Fast Food for Gluten-Free Teens

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

 

I’m joining Diane and 30 gluten-free blogging friends sharing a month of easy gluten-free living tips. Since I’ve been feeding two celiac teens for the past 5 years and we added a celiac exchange student last year, I’m sharing my tips for feeding gluten-free teens in a hurry.

First some basic tips on feeding kids in general and then the fast part:

  • Start where you are. If you have been eating a mainstream diet of white bread and fast food and suddenly need to go on a gluten-free diet, don’t start trying to shovel in whole grains and large quantities of vegetables all at once. Those kids may just run screaming from the table. My eldest had turned into quite the picky eater the two years before his diagnosis and was eating lots of bread and some meat and tiny amounts of veggies and fruit. He was getting an almost drug-like, addicting effect from the gluten and I was just making sure it was whole wheat bread. Yep, I was slowly allowing him to bleed  internally with all that wheat. The good news is, the hospital stay and blood transfusions had a ‘scared straight’ effect and when he came home he ate everything I put in front of him–no questions asked. Most teens don’t get to death’s door before diagnosis and there may be a slower learning curve for the tastebuds. I recommend starting with a diet similar to the one you left behind using your teen’s favorite foods, but made gluten-free. We used a few packaged gluten-free products that made it easier to pack lunches or after school snacks when we had two teens in high school.
  • Get teens involved in cooking. It makes it safer for them when they are away from home if they understand basic cooking skills and how recipes are made. They will know where gluten lurks in restaurant food and at a friend’s dinner table when they know how to cook. Let’s face it, cooking is a critical life skill for those living gluten free.
  • Going to a cooking class together is a great way to spend time with your teen and learn new skills.
  • My teens love small appliances and cool kitchen gadgets. If you have uncontaminated appliances in your cupboards, drag them out and use them. Ice cream makers, blenders, cool baking pans and even using a kitchen scale to weigh gluten-free flours all inspire kids to get into the kitchen.
  • Waffles irons are your best friends for getting good gluten-free grains into kids. Use them for hash browns like Silvana Nardone in her book Cooking for Isaiah or make fun jalapeno popper waffles like she does. Savory waffles make great sandwiches like my fake rye waffles or an Italian seasoned waffle from the Gluten-Free Goddess. Freezing waffles and pancakes make it easy to have quick snacks.
  • Gradually adjust and increase the nutritional profile of the gluten-free grains in your baked goods. Also be aware and be ready to accept that not all celiacs can tolerate those healthy, fiber-filled gluten-free whole grains. One of my kids can eat them in great quantities and the other not at all.
  • Add their favorite vegetables into everything.
  • We used stir fries and fried rice with their favorite vegetables.
  • Savory fish cakes, rice or risotto cakes and even potato cakes or buckwheat cakes with added veggies increase nutrition.
  • Find a favorite pizza crust and use pizzas as the delivery system for added veggies. Make extra crusts and store in the freezer for quick snacks and meals. We also kept Kinnickkinnik crusts stashed in the freezer for emergencies.
  • Smoothies get lots of fruit into a teen in a hurry. Nicola, the G-free Mom has a month of smoothie recipes.
  • The way to make this fast is to plan ahead and have ingredients ready to go.
  • Prep veggies and have them ready to into stir fries, salads, or omelets or to top pizzas.
  • Bags of frozen stir fry veggies work when time is short.
  • Chop extra onions and green pepper and freeze.
  • Cooking extra batches of rice and having some ready to go in the refrigerator or freezer makes fried rice fast. Or copycat Chipotle rice bowls or copycat Asian bowls.
  • My first blog posts were about quick gluten-free meals in a bowl.
  • Make use of leftovers. Plan for more than just one meal when grilling meats or making a baked pasta dish.
  • Use a slowcooker not only for hassle-free dinners, but for meats that form the base of quick meals. Leftover pork from Stephanie O’Dea’s carnitas can make quick tacos, quesadillas or Mexican rice bowls as after school snacks or quick dinners. Her Asian Shredded Beef recipe can top rice and leftover vegetables for a quick Asian bowl. The General Tso’s Chicken and her list of other fake take-out foods can add veggies and favorite flavors without the gluten or the cost.
  • Sometimes it’s easier for teens to stay on the healthy eating path when they have really good gluten-free desserts to look forward to after a meal. Carol Kicinski’s Simply Gluten-Free Desserts combines the very best of decadent gluten-free classics combined with some healthier, but delicious choices. I like a balance of high nutrition meals with occasional fabulous desserts and Carol’s book helps with that approach.
  • Savory muffins like the ones in Elana Amsterdam’s new Gluten-Free Cupcake book can add fiber, protein and nutrition. My kids love the Spinach Feta muffins. Made with almond flour and whisked together in minutes, they make a quick breakfast or snack.
  • Menu planning with leftovers incorporated in the plan can make it faster and easier to feed your teens. Getting their input on the menu, with the shopping and with the cooking is an important part of teaching them gluten-free life skills.
  • If they are techno geeks and like using apps for their phones, have them use gluten-free shopping apps or recipe apps like Cook It Allergy Free.
  • My archives of family-friendly gluten-free menus can help you plan weekly menus.
  • Inspire your teens with blogs by other teens. Lauren of Celiac Teen and the new  blog The Kitchen Generation she has co-created with some non-gluten-free cooks may just be motivation to get your teen into the kitchen. Continue reading →
Posted in gluten free budget, gluten free dinner, gluten free meals, Gluten Free Teen, gluten-free family meals, leftovers, quick gluten free meals | Tagged , , , | 49 Comments

