delectably gluten-free

Swedish Semlor: Sweet Almond and Cream Filled Cardamom Buns

2012-02-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

While listening to NPR this morning I was intrigued by the segment on the traditional Swedish dessert, Semlor. A semla is a cardmom spiced bun filled with sweet almond paste and whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Yum. It was traditionally associated as a dessert to eat before Lent or on Fat Tuesday. I am neither Swedish nor an observer of Lent, yet I still wanted in on this delicatessen. I scoured the internet for a gluten-free recipe of Semlor and thankfully came across "Cooking Gluten-Free with Anna". The only thing I changed in her original recipe was an exchange from guar gum to xanthan gum. I give her full credit for this delightful recipe and am now a follower of her delicious blog.

Swedish Semlor: Sweet Almond and Cream Filled Cardamom Buns

Ingredients:
Makes ~24 buns

Semla Bun:

6 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tsp dry yeast

2 tsp psyllium husks ( see below, on resources)

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tsp for the yeast liquid

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp kosher salt

2tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp gelatin, unflavored

2 large eggs, whisked

3 tsp ground cardamon

1 1/2 cups corn starch

1 cup white rice flour, plus 1/3 cup for rolling the dough

1 cup tapioca starch

Egg Wash:

1 large egg, whisked

1 tbsp water

Filling:

7 oz GF almond paste

1 -2 tbsp milk, enough to blend with almond paste

Whipped Cream:

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Add the milk to the melted butter and heat until about 110-115 degrees F. Pour the heated liquid into a medium-sized bowl.

Add the yeast, psyllium husks, 1 tsp sugar and whisk together until yeast has dissolved. Let sit for 10 minutes to proof and activate the yeast. The liquid should expand.

Pour the yeast liquid into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar, honey, salt, xanthan gum, gelatin, the whisked eggs, cardamom, and gluten-free flours to the mixer. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl occasionally. The dough will be sticky, do not worry, this is normal.

Remove the mixing bowl. Drape a clean kitchen towel, or plastic wrap, over the bowl. Place the mixing bowl in a warm part of the kitchen, and let the dough rise for 75 minutes.

Shape the dough into 3" balls by scooping the dough out with a large spoon. Using wet hands, gently press into shape. You might need to wet your hands in between each roll, to prevent the dough from sticking and to create a smooth surface. But take care not to make the dough soggy.

Place the rolls onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Allow the rolls to rise, loosely covered with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, for 40 minutes.

During the last 20 minutes of the rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove covers from the baking sheets. Using a pastry brush, brush each roll with the egg wash.

Bake near center of the oven for about 15-18 minutes, or until golden.

Transfer the rolls to a wire rack, cover with the kitchen towels, and let cool to room temperature. The buns are also delicious on their own, sliced and spread with some butter.

Once cool, cut a slice off the top of the bun. Scoop out the center of the bun.

Blend the almond paste with the milk until smooth. Add additional milk if needed until the filling is nearly as soft as pudding.

Whip cream with the confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Fill each bun with a spoonful of the almond mixture. Pipe whipped cream on top of the filling to about 1/2 inch over the top of the bun. Replace the top onto the bun, and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

I hope you love these as much as I do.

Enjoy semla without the filling. Warm and spread with pat of butter!

Enjoy!!

*Psyllium husks are the same as Metamusil, which is gluten-free. Get the unflavored variety. This adds fiber, texture and elasticity to the dough.

Asian Noodle Salad with Grilled Chicken

2012-02-10T11:53:00.001-07:00

Asian Noodle Salad with Grilled Chicken

Vinaigrette:
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp allspice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbs honey or agave
2 tbs sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt

Reduce orange juice with allspice to 1/2 cup over medium heat. Then whisk in vinegar, honey, salt and sesame oil. Slowly whisk in olive-oil. Remove from heat and set aside.

Salad:
10-12 cups baby greens
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (grilled with olive oil and salt and pepper)
8oz package 100% buckwheat soba noodles (cooked according to package directions)
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
1/2 cup carrots, julienned
1/2 cup sunflower sprouts
1/4 to 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Mix all the ingredients, except chicken, together. Add desired amount of vinaigrette and toss gently. Divide evenly among 4 to 6 plates and top with grilled chicken and extra peanuts and sprouts.

(I didn't have sunflower sprouts, so I used fresh peas for the photo)

Pasta with Petite Peas and Bacon

2012-02-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

Pasta with Peas and Bacon

Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
1 package ( about 10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
1 cup half-and-half
1 package GF spaghetti or fettucini noodles

Directions:
Set a large pot of water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).

Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes

Cook gluten-free pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Pour pea sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat (if needed). Sprinkle
with bacon, and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, March 2008

Agave Pumpkin Pie with Walnut-Brown Sugar Topping

2011-11-26T13:51:00.001-07:00

Agave Pumpkin Pie with Walnut-Brown Sugar Topping

Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 can (15oz) pure pumpkin
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/3 cup light agave nectar
2 eggs

Pie Crust:
1 unbaked 9" gluten-free pie crust (found at natural food markets)

Topping:
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin and spices. Continue beating until smooth. Add agave nectar and eggs one at a time. Mix until fully incorporated. Pour filling into gluten free pie-crust.

Bake for 10 minutes, reduce temperature to 350°F and bake 30 more minutes. While pie is baking, combine all topping ingredients and blend into fine crumbs. Use a blender or small food chopper to do this.

After 30 minute time, sprinkle topping evenly over top of pie. Continue to bake pie for 10 to 15 minutes longer (or until knife inserted in center comes out clean). Let cool and then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Can be made 1 day ahead. Tent with foil and chill.

ready for a feast...

Thanksgiving dinner complete with pear and spinach salad,

lemon-garlic green beans, braised carrots, maple roasted sweet-potatoes,

GF cornbread stuffing, cranberries, turkey and of course PIE.

Thanksgiving Side-Dish! Colorful Roasted Potatoes with Sage

2011-11-14T11:14:00.001-07:00

This is probably one of the easiest and healthiest side-dishes you could have at your Thanksgiving dinner. Plus, it tastes delicious!

Colorful Roasted Potatoes with Sage

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. mixed fingerling potatoes (red, purple, yellow), cleaned and cut into about 1/2" to 3/4"cubes
1 1/2 lbs. red skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" to 3/4" cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tbs coarse kosher salt
20 medium fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; toss to coat well. Spread mixture in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until potatoes are tender and begin to brown around the edges. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring at the 1/2 way (20 min) mark. Serve roasted potatoes warm or at room temperature.

Holiday Iced Sugar Cookies

2011-11-11T12:48:00.001-07:00

This recipe has been adapted from a Cooks Illustrated recipe: Foolproof Holiday Cookies. Of course cooking with gluten-free flours is far from foolproof. The recipe in Cooks is simple, straightforward but I had to do a bit of tweaking to make them gluten-free and acceptable. I was shocked when I could actually roll out the dough as I have experienced many gluten-free sugar cookie failures that have ended up in the trash...

Holiday Sugar Cookies

1 cup Bistro Blend All-Purpose GF Flour

1.5 cups sweet rice flour

3/4 cups fine sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking powder

16 tbs butter, cut into 1/2" pieces, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs cream cheese, softened

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix flours, sugar, salt, baking powder and xanthan gum until combined, about 5 to 10 seconds. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add the vanilla and the cream-cheese and mix on low until dough begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl to form a large cohesive mass. Turn out dough onto a piece of parchment paper, and divide in half. Pat into two (2) 4-inch disk. Wrap each in parchment paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375°F. Roll out 1 dough disk to a fairly even 1/8" thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters and place on a parchment paper- lined baking sheet, spacing cookies about 1-inch apart. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough ball. Cool cookies on wire rack to room temperature. Do not ice cookies until completely cool.

(These cookies can be simply made non gluten-free. Follow all instructions, but omit baking powder and xanthan gum and use 2.5 cups white flour instead of the GF flours) Enjoy!

All-Purpose Glaze (Cooks Illustrated Nov & Dec 2011)

2 cups confectioners sugar

3 tbs milk*

2 tbs cream cheese, softened

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Spread glaze onto completely cooled cookies. Let glaze dry completely before serving, about 30 minutes.

*For citrus flavored glaze, substitute orange, lemon, or lime juice for the milk. The glaze can also be flavored with 1/2 tsp of your favorite extract. Or you can add a bit of lemon, lime or orange zest to the glaze for a subtle flavor.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

2011-11-08T18:10:00.000-07:00

There is something about fall that I really love yet also feel very sad about. The warm smells from the kitchen, the abundance of pumpkins and squash at the farmers markets, the warm days and cool nights...yes these are the things about autumn that make me smile. But all too soon, it comes to a screeching halt and I am left with cold bitter days, wind, fallen leaves, loads of snow, and the daylight is far too little. On cold days, I want warm comforting food so I turn to one of my favorite blogs for inspiration: Smitten Kitchen. Of course Deb at the Smitten Kitchen does not have a gluten-intolerance so I must adapt accordingly!

