, today I found myself creating an original "everything but the kitchen sink" recipe for this very tasty vegetarian soup that proved to be a great hit with my husband and children. Inspired by a single 15 oz can of cannellini beans, this savory concoction draws its rich flavor from its spicing which includes fire roasted green chiles, tarragon, rosemary, sage and chicken broth.

I hope this meal will warm the tummies and hearts of your family and friends – and that you will share the same joy in sitting around the table chatting over your steaming bowl of soup that we did tonight.

Savory Cannellini Bean Soup

What You’ll Need:

3 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
3 celery ribs (including leaves) sliced very thinly
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup short grain brown rice
4 oz fire roasted green chiles
15 oz cannellini beans
8 oz crimini mushrooms, washed and quartered
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 sprig fresh tarragon, minced
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp sage
Olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper (additional) to taste

Optional: 1 large handful of steamed asparagus, chopped into ½ inch pieces

How It Works:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 3 quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrots and celery, dust them with salt and pepper according to your taste, and sauté covered (stirring frequently) for 8-10 minutes until the celery has softened. Add minced garlic and stir continuously for 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant but not yet golden. Add chiles and mix them well into your veggie medley. Pour in the uncooked short grain brown rice, and stir it into the mix until all grains of rice are well coated with the oil and chile juices. Allow the rice to warm, approximately 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring.

Next, pour in all chicken broth, water and wine. Add Bay leaf, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper and bring entire contents of pot to a boil. Skim froth off of top of the liquid. Reduce heat and simmer mostly covered for 20 minutes. When timer rings, add quartered mushrooms, cannellini beans, tarragon, sage and rosemary (plus optional steamed asparagus if you’ve chosen to add it). Combine these new ingredients well into your broth and set the timer for 30 additional minutes. Allow your soup to simmer covered, making sure that it does not boil. Stir occasionally. The soup will be ready to eat after 50 minutes total cooking time, but feel free to allow it to simmer over low heat as long as you like.

Serve generous portions of this hearty soup next to a fresh side salad. Especially great with hot buttered Kinnikinnick gluten-free dinner rolls!

Serves 6.

Meatloaf with Roasted Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:03:00 +0000

I may be one of the last people in the United States to discover what a wonderful, delicious and even healthy treat meatloaf can be. My past experiences with meatloaf have admittedly been limited.

With parents that turned vegetarian early in my adolescence, the closest I ever came to sampling meatloaf at home was when my mother would make "nutloaf" ~ a questionable mix of ground nuts and mushrooms (along with many other ingredients) shaped into loaf form and baked until it tasted completely dry. I love my mother - who is universally acknowledged as a great cook - but could never summon any positive feeling for that nutloaf in either my heart or stomach. Since that time I’ve pretty much avoided creating, eating or ordering any foods which include the word "loaf".

Over the past few months though, I’ve been experimenting with a gluten free recipe adaptation* that combines a traditional meatloaf recipe with sensational roasted vegetables. The result is not only healthier than a stereotypical meatloaf, it is also beautiful to look at and quite tasty to eat.

I would love to know what suggestions my vegetarian readers have for adapting this recipe even further to become a totally meatless roasted vegetable loaf. I have a feeling it could be great that way too... without ground nuts.

Meatloaf with Roasted Vegetables

What You’ll Need:

Roasted Vegetable Medley...

1 small red onion
1 small yellow onion
2 large red bell peppers
2 – 3 large zucchini, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Marjoram

Meatloaf...

1 ½ cups gluten free ketchup
1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (I use Gillian’s)
1.75 lbs ground beef (15 – 22%)
¼ cup Merlot
1 ½ cups of roasted vegetable medley
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, crumbled
2 eggs
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried marjoram
1 tbsp dried rosemary
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1 ½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

How It Works:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. While it is heating up, you can work on your prep work: mincing up the zucchini, red peppers, onions and garlic. Once they are all cut up, throw everything into a single mixing bowl. Douse the vegetables with about two glugs of olive oil and if you aren’t squeamish about touching food it works best if you use your own hands to thoroughly combine all of the vegetables and oil. When this is done, spread the medley across a baking sheet (with sides/rim) and sprinkle them well with salt, pepper and a light dusting of marjoram. Bake in oven uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes or until the onions have softened and browned just slightly.

Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees. In a very large mixing bowl, combine your gluten free breadcrumbs, fresh mozzarella, crushed red pepper and ground beef with your tablespoons of basil, marjoram and rosemary. Add 1 ½ cups of your roasted vegetable medley, along with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Mix it all really well – again, using your hands works best.

In a separate bowl, throw together the eggs, ½ cup of ketchup and merlot. Whisk it together rapidly and when it is fully integrated pour it into your beef mixture. At this point you may wish to use a sturdy spoon (or two) to fully combine the sauce into the beef and breadcrumbs.

Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 pan (your basic bread loaf pan) and then add enough of your meatloaf mixture to fill the pan halfway. Smooth the top – about halfway up the pan – with a butter knife or spoon and then coat it with another ½ cup of ketchup. This will add a lovely and moist interior stripe… extra flavor in every slice! Now spoon the rest of your meatloaf mix into the pan and shape the top into loaf form. Spread the remaining ½ cup of ketchup over the top of the loaf.

Place your loaf uncovered in the oven and bake it until the top is brown and all juices run clear when you stick a knife into it. In our oven (which runs hot) this takes about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and allow your loaf to rest for a few minutes before serving ~ this tasty and filling loaf will slice much more evenly if its not too hot.

Top each slice with a heaping spoonful of your remaining roasted vegetable medley - which can be warmed up in a frying pan if it has cooled. What a gorgeous and healthy meal!

Serves 6 – 8 as a main course. Excellent with a side salad!
*Original recipe from The Flavors of Bon Appetit 2006, p. 42

Delicious Beef Stroganoff

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:56:00 +0000

There is nothing like pregnancy to bring forth all of your deepest cravings for the comfort foods of your childhood. I have to admit that the past three months have tested my gluten free resolve – much more than at any point in the year since I first embarked on a gluten free lifestyle. There is nothing like morning sickness to make a former bread eater yearn with some desperation for a plain old Saltine, or just one piece of buttery wheat toast. If you’ve gone through this kind of a struggle in your transition to living gluten free, please know that my heart is with you. It does get better, and if you persevere I believe that you will discover many health benefits and other positive effects from the rigor of your new dietary practice.

The comfort foods of your childhood... what were they? For me, there were a few standouts. Cinnamon toast thickly layered with butter and sugar, peanut butter quesadillas (sounds yucky, I know ~ but they were sensational!) pasta with corn and parmesan cheese, and my mother’s classic standouts: homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, honey baked (breaded) chicken with peaches, pasta with pesto sauce, spaghetti with meatballs and my absolute favorite... beef stroganoff with mushrooms. I feel wistful just remembering it.