Gluten-Free Menu Swap/Menu Plan Monday May 9

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

 

Carrie from Ginger Lemon Girl is hosting our swap this week with a theme of garden peas. Last year my peas were growing like crazy and we had snow peas and fresh peas in abundance. This year there are no peas and no potatoes in the ground and the garden isn’t even started. The cold, rainy weather has flooded our road three times and the garden is mud and weeds. Oh, and the deer have already eaten all my hostas and lilies because the rain washed away all the repellent.  Not a promising start to the gardening season. The only peas we have around here are in plastic bags from the produce aisle. There was sun for Mother’s Day and two days of sun in the forecast, so I’m planning on using the grill those days.

The plan:

  • Country Captain in slow cooker
  • Burrito Bowls with grilled flank steak, rice, beans, salsa
  • Roasted Salmon with San-J Sweet and Tangy Sauce
  • Grilled Turkey Burgers sweet potato fries
  • Mini Meat Loaves, baked potatoes, broccoli
  • Pizza Night
  • Tofu in peanut sauce, stir-fried snow peas and peppers, noodles

Visit Gluten Free Goodness for the headquarters of our swap and be sure to read Cheryl’s post on easy gluten-free meals and her profile in The W.H.O.L.E Gang Food Rock Star series. Laura at Organizing Junkie has a menu swap with hundreds of menu ideas.

Browse the archives for more gluten-free menu plans. Check out Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom where Heidi shares the results of our GlutenTox tests of two products we use and two her readers chose. She will posting that on Tuesday.

What’s on your menu this week? Hope you get some grilling days in your part of the world.

Posted in gluten free dinner, gluten free meal plan, gluten free menu plan, Gluten Free Menu Swap, gluten-free family meals, Menu Plan Monday | 4 Comments

Gluten-Free Beef Pot Pie

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

 

One of the best things about being a gluten-free food blogger is I get to meet the best gluten-free cooks in the country. That means when I’m stuck for a good, sure-to-work gluten-free recipe, I know exactly the right person to ask for help. I’ve tried the frozen gluten-free pie crusts and they aren’t too bad, but they are expensive. I’ve tried mixes and other recipes, but I was still not happy with the results. Then I got the bright idea to contact Jeanne Sauvage of Art of Gluten-Free Baking. I met Jeanne last year in Seattle and knew she was the best source for a gluten-free pie crust recipe. Jeanne is working on her cookbook of gluten-free winter holiday recipes which is due to be released by Chronicle Books in Fall 2012. Chronicle does such gorgeous cookbooks that I am excited to see Jeanne’s. She kindly sent me her pie crust recipe to share. It came together beautifully and actually got a nice golden brown which is a major accomplishment for gluten-free baking. I did rush it a bit and didn’t chill it as long as Jeanne’s recipe, but it still rolled out and topped my beef pot pie easily. The true success is what the family thinks and since they’ve tasted a lot of gluten-free recipes and still remember life with gluten, they are a tough crowd to please. They loved it and especially complemented the crust.

Here’s my recipe for the filling and a link to my Mother Earth News post with Jeanne’s recipe:

Beef Pot Pie

2 cups cooked beef cut into cubes

3 cups beef stock- I Like Pacific brand

1 small onion, chopped

2-3 stalks celery, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped and steamed until tender

2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced and steamed until tender

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

3 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons sweet rice flour

1 gluten-free pie crust-I used Jeanne Sauvage’s

Preheat oven to 425. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions and celery until soft and translucent. Lower heat. Sprinkle the sweet rice flour over the vegetables and blend in.  Cook for a minute or two and then slowly add the stock while stirring constantly. Take off the heat when the stock begins to thicken. Put the remaining meat and vegetables into a 3 qt  casserole, pour over the gravy and top with a pie crust. Use a sharp knife to make several cuts in the crust to vent for steam. Brush the crust with beaten egg to help with browning. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 then lower oven temperature and bake at 350 until the pie crust is golden brown about 30 minutes. Serves 4 hearty appetites or 4 with leftovers for lunch.