In my younger days, aka when I didn't know I was gluten-intolerant, I would make galettes for my vegetarian hubby. There is something beautifully rustic about them. Maybe it's because they remind me of a quaint french bistro or maybe it is all the savory or sweet goodness that is inside. Whatever the reasoning, today I wanted a Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette (original recipe here).

I haven't mastered my own flakey, buttery, gluten-free pie crust, so I used the recipe from Bella Gluten-Free to make a savory crust (no sugar). I was able to see "Bella" in action at a recent Boulder County Celiac Meeting and her pie crust was a big hit with the attendees. I purchased a bag of All-Purpose Baking mix to test out in my own kitchen. The recipe for sweet and savory pie crusts are on the back of the bag.

Gluten-Free

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Filling:
1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons butter (if you have only non-stick, the smaller amount will do)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
3/4 cup fontina cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces), grated or cut into small bits
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

Pastry:
1 cup +2 tbs Bella Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Mix
1 tbs ice water
6 tbs cold butter

Instructions:
1. Make pastry crust by following instructions on Bella Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix.

2. Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

4. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

5. Assemble galette: roll the dough out into a 10-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

6. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Serves 4.

fontina and sage

pastry flour

galette, before baking

Spicy Chicken Fajitas

2011-11-07T15:55:00.001-07:00

I adapted this recipe from Jaime's Food Revolution cookbook. Naturally, being from NM I like a little more spice than recipe calls for, so adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Chicken Fajitas
(serves 3-4)
Ingredients:
1 red or orange bell pepper
1 yellow onion
1 portobello mushroom
2 small zucchini/ summer squash
2 skinless, boneless chicken bread fillets (preferably organic or free-range)
1 tsp smoked paprika
generous pinch of ground cumin

2 tsp red chile powder
2 limes
olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
corn tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 avocado
4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

fresh salsa (homemade or store-bought)
fresh cilantro (optional)

Use a grill pan or large skillet on medium-high heat. Halve and seed your bell pepper and cut it into thin strips. Slice mushroom and squash into thin strips. Peel, halve, and finely slice your onion. Slice your chicken lengthways into long strips roughly the same size as your bell pepper strips.

Put the bell peppers, onion, mushrooms, squash and chicken into a bowl with the paprika, chile powder and cumin. Squeeze over the juice of half a lime, drizzle over a lug of olive oil, season with the salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside to marinate for 5-10 minutes.

Use a pair of tongs to put all the pieces of bell pepper, onion, and chicken into your preheated pan to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. As the pan will be really hot, keep turning the pieces of chicken and vegetables over so they don’t burn – you just want them to lightly chargrill to give you a lovely flavor.

Halve the avocado, scoop out the flesh from both sides and slice. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the avocado slices.

Warm your tortillas up in a microwave or on a warm dry frying pan. Divide your warmed tortillas between your serving plates. At the table, carefully help yourselves to the chicken and vegetables straight from the hot grill pan.

Halve your remaining lime and squeeze the juices over the sizzling pan. Serve fajitas with bowls of plain yogurt/sour cream, avocado alongside your shredded cheddar and your fresh salsa. Garnish with cilantro.

Fajita Feast!

Green Chile, Egg and Ham Crustless Quiche

2011-10-03T17:27:00.000-06:00

This is definitely comfort food. Something to make with leftover ham, or a good dish for Sunday brunch. Make it healthier by serving some fresh fruit or fresh veggies on the side.

Ingredients

1 sm yellow onion, diced

1 tbs olive oil

8 eggs

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 cup chopped ham (use cooked ham or substitute with bacon)

1 cup chopped green chile (roasted and peeled)

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F. Heat oil in small skillet and saute onion until softened. About 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs together. Next add shredded cheese, cottage cheese, ham, green chile, pepper and sauteed onion to eggs. Mix well.

Lightly oil a 8 or 9 inch baking dish and pour egg mixture into baking dish. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until eggs are set and the top is starting to brown.

Serve with cherry tomatoes and avocado slices. Enjoy!

a bowl full of ingredients

ready to bake...

and the finished product!

A perfect (gluten-free) anniversary

2011-09-26T14:59:00.000-06:00

My husband and I have only been married for two years, but quite honestly, these have been the healthiest two years I've had in a very long time. On our wedding day, I didn't know I had celiac disease (I was diagnosed a few months later), but we served a wonderful meal of new mexican fajitas (on corn tortillas), fresh homemade salsa, a beautiful seasonal green salad, spanish rice and beans. Essentially our wedding was gluten-free...until the cake! I don't remember feeling sick or bad on that special day, thank goodness! Fast forward and here I am eating cake, pizza, waffles etc... just made a little differently than before. I am forever grateful for having an extremely supportive husband who loves everything (so he says) that I cook and is always open to eating gluten-free. I look forward to the many, many meals we will share.

