Adventures of a Digestive Diva

Pumpkin Yum

2008-11-20T12:07:00.000-06:00

I have been a bad blogger. Actually, I have been a bad chef. My poor kitchen has been terribly neglected these past few months. I'm almost embarrassed by the poor quality of my cooking, or more to the point, the poor level of enthusiasm I have had in the kitchen. I need to step it up in a big way. I think the holiday season is just what I need.

I love holiday food. There is something special about the traditional dishes that bring friends and families together. I have had the opportuniy recently to cook for some friends. Last weekend was Fakesgiving at my house. I stuffed a turkey and mulled a couple bottles of wine. I shall share the recipes soon, I promise.

For today I have a quick, yet delicious treat for you all. Are you going to a party and need to contribute to the culinary spread? Are you possitive that no one will have a dessert that is safe for your consumption? Are you super short on time because, let's face it, the holidays are crazy? Here is the recipe for you.

Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl

1 package of cream cheese, softened

1 can pumpkin puree

brown sugar

pumpkin pie spice

Gluten Free ginger snaps

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and pumpkin puree until creamy and fluffy. Add brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice to taste. Serve in a bowl with ginger snaps for dipping.

Easy and delicious!

Eggplant Tacos

2008-07-15T14:18:00.000-05:00

I seem to buy an eggplant, only to have it get mushy before I have a chance to eat it. I always have big plans to make dip or some kind of pasta dish. Yet time after time, those aubergine beauties go the way of the garbage can. Not so today! OK, today's specimen was on the verge of badness. One more day and that sucker was mush. I had to discard most of it, but there was just enough for tacos. I'm not sure where the idea came from, but I figured I had nothing to lose trying it out. I made them with ingredients that I had on hand, pantry spices and veggies in the crisper. And the results? Pretty darn good, if I may say so. Alreay a whole slew of ideas for modification or embelishment are floating through my brain.

Eggplant Tacos

1-2 T oil (I used grapeseed due to it's neutral flavor)

1 clove garlic, minced (add more if you like)

1 t ground cumin

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4-1/2 t chipotle chili powder (or to taste)

1-2 cups diced eggplant, salted and sweated

1 small-medium sized yellow or red bell pepper

salt

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and chili powder, tossing in the oil to disperse flavor and toast the spices. Add eggplant and bell peppers. Saute until veggies are tender, approx 5-10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Put filling in corn tortillas and top with sour cream and green onion.

Other optional granishes: fresh cilantro, diced tomato, shredded cheese

*This would also make an excellent filling for veggie burritos.

This was such a simple recipe, but it can pack quite a punch. It is easy to modify the spices to your own palate (mild all the way up to mouth burning goodness.) The cinnamon gives the filling such a unique flavor. The tacos by themselves are a great snack or a light meal. For a full meal you can serve them with rice and beans.

Sweet summer produce

2008-07-08T10:16:00.005-05:00

As I sit here typing, a rich chocolaty aroma has begun to permeate my apartment. Yesterday as I was walking through Traders Joe's I was nearly felled by an intense craving for something chocolate and chewy. Brownies! I needs dem now!!!!! I was unable to assuage the cravings beast last night, so I am taking care of it this morning. Gluten Free Pantry Truffle Brownie mix, here I come.

Until these darlings come out of the oven, I will share with you my recent cooking adventure.

Summer is a wonderful time in my life. Summer vacation! No school. No responsibilities. Tons of time for reading. Tons of time for cooking. I have started hitting up the farmers markets in the city. Local produce and products just seem better. Although, sadly, not cheaper. Oy. About a week ago I snagged a small batch of asparagus and a jar of sun gold tomato preserves. That's correct, tomato jam. Sun Gold tomatoes are heirloom cherry tomatoes known for their incredibly sweet flavor. I have tried it on toast, crackers, tortillas. Then I tried it with veggies.

There is a local fruit and veggie market near my apartment. The produce is not usually local, but damn is it cheap! I was digging through my fridge last week and
realized that I still had potatoes and yellow bell peppers from the market. Hmmm... red potatoes, yellow bell peppers, and fresh asparagus. What to do? It was an uncommonly chilly summer day and just shy of July 4th. Since I was heading out of town for a wedding, and therefore would miss out on all the BBQs, I thought I would make some typical BBQ foods. Chicken sausage with chicken and Gouda. Oh my yum! Veggies, roasted to perfection.

Sun Gold Glazed Roasted Veggies

One small bunch of asparagus cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1-2 yellow/red/orange bell peppers, sliced
4 small-medium red potatoes cut into 1/4 inch slices
olive oil
salt & pepper
2-3 heaping teaspoons of Sun Gold preserves

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Put all chopped/sliced veggies into a large zip lock bag. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2-3 teaspoons of preserves. Seal the bag and shake to distribute. Spread veggies on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Roast in oven until veggies are soft.

nom nom nom!!!

2008-07-03T14:28:00.004-05:00

On Sunday night my mom and I made a little slice of heaven. Actually, we made an entire pie tin full of heaven. Key Lime Pie. Yum!!! The recipe is off of the bottle of key lime juice (Nelly & Joe's, I think). It is something ridiculously easy like 3 egg yolks, one can of sweetened condensed milk, and 1/2 cup key lime juice. Mix it up, pour in crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes. Chill. So freaking simple.

We made a double batch. Mom used her evil premade gluten filled crust. I made a crust out of the Trader Joe's Gluten Free Ginger Snaps. Oh. My. God! It was so good! I definitely recommend using them for your graham cracker style pie crusts. I think I may try it for cheese cake topped with lemon curd. ::drool::

I once again enter into the world of the living

2008-06-22T13:17:00.003-05:00

School's out!!!!!!

That means I finally have time for...everything. I can start cooking again. Yay! The farmers markets have started up this month. I can spend hours trolling through my cookbooks for "must try" recipes. Fresh fruit and veggies can once again become a staple in my diet. (I have been eating horribly for the past month or two!)

Now that I have some time, and I am out at my parents' place where they have a great big kitchen, I decided to bake this morning. I had blueberries and wanted to use them. What to make? Blueberry-Cardamom Coffee Cake!

In theory this was a great idea. Juicy blueberries, spicy cardamom. Yum! The result? Not good. My idea was not the problem, the flour was. I decided to try the Trader Joes GF Pancake and Waffle mix. On the side of the bag is a recipe for coffee cake. Simple. I would just doctor it up a bit.

After this morning's efforts I have decided that Trader Joes needs to keep working on their baking mix formulas. I have now tried both of their mixes (the other being the brownie mix.) Both have resulted in extremely dense, oddly textured baked goods. I am not pleased. This makes me sad. I was really hopeful that these mixes would be good. Alas, not so much. Oh well, they have so many other great products. Guess I will just stick to Pamela's for a quick fix and Kinnikinnick pastry mix for other baking endeavors.

Live and learn, I guess.

Happy misfortune

2008-05-04T17:50:00.003-05:00

On Friday I was all geared up to meet a couple of my girlfriends for happy hour with their co-workers. I have been adopted by the staff at her school since my co-workers are lame not interested in such an outing. After fighting traffic for an hour (yes, Chicago rush hour is HORRIBLE!), I arrived at the usual bar. It was empty. What the? Thank goodness for cell phones. I called up one of the gals and was informed she was hopping in the car and heading to Ohio for the weekend. Oh. She then told me my other friend was not going to happy hour AND it was being held at a different location this month. Well, gee, thanks for the heads up.

Oh, well.

I decided not to hop back on the Kennedy (Oy! The traffic.) and took side streets toward home. Since I was not going to indulge at happy hour, I thought I would indulge in some tea at my favorite tea place. I started chatting with the owner, Tanya, and... what's this? Your menu of crepes is gluten free? How did I not know this??!?!?!!? Oh, indulge, I did. One very large gluten free crepe filled with brie, green apples, caramel and brown sugar. Heaven!!! Tanya is a fellow gluten free eater, so the food is safe and delicious. Sweet crepes, savory crepes. All good enough that no one would know they are gluten free (it is not stated on the menu.) So for any of you who are in Chicago, head over to Tea Essence for some crepes and fabulous loose leaf tea. Try the Masala Chai latte made with Chocolate Almond milk. Yum!

17 desserts for us!

2008-04-27T10:45:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine, who is not GF but ultimately cool, just sent me a link to a food blog. The topic? Flourless desserts for Passover. Now, I am not Jewish, so the religious implications to not apply, but flourless? Oh yeah. Most of the recipes are truly GF. One or two just need slight modifications. Really, though, who needs to bother with the modifications when they can just stick with the Chocolate Walnut Cookies? Yum!

Meme a go-go!

2008-04-16T08:47:00.002-05:00

Nuttymeatfruit tagged me for this short, yet incredibly difficult meme...

Six words to describe my essence:

- loving
- comfortable
- warped
- romantic/idealistic
- hopeful
- creative

I think these all fit me, and they are in no particular order. eh?

Who shall I tag? Abby O. Welcome to my blog!

Cookie delight

2008-03-25T18:46:00.003-05:00

Today I ate a cookie.

No, not one of those pieces of cardboard that masquerades as a cookie. A REAL cookie. My aunt, who is one of my favorite people, joined us for Easter dinner. This is not a common occurrence. She prefers to stay at home with her family instead of doing a big extended family deal. Well, this year she decided to join us. The day before she called me.

"I'm at the bakery, what do you want?"
Um, the bakery? But I can't eat baked goods.
"No, no. I am at Rose's Bakery in Evanston."
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!

What is Rose's, you ask? Why it is the new wheat-free, gluten free bakery located just north of Chicago. I have never been there, but have heard wonderful things. It turns out that the raves are well earned. She showed up with a LARGE bag full of gluten free treats. I was able to eat a cheddar herb dinner roll with my ham. I indulged in an almond biscotti (with a hint of cayenne) with my cup of chai. Today I ate cookies. A sugar cookie for lunch. A double chocolate chip cookie after school. (I let one of my favorite students taste it and she thought it was amazing. She is a 7th grader with a discerning palate.) This evening I had my first oatmeal cookie in over two years. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip with Craisins and Walnuts. Oh. Holy. God. Amazing!

Check out their website. Soon you will be able to order from them online. If any of you live in the area, they also have a cafe. Check out the menu on their site. I absolutely have to go there soon. Pizza! Sandwiches! Artichoke dip!!!

And people said there are no good places to eat out gluten free!!!

Sliding off topic...

2008-03-20T21:08:00.003-05:00

I love to read. I devour books faster that I do chocolate. Shocking, I know!!! Well, just yesterday I was perusing a book blog and saw someone combining my two loves: gf food and books. Not just any books...romance. Yes, I admit it, I read trashy romance novels. They are among my guilty pleasures: romance novels, bad sci-fi, and stinky cheese. I wish I could be a talented enough writer that I could consistently merge my two loves, but let's face it, I'm not. I will be considerate and not inflict upon you my poor taste in literature. If you do happen to enjoy some romance in your reading (not just "trash novels" as my mom calls them, but chick lit and urban fantasy, too) feel free to come on over and take a peek at my book blog. It is new. Just a wee little fledgling of a site, but soon it will blossom and grow into a wondrous and all-consuming....ehem. Sorry, too much romance. Anyhow, take a look. Let me know what you think (I designed the header myself!) For those of you like my mom, just shake your head sadly at my apparent lack of literary discernment.

Days of affirmation

2008-03-20T16:38:00.002-05:00

So often those of us with restricted diets spend our days feeling as though we are beating our heads against a wall. Co-workers or family members ask us, "What's the big deal if there are croutons on your salad?" Restaurant workers hear gluten-free and translate that as sugar free. We get suffer the eye rolls, the blank stares, and the not-so-quiet grumbling about picky eaters. It can be frustrating and disheartening.

Then there are those days that seem to reaffirm that what we are doing is correct. We are healthier, happier, and (hopefully) educating those we interact with in a positive way. Today has been one of those days. It was almost as if people were put into my path for a reason. It started with my annual trip to that special doctor all women should go to. (Sorry guys!) The nurse who was conducting the pre-exam inquisition asked about medications. I, of course, mention I am on a gluten free diet. Not a medication, I know, but it is information I feel all of my doctors should know about me. The nurse starts telling about this show on the Discovery Channel she saw where the boy had Celiac. Go Discovery Channel!!! After leaving the doctor's office I decided to treat myself to lunch. I am on Spring Break, why not! At the Milk & Honey Cafe I patiently stood in line expecting to receive the blank stare when I asked about their menu. No such thing! I was assured that both the soup (made on site) and the chicken salad were safe for me to eat. Oh man, they were good. Washed down with a glass of fresh made lemonade, I almost felt like it was summer time. Here's the strange one: somehow I struck up a conversation with the woman at the table next to me. The cafe's baked goods were mentioned, and I simply said I could not eat them. "Oh, do you have Celiac?" I think my eyes almost popped out of my head. Her son was just recently tested for Celiac. No way! We talked a bit about it, and I think I was able to set her mind at ease. I was feeling so good after that I decided to stop at the chocolate "boutique" down the block. The gentleman working there (who was quite dishy, by the way) pointed out the truffles that were gf, and mentioned that the rest of the truffles were made with glucose syrup "which I know is derived from wheat." I thought I might cry. He actually knew about the origins of glucose syrup (which I know is controversial as to whether there is in fact any gluten in the stuff....anyone know?) I walked out instead with a cup of Almond Milk. No, no, not the kind you are thinking of. They have a special chocolate drink with that name: hot cocoa made with white chocolate and almond puree. Oh. Holy. God.

The day has continued like this. Grocery shopping during the day is fun because you can call food companies about there products while you are in the store. My local grocers made me deliriously happy by now carrying Thai Kitchen's panang simmer sauce. I called. It's safe!!!

More and more these days people know about Celiac and gluten free eating. The number of individuals being diagnosed is skyrocketing. It seems as if everyone knows someone living gluten free. We are not mainstream yet folks, but there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Not sure how long it will take us to get there, but we will. Oh yes, we will.

Inspiration, part 2

2008-03-03T19:41:00.003-06:00

I was browsing through the site ChronicBabe.com and saw a section calling for inspiring stories. I asked myself: who has inspired me to think beyond my chronic illness? It came to me in a flash. I knew exactly who it was. I sat and started typing. Well, I kind of write the way I talk. Excessively. My word count was slightly over double what they were asking for. Oops! But I don't want to cut anything! Well, this is when having your own blog is great. So here is a (very) slight departure from the usual posting. I also challenge you to ask yourself who or what inspires you. Please share either here or in your own blog. (If this is just too long, hop on down to my previous post. Thar be a recipe!)

It is often easy, as an individual with a chronic illness, to find yourself focusing too much on the limitations of your disease. We zero in on the symptoms and all those things we used to love, but can no longer partake in. In October of ‘06 I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, an auto-immune disease whose only treatment is through a strict gluten free diet. You grieve. You mourn the loss of all those foods you once loved: croissants, crab rangoon, Wonder Bread, Mac n’ Cheese, and pizza from D’Agostino’s. Gone are the days of easy meals and worry free dining out. You have good days where you feel empowered by your new choices. You research, you take control. And then you crash and throw yourself a little (or big) pity party.

I find that it is typical to overlook the benefits and the positives in the situation. I generally eat healthier meals. I can have more energy. I don’t hurt. I have tried new foods and recipes that had never entered my diet before. You focus on the negatives. Food costs 2-3 times more money. Shopping trips are lengthy due to the insane number of labels you need to read. Why can’t I just eat that frozen pizza??!?!!? Then there are those moments when a single individual puts it all into perspective. Celiac Disease is not the end of the world. It is a challenge. One that I intend to live up to.

You see, I am a teacher. Every week I teach music to nearly 700 students in grades preK through 8. There are moments of discovery and joy. There are moments of frustration and anger. Basically, it is your typical teaching job. In the past three years I have seen nearly a dozen children diagnosed with diabetes. I see them struggle. I see them grieve. I see my situation reflected in their eyes. I know what they are going through.

Ironically, though, it is not these children who have inspired me. Absolutely, I am proud of them. It is a difficult thing to go through. But I have another student, "Joe." Joe transferred into our school last year during 4th quarter. Right away he stuck out: his style was different, he had that swagger my students were missing, he exuded attitude. Not in a bad way, but in a way that was different than his new classmates. If a child transfers in when they are a 7th or 8th grader this often raises a red flag for teachers. Why are they changing schools now? An 8th grader is not required to change schools if they move. Most parents of 7th graders lie to the school system and say they still live at their old address. We know this. It is the unspoken way of things. So when Joe transferred in near the end of his 7th grade year, eyebrows were raised.

Things did not start off well for Joe. Assignments were not completed, grades were abysmal. Teachers started saying words like "lazy," "trouble," "problem." He was getting labeled and you could see his swagger wilting. School started back this past fall, and that is when I finally heard the word I had been waiting for: disability. You see, Joe was 13 years old and could not read. If you stopped to talk to him, you could see the eager boy hiding behind the attitude. He may have transferred in as a 7th grader, but he was attempting to make a new life for himself. He was walking away from gangs, from the only life he knew. He was desperately trying to start over and so many of the adults were not giving him a chance. His heart was in the right place. He used manners that none of his classmates possessed. When you took the time to talk to him, and to really listen, he was an articulate young man. I could see his potential. I could see him trying day after day to make that change for himself. Imagine every single class you are in, struggling to do something as basic as make sense of the words on the page. It was humbling to see how much he wanted that new start.

Since the beginning of this school year, Joe has finally been diagnosed with a learning disability and his IEP (Individualized Education Plan) has been developed. He has worked so hard to turn the words lazy and trouble into diligent and determined. He is starting to win over the staff. It is an uphill battle with some, but I have faith he can do it. I know, because he shows this to me every day. He is now in an after school leadership group that I run. Honestly, it is a group to help develop decision making skills in some of our at risk kids. He was the first to sign up. He is the first to arrive each week. He was the first to truly open up and share. He told us about his brother who is in juvie. He shared about "his boy" that was killed in a drive by. He proudly stated that, while he had five F’s on his report card 1st quarter, he only had two for 2nd quarter. He has come so far. He has made amazing strides in the right direction. He has had a taste of success and is not going to let that get away from him. He is my inspiration. To overcome so much and to keep trying so hard is an amazing feat in any person, but to do this while in the throws of adolescence? Unbelievable.

He told me his goal is to stay alive and graduate. Well, last week he took an entrance exam at the high school he wants to attend. When I asked him how it went I thought he was going to cry and throw himself at me. He had passed. To see this "lazy," "troubled" boy take such pride in his academic achievement reminded me that no matter how challenging my diet may seem, there is a way to make it work. If a child with a learning disability, who cannot read and grew up in a neighborhood filled with gangs and crime can overcome his hurdles, I can find food that does not contain gluten. In comparison my hurdles are little, how about yours?

Inspiration

2008-03-03T13:27:00.005-06:00

In an effort to inspire myself to post more often, I have done a bit of a makeover on my blog. New layout. A header from my own photography. New colors. What do you think?

I think it is important to find inspiration where you can. Our sources of inspiration need not be big or dramatic. Often times, the simplest things or moments can impact us the most. It can be the small indulgences that lift our spirits. During this time of year, when the cold and darkness seem to become just too much, where do you find inspiration? What helps you to lift your spirits when it seems the snow will never end?

My inspiration can come from the simple things:

-chocolate (Yum!)
-music

-photography

-laughter

-rubbing my kitty's belly

-good food

-smelling good (perfume, baby!)

-the sun on my face

-a cup of tea

Other times my inspiration comes in a more complex form:

-sitting on the beach, listening to the sounds of the ocean

-seeing the light of discover in the eyes of my students

-good conversation with someone I care for

-other food bloggers (yes, all of you!)

-my mom

-friendships

-brainstorming with other fine arts teachers

-witnessing the love between two people

One source of inspiration that I have is my family. Not just my mom, dad, and brother. I come from a large (and usually crazy) extended family. Mom is one of seven kids, Dad is one of six. There are about 25-30 of us in my generation. We are all very different. There are small business owners, teachers, contractors, housewives, office workers, secretaries, retail workers, and everything in between. One person in my family who went down her own, unique path was my aunt. For a number of years, she and my uncle owned a restaurant in Colorado. It was situated half way up on one of the ski slopes in Snowmass. Vacationers and weekend skiers alike would take the lift to the top of the mountain. Half way down they could stop at Sam's Knob, a small plateau upon which their restaurant was located. My aunt and uncle offered healthy, tasty fare, perfect for the Colorado lifestyle. After a while, demand for their recipes became such that, after much work, my aunt released a cookbook full of recipes from their menus.

This was many years ago. I had nearly forgotten all about the cookbook. Around Christmas time, when I was doing some gf holiday baking, I came across a copy of the book at my parents' house. I admit it. I stole it. It is now sitting here next to me. Mom will never know. As I looked through the recipes there is an overall simplicity and healthfulness in the selection. Then I see it, the recipe I must make. Since going gluten free I have desperately missed indulging in a morning scone. Flaky, slightly sweet, with a moist inner crumb. Oh yes, this would be the first one I would try. They were wonderful. Being my aunt, she used a light hand with the sugar, so I may use a bit more next time. Otherwise these lightly sweet biscuits are fantastic.

Fruit Scones

from Food With a View by Patti Dudley

2 C gf flour mix (I used Kinnikinnick pastry mix)

1/4 C sugar

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/8 t salt (omit if your gf flour mix contains salt)

6 T cold butter

1 egg

1/2 C heavy cream

2/3 C fruit or nuts (I used pecans and dried blueberries)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until crumbly. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and cream together, and add to the flour mixture. Stir just until combined. Stir in the fruit and/or nuts of your choice.

On a lightly greased baking sheet, spoon out the mixture, spreading it into a 9-inch circle. Score into 10 wedges. You may also use an ice cream scooper to scoop individual scones directly onto the baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until browned.

Cut into wedges and serve with sweet butter and jam if desired.

For a truly inspiring moment, put your feet up and eat these with a hot cuppa tea. Cozy relaxation. That is the ultimate inspiration.

God, that was easy

2008-02-24T20:11:00.003-06:00

Sometimes eating gluten free is just too damn easy. Seriously! So often our meals are complicated or involve unique ingredients or substitutions. It takes time, planning, and sometimes even luck.

Then there are those meals that are just...easy. So simple we tend to overlook them. Naturally gluten free and adaptable to whatever you have on hand. I made one of those meals tonight. Once upon a time, I was a vegetarian. For three and a half years I ate no meat, no meal made with stock made from meat, and no gelatin. I made sure to eat healthy, but finally was forced to reintroduce meat into my diet when even the iron supplements did not alleviate my anemia. (Uh, hel-LO! Should we maybe have been tested for Celiac back then?) Anyhow, even back in my veggie days I was not a fan of tofu. Ew! I just did not like it. I thought it was rubbery, tasteless. Needless to say, I never had tofu prepared well. Fast forward to today, tonight, in fact. Our super easy, stress free gluten free meal: the tofu scramble. I have made friends with tofu. When prepared well, it can be divine. It can also be incredibly easy. Crumble it up, spice it up. dress it up. A full meal in 15 minutes.