 

Posted in Gluten-Free Recipes | 2 Comments

Gluten-Free Hotdog Buns from Udi’s and Rudi’s

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

One of the perks of being a gluten-free blogging family is that we get to try new products before they hit the market. Udi’s sent us a sample of their new hotdog and hamburger buns to try last month. Then we got to try the new Rudi’s buns at the GFAF Expo last weekend. If you read my review of both Udi’s and Rudi’s bread when they came out, you will know what I’m going to say.

We are again divided on our opinions and again it is partly because one of my kids cannot really digest whole grains, even if they are gluten-free. She is now only eating maybe one sandwich a month or one plate of gluten-free pasta a month and that has to be the most refined, white starch product, no whole grains, and still they sit heavy on her digestive system. There are so many celiacs and gluten-intolerant types who are finding this to be the case. So, of course her vote is for Udi’s, because she could have a hotdog at a party and feel like her diet isn’t making her stand out in the crowd.

Those of us who can eat whole grains like the Rudi’s for its flavor and texture. The Rudi’s are smaller and denser. They also make great breadsticks if you brush them with butter, and sprinkle with some granulated garlic and parmesan. We did this with the last two buns that were at least 5 days out of any kind of refrigeration or freezing.

The Udi’s will hold up to more fillings because they are fluffier and about twice the size of the Rudi’s we tried.

The Rudi’s use of whole grains make these the choice if we were serving hotdogs regularly and were concerned about adding nutrition.

Comparing ingredient lists may make a difference. Udi’s definitely relies on some chemistry to get the lighter texture.

While Rudi’s relies on whole grains and recognizable ingredients.

The good news is that we have two good products that will stand up to a hotdog and toppings and not disintegrate like the buns our family tried when we first went gluten-free over 5 years ago. The good news is that there is a choice for those who want whole grains and would be buying the whole wheat buns if they weren’t eating gluten-free like I did before diagnosis. And, there is a choice for those who want a white hotdog bun as close to the ones they remember from pre-gluten-free days.

The only bad news is that both require some heat from toasting, baking with a little oil or even a microwave to soften them. You can’t throw these in the picnic basket or take them to a backyard barbeque and just pull them right out of the bag and plop a grilled hotdog on them. The other bad news is that the Udi’s sample I got was a little stale right out of the shipping box and the ones I tasted at the Expo were fresher. So, there is a shelf life issue that even the poor chef at the Expo hotel faced at lunch. Poor man was so excited to serve Colemen burgers and hotdogs on Udi’s buns for the Expo attendees. No one told him that you can’t keep the buns on the counter for a couple days and expect them to be fresh. The freezer is the place for these until right before you serve them. Especially the Udi’s. The Rudi’s seemed to last much longer as I tested one at the Expo and then shared the rest three days later with the family. The Rudi’s was still moist and had a better texture than the Udi’s from my sample box. The other problem the chef ran into was that you can’t really heat or warm these buns, fresh or otherwise and delay before serving. You really have to heat that bun, get the dog and toppings on it and eat it ASAP. As either bun cools, the soft texture changes–and quickly in my experience.

Posted in gluten free product review | 23 Comments

Be a Part of Celiac Awareness Month

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has had an exciting year of spreading the word and making a difference. Visit their Web site to see the programs that this dynamic organization has to reach out to the medical community, to those living with celiac disease and to those who feed us.  The free medical education program for primary care physicians and their Celiac Disease and Women’s Health work this year have been personal favorites. It took years for my kids and I to get the help we needed and by educating the family doctors we all see when we first feel something is wrong and the care providers for women for all the celiac disease symptoms associated with the reproductive system will mean diagnosis will come sooner and healing and health will be regained faster. That has been my sincere wish and my passion since I started my blog. I’ve wanted to save women and children and families the heartbreak of ill-health, multiple miscarriage and misdiagnosis that robbed our family of nearly a decade. I’m asking you to print the brochure the NFCA has created on women’s health and the continuing education brochure and share them with your doctors. We can help others just by educating the care providers in our own lives. If you are on Facebook or Twitter, include the links to the brochures and spread the word.

I am so proud and honored to be included in the NFCA’s Celiac Awareness Month activities as the featured blogger for A Blogger A Day:The Gluten-Free Way on May 3. Their message of strength and empowerment is so important to healing ourselves and making the world more educated, aware and safer for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance and for those not yet diagnosed. Please consider donating to NFCA to help them continue their great work.