As for a perfect way to celebrate our 2 years together we traveled to the big city...Denver is only a 30 minute drive from our current home, but it's worlds apart from our life in Boulder (this topic could be another post entirely).

First things first, dessert before dinner at Pinkberry! Did you know that ALL Pinkberry flavors are gluten-free? Yes! I love this place. I think it's best to stay away from the toppings because you never know if the oreo-cookie serving spoon accidently fell into the chocolate shavings :( The fruit toppings are more isolated from the other toppings, so those are usually a safe bet, to avoid cross-contamination.

Dinner at Linger. Well, supposedly I live in the "foodiest town in America" but I fell in love with Linger. Sorry Boulder. Not only did the waiter bring us two glasses of complimentary prosecco, he was incredibly well versed on the issue of cross-contamination and being a celiac. I was taken more than serious. I was taken care of.

Linger has an amazing view of the Denver skyline from just about any seat in the restaurant. The careful attention to detail was well done, from the food, to the menus, to the bottle of water. Did I mention the food was absolutely incredible. The plates are small and the idea is to share a few dishes and savor the flavors. Linger. Enjoy.

Here's a sampling of what we had...a bowl of corn and poblano soup with Dungeness crab and avocado, sweet-potato waffle fries with chipolte ketchup (fried in a "clean" fyer), seared diver scallops with apple, and watercress salad, and a grilled chicken, grilled corn, avocado, bacon, french feta yumminess cobb salad (with grilled GF bread). Check out the awesome menu here.

The Linger eatuaries sign

from the LoHi neighborhood

Gardens at the Gregory Inn

Next on the list: a quaint bed and breakfast in LoDo. The Gregory Inn. My amazing gluten-free breakfast included a crustless quiche, apple-chicken sausage, fresh fruit, coffee and juice. Lovely. The chef (Todd) was helpful and knew just how to make a safe meal for me! Breakfast on the roof-top patio was a perfect start to the day.

Breakfast at the Gregory Inn

Last, but certainly not least it's important to have dessert (again). This is one of the easiest cakes you can make! Happy celebrating!

Flourless Chocolate Cake
(circa 1997, Gourmet Magazine)

Ingredients
4 oz fine-quality, bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8inch round baking pan. Line the bottom with a round of wax paper and butter the paper.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double broiler, or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double broiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in the middle of oven for 25 minutes (or until top has formed a thin crust).
Cool cake in pan on a rack for ~5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate. Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with fresh berries, whip cream, sorbet, etc... whatever you like!

the ingredients

complete!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-09-20T15:26:00.001-06:00

This recipe comes straight off the bag of Gluten Free Rolled Oats from Trader Joe's. GF oats can be really expensive, but if you have a Trader Joe's in your area pick these up. They are grown in dedicated oat fields, packaged in a gluten free facility and they are cheap! This recipe makes a lot of cookies, store them in the freezer...sometimes they taste even better frozen!

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups GF rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or sunflower seeds)
1 tsp bourbon vanilla
1 cup creamy peanut butter (or sunflower butter)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and butter and beat until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and baking soda and mix well. Add peanut butter and until well incorporated.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips and nuts. Place teaspoon full of dough onto a lightly greased (or parchment paper lined) cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly brown around the edges. (makes approximately 40 to 48 cookies depending on size). Enjoy!

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak Salad with Cilantro Dressing

2011-08-16T11:19:00.000-06:00

Good friends, good weather, good food. Thank you Allison and Mo for spending a weekend in Boulder! I must say it feels a little strange to relax at the kitchen table, sipping a glass of wine while my sweet friends cook for me. I spend so much time in the kitchen, that I often forget what it's like to be on the other side...it was wonderful! I am forever grateful to eat so well and be healthy. I didn't help make this meal, but I did devour it. (Recipe inspiration comes from Diabetic Living Magazine)

Ingredients:
8oz beef flank steak
2 yellow or red bell peppers, sliced
8 asparagus stalks, trimmed
2 green onions, trimmed
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
2-3 cups torn romaine lettuce
fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Cilantro Dressing (recipe follows)

Cilantro Dressing:
Lime juice
shallot
cilantro
olive oil
honey
garlic clove
red chile powder
water
salt
ground cumin

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, combine 3 tablespoons lime juice; 2 tablespoons chopped shallot; 2 tablespoons snipped cilantro; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon water; 2 teaspoons honey; 1 large clove garlic, quartered; 1/2 teaspoon red chile powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin. Cover and blend or process until combined.
Divide Cilantro Dressing into two portions.