Before my diagnosis with gluten intolerance my husband H and I had discovered a rich and tangy recipe for beef stroganoff using just a tad of mustard. It knocked our socks off and we liked to serve it to both family and friends over a bed of fresh egg noodles. Much to my chagrin, I realized after going gluten free that both the sauce and noodles for this culinary treasure contain a fair share of gluten (in the form of flour). For many sad months we lived without beef stroganoff in our lives.

After discovering the supple properties of Tinkyada fettuccine though, I dusted off our beloved Gourmet Cookbook recipe and figured out how to adapt it into gluten free stroganoff using corn starch and extra mushrooms. The combination of shallots, mustard and black pepper gives it a fantastic kick – not spicy, just very flavorful. I recommend this recipe highly and suggest that vegetarians consider trying it out without the meat (perhaps substituting Shiitake mushrooms for the meat’s thicker texture).

Now that I am a mother my own children often request this dinner and I smile to myself, realizing that I have passed forward something special. Maybe someday they too will look back with fond memories upon this elegant and comforting meal: ‘Mom’s beef stroganoff’.

Delicious Beef Stroganoff
Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook (Ruth Reichl, Editor)

What You’ll Need:

Half a stick of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of corn starch
1 cup of beef broth (or vegetable stock for vegetarians)
1 lb beef tenderloin sliced thinly (we use top sirloin for a lower cost) into 1 – 2 inch strips*
½ cup thinly sliced shallots
8 oz Cremini mushrooms, washed and quartered
3 tablespoons of sour cream at room temperature
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

*Vegetarians may substitute Shiitake mushrooms sliced thickly and adjust cooking time accordingly.

Served over:

A bed of gluten free Tinkyada fettuccine

How It Works:

As my readers know I am a big fan of getting all prep work out of the way before you actually start cooking. I would suggest slicing up your shallots, quartering your mushrooms and cutting your meat into strips first. Have each ingredient ready in its own container (beef should be patted dry and dusted with salt and pepper on both sides) so that the cooking process can go smoothly and quickly. Measure out your corn starch and beef broth, since you will need them both immediately once you start cooking.

Although you won’t need them until the end of your cooking process, now is a good time to take the sour cream and mustard out of the refrigerator so that they can adjust to "room temperature".

Next, put your pot of salted water to boil so that you can add the Tinkyada (or other gluten free) fettuccine which takes much longer to cook than "normal" pasta. When the water boils, add your pasta and cook it until it is truly soft – which generally takes me longer than the time indicated on their package. Rice pasta is truly not very tasty unless it is fully cooked...

Once you’ve done all this, you’re ready to go! Start out by melting a few tablespoons of butter in a small cast iron saucepan (or heavy sauce pan) over a low medium heat. When it is melted you will begin to whisk in your corn starch to make a roux. Continue to whisk for at least two minutes and then slowly pour in your beef broth, continuing to stir. Reduce your heat to low and simmer the mixture, whisking here and there for between 2 and 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cover it.

In a large (wide) frying pan, melt a tablespoon of butter and a glug of olive oil at a high medium temperature. Do not allow the butter to burn. Add your strips of beef in two batches and cook them until they are browned on each side but still a tiny bit pink in the center (between 1-2 minutes per side). Transfer the sautéed meat to a waiting plate or dish, leaving their juices in the pan.

Throw another tablespoon of butter into your warm pan full of drippings and allow it to melt. Now add the thinly sliced shallots and sauté them until they soften and turn a delicious tan color. Pour in your quartered mushrooms and cover the pan, making sure to stir occasionally. As they sauté your mushrooms will give off a bit of liquid. Cook them until their flesh has changed color and they are soft and moist. This may take up to 10 minutes. Check them every few minutes to make sure that they are not overcooking.

Spoon your strips of meat and any accumulated juices back into the pan full of shallots and mushrooms. Stir everything together and reduce heat to simmer meat and mushrooms together.

Bring your covered saucepan with the roux back to a burner and re-heat it over low heat. Now is the time to whisk in the three tablespoons of sour cream, mustard, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper (or to your own personal taste). When the sauce is well combined, pour it into the pan full of meat and mushrooms and mix together well so that everything is covered in sauce.

If you haven’t done so already, strain your fettuccine and make a nice bed of noodles on each plate. Spoon the stroganoff sauce over the plates of fettuccine (making sure that your guests all get a nice helping of the actual sauce in addition to meat and mushrooms) and serve while hot!

Serves 6 comfortably.

Christmas Coffee Cake by Gluten Free Pantry

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:23:00 +0000

After several very rough weeks of morning sickness that have mostly kept me out of the kitchen (and away from pungent aromas of any kind!) I am thrilled to at last feel well enough to re-enter my culinary sphere and begin cooking and blogging again. I received a few fantastic cookbooks for Christmas that I can’t wait to begin experimenting with and adapting for a gluten free lifestyle!

Yesterday evening we attended an absolutely lovely holiday wedding, complete with scarlet bridesmaid gowns, soft white flowers and candles everywhere. For dessert, the guests dined upon what looked to be outrageously delicious red velvet cupcakes... and I thought to my pregnant self, "How I wish I was feasting on a velvety gluten free cupcake!" When we arrived back at home, I scanned our pantry shelves for any tasty and gluten free dessert that could be whipped up with ease and relative speed in order to sate my raging sweet tooth.

Imagine my joy to discover this lovely pre-packaged recipe for a light, crumbly gluten free coffee cake! Gluten Free Pantry makes elegant and affordable dessert mixes that can always be guaranteed to brighten any brunch or dessert, and having loved their blueberry muffins in the past, I felt quite excited to put together the coffee cake as bedtime treat!

Once baked the cake itself was everything one could hope for – sweet, delicious and not heavy at all. For personal reasons I would have loved a Z-sweetened coffee cake, since my body doesn’t love "real sugar" too well. However my husband, a passionate sugar appreciator, has now sampled the cake too and pronounced it fantastic.

While I greatly look forward to creating original tasty and gluten free recipes for my readers over the coming months, I am so happy to share with you great acclaim for this simple to prepare and very satisfying coffee cake.

Coffee Cake by Gluten Free Pantry

What You’ll Need:

Eggs
Yogurt or Buttermilk
Butter
Gluten Free Vanilla
Gluten Free Pantry Coffee Cake Mix

8 inch Spring Form pan

How It Works:

Purchase this wonderful and affordable mix, preheat your oven and you’re on your way! You can put together the entire thing according to the directions on the box in less than ten minutes and enjoy a slice of your warm and crumbly gluten free coffee cake in just an hour! Hurray!

Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake "Factory Style"

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:07:00 +0000

This wonderful dessert could be called Happy Baby Cheesecake as I first experienced the recipe at a warm and loving baby shower for one of my dear friends. The hostess had kindly worked with her family to create a gluten free version of the same wonderful cheesecake she shared with the other guests, and everyone agreed that the gluten free version was just as tasty as the "regular" one. I felt both honored and overjoyed to be able to celebrate her new baby with this cheesecake.

I have adapted the recipe to my own tastes – e.g. my favorite brand of gluten free cookies (MI-DEL) and Z-sweet instead of regular sugar. I also found that the gluten free crust required more crumbs and butter to create than had the original crust. Ali’s recipe reportedly comes from The Cheesecake Factory, so full credit should be given there for the filling.

Thanks to my extreme (all day) "morning" sickness over the past few weeks, it’s been pretty tough to spend time in the kitchen... sadly for me, since the kitchen is typically my favorite place! The smell and even the thought of food – even delicious gluten free food – hasn’t been kind to me. Even so, it was a total joy to bake this gorgeous cheesecake for our Thanksgiving feast – and to share it with all those people I love the most. I hope your family and friends will enjoy it too! Happy Holidays!

Ali’s Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake, "Factory" Style

What You’ll Need:

2 cups gluten free cookie crumbs
6 – 8 T melted butter

1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 ¼ cups plus 1 T Z-Sweet
3 eight oz pkgs of softened cream cheese
1 t vanilla
½ t cinnamon
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t allspice

Whipping Cream

How It Works:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

While the oven is warming, work on putting together your crust. Crush enough gluten free cookies (your favorite kind) to create two cups of cookie crumbs. At our house, we use a mortar and pestle for this process but you can also use a food processor or Cuisinart to blend the cookies into small, even crumbs. Next, combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of Z-sweet in a large bowl. Make sure all crumbs are coated with butter and that the mixture holds together well.

Using a 8 inch Springform pan, press the buttered crumbs onto the bottom of the pan and along the sides as high as they will go, uniformly distributed. This will make a crust that rises approximately 2/3 up the pan. When you have finished this step, place the crust in the oven and bake it for 4 – 5 minutes until it sets. Remove it from the oven and set aside.

With a heavy mixer, combine Z-sweet, cream cheese and vanilla. Blend until it is very smooth and creamy. At this stage, the mixture will still be a bit thick. Next, add the pumpkin, eggs, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Keep beating, using a scraper to make sure that all of the cream cheese is blended in from the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. The final consistency will be like very thick cream.

Pour all filling into the Springform pan and carefully return it to the oven. Bake for approximately one hour (50 minutes in our oven, which runs hot), until the center of the cake is firm and its top has darkened slightly. Remove from the oven and place your cheesecake on a wire rack to cool.

When the pan is sufficiently cool (room temperature) place it in your refrigerator and allow it to chill before serving, preferably overnight. If you don’t have that kind of time, try to arrange at least 2 – 3 hours of chilling time.

Top with sweetened whipped cream and serve! This is a delicious and extremely rich gluten free holiday treat.

Serves 8 – 10.

Blackberry Granita with Whipped Cream

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:26:00 +0000

Although the summer months have waned, we are fortunate in California to find our local grocery store shelves still stocked with fresh blackberries and raspberries. With pie season in full swing, I wanted to create a recipe for something cool and smooth to serve as a complementary dessert... so that our holiday guests may choose to enjoy both warm pie and cool sweetness at our table.

There are several attractive things about this granita recipe. First, it is extremely simple to make. Next, during berry season it is a highly inexpensive and satisfying alternative to buying a half-gallon of ice cream. Lastly this is a very healthy dessert using only a handful of ingredients... but so delicious your family and friends will never miss all of the additives, sweeteners and preservatives they are accustomed to in regular store-bought treats.

Top your homemade blackberry granita with freshly whipped cream for extra perfection.

Homemade Blackberry Granita with Whipped Cream

What You’ll Need:

2 ½ cups fresh blackberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup Z-sweet (or sugar)
¾ cup water

For Topping:
½ pint heavy whipping cream
1 ½ tbsp Z-sweet (or sugar)

How It Works:

Combine water, Z sweet and lemon juice in a small pot over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Remove from heat and allow the syrup you have created to cool.

In a blender or food processor, add blackberries. Blend them at least one minute or until extremely smooth. Next, add cooled syrup and continue to blend until well combined. The consistency should be completely fluid, with no lumps.

Pour blackberry granita mixture into a small metal bowl or nonstick metal baking pan (I use one that is 13x9x2) and place into freezer. Freeze for approximately 30 minutes, then stir all of the icy outer parts into the center of the bowl or pan and continue freezing. Check every 20 minutes or so, and continue scraping the edges into the center... for about two hours. (Our freezer doesn't get very cold, so this process takes about three hours at our house.)

Finally, cover tightly and freeze. This recipe can be made up to one day in advance.

To serve, scoop or scrape your gorgeous blackberry granita into bowls and top as desired with sweetened whipped cream.

Serves 4 – 6.

Chicken and White Bean Chili

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:37:00 +0000

Having recently learned that I am pregnant with our third child (we're thrilled!) my husband and I are wondering what differences we will discover between my first two "normal" pregnancies (which actually triggered my autoimmune thyroid disorder and subsequent diagnosis with gluten intolerance)... and this new totally gluten free pregnancy. Will I gain less weight? Experience less morning sickness? Have more energy? There have already been so many positive outcomes from my gluten free diet over this past year, I am definitely excited about a gluten free pregnancy.

Some things about pregnancy never change though, and already I find myself feeling hungry all of the time. For this reason, I have decided to keep large kettles of homemade soups and chili on hand at all times so in those sudden and desperate moments of extreme hunger*, I will have something nutritious and gluten free on hand that is ready to eat. For this reason, I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different varieties of chili.

I am really proud of this new chicken and white bean chili which is very easy to make, savory and filling. The combination of spices – cilantro, chili pepper, cumin and oregano – brings out the best in both the tender chicken morsels and green bell peppers. An excellent budget meal, this chili will provide an adult sized portion for up to 8 people for somewhere between $10 and $15 dollars total! You can prepare it up to 24 hours before serving if necessary and, believe it or not, the flavors will actually improve with time as they continue to combine inside of your soup pot or storage container.

Everyone in our now-expanding family loves this new recipe ~ and happily I can attest - after many helpings - that it seems to agree with our new baby-on-the-way as well! (Our children have always loved spicy food...) We hope this chicken and white bean chili brings you luck and many blessings, along with a satisfied tummy!