Curry Tofu Scramble

adapted from 101 Cookbooks

3 T olive oil

2 t curry powder

1/2 large sweet onion, sliced

2 small-medium tomatoes

1/3 cup raisins

1 cube extra firm tofu, crumbled

2 large handfuls of baby spinach

1/3 cup slivered almonds

salt and pepper to taste

Add the olive oil to a big pan over med-high heat. Stir in the curry powder, and then quickly add the onions. Stir in onions, salt, and pepper and cook until the onions soften. Stir in the tomatoes and raisins, cook them for thirty seconds and add the tofu and spinach. Stir until the tofu is combined with the other ingredients and the spinach wilts. Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Nirvana

2008-02-10T11:23:00.000-06:00

Soft, fluffy, moist, bendable. These are all words to describe the bread that I have missed for the past year and a half. French bread, Wonder bread, pita bread. All of gone in a moment. I thought that the rest of my life would be spent eating dense, brick-like crmbling loaves that are only edible after toasting. NOT ANY MORE!!!

One of my girl friends recently bought a condo. Upon moving in she realized the previous owner had left behind a handful of small kitchen appliances. She offered them up and I marched home with a bread machine. I was so excited. Easy bread!!! I was cautious, though, and checked out the advisibility of using a previously used bread machine. Poop. Looked like a no go. At that point I was so excited about using the machine that it became imperative I buy one for myself. Out to the store I went. After three stops with no bread machines in sight, I began to despair. Target was my last hope. I looked through thr kitchen ailse three times before I saw one box sitting on the bottom shelf. The clouds parted, a light shown down from the heavens, and a choir of angels began to sing. Not only was it a bread machine, it was the Breadman Ultimate Plus.... with gluten free setting! I grabbed the precious and ran home.

After priming the machine per the directions in the manal, I was ready to bake me up some bread. Woo!!! I did a bunch of research. I read posts all over the internets. Finally, I decided to just go with the Gluten Free Pantry Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix. Um, it might be someone's favorite if it is made in the oven, but that mix is not made for my bread machine. meh.

Bread machine, take two...

This time I decided to do something I had never done before: buy the 800 different alternative flours and xantham gun to make the bread truly from scratch. After doing some more research I settled on this recipe that was posted on ByTheBay's blog. I scooped and measured the five different flours. I ground the whole flax seed into meal in my mortar and pestle. I put the wet ingredients in first, topped them with the dry ingredients and made a little well for the yeast. I closed the lid, engaged the gluten free setting, and prayed. "Please," I beseached, "I just want it to be better than the previous loaf." A little over and hour later (yes, the cycle really is that short!) a beeping was heard throughout my apartment. I removed the loaf from the pan and set it out to cool.

I will admit, I can never wait for a baked good to cool completely. I always sneak a slice. This time I decided to try the first bite sans butter or any other topping. Oh. Um. WOW! I very nearly did cry. The flavor was perfection. The texture is amazing! Remember those adjectives I mentioned before? Soft, fluffy, moist, bendable. This recipe provides all of this! When it comes to a sandwich bread, I will never try another recipe again. Ever. I am sold. So here it is, the bread recipe that might make you cry (very slightly adjusted by me):

GLUTEN-FREE MULTIGRAIN MIRACLE BREAD

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup quinoa flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot starch

1/4 cup flax seed meal (ground flax seeds)

3 teaspoons xanthan gum

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 additional egg whites

1 cup water, room temperature

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Put all of the wet ingredients into the bread machine pan. Gently layer the dry ingredients on top of the wet. Do not mix! Create a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients and place the yeast in the well so that is remains dry. Place the pan in the bread machine. Close the lid and set the machine to the gluten free setting or the quick rise setting. Press start. That is all.

If the loaf turns out to be too dense or if it falls, try redicing the water by 2-3 T. You can slice and freeze this loaf, but there is really no reason. This bread was still just a fresh the next day. Speaking of which, I need to go have a slice, untoasted and with no topping. Yes, it is just that good!

Super easy Quinoa cookies

2007-12-23T10:06:00.000-06:00

So I headed out to my parents' house for a day of holiday baking...and I made one cookie. Mom kind of took over the kitchen, making gluten-y baked good. Ah well. These are pretty darn good, and really, how many cookies can one Diva eat?

I have been wanting to try baking with quinoa. I love cooking with quinoa, and what a great way to inject some healthiness into your dessert? This recipe is actually off the back of the box of Quinoa Flakes. I figured I would try it as written since this was my first foray into quinoa baking. The verdict: Yum-o (to quote the cooking lady on my TV right now.) So here you go...

Crispy Quinoa Cookies

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 t vanilla

1 cup rice flour

3/4 cup Quinoa Flakes

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt (optional)

1/2 cup nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat honey, brown sugar, margarine, peanut butter, and vanilla in medium bowl until creamy. Combine rice flour, quinoa flakes, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl (or just dump it all on top of the wet mixture like I did!) Add to mixture and beat until well blended. If desired add nuts and/or chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool one minute before removing from cookie sheet.

I found that they seemed to bake much faster that the time given. Then again, that could have been due to my parents' old, wacky oven. While these are not a real holiday cookie, it is still a fantastic addition to our gluten free baking repertoire. If you miss oatmeal cookies and don't want to risk a reaction to oats, this is the way to go. They are not exactly the same, but are pretty darn close. Enjoy!

Holiday comfort

2007-12-16T10:27:00.000-06:00

There is nothing that is more indicative of the holiday season than the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove. The aroma permeating the air, wafting from a freshly baked pie or loaf of bread. The scents wrap themselves around you like a thick down blanket. Warmth, security, contentment.

At this moment my kitchen is a mess. It is in a bad way. I was sick for nearly two weeks. This is the fallout that occurs: too much garbage, piles of unwashed dishes, lots of yuck. But my appetite has returned with a vengeance. What to do? Slow cooker! Someone over on livejournal posted a rough sketch of a recipe the other day that had snagged my interest. Yesterday I wiped out the slow cooker and dug out the Pumpkin Pie Spice. Mmmmmm... Pumpkin Pie Spice. After playing around with seasoning amounts, here is the result:

(Picture coming soon...as soon as blogger quits being a punk!)

Pumpkin Rice Porridge

8-9 cups milk
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 T pumpkin pie spice
1 can pumpkin puree
3 cups rice

Put the first 4 ingredients in your slow cooker. Mix to blend completely. Add in the rice. Cover and cook. (I set it on high for 6 hours.) Occasionally mix to ensure even cooking.

Hint: I used a Reynold's Slow Cooker Liner. These things are lifesavers! Cleanup is a breeze. I can't imagine how horrible it would have been without the liner. Some much scraping! Instead you just lift it out and throw it away.

This is truly a porridge. Thick, dense, slightly sweet. Yum! It has a consistency similar to a bread pudding. The only problem is that it makes a HUGE batch. I am going to have to try making it much smaller. I may try it with a slightly higher ratio of wet ingredients. If you play around with it, please let me know the results. Hmmm...I wonder how it would taste warm and topped with maple syrup?

Kick start

2007-12-15T18:18:00.000-06:00

Well...I've sure been a slacker here. I have definitely fallen down on the job in terms of posting recipes and such. It's not that I have not been cooking (I have, just not much.) I have just been busy and stressed and slightly uninspired. I need to get back in the swing of things.

In an effort to get the ball rolling I am asking for your help. We are well and truly into the holiday season. I am planning on doing some holiday baking with Mom tomorrow. Since I intend to share the cookies with you all (um, the recipes), I thought I would expand this a bit. If you have posted or are planning to post any holiday baking recipes, please let me know. Drop me a comment and include a link. I will put them all into one post. Kind of a round up, but more like a really convenient place to look for a bunch of gluten free holiday goodies. Cookies, cakes, candies, whatever sweet stuff you are concocting to celebrate the holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa.)

Now to pick out the recipes I plan to make. And I think I need to play with my dog. He has been trying to snag my attention at the most inopportune times: while I'm on the phone, as I try to do work, as pictures are being taken...

I recieved a response

2007-11-20T19:28:00.000-06:00

I was quite surprised this evening when I checked my email and saw that the editor from the Seattle Times responded to my email regarding their article (see my last post.) Here is what she said:

Thank you for sharing your concerns about the recent "Survival Guide for
Holiday Hosting" story. We realize now that we should not have included
"gluten-free" as an example in the "Diva" category, as a gluten-free diet
often is a medically diagnosed need, not a choice. On our website, we have
changed that sentence to say: “The Diva has driven us crazy with high-maintenance demands like special diets and fresh towels every day.” In past articles, we have taken great care to address the importance of gluten-free diets, and have even printed recipes for those needing alternatives. That said, your note
is a good reminder that we need to stay mindful of this issue.

Thanks again.
Colleen McBrinn
The Seattle Times
Weekend Living Editor
206/515-5655

While this does not completely make me happy ("special diets" can still be medical necessities), it is nice to have what I said recognized.

Please send a response!

2007-11-19T18:29:00.000-06:00

I haven't poked around yet to see if any of you have posted this as well. Just in case, everyone needs to read this article and respond to the journalist (and even her editor.) She wrote an article printed in the Seattle Times about "Surviving the Holidays". She labeled different kinds of guests. One, "The Diva", included guests who eat vegan and gluten free diets. Yes. Because we have a choice. Her ignorance astounds me. That fact that her editor let this be published is even worse. Both the journalist and the newspaper need to be made aware that this attitude is unacceptable. Perhaps it is a matter of not being properly informed. But if that is the case, they have committed a major journalistic faux pas.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2004018439_guestetiquette17.html

I just sent off this email:

Dear Ms. Tsong,

I was rather disturbed after reading your article regarding house guests and surviving the holidays. In the article you listed a handful of guest stereotypes. One in particular, The Diva, is grossly unfair and inaccurate. You have lumped together individuals who make excessive personal requests (fresh towels) with people who are on specialized medical diets. I can understand your frustration over a guest whose requests inconvenience you for no other reason than that they prefer things done a certain way. However, I cannot understand or accept that you would open your home to someone and then begrudge them that fact that, if they were to eat a certain kind of food, would be ill for the remainder of their visit.

The Gluten Free diet is not a fad diet. It is not something a person adopts by choice, but as a matter of medical necessity. For those of us who live with Celiac Disease (a genetic auto-immune disease that attacks the small intestines) a gluten free diet is THE ONLY course of treatment. We cannot pop a pill and eat your stuffing and pies. Would you vilify a guest who lives with peanut or lactose allergies? While they may have more immediate and outwardly visible reactions (vomiting, anaphylactic shock, etc.), a person with Celiac can have intestinal damage that may take 3-6 months to heal. This can occur from just one mouthful of gluten-filled food. This damage (and the resulting mal-absorption of nutrients) can lead to such long-term problems as bone density loss (osteopenia and osteoporosis) and lymphoma. Please do not diminish such serious health issue by referring to them as Diva tendencies. Not only is it rude, but it illuminates your ignorance on the topic.

Shannon Mueller
Celiac Disease
Gluten Free since Oct. '06

The journalist's contact information is listed at the bottom of the article. Let's see how large of a presesence we can make known!

In love with Joe

2007-11-13T19:47:00.000-06:00

I am in love. With Joe. He has everything I want and need. He provides for me. He fills me up. He makes me feel as though I am unique, not weird. I am in love with Joe. Trader Joe.

It seems that, more and more, Trader Joe's is becoming the leader in gluten free retail marketing. Every time I walk in that store I see new products. Products proudly displaying the label "gluten free". Here is a list of some new faves:

Gluten Free Granola
Gluten Free Black Forest Cake (freezer section)
Gluten Ginger Snaps (OMG, so good!!!)
Chicken Gorgonzola (freezer section)
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I also bought the Gluten Free tiramisu. I am saving for this weekend. I am hosting an Urban Family Thanksgiving. Eeek! I will be cooking a turkey by myself FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! I am planning on making gf stuffing out of Kinnikinnick bread. Anyone use that bread for stuffing a bird before? How did that work for you?

2007-11-09T22:01:00.000-06:00

It has been so long and so much has happened in the past month that I won't even try to fill you in on all of it. I will, however, try to hit the high points.

- Today I made a long overdue stop at Trader Joe's. All month I have been hearing great things about their new gluten free granola. I bought one bag (they have three flavors) and the verdict? OMG fantastic!!! Crunchy, great texture, slightly sweet. I can't wait to try it over yogurt.

- A couple of weeks ago I attended a gluten free and food allergy fair at a local hospital. There were so many great vendors. I had the opportunity to try so many gf products. Here is a list of some must-buy treats I tried: Pamela's Chocolate Cake mix, 123 Gluten Free pound cake mix (it tasted better than most "regular" pound cake), chocolate K-Toos, some local gf bakeries, gf Full Flavor cheese sauce (for fast mac & cheese) and turkey gravy, and some spice and dip mixes from a company called Cali. There was an amazing biscotti, but I can not remember the name of the company. Oh! Also, I tried Pamela's PB Chocolate Chip cookies. So delicious!

- I am really starting to get into wine. My friends and I have been trying new wines each month during my movie nights. I went to Sam's (a HUGE wine and liquor store near my place). There are so many wines there that it is a bit overwhelming. Luckily, there were some reps available conducting tastings. I have never really done a side-by-side-by-side tasting before. It was really neat to taste a variety of wines and to be able recognize differences between them. I'm looking forward to the next movies and wine night.

- Speaking of the next movies and wine night...it is a week away. I am hosting an Urban Family Thanksgiving Feast. For the first time ever, I will be making the holiday turkey. EeeeeKkkKKk!!! I'm so nervous about this. I want it to turn out juicy and tasty (duh). I want to succeed at making gf stuffing. I am thinking of using Kinnikinnick bread and my mom's stuffing recipe. Have any of you used that beard for stuffing? How did it turn out?

- I got glutened earlier in the week. My poor tummy has been sensitive ever since. Even food that I know is completely safe has been bothering me. Hopefully this won't last much longer.

- I will be trying some chicken mango sausages this weekend. I bought them at Trader Joe's. GF is right there on the label. They sounds interesting. I need to think about how and with what I will serve them.

I think that covers quite a bit for now. Hope all of you are doing well. Hugs and GF kisses!

huh

2007-10-14T01:07:00.000-05:00

When a person is told that they have Celiac Disease and that henceforth they are no longer allowed to eat any of their favorite foods, their life can feel as though it has been thrown into turmoil. It was an adjustment for me, a fairly big lifestyle change. I went from being the girl who would eat anything, to being the "challenging" one when we go out to eat. The first holiday meals are a disaster and no one quite understands.

That being said, you would think I would have been much more aware of what this weekend was: my one year anniversary. I was sitting here about to crawl into bed when I realized (belatedly) that the anniversary of the day I started my gluten free lifestyle had come and passed. It is almost an afterthought. Strange. Also strange that I am sitting here thinking about being GF for a year while all bloaty and with a big case or gurgly tummy. Can't imagine what I ate. Nothing should have had gluten. It could just be too much fat or dairy. Cheese, pasta with a heavy cream sauce, and...oh. duh. White Chili. Sometimes I am quite dumb.

A fun find

2007-10-13T18:49:00.000-05:00

I have started cooking again a bit. Stress seems to wipe out any desire to cook, but lately I have been having fun with it again. Meals have been made, food pics have been taken, no posts have been written. I promise to fix that in the near future. A few of the meals actually turned out quite good.

The reason for my writing today is food related, but not cooking related.

A little over a year ago, after a relationship I quite enjoyed came (sadly) to an end, I decided I needed to focus more on my friends. I always seem to feel that way after a breakup. While I may not have been smart about the dating decisions I made after that, I did make a smart decision by starting what has become a bit of a tradition. Once a month I host a movie night. I cook an entree (usually something big and meaty) and everyone else brings a side dish, dessert, appetizer, etc. It is a big old potluck. I baked my first ham, made chili, created a taco bar...among other themes. A few moths back I added a new element to our monthly gathering: wine. There was usually at least one person who would bring a bottle along. Month after month I would hear people say "I wish I knew more about wine." So why not? Movie Night became Monthly Movies & Wine. I try to pick a theme for each gathering: West Coast Wines, US Wines (not West coast), and College Wines (nothing over $5). It has been fun and interesting. Perhaps not educational yet, but that may change.

Last week I was watching Nightline. Why? I never watch Nightline. It usually depresses me with all of their child predator stories. I teach children all day, that topic just depresses the hell out of me. For whatever reason, the show was on. They featured a segment about a gentleman on the east coast and his web site. Gary Vaynerchuk owns and runs a wine store that his parents started when they moved here from (I believe) Russia. It is now a monstrous wine superstore. About a year or so ago he started video blogging about wine. The result is Wine TV. He is crazy. A huge football fan, he often talks about the Jets and how terrible they are doing. He is not a wine snob, sounds like your average Joe. He presents wine in a way that is entertaining and approachable for the average person. If you want to learn about wine, whether you are a newbie or a seasoned wine connoisseur, this is the place to go. Check it out. Nd if you have any wine suggestions of your own, pass them my way. I am always looking for a good wine to share with friends.

Sweet tooth takes over!

2007-09-29T14:10:00.000-05:00

My stomach is back to normal. It was back to normal very quickly. I'm still mystified. Now I am super leery about eating foods that could contain gluten. Will I have the same reaction next time? Was it a fluke? Was it food poisoning? Let's just hope there is never a repeat.

Moving on.

So I will be the first to admit I have a sweet tooth. On occasion it will rear it's head. "Feed me!" I dip into my candy reserves. As I have gotten older it seems to take smaller and smaller portions to satiate the beast. Usually. Sometimes I can ignore the monster. Other times it is more insistent. "FEED me!!" And into the freezer I dive for some ice cream. A couple of candies. An extra scoop of ice cream. The creature is more adamant. Then there are the days that my sweet tooth roars. "FEED ME!!!!!" Lord help me on those days. No matter what I put in my mouth it does not seem enough. Chocolate, ice cream, sweet tea, bakery goods. I need more! Today is one of those days. I am sure in a few days I will have a hormonal...visitor that will explain this intense craving, but for now there is no reasoning with the beast.

The beautiful thing is that in the (almost) year since going gluten free, I have found many safe options for feeding the cravings. On my way home from getting my hair cut (it's so cute!) I passed by the Vosges store. Yes, a store completely devoted to amazing, decadent chocolate. Amazing, decadent, expensive chocolate. Nearly all of it is gluten free! (I'm telling you, my sweet tooth is developing expensive tastes.) I sampled three "exotic candy bars" (remember my post about the Naga Bar?) One was white chocolate with kalamata olives, another with dark chocolate and Mexican peppers. The third was one I had already tried and LOVED. It is going to sound gross, but you must try it: milk chocolate, smoked salt and bacon. Heaven!

So there I was, looking all cute fresh from the salon, and surrounded by chocolate. What a blissful morning. :) By the time I walked out of there I had also tried a white chocolate-olive oil-kalamata olive truffle. Amazing. It should be for $3 a piece. The very nice (cute) boy working there gave me a free sample. Oh, and it pays to chat up the employees. He gave me a 10% "teacher" discount on my purchase of a Naga truffle and two candy bars. I have not yet tried these bars, but don't worry, I'll let you know how they taste. I anticipate more ooh-ing and ahh-ing.

Since I was in the neighborhood I also swung by Swirlz (the cupcake bakery that has GF offerings every day.) I had a coupon for a free cupcake. Which one should I get? Grasshopper mint-chocolate? Vanilla-chocolate? Cinnamon-chocolate? I asked the employee for his opinion. Mint-chocolate it was. Oh my! The cake is great, but the frosting is amazing! Light, creamy, slightly sweet. Perfect. Is my craving fulfilled? Well, it has quieted down for the moment. Although it does seem to be eyeing that Naga truffle with undue interest.

Ugh. (Warning: grossness ahead!)

2007-09-26T07:57:00.000-05:00

School is crazy. I don't have reliable Internet at home. Yesterday I was sick.

I can't wait for October. I am done with September.

So here's the thing. Yesterday I went to our annual full-day meeting downtown. Usually this is a great day: no kids, no driving (I get to take the train), a room full of fine arts teachers and principals, and it is held at the Cultural Center. And they always provide food. Up till this year I have loved that last part. This year I could not partake. Actually, I should have risked the salad. Here's why...I went down to the local Thai restaurant. I have eaten there before. The Panang Curry is to die for. SO GOOD. Yesterday it tasted amazing. I ate way too much. About two hours after eating I started feeling icky. Damn, gluten...or so I thought. I left at the end of the meeting and started feeling worse. By the time I got off the train out by my apartment I felt horrible. I thought I was going to faint. Super queasy. Bad deal. I had to nearly push a guy out of my way on the stairs so I could get to the top and not risk passing out on the stairs. I got through the turnstiles and that was it. My lunch made a reappearance. Ew. The only times I have puked in the past 15-20 years have been due to reactions to anesthesia. This was not cool. Very embarrassing! People just stood and stared. Anyhoo, the reason I am sharing this is that I have a question. This could definitely be food poisoning. My body made sure there was not a single bit of lunch in my belly. I felt a bit queasy and shaky afterwards, but 100 times better. I was even able to eat a light meal last night. Today I am fine. I would have thought there would be lingering effects with food poisoning. As for gluten, I have never reacted this way. My symptoms are rather mild by comparison to other Celiacs. Have you ever (after going GF) had symptoms that were exponentially worse? Could it be the amount of gluten consumed? I normally just bloat and feel some heartburn and such. This was WAY worse. Any input?

Choclolagasm

2007-09-07T16:15:00.000-05:00

OH. MY. GOD.

That is all I can really say. Seriously. OK, I am a typical girl. I love chocolate in nearly every form (although not chocolate ice cream so much.) About a week ago (during a fairly emotionally trying time) my best friend and I got together for some girl time. We ran over to Whole Foods to pick up some munchies that I could partake of. I bought many treats. Many. I finally got around to trying one of them today. Again, an emotionally draining day. (I swear my fellow teachers are worse than the students!) Anyhow, I busted into my emergency chocolate supply. OH MY GOD! Vosges Haut-Chocolate. I love it. It is one of their exotic candy bars: Naga Bar. "Sweet Indian curry powder, coconut flakes, deep milk chocolate". It is heaven. It melts on your tongue. Smooth, creamy, decadent. The chocolate itself is divine, the "exotic" ingredients put it over the top. They have a bunch of different flavors (all gluten free!) I can't wait to try more!

Now, I go eat more chocolate.

8 random things meme

2007-08-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

Cindy tagged me for that "8 Random Things" meme that has been going around the food blog verse. Just call me a lemming as I cave to peer pressure.

1) I have the worst eating habits ever. One day I will eat non-stop, shoving food (really unhealthy food) into my mouth at an ever increasing rate. The higher in fat and lower in nutritional value, the better. The next day I will wake up, have a glass of oj, and then not eat anything until 4:30. I either don't feel hungry or I get so busy that I lose track of time. It's bad.

2) I am a music teacher who has a weakness for pop music. It doesn't even have to be good pop music. I will listen to the Pussy Cat Dolls. Horrible! Although, I draw the line at Beyonce. NO!

3) We moved around a bunch while I was growing up. Once we lived in Colorado for only 10 months before moving. Due to this I get "itchy feet" if I live in one place for too long. I have been in my current apartment for three years. The feet are itching pretty bad.

