A blog for those with celiac disease and/or following a gluten-free diet.
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!
Click here for a link to Rodale's article, "Why Gluten-Free Foods are not Always Gluten-Free" and read about the Gluten-Free Label Summit: www.rodale.com/gluten-free-food.
Joan's Gluten-Free Greatbakes Sicilian Pizza
If you're Italian, the concept of one of your relatives cooking in a kitchen housed in the basement is probably not lost on you. My great-aunt's family room and kitchen were located on the lower level of her two-family home so I spent a lot of time hanging out there as a kid. She made homemade pizza that we would liken to traditional Sicilian pizza today. I hadn't tasted anything like it--especially a gluten-free version--until I tried Joan's Sicilian Pizza from Joan's Gluten-Free Great Bakes. This Bellmore, New York-based company offers a plethora of yummy, gluten-free options for the Italian in all of us: Pre-made pizza and crusts, bagels, Italian bread, etc. Check them out at www.gfbakes.com.
Growing up, cookies and milk were staples in our household, especially as an afterschool snack. Of course, this was long before I knew that I was lactose intolerant and had any sensitivity to gluten. No matter today as Glenny’s (www.Glennys.com), who touts itself as offering “America’s First Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies,” is here. Their moist, chewy Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are also dairy-free and taste homemade. Make sure you have a tall glass of milk (lactose-free or other!) ready to wash them down. Enjoy!
Glennys_Oatmeal Cookies_5-20-11
Click here to read about Jules Shepard, a baker from Maryland, who, on May 4, apparently created what she projected to be the world's tallest gluten-free cake! http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/family-kitchen/story/2011/04/Towering-ambition-Getting-the-gluten-free-word-out/46541088/1
Hi all, I forgot to mention in my post about "Perfect Pancakes" that these do freeze well. I wrap mine in batches of two or four using Press 'n Seal (www.glad.com/plasticwrap) and take them out as desired. Normally, I heat them up in the microwave; however, today, I reheated them in the toaster oven and they tasted delicious! Enjoy!
Tired of grainy-tasting baked goods? Look no further! Better Batter’s Chocolate Cake Mix is easy to make and produces a moist chocolate cake that would rival its gluten-containing counterparts any day. Our family recently enjoyed this cake for my daughter’s 20th birthday. For years, I was making “from-scratch” gluten-free chocolate cakes and while they were okay, the recipes were sometimes difficult to work with and I just knew there had to be something better out there. Better Batter—whose tag line is “Eat Freely, Give Freely”--produces a complete line of gluten-free items. Check them out at www.betterbatter.org. Their customer service department is exceptional. When the company felt that I’d waited too long for an out-of-stock item, they compensated by sending along a free mix. Personal replies seem to be the norm for this company. In terms of frosting, if you’re feeling a bit creative, try my recipe for gluten-free vanilla buttercream icing below. If you’re pressed for time, skip ahead to my recommendations for gluten-free canned frostings.
Vanilla Buttercream Icing
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 TBS milk*
At least 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and milk on medium speed until blended. Add sugar a half-cup at a time and mix until smooth. If icing is still not “sugar-y” enough, add more confectioners’ sugar a ¼ cup at a time to your taste.
Frost your cake or cupcakes using a metal spreader (I like the ones from Pampered Chef.) If you’re frosting a chocolate cake, make sure you “dirty ice” the layers first so the cake doesn’t show through.
(This recipe can be doubled.)
For Chocolate Buttercream Icing, melt 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels (in microwave, 1-1/2 minutes on HIGH, in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval) and add to butter mixture. Continue with recipe as indicated.
*Since I am also lactose-intolerant I use LACTAID® milk and it does not affect the recipe.
Gluten-Free Canned Frostings
Hey, there’s no shame in using one of these at bake sale time (or any other time). My daughter would eat a whole can if I let her!
Betty Crocker’s ®website (www.bettycrocker.com) states, “All flavors of Betty Crocker Ready-to-Spread Frosting will be labeled ‘gluten free’ this fall.”
Duncan Hines’® website (www.duncanhines.com) states that their Classic Vanilla Frosting is “naturally gluten free.”
Pillsbury’s® (www.pillsbury.com) representative, “Maria” told me by phone this morning that all frostings—including Easy Frost™ No Fuss-Frosting (the one that looks like a can of mousse) are gluten-free except for their Coconut Pecan flavor.
As a magazine editor, a large number of publications get delivered to my mailbox each month. One of my absolute favorites for gluten-free information is Living Without (www.livingwithout.com); I’ve been a subscriber for as long as I can remember. Whether you’ve been diagnosed recently with celiac disease, food allergies or food sensitivities—or if you’ve been facing the challenges that accompany these conditions for quite some time— I highly recommend adding this publication to your reading list. It was a godsend when my daughter was younger and continues to be as we try new recipes and products together. The tone is informative and friendly, the articles well-written and researched. You’ll find real-life stories, recipes and diet guides, information on new products and book reviews, among other gems. Whether you start your reading with Alicia Woodward’s “Editor’s Note” or the “Food for Thought” back page, I am sure you will be delighted. Happy reading!