Chicken and White Bean Chili

What You’ll Need:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into tiny pieces
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 large white onion, chopped
3 stalks of celery with leaves, thinly sliced
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
½ head of garlic (approx 6-7 cloves), finely minced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced
2 cans cannellini beans
2 tbsp chili pepper (or to taste)
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 cup chicken bouillon
Sea Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Olive oil

Optional toppings..
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Organic sour cream

How It Works:

Pour a large glug of olive oil into a deep pot and place on burner at medium high temperature. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add chopped onion and sliced celery and cook – stirring frequently – approximately 4 minutes until onions begin to soften and turn translucent. Add chopped green bell pepper, sauté with onions and celery another 4 minutes until peppers begin to soften. Next, add minced garlic and stir into vegetable mixture for approximately 30 seconds or until its aroma is quite fragrant.

Your chicken thighs should be cut into very small pieces – approximately ½ inch in length and width. At this time, add the chicken pieces into the vegetable mixture and cook at medium high temperature (stirring frequently) for another 5 minutes. Salt and pepper the chicken liberally. Add tomato paste, chili pepper, cilantro, oregano, cumin, diced tomatoes and cannellini beans with their juices. Combine the entire chili mixture well and then add chicken bouillon. Bring all ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for at least 30 more minutes. I personally simmer our chicken and white bean chili for up to two hours at a low temperature before serving, as the delicious taste seems directly proportional to amount of time cooking.

Top with sour cream or garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs as desired.

Serves 6 – 8.

*Extreme Hunger: If I don’t eat something RIGHT NOW, I’m going to (a) throw up or (b) become extremely grumpy and disagreeable. I’m pregnant!

Homemade Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie... From a Real Pumpkin!

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:14:00 +0000

A few weeks ago on Halloween, my young son and his daddy went to a real pumpkin patch for a school field trip and brought home one small pie pumpkin. We had already carved two Jack O’Lanterns for the big night, so the adorable pumpkin sat for a few days on our dining room table while I wondered what we could make with it.

At last, I found a recipe for creating the softened pumpkin for pumpkin pie from scratch – complete with photos showing how to do it. I’d never made anything like this before, and it seemed like a really fun cooking challenge. Following the steps to create the soft pumpkin filling turned out to be easy, and from there I improvised my own pie recipe.

I know that canned pumpkin is a whole lot more user friendly for most chefs… and I’m pretty sure this recipe will taste just as yummy using gluten free pumpkin from a can. So if you’re considering trying out my pie recipe and just don’t have the time to steam, skin and mash a fresh pumpkin – simply skip the first steps!

Baking this pie is the perfect activity for a rainy or dreary day... its cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice smell so warm, cozy and inviting that by the time you are done putting it in the warm oven you will feel as though your kitchen is hugging you.

The pie itself, when cooked and cooled, is very tasty. It is important to note though that soft pumpkin from a patch - even a pie pumpkin - is not inherently as sweet as the kind you will typically find in a can, so if you don't want a natural taste you may wish to add more sweetener than my recipe calls for.

It was a real joy to bake this pie with my small son, who loved that we were using his special pumpkin to make a sweet dessert. I can now say in all honesty, "It is delicious and even a preschooler can make it!" Happy Holidays!

Homemade Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie... From A Real Pumpkin!

What You’ll Need:

For Crust...
1 pkg Authentic Foods pie crust mix
(or your own homemade gluten free crust)

For Filling...
2 cups of pumpkin puree (see this recipe for steps…)
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Z Sweet
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice

For Topping...
Sprinkle of Z sweet
Heavy Whipping Cream
Gluten Free Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

How It Works:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash your pumpkin with warm water and dry well.

Next, carefully slice your pumpkin in half lengthwise, using a sharp serrated knife. With a sturdy metal spoon or ice cream scooper, scoop out all of the pumpkin seeds and "glop", keeping only the actual pumpkin shell.

Next, carefully slice the shell into several smaller pieces that will fit into a stovetop or microwave steamer. I used a microwave steamer and steamed each of the batches of pumpkin shell for approximately 7 minutes. There are great directions on how to steam your pumpkin using a stovetop steamer here.

Once you have steamed your pumpkin and cooled it slightly you should be able to easily remove the rind from the flesh with a butter knife or even your hands. Discard the rind, and place the softened pumpkin flesh into a food processor or blender. I use a Cuisinart.

Blend your steamed pumpkin until it is extremely smooth and supple, with no “threads” or lumps. Measure out two full cups of your pumpkin blend, and set aside to use when creating your pie filling.

If you are using the Authentic Foods pie crust, now is the moment to put it together and pre-bake it for five minutes in a greased pie pan.

You can also use your own homemade gluten free pie crust, or any other crust that you particularly enjoy.

When your crust has pre-baked and is ready to fill, mix together the pureed pumpkin, eggs, heavy cream, Z Sweet, xanthan gum, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. You can do this by hand but for best results I would recommend a mixer of some sort to make sure that your filling is smooth and well blended.

Pour filling into the crust and cover the crusts with tin foil. Bake in oven with crusts covered for approximately 20 minutes. Remove foil and then bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes more, until the center comes out clean when a knife or toothpick is inserted.

Before serving, dust the top of your pie lightly with Z sweet - or for those who can have dairy this is wonderful served with freshly whipped cream and/or vanilla bean ice cream.

The sprinkles you see here on top are Z Sweet and cinnamon... yum!

Serves 8 – 10.

Satisfying Stuffed Peppers

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:51:00 +0000

We’ve been trying to get a few more veggies tucked into our culinary repertoire: for our health of course… but especially for our small children who much to our dismay seem to have recently decided that if a dish doesn’t resemble pizza or chicken nuggets it isn’t worth eating. Stuffed peppers are always so tasty and elegant… in this recipe I decided to let the mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes replace any kind of meat, and it really worked. The combination with fresh arugula and feta cheese was extremely tasty (albeit a tad salty). My main piece of advice is to make sure that you use sun dried tomatoes that have been preserved in olive oil... the dried kind that need to be rehydrated are not as tasty in this recipe. We’ve tried it both ways and definitely prefer the more supple variety stored in olive oil.

Sheep’s milk feta is supposed to be fairly digestible for people suffering from dairy allergies, and I find that I do much better with it than regular cow’s milk feta. Perhaps you will have the same experience.

Overall, this is a very simple dinner to prepare – extremely filling – and not too hard on the pocket book. The peppers themselves are quite beautiful when stuffed and baked, and look chic when placed artfully on dinner plates next to a fresh side salad.