Trim fat from steak. Score both sides of steak in a diamond pattern by making shallow diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals. Place steak in a resealable plastic bag. Pour one portion of the Cilantro Dressing over steak in bag; set remaining dressing portion aside. Seal bag; turn to coat steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Drizzle peppers, green onions and asparagus with olive oil. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place meat and, later, vegetables on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill. For steak, allow 17 to 21 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees F) to medium (160 degrees F). Add pepper and asparagus to the grill for the last 8 minutes of grilling and green onions to the grill for the last 4 minutes grilling, turning frequently. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place meat and, later, vegetables on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill.

Thinly slice meat against the grain. Serve meat, vegetables, tomatoes, and, avocado slices over romaine lettuce. Drizzle with the reserved portion of the Cilantro Dressing. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Makes 2 servings

Gluten Free in Albuquerque, New Mexico

2011-08-01T15:59:00.000-06:00

Having lived in Boulder for the last year, I've become quite accustomed to having numerous gluten-free options at hand. I feel like I can go into almost any restaurant and have something safely prepared for me. When I come back to New Mexico, I don't feel so fortunate. There's a saying in NM that it's the "land of mañana" in other words, what ever needs to get done, can get done tomorrow. Well, I believe this saying exists because New Mexico is a little behind the times. Stuff gets done here just a little slower than in other states. Sometimes thats a good thing, but in the world of knowledge and accommodating people with food allergies and gluten intolerance, this is not such a good thing. For example, one of my old favorite restaurants, Flying Star put out this statement about gluten: "Our counter staff is happy to comply with your changes, but will not be able to assist you with Gluten issues." Shut down.

I've decided to pick my battles and Flying Star is one that can be shoved under the bed for the time being... I'm focusing on the restaurants that ARE open to accommodating those with Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance. Thank you Slate Street Cafe, Zinc Wine Bar, Slice Parlor Pizza, The Cube BBQ, O'Neills Irish Pub and Scalo for listening to your customers and offering safe and delicious gluten free meals! My hope is that more and more restaurants will jump on the bandwagon and understand that the individual that has gluten intolerance is the one that makes the decision about where to eat out. Having gluten-free options on your menu will actually increase sales :)

(Please excuse the quality of the photos, they were taken on a camera phone)

On a recent rendezvous to Albuquerque, I had the most wonderful meal at Slate Street Cafe. Many of the staff follow a gluten-free diet and the owner has a family member with Celiac Disease. Yay! The food here is amazing. It is presented well, it's fresh and full of flavor. Plus a drink in the wine loft before the meal is a nice touch. They have a separate gluten-free menu, just ask the hostess when you take your seat! My meal included a peach glazed seared salmon with sauteed green beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas and a spicy kiwi-mango salsa. Awesome! All the salads are gluten free and the one that caught my eye was the grilled peach and prosciutto salad with spring greens, asparagus, golden tomatoes and shaved parmesan.

We also ate at Zinc Wine Bar and Bistro- Zinc is an awesome place to listen to music and have a wonderful meal. The hostess, chef and waitress were all knowledgeable about my intolerance and assured me that I would have a safe meal. It was wonderful! I had the New Mexico raised steak and a mixed green salad with homemade champagne vinaigrette. I will be back.

For more in-depth gluten-free listing, check out Gluten Free Albuquerque.

The Cube

talk to the manager or cook on-site. The BBQ sauce and most of the meats and salads are gluten-free, naturally!

Slice Parlor Pizza

A relatively new pizza joint in town. Serves a 12" pizza and even has gluten free beer on the menu. It doesn't get much better than that!

Lemon & Pear Bread with Pecans

2011-07-15T20:50:00.000-06:00

Lemon & Pear Bread with Pecans

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup pear sauce (or use applesauce)

1 tsp bourbon vanilla extract

1.5 tsp grated lemon zest

1tbs fresh lemon juice

1.5 cups Bistro Blend Gluten Free Flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Using a standing mixer beat egg slightly, then add sugar and melted butter. Beat until well combined. Add pear sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and continue to beat on slow-medium speed for about 1 minute. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and then add into wet mixture. Beat until smooth. Fold in pecans. Pour into a greased (with butter) and floured (using GF flour) bread loaf pan. Bake for 55 min to 1 hour at 350° F.

the batter...

and the finished product.

I couldn't resist having a taste before it cooled.