4) When we lived in Colorado I attended Columbine High School. It was nice. Good school, nice teachers. Pretty average. That was years before the shootings. For me the school is still that place where I spent freshman year.

5) I have never been out of the country. Not really. No offense, but I don't count trips to Canada and the Cayman Islands as "out of the country".

6) I feel like a grown up more often than not. This is a new development. I have felt for a while as though I was straddling the line between post-college-20's and adulthood. Maybe it was turning 30 that did it. Maybe I have reached a new phase of my life. Instead of feeling like I should know what I am doing, I actually feel as though I do know what I am doing...most of the time.

7) Adulthood scares me. I've reached it, but feel as though there is so much I didn't do before getting here. Life rarely turns out how you think it will, but my 21-year-old self would cringe to see which milestones I haven't reached. At the same time, I think she would be proud of some of the ones I have unexpectedly reached (I am getting a student teacher this fall!!!)

8) I have two main guilty pleasures: stinky cheese and bad sci-fi. My perfect Sunday afternoon would be spent in front of the TV watching Star Trek the Next Generation or Quantum Leap and eating brie on crackers. Oh yes.

OK, who to tag? I'm not sure who all has done this. If you already have, ignore my tag.
Sheri
Lynn Barry
Mike
Elise

I think everyone else has done this meme. If you haven't and I didn't list you, consider yourself tagged!

Gluten Free Tears

2007-08-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I almost started crying in the grocery store. It has almost been a year since going gluten free (where has the time gone?) I have been close to tears more times than I care to admit. Frustration. Annoyance. Anger. It doesn't even take one hand to count the number of times the tears have been brought on for a positive reason. Yesterday was one of those days. My first stop was at our old favorite, Trader Joe's. Bless them and their gluten free shopping list. The difference this visit was that they are now carrying the Gluten Free Black Forrest Torte. I want to eat the whole thing now!!! Instead, I will be sensible and save it for Saturday when I have friends over for dinner. But no worries! I have so much more to nosh on.

My second stop was a long time coming. A new grocery store had opened up in my neighborhood a few months back. I ignored it, figuring it was just another Whole Paycheck... I mean Foods. My landlords told me otherwise. So off to Sunflower I went. THANK GOD!!! (This is where I nearly wept.) They have your typical selection of Amy's frozen foods, soy and rice milk products, etc. What did they have that threatened to activate the tear ducts? Glutino cereals and cookies, GF protein powders, a whole section of frozen Kinnikinnick foods, and a line of products from a company called World Foods. I actually had to make a choice between two types of bagels, three types of bread, and two types of donuts. Heaven!!! World Foods almost made me cry because right there on the label it states (not just that it is gluten free) that it is "suitable for Celiacs". They give us a shout out! And OOOH Baby! The yummy stuff they have. Salad dressings and stir fry sauces from numerous cultures. I purchased the Coconut Lime dressing and Lemon Grass Pineapple stir fry sauce. They had over a dozen products. I think I may have fallen in love with this store. They carry my new favorite yogurt, Cascade Fresh (also labeled GF) in about 6 flavors and the yogurt smoothies. I could go on and on listing the great foods I bought...or I could go eat some of it. Sorry y'all, but you lose out to my appetite. :) But if you live in Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio you can enjoy the wonder of Sunflower for yourself. What are you waiting for?

We're feeling hot hot hot!!!

2007-08-07T20:55:00.000-05:00

It is officially hot. Dang hot! How hot you, you ask? 90 degrees, 100 degree heat index, dew point at 73. Hot and humid. Now, despite living in Arizona for a large chunk of my childhood, I am not a hot weather girl. For me the perfect day would be between 75 and 82 with low humidity and scattered clouds. Ah. Heaven. Unfortunately, I live in Chicago where we have two seasons: winter and road construction...I mean summer. My two poor little window ac units are chugging away, but it is still uncomfortably warm indoors. It probably doesn’t help that I spent four hours this afternoon at a workshop held in a studio with NO AC! ehem.
That being said, there was no way my stove or oven was going to be turned on. Nuh-uh. I could order some Thai food, but my favorite place (that does not make me sick) has moved and not yet reopened. I am in desperate need of going to the grocery store. I am out of the staples in a big way. Well, I could microwave something. Or...I could eat a meal that does not require cooking. OR...rice cooker to the rescue! Thai food ala rice cooker:

Quick Curry Shrimp and Rice

1 cup white rice
1 can coconut milk
½ cup milk
2 t Silk Road Spice Blend or Curry Powder
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
1-2 dashes/splashes fish sauce
pre-cooked, tail-off defrosted shrimp
peanuts
salt to taste

Combine in a rice cooker the first 6 ingredients. Press cook or white rice button. When the rice is done mix in shrimp and peanuts. Salt to taste. (You could even garnish with cilantro!)

Easy. Rich and creamy. No impact on the temperature on your apartment. Fast prep with no need to hover over the cooking meal. What could be better?

Salmon Salad, Cheater Style

2007-08-06T18:50:00.001-05:00

Today I am too drained, physically and emotionally, to do much writing here. The witty commentary will just have to wait for another day. Alas, I am nearly too drained to cook, as well. "But I'm HUNGRY!!!" screamed my stomach. Gah! Fine. McDonalds, pizza delivery, and frozen ravioli are no longer options. What to make? Cheater's style salmon salad. I saw a very delish looking recipe for a salmon salad over at Simply Recipes. It doesn't look too complicated, but I just didn't feel like running to the store for the missing ingredients. Instead I improvised with what I already had in my fridge and spice cupboard. Costco once again comes to the rescue, this time with some lovely salmon burgers they carry that are gluten free (says so right on the box!) This is so easy, but actually tastes quite good. I know there are many other ingredients I could add to this salad. Consider this the base, or foundation, upon which to add your own finishing touches:

Salmon Salad (Cheater's Style) for One

2 Omega Foods Wild Salmon Burgers, frozen

oil for your pan

1/3 cup sour cream

juice of one lemon (I used about 3/4 of the juice)

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

1/4 cup vidallia onion, finely diced

salt and pepper to taste

Place the frozen salmon burgers in a lightly oiled small frying pan. Pan fry for 2 1/2- 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl combine sour cream, lemon juice, herbs, and onion. Flake the salmon burgers and mix into the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes enough for one person as an entree, or two as a side salad.

I toyed with the idea of adding diced red bell peppers to this salad. You could double the dressing and mix in 1-2 cups of brown rice. Hmmm... What would you add to this salad to make it your own?

My new toy

2007-08-05T12:37:00.000-05:00

I am a gadget person. I love gadgets and electronic toys. Music gadgets, PDAs, kitchen gadgets, schools organizing tools...they all make me a bit giddy. They don't have to be high tech. I don't own a video game system like Wii. Low tech is fun, too. For example, a new microplane grater or a candy thermometer. The big, hefty gadget are a blast, as well. I love my Kitchenaid stand mixer (goodness the thing is heavy!). But right now the gadget that I completely adore is my brand new rice cooker.

I have been cooking my rice on the stove. The stove method works just fine, but it does require a certain amount of attention. My new Aroma rice cooker is wonderful. I am sure most of you have owned a rice cooker for years, but this great machine is still a novelty to me. I love that you can just put everything into it, push a button and walk away. I suppose it is a bit like a slow cooker in that way...except much faster. So far I have made plain white rice and a rather tasty Cherry-Pomegranate Rice. I need more ideas! Those of you veteran rice cooker users who are out there, I implore you! What are your favorite rice cooker recipes? Either post it here or give me the link. I can put it all together in a "Rice Cooker Round Up" (totally stealing the idea from ByTheBay.)

In the mean time, here is my first installment. I use the measuring cup that came with the machine and the fill lines marked on the inside of the pot:

Cherry-Pomegranate Sticky Rice

In your rice cooker combine:

2 level cups (the cup that came with your machine) sushi rice

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cherries, diced

pomegranate juice (fill to the 2 line for a drier rice, to the 4 line for a more saucy rice)

Close the lid of your rice cooker. Press start. If you have different settings on your machine you can press "white rice" or "steam cook". (I used "steam cook".) When your rice cooker indicates it is done cooking, open the lid and stir the rice. You may need to taste the rice to determine if it is finished cooking. (I find that some rice takes longer if you use juice instead of water or stock. The sugar content perhaps?) You can eat as is or sprinkle with a bit of sugar.

My rice came out slightly tart and sticky. I was very pleased. It is best right out of the cooker, freshly made. Leftovers aren't too shabby, though. I need to experiment a bit more. I want to make sure I used this gadget often. I have to say, Costco is becoming my go to place to purchase small kitchen appliances: stand mixer, blender, rice cooker. I think next on the list to purchase will be a food processor. Hmmm...soup anyone?

A Rhapsody On Zucchini

2007-07-29T18:14:00.000-05:00

During the summer between 6th and 7th grades, my family moved into a new house. We were living in Oregon at the time. My parents had rented a house upon first moving to the beautiful Pacific Northwest. But that summer we moved into our brand new, custom built home. Our house was one of the first in the subdivision. It was so new that the forest grew right up against the neighboring lots. There was many an occasion when a mama deer and her babies would take a stroll down our cul-de-sac. This house will live forever in my mind as "the best house ever!" It was the first time I could remember living in a house with two floors. I had a HUGE bedroom. We could see Mt Hood from our front step. The kitchen was spacious with a beautiful butcher block island. Then...there was the garden. While gardens may not be rare to some of you, this was special for us. You see, we had moved to Oregon from Arizona. Aside from the grapefruit tree in our backyard there was no garden. The climate was not hospitable enough. At the new house Dad created this amazing multi-tiered garden. We grew everything (it seemed). Potatoes, swiss chard, green beans, snap peas, tomatoes, onions, and (best of all) zucchini. Ah, that zucchini. How I loved that zucchini. We would have tiny baby zucchini and great big giant overgrown zucchini. My dad and brother had this idea that they were going to let one of the green buggers grow for as long as possible to see if they could beat the Guinness Book of World Records. Alas, the final fruit fell short. That being said, we had to find a variety of ways to cook all the zucchini. We cooked it in casseroles and roasts. We sauteed and grilled it. I wish we had known about this fantastic recipe for stuffed zucchini that Mom and I made for the first time last night (with zucchini from their current garden). Now, while I have only tried a few recipe's from Elise's site, they have all been winners.

I have to say, though, that my absolute favorite is still zucchini bread. What??!!?!? You say you have never had it? That you think it sounds icky? Scandalous!!! Never speak ill of my beloved 'chini! Zucchini bread does not, in fact, taste like zucchini. The shredded green stuff gives the bread a great moist texture, and some wonderful healthy vitamins. (Makes it easy to justify eating an entire mini loaf by yourself in 24 hours.) We have been using the same recipe for my whole life. After doing a bit of research it looks as though most of the recipes out there are variations of the same one. So with four ginormous zuchs sitting on the counter, Mom and I began the Zucchini Cooking Royale. Ok, maybe it wasn't so grand as all that, but it sure turned out tasty. We started with the Zucchini Stuffed with Ham and Cheese (the recipe linked above.) I used Ener-G Bread Crumbs for the first time and thought they were pretty good. Even Dad thought they were the real thing. Next we tackled zucchini bread with Kinnikinnick flour. I only had the Pastry and Pie crust flour mix at my parents' house. It turned out fine, I just omitted the salt (since it is in the mix.) Mom then made a "regular" batch so that I could have the GF loaves all to myself. Yay Mom! Sadly, I do not have my camera with me. No pictures for you! But I do have the recipe. Enjoy!

Pineapple-Zucchini Loaf

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

3 T vanilla (yes it calls for 3 T, but you can use far less)

2 cups peeled, grated and well drained zucchini

3 cups Kinnikinnick GF Pastry and Pie Crust Mix

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9x5" loaf pans. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar, oil, and vanilla and blend well. Add zucchini. Sift together flour, baking powder, and soda and add to batter. Stir in pineapple and nuts and mix well. Turn into pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on wire rack before removing from pans. Wrap and store overnight to develop flavors before slicing. (Note: If using another GF flour mix, add 1 t of salt with flour.)

If you are like me and my father you will love topping this bread with butter or, better yet, cream cheese.

Finally getting somewhere

2007-07-23T15:58:00.000-05:00

I went to the GI today in response to my 6 month follow-up blood work. As I had mentioned in the past, I was not thrilled with my doctor. Absolutely no communication. I went to a new GI today at Rush Hospital. He works with the dietitian I have been seeing. I am kicking myself for not going to see him in the first place. All of my other specialists are located at Rush. I had to break the mold once and go to Northwestern. (OK, it is a wonderful facility, as well. I just had no luck.)

Anyhow, Dr. Demeo is great. He took him time, talked through everything. He actually read my chart and referred back to items in it. While he never flat out said it, based on his reaction to the fact that I was severely anemic in college and I was diagnosed with an IgA deficiency when I was 8 years old (although that went away), he feels that I have probably had Celiac far longer than I have had GI symptoms.

I finally got a bit of a translation of my blood work. The normal range is a ratio of 1:10. My level is 1:160. I would say that is a bit high. Unfortunately, he does not use the same blood test as my previous doctor. Dr. Demeo uses the TTG. While he is not going to run that one right away, I had blood drawn to check my folate and B12. I need to schedule a DXA scan. He is requesting the results of my last CBC, and he is asking for copies of the slides from my endoscopy. I will probably be going in for a follow up in a few months.

He has a strong belief that the GI system, and especially Celiac, effects more than just stomach and bowels. I believe he referred to Celiac as being a multi-system disorder. Just by touching my shoulder he was able to tell me I have allergies (if you scratch your skin and the color changes to super pale, that is an indicator.) He also knew that I would get cramps (sorry guys) mid-cycle during ovulation and was able to point out exactly where I felt the cramping. Incidentally, the pain is not located near the ovaries. This is apparently connected to Celiac. Eh? Not sure if it is 100% true, but the man knew these things before asking me.

He said in all likelihood that I have been eating fine, but the extent of the damage is probably severe enough that it is taking a while to heal. The long and short of it is that I need to continue the diet and food journal (possibly adding symptoms to the journal), do the tests, pray I do not have osteopenia or (worse) osteoporosis. The strongest order from both the doctor and the dietitian (who came in and spoke with me again) is ti eat more and gain weight. When was the last time you heard a doctor tell a patient to gain weight?

2 new finds!

2007-07-19T22:13:00.000-05:00

Well, on Tuesday I had a meeting at school with our new principal. I had to get up early during summer vacation...no fair! After peeking in at the disaster that is my classroom, I decided I was starving. A quick phone call and I was off to the burbs. I met up with my boy at a little cafe I have been hearing about for a while called Joyful's Cafe. Apparently it used to be more like a small market with tons of gluten free products. Unfortunately it did not make enough money. On the up side, the owner (Mark, I believe) turned it into a cafe/deli. Very cute. Great decor. Sandwiches and salads make up the bilk of the menu. All items on the menu can be made GF. I think the owner's son has Celiac and that was why he has this business. It makes me trust them more with the preparation of my food. I ordered the California Turkey sandwich. Oh yum! Good, moist bread. Turkey, avocado, bacon, cheddar, onion, and lettuce. I had almost forgotten how good a huge deli sandwich could be. It was heavenly. So, of course, I had to ask if they sell the bread by the loaf. The gentleman I spoke with said they had Kinnikinnik white, another sandwich bread, cinnamon-raisin millet, and banana-nut millet. The cinnamon-raisin was sadly sold out. I went home with a loaf od banana- nut millet bread. I had never had bread made with millet flour. The verdict? Very good! This was not homemade. It was a frozen loaf from a place called Sami's Bakery based in Tampa, FL. This bread, while made with banana, is not your typical sweet dessert bread. There was the subtle flavor of banana, but it is almost neutral. I don't think I could use it with coldcuts for a sandwich, but perhaps grilled cheese made with munster and/or a mild swiss. It is fantastic fresh out of the bag or toasted and topped with cream cheese. Oh yeah. I am definitely going to check out more of the products from this bakery!

Summer "cooking"

2007-07-10T14:34:00.000-05:00

Cooking. It is such a wonderful thing. The fact that a person can combine a few ingredients and create a whole new dish is amazing. Usually, when I think of cooking a stove or oven come to mind. In the summer (or year round if you are my dad) this extends to the grill. I compensate by owning a George Foreman. (Don't knock it till you try one!) For some reason I just can't call it cooking if there is not some sort of heat source. Silly, I know, but there you have it. I can prepare a meal/food without heat, but it is not cooking.

This afternoon I prepared a meal for lunch. It is hot here in Chicago. There was absolutely no way I was going to turn on my stove or (worse yet) oven. Heck no. What to do? Well, I would have just noshed on rice cakes, cheese and apples, and Gatorade. Appetizing, I know. For some reason, though, I was inspired to hit the veggie market on my way home for the Capoeira workshop I attended this morning. (Good lord, my legs hurt!) At the market I bought so much lovely produce: cherries, strawberries, bananas, plums, red bell peppers, endive, eggplant, vadallia onions, basil, chives...the list goes on. In the fridge section they had a small selection of prepared salads. Almost all of them were off limits (couscous and tabbouleh). There was a tasty looking chickpea salad nestled amongst the verboten items. Hmmmm...interesting. Sadly, the salad was from the same company as the others and I did not want to take the chance. What to do? Make my own!!! OK, so I don't have any chickpeas, but I do have white beans. A little modification and this is what I made:

1 can white beans

1 can quartered artichoke hearts

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/4-1/3 vidallia onion, diced (these suckers are BIG!)

2 T chopped fresh basil

olive oil (I like one with a strong flavor)

red wine vinegar

kosher salt

fresh cracked pepper

Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl. Toss together gently. Drizzle the salad with olive and vinegar, lightly season with salt and pepper. Mix. Taste. Add additional oil/vinegar/salt/pepper to taste. (I like to add a generous portion of pepper.)

It is the ultimate in summer "cooking", that non-cooking in which no heating element is involved. Yet the end result...a healthy, flavorful meal that will definitely go in the repeat file.

Back from Atlanta

2007-07-03T23:41:00.000-05:00

I have to start by saying that Atlanta is such a beautiful city. Really very lovely. If ever you have to opportunity to go there, do. I am partial to Chicago, it is my home, but Atlanta is now in my top five. A great mix of old and new architecture. Warm. (OK, a bit humid.) Very green. Lots of large hills (not sure I can really call them mountains since I spent most of my childhood living in the Rocky Mountains.) Compared to Chicago, the city has very little traffic, foot or automotive. I look forward to going back.

I you do ever happen to head to that fair city, you MUST try a restaurant we went to. It is called The Real Chow Baby. It is one of those make-your-own-stir-fry places. The wonderful thing is that, on their regular menu, each sauce is labeled if it is sugar-free, low-sugar, vegetarian, vegan, or... gluten free! My boyfriend, who has no dietary restrictions, loved the place. You can be as creative or conservative with your ingredients as you want. All of the rice noodles are cooked separately from the wheat-filled ones. If you indicate that you have a food allergy/are gluten free, they cook your food on a separate wok. All you can eat for $12.99. A great place to take someone who has a hearty appetite. Avoid the mojitos, though. Among the worst I have had. (Very disappointing.) Oh, and do not go there if you are in a hurry.

In my effort to make sure I had gluten free options for the trip I over packed a bit. We brought along a cooler that we filled with cold cuts (Applegate Farms has the best turkey ever!), cheese, drinks, mayo, etc. I baked some Chebe flatbread to use for sandwiches. Chebe is officially my favorite GF quickbread. So tasty and easy. Even the boyfriend liked it. The only problem is that I now have more trail mix than I could ever possibly eat. What was I thinking? It is rather good. Cashews, hazelnuts, semi-sweet chocolate chips, dried cherries and dried blueberries. Mmmmmm... Because of all the food we brought along, and the free continental breakfast at the hotel, we only had to buy one meal a day. We saved a ton of money that way and I did not have to worry about finding tons of places to eat that could accommodate my diet. For my first vacation since going GF, it was a resounding culinary success. Oh, and the city was pretty darn great, too. ;)

Growin' up greens

2007-06-22T19:36:00.000-05:00

There are so many things that I love about summer: the warm weather, the days off (it is good to be a teacher), iced tea, grilling on the patio, and fresh produce. Not the pale, plastic-y imitations of produce that you find in the winter, but the off the vine/plant, fragrant, flavorful summer variety. This is when I am happy I live in a big city. Huh? What? Fresh grown veggies in the city? How does that work? Easy! There are over a dozen farmers' markets that I can frequent every week. This past Sunday I checked out two markets close to my apartment. The first was small. Super small. I did pick up some lovely greens. While a pain to prep them for cooking, they were worth it. After cooking they still had body, didn't turn to mush. I sauteed the stems with olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper. After 5-10 minutes I tossed in the leaves, garlic, and some frozen cooked shrimp. At the very end I added a splash of balsamic and it was done. So good.

Yes, the city is a fabulous place during the summer. My favorite culinary experience of late, though, has occurred out in the burbs. A year or so ago my parents transplanted some raspberry clippings from my aunt's garden. For the first time they have berries. Sun warmed, ripe, juicy berries. I love standing in the garden in bare feet picking berries. Eat them alone, with cream, or atop a Van's GF waffle. So lovely. My taste buds rejoice at the explosion of summer flavor. Now I just have to figure out how to convince me parents to let me pick all of the ripe berries on Sunday to take on the road to Atlanta. Mmmm...

Crap

2007-06-19T08:01:00.000-05:00

Crap crap crapity CRAP!!!

I have cut out all commercially available baked goods, I read labels, my grocery bills have skyrocketed. All for what? To be gluten free, to be healthy, because I have Celiac. It takes thought and attention to detail. You can't slack, you can't cheat. I thought I had been doing pretty good. Sure the last month and a half have been less than healthy. I'm an emotional eater. When life gets stressful I eat whatever I crave. Ice cream. Cheese and crackers (GF, of course). Candy. See! I keep telling people that you can eat super unhealthy on a GF diet. I am proof. My diet has been wretched. Balanced nutrition? Heck no. BUT, I thought I was being careful about gluten. Apparently not. My doctor's office called me yesterday. I had my 6 (ok, really 7 or 8) month blood work done. My Dr. just got back from vacation and discovered that my blood levels HAVE NOT CHANGED. What the..??!!?!!??! But I have been eating GF! I swear!!! Crap! I knew I had been having tummy issues again, but they felt different. I thought it was strictly IBS problems. Damn. So now I have to keep a food diary again (for real this time). 6-8 weeks. Yikes. Then I go back to the doctor. The thing is, I was not happy with my doctor. He is very old school. Does not communicate well. What are my blood levels? "Abnormal" What number is it and what is the range it should fall into? "It is abnormal." uh-huh. So I called the office where my dietitian is located and made an appointment with the GI she works with for Celiac.

It just figures that I need to start this food diary just as I am about to leave for vacation. Grrr! So now I am brainstorming a list of items to bring along for the drive (11 hours!) and for lunches during the week. I am planning to make some Chebe flatbread for sandwiches. Cheese, cold cuts, fruit, veggies, hummus, lots of Larabars and ThinkThin and ThinkOrganic bars. (Those things are CRACK!) What else should I bring along? What do you have to bring with whenever you travel?