Posted in activism | 4 Comments

Gluten-Free Menu Swap May 2

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

We arrived home after midnight from our fun-filled adventures to Chicago and to the Gluten Free Allergen Free Expo in Lisle, Illinois. First, did you know those ridges alongside the highway that are supposed to wake drivers who fall asleep at the wheel work two ways. They not only wake you up when you really do fall asleep and drift out of the lane, but the adrenaline rush from being startled by the noise your tires make on the grooves and the realization that you fell asleep give the body a jolt that assures you stay awake the rest of the way home. I guess running through the streets of Chicago to catch a train after peering down at the city from the Willis Tower, then the flight home was too much for this mama.

The menu for the week is influenced by the classes Shelby and I took at the Expo. When her math class was canceled this morning we went grocery shopping to get the ingredients for Stephanie’s pork carnitas and Silvana’s waffles.

  • Carnitas are in the slow cooker right now after watching Stephanie O’Dea make them at the GFAF Expo.
  • Roasted Chicken with roasted fingerling potatoes, broccoli
  • Beef Fried Rice with lots of veggies
  • Breakfast for dinner with Silvana’s Jalapeno Popper Waffles(without the Rice Chex) and chicken breakfast sausage
  • Chicken Stir Fry with asparagus, snow peas and broccoli
  • Leftovers

Angela’s Kitchen is the place to find all the gluten-free menu plans this week with a theme of asparagus. Visit Cheryl for the headquarters of our gluten-free menu swap.

I have over two years of family-friendly, gluten-free menus to browse in my archives. For a peek at the Expo I did two quick posts from the hotel lobby. One on the gluten-free snacks we liked  and one on new products shown at the GFAF Expo that I found interesting. Also, check out Hallie’s post at Daily Bites with photos of some of the gluten-free bloggers and authors she met. She is so adorable in person.

Posted in gluten free dinner, gluten free meal plan, gluten free menu plan, Gluten Free Menu Swap, Menu Plan Monday | 4 Comments

Gluten-Free Snacking at the Expo

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

Shelby and I have spent three days immersed in the world of gluten free. The vendor hall at the Gluten Free Allergen Free Expo just outside Chicago is packed with samples of gluten-free foods. I thought I’d share what we chose to sample and what we liked. First, notice I said chose. Five years ago at a conference I would have tried everything. If it was labeled GF, I would pop it into my mouth. While gluten-free foods have come a long way, so have I and so has Shelby. We both are more discriminating and she has more food sensitivities. I’d say I pretty much avoid the ooey gooey sweet baked goods dripping in frosting, fat and sugar, unless it looks really chocolate and decadent and dark or it’s a crunchy, not so sweet cookie. Here’s our list of favorites with that in mind:

  • Shelby loved the new Michael Season’s Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar potato chips.
  • I loved the new Blue Diamond Nut Chips that are like their crackers, but even more addicting. I probably won’t buy these often because, as my lovely daughter says, “Mom, you have no self-control.” That chippy, salty, crunchy thing gets me every time. But they are good.
  • In the vendor hall and at the VIP Dessert Party, Pamela’s Chocolate Fudge Cake was the best dessert I tried.
  • Shelby was happy to see the Surf Sweets table. These are favorites for her.
  • Against the Grain had an excellent frozen pizza.
  • El’s Snack Medleys were a crunchy, spicy, mix of GF pretzels, bagel chips, and corn nuts

That’s the quick post with a cup of coffee and now I’m off to breakfast and more classes with the best gluten-free cookbook authors and bloggers. I absolutely loved Stephanie O’Dea’s presentation yesterday. She is the funniest, most adorable New York Times best selling cookbook author around. Shelby was so impressed to see her still talking to and coaching and supporting a mom new to gluten free and struggling about an hour after we all sat down to lunch.  Shelby also loved sitting in on Silvana Nardone‘s class and tells me we will be making the jalepeno popper waffles as soon as we get home. Follow my tweets to see how the rest of the conference goes.

Posted in gluten free product review | Tagged | 4 Comments

What’s New at the Gluten Free Allergen Free Expo Lisle, Illinois

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

It’s day two here at the GFAF Expo and I thought I’d share some of the best new products I found in the vendor hall.

GlutenTox testing kits that can even test surfaces for the presence of gluten.

Allerbling cute rubber bracelets for kids.

Enjoy Life Crunchy Cookies. I loved the Vanilla Honey Graham.

Pamela’s Cheesecakes

Chef Joel Schaefer, of the successful Disney World allergen dining program shared a kit that will be available in a few months to commercial chefs who want to prepare allergen-free meals. The Allergen Saf-T-Zone kit contains color-coded tools for use in preparing allergen-free meals to prevent cross contamination by shared cooking utensils in a commercial kitchen.