Lovely.

Bolognese Sauce with Pasta

2011-07-11T19:22:00.000-06:00

This sauce is adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution cookbook. It's hearty, flavorful and could be topped on gluten free pasta, rice, or even a bed of sauteed greens.

Ingredients:
2 slices of smoked bacon, preferably free-range or organic
2 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
olive oil
2 heaping tsp dried oregano
1 lb good-quality ground beef, pork or a mixture of the two
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2, 14 ounce cans of diced tomatoes (no salt added)
1 small can tomato paste
small bunch of fresh basil
4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb gluten free pasta

Directions:
Finely dice the bacon. Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Place a large pan on medium to high heat. Add 2 lugs of olive oil, sliced bacon and oregano to your pan. Cook and stir until bacon is lightly golden. Add the chopped veggies to the pan and saute for about 7 minutes until softened. Stir in the ground beef/pork breaking it up with a fork. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste.
Fill one of the empty cans with water and add to the pan. Stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Pick the basil leaves off the stalk and store leaves in the fridge for later. Finely dice the basil stalks and stir into the pan. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer with a lid on and slightly askew for 1 hour, stirring every now and again. Take the lid off and cook for another 20 minutes. Keep an eye on the sauce as it cooks, and if you think it's starting to dry out, add a splash of water.

Remove the Bolognese sauce from heat. Stir in half of the grated parmesan cheese (save remaining for garnish). Tear and stir half of the basil into the sauce (save remaining for garnish). Season with additional salt and pepper. You can now allow it to cool, bag it and freeze or keep it warm while you cook your gluten free pasta! Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free in Switzerland and Italy

2011-07-01T13:54:00.000-06:00

Traveling used to be so incredibly simple for me. I would find food at ease and go to whatever restaurant I wanted to, when I was hungry. Of course I didn't feel well afterwards, but it sure seemed simpler! Today, I google, I call, I feel nervous, I google some more, then it all seems to work out. I had the most awesome vacation a few weeks ago where I spent time on the Italian Riviera (Rapallo, Portofino, Santa Margherita, Camogli and the Cinque Terre) and in Switzerland (Zurich, Bern, Lucern, and Baden).

Italy is hip to gluten intolerance and celiac disease. It's not hard to find food in most grocery stores and pharmacy's that cater to the gluten free traveler. Switzerland was a bit harder, but in the end totally do-able. I have to admit, when I see a food market, a pharmacy or other food vendor, I always have to check to see what they offer. I am sure my travel companions get tired of me always stopping in to check out the markets! I have found that is is absolutely necessary to have a hotel or apartment with a kitchenette when traveling abroad. Going out to eat should be a treat, not a chore. I cooked everyday while on the trip, but I was never deprived. Everyday I made myself a Nutella rice-cake sandwich to enjoy while others were having chocolate croissants. I packed a lunch with gluten-free Shar bread. I devoured the cheese and yoghurt in Switzerland and I had my fair share of chocolate bars, fresh olives and cappuccinos in Italy. I didn't get sick and I didn't feel hungry...not once.

Here are some tips and a list of awesome places to get some good food in Italy and Switzerland.

Plan your stays in various cities based on the open air food markets. These are delectable and honestly, you wont find better produce. Sweet cherries, peaches, nectarines, strawberries and apples were in abundance and all grown in Italy. It was heaven. We stayed in the Ligurian region. Markets are held daily. http://www.initaly.com/regions/liguria/markets.htm

Billa Supermarket- Rapallo, Italy

I stocked up on fresh pesto, gluten free penne pasta, fresh mozzarella cheese, veggies and chocolate from this market. Salami and other cured meats are labeled gluten-free (senza glutine)

Ristorante Da Paolo, Camogli, Italy

I've been to this restaurant three times and they always know what to do. I believe the chef has Celiac disease. The meal is pricy, but worth it. I recommend going at lunch, but make a reservation! Fresh grilled calamari with olive oil, herbs and garlic, with a insalata mista was fantastic!

Ristorante Da Paolo, Via S. Fortunato 14, Camogli

Tel: 0185.773595

Restaurant Il Cancello, Portofino, Italy. This restaurant is at the Palace hotel offers gluten free meals.

Kerala Indian Restaurant, Zurich, Switzerland. This restaurant treated me like a queen. They have an incredible amount of gluten free items on the menu and were very proud and sure of providing me a safe meal. On top of all the good service, the food is excellent. Our meal included vegetable pakora (made with chickpea flour), tandoori chicken, malabari chicken curry, aloo gobi vegetables and a indian pudding with cardamom and coconut milk for dessert. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Muller Vital Shop, Zurich, Switzerland- I was able to buy a selection of breads, rice-cakes, musili, and snacks from here. This is great place to supplement your fruits, veggies and yogurt which are abundant in Zurich.