Finally!

2007-06-15T23:41:00.000-05:00

School! Is!! Over!!!!!

Summer break has officially begun. Thank God! It has been a...stressful two months. It felt as though the end was never going to arrive. What now? Relaxation. Some organizational stuff (yes, this requires going in to school, but no kids.) Summer book club. More cooking! Job interviews (hopefully). And vacation. An actual trip! In about a week I will be hopping in the car and driving to Atlanta. I'm pretty excited about this. I have never been to Georgia. I have heard wonderful things. The only anxiety inducing thing is that this is my first real trip since going GF. Where will I eat? Eek! Have any of you been to Atlanta? Any suggestions?

Humph.

2007-06-06T06:34:00.000-05:00

There is something not right with my stomach. I don't think this is gluten. It doesn't feel like gluten. This is weird. For the past 4 days I have felt bloated (not entirely new) with a kind of burning nausea. Not full blown heartburn. Not the threat of praying to the porcelain god. Just uncomfortable. When I am not feeling like that I am absolutely starving. I will eat, and in half an hour I am starving again. The only time my stomach does not feel off is while I am eating. Maybe I ate something a few days ago and am having long lasting low-grade symptoms. It just does not feel like glutening. Last night I ate a TON of red meat. This is very strange for me. As a former vegetarian I am not a huge meat eater. This was the first thing I have eaten that seemed to stave off the discomfort and hunger for at least a couple of hours. Maybe I am lacking protein or iron? Eh? Any suggestions?

I think I am going to start logging my food again. I haven't done that in a very long time. Time to start paying close attention again.

A big impression

2007-06-01T16:33:00.000-05:00

Ah, holiday food traditions. Turkey at Thanksgiving, cookies at Christmas, the Easter ham. And for Memorial Day? The family and/or friend BBQ. There is nothing like lighting a big fire and roasting meat. Now in my family, grilling has taken on new meaning over the last 5 years. Long gone are the days of hot dogs and burgers. Oh no. We grill veggie kabobs, pineapple, salmon, bananas, pizza, shrimp, rosemary chicken...you name it. We like to experiment, try new things. We watch a lot of Bobby Flay. (Dad is addicted to the Food Network.)

So it was quite the nostalgic treat this past Monday when I attended a burger and brat BBQ. No, my family was not revisiting the past. It was someone else's family. The new boy's family. (I don't want to say much about him. Don't want to jinx things. Let's just say he is interested, he's sticking around and I have met his whole family. It is good.) He knows about and understands my dietary needs. Monday was a big deal. Not only was I seeing his whole family congregated in one place, but they were cooking. I was eating. A bit nerve wracking.

Now, my momma taught me that you bring food to a party. It is polite and you just do it. These days I make sure to bring a couple of dishes so that I know I can eat food and the host does not feel the full burden of making a GF meal. Anyhow, they kindly set aside a brat for me (did not soak it in beer.) There were potato chips. I brought along a large fruit salad. Watermelon, grapes, raspberries, pineapple, and bananas. Yum! While the fruit salad is nice, it is the dressing I want to share.

I'm not sure when I started doing this, but if I make a fruit salad there must be a yogurt or sour cream dressing. Put it on the side, mix it in...I don't care. It began as sour cream and powdered sugar. Simple and tasty. This has since evolved. I have realized, though, that I have a bad habit of cooking and not measuring my ingredients. I mix things together and adjust to taste. For those of you interested, here is a rough sketch of what I made:

Ginger Lime Fruit Salad

plain yogurt
juice of one lime
honey
ginger (powdered, paste, or a combination of both)
a mix of fresh seasonal fruits

Mix the first four ingredients in a bowl. Start with a little bit of the honey (1 T) and ginger (1 t), adding more to taste. Serve with salad.

Wow, not exactly specific. Mainly I just wanted to share the ingredients/flavor combination. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo. I assembled some of the fruit at their house. They might have thought it a bit strange if I started photographing the food the first time I ate with them.

The cool thing is that nearly every person in his family had a friend or co-worker who is gluten free. We are everywhere! After tasting the salad and (later) the GF cookies I baked, I was told I was invited back for dinner again since I brought such wonderful dishes. Yay! Don't worry I will share the GF cookies soon.

Ummm...you want me to eat what?

2007-05-30T15:23:00.000-05:00

Often times, in an effort to make a spectacular amount of money in a very short amount of time, schools will plan fundraiser that contains an element of…shall we say, shock value. Earlier this morning as I was getting ready to go to school (to teach children who are READY for summer break…OY!) I was watching the news. This is my normal daily routine. I only keep half an ear open to the weather and traffic reports. Occasionally there will be a local or human-interest piece that snags my attention. This morning was a doozy. I swear I will quit on the spot if my school proposes this. A school in the Chicago area had a fundraiser in which the teacher would eat…cicadas. UGH!!! Gross!!! “They taste like chicken nuggets.” Yeah, right. I’ve heard of teachers getting their heads shaved or pies thrown at them, but this? No Way! I mentioned this to a friend and his response: well, they are gluten free. Umm…I suppose.
While completely repugnant, it got me to thinking about all those foods I had never eaten before or would have sworn I had hated prior to going gluten free. I always have thought of myself as an open-minded diner. But let’s look this over.

Newly discovered:
Flax
Quinoa (LOVE it!)
The Spice House
Cinnamon Dulce ice cream (OK, it’s new and I would have discovered it anyways)
Squash enchiladas
Pumpkin soup
Coconut flour (I'll have to share a recipe soon!)

Re-discovered/Gained a greater love for:
Sushi (it is now a dietary must-have)
Brussel sprouts
Polenta
Coconut milk
Tofu
Baking bread

Not an extensive list, but one that is sure to grow by leaps and bounds since I am only seven months gluten free. So I ask you, what new dish or ingredient have you tried as a result of going gluten free?

Say it ain't so!

2007-05-25T20:31:00.000-05:00

So I tend to lurk in a gluten free forum over on live journal. It is often interesting and entertaining to see what people are posting about. Sometimes I am skeptical about the information that is posted on there. Some of it seems pretty extreme. Perhaps my Celiac is just not as sensitive as other folks. Recently, there was a topic that made me pause. I was wondering if any of you have had experience with this:

Have you ever been glutened by kissing a loved one who is not GF?

Do we really have to be that careful?

Is it more theoretical that you could be glutened?

Have any of you experienced this?

The Diva is dazzled

2007-04-25T19:23:00.000-05:00

Once again, school life has taken over. The fourth and final quarter of the year has truly arrived. The students are getting buggy with Spring fever. The eighth graders are restless, yearning for graduation day (yes, here in the Midwest we do 8th grade graduation.) My dance club is performing in two weeks. The school play is the week after that. The chorus concert another week later. OMG!STRESS!!!

So in the battle against stress, I took off on a small road trip with the girls this past weekend. We were girlie and geeky. We were on the road longer than we were awake at our destination, but that was ok. You see, we had a purpose. This was not some idle trip. We were on a mission. We had a date with destiny. Robbie Williams was in Iowa. Who is Robbie Williams, you ask? Why only the biggest pop star in the world. You have never heard of him? Sure you have, you just don't realize it. See, he never really cracked the American market, despite signing a recording contract in England for 80 million pounds. Not dollars my friends...pounds. That is a hell of alot of money. Damn! Anyhow, I have loved him since his one and only US hit back in '99 called Millennium. I have all his music, both pop music and his swing CD (Swing While You're Winning. Go buy it!!!) He is am amazing musician and is SUPER SEXY!!! He absolutely never performs in the US. He lives in LA because he can be a nobody there. He is part owner of a soccer team over in England and has an LA version of the team that he plays on. So, long story short-ish, the LA Vale were playing an exhibition game in Des Moines. A six hour drive to see a musician I adore who will never perform live in the US? Hell yeah! Not only did I see him, but I got his autograph, talked to him, and HE TOUCHED ME!!! ehem. I was dazzled. I lost my cool. I giggled at him. oh lord. I acted like a little teenager. It was sad. Then again, I have an autograph and lots of pictures. If I was in England, this would never have happened. His concerts draw monstrous crowds of people who pay hundreds of dollars per ticket. You couldn't get within 20 feet of him. On Saturday I stood next to him. If I had been very brave (and wanted to risk the wrath of his security guys) I could have grabbed his ass. Oh yeah. Good times.

So yes. That is why I have been absent. I have been in a post-Robbie haze. It is a good thing. Cooking? Not done much of it. I baked some bread that I will share with you all later. It is tasty, but (typical) has almost zero shelf life. But that is for later.

Happy tummy = Yummy food

2007-04-01T08:57:00.000-05:00

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A cup of probiotic kefir and a Bentyl before meals keeps the bloating away.

Knock on wood, but it seems that those tiny blue pills my doctor gave me are actually working. For the past few days my belly has been feeling better. Not perfect (although that may have something to do with the fact I have been eating foods a bit high in fat) but scads better. Even while my body is reminding me that I am female I have very little bloating. (Hmmm...where is my heating pad?) This gives me hope. This gives me energy. This gives me the urge to cook! It is amazing how, when my belly is being friendly, I want to cook up a storm. I want to bake, broil, grill, saute, and slow cook. The only problem is that I have no one to share these recipes with. No one to help eat up the leftovers. No one to wash all the dishes for me. I love to cook, I hate to clean. Sadly, they go hand in hand. This is the down side to living alone. Never mind needing a boy around for love and comfort, I need one to help eat food and hand wash dishes!

Luckily, I have been out at my parents' house alot lately. Their big, beautiful kitchen inspires me. All those bare granite counter tops just beg to be used for food prep. One of these days I shall post a pic of my sad little kitchen so you can see the challenge I face when it comes to cooking. My next apartment WILL have a better kitchen: more counters, more cupboards, a dish washer, laundry, a/c... Ehem, sorry. Kitchens. That's right. So I was at mom and dad's using their kitchen. The time their was fruitful. So much so, that I have a gift for you: product reviews!

Namaste Pizza Dough Mix: I must say that I was leery about trying this. I have had two GF pizzas in the past 5-6 months. Not good. I am sorry to those of you who like Amy's gf frozen pizza. I just did not like it. Da Lucianos (an incredibly GF friendly restaurant in the Chicago-land area) offers GF pizza on their menu. Four of the owners children have Celiac, so they have developed an extensive GF menu. Their pasta dishes are divine. Their pizza is not. I did not like the texture of the crust. Ew. So I did not have much hope for the mix from Namaste, but figured it was worth a try. Dad has been on a homemade pizza kick lately. Well, semi-homemade (dough purchased from Trader Joes). So I mixed up a batch of Namaste dough. Since Dad was making grilled pizza I shaped my dough and slapped it on the grill (they left an area just for me so there would be no cross-contamination). We topped the pizza with grilled eggplant, onion, zucchini, roasted garlic, cheese....Yum! And you know what? Best GF pizza I have had. No, it was not quite like the pizzas of my past, but it was darn good. Crusty, chewy, not that crumbly, grainy texture so many GF products can get. It may not look like the prettiest pizza around, but it was tasty! I am going to make some more later. A bit of a warning, though. Use your Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, this dough is thick! A hand mixer barely gets the job done and you may burn out the motor on it.

Breads From Anna: While at Fruitful Yield I picked up a package of banana bread mix. I miss bread liek whoa! Sweet, savory, yeasty, you name it. I am a bread girl. There was many a night that Dad and I polished off a loaf of crusty french bread topped with olive oil and parm, a good stinky brie, or smothered with Nutella. I was a breadaholic. Sometimes I could not wait until arriving home from the store before tearing into a warm, fresh loaf. Driving with one hand on the wheel and the other breaking off hunks of french bread is a tricky maneuver. Hmmm...perhaps Chicago drivers are safer now that I am GF. I eagerly mixed up a batch of banana bread. My bananas were not as ripe as I wished, but they were good enough. Super quick and easy to make the batter, much longer to bake. One hour!!! So long to wait. I wasn't sure how well the bread would raise up, but boy howdy! did it look good. The pan was full to the top with a nicely browned, fragrant loaf. Fast forward to the taste test (it was still piping hot from the oven, I could not wait). Lightly sweet, moist, yum! I will definitely get this again. Two days later the bread is still good, but (typical) is better when toasted and buttered. I am at this moment enjoying two slices with a cup of peppermint tea. The perfect Sunday morning nosh.

One last quick review: Mrs Leeper's Tuna Noodle...thing (can't remember the exact name.) This is one of those tuna mac/hamburger helper type deals. I have to say, not bad. With the added tomato and green onion I threw in I was actually quite good. Easy, too. It made enough for me to have dinner (and Dad to try it), lunch and dinner the next day. Basically, it would make enough for a family meal if you had a veggie on the side. If you need a quick, easy, tasty, low fuss meal...this is it.

OK, now that I have gone on and on about food...I want to cook more. Menu planning time, then grocery shopping. I'm on Spring Break, baby! I actually have the time to cook, bake, broil, and slow cook. Oh yeah!

Recipe help!

2007-03-30T20:49:00.000-05:00

I am out in the suburbs tonight at my parents' house. Every time I come out here I cook. Their kitchen is WAY bigger than mine. Also, they have a dishwasher. (Have I even mentioned how much I loathe hand washing dishes?) Well, I ran a few errands before arriving at their house. I bought a new comforter, some window hangings, king size pillow cases. I has found everything I needed. Time to head home. Then I noticed the store next to Marshal's: Fruitful Yield. Woo hoo! I have been wanting to check that place out for months. Oh my darlings, there was much GF shopping to be had. I was a good girl and only bought a few things. I did find two items I have been dying to try for a while, but can not find near my apartment. Coconut flour and Quinoa flour. Yes!!! I must bake!

Here's the problem, I bought the coconut flour because I remember someone posting a recipe for coconut cupcakes that called for this special flour. Problem is...I can't remember who posted the darn thing. Help!!!Do any of you remember seeing this elusive recipe? Can you point me towards it? If not, do you have any suggestions on how I can best utilize said coconut flour?

What the...?

2007-03-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

For the last month or two I have not been being very healthy. Yes, I have been eating gluten free, to the best of my knowledge. The truth is, I have not been eating good food. Eating out alot, high fat, unbalanced diet. Not good. This is typical, though. Whenever I get stressed out I eat junk. Just because it is gluten free does not mean it isn't junk food. Yes, overall the GF diet is healthier, but mango or dulce de leche ice cream is just as fatty as cookies n' cream.

In an effort to get back on the wagon of good healthful eating I have agreed to be part of a research study that Rush Hospital is conducting. They are investigating the economic impact of the GF diet. I need to keep a food diary for 28 days. In addition, I need to collect all food receipts for the same duration. I think writing down all of my food intake will make me eat better, if for no other reason than not wanting the doctors at Rush seeing how gross my eating habits have become.

The real reason I should be more conscious of what I am eating is that I am still having symptoms. The pain is gone. I don't have upper belly bloating. Lower bloating and a few other symptoms are still hanging around (I won't mention those in detail...ew.) The thing is, before changing my diet, the symptoms were chronic, constant. Now it is intermittent. Sometimes it flares up, other times I am fine. I started considering the possibility of Candida. I have heard from many folks online that individuals with Celiac often have a Candida overgrowth. No thank you! Talk about not being able to eat anything. I contacted my dietitian to inquire about this. Good news, bad news. She doesn't believe in the connection between Celiac and Candida. She did, however, say that 25% of females diagnosed with Celiac have residual IBS. This does not shock me. Stress related IBS is somewhat common in my family. The past 2-3 weeks have certainly been stressful: National Kodaly Conference (for which I was on the planning committee), grades coming up, grant deadline, project deadline...to name a few. Once my dietitian mentioned IBS I called and refilled the prescription for the pills my GI prescribed when I first went to see him. I remember that they had helped at the time (my GI was surprised they had worked since my tests came back positive for Celiac.) Well, when I make sure to take them 5-15 minutes before I eat a meal...little or no problems! So I think I am going to keep taking the pills, try a fiber supplement, and start exercising again (all recommended for individuals with IBS.) I have also heard good things mentioned about taking probiotics. Have any of you tried these? What do you think of them?

So yes, the journey to a healthy gut continues. Hopefully more successfully in the next few months. Months...wow, it has nearly been 6 months since my diagnosis. Nearly 6 months gluten free. Bot, time sure does fly.

Fabulous friends

2007-03-16T11:13:00.000-05:00

For so many people with Celiac, that hardest thing to deal with is friends and family who "just don't get it". The folks who are supposed to be your support network can be the same ones who unintentionally throw up road blocks to healthy living.

"You can just pick off the croutons."
"It only has a little bit of flour to thicken it."
"You can cheat every once in a while."
"But Grandma made this cake for you. Do you want to hurt her feelings?"
"Well, it is just soy sauce!"

They mean well, really they do. It can be difficult to understand the effect of glutening on the body if you yourself don't have Celiac. So often it is associated with allergies, where there are short-term issues, but in the long run no damage is done. It can be easy to believe that, too. You see that hot, steaming slice of pizza. It tantalizes you with it's oozing cheese, sweet-savory sauce, and delicious toppings (of your choice.) Why not? Sure your gut will be painfully bloated for 24-48 hours. And no, there are no pills you can take. But it is worth it, right? WRONG!!! While the obvious effects are "short lived", the damage done to the small intestines can take 6 months to heal. That is six months of decreased nutrient absorption. We Celiacs have first hand experience with "brain fog", mood swings, and skin sensitivities. Really, not worth it.

Most friends and family are well meaning. They try so hard. They purchase foods labeled GF, get the GF shopping lists from local stores (Trader Joe's and Whole Foods), and look online for GF recipes. It is sweet and wonderful and loving. It almost makes you feel not so bad if they accidentally cross-contaminate your food. Hey! No one told them that their wood spoons could make you sick.

Then there are those people in your life who go above and beyond. At my parents house I have my own shelf in the pantry. Dad makes homemade salad dressing every time I come over. My best friend is getting married in a year and has already started asking the reception hall about making my food GF. She even has mentioned getting a super fancy GF cupcake from Swirlz so that I can have wedding cake. (Love ya, hon!) And then there is the friend who, whenever we go out to dinner, goes online to find a restaurant with a GF menu. Being able to choose from an entire menu of safe dishes is fantastic. (The ironic thing is that we have eaten out many times. When I choose the restaurants they have no GF menu. When he has chosen the restaurant they always do.)

What have the people in your life done to make living with Celiac a less challenging experience?

Help a Diva out! :)

2007-03-12T16:22:00.000-05:00

Dearest readers, I have not forsaken you!!! Do not fear, I am still alive and kicking.

There are those times when life seems to take over. Busy does not even begin to explain it. Crazed, perhaps? I have been going non-stop for the past couple of weeks. This week starts the beginning of the Diva Stress Fest: full-time teaching, chorus rehearsals, dance club rehearsals, and play practice. Oh yeah, and attempting to have a normal social life. I am supposed to cook during all of this? My energy to experiment in the kitchen has vanished. I feel no inspiration. This saddens me. I love to cook! I love trying new flavors! I hate doing dishes. There are just so many piling up. Tonight I must wash some of those bad boys and work on a grant application (the life blood of a fine arts program.) I need to figure out some kind of easy, tasty dish to eat. I shudder to think of how many meals I have had lately consisting of apples, cheese, chips, and salsa. BAD Diva!!! Save me from unhealthy, if GF, dining.

So what quick and easy dishes do you make when feeling low on inspiration and energy?

Two Valentine's treats

2007-02-14T19:33:00.000-06:00

It started like any other day. Well, maybe not any other day. I mean, how many days do you walk out to your car and the snow is piled so high that you have to shovel to get the door open? I have to give much MUCH love to my neighbor. He was out clearing the sidewalk in front of his building. He came to my rescue. He completely cleared away the snow so that I could actually drive to work. I owe him big time! I think I shall pick up a Starbucks card for him tomorrow. He earned it!

Now back to my normal day. I drove to school. It really took no longer than normal. Thank god they got the main roads cleared! I left early, so I had enough time to quickly stop at Starbucks for a chai (why didn't I think to pick up the giftcard then??!?!?!) Normal kids, although fewer of them since the school buses were not running. They were not too crazy considering. Lunch: leftovers. Yum! I taught fifth grade. Fine (even if it took them forever to do one of the activities. Think kids, think!) Then the fifth graders were lining up and I was paged to come to the office. I sent a student. As my kindergarten babies were lining up to enter my room she returned...with a florist box. What the what???!?!!?!?! Flowers? Surely not for me. I'm not in a serious relationship. I can't even say that I am in any relationship. A few dates, but dating? Nope. Hhhmmmm? I open the box and see a beautiful bouquet of tulips. ::sigh:: I adore tulips. I check the card. Well, bowl me over! How sweet and unexpected. How slightly odd. A boy I know, and have been out on two dates with, sent me flowers. Two dates does not a relationship make, but I guess this means he really likes me. Wow. Hrm... I need to think about this. Am I interested? Not so sure. Must consider carefully.

That was treat number one. Number two was one I gave to myself. Tonight's dinner: fancy mac n' cheese. But I did not want to make a huge meal. Too tired to do any "real" cooking. What is in my fridge? Ah ha!

Make Tinkyada pasta, drain
mix in three slices (minus a chunk for the dog) of gross Borden's singles
half of a package of goat cheese
great mounds of fresh grated parm
a good splash or three of milk
a couple good spoonfuls of pesto.

Eat.

Yum.

(I know, not very scientific, but what can I say?)

King of the cupboard

2007-02-12T20:15:00.000-06:00

While the lion is the king of the jungle, and Prince Charles will someday be the King of England, coconut milk reigns supreme as the king of my cupboard. I know I have posted in the past about my love of coconut milk. I have slowly begun to discover the depth of that love. In particular, how much I love utilizing it for quick, easy seafood dishes. Used as a sauce base you can make so many flavorful meals. Want something thick and creamy? Regular coconut milk. Want the flavor, but a little less rich? Lite coconut milk. The flavor is not overwhelmingly strong and blends beautifully with spices from the far east. You can create luxurious meals with very few ingredients.

Tonight I needed to cook up some salmon that was sitting in my fridge. I hate to see a good piece of salmon go to waste. We had reached the moment of cook it or get rid of it. What to make? I have never poached salmon before. I'm not entirely sure tonight's meal would qualify as such, but that is where my idea came from. Take the salmon (two "portions"), a can of coconut milk, can of tomatoes, onion and spice. Simmer. You are done. So easy! The most time consuming part was slicing the onion.

Coconut Poached Salmon

2-3 salmon portions

olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1-2 T Asian spice blend (I used the Silk Road blend from The Spice House)

1 can lite coconut milk

1 can diced tomatoes (drained)

In a large saute pan, saute the sliced onions in enough olive oil to coat the pan. When the onions begin to become transparent add the spice blend, toasting the spices (approx. 1-3 minutes). Pour in the coconut milk and tomatoes, mixing thoroughly. Bring sauce to a simmer. Place the salmon portions in the sauce, submerging completely. Cover the pan and simmer until salmon is cooked through. Serve over rice or rice noodles.