I am happy to report that exactly one of our children ate all of his stuffed pepper with gusto and asked for more. The other child, darling that he is, picked at his plate and asked for pizza. Ah well, we’ll keep on trying!

Satisfying Stuffed Pepper Recipe

What You’ll Need:

6 red bell peppers, sliced lengthwise
2 cups quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth (beef broth for non veggies)
1 cup sun dried tomatoes preserved in olive oil
1 cup sheeps milk feta cheese, crumbled
8 oz mushrooms
1 bunch fresh arugula leaves (approx 2 cups of leaves)
Marjoram
Fresh ground black pepper
Sea salt
Top w/ grated parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese
Butter
Olive Oil

How It Works:

Preheat oven to 350.

Slice bell peppers lengthwise, then place a dab of butter and a drizzle of olive oil in each half pepper and cook in oven for approx 10 minutes or until flesh of peppers begins to soften. Remove tray from oven and set aside, leaving heat on.

Cook quinoa in vegetable broth or water (beef broth for non-veggies). Prepare crumbled feta, dice your sun dried tomatoes, thoroughly rinse and de-stem the arugula leaves. Thinly slice your mushrooms. Melt approximately one tablespoon of butter and a nice sized glug of olive oil in a standard sauté pan. When butter/oil is warm but not smoking, add sliced mushrooms, sea salt, pepper and marjoram. Cover pan and sauté until flesh is has changed texture and color, becoming darker and more juicy. Stir now and again while sautéing.

When quinoa has finished cooking and looks fluffy and not too moist, add to the pot all diced sun dried tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, arugula leaves and sauteed mushrooms.

Mix thoroughly using either wooden spoons or your own clean hands. Then, using a large spoon, ladle heaping spoonfuls of this mixture into each of the softened bell pepper halves and return to oven for approximately 10 - 15 minutes, until peppers are tender but filling has not dried out. Check them frequently during this time.

Before serving, grate parmesan or sharp white cheddar cheese on top of stuffed peppers.

Serve while still warm.

This tasty dish feeds 4-6 adults as main course.

Tasty Vegetarian Chili on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:59:00 +0000

Since our family of four began to eat gluten free a year ago we have definitely noticed a slight increase in our weekly grocery bill – especially during weeks when I try to create gluten free desserts from scratch using a variety of flours or pre-packaged mixes. I have justified spending a little more money in order to keep our family free of gluten related health disorders (such as my autoimmune thyroiditis which has now resolved).

Still, in the past two months with U.S. economy tanking and our family budget stretched thin, I’ve been working even harder to plan gluten free meals that are also economical – without sacrificing quality or taste!

This explains why I am extremely proud to present to you this original recipe for vegetarian chili… which I recently created using only items which were already in our pantry or refrigerator! In my opinion, the individual ingredients which make this recipe stand out are its quinoa and marjoram. My husband immediately pronounced this one of his top favorite meals I have ever served, high praise indeed coming from H. Better still, my economical recipe creates a large quantity of food that will definitely feed your family or friends for more than one meal!

Chili is a wonderful and flavorful meal to savor during Fall and Winter months as the weather outside grows cold. When served with a side salad and gluten free dinner rolls this homemade vegetarian chili makes a delicious meal that will fill your tummy and warm your heart.

Tasty Vegetarian Chili on a Budget

What You’ll Need:

Basic Chili...

28 oz diced tomatoes (plus liquid)
15 oz corn kernels
15 oz black beans (plus liquid)
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth (for non-vegetarians, beef broth works nicely)
8 oz tomato sauce
3 well chopped zucchini
2 – 3 stalks thinly sliced celery
1 diced onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp marjoram
½ teaspoon chili powder (If you like it spicy, add 1 tsp)
Fresh ground pepper
Sea Salt
Olive Oil

Top With...

Jack cheese, grated
Parmesan cheese, grated
Scallions (green onions), thinly sliced

How It Works:

Using a 3 quart pot, pour in one or two glugs of extra virgin olive oil and warm over medium heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Add diced onion and thinly sliced celery and sauté (stirring frequently) for approximately 6 minutes or until onion is translucent but not quite browned. Add minced garlic and sauté until garlic becomes fragrant (approx 30 seconds to 1 minute). Sprinkle in marjoram and chili powder, plus dashes of fresh ground black pepper and sea salt according to your personal taste. Continue stirring.

Pour chopped zucchini into mix and sauté it until it begins to change color and texture, becoming softer and more translucent. At this point add black beans, corn and diced tomatoes with all of their liquids. Stir and allow to bubble at medium temperature while you add quinoa, tomato sauce and chicken broth. When all ingredients have been combined, increase temperature to medium high and bring to a boil.

Once the veggie chili mixture is boiling, reduce temperature to low and cover pot with lid. Simmer at low temperature for 20 – 30 minutes, until quinoa is fully cooked and much of liquid has been absorbed.

Ladle chili into bowls. Dust them with grated Jack or parmesan cheese (or both). Top with thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for a beautiful presentation and extra kick.

Serves 6 comfortably as Main Course.

Heaven In A Box

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 22:12:00 +0000

Very rarely in life… but sometimes it really and truly happens… something great just drops into your lap. Or in this case, into your sweet tooth. This summer I became affiliated with a wonderful Southern California based gluten free blog called Gluten Free In SD which promotes education about celiac disease and gluten intolerance and acts as a forum to connect San Diegans with gluten free resources of all kinds. Not long after my Tasty... and Gluten Free! URL was published on their site, I received an email out of the blue from an extremely talented gluten free chef. Her name is Rachel Marie Helmer, and she is the dessert genius behind Mari Made.

Diagnosed with celiac nearly four years ago, Rachel Marie started her blog for the same reasons why many of us do: to share her gluten free discoveries and recipes with others going through a similar experience. Her lifelong passion for cooking and baking enabled her to see going gluten free as a fun adventure that has "introduced (her) to an array of different flours, each with a unique flavor and texture."

Adds Rachel Marie, "I can honestly say I love my gluten free diet now, not only because I don't feel sick anymore but because it has inspired me to try all sorts of new foods that I shied away from before... and filled my life with even more dining and cooking adventures than I had back in my gluten eating days."

Over time, Rachel Marie’s passion for gluten free baking has led her down a new and exciting life path – the creation of her own gluten free bakery. After receiving numerous emails from San Diegans who had read her blog and were interested in trying out her recipes but did not have time to bake for themselves, she realized it was time to share her cooking with others. "I started Mari Made in response to these requests and have been having such fun with it ever since."