The Drogerie +Reformhaus +Naturheilpraxis in Stein-am-Rhein, Switzerland sells a selection of GF products, including a few gluten free baked goods.

The Marinello market in Rail City (main Zurich train station) carries a selection of gluten free bratwurst and sausages. They are all delicious! Just read the fine print on the allergen statement. Marinello is even open on Sunday, as everything else seems to be closed!

Other grocery stores in Switzerland were my lifesaver. I went to either the Coop and Migros daily. They are found in almost every town and you can stock up on the best yogurt you will ever eat plus meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies and nuts.

GF pasta with pesto, spicy sausage,

wilted spinach and fresh mozzarella

Homemade Granola with Pineapple and Cranberries

2011-07-01T11:53:00.000-06:00

Gluten free granola is extremely expensive to buy and I am often disappointed in what comes out of the teeny tiny bag. I'm on a mission to make a delicious (and more affordable) breakfast granola that the professor and I will both enjoy. Here goes attempt #1!

Ingredients:
3 cups certified gluten free oats
1 cup of chopped nuts (black walnuts, sliced raw almonds and toasted sunflower seeds)
1/3 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light agave syrup
1.5 tsp bourbon vanilla extract
dash of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped finely
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped finely

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, combine oats, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds and cinnamon. Stir and set aside. In a medium saucepan, set over medium heat, combine oil, agave, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Pour warm agave mixture into oat mixture and stir until well combined.

Spread mixture evenly onto a large rimmed baking sheet. For for about 20 minutes, stirring several times throughout, until the granola is deep golden color. Cool completely before adding dried fruit. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Enjoy this granola with my new favorite yogurt, Noosa!

Gluten Free in Dallas, TX

2011-06-07T12:13:00.000-06:00

I was in Dallas over the weekend for a wedding and was very worried that I would be eating steak and potatoes for the entire three days! First let me say, not surprisingly Dallas is not anything like Boulder. The more I travel as a celiac, the more I realize what a special place I live in and how easy I have it. In Dallas, there were a couple times when a waiter looked at me funny and didn't really understand what I was trying to explain. I was given a salad with croutons, which I returned. Then received a different salad, still with croutons. Eventually, I was give an salad without croutons, but with crumbs all over the place. It was obvious that they had just removed the bread from the salad. Needless to say, I never did get a clean salad and I sure didn't eat one that was contaminated. I had fruit instead.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for my culinary experience... I found LOVE at Kozy Kitchen. This place is awesome. They make their own GF whole grain bread, have grass fed organic buffalo burgers and even have a huge selection of cakes, which are ALL gluten free. Heaven. Heaven. Heaven. This is a restaurant where the food is flavorful, fresh and not only for those on a GF diet. I wish I would have spent more time at Kozy. Another good thing about Dallas is that you can always hunt down a Whole Foods. Sure this takes planning, but it's well worth the time. For a quick bite or lunch, Jason's Deli offers a gluten free menu. Nothing spectacular, but when you need fuel, a sandwich does the trick! I had a wonderful weekend, but I am happy to be back in Boulder, the gluten-free mecca.

Kozy Kitchen
Jason's Deli
Whole Foods Market
Wholesome Foods Bakery

The Kozy Kitchen

Grass fed buffalo burger, with sauteed seasonal

veggies, raw cheddar cheese and mustard

the Oh My God Cake!

(white chocolate, peanut butter, chocolate, etc, etc, etc)

I only had one steak while in TX, but here are a few other restaurants which cater to the gluten free crowd!

Outback Steakhouse

Texas Land and Cattle

Kona Grill

Fish City Grill

Grilled Thai Chicken Pizza

2011-06-07T11:22:00.000-06:00

Grilled Thai Chicken Pizza
Ingredients:

1 12" pizza crust, from the Gluten Free Bistro

1 tbs olive oil

5 ounces cooked, chopped or shredded chicken

3 scallions, chopped

1 medium carrot, cut in fine julienne strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced

2 -3 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella

large handful of bean sprouts

1/2 cup Simply Boulder Coconut Peanut sauce, plus more for drizzling.

Directions

Brush olive oil on both sides of frozen pizza crust. Grill over medium-low heat (about 500-600°F) for about 2 minutes (one side only). Remove from grill. Top pizza crust with Coconut Peanut sauce, shredded cheese, chicken, bean sprouts, scallions, carrots, both peppers and 1/2 of the cilantro.