Sadly (for you), it was so yummy that I forgot to take a photo before devouring it all. Try flaking the salmon once it is cooked. You can get a wonderful mouthful of salmon, sauce, and veggies every time. I will definitely be repeating this recipe. Next time, red bell peppers!

Gluten Free Product Review

2007-02-11T17:58:00.000-06:00

One of the items that I have missed the most since going gluten free would have to be cookies. Sure I could bake some, but I don't always have the time or energy. Sometimes I just want to open a box or bag and start munching. Oh lord, the oreo cravings are bad! I tried some Glutino chocolate sandwich cookies, but that are just not the same. I suppose they are fine cookies, but...where is the crunch? Where is that indefinable quality that makes you eat half the package of oreos with a tall glass of milk even though you know you will be queasy in an hour? Sadly, I fear I will never find it in a gluten free cookie.

As for chocolate chip...homemade is still best. A couple of weeks ago I tried the Enjoy Life Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were ok. Completely soft. Iffy texture. Passable flavor. I have to admit to being a Toll House girl.

Today I decided to brave the Enjoy Life and their cookies again. This time I tried their snickerdoodles. Now these are tasty. They probably have the same texture, but I am used to my snickerdoodles being soft. The flavor is sweet and strong. Yum! I finished the two-cookie snack pack and wished I had more. My only beef is that they are tiny! Tiny, I say! But oh so good.

I'm published!!! (sort of)

2007-02-05T13:39:00.000-06:00

So local gal, Jenni of Chronic Babe, and I were talking a few months back. She is a contributor to the Chicago website, Gapersblock. While she does not have Celiac, she does understand the issues faced by individuals with a chronic illness and/or dietary restrictions. After a few months of "will we, won't we" an article was written. It is a focus on Celiac, food allergies, and eating out in Chicago. I am the "tasting expert" and contributed a little sidebar of helpful hints. Go read it! She did an excellent job. I am very proud of what we put together. Hopefully it will open a few new eyes to the gluten free lifestyle.

Quick and delicious

2007-02-01T18:42:00.000-06:00

Sometimes when I get home from work I am just too tired to cook. I stare at the contents of my empty fridge and wonder "What the heck am I going to eat?" I mean really, what kind of meal can you possibly make from blackberry yogurt, a wedge of parm, and some slimy looking spinach? It used to be so easy. I would pick up the phone and order any number of tasty (if not healthy) meals: pizza, crab rangoon, fallafel sandwich. These days? Not so much. The concept of fast food has turned from picking something up at a local eatery, to what I can throw together with minimal effort and maximum flavor that will provide enough leftovers for my lunch the next day. Oh yes, and not get sick from eating it. All of those lovely prepared sauces and meals are loaded with gluten: wheat, modified food starch, malt flavoring. Yikes? So what is a gluten free diva to eat? Peanut Coconut Shrimp, that's what.

I am getting a bit ahead of myself. See, I finally was fed up with lazy-night meals consisting of apples, cheese, GF crackers, and dried mangos. I turned to my pantry. It is not stocked as well as it should be. I have to admit that. I am long overdue for a major shopping trip. (My apartment is a mess right now and the thought of bringing bags of anything into it is not inspiring.) It has been interesting to witness the evolution that has taken place in my pantry over the past three and a half months. So many of the items that were once staples have disappeared to be replaced by new, shiny items. The following is a list of must-haves for my pantry. What do you always keep on hand?

coconut milk
canned tomatoes
cans of beans (usually black, but Great Northern is a common sight)
Tinkyada pasta
quinoa
brown rice
sushi rice
quick cook polenta
can of pumpkin
pine nuts
peanut butter
cans of green chilies
pesto
a jar of minced garlic
a jar of ginger paste
jarred pasta sauce (there are so many ways to doctor this up!)
frozen chicken breasts
frozen, pre-cooked shrimp

I know there are things I am forgetting. Making this list has highlighted just how badly I need to hit the store. No wonder I have been unable to cook lately! I my perusal of the pantry last night I decided to pass up the pesto and make something with coconut milk. What, you ask? I had no clue. I just knew at that moment I must use coconut milk. Now usually my store only carries the low-fat variety. This was the real thing. Wow! So different! This stuff was thick. So incredibly rich. Gah! I could eat it with a spoon! ehem. I was trying to think of ways to utilize this decadent ingredient. Chicken or shrimp? Curry? Green chilies? Soup or sauce? Then I looked at the label. hmmm...recipes on the website? OK, why not? A Taste of Thai was already one of my favorite companies due to the fact that they label all of their foods GF (when applicable). Now I love them more for their website. All my favorite Thai dishes are on there. You can order their products online (there are so many my store does not carry!) I browsed the recipes and found Peanut Coconut Shrimp. I made a few modifications since I did not have all of the exact ingredients on hand. So with no further delay, the omg-yummy-so-good dish.

Peanut Coconut Shrimp

1/2 - 1 cup peanut butter (depends on how much you like PB)
1 can Coconut Milk
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp ginger paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
approx. 20 frozen shrimp (precooked, tail off)
2 cups water
1 cup sushi rice

In a medium pot bring water to a boil. Add rice. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15-15 minutes (until rice is tender). While the rice is cooking, combine all remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Stir in frozen shrimp. Let sit as the rice finishes cooking. To serve, just spoon shrimp and sauce over rice.

God, so good. For the last five years I have been trying to find an at home version of the peanut sauce from my favorite Thai restaurant. Who knew it would take developing Celiac to finally find the right recipe? Go make this dish. Add veggies (I know I will next time). Use it as a dip, put it on rice, or just eat it with a spoon. Yes, it's that good. So good that I ate it too fast to take a picture. Maybe next time.

The GF word is spreading

2007-01-23T20:45:00.000-06:00

Exciting news! Gluten free eating is in the news. It is just a short blurb, but there is a much longer report out there covering the material from the Department of Health and Human Services. This is exciting. The first steps towards reliable GF labeling on foods. Yay!

Actually, the word really seems to be getting out. I was at a workshop this past Saturday. I was picking over the snacks trying to find something safe. It struck up a conversation about dietary issues and being gluten free. One of the women asked "Oh! Do you have Celiac?" Whoa! She knew three people who had just been diagnosed. Two other women there each knew someone who has it. We are many, apparently. (Well, we already knew that. Now the rest of the world is starting to figure it out!)

Adobo Grill

2007-01-14T18:24:00.000-06:00

Yes, it is a chain restaurant. I should feel opposed to the place. The thing is...they were wonderful! Last night we had superb service. Our waiter very quickly bought me a gluten free menu when we requested it. An entire menu of GF options! Everything looked fantastic. He was incredibly helpful for both of us, pointing out vegetarian options for the Veggie Dude (thank you Lynn). We had started off with a drink at the bar while we waited for our table. Mojitos. Fantastic and not made in a tiny glass. I ordered the Enchiladas en Verde Mole. I actually chose a vegetarian option, it just looked so good. Enchiladas filled with butternut squash and mushrooms. Veggie Dude ordered the Vegetarian Platos. It included such dishes as Corn Flan and (I believe) Pumpkin Tamal. It looked amazing, even if I couldn't eat it. For dessert we ordered Mango en Mango: frozen mango mousse with mango slices topped with mango sauce and raspberry puree. OMG! So good. (We discovered a shared love of all things mango.) Now, Adobo is not cheap. This would not be an every weekend sort of dining experience. The thing is, how many restaurants can you go to and know without question they will be able to accommodate your dietary needs? Not many. The extra money may just be worth it. I would highly recommend this restaurant to any person with dietary needs, GF or otherwise. They did a truly exceptional job of working with us in a friendly manner.

Oh, and the Veggie Dude was great. :) Much fun was had. Keeping my fingers crossed that it continues going so well.

Alright, off to take some photos of the goings on in my neighborhood. They are filming a movie on my street! Exciting, but it plays havoc on the already tight parking situation.

Challenges can be encouraging

2007-01-13T18:37:00.000-06:00

Oh baby, it has been a long time since I last posted. Where has the time gone? I can hardly believe we are half way through January. I guess it is a good sign that 2007 has started off with lots of activity. Positive, fun activity at that.

I have been a dancing fiend! This New Years was the first time I went out to a big party. Usually we gather at someones house and celebrate together. This year most of the people I regularly celebrate with had plans with significant others. It all worked out perfectly. I was able to go swing dancing to ring in the New Years and I didn't feel guilty for ditching my long-time friends.

Something that I have come to realize in the new year is a new challenge to being gluten free. It takes a special guy (or girl) to date a person who is gluten free. Dating in your late 20's/early 30's is frustrating enough. (Don't let anyone tell you it is an easy task!) You are already dealing with the typical problems: commitment phobes, pressure to become intimate too quickly, or both of you being way too busy with your careers. Now add in trying to go on a dinner date with someone with dietary restrictions. It becomes a major planning event. If the person is only casually interested, are they really going to put forth the effort to accommodate your eating needs? If they aren't going to put forth the effort, is it worth your time to go out with them? It seriously narrows the field. This whole gluten-free thing can make even the most Low-Maintenance gal into someone considered to be High-Maintenance. Man! I always prided myself on being LM. Grrrr! Stupid immune system!

Tonight I am heading out to dinner. On a date. I picked the restaurant the first time. (Much easier that way.) He made the plans this evening. He made a suggestion yesterday that I was on board for: a nice restaurant downtown. I have never been there and there would be live music. Also, it is a pretty swank place. I figure that at a place of such high quality the chefs could make me something without any problem. I was quite looking forward to this meal. See, as a die hard Chicago lover I have this thing about eating out. I would far prefer to go to one of the millions of small independently owned establishments than to a chain restaurant. I even avoid some of the bigger, well-known independent places. Sorry Frontera Grill, you get too much buzz. Rick Bayless may be good, but I taught his daughter. They don't get my money. (And the one time I went there was OK, but not fantastic.) Anyhow, the gentleman in question called this evening. He put in the effort. Apparently, he could not find out any information about the menu at the place he wanted to take me. What did he do? He popped online, did a little research, and found a restaurant with a gluten free menu. (Here is where my small establishment rant comes in.) We are going to Adobo Grill. I have heard good things, particularly in regards to how they handle Celiacs and our dietary needs. I was just leery of suggesting the place since it is part of a restaurant chain. Silly, I know. But he made the effort! He looked into options and took into consideration what I would need. Huh. I haven't had someone do that in a long while. It's really nice.

Now perhaps I should add in a tidbit of info that I have not yet shared. He is probably more sensitive to my dietary issues that the average bear because he is vegetarian. He can understand the difficulty of finding food that fits your diet. Although I have to say, finding a restaurant that can cater to GF and veggie...fun times. Yup. We will be the most HM pair there.

So yes, any suggestions for GF, veggie meals would be appreciated. I am excited by the fact that this is a guy I could cook for and use ingredients like eggplant and endive and he will be happy. (I swear I have a few friends who would rank as the pickiest men on earth!) This could be fun. Wish me luck tonight!

Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T17:26:00.000-06:00

Happy holidays, my darling friends! I hope yours has been as enjoyable and delicious as mine. I am currently awaiting dinner. Christmas dinner. One that I do not have to cook. That just makes it even better. We are being very un-Christmas-y this year and will be dining on Salmon, Green Chili mashed potatoes, and fondue for dessert. Yum!

This Christmas was a cooking jackpot. My mom outdid herself with the gifts. I received an All-Clad sauce pan, Kitchen Aid can opener and tea kettle, silicon spatulas, wine bottle opener, martini glasses, gluten-free cookbooks, and so much more. My mom loves to cull through all of the housewares at T.J. Maxx and Homegoods to find great deals on high quality cooking equipment. She did good. She even ordered me a little extra something from Cafe Press. Yes, that's right, she bought an apron from Karina's designs. Gluten Free Diva! She thought it was silly, but I love it. Karina, too fantastic.

So for you, my friends, I give the gift of recipes. (I know, not too creative on a food blog, but what can I say?) I have to admit to not being a clean cook. I make quite a mess. It drives mom crazy. The idea of cleaning up as I go along is a foreign concept for me. We started with macaroons from Mike's book. Very good recipe. I liked the addition of cinnamon. You want the recipe? Buy his book! I made Kolachkis with apricot filling. My faves! I used the Kinnikinnick pastry flour. Nice and light for the delicate dough. Sorry, the recipe is a top secret family recipe. No sharing allowed!

I did make two treats I can share. One was posted on Fancy Toast (Erielle's blog). Chocolate Cherry Cookies. I substituted Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix for the flour and such. They were great. If you make them be sure to keep out only the amount you will eat in two or three days. They get stale fast! The dried cherries aren't cheap, but they are worth it.

The other recipe is for Pumpkin Gingerbread. I found it on recipezaar. I wanted to bake bread for all of my friends for Christmas. I couldn't make it full of wheat flour and taste test it. No sireebob. So of course I made a GF version first. Pamela came to the rescue again. (You know, one of these days I am going to get ambitious and make my own flour mix.) I made mine in muffin tins so that it would be easier to freeze them in single serving sizes.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

1/2 cup soft shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup sour milk
1/2 cup thick pumpkin (strained)
1/2 cup dark molasses
2 1/4 cups Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix

1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix thoroughly shortening, sugar and egg.
Blend molasses, sour milk and pumpkin together.
Sift flour, soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon together.
Combine all mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour into well-greased and floured 9-inch square pan.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 325 degrees F.

Enjoy!

It is over!

2006-12-21T09:22:00.000-06:00

The holiday craziness at school is over...sort of. Well, mostly, anyway. For the last three days I have been in performance mode. On Monday and Tuesday my school had the all-school holiday assemblies. Think: every class stands on stage and sings their prepared holiday song. I felt that I had finally begun to truly put my mark on this holiday tradition. Why? Because there was some diversity at last! My school is predominantly Polish-Catholic. If you are not familiar with Chicago, there are very defined ethnic and economic neighborhoods. My school is located in the Polish and cop/firefighter area. (Chicago cops and firefighters [and teachers!] are required to live within the city boundaries. You can't go much further than my school and still be officially in the city.) In the past, the holiday program contained many religious Christmas songs. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, I was taught that it is important to show the school's and the city's diversity when choosing repertoire for a performance. (And, hello! Cultural education is important in developing a well-rounded, open-minded student.) Ehem...sorry, I'm off my soapbox now. This year we had a one or two religious songs, many non-religious Christmas traditional tunes (12 Days of Christmas, etc.), many generic winter songs ("Snow Pants"), a recitation of "Twas the Night Before Christmas", a Hanukkah song, some humorous Christmas ditties ("The Everlasting Fruitcake"), and a multi-holiday December song (it mentioned Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and La Posada.) It was the best, most smoothly run program in the three years I have been at the school. Yay! And the best part? I wasn't nearly as stressed out this year as I had been in the past! (Stress exacerbates my stomach problems and last year was bad. This year I had no problems.)

Last night was the holiday chorus concert. We have two choruses at my school. The "big kid" (5th-8th grades by audition) which has been directed by the kindergarten teacher for over 10 years, and my Junior Chorus. It is open to 3rd and 4th grades and is y'all come sing. Anyone who wants to join can come and sing with me. I was so proud of my little ones last night. They sounded fabulous and my soloists/duets were wonderful. I love the sound of young, unchanged singing voices. I am actually quite happy that I do not have to direct a chorus of adolescent changing voices.

So today, to relax and celebrate that the performances are over I will bake. I am playing hookie and am out at my parents' house. Mom and I will be heading to the store shortly for ingredients. Shortly thereafter baking will ensue. So far we are going to make Chocolate Cherry Cookies (thanks to Erielle's blog, Fancy Toast) and Kolatchki's. I think both GF and "regular" versions are on the docket. We shall see what time allows.

Communication is the key

2006-12-16T08:35:00.000-06:00

What a long week! Grades, progress reports, preparing for holiday assemblies and chorus concerts. It has been a week full of stress and very little cooking. Sadness!!! This time of year is always hectic at work. Never mind the holiday social and family obligations.

After the long week, I was very much looking forward to last night. It was my friend Fernando's birthday. He called me earlier in the week and asked if I would join him and some friends for dinner. He gave me the name and number for the restaurant (Fonda del Mar) so that I could call them. I did. During this phone call I was assured that there were many items on the menu that were wheat free. All I had to do was let my server know and the cooks would tell him exactly which items on the menu were safe. "This will be no problem." Perhaps a little naively I walked into the restaurant thinking this would be a great culinary experience. I quickly discovered differently. I was informed that this would be extremely difficult. The server brought me an appetizer: guacamole with veggies for dipping (cucumber and jicama). Actually, that was delicious. I have never dipped those veggies into guac. So tasty. Perhaps one of the better guacamoles I have ever had. Everyone else placed their orders and the food was brought out.

"I'm sorry, but all of our meat is marinaded ahead of time."

"Your marinade has wheat is it?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. We could give you rice and beans."

"But I called ahead of time to make sure. I was told there would be no problem. I was told he was writing a note in the reservation book about it so that you would know ahead of time."

He just shook his head.

"I'm disappointed because I did my part and checked ahead of time. If I was told this would be a problem I would have eaten before I arrived so that I would not be hungry while everyone else was eating."

"I'm sorry." and he walked away.

Here's the kicker: I ditched out on my staff holiday dinner because they were going for Italian. After the call I made to the restaurant, I chose to attend the birthday dinner because there would be food I could eat. Now I look antisocial to my coworkers for not attending. So after all of that I had a dinner of guacamole and flan. Did he bother to let us know the flan was safe? No. We had to ask. (I sure as hell wasn't going to assume.) In the end he didn't even have the courtesy to comp my appetizer. I literally had to excuse myself for a minute so I could go the the little girl's room, I was so upset by this. I was starving!!! To add insult to injury, the place was BYOB. I couldn't even order the margarita I was craving. GRRR!!!!!

So today will be better...damn it. It has to be. This whole week has sucked. Stress, food issues, emotional crap biting me in the butt. (When everything gets crazy I get super sensitive. All of my personal issues gang up on me and make me a very weepy girl.) As the young kids say: I was incredibly emo this week. Today will be different. I will do a few Christmas shopping errands, wrap gifts, relax, perhaps watch White Christmas, and go to my friend Margaret's house for holiday movies. Well, movies that take place during the holidays: Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. :) I love Margaret! I need to stop and get some food, though. They will be ordering pizza. At least this time I know ahead to bring my own meal. Tomorrow is family holiday party number one (Dad's side). We have to travel far. Very far. Crystal Lake. Oy! I am going to bring a side dish. Mom in her infinite wisdom suggested a quinoa dish. She is so smart. At least if I can't eat the other food I can have a very healthy quinoa dish and the salad that Dad is making (with homemade dressing.) I may even dig a brownie out of the freezer so that I can eat something sweet while everyone else is enjoying the Christmas cookies.

So...yeah. A sucky week. It is now behind me, and behind me it shall stay. OH! Very good news! Mike's book arrived! I am so excited! It looks beautiful. I am dying to bake. So many things I want to try. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies! Cinnamon Marscapone Flan! Coconut Pudding! Mike, you are going to make me fat!

Culinary nirvana

2006-12-10T21:24:00.000-06:00

Have you ever made a recipe that leaves you speechless? You finish eating and, while you know you are full, you just want to keep eating so that you don't have to stop tasting the food. It is just that amazing. I did that tonight. I can not take credit for the recipe. I really wish I could. It is a recipe that Erielle post over on Fancy Toast a few weeks back.

I started off by roasting the butternut squash that I bought at my local veggie market. There is just something so homey about roasting squash. Warm, sweet, smooth. So very orange.

Now, as much as I cook and experiment in the kitchen, there is one thing I have never been able to do with regular success. I struggle with caramelizing onions. About a quarter will caramelize, half will be transparent (nicely sauteed), and the remaining quarter are solid brown and dehydrated to the point of being tough. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. They still taste good. They especially still taste good when you add garlic, fresh sage, and goat cheese. ::drool:: Goat cheese! Everything is better with goat cheese.

Roasted Butternut Squash Purée with Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Sage

~adapted from Butternut Squash Ravioli Recipe at epicurious.com

1.5 pounds of butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press

1-2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped finely

3 oz. goat cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Cut the squash into two halves and scrape out the seeds. Discard seeds (or save for garnish). Place the squash cut side down onto a baking sheet. Bake for about an hour, until the squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the onions by cooking them over medium-low heat in the butter for about twenty-five minutes. Add the sage and garlic about halfway through the cooking time. When the onions are soft, dark, and caramelized, take them off the heat and stir in the goat cheese. When the squash has cooled, scrape the flesh into a bowl. Add the onion mixture. Using a hand mixer, blend the squash and onions until smooth and creamy. Season to taste.

Seriously amazing food. Unfortunately, this does not make a full meal. I needed to make another dish. No problem. I had extra goat cheese! Boil up a pot of Tinkyada. Toss it with olive oil, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, goat cheese, and... black currant vinegar. Yes, that's right, black currant vinegar. My aunt gave me about a 1/2 cup of it to try out. It is amazing. Sweet, strong, zippy. I'd venture to say it is better than balsamic, and I love balsamic. I emailed her for the name of the store she purchased it from. If they have a web site I will pass it along.

So tonight I ate an at-home gourmet meal: Black Currant Goat Cheese Pasta and Roasted Butternut Squash Puree with Caramelized Onion, Sage, and Goat Cheese. If you couldn't tell, my belly is feeling better :) It is a good thing. And best of all? Leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Something is amiss

2006-12-10T11:31:00.000-06:00

Miss Clavel (of the Madeline books) and I have something in common: we both feel that something is amiss. She feels that the little girls who live at her school have run amok in the dormitory. I feel that gluten has run amok in my gut. I don't know where is came from, how it got there...but it is there. Bloating, cramps, heartburn, nausea. It is all back in full force. All I have wanted to do for the past couple of days is curl up in a ball and rub my tummy. Ever since I made that yummy tuna. The thing is, there were no offending ingredients in the dish. It should be completely safe. Maybe there was something wrong with the fish itself? Could bad fish cause the same exact symptoms as a glutening? Ugh. It feels like gluten.

I would not let my gut rule my life. I forced myself to go out. Here's the funny thing. I have noticed that when my gut is making itself known, being active helps take the edge off of the discomfort. I don't feel like going dancing, but at least 50% of the time the physical activity helps me to feel better. It probably just takes my mind off of it, keeps me from dwelling on the symptoms. Perhaps the endorphins ease the discomfort. I just have to remind myself that despite how my belly feels, I need to maintain my activity levels.

So after two nights in a row of dancer parties (darn good parties, at that), I am staying in today. I will be responsible. I will grade 800 papers. I will eat healthy foods. I will rest for the coming week so that I can dance another day. And I will go eat that tasty Kinnikinnick bagel I have toasting. Cream cheese and lemon curd? YES!

I am a geek

2006-12-07T21:24:00.000-06:00

A food geek to be precise. Seriously! I'm not kidding. I know it may not come as a surprise to learn that, but let's just say this was a bit of a revelation to me. It's not that I used to hate cooking. I would never go that far. But there was once a time where I would have killed to have someone else cook for me.