Thanks to Rachel Marie’s genuine delight in gluten free cooking it is no surprise that her bakery has already developed into a successful small business catering for private parties and social fundraisers - including a recent fundraiser to benefit San Diego’s Monarch School and A Reason To Survive. At this event called Fruit of the Soul, she provided hundreds of cupcakes and assorted tarts to share with attendees.

As she shares her favorite part about participating in the event, Rachel Marie describes how happy guests were to discover that her baked goods were gluten free. "When someone would come to my table and look at all the cupcakes and tarts, and I would say to them that all of the baked goods were gluten free, their eyes would light up and they would exclaim that they had celiac and were just looking at my treats and wishing that they could have one." How wonderful it must have been to assure them that they could!

After checking out the Mari Made website, I knew exactly how these eager eaters must have felt. In fact, as the resident Tasty and Gluten Free Expert of this blog I felt it was my sacred duty to sample some of her scrumptiously decadent looking desserts and report back to my readers about them. (Hahaha, how noble of me!!!) My sole challenge was deciding which of her gorgeous desserts to order first.

Exceptionally gracious, Rachel Marie worked with me to select a sweetie that fit our price range and cravings. After much discussion and upon suggestion from Rachel Marie, my husband and I decided to order a box of her "favorite" mini lemon tarts, which she describes as "a kind of cross between a mini tart, butter shortbread and lemon bar".

Willing to go the extra mile - even beyond gluten free - she kindly created the lemon tarts according to my individualized dietary needs. After I explained my difficulties with sugar (and my husband’s distaste for agave nectar) she suggested using Z-Sweet instead and kindly adjusted her recipe to support my tummy. Sugar lovers will be relieved to know however that she usually creates her delicacies using real sugar and powdered sugar. That said, my husband and I were thrilled with the Z-Sweet filled tarts and highly recommend them. Not only were they the perfect blend of lemony flavor and sweetness, but she also does something very special with the crusts, which held together beautifully.

Other Mari Made baked treats include peanut butter cookies, blueberry muffins, pumpkin scones and maple-oat-pecan scones (gf certified oats) – and many more.

Currently offering delivery in the San Diego area, Mari Made is in the process of expansion and will eventually offer shipping of baked goods all around the United States. In addition to running her bakery, Rachel Marie also acts as a private consultant for people new to the gluten free diet – helping them to learn how to grocery shop safely, cook gluten free versions of their favorite meals, plan for vacations and eat out at restaurants.

What a joy for those who, like me, suffer from gluten intolerance or celiac disease to know that such a fulfilling and accommodating gluten free bakery exists in Southern California. I dearly hope that bakeries like this will be popping up in every neighborhood, so that ALL families and children will be able to relish eating gluten free desserts with great affection and appetite!

Dark Chocolate Anniversary Pie

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:40:00 +0000

For our recent anniversary I wanted to surprise my husband with a chocolate cake that was truly decadent – something rich, creamy and extremely sweet. Without question the most devoted chocoholic I know, H is especially fond of the bittersweet dark flavors (while I prefer milk chocolate). It was important to me to create something that would top his best experiences with chocolate desserts – and yet still be gluten free so that we could share our anniversary dessert together. And since – unlike me - he is not much of an agave nectar fan, I knew I needed to use a different sweetener. In short, there was a lot of adaptation – and slightly pricey thanks to the fancy chocolate – but H is most definitely worth it!

The original recipe for this pie comes from the Flavors of Bon Appetit 2007, and I have adapted it to be gluten and sugar free. I also converted it from a cake into a pie, since we are big pie fans around our house. I hope you will enjoy this dark chocolate anniversary pie, and that you too will have someone special to share it with on a magical night.

What You’ll Need:

For the filling...

9 oz of 70% bittersweet chocolate – broken into small pieces
(I used Scharffen Berger)
Four 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1 ¼ cups Z sweet
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli)
4 large eggs

For the Crust...

24 gluten free chocolate wafer cookies
1 tablespoon of Z sweet
¼ cup melted butter

For the Topping...

6 oz (2 bars) of 70% bittersweet chocolate – broken into small pieces
1 tablespoon of Z sweet
¾ cup of whipping cream

How It Works:

As you know I prefer to get all of my ingredients ready before starting to cook, so that I don’t run into time pressure while putting a meal together. I would suggest chopping or breaking up your chocolate bars (in two separate bowls – one for filling, one for topping) before doing anything else. Also have your other ingredients, measuring spoons and cups handy plus all pans and stirring rods.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large glass pie pan with butter to prepare it. Next, use a food processor or heavy mixer to mash up your gluten free wafer cookies into a fine floury consistency.

Add Z-sweet and melted butter. Continue processing or mixing until fully blended. Use your hands to coat the pie pan with the delicious wafer crust mixture until you have formed a shapely crust. It should be about ½ inch in thickness throughout the entire pan. Place your pie crust in the oven and bake for 5 minutes until it sets together. Remove pan from oven and set aside, but keep the oven on (same temperature).

Place a metal bowl over a saucepan full of water, and simmer the water at a medium temperature. Fill the metal bowl with the chocolate pieces for your filling, and use a wooden spoon to stir it slowly until all of the chocolate has melted and is smooth and creamy. Remove the bowl from the pan of hot water, and allow your chocolate to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, using your food processor or heavy mixer, blend together the cream cheese, Z-sweet and Ghirardelli cocoa powder until it is smooth. Add eggs and blend them in one at a time. Add the lukewarm chocolate. Mix all together until your filling is completely combined – it will be thick and creamy but the color of coffee ice cream.

Pour your filling into the wafer cookie crust and smooth the top with a plastic scraper. If you are concerned about your crust burning at all, cover the crusts with tin foil until the last ten minutes (leaving the center of the pie uncovered the entire time). Bake the pie until its center is firm and just appears dry – between 40 minutes and 1 hour depending on how hot your oven tends to run. Check it periodically during this time to make certain your crust does not burn. My oven runs very hot so by 40 minutes, it was ready to remove. Allow your dark chocolate pie to sit until the pan is cool enough to put in the refrigerator – then cover it and place it in your refrigerator to chill overnight (or all day, if you make it first thing in the morning.)

Lastly, to make the topping you will pour the whipping cream, Z-sweet and 6 oz of remaining dark chocolate (chopped or broken) into a small saucepan and stir it over low heat until it is smooth. Cool the mixture for a minute or so and then pour it over the center of your pie, spreading it with a scraper or spoon all the way to the edge of the crust. Chill your pie again for at least one hour, until the topping has chilled and set.

For a fancy presentation, top your slice of pie with fluffy whipped cream or a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. You will need a sharp knife to cut through the gf wafer cookie crust without it crumbling, but it is oh so worth it!