Mangers Hard Cider from Ireland is a nice dry, not too sweet cider for grownups.

Cook It Allergy Free app from the most adorable couple.

NoOodles were much better than I expected.

Meeting my online blogger friends and Twitter acquaintances is the best part of conferences like this. Introducing my daughter to such successful, passionate, and smart women makes it even better. I’ll post more in the coming days.

Posted in gluten free product review | Tagged | 3 Comments

1in133 Event to Ask the FDA to Take Action

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

Before we head off to Chicago I wanted to share this press release from 1in133 about how Jules Shepard, gluten-free cookbook author, baking expert and celiac advocate has joined forces with gluten-free blogger and winning triathlete, John Forberger to stage a collaborative “1in133” event on May 4 to build the world’s largest gluten-free cake as part of an effort to draw attention to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) delay in finalizing standards for gluten-free food labeling.

The name is derived from the fact that at least one in every 133 people in the U.S. suffers from celiac disease. Research now indicates that while as many as 3 million Americans has celiac disease, another 18 million have gluten sensitivity; both groups must entirely avoid gluten as a medically-necessitated diet.

To kick-off Celiac Awareness Month – globally recognized in May – the 1in133 event is being hosted at the Washington, D.C., Embassy Suites Convention Center on May 4 and will culminate with a V.I.P. reception for federal lawmakers, concerned members and friends of the gluten-free community and gluten-free food manufacturers.  With pre-eminent guest speakers and information on a petition advocating for the FDA to take action on determining a gluten-free food-labeling standard, the 1in133 event will reinforce the need for such standards.

“This is a very serious autoimmune disease,” cautions Dr. Alessio Fasano of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. “It deserves equally serious food labeling laws.” Fasano, one of the world’s leading researchers in celiac disease and a leading proponent of a federally mandated gluten-free standard, will be the 1in133 event’s guest speaker.

Seven years ago the FDA was tasked with developing and implementing standards for gluten-free labeling as part of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA).  The standards have yet to be completed and have left millions of Americans with celiac disease and gluten intolerance at risk of illness from contaminated food. Currently, U.S. food manufacturers can claim “gluten-free” on product labels without appropriately informing consumers if a product is truly free of all potentially harmful ingredients.  As a burgeoning market — $560 million in sales in 2004 and projected sales of approximately $2.6 billion in 2012 — gluten-free food products have brought many newcomers to the space claiming gluten-free status on their labels while not necessarily removing all potential allergens. Other manufacturers are reluctant to label their products “gluten-free” because there is no accepted standard. This disparate situation leaves consumers who eat gluten-free to guess which products are actually safe for consumption.

FALCPA was passed to protect food-allergic and celiac patients from having to decipher ingredient labels through sometimes-harmful trial and error efforts. The law, which requires the top eight allergens to be clearly listed on ingredient statements, did not require disclosure of barley or rye, the other grains that are toxic to those with celiac disease and other gluten sensitivities. The 2004 mandate for the FDA to develop and implement gluten-free food labeling requirements would fill that void. Event sponsors include Whole Foods Market, The University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, Glutino Foods, Bob’s Red Mill,  and many others.  Event coordination is contributed by Aaron E Flores, Executive Chef, Embassy Suites D.C. Convention Center.

Proceeds will benefit the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA), a non-profit volunteer organization that advocates for the needs of people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.  The ACDA spearheaded the grassroots campaign which was instrumental to the passage of FALCPA.

For more information please visit 1in133 or contact [email protected]. The chart on the website comparing numbers is enlightening. I signed the petition and made a donation for this worthy cause and I ask you to consider doing the same.

Posted in activism | Tagged | Leave a comment

Sausage Cheddar Breakfast Muffin Tops

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

 

Gluten-free quick breads and muffins make mornings feel special at our house. We’re fans of savory muffins packed with chicken sausage or turkey bacon, flavored with onions, chives and chili and topped with a sprinkling of cheese. They are different every time depending on whether there is shredded cheddar or Parmesan or pepper jack on hand. The one thing they do have in common is the basic muffin made with Pamela’s Baking Mix. I keep it on hand for quick breads, muffins or pancakes. There are times when I will blend gluten-free whole grain flours for my own combinations and times when I wake up and just want a quick muffin to serve to the family. One of the other tricks I use is my collection of baking pans. Just varying the shapes of gluten-free baked goods makes them fun.  My favorite lately has been the muffin top pan that makes wide flat muffins. That’s what I used for these, but a regular pan will work too.