Today I get excited by the smallest culinary moment. This morning I walked into the office at school. On the bench sat a shipping envelop. It was big, obviously holding a large, rectangular object. I rushed over to read the shipping label. Clutching it to my breast I danced around the office. It had arrived!!! What could cause such excitement, you ask? Why the copy of Starting With Ingredients that I ordered from Amazon. It is this enormous tome organized by...you guessed it, ingredients. You purchased some quince when it was on sale at the veggie market and have no idea how to prepare them? No problem, look up the chapter on quince. You get a section that includes information about the ingredient, hints/tips on everything from purchasing to preparing, and about 3-8 recipes. The page count comes in at just over 1050. This sucker is hefty.

You would think that would be enough excitement. Oh no, more was to come. My Kinnikinnick order was delivered! Bread mix, 4 bags of pastry/pie crust mix, and a package of GF bagels. As soon as I arrived home I busted out the bagels. Toasted and slathered in cream cheese...so...darn...good. Perhaps not like the New York bagels they claim to emulate, but these suckers are good. My dietitian recommended the pastry/pie crust mix for making kolachi cookies (a staple in the Mueller family Christmas baking.) Mom and I have a baking date planned.

No all of that excitement is understandable. The average foodie would be thrilled by both deliveries. The two things that tip me over the line into geek territory are thus: 1) I still have the forthcoming excitement of a delivery from Gluten Free Pantry and additional cookbook, and 2) I am having to seriously talk myself out of being a bad friend. I bought a book for one of my friends for Christmas. It is a food related book. I want to read it. I could buy myself a copy or borrow it from the library. OR...I could read the copy I bought him before Christmas. I can be careful with the book. He would never know it had been read. But that would be bad. Not a good friend. Damn. Must exert self control.

One thing that became clear to me is that in the midst of geeking out, finding new recipes, try new techniques, we often forget an important rule: KISS. Keep it Simple Stupid. Fancy is not always better. Of course it is fun, fulfilling, and compelling to challenge ourselves with complex recipes. I think in all that complexity, we forget how amazing the simple seasoning of a basic ingredient can be. Tonight I made pan seared tuna. Sounds fancy, but could not be more simple.

Rub tuna with olive oil. Rub with a coating of salt and Argyle Street Asian Spice Blend from the Spice House. (It is premixed. All you do is sprinkle and rub.) Pour 2 T of olive oil into a hot pan. Place seasoned tuna in the pan and sear until the edge begins to turn opaque. Flip tuna. Sear for another 1-3 minutes (depending on how rare you like you tuna). Move tuna to a plate. Eat. You basically season the fish and fry it up. EASY!

Ok, I made a rice dish that was slightly less simple.

Mandarin Almond Rice

In a medium sauce pan combine:

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup brown rice

2 t. Argyle St. Asian Spice Mix

1 t. salt

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. When rice is cooked and render mix in:

1 can Mandarin oranges

1/2 cup slivered almonds

I can't stop cooking!!!

2006-12-03T17:12:00.000-06:00

I know I go in phases with my cooking. One week I could not be bothered to open my pantry, the next I am stopping at the grocery store every day to pick up new ingredients. I am in the latter phase of the cycle right now. I cook. As soon as I finish I want to try making another recipe. Never mind that I am disgustingly full. Forget about the fact that I have multiple containers of leftovers in the fridge. A new dish beckons me.

Today I was lazy all morning. I couldn't even be bothered to put together a bowl of cereal. This afternoon I more than made up for it. I was hungry and wanted something tasty to warm my belly. Leftovers, shmeftovers. Warm, creamy, fragrant. I put that frozen shrimp to use. I had a recipe. Then I realized my tomato paste had roasted garlic and herbs in it. Good for Italian, not so good for Indian. Ew. I improvised with fresh tomatoes, threw in some spinach, doubled the coconut milk, ignored the whole "grilling" portion of the directions and came up with this:

Easy (Fake) Jheenga Chat Diva Style

oil for your pan

1 1/2 t. curry powder

1 t. Garam Masala

2 cloves garlic, minced

handful of fresh spinach

1 medium tomato, diced

1/2 cup coconut milk

10-20 shrimp, tails off

salt to taste

In a medium pan, saute curry powder, Garam Masala, and garlic in the oil over med-high heat until fragrant. Add in the spinach and tomato. Saute until veggies begin to wilt. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and add shrimp. Cook until shrimp is cooked/heated through. Season with salt to taste. Serve over rice or quinoa.

I had bought the Garam Masala at The Spice House a few weeks back and have been dying to use it. This dish smells amazing! Tastes pretty good, too. It is by no means an authentic Indian dish, but it hits the spot for me.

Now the big question was what to do with all of the leftover coconut milk. I refuse to dump it. It is too good to just throw away. If I simply put it in the fridge nothing will be done. Eventually the coconut would end up in the garbage. I had made a small batch of quinoa for my meal. Why not make some more? This time I could cook it with the coconut milk. (1 1/4 cups coconut milk, 3/4 cup water, and a hearty splash or three of half-and-half) I seasoned it with vanilla, ground cardamom and two star anise. I had a little spilling issue so I had to adjust the spices on the fly. I'm not quite sure how much went in, so I won't even bother to type out the actual recipe. I added about 4 spoonfuls of sugar and cooked it all on the stove. YUM!!! After I threw in some raisins it resembled rice pudding a bit. The leftovers will make a great breakfast this week.

You would think I was done at this point. NO WAY!!! I was on a roll. When I made the Blackberry Upside Down Cake there was still a bunch of berries left behind. They too have been taunting me. I knew if I did not use them today they would start to develop an unattractive, fuzzy wardrobe. I could use them in a sauce or salad, but that would be healthy. My sweet tooth has been raging lately, so healthy was not going to happen. I looked in my cookbooks and online, but nothing was quite right. Then I peeked into my cupboard. Ah-ha! There sat a bag of Bob's Red Mill Brownie Mix. Hmmm...berries and chocolate? Hell, yeah! Uh-oh! Another problem...I ran out of vanilla. Well, how about orange extract? Chocolate and orange have always been a favorite combination of mine. So...Blackberry Orange Brownies? Sure. I followed the directions on the bag of mix, substituting orange for vanilla extract. I threw in an additional egg white and folded in the berries after mixing. The result? Wait, let me go cut my first piece and see...

moist, cakey, chocolatey, definite orange flavor (too much perhaps?), the random bite of berry. The edges are fantastic. Damn, I need that Baker's Edge pan Mike mentioned on his blog. Considering these are my first GF brownies I would have to say they are pretty darn good. I am going to have to wrap up a bunch of brownies and put them in the freezer. Save them for a rainy day, chocolate attack, or future girls' night.

(Ok, the more I eat the brownie, the more I like it. My tastebuds are screaming for a glass of milk. That's a pretty good sign.)

A taste of summer amidst the snow

2006-12-02T14:24:00.000-06:00

A week ago today, I was perched on the back of a motorcycle speeding along Lake Shore Drive. The wind was whipping through my hair, there were sailboats on the lake, I was not wearing a coat. Today I have icicles hanging from my windows. I am still trying to figure out what we did to piss off Mother Nature. Must have been something pretty bad for this kind of about face.

Ironically, my local fruit and vegetable market (Stanley's) seems to think it is still summer. Blackberries were 98cents a pack. Big, plump, juicy blackberries. Ok, so they are a tad on the tart side. It is to be expected. What is the problem with that? Nothing, I say. They sat there taunting me.

"Shannon, come eat us."

"No!" I say, "I am saving you for something special."

"Oh really" They lift their little blackberry eyebrows in disbelief. "I heard you said that about the acorn squash you bought and we all know he ended up a shrively mess in the bottom of your garbage can."

"Well...I got busy. I don't always have time to cook." (Ok, really, I meant to cook him, I just kept finding other must-make recipes that he could have no part in.)

I decided to prove them wrong. I would cook them up. They would not go to waste. I trolled the Internet. What should I make? What recipe could withstand GF modifications, yet still be worthy of these delightful berries? Epicurious is such a great site. There were so many options. Cakes, pies, buckle, sauces for meats of all kinds. I decided it should be simple. I was going out to eat so I did not want to make a meal. (We went to The Cheesecake Factory where we had a waiter who was very helpful. This was really the first time I had gone out to eat with friends since diagnosis. He made the experience as low stress as possible. Sadly, no cheesecake could be eaten.) Anyhow, I picked my recipe. Partly the choice was made due to the fact that I had all ingredients on hand. I also chose it because it was straight forward and not fussy. I wanted to highlight the berries. I used my Pamela's Mix (love it!) and got the whole thing together in about 10 minutes. I did not have an 8 inch round pan. I had to use my 9 inch, but it still turned out just fine, if a bit shallower than usual. The result was an oh-so-moist, slightly sweet cake. Delicious!

Blackberry Upside-Down Cake

2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries (12 oz)

1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup plus 1 teaspoon Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Line bottom of a buttered 8- by 2-inch round cake pan with 2 rounds of parchment paper, then butter parchment. Dust pan with some flour, knocking out excess.
Arrange blackberries in 1 layer in cake pan. Sprinkle berries with 11/2 tablespoons sugar and shake pan to help distribute sugar.
Beat together butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix at low speed until just incorporated. Alternately add baking mix and buttermilk in 3 batches, mixing at low speed until just incorporated.
Spoon batter evenly over berries, smoothing top, and bake in middle of oven until top is golden and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes (mine took 45 min).
Run a thin knife around edge of pan, then invert a large plate over pan and, using pot holders to hold plate and pan together tightly, flip cake onto plate. Peel off parchment and serve cake with ice cream.

I did not have any buttermilk so I improvised by mixing 1 cup milk and 1 T apple cider vinegar (let it stand for 10 minutes to thicken) and measuring out 1/2 cup. (anyone who wants this recipe in the non-GF version can click on the title of the recipe.)

I ate a piece (or three) yesterday and had a bit more for breakfast this morning. This cake will not last the weekend. It was still amazingly moist this morning. I skipped the ice cream and ate it plain. Quite good as is.

Today I am being lazy and have been online shopping. I may need to run to the grocery store to pick up some more cornmeal, but that is it. The Gluten Free Pantry and Kinnikinnick websites have sucked up enough of my money this afternoon, thankyouverymuch! I will have quite the stash heading my way. Tons of different baking mixes to try, pretzels, snack bars...yum.

Now I think I am going to try out that box of GF mac n cheese I have sitting in the cupboard. I have to admit to loving Kraft Mac n Cheese. Gross and over-processed as it is, it is comfort food. Well, it was comfort food.

Do as I say, AND as I do!

2006-11-30T20:39:00.000-06:00

How often have you been sitting in a doctors office and you have wanted to ask, "And you would know this how? From personal experience? I thought not." Yes, our doctors are experts in their field. They studied long and hard, have worked with countless patients. The thing is, nothing is more illuminating than personal experience. This was made hugely evident to me in the last month. My GI, upon delivering my official diagnosis, said "Just avoid wheat, malt, barley, and rye. Don't worry, corn and rice are safe." That's it. No elaboration. Let's just say, this is a man who has not had to live a gluten free lifestyle for even a single day of his life. Today I had quite a different experience. I had an appointment this afternoon with a dietitian. The University of Chicago has one of only two research programs in the nation focused on Celiac Disease. They have a well established support program. I figured if anyone would have good resources for the newly diagnosed it would be them. I gave a call and was given a name of a dietitian at Rush Hospital (their dietitian is completely booked.) So this afternoon at 3:30 I had my initial appointment with the recommended woman. Now here is the difference between knowing and living what you preach. My doctor said to avoid gluten filled ingredients, my dietitian told me which company makes the best chocolate cake mix (she likes Namaste.) She has Celiac. She lives gluten free every day of her life. She isn't just telling me what she has heard from patients or learned at the recent Celiac conference, she shares that first hand knowledge of a fellow gluten free-er. So I though I would share my new, expensive knowledge (darn insurance won't cover the appointment!) Here are her recommendations:

-Namaste Chocolate Cake Mix

-Namaste Pizza Dough Mix
-Breads from Anna (especially the pupmkin bread mix)
-Ener G pretzels

-Nature Made vitamins
-Tinkyada Pasta (well, duh!)

-quinoa

-a bread company in Brooklyn is supposed to make amazing bread (gotta look into that)

-Gluten Free Living magazine

She had a few medical recommendations for me, as well. In addition to taking a good multivitamin, she said to make sure I am getting B12, folate, iron, and calcium. I should get my iron levels screened and have a DEXA-scan (bone density test) to make sure I don't have osteopenia or osteoporosis. Yikes! Since it has only been about a month into my gluten free diet she said I should not worry about my weight. I was advised to increase my caloric , protein, and (good) fat intake. More nuts. Slightly larger portion sizes. If near the end of January (after all the crazy holiday eating) I have not gained weight or (worse) lost more weight, I need to get my thyroid checked. Apparently, hyperthyroid can be triggered by, or connected to, other autoimmune disorders. Joy. We are going to work on the assumption that I have just been eating healthy and therefore have simply maintained my current weight. (I know, I know, shut up you skinny twit.) So yeah, eat more good food.

She was happy to see I had started a food log. I think this put us way ahead in this process. Actually, she said that in the six years she has been counseling individuals with Celiac, I have the most varied and healthy diet she has seen. I give props to all of you for this. You have given me so many ideas and a wealth of inspiration. Thank you to all of you for you support and excellent recipes!

One of the coolest things I got out of my appointment was the care package. U of C puts together a care package for the newly diagnosed. It is great. My fav from it so far is the Ener G pretzels. YUM! These suckers are great. At least as good as "normal" pretzels. Now I want to make Pretzel Jello with these crispy, crunchie jewels. I can't wait to try the Namaste Spice Cake, Bread from Anna, and one other baking mix I had never heard of. Here, take a peek!

Some of the items are questionable (Kraft dressing), but the rest will be used. Oh yes, free GF food stuff will always be used.

I can't like it! Oh wait...maybe I can.

2006-11-29T20:30:00.000-06:00

I have always considered myself to be an open-minded person when it comes to food. There is very little that I shy away from. I tend to have a policy of "you have to try it before you diss it". I mean, imagine all that you might miss out on if you refused to try something simply based in the look of it! That being said, I have recently come to a realization. While perusing my cookbooks and the countless food blogs I am now addicted to, I have noticed how many ingredients I have never used in my culinary adventures. That is not to say I have never eaten them, but cooked with them? Nope. Some of the long neglected ingredients are butternut squash, pumpkin, quince, lamb, quinoa, fresh cranberries, and brussel sprouts (to name a few.) I have already started to rectify these oversights. I have discovered a love affair with quinoa. My cranberries were a raging success at Thanksgiving. Pumpkin was a fantastic addition to my soup. But brussel sprouts? Ew! This is how I usually look upon the mention of those little green bastards. I mean really, how can anyone enjoy a vegetable that looks like the heads of the aliens from the movie "Mars Attacks"?

I'm a big kid now. (Go ahead, sing the jiggle. You know you want to.) I figured I should take a page out of Mikey's book and try them again, I might like it. So I braced myself, purchased a bunch of really nice looking sprouts, and prepared to cook. Now I wouldn't just get the idea to cook brussel sprouts from out of the clear blue sky. Salmon, yes. Brussel sprouts, no. I was browsing through entries on Erielle's blog, Fancy Toast, and saw this lovely recipe that calls for braising. I have never done this. Why not kill two birds with one stone? Also...I had nearly all the ingredients. Nearly. I had to make a last minute substitution.

Once it finished cooking I piled a helping on my plate and prepared myself for the first taste. The result? Wow!!! What a fantastic surprise. So yummy! The brussel sprout has been reborn. Creamy, savory, tender. In a word: delicious.

Preparing myself for the worst

Wow! Happy surprise!

Creamy Braised Brussel Sprouts

1 pound brussel sprouts

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Chopped sage

1 cup half & half

Salt & pepper

Trim the base of each sprout and peel off any ragged outer leaves.Cut the brussel sprouts through the core into half. Slice each half into either thirds or halves so that you are left with little wedges no more than 1/2" across.Over medium-high heat, melt butter in a 12" skillet that has a lid.Brown the brussel sprouts in the butter for about 5 minutes, until there are brown spots on the sprouts.Pour in the half & half and sage, stir, cover, reduce heat to a slow simmer, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes.Remove the cover, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes so the cream thickens and turns into a beautiful glaze.

The only problem with the resolution to try new and varied ingredients is that I tend to end up with items that I am clueless how to use. For example, these beauties.

What is a girl to do with two Red Cactus Pears? Any suggestions?

Putting that cinnamon to work

2006-11-27T22:38:00.000-06:00

Just like money burning a hole in your pocket, that new cinnamon was burning a hole in my kitchen. I had to use it! On Sunday I made some baked apples. I am lazy, though. Coring apples just seemed like too much work. Therefore, I made lazy girl baked apples. Nice and spicy. Could probably use a bit more sugar, but still satisfying. (Oh yes, I love my sweets very sweet.)

Tonight I baked bread again. This time I used the Gluten Free Pantry Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix. I followed some of Karina's suggestions from a previous recipe, but added my own touches. Cinnamon, raisins, vanilla, yum! Moist, soft, springy. It's just like real bread! :)

Easy Spiced Baked Apples

3 apples, cubed
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. ground ginger
½ cup brown sugar
1/4 - ½ cup raisins (optional)
3 T butter or margarine
In a medium oven safe dish (Corningware) toss together the apples, cinnamon, ginger, and brown sugar. Mix in raisins. Top with pats of butter. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Entire bag of Gluten Free Pantry's Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix
Enclosed packet of yeast
1 3/4 cups water, heated to 105 degrees
3 T honey
4 T melted butter
3 large eggs
4 t. cinnamon
2 t. vanilla
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins, soaked and drained

Proof the yeast by combining hot water and honey. Pour yeast into liquid and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. The liquid will become foamy and cloudy. Combine all ingredients except raisins in a large mixing bowl. Beat together for 3 minutes with a heavy duty mixer. Fold raisins into the dough with a spatula. Scrape dough into a deep 9 inch round pan or into two 9 inch round cake pans. Place into the oven. Heat oven to 250 degrees and immediately turn off the heat. Allow dough to raise in the warm oven for 45 minutes. Turn on oven and bake bread at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until brown and hollow sounding when bread is tapped.

You can fill the pan with half the dough. Sprinkle with a mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. Top with remaining dough. Before baking, sprinkle the top of the bread with a layer of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Watch it carefully so that it does not burn (cover with foil if it becomes too dark.)

Holiday spice love

2006-11-26T09:10:00.000-06:00

What is it about the holiday season that awakens the desire to bake? I know it is not exclusively the cold weather. We are experiencing a major heat wave here in Chicago. 60 degrees! It was so warm yesterday that Gimi and I took out his motorcycle. We went downtown, strolled through the Christmas open air market, and stopped to investigate a new exhibit of an outdoor installation piece that I will henceforth call "The Legs". Actually, it was incredibly interesting, a wonderful example that things that look the same at first glance can have subtle differences that make each piece beautifully unique. We plan to return when it snows to see how the change in environment impacts your perception of the art. But I digress. On the way home Gimi was sweet enough to indulge me and we stopped at The Spice House before returning to my house. It was warm enough outside that I was not wearing a coat despite riding on the back of a bike along Lake Shore Drive. Yet there I was buying ground ginger and choosing the right cinnamon for my baking needs.

The Spice House carries five different varieties of cinnamon. This was an eye opening experience for me. I always thought cinnamon was cinnamon. How wrong I was! Some are spicier, while others are sweeter. One is pungent, another is mellow. After many minutes of sniff testing the lot, I settled on the strongly spicy, sweet variety Korintje Indonesian Cinnamon. Want to learn more about cinnamon and the difference between cinnamon and cassia? Clickety-click here. (Wow, I never knew most cinnamon isn't really cinnamon at all. You learn something new every day!)

Spices in hand, we returned home to indulge in the quintessential winter drink, hot cocoa. I have always loved hot chocolate. How could you not? A warm, drinkable version of one of life's greatest pleasures. Chocolate! When I was first diagnosed with Celiac I had a moment or two of panic over the fact that most of my beloved hot cocoa mixes were laden with gluten. What was I to do? Research. Experimentation. I tried the hot cocoa mix from The Spice House. It was nice, but not nearly sweet enough. My own recipe was developed. A trip to Trader Joe's ensued. How can you make GF hot cocoa without some GF cocoa powder? Yikes! That stuff is not cheap. Ah well, it is for a good cause. I found many recipes online. After much reading, I decided to modify a recipe from Alton Brown. Rich cocoa, lots of sweetness, and a bit of spice. It is still a work in progress, but this is what I have developed thus far:

Diva's Divine Hot Cocoa

Sift together:

1 cup cocoa powder

2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

1 t. cinnamon

To make a cup:

Whisk together 1/4 cup hot water and a few drops of vanilla, with three heaping t. of cocoa mix. Blend until mix is dissolved. Top with 3/4 cup of milk. Heat to desired temp (do not boil!) Garnish with whipped cream.

I am almost out of my mix. I need to make more. I am thinking of adding some chili powder and almond extract. A fake version of Mexican hot chocolate. Ooh! Or I could make it "plain" and use it for my fantastic Chocolate Mint Tea. (Steep a bag of mint tea in hot milk before adding the hot cocoa mix.)

After the hot cocoa break and some bumming around the apartment, I started my Christmas decorating. Yes, I am a crazy Christmas person. I love this holiday. It makes me warm and fuzzy. The music, the lights, the family and friends. I love it all. I am not yet finished, but have made great headway. The tree is up, my wreath is made, and garland adorns the doorway.

Kitty in the tree.

Baking is the next logical step. I need to put that new cinnamon to the test. I have a bag of Gluten Free Pantry bread mix in my cupboard. Perhaps an experiment with Cinnamon Raisin Bread is in order. This time I will need to bake it in two pans instead of one. There was an overflow issue the last time around.

Oh. I added a list of my cookbooks to the blog. I am always looking for new additions. What cookbooks do you have that you can't live without?

The good, the bad, and the ugly of Thanksgiving

2006-11-25T12:08:00.000-06:00

Gluten Free Thanksgiving: The Maiden Voyage

Ok, maybe it wasn't that dramatic. It was an adventure, though. My mom felt that this was the most disorganized Thanksgiving yet. Eh. It kind of was. Hey, I tried setting the dialogue going about planning our menu. Regardless, it still turned out just fine. Some dishes were more successful then others. As previously mentioned, the stuffing was not so good. The turkey itself was very nice. We forgot our Cucumber in Sour Cream dish that we always have. That is ok, we still have Christmas lurking around the corner. The Strawberry-Banana Jello is another holiday favorite. The layer of sour cream in the middle makes it a special treat. The sweet potatoes were over cooked (they were supposed to be the "candied" variety with marshmallows.) No problem! I whipped them up with a little brown sugar, vanilla, and half & half. Lightly sweet, fluffy and creamy. I think I preferred them to the original version.

