A blog for those with celiac disease and/or following a gluten-free diet.
Even if the weather does cool off soon, it’s always a good time for a healthy smoothie. Fruity Gluten-Free Smoothie
Makes 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana, peeled and cut up
1 cup frozen berries of your choice. (I used strawberries, blackberries and blueberries.)
¼ cup chilled pomegranate juice
1 cup vanilla yogurt
Directions: Combine ingredients in a blender, cover and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses. Enjoy!
A sweet treat arrived in my mailbox today: the cookie sampler pack that I ordered from Sweet Cake Bake Shop in Kaysville, Utah. What a pleasure to find three gluten-free cookies and a blondie, all intact and fresh! Flavors vary in the sample pack; mine included Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Pecan, and Powder Mountain Cookies, along with a Toffee Blondie. Sweet Cake Bake Shop says all items are packed the day they are baked and I could certainly tell by their freshness. All items were moist and the Chocolate Chip Cookie was delicious (you’ll see it’s not pictured!) The sample pack is currently on sale for $5 plus shipping; they also offer gluten-free brownies, bars, blends and mixes. Give them a try: www.sweetcakebakeshop.com.
I adapted this recipe for a gluten-free Apple Spice Cake from the August/September issue of Living Without (www.LivingWithout.com). See my post of May 5, 2011, for more on this great magazine.
Instead of baking it as a layer cake, I used a Wilton (www.wilton.com) 13x9x2 sheet cake pan so that the cake could be cut into squares, as shown in the photo. We chose not to frost the cake but you certainly could. See Page 47 of the August/September issue of Living Without for the original recipe, which describes how to make this as a layer cake with frosting.
As a sheet cake, this serves 15 people; it would serve even more if you cut the slices smaller than what’s pictured.
Following is the recipe, with my adaptations:
Apple Spice Cake
5 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/2 cups canola oil or vegetable oil (I used olive oil.)
2 cups sugar or organic evaporated cane juice (I used sugar.)
3-1/2 cups gluten-free Pastry Flour Blend (See page 51 of August/September issue for recipe.)*
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (I used three as my rule of thumb for gluten-free baking has always been 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour.)
3 cups grated apples**
*I used Better Batter Company’s Gluten-Free Flour Blend as this is my go-to flour blend (www.betterbatter.org.)
**As the magazine suggests, heading to the orchards to get fresh baking apples—as they are tart and sweet--is the way to go. Roughly speaking, 4-5 average-sized apples yields three (3) cups of grated apples.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9x2 cake pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat eggs, oil and sugar at medium-high speed for three (3) minutes. Mixture will thicken and appear pale yellow.
On a piece of waxed paper (I used a separate mixing bowl instead), sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and xanthan gum.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix on medium-low speed just until blended, approximately 30 seconds. Squeeze grated apples between paper towels to remove some of the juice and add apples to mixture. Blend just until smooth.
Spread the batter evenly in cake pan. Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. (Time will vary depending on oven and pan size.) Cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.* Let cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Slice and serve. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, or serve warm Apple Spice Cake accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
*In my 13x9x2 pan, the cake was done after 1 hour.
In the June 2011 issue of "O" the Oprah Magazine, there is an article titled, "Get Gluten Smart" on page 120. You can also view this article at www.oprah.com. Just click on "O Magazine" and then put "Gluten Smart" in the search engine and the article will pop up. The article discusses the debate over whether or not the gluten-free diet is one that should be followed if you do not have any issues with gluten. It also discusses what gluten is and what celiac disease is, and also offers some quick tips if you do decide to start the diet.
Antonella's Amazing Gluten-Free Cupcakes
Those who know me know that one of my pet peeves is the overuse of the word, "amazing." I mean, don't say it if you don't mean it, right? Well, I was amazed after tasting Antonella's Amazing Cakes' gluten-free cupcakes. Located on Greenway Street in Palmer Township (Easton, PA) this bakery offers both gluten-free cakes and cupcakes in addition to traditional bakery fare. We purchased a dozen cupcakes and tried both the vanilla and chocolate ones for a party we hosted last weekend and they were--by far-- better than some "mainstream" (read: gluten-containing) cakes I've had over the years. I am definitely making Antonella's my "go-to girl" for our family's gluten-free cupcake needs from now on! Check out these and other offerings at www.antonellasamazingcakes.com.
I came across this little gem at my local Barnes and Noble cafe. According to the package, Lucy's Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookies have zero mg of cholesterol and no trans fat, either. For those with food alleriges, the packaging also claims that these treats do not contain milk, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts. "Dr. Lucy" includes her own personal note on the back of the package. The cookies are delicious and a welcome treat since--as most of you know--it can be quite a challenge to find gluten-free snacks in most cafes/coffeehouses. Finally my daughter and I can sit and enjoy our favorite Italian cream sodas and have a snack, too!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting Emeril Lagasse at the media event for his new Italian restaurant, “Emeril’s Italian Table.” My goodie bag included a copy of Emeril 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast(Make the Meals You Want in the Time You Have). The cookbook is broken into sections of foods you can make in either 20, 40 or—you guessed it—60 minutes. Upon reviewing the book, I found that many of his recipes--over 150 in all--are naturally gluten-free, such as Simple Italian Wedding Soup (more like an egg-drop soup; sans meatballs), Seared Shrimp Salad and Chicken and Mushroom Risotto, to name a few. Of course, he’s got sandwiches and pasta dishes, and even a wrap or two but for the most part, gluten-free cooks will get their money’s worth out of this book. Most of the gluten-containing recipes--such as his Antipasto Pasta Salad and Penne alla Puttanesca--can easily be converted. BONUS BAM: On page 112, there’s a recipe for Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies that does not call for flour!
A writer I know published an article titled, "Glorious Grains" in the Early Spring edition of Lehigh Valley Marketplace. Included in this article are descriptions of several grains, including our gluten-free friends buckwheat, millet and quinoa. Check it out at www.lehighvalleymarketplace.com. Once there, go to "Early Spring 2011," then "Archives, " then "Features" and scroll down to "Glorious Grains." Happy Memorial Day!
Tired of the same old chips? For your next barbeque, picnic or girls' night in, try "riceworks"® Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps. According to the package, these chips are made from "natural whole grain brown rice with no preservatives, artificial flavors, wheat or glutens" and are "vegan and celiac friendly." I've tried the Sea Salt variety and they are delicious; it's truly difficult to put the bag down! Try them with your favorite dip or spread. I'm thinking hummus might be a great choice! www.riceworkssnacks.com.
Only three days left in Celiac Disease Awareness Month! If you suspect you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, talk to your doctor about the right course of action for you based on your symptoms. If you find out that you do have celiac disease or an issue with gluten, fear not as there are many great gluten-free foods out there! Follow this blog for helpful information. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