Gluten-Free Sausage Cheddar Breakfast Muffin Tops

1 ½ cups Pamela’s Baking Mix

1 cup milk

1 egg

3 chicken breakfast sausages, diced

1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

½ tsp dried diced onion

2 Tbs chives, snipped

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp red chili flakes

pinch of chipotle chili powder

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients together (reserve half the cheese to top the muffins) and divide into greased muffin top pan. Bake 13-15 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Yields 6 muffin tops or large muffins. Baking time will be longer for regular muffins as the flat muffin tops bake quickly which is one of the reasons I like them for this recipe.

Kim at Cook It Allergy Free has some of my favorite gluten-free muffin ideas and she has an app for iPhones and iPads that can substitute ingredients in recipes according to your dietary requirements and food sensitivities. I’ve made Kim’s Banana Cranberry Muffins several times and love the moist dense muffin with two kinds of cranberries. Ali at The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen makes a gluten-free and dairy-free teff muffin and Carrot Raisin Buckwheat Muffins. I use the Pamela’s Baking Mix for a pumpkin muffin top for breakfast or snacks and a pumpkin cheesecake muffin top for a more decadent coffee break.

Of course our new favorites are from Elana Amsterdam’s new Gluten-Free Cupcakes. Her Goat Cheese and Scallion Muffins made with almond flour are worthy of a gourmet bakery, yet so easy to whip up for breakfast.

Posted in gluten free baking, Gluten-Free Recipes | Tagged | 3 Comments

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Vegetable Cakes

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

We are crazy for cakes in this house. Not the sweet, dessert kind, but the savory, stuffed full of veggies kind. As I dabble in naturally gluten-free grains and experiment with the generous box sent to me by the lovely folks at Bob’s Red Mill, I keep thinking of cakes. I really did plan to make the buckwheat salad recipes on the back of the buckwheat groats bag, but I wandered off and let them cook too long.

The groats were more more like oatmeal than individual grains for a salad and I remembered Amy Green used buckwheat for a griddled breakfast cake in her new cookbook. If she could serve them for breakfast in cake form, surely I could add some veggies, herbs and spices and serve up cake for lunch or a side dish at dinner.

I’m still quite proud of GFree Mom Nicola’s adoption post where she tried my risotto cakes and my salmon cakes and her description of my recipes:

“The thing that I love about Wendy’s recipes are that her meals always look so tasty, while being totally no-nonsense, family friendly and not terrifying to contemplate cooking. As I have discovered this week, Wendy is also the queen of hiding vegetables in her yummy kid-friendly food.”

“Not terrifying to contemplate cooking,” is the highest praise and the hiding vegetables thing is purely accidental. I never had to ‘hide’ veggies from my kids. We just love them and try to put them in everything. So here’s how I got 2 cups of spinach, a large carrot, some shallots and parsley and red pepper into a buckwheat cake:

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Vegetable Cakes

  • 1 cup cooked buckwheat groats
  • 2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 large carrot, finely grated
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1/4 parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 red pepper finely diced
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 2-4 tablespoons olive oil

Saute the vegetables in a little olive oil until they are softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine with the buckwheat and then add the egg and cheese. Use the the flour and the paprika to coat 1/4 cup size scoops of the veggie grain mixture. Form into patties and fry in 2-3 tablespoons of oil. (You may omit the cheese for a dairy free version, but the cakes won’t get the nice golden brown you see in the photo. They’re still pretty tasty and even better with a pinch of chipotle pepper added.)

Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt and some chopped scallions for lunch or as a side with grilled chicken. Makes about 8-10 cakes.

Try my other savory cakes:

I’m linking up to the Gluten-Free Homemaker’s Gluten-Free Wednesdays where you’ll find lots of great gluten-free recipes each week. I’m also sharing this recipe for Real Food Weekly at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

Posted in Gluten-Free Recipes | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free Review

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

Amy Green is known for her popular blog, Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. There she has created gluten-free recipes and a warm community where others share their own recipes each Tuesday in a weekly post called Slightly Indulgent Tuesday. Now Amy shares recipes she developed for her  blog and 140 new recipes that are free of gluten and white sugar. I’ve spent the last few weeks cooking from Amy’s new book, Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free: 180 Easy and Delicious Recipes You Can Make in 20 minutes or Less.  Not only does Amy provide the basics of setting up a gluten-free kitchen with the right equipment, but also a well-stocked pantry for gluten-free cooking success.

From muffins and donuts to hot cereals and crepes, Amy creatively features the whole grains many on the gluten-free diet are missing. Her snacks and condiments pack flavor and nutrition into every bite, which is also important especially for celiacs following a gluten-free diet where nutrients, fiber and flavor count.