I was put in charge of dessert. I decided on Pumpkin Cheesecake. Very simple recipe from our fellow goddess, Karina. The filling was delish! I messed up the GF crust. Silly mistake. I over processed the cookie and nut mixture. The butters started to turn to butter. It was goopy. I added a bit of rice flour and pre-baked the crust. Sadly, it ended up a bit burnt. Not a complete disaster, but not exactly a success. We had tons of extra filling so I poured it into custard cups and baked. Those were excellent. I am going to make it again someday and will simply skip the crust. I will also make some whipped cream for topping. MMmmmm..... ::drool::

The biggest success (in my opinion) was the cranberry sauce. Super tangy and flavorful. We have always eaten the canned jellied stuff. I have to admit that I love it. I decided to be fancy this year. I recently purchased The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. LOVE this book! Not only does it have 100's of wonderful recipes that have been tested 40-60 times before making it into their cookbooks, but it includes product reviews. Wonderful step-by-step photo illustrations for some of the techniques are included. I have not yet tried a recipe from this book or any of their other books that has failed. I combined two of the variations they included in this book for cranberry sauce, and came up with this year's dish: Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce.

Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 t. salt

1 T grated ginger or ginger puree

zest of one large orange (I used a navel orange)

1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries

Bring sugar, water, salt, ginger and orange zest to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Stir in the cranberries an simmer until slightly thickened and the berries begin to pop, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving (about one hour). Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

I stuck with the 10 minutes of simmering. It began to thicken and pop prior to that, but I like fewer whole berries and more mush. This recipe was so simple. A great effort to flavor ratio. I am thinking of making it again and using it as a glaze for a pork roast in the slow cooker. We will have to see how that works.

So did any of you try new GF holiday dishes?

Traditions and tests

2006-11-22T20:10:00.000-06:00

Food is emotional. When I am sad I drink hot cocoa. When I am happy I experiment with a new recipe. Cooking can be therapeutic, nurturing, comforting. At this moment I have a loaf of bread baking in the oven. My first loaf of gluten free bread. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Every year since before I was born my parents have prepared the same traditional dished for the holiday. This is our first gluten free holiday. Some traditions die hard. The same dishes are being prepared this year. That's alright. Traditions are important. We just have to tweak them a little. I will have my own turkey breast for the holiday. My bread will be used for my personal batch of stuffing. I will shortly start on a batch of Ginger-Orange Cranberry Sauce. Other dishes are having slight modifications (substitute an ingredient with the gluten free version.)

The smell wafting through my apartment is intoxicating. The bread itself could have used a bit more salt (I cheated and tasted the edge), but it is bread in all its squishy goodness. I stole the recipe from Karina. Her Cheese Sandwich bread. It uses the french bread mix from Gluten Free Pantry. I haven't baked yeast bread since I was a little girl. I have to say, making the gluten free version is way easier! No kneading. :) I also bought their sandwich bread mix. I, amazingly, found it at one of our chain grocery stores. It cost a ton, but I figured I could buy it there, try it out, and if I like it I can order online. I will be ordering online. It is so easy to make. I can throw a loaf together on a Sunday and have sandwiches during the week. Easy lunches once again!

But back to the idea of cooking and food as emotional comfort. Yesterday I appeased a craving for Thai food. I arrived at the restaurant (my usual place until a month and a half ago) with a GF restaurant card I found at Gluten Free Travel. I showed him the card in both English and Thai (he was very happy to see the Thai version.) Very kindly he walk me through the menu pointing out which dishes he knew were safe. I then clarified that soy sauce was off limits (what is the chance they would actually have wheat free tamari?) and he pointed out a few dishes he thought I might like. Why was I craving my favorite take out? I received a call from one of my doctors. I went in for my annual checkup about two weeks ago and they had received my test results. Apparently they found abnormal cells in my pap smear (sorry guys, I know this is girlie talk). I have to go back in on Tuesday for some more tests. I know it could be nothing (lab mistake, irritation caused by meds, etc.) Or it could be something bad. I don't even want to start thinking of that end of the spectrum. It was quite a shock to receive that call, especially on the heels of all of my recent health issues/discoveries. I am ready for my health to stop pooping on me. Enough already. So I eat the foods I love. I go to The Spice House and buy more fragrant spices. Tonight I bake bread. Tomorrow I occupy myself with holiday cooking and family. Friday I entertain friends at my monthly movie night. We are having tacos: the anti-Thanksgiving meal. I surround myself with food and friends. (God, I should be 400 lbs with all this food!) I need to focus on all of the good things right now so I don't obsess over what this test could mean. I'm actually hoping it is somehow connected to the Celiac. Inflammation cause by CD. That would be good. Easily explained and connected to something I am already treating. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

For now I am going to de-pan my bread, eat a bit of it, wash dishes, and make some cranberry sauce. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Diva goes bananas

2006-11-18T11:51:00.000-06:00

Hello, my name is Shannon and I am a polenta addict. I admit it. Full disclosure. But really, how could you not love polenta with all its versatility? Light, rich peaks of creamy goodness. Solid, dense cubes fried up along side a savory dipping sauce. Day, evening, late night snack.

Somewhere along the way polenta has become one of my comfort foods. I never ate it as a child, but something in the simple, heartiness of the dish calls to me. It makes me feel warmed from the inside-out. At times I forget about it. Polenta can be so unassuming, sitting along side beautiful veggies and seafood. It can be overlooked. I will go months without incorporating it into my menu. Then I rediscover it, and I start all over again. Polenta with pumpkin. Polenta with Parmesan. Polenta fries (leftovers from last night will make these treats). Polenta for breakfast? Hmm...well, if they eat grits for breakfast, why not polenta?

So often my recipes are inspired by the ingredients I have available hidden in my cupboards and fridge. Last night I noticed that my two remaining bananas are getting speckled and brown. They are perfectly ready for cooking or baking. While the Banana Corn Cake recipe over on Karina's blog is calling to me, polenta has sunk it's claws into my taste buds. Could I possibly combine the bananas with the polenta? Yes siree Bob!

Banana Maple Mush

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup quick-cook polenta

2 bananas, one mashed, one diced

maple syrup

In a medium pot, heat milk to nearly a boil. Slowly pour in polenta, whisking constantly. Add mashed banana and continue to whisk. When the polenta begins to thicken remove from heat. Mix in diced banana. Serve warm with as much or as little maple syrup as you like poured over the top.

Cooking for an audience

2006-11-17T22:08:00.000-06:00

When you change your diet it takes time to adjust. Not just your body, but your way of thinking. You read labels, scour your cookbooks for suitable recipes (or ones you can modify), and experiment...alot. I love cooking. The kitchen is my laboratory. Spices, grains, proteins. I love to mix and match. Usually the dish turns out pretty good. I'll eat all the leftovers, but don't always write down the recipe. Other times something just does not work. The flavoring is off, the dish is over/under cooked. These attempts are quickly dumped and forgotten. Then there are the occasions where you strike just the right balance of flavor, texture, and that indefinable something that make a fantastic meal. You write those recipes down. You share them. You make them over and over. Yum!

As I mentioned, I love to cook. Even more, I love to cook for other people. One of my favorite things to do is to host a dinner party or a potluck. Filling your home with friends and good food feeds the soul. I have done this only once since my diagnosis. The Ginger-Glazed Ham. I lucked out, managing to not overcook it and created a glaze that was delicious. (If I may say so myself.) Other than that I have not dined much with others. Partly, I am hesitant to put them through the run around of finding a restaurant that is sensitive to the needs of a gluten-free diet. I myself have barely begun to tackle that monster. While I can appreciate the learning experience of a "failed" gluten-free meal experiment, a friend invited to dine with me may not. I am adventurous in my spicing and nontraditional food pairings. I have friends who are down right picky. Polenta? Asparagus? Pasta made from corn? Quin..what? They would be polite and supportive, but would choose not to partake in the meal. That is fine. Depending on the meal, I may not blame them. It has made me hesitate to invite other to dinner. And quite frankly, cooking is getting expensive, what with the organic, specialty, and not-on-sale products that happen to be gluten-free. If I am going to cook, I want to make sure it will be eaten.

That being said, I cooked a meal for someone tonight. This was actually the first time I had ever cooked for him. Never mind the gluten-free part, first time ever. Slightly nerve wracking. He, being the great supportive guy he is, cooked dinner for me last week. This is the same person that surprised me with a visit to the gluten-free cupcake place. Prior to cooking he went over the list of ingredients with me to assure there was not accidental glutening. I brought along the needed chicken broth (Pacific Organics since I had just purchased a case of it at Costco.) He prepared a very simple, yet tasty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes. Meat and potatoes. What a guy. :) Tonight's menu was a bit different: Parmesan Polenta along side Italian Sausage, Yellow Peppers, and Sweet Onion with Pesto. I need to come up with a shorter version of that name. Perhaps, wow-yum-polenta-goodness. I did not measure. That may be a problem when figuring out the recipe. I am going to have to estimate some of the ingredients, but that's ok. The verdict from the guy? "That was very good. You're a good cook, little girl." :) (ok, the "little girl" part was annoying, but he likes to tease me about being young.) The most rewarding part of this was that I made him a satisfying gluten-free meal and introduced him to the world of polenta at the same time. I have found an element that will increase my cooking for friends love, cooking for them and introducing them to new ingredients/recipes/food ideas all at the same time. The only problem with such good food? You eat so much you end up in a food coma.

So, in the vein of sharing food ideas with friends, here is tonight's recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as he did.

Wow-Yum-Polenta-Goodness

2 cups Pacific Organics Chicken Broth (GF)

1 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

1/2-1 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup quick-cook polenta

olive oil

2 yellow bell peppers, sliced

1 Vidallia or other large sweet onion

1 package Trader Joe's Sweet Chicken Italian Sausage, sliced

pesto (to taste)

In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, pour olive oil into the hot pan (enough to coat the bottom). Saute onion and pepper until they begin to soften. Add sausage and saute until heated through. Add 4-6 heaping tablespoons of pesto to the pan. Mix until food is evenly coated. Add more if needed (or if you like your pesto dished nice and strong.)

As the peppers and onion are sauteing, bring chicken broth and milk to a boil in a medium sauce pot. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk the Parmesan into the pot. Slowly pour polenta into the pot, whisking constantly, until all polenta is incorporated. The mixture may be thin. DO NOT ADD EXTRA POLENTA. Continue whisking. Remove from heat when polenta begins to thicken and set. Serve a heaping scoop (or three) of polenta with the sausage mixture. Season with salt (if needed), and top with extra grated Parmesan.

I have no picture just yet, but will post one as soon as I take one (when I eat some leftovers.) If anything seems unclear in the recipe directions please let me know. I am super sleepy and not sure if the directions are coherent.

2006-11-15T15:58:00.000-06:00

It is always amazing to me (when I am not being completely overwhelmed by it) how emotional upheaval impacts your eating habits. Yesterday was...bad. Nothing to do with health, but personal issues instead. While I had known it was coming it still managed to knock me flat. It is when you are at your weakest that those cravings come sneaking in. Pizza. Cheese burger. Gross, nasty, gluten filled foods. Yuck and yum at the same time. I have been eating so well lately. Last night killed that. I did not gluten myself, but a dinner of cheese and Mary's Gone Crackers (before the drama) and strawberry ice cream (afterwards) is not healthy. Yes, I was throwing a pity party. So much so that I didn't even watch much of Dancing With the Stars (to which I am sadly addicted.)

Now, usually I would not notice how poorly I am eating. I have never had to watch my diet until my Celiac diagnosis. This has certainly raised my level of awareness. Now it is even higher because I called and made an appointment with a dietitian. I know I am on the right track, but I want to make sure that I do this right. If I am going to have a healthy diet, I want to make sure it is truly healthy. Fiber, calcium, iron? I want to be sure I am getting it all. My appointment is in two weeks. I had decided to log all of the food that I eat between now and seeing the dietitian. (I figure it will put me one step ahead in the process here.) It is just weird how hyper aware you become of the snacking and munching you do. I am a grazer. Always have been. It is just strange to see a LONG list of food that you have consumed. I don't think I am heavy or eating too much. Far from it. I actually want to make sure I gain a few pounds back that I lost pre-diagnosis. I just want to do it in a healthy manner. Hence, the dietitian.

So tonight I go home to try to cook and be healthy again. And, dang it, I am going dancing tonight if it kills me! (A three week hiatus is FAR too long!)

Huzzah!!! Cookies!

2006-11-13T22:24:00.000-06:00

After approximately two weeks of hunting and waiting and contemplating purchasing online, I found some Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix. I had heard many wonderful things from Karina about it. Of course I wanted to use it right away. I had gone to The Spice House over the weekend (twice!) and picked up some fantastic spices. They have scads of recipes on their website that you can utilize your newly purchased spices in preparing. I had wanted to try cooking or baking with cardamom. I came across this recipe and thought it looked very interesting. I figured it was so unique that, if it turned out different than a gluten filled version, I would never know the difference. Did it work? Oh...wow...yum! All I can say it that these rate a very tall glass of milk! Light, crispy, slightly sweet, subtly spicy. A must repeat!

Curry and Cardamom Cookies

1 cup Butter
2 cups Brown Sugar
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3 cups Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Sweet Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
1 cup Pecans, chopped

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
Sift dry ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture, a third at a time. Stir in nuts.
Divide dough into four rolls and wrap each in waxed paper. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (may also be frozen).
Slice into ¼-inch slices and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown, 12-14 minutes (closer to 12 minutes, they over cook quickly). Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to a rack to cool thoroughly.

Yields approximately 6 dozen cookies.

They are very thin and crisp. I don't know if the thin-ness is due to the GF flour, not enough baking soda/powder, or if that is how they are supposed to turn out. Either way, yummy! And Pamela's? So far I am impressed. Now I am dying to try tons of holiday baking!

Quinoa crazy!

2006-11-12T09:47:00.000-06:00

I have gone quinoa crazy. I had thought brown rice would be my big staple now that I am gluten free. No longer! How could I not defect to Camp Quinoa? It cooks faster, has a great nutty taste, soft yet crisp texture, and has far superior nutritional value. I was so jazzed by last night's Curried Apple Quinoa success, that I promptly made a breakfast dish this morning. (I am also going spice crazy!)

Chai-spiced Quinoa

1 cup hot water

2-3 T loose leaf chai tea

1/2 cup quinoa

1/2 t vanilla

raisins

honey

milk or soy milk

Steep the loose leaf chai in the hot water for 5-7 minutes. Strain brewed tea into a small saucepan. Add quinoa and vanilla, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Remove from heat. Fluff quinoa ans mix in raisins (as much or little as you prefer.) Cover and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes (raisins will soften and plump.) Serve with a light (or heavy) drizzle of honey, top with milk. Enjoy!

I bet this would also be good topped with some toasted almond slivers or slices. I love the chai flavoring. I am going to play around with this and see how other spices (minus the tea) would work. Cardamon pods and star anise, perhaps?

Venturing into foreign territory

2006-11-11T22:40:00.000-06:00

Today was a day of many pit stops. I embarked on a shopping trip that ended up including stops at four different stores. I have long been the type of person who buys her produce at a veggie market (you can't beat the prices!) and purchases the remaining food stuffs at the local Dominicks. Now I have to add a stop at Whole Foods (or Trader Joe's) for those more specialty type items. While a lengthy journey, it was a productive one.

My first stop was at a local spice shop. I had never been there before, but had heard many good things. Man, was my aunt right when she raves about The Spice House! It was amazing. Pure spices, blends, you name it they have it. Upon telling the helpful employee I am gluten free she (after quickly conferring with the manager/owner?) informed me that the only item I could not eat is the taco seasoning. Woo hoo!!! A whole store full of amazing spices that I can eat. Of course, I had actually gone in there looking for taco seasoning. The girl was extremely helpful in suggesting an alternate blend for my planned tacos. I ended up leaving with Sweet Curry Powder, Thai Red Curry, Herbs de Provence, Pilsen Latino Seasoning, Hot Cocoa Mix, Mulling Spices, and Argyle Street Asian Blend. There was so much more that I wanted to pick up, but felt that was enough for now. It was great. You can buy a shaker bottle full (usually about 2 oz) or you can buy a bag with 1, 4, 8, or 16oz of a spice. If you already have the shaker jar and just need a refill it costs $1 less. The best news (for all of you) is that you can order online and they will ship the spices to you. I can say firsthand that the two curries are excellent. The hot cocoa is ok. I prefer it stronger and sweeter. I think I need to start experimenting and make my own hot cocoa mix. Any suggestions?

After all of that shopping (I was gone for nearly four hours!) I came home and started cooking. I was dying to bust into my spices. Yesterday I found a couple of recipes I wanted to try. Have you even been so full you felt ready to burst, but you just want to keep eating because it tastes so good? Yep, that's me. I made Thai-Spiced Winter Squash Soup and Curried Apple Quinoa. Both dishes are adaptations of recipes I found on the site 101 Cookbooks. I was beyond happy with the results. This was the first time I had used quinoa. The recipe actually called for couscous, but a substitution had to be made. This was exactly the right grain to use. It was lovely. So I give you two flavorful, aromatic dishes. Enjoy!

Curried Apple Quinoa

4 T butter

1 T curry powder

kosher salt

1 large apple, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

3 green onions, washed, trimmed, and sliced

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Small handful of mint, chopped

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat add 4 tablespoons of the butter, the curry powder, and a couple generous pinches of salt, and cook for a minute or until the spices are fragrant. Stir in the chopped apples and raisins, and cook for about 3 minutes, enough time for the apples to soften up a bit and absorb some of the curry. Scoop the apples and raisins from the pan and set aside in a separate bowl.

In the same pan, again over medium-high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir in the green onions, let them soften up a bit and then add the water, salt, and quinoa. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat heat for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and use a fork to fluff up the quinoa. Stir in the apples, pine nuts, and chopped mint. Season with more salt and curry powder to taste.

Along with the quinoa dish I made this robustly seasoned soup:

Thai-spiced Winter Squash Soup

1 acorn squash

1 small pumpkin

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

1 teaspoon (or more) red Thai curry paste

1-2 cups GF chicken stock (Pacific Organics)

2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt (or to taste)
Plain yogurt

ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven racks in the middle. Carefully cut each squash/pumpkin into halves (or quarters). Slather each piece of squash with butter, sprinkle generously with salt, place on a baking sheet skin sides down, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until the squash is tender throughout.

When the pumpkin/squash are cool enough to handle scoop it into a large pot over medium high heat. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and puree in a blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Slowly add chicken stock a cup at a time to the blender as it is running, until the soup is the consistency you prefer (a vegetable stock could work here as well). Bring up to a simmer again and add the salt (and more curry paste if you like). Garnish individual bowls with plain yogurt and a dash of nutmeg.

I had never made squash soup before. I had never used Thai red curry paste. It was a new adventure. It actually turned out a bit too spicy for me. I used a good spice blend from The Spice House, so it may have been stronger than what you would find at your local supermarket. (Although, I could be wrong.) I needed to cut the heat and went looking for some sour cream. I did not have any, but figured the plain yogurt should be ok. Boy howdy! It was perfect! Yogurt and curry should have been the obvious pairing. It was exactly what was needed to complete the rich creamy soup.

Now I need to try an idea I have buzzing around my head for a breakfast quinoa dish. Hmm...

Love affair

2006-11-10T20:58:00.000-06:00

I have to admit it. I am in love. Tinkyada pasta and I are having a torrid love affair. Seriously! When I was first told I might have Celiac the very first thought that popped into my head was "NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I can't give up pasta!" I truly despaired. I am the pasta queen. I will put anything on pasta. It is a staple in my diet. Tinkyada has guaranteed that it will remain so. A couple days ago I made a quick easy pasta dish. I cooked up some gf pasta. Once it was done and drained I threw in frozen artichokes, cherry tomatoes (halved), pine nuts, and goat cheese. I tossed it with a generous helping of EVOO, balsamic vinegar, and kosher salt. So simple and so good. The best part? It is goo hot and cold. Great contrasting flavors: sweet tomatoes, tangy cheese and vinegar. Yum!

Did I mention I bought a blender? I love using it. Smoothies, baby! Frozen mango is the best ingredient ever. Not only is it mango (the fruit of heaven), but it adds the slushiness a smoothie needs. After a quick trip to the grocery store tomorrow I plan to make some Thai Coconut Squash Soup. The blender will be put to use for that. I found the recipe at a newly discovered site: 101 Cookbooks. I looks so good.

Speaking of cookbooks, I have a severe addiction. I see a cookbook and I am overcome with the compulsion to buy it. I can't wait to get the Gluten Free Dessert Cookbook that Mike (of Gluten-Free-Blog) has written. (I saw the pic of Lynn with her copy of the book. I am uber jealous!!!!) To stave off the craving for the book (which I need for holiday baking!) I bought a book tonight. I already own The Best Recipe (America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated). It is fantastic. Unfortunately, a friend borrowed it and I have not seen it in over a year. I bought their new book America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. It is in a 3-ring binder, reminiscent of the old Betty Crocker (I think). Beautiful photos, great basic recipes. So many things we can eat and many more that are begging to be modified. The thing that I love about their books is that each recipe has been tweaked and tested 20-50 times before it makes it into a book. These are truly the best version. I think we should all start harassing them to publish a gluten free book. It would be fantastic!

So now I am going to eat the last of my leftover pasta, put in a movie, and start earmarking recipes. Yay! (Wow, what a lame Friday night. Lame, yet super cozy.)

Turkey Day stress

2006-11-08T20:57:00.000-06:00

My mom and I are trying to plan out the menu for Thanksgiving. This will be our first gluten free turkey day. To make it more of a challenge my brother is a vegetarian. There will be (at most) six people in attendance. At this point mom is planning on making a stuffed turkey for her and dad, turkey breast with gf stuffing for me, and a fake turkey for my brother. Insane! She just refuses to cook the full turkey without stuffing it. I think it is a needless amount of extra cooking, but it is her decision. The thing we are stuck on right now is what to do about a stuffing/dressing for my turkey. Does anyone have a gf stuffing recipe? Any ideas for a substitution for condensed cream of mushroom soup? (The really sad part of all of this is that I finally worked along side Mom last year to learn how to make all our traditional T-Day dishes. Now I can't eat a bunch of them.) New traditions. That's what we need.

2006-11-05T22:06:00.000-06:00

I was out at my parents house this weekend. I love them. They are so supportive about my new diet. Dad keeps picking up different kinds of flours and other GF items at the store. Apparently he tries making french bread the other day. He just tried to use his standard recipe and substituted Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Mix for the flour. He said the dough was like cement. See, this is what happens when you don't do your research. :) I love him, but he never follows a recipe. While this can work with cooking, baking is too precise for his style of winging it.

Anyhow, this weekend Mom and I headed to Costco where I bought WAY too much stuff. I am now stocked up on frozen chicken tenders, shrimp, frozen berries, a blender (woo hoo!), GF chicken stock and tomato soup, and so much more. I even picked up a copy of The Lake House. I adore this movie.

When we returned it was time to make some dinner. Usually, when I am at home, I plan out my meals ahead of time. I have purchased ingredients specifically for a set menu. Cooking at my parents' house is an adventure. Last time I made a stir fry, but it didn't turn out as I had hoped (no GF soy sauce to be had.) This time I was far more successful.

Shrimp and Capers with GF Pasta

Olive oil to coat pan
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can of Petite Diced Tomatoes
I can (14.5 oz) Quartered Artichoke Hearts
1/2 jar of Capers
1/2-1 bag of spinach (as much as you personally like)
1-2 cups cooked shrimp
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Toss in garlic, saute briefly (don't let it turn brown!) Add tomatoes, artichokes, and capers. Saute until juices reduce. Add spinach. When it begins to wilt add shrimp and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta and top with cheese.