The verdict: My husband said it was one of the best chocolate pies he had ever tasted. I myself thought it was a little too bitter, and when I make it again in the future I think I might opt to use milk chocolate or at least something slightly less dark. H laughs at me and tells me that is the difference between a true lover of dark chocolate… and one who does not really appreciate its virtues. He really loved the pie and has eaten at least one piece each night this week.

Serves 8 – 10 (very rich)

Wheatgrass for Celiacs

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:20:00 +0000

My interest in wheatgrass is recent, stemming from a suggestion by my OB-GYN that taking a daily shot of wheatgrass might help with PMS symptoms during the week before my period arrives. She explained that my body is attempting to detoxify and cleanse itself as one cycle ends and another begins, and that I might want to try assisting the detoxification process.

Of course, this is sort of like telling a kid about an ice cream stand just down the street. The likelihood of me trying out wheatgrass jumped from 0% to 100% in less than one minute... based on even the smallest hope that my OB was right and soon all PMS aches and irritability would be a thing of the past.

Thanks to my gluten intolerance I was a bit wary of taking wheatgrass for the simple (and self-admittedly ignorant) reason that wheatgrass has the word "wheat" in it. Before purchasing my first shot, it was important to me to check with my primary care doctor to make certain that a person with Celiac or gluten intolerance could indeed enjoy wheatgrass with no negative side effects or ramifications.

Luckily, my doctor laughed kindly at me and explained that wheatgrass is a carbohydrate that contains magnesium. He said that there is no gluten in it as the grass top is cut off before juicing and so there is no gluten berry in wheatgrass. He gave me the 100% two thumbs up approval to try wheatgrass and see for myself if it provided benefits. "Won’t hurt ya, might do some good," was the basic response.

Seven days before my period was due, I went to the deli section of my local market and boldly ordered my very first shot of wheatgrass. I drank it on the spot. Delicious, you might ask? Um... Nooooooooooooooooooo. Not really. In fact, it tasted pretty awful thanks to the advice of the girl behind the counter who told me to swish it over my gums and between my teeth for three minutes before swallowing and then not to eat or drink anything for at least an hour. Wow, that was one of the grossest hours I’ve ever had! Not only did my mouth taste awful but I also felt like I would vomit for most of the rest of the day and had one of the rip-roaring headaches of my life.

Given that first experience I almost gave up on the whole wheatgrass experiment. However before throwing in the towel I did some online investigation into “wheatgrass, headaches” and discovered that headaches are a very common detoxification reaction when you begin to take wheatgrass, and that they do get better as the days pass. I also learned online that if you follow up your shot of wheatgrass immediately with a smoothie, you won’t have the same gag reflex or urge to vomit.

So I tried again, and to my joy, almost all of the nasty effects from the day before were gone. No nausea, no stomach upset or desire to puke, and best of all – almost no headache. With every passing day, the wheatgrass had less of a negative effect upon me and I could see more positive results. I definitely found myself feeling more energetic and less achy and stagnant then I typically do so close to the start of a new menstrual cycle. So, overall it was a positive enough experience that I plan to try again this month and see how it goes.

I am not a doctor and I can’t personally guarantee that wheatgrass will make you feel better or help heal you from anything. That said, maybe you should talk to your own physician about the potential benefits of wheatgrass – secure in the knowledge that Celiacs and sufferers of gluten intolerance can choose to enjoy (or not enjoy) a daily shot of wheatgrass just like everyone else.

Heartwarming Pizza with Italian Sausage Red Onions and Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:43:00 +0000

The weather is turning colder where we live which has inspired me to work on a number of hearty, filling suppers including stew, baked potatoes, roasts and casseroles. Above all though, we seem to be on a pizza kick at our house – enraptured by crispy thick crust pizza topped with flowing cheese, lots of veggies and even various meats. Pizza turns out to be the perfect way to lure my children into eating organic vegetables and protein... and since it is such a simple, fast meal to create, I highly recommend homemade pizza for gluten free families everywhere!

This week’s creation involves mushrooms, red onions, hot Italian sausage, fresh mozzarella cheese and an optional handful of sun dried tomatoes. I can imagine that it would be just as good if you added some sautéd asparagus too!

We hope that your family is keeping warm and well-fed now that Fall has begun, and that you will be as comforted by this tasty pizza as we were last night.

Heartwarming Pizza with Italian Sausage, Red Onions and Mushrooms

What You’ll Need:

4 – 6 Seven inch Kinnikinnick Frozen Pizza Crusts
Olive Oil
15 oz can or jar of gluten free marinara sauce (or tomato sauce)
2 large hot Italian sausage links
1 medium size red onion, sliced into thin rounds
8 oz Crimini mushrooms, sliced or quartered according to preference
Parmesan cheese for grating (a few oz)
Fresh mozzarella cheese (approx 8 oz)
Crushed red pepper
2 -3 sprigs of rosemary
Fresh ground black pepper
Sea salt

Optional: a handful of finely chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil

How It Works:

I am a big believer that getting your prep out of the way first makes cooking a lot simpler. So, after you preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and grease two baking sheets with butter, start working on getting your meats and vegetables ready. One side note is that within your oven you should place racks in the top and bottom thirds of your oven before you start the preheating process.

Pour a nice sized glug of olive oil into a heavy frying pan and heat it to medium. Add the sausage (casings removed) and break into small bits with your stirring spoon. You want to brown it well, but not burned. When it is finished, set the meat aside and use the pan for your onions and mushrooms.

The onions should be sliced into thin rounds which do break apart nicely. Saute them in the sausage drippings and olive oil for a few minutes until they are browned (caramelized) but not crispy.

Remove the onions from the pan, set aside, and then add the mushrooms and a bit more olive oil. Saute the mushrooms well, stirring frequently, until they are soft and their flesh has darkened.

If you are using the optional sun dried tomatoes, now is the time to drain them of their olive oil and chop them up. Slice up your fresh mozzarella cheese into thin strips (or crumble it up with your hands – whatever works best for you.)

Once all of your ingredients are prepared, putting the pizzas together is fast and easy. First, place four to six Kinnikinnick pizza crusts on top of the buttered baking trays.

Next, grate fresh parmesan cheese onto the tops of each of them. Sprinkle them lightly with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt, and dust them a bit more heavily with crushed red pepper flakes.

Spoon a bit of marinara sauce into the center of each crust and smooth it gently over the spice mix. Top it with thin slices of fresh mozzarella, then the crumbled sausage, next the sautéd onions and last but not least, the sautéd mushrooms. If you are using sun dried tomatoes, add them to the mix between the sausage and onion layers. Top the whole thing with a sprinkling of fresh rosemary leaves (removed from sprigs) and grate more fresh Parmesan cheese over the top of your lovely pizzas.