I tried several of her savory recipes for family dinners. They were quick, easy, and full of texture and flavor that pleased the whole family.  The Socca Pizzas were the most popular and we have had several pizza nights where we topped Amy’s garbanzo bean flour soccas with pesto or tomato sauce, cheese and her topping suggestions. We also had the soccas as flatbreads with just a light spread of pesto and a sprinkle of cheese paired with soup. The soccas get crisp on the edges as they bake in a cast iron skillet and have a nice bite with both crisp edges and then chewier middle. The beauty of this crust is the simply ingredients. It wasn’t the usual production of all those bags of flours and starches on the counter that is typical of gluten-free pizza nights at our house.

No gluten-free cook’s repertoire is complete without quick, easy vegetable dishes that can be tossed together and cooked quickly. Amy provides the basic recipe for roasted cauliflower with a list of possible veggie and herb and spice combinations.  This is perfect for the beginning cook and the more experienced, but busy cook who needs some inspiration to get out of a busy work night cooking rut. Chard, green beans, kale and zucchini also get the quick cooking treatment for colorful and flavorful sides. We especially loved her Parmesan-Crusted Sweet Potato Fries. Vegetables are the stars in some of Amy’s entrees. The Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with a Carrot and Jicama Slaw pack a lot of nutrition into a corn tortilla while making the taste buds happy, too.

Desserts using substitutes for white sugar are Amy’s specialty and her cookbook has plenty. We tried the Vanilla Bean Cake, which is an adaptation from Kelly Brozyna’s recipe of the Spunky Coconut blog and cookbook fame. While Kelly used coconut flour and coconut oil, Amy uses her flour blend and a non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening.  I liked having an alternative to the more expensive coconut ingredients, but I do like that hint of coconut flavor. Amy’s cake was just as light and moist and surprising given that the main ingredient is cooked white beans.  Amy’s Lemon Cornmeal Biscotti were an afternoon coffee break treat that was slightly sweet and could have fooled a gluten-eater with a real biscotti texture accented by cornmeal and almonds.

New gluten-free cooks will appreciate all the tips and tricks, resource lists and quick healthy meals ideas. More experienced cooks will find new flavors for salads, slow cooker meals and entrees, and new possibilities using gluten-free whole grains and alternative sweeteners. I have shelves full of glossy cookbooks that I have just read over a cup of tea on a leisurely afternoon and tried one or two recipes. Then there are the hard-working cookbooks that have splatters and drifts of gluten-free flours when opened that I use often. Amy Green’s book is already looking well-used and well-loved and for the price has already earned its keep on my kitchen bookshelf.

Amy shared some wisdom on healthy gluten-free eating when she joined me for a guest post last summer.

 

Posted in cookbook review | 4 Comments

Gluten-Free Menu Plan April 25

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho
  • Lamb, mashed sweet potatoes, broccoli, Elana’s grownup cupcakes-Easter dinner planned and made by the youngest.
  • Grilled Chicken Mexican Rice Bowl-our version of Chipotle at home
  • Thai Beef & Broccoli Slaw Spring Rolls from Real Sustenance
  • Pistachio Crusted Quick Greek Chicken
  • Alta’s Quinoa Pizza Crust because this week’s theme is borrowing inspiration and I am borrowing Cheryl’s inspiration.

The hits last week were the Steamed Fish and the Meatloaf muffins from Cook It Allergy Free. These recipes will be regulars on the menu rotation. Both were quick and easy to pull together and the eldest loved those little meatloaf muffins with the sweet glaze. He powered thorough quite a few and I will double the recipe next time for leftovers. Lunch from Jenn Cuisine with a tuna and white bean salad was my favorite from last week. It will be the perfect picnic food this summer. Go check out the recipe link just to see Jenn’s tulip photos.

I’ve only planned for Sunday through Thursday this week because the youngest and I are headed to Chicago for the GFAF Expo and leaving the menfolk to fend for themselves. We do know there will be one dinner at the White Chocolate Grill with our favorite gluten-free blogger buddies.

Be sure to read my review of Elana Amsterdam’s new Gluten-Free Cupcakes. The dark chocolate and hazelnut cupcakes I made for an Easter treat were so darkly decadent and much more satisfying than a waxy, hollow chocolate bunny. No crash and burn after the sugar rush for the mom. I’ll be posting part two of my review of Carol Kicinski’s Simply Gluten-Free Desserts this week.

Cheryl Harris is the host of this week’s gluten-free menu swap at Gluten-Free Goodness and she also has the headquarters for our weekly swap.

Organizing Junkie has hundreds of menu plans linked up each week and some are gluten-free.