My parents did not have any Tinkyada pasta. Sadness. Instead they had a package of corn pasta (I can't remember the name right now.) The taste was fine. The texture was ok. The longer it was out of the water the softer it got. You would need to make it very al dente. It was decent, though. If I had not already tried Tinkyada I would probably have liked it better.

Today I decided to put all of the GF flours in my parents' pantry to use. This was my first foray into GF baking. And? Success!!! So good. I have to send huge thanks to Karina at Gluten Free Goddess (who truly is a goddess). I used her recipe for Pumpkin Bars. We did not have Pamela's Baking Mix, so I followed her directions so that I could use the Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Flour mix (with additional xantham gun, baking powder, and baking soda.) The bars, themselves, are great. The frosting is to die for. Yum! I love spices, especially cinnamon and nutmeg (the two in the frosting.) As I'm typing this I am craving another piece. I think I need to cut myself another slice. Must assuage my sweet tooth craving!

Reviews, reviews, reviews!

2006-11-04T08:30:00.000-06:00

This past week has been very interesting. Both good and bad. Work was beyond stressful. Grades were due. For any of you who are not teachers, this is the worst time of the school year. As the music teacher I have to calculate grades for over 600 students. That's a whole lot of grades! I turned them all in yesterday. They are done. Woo hoo!!!!! Well, done until the end of second quarter.

Unfortunately, all of that stress and work meant that cooking was the last thing on my mind. Who has the time or energy to prepare a meal from scratch when you have so much work to do? As a result I tried out a few new products. I had purchased GF muffins from Whole Foods a couple weeks ago and was not pleased. Weird texture. Eh? So this week as I opened the loaf of GF bread I had bought at Trader Joe's I did not have much hope. I had read that most store bought GF bread is better when toasted. I have to admit that I did not own a toaster. I remedied that on Monday. Being my father's daughter I could not buy just any toaster, it had to have the cool gadget factor. I did a little research and shopped around. In the end I purchased Back to Basics Toaster and Egg Poacher. Coolest toaster ever! If you have never heard of this machine, it can cook an egg, heat up breakfast sausage, and toast bread at the same time. AND it all finishes at the same time! It actually works. I took it out of the box, ran it a few times to get rid of the plastic/chemical smell, and loaded it up. My late night feast included Food for Life Brown Rice bread and Polaner black raspberry preserves. Yum! This bread is great! The preserves even say gluten free on the label. I was so pleased. The next morning I tried out the egg cooker. Worked like a charm. This was the best purchase ever. Also, It looks so great sitting on my shelf along with the Angel of Good Health that my mom bought me after I was diagnosed.

On Thursday night I was super hungry but did not have any time to spare. All I wanted was some pasta with sauce. Easy cooking. Then I remembered the Tinkyada Pasta Joy fusili I had in the cupboard. I remembered Karina over at Gluten Free Goddess saying how much she loves this pasta. So 10 minutes later I was feasting on fusili with spinach and marinara. I couldn't tell the difference. While much more expensive than my beloved Barilla, this holds up to scrutiny (even one of my non-GF friends said he could tell the difference when he tried a bite the next day.)

Today I am off to by huge quantities of everything. Mom and I are going to Costco. Brown rice, frozen shrimp, frozen chicken tenders... all of those staples that I would rather not have to keep running to the store to purchase. I have gone through more rice in the past three weeks than in the past year. Wow, three weeks. I didn't realize it had been that long already. I feel as though I just started. By the time I hit three years I will feel as though I have been doing this forever. Let's hope it is all second nature to me by then.

Treating yourself

2006-10-31T18:02:00.000-06:00

I think it is so important when you have a chronic illness or disorder, whether Celiac or Diabetes or Fibromyalsia or whatever, that you treat not just the illness but all of you. This means focusing on all aspects of you, not just the "sick" part. It can become very easy to start living the diet instead of making it part of your life. You need to remember to take care of, not only your illness, but all of the other parts of your life: friends, family, hobbies, guilty pleasures. Yes, treat yourself to the new specialty food or cooking appliance, but also make sure to pamper yourself in other ways. Buy a new hat. Get a massage (I did this yesterday!) Listen to some fabulous music. Learn to crochet. Dance in your family room. Buy new slippers. Anything that makes you smile and gives your heart and soul a little lift. A fabulous local girl, Jenni, is a champion at this. She believes in it so strongly that she has an entire web site for girls like us called Chronic Babe. Go check it out, even if you are dude instead of a babe. Let others know about it. Spread the word. Our chronic disorders (I hate the word disease!) are an important force in our lives, but it need not completely define who we are. Celebrate all of the other amazing things in your life that make you the unique person that you are!

My new monkey slippers!

So what do you do to pamper yourself?

I need your expertise!

2006-10-31T11:47:00.000-06:00

Since I can no longer just run to the local grocery store to pick up a loaf of bread, I plan on investing in (or begging my parents for) a bread machine. There are so many out there and they range in price from so-cheap-I-am-suspicious to oh-holy-god-the-pain-expensive. What do you use? What has been the most successful for making gluten free bread? Any hints and tips on purchasing one? How about the ins and outs of using them? I am basically a novice at making bread. (I have only done it a few times.) Any help is most appreciated!

In more spectacular news: A fellow teacher just told me about a local pizza place. The owners' son has Celiac. Consequently...GF pizza! I am very excited about this. I LOVE pizza. I thought I would have to make it myself for the rest of my life (which means I would rarely ever eat it.) I tried the Amy's Rice Crust pizza and wasn't happy. Perhaps I am picky or just spoiled from years of Chicago pizza. Now, I may be able to have it again!

Weekend of goodness

2006-10-30T22:33:00.000-06:00

This weekend was definitely of the good when it came to food and entertainment. Friday night was a great Halloween party. I got to try out my costume and hang with fun people. On Saturday I slept in. Yes! Fantastic. I sat around in the morning being slightly productive. I was making a shopping list (which let me tell you is quite the undertaking these days!) when my phone rang. My friend Gimi called to see what I was up to. We chatted for a bit and then planned to get together in an hour. Much rushing around and showering ensued. He had said he had a place he wanted to take me to. We would get something to eat. This worried me a bit, I must admit. I have yet to eat out since changing my diet. I know it is going to be a challenge. Well, he picked me up and we drove into Lincoln Park (this she-she neighborhood in Chicago). After finding rock star parking we walked down the block. Such a beautiful day outside! As we crossed the street I glanced longingly at a trendy little bakery. This is the point at which I realized that was where we were heading. Um...Celiac? I walked in with a sinking heart (hello! We just had a conversation in the car about how I can't eat my favorite baked goods anymore and am dying to find a bakery that makes GF treats.) I was trying to figure out how to break it to him that his idea wasn't so good when he asked the employee "The gluten free stuff?" "At the bottom." fantastic employee replied. EEEEEEEeeee!!!! The boy did good, my friends! The cupcake place has a daily GF cupcake. I swear my jaw dropped. I looked at the amazing cupcakes with the lovely sign reading "GF Vanilla Pomegranate Cupcake". I stared at the employee. Back to the cupcake. Over at Gimi. I think I squealed. I know I launched myself at him. Best moment ever. He completely made my month. Let me tell you, it was a damn good cupcake. Could not tell the difference. Super yummy. Apparently, one of the owners was recently diagnosed with Celiac and decided if she was making cupcakes she needed to make ones she could eat. I agree. They also make a sugar free variety each day. This is the best place ever. Check out their website and spread the word to Chi-town people! www.swirlzcupcakes.com

After that I headed to Trader Joe's to do some shopping. Trader Joe's is heaven. They have so much food I can eat. Good food. Some of it is convenience foods, which is a good thing. I love to cook, but some days I just don't have the energy to make a big meal. The great thing is that they have a very comprehensive Gluten Free Shopping List available at their customer service desk. Even better...they are way cheaper than Whole Foods.

I rounded out this fantastic day with a party at my best friend's place. It was tons of fun. She made lots of tasty delights that I could eat. I got to meet her new boyfriend. Talk talk talk. Fun people. Great costumes. Basically the perfect end to a perfect day. :)

Research

2006-10-28T11:05:00.000-05:00

I am being proactive, my lovelies. I am doing research. Food research, that is. A few days ago I called Borden Dairy and discovered to my delight that their cheese singles (the incredibly gross Kraft Singles-like cheese that I can't help but love) are gluten free. Why do I like this overly processed "cheese"? Don't know. I think it is a nostalgia thing. Yesterday I received a reply to an email I sent to Trader Joe's regarding a GF shopping list. They pointed me to a link on their web site I did not see. Also, each store is supposed to have more extensive lists at their locations. Excellent! Today I emailed Ghiradelli and Starbucks (come on, chocolate and coffee!) to see what I can eat/drink of their products. I know lattes and cappuccinos are safe, but I like all the sweet flavorings. What I really need to know is if I can drink the Chai and hot cocoa. I have a raging sweet tooth. It is bad.

Currently, I am looking through the GF foodlist (see my links). I printed the whole thing up and have it in a binder along with the GF shopping list from Whole Foods. I am making a list for my shopping expedition today. I plan on hitting Trader Joes. I also need to pick up some plastic storage containers for staples like rice, gf pasta, gf flours, rice, sugar, salt, and rice. Oh, did I mention rice? I have realized that I will be needing to purchase it in bulk quantities. Ooooh! Also polenta. Yum! Thank god I can still eat polenta. I used to buy the pre-made, tube-like polenta. It was ok. Good for an on-the-run meal. The thing is, quick cooking polenta really does not take that long to cook. You end up with more. It has a far superior consistency and more options for flavoring/seasoning. Mmmmm...I think I may need to make some this weekend.

As I am typing I am cooking up another batch of the breakfast rice concoction. This time I am trying raisins, dates, cinnamon, and brown sugar. I hope it turns out as tasty as the previous batch, because I am down right starving!!!

Paying the price

2006-10-23T22:54:00.000-05:00

Hmmm...I thought I posted this yesterday. Apparently not. So this all applies to Sunday/Monday.

Yesterday I did eat something with gluten. I suspected as much. Today was bad. All of my symptoms were back in full force...and then some. Maybe I just didn't realize how bad they were since they grew over a period of time. You don't realize how bad you feel until you are suddenly feeling better. Today was painful. Nausea, bloating, cramping, major fatigue, light headed (super fuzzy head). I was feeling so crappy that I barely ate anything at breakfast. Bad idea. My blood level must have dropped super low because I nearly fainted in class. Fourth graders do not need to see their teachers pass out. I had to get my class covered and go lay down. My principal came in and brought me my lunch. Made me eat. I needed to. Once I had some food (read: protein) in my system, I started to feel much better. My body is completely out of wack. I was hungry every two or three hours today. Shaky, weak, starving. Weird. Makes the idea of cheating on the diet not even worth it. (Not that I would, per say, but I've heard of folks who make an exception on their birthday and get pizza. SO don't think it would be worth it. Not if today was any indication.)

So I am thinking of contacting University of Chicago about finding a dietician. Not sure how much it will help, but it's worth looking into. U of C apparently is one of two Celiac research facilities. They ought to know who to work with in this big city of mine. I'm also hoping to connect with a local support group. While all of you are fantastic, I would love to sit down, face to face, with others who are living gluten free. Get the local scoop on restaurants and such. Yep, gotta look into that.

First ham ever.

2006-10-21T15:53:00.000-05:00

This morning I was STARVING when I woke up. OMG, hungry! I didn't feel like peanut butter today so I topped my rice cake with sliced bananas and a mixture of cream cheese and brown sugar. Wow, so good.

Today I have friends coming over for a potluck dinner. I made a ham. My first ham ever. I basted it with Reed's Ginger Beer and made a glaze of brown suger, ginger puree, and just enough orange juice to make a paste. It smells fabu. It looks very nice. We shall see how it tastes. Here's a preview of le ham.

Gluten free: Day 6

2006-10-20T19:51:00.000-05:00

So... I'm ready to feel better. Certain things are improving. I am actually hungry again. For a while there I was not even hungry. My stomach was so bloated that there was no room for food (at least not without having stomach pain after eating.) Now I am hungry. Still bloated. Not as painful, though. I swear I have been eating gluten free, but then my tummy bloats up. I don't think there was cross-contamination. I suppose there could be. It's probably just longer term side effects of all my gluten gluttony. (I gorged myself on all the foods I would have to give up while I was waiting for my test and it's results.) I'm just ready for the bloat to go down and to not have other unpleasant...malodorous symptoms. Enough already!

I think my energy levels are up, though. I don't feel as constantly fatigued. I was starting to worry about that. I had started having an itchy rash, as well. I would have it in the morning when I woke up. It was always located on my legs, along the back and sides of my thighs. I had thought it was some sort of contact dermatitis. I realized this morning that it had been a few days since I experienced the awful itching. Since just after switching my diet.

I suppose I should be happy with each small improvement. Count each as a step towards healing. I just want to feel better. Completely better. I hope it comes soon.

Yum!

2006-10-19T21:30:00.000-05:00

One of the silver linings in all of this Celiac craziness is the fact that I actually love to cook. I love cookbooks. I will spend an afternoon going through them looking for a recipe that sounds appealing for the coming week. Therein follows a day of shopping, cleaning, and cooking. So I've been doing some cooking this past week. My first GF meal was a soup. It was ok. Not bad, but not great. Eh. Thankfully, it went uphill from there. So here are two successes. The first is based on a suggestion from http://www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/ It is a great substitute for oatmeal.

Apple Spice Rice

2 1/2 - 3 cups apple juice

1 large apple, chopped

1 cup brown rice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

brown sugar to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring apple juice and chopped apples to a boil. Add rice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until rice is tender. You may need to add extra juice as it cooks. Top with brown sugar.

I tried topping it with honey, but it just wasn't as good. I don't know if it was my rice or the fact that it is made with apple juice, but it seemed to take forever to cook. It was worth it, though. I packed up the leftovers in single serving tupperware and brought it along to work for breakfast. It did not suffer in being reheated. An extra bonus: it smells amazing! Gotta love those spices.

Tonight I came home and decided I needed to use some ingredients before they went bad. All I can say is...OMG, YUM!

Pumpkin Polenta with Sausage and Greens

2 cups milk

1 cups water

1 can (14oz) pumpkin puree

1 cup quick-cooking or Instant cook Polenta

1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme

1/4 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper

olive oil

1-2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 Chicken Apple sausages, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

1 package fresh spinach

parmigiano reggiano

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute. Add onion and saute until they begin to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add sausages, saute for another 5 min. then add spinach. Saute until spinach begins to wilt. Add salt to taste.

In a large saucepan, bring milk and water to a boil and stir in the pumpkin. Add the polenta and stir until it masses, about two minutes. Remove from heat and add the thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Adjust the seasonings.

Pour or spoon the polenta onto plates and top with sausage mixture. Garnish with parmigiano cheese.

This recipe is a modification of one found in Rachael Ray's cookbook 365: No Repeats. Oh man. I have to admit that I love polenta. I could eat it every day. This was a wonderful variation. The pumpkin and milk (original recipe called for chicken broth) helped create a nice creamy texture. The sausages were very tasty. I liked the sweetness from the apple. Unfortunately, I did not have spinach. I had a bag of mixed collard, mustard, and turnip greens. For some reason I thought to saute them up separate from the other food. Thank god! I did not like the greens at all. Too bitter. Very pungent. I will make with spinach next time. No substitutions on that! Since I tweaked this one myself, let me know if you try it. Tell me what you think and any adjustments that you think it may need.

This weekend I am having friend over for my first get together since my diagnosis. I love to entertain, cook for my friends. I had planned this day as a potluck deal. I am making a ham. This is the first time I will ever be baking a ham. We'll see how it turns out. Hopefully my friends will bring foods I can eat. Ooh. I could eat the ham with some leftover polenta. mmmmmm....

Fast Food Nation

2006-10-17T21:24:00.000-05:00

Today I experienced one of the big inconveniences of Celiac Disease and living gluten free. I had to stay late at school because we were having a Local School Council (our local board) meeting. I was scheduled to give a brief presentation about our fine arts program. (It all went very well, thanks for asking!) Anyhow, since I had to stay late I needed to grab some food. I did not plan ahead. That was dumb. I ran to the best local grocery store. I knew I would never find food at a fast food joint that I could eat. Even if the item was inherently a gluten free meal, the risk of cross-contamination was just too high. I know myself. I need to start off very strict. If I let little things slide now, it will be a disaster later on down the road. So over the river and through the woods, I ended up at Dominicks. They have an amazing selection of GF foods. I was very impressed considering it is a regular chain grocery store, not a specialty store. That being said, I did not find a quick meal. Oh well. Lesson learned: plan ahead!

The trip to the store was not a loss. I found two products that I will definitely be purchasing again.

1) Genisoy makes a snack called Potato Soy Crisps. OMG, yum! I bought the Sea Salt and Black Pepper crisps. So. Tasty. You have to really like black pepper, though. I need to head back and purchase the other flavors (they were on sale).

2) Pamela's Products Ginger Cookies. This was my first foray into gluten free baked goods. I have to say, I was braced for the worst. These were pretty darn good. If I hadn't known they were GF I never would have guessed they weren't just soft cookies. Very gingery.

Maybe I lucked out and bought two of the top products on my first outing. If so, yay! If there are other better product...well, hot damn! I can still snack away and assuage my sweet tooth.

Pics Ahoy!

2006-10-16T21:24:00.000-05:00

While I can no longer eat Chips Ahoy! (those cookies so chock full of chips), I can have a post that is chock full of pics. So we shall begin this post the way I began my day, with a breakfast of champions.

Rice cake, peanut butter, sliced banana, and a drizzle of honey. Yum!!

Today was my first real day of gluten free eating. Ironically, I have more tummy pressure (bloaty belly!) today than I have in a while. I know I did not eat any gluten. I even bought a new jar of peanut butter to avoid cross-contamination. Does it get worse before it gets better? Seriously, I look pregnant. Ugh! Oddly, I have felt hungry all day. Over the past couple of months I only feel hungry when I am starving. The stomach discomfort seemed to leach away my appetite. The appetite was back in spades today. Perhaps that's a good sign.

Speaking of cross-contamination, I read recently that it would be wise to get ride of all my wood utensils. Apparently gluten could be hiding in the porous material. Considering I don't have a dish washer (besides my hands) I am paranoid about this happening. Now I am worried about all sorts of weird cross-contamination situations. Both of my pets eat food that have gluten in it. If crumbs from their food land on the table or counter it could potentially get on my hands and in my food. Silly? Perhaps. I just want my symptoms to go away.

I am getting great support in this whole endeavor. My family has already run out and bought GF flours. My friends keep sending me messages about a product that they saw labeled gluten free. And don't forget my in-house support team.

Homer Zoe

Gluten Free Grocery Shopping: The Maiden Voyage

2006-10-15T21:35:00.000-05:00

I started my Gluten Free voyage this evening with a trip to the grocery store. I made sure to go in prepared. I made a list. I even went online to to the GF Foodlist (see my links!) to find out which specific brands to purchase. I figured that way I could eliminate some time reading lables. Well, two hours and WAY too much money later, I am home and stocked for the immediate future.

I have to say this was an interesting trip to the store. I am used to going in with a list (and usually a few meal ideas), but purchasing whatever peaks my interest. Angel food cake? Sure! French bread and brie? Yum!!! It was definitely a different experience today.

Since I planned ahead I think the trip was less frustrating than it could have been. I went in with a specific purpose. I was on a mission. It was fruitful. Literally. I don't think I have bought that much produce in a long time. It was amazing to see the difference in my shopping cart today compared to my last shopping trip. I usually have a large percentage of my items from the frozen food isle. This time...none. Lots of fresh produce, meat, and new ingredients. I bought quinoa for the first time. Not quite sure what I am going to do with it. I am going to look for some recipes and see what I can create.

The very frustrating moment came when I tried to buy some munchies. Rice cakes should be the perfect snack. So many different flavors out there. Unfortunately, most of the flavorings contain whey. I am going to grow to hate whey, barley, and malt. These little buggers seem to sneak into all the tastey treats. BBQ potato chips, rice cakes...all the yummy things. So I guess my new mission is to find crave inducing snack foods that are gluten free. Impossible or not, this is a mission I shal accept. (Oh lord, that was cheesey!)

fava goes flourless

2006-10-14T10:47:00.000-05:00

I find that life is full of little ironies. How could I have know a little over two years ago when I started my livejournal that my name (fava_bean) would be slightly prophetic? How so? Well...

It stared months ago. Stomach problems. I thought it was stress. How could it not be, school was crazy! I tried exercise, I tried massages, I tried to just relax. Some of it seemed to work. Some of it was quite enjoyable (go massage!) The intestinal distress just never went away, though. I made an appointment with a GI. Typical of a specialist, I had to wait a little over two months before my appointment date. When I finally saw him (wow, what a strange little man) he seemed to agree with me on the diagnosis. IBS exacerbated by stress. Ok, that's manageable. Exercise, healthy diet, manage the stress, and a nice little pill to help it all along. No problem. He didn't want to run an invasive tests that were not necessary. I thank him for that. "While we are at it, though, let's run this one blood test. It's a non-invasive test and will rule out a more serious condition. I'm sure you don't have it. It will just be good to be able to definitively say this is not the cause." Why not? One blood test and you know you don't have this other, more serious condition. Sounds good to me. I mean, he did say he was sure I didn't have it. Except...then he called with the results: abnormal.

So last week I went in for an upper endoscopy. Following three weeks of gorging myself on gluten filled foods, the doctor put a tube down my throat, into my stomach, through the duodenum, and into my small intestines to take biopsies. The results of the biopsies would determine if I have a condition called Celiac Disease. The Celiac Spruce Association website defines Celiac Disease as such:

Celiac disease (CD) is a genetic disorder. In people with CD, eating certain types of protein, called gluten, sets off an autoimmune response that causes damage to the small intestine. This, in turn, causes the small intestine to lose its ability to absorb the nutrients found in food, leading to malnutrition and a variety of other complications.

Two days ago my doctor called with the results. I do have CD. No meds, no cure. That's ok. There is treatment in the form of a specialized diet. I like the term "specialized". It just implies different opposed to the other terms I've heard used like "restricted". Henceforth, my challenge is to cook and find foods that have no gluten in them. What is gluten? Well...

The offending protein, gluten, is found in wheat, barley, rye, and to a lesser extent, oats (WBRO). Related proteins are found in triticale, spelt, kamut.

(The folks at http://www.csaceliacs.org/index.php have a wealth of info for anyone who actually wants to learn more.)

So here is where the irony comes in (sorry, got a bit long-winded there), I can no longer eat wheat flour. One of the "allowed" flours is... you guessed it, fava bean flour. So thus begins my journey into a gluten free life. I'm sure it will be interesting. Certainly challenging. There will be ups and downs, of that I am sure. If you are interested in seeing how it goes, feel free to come along for the ride. I shall chronicle my adventures (and misadventures) here. Hopefully I can live up to the name and be quite the diva (in the best ways possible!)