After admiring your handiwork, place one tray of pizzas on the top rack of your oven and the other on the bottom rack. Cook each tray for 5 – 8 minutes (check to make sure it isn’t burning) and then switch trays from one rack to the other. Finished pizzas should be crispy on all sides (but not burnt) with lovely melted mozzarella cheese bubbling in the center.

Remove and serve promptly!

Serves 4 – 6.

Pizza Fusion

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:31:00 +0000

In her excellent blog Mari Made, my new gluten free friend (and talented chef) Rachel Marie highly recommended a pizza joint that I’d never heard of before... Pizza Fusion. Not only did she describe it as her 'new favorite restaurant' but she also specifically mentioned their excellent gluten free, dairy free pizza crust. It sounded too good to be true, so my husband and I decided to investigate further.

If you read this blog often you know already that in terms of cooking pizza at home, my heart belongs to Kinnikinnick. I’ve already posted several pizza recipes using their delicious crusts, the most recent of which - Italian sausage, red onion and mushroom - can be viewed here later this week.

That said, it has been almost a year since I’ve been able to walk into a restaurant of any kind and order a slice! Many, many times I have jealously watched my husband H sink his teeth into an enormous, gorgeous greasy piece of pepperoni and cheese pie and found myself thinking – "Grrrrrrr... Some people have all the luck!"

Which may explain why eating at Pizza Fusion this past weekend was genuinely an emotional experience for me. From the moment we walked in, I could tell we were going to have a good experience. The Pizza Fusion menu is extremely gluten free friendly, with a wide range of salads and pizzas that can all be created gluten free. A rarity: our server was actually knowledgeable about Celiac and gluten intolerance, and she was able to describe exactly which items on the menu I could not order (e.g. the sausage) thanks to their potential gluten contamination.

The Pizza Fusion House Mix salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing was extremely delicious and filled with fresh organic produce including cucumber, tomatoes, black olives and greens. H and I split a full size Build Your Own pizza with prosciutto, tri-color peppers, natural mozzarella and a gluten free 'thin' crust (pictured above). As you will clearly see, this pizza was dreamy! I ate four slices in one sitting, and felt great all night afterward. H was also very happy about the beer menu (offering both regular and gluten free beer) and treated himself to a nice cold brew.

In short, we loved our meal.

It turns out that Pizza fusion is much more than just another pizza joint. First, the restaurant chain supports organic agriculture – most items on the menu are organic. 100% of the energy used in creating your dinner will be offset by the purchase of renewable wind energy certificates. Food is delivered to customers using company owned hybrid vehicles, and you will even get a discount on your next order if you bring back your pizza boxes to recycle! Best of all, all plastic-like containers and silverware are made from materials that will decompose in 50 days in a landfill. I could go on and on... there are a million reasons why Pizza Fusion is a dedicated earth-friendly company - probably why they were recognized in this month’s PLENTY Magazine as one of the 20 businesses that will change our world.

Luckily for Celiac lovers of pizza, wherever you may live and thrive, Pizza Fusion franchises are about to open up all over the country. Next time you feel a hankering for your favorite slice of heaven, do yourself (and our planet) a huge favor and head straight to your nearest Pizza Fusion restaurant.

Note: In addition to its gluten free menu items, this restaurant also offers many tasty meals for diners with vegan, vegetarian and lactose free dietary restrictions. Your wheat eating friends will definitely enjoy the organic white crust pizzas and many sandwich options.

Pinot Noir Pot Roast

noreply@blogger.com (strivingChef) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:44:00 +0000

Although I have always savored the delicious roasts that I have been served at both elegant and humble dinner tables, creating one of my own seemed a bit beyond my culinary reach. Experienced chefs may laugh when they read this, thinking: "But it’s not hard at all to make a pot roast!" You’ll understand then just how little I knew about cooking before my gluten-free diet began last December... and how far I’ve come!

Such surprise and delight - such joy - when at last I realized that creating a roast is one of the simplest and most effective uses of cooking time... for a tender roast is not only a thing of beauty, it also provides meal after meal for a family of four.

This dinner will really and truly melt in your mouth.

Pinot Noir Pot Roast

What You’ll Need:

A 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
1 cup Pinot Noir (any decent dry red wine is okay)
28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, without juice
4 cloves minced garlic
8 oz Crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 small yellow onions
3 celery stalks, sliced fairly thinly (1/2 inch wide)
1 tbsp marjoram
1 cup beef bouillon
Olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper
Sea salt

How It Works:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.

Place your chuck roast on a wooden cutting board or a stainless steel tray, gently salt and pepper it on all sides. Next, pour a decent sized glug of olive oil into the bottom of an oven safe three quart Dutch oven or cast iron pot which can be covered with an oven safe lid. Heat oil until warm but not smoking over a medium temperature burner. Add your chuck roast and cook on all sides until it is brown on all sides (10 – 15 minutes). Remove meat from pot but retain drippings, place meat in a separate dish to the side.

Next add chopped onions and celery to the oil and drippings at the bottom of the pot. Lightly season them with salt and pepper and cook at medium temperature until they begin to brown (6-8 minutes). Add minced garlic and dry marjoram, continue to sauté for a minute or two.

With clean hands, crush your whole tomatoes directly into the pot – but do not add the remaining juice in the can. Stir the onion-celery-tomato mixture frequently and allow to sauté for another two or three minutes, when you will add the cup of Pinot Noir.

Boil the entire mixture for five minutes before adding the beef broth and then boiling for five more minutes.

Now comes the final and easiest part. Return your browned chuck roast to the pot, spooning some of the juicy onion-celery-tomato mixture onto its top. Cover the pot, place it in the oven and cook it for 90 minutes.

When your timer goes off, take the lid off of the pot, turn your roast over and add the quartered mushrooms into the wine sauce around the sides of the roast. Cover the pot once again, and cook it for 90 more minutes.

Although you can serve it up right away, you certainly don’t have to. The longer your roast sits in its juices, the more rich and flavorful it will be. Spoon away excess fats before serving, but you will not even need to cut this roast, the meat is so tender and juicy it will seriously fall apart when you even touch it with a fork. Amazing!

Serve with rice or potatoes, and a side of sautéed or roasted carrots. Make sure to cover it with a nice helping of the tomato wine sauce. This is a wonderful dish to serve in the Autumn and Winter months... one bite will warm you from top to toe and its scent alone will make your house smell incredibly cozy and inviting.

Serves 6 – 8.

Adapted from "Red-Wine Pot Roast with Porcini" from The Flavors of Bon Appetit 2007 (p. 40)