It was a challenging week with hubby in NYC for two weeks on a business trip and sad news from a blogging friend, the loss of our neighbor’s favorite old mare at the barn, and the loss of another childhood friend’s parent. It was challenging on the career front as well. I’ve had this conversation with a few blogger friends that sometimes the only thing that keeps the family and life on an even keel during weeks like that is the menu plan and knowing that there will be a good meal and a safe place around the dining room table. Here’s to a calmer days and more laughter at the table this week.

Dig into the archives for more family-friendly, gluten-free meal plans.

Posted in gluten free meal plan, gluten free meals, gluten free menu plan, Gluten Free Menu Swap, Menu Plan Monday | 3 Comments

Gluten-Free Menu Swap/Menu Plan Monday April 18

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

Last week’s beef pot pie with a crust by Jeanne at the Art of Gluten-Free Baking was a success and you can find the recipe for her crust and my filling at the Mother Earth News gluten-free blog along with Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily’s easy gluten-free chicken pot pie recipe. I also had Linda Simon from Kitchen Therapy join me with a post on growing gluten-free grains in the garden. This week look for an article by registered dietitian, Tricia Thompson on the cross-contamination of gluten-free grains. I’ll also have cookbook reviews for Carol Kicinski’s Simply Gluten Free Desserts and Elana Amsterdam’s almond and coconut flour cupcakes cookbook.

I inherited my daughter’s old iPhone last year and she helped me buy a few apps and showed me how to use them. Then life went on at its usual fast pace and I never really used my apps. I bought the Cook It Allergy Free app, but didn’t use it. I just thought it was cool that I knew Kim the developer of the app and I used the great recipes from her blog. I got the bright idea to use it for my menu plan and shopping this week to help keep myself and my life more organized. I’ve been using my calendar on the phone and using it to store reminder notes to myself. After browsing meal planning apps and then looking at Kim’s app, I decided I didn’t need to buy another app, I just needed to use what I already had.  So this week’s menu uses the family-friendly recipes on the Cook It Allergy Free app and the grocery list part of the app to make sure I get all the ingredients I need for the week. I love that I can use the list by aisle in the grocery store so I can get through shopping in a hurry with no back tracking for forgotten items. I managed to get home with everything on the shopping list.

  • Pesto Chicken with Pasta
  • Steamed Fish with Spinach, Swiss Chard and Lemon, Quinoa Italiana
  • Meatloaf Muffins with Brown Sugar Glaze, roasted sweet potatoes and French cut green beans
  • Sausage, Bean, and Kale Soup, savory muffins from Elana Amsterdam’s new Cupcakes cookbook.
  • Farmer’s Casserole-brunch for dinner
  • Greek Quinoa Chicken Salad
  • Beef and Snow Pea Stir-Fry

Cheryl from Gluten Free Goodness is hosting this week with the theme of sugar free delights. I’ve been testing recipes from Elana’s Gluten-Free Cupcakes and she uses agave. Look for the review over at Mother Earth News on Wednesday. Cheryl also has the headquarters for our swap.

I always link up to Laura’s Organizing Junkie Menu Plan Monday where hundreds of menu planners share their links each week.

Posted in gluten free dinner, gluten free meal plan, gluten free meals, gluten free menu plan, Gluten Free Menu Swap, gluten-free family meals, Menu Plan Monday | 7 Comments

Gluten-Free Menu Swap April 11

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Wendy Gregory Kaho

My menu is a little late this week, but a day of watching a BBC spy series on Netflix seems to have cured the cold that has been hanging on for a week. Sometimes a mom’s just got to stop and drop and rest. The menu this week is simple, classic and designed to test a few new products that arrived just in time for some warm grilling weather.

  • Grilled dogs, slaw and potato salad to celebrate spring or is it summer when it’s 87 degrees?
  • Grilled Greek turkey burgers to try new GF hamburger buns
  • Pasta with meat sauce made by the men in the house, kale with garlic
  • Beef pot pie with a crust by Jeanne Sauvage on my Mother Earth News GF blog this week
  • Salmon with apricot glaze, quinoa and brown rice, rainbow chard
  • Fish cakes, broccoli, carrots
  • Pizza night with Mexican pizzas, salad


Angela’s Kitchen is the place to visit for the rest of the menu swappers and Gluten-Free Goodness is our headquarters for the schedule of our weekly themes and hosts. Be sure to stop by the Mother Earth News gluten-free blog this week for pressure cooker recipes and pot pies from Shirley Braden and mine using Jeanne’s crust recipe. If you’re feeling festive check my review of Simply Gluten-Free Desserts and a carrot cupcake topped with Annie’s Homegrown gluten-free bunny cookies.

 

Posted in gluten free meal plan, gluten free meals, gluten free menu plan, Gluten Free Menu Swap, gluten-free family meals, Menu Plan Monday, Uncategorized | 1 Comment