Lower heat. Grill pizza directly on grates for about 7 minutes to 10 minutes, watching carefully that crust does not burn. Crust should be crispy and cheese should be melted and starting to bubble. Vegetables will be slightly cooked but still crunchy and fresh!

Remove from grill and top with remaining cilantro and drizzle extra peanut sauce on top! Enjoy!

Blueberry Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

2011-06-02T11:06:00.000-06:00

These are hearty moist muffins that are great for breakfast with a cup of coffee. They are not too sweet yet very satisfying!

Gluten Free Blueberry Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins
Makes 12-15 muffins

1 1/4 cups Bistro Blend GF flour
1 1/4 cups certified gluten free oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk (if you do not have buttermilk, use 1/2 cup milk with 1 tsp cider vinegar added to the milk).
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup to 1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake for ~20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean.

Poached Salmon Nicoise Salad

2011-05-31T11:37:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon kosher salt

10 black peppercorns

2 cups white wine

2 pounds skin-on wild salmon fillet pieces (1 to 1 1/2 in. thick)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

5 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Sea salt to taste

6 cups mixed greens

10 small yellow-skinned new potatoes, boiled until tender and cut in half

4 hard-cooked eggs, cut into quarters

1/4 pound haricots verts (French green beans) or regular green beans, trimmed and boiled until tender-crisp

1/2 cup pitted Niçoise olives

3 Roma tomatoes, cut into lengthwise wedges

- Directions:
- To a large roasting pan, add bay leaves, kosher salt, peppercorns, and wine. Add salmon and enough water to cover.
- Remove salmon and set aside; bring liquid to a boil, covered. Reduce to a simmer, then gently slide salmon into liquid and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, covered, until salmon is just opaque.
- While salmon is cooking, make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, mustard, and vinegar. Gradually whisk in oil until dressing is emulsified. Whisk in herbs and season with sea salt.
- Using 2 spatulas, remove salmon, place on a cooling rack set on a sheet pan, and chill 10 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Discard poaching liquid.
- Remove salmon from refrigerator and break into large pieces, discarding skin. On a very large serving platter, top watercress with pieces of fish, potatoes, eggs, green beans, olives, and tomatoes. Drizzle dressing over everything.
Recipe adapted from Sunset Magazine

Chicago Dogs

2011-05-15T13:00:00.000-06:00

It's grilling season! There are few things I like more than a pleasant summer night, grilling good food and hanging out in the backyard. What makes a chicago dog delicious are all the crunchy veggies topped with celery salt. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced (original chicago dogs use pickled sport peppers)
relish
dill pickle
celery salt
yellow mustard
100% beef hot dogs (I used Applegate Organic Beef Hotdogs- gluten free and casein free)
GF Buns (I used Udi's)

Grill/cook hotdogs according to package directions. Warm buns on grill. When ready, top the hotdog with mustard, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers and sprinkle with celery salt. Serve with a dill pickle and relish.

Beer Battered Coconut Shrimp w/Blood Orange Dipping Sauce

2011-05-06T12:23:00.001-06:00

In celebration of National Celiac Awareness Month, I made this awesome dish using two of my favorite products, gluten free beer from New Planet and flour from the Gluten Free Bistro. The recipe can also be found on the GFB blog.

Beer Battered Coconut Shrimp with Blood Orange Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
24-28 Large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup Bistro Blend gluten free all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cups New Planet Tread Lightly gluten-free beer
1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar (or slightly more to taste)
2 cups medium shredded coconut (unsweetened)
Coconut or Canola Oil for frying (enough for shrimp to be just covered in a Dutch oven or other deep pot)

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup Crofters blood orange spread or orange marmalade
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I used Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce)

Directions:

1. Mix marmalade, mustard, honey, and hot sauce in a small bowl and refrigerate.
2. Mix coconut and sugar in a small bowl.
3. Whisk together the eggs, gluten free flour, gluten free beer, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
5. Dredge each shrimp in the beer-batter mixture, then the coconut. Place dredged shrimp on parchment paper on large plate or cookie sheet and chill in refrigerator for 30 min to 45 min.
6. Heat enough oil to allow shrimp to be covered in a deep pot. Then place shrimp in oil, 5 to 8 at a time, for 3 minutes, or until dark golden.
7. Using tongs to remove, drain shrimp on paper towel.
8. Serve with prepared dipping sauce.

Luscious Lemon Cake

2011-04-25T12:16:00.000-06:00

This recipe comes directly out of the Delight Gluten Free magazine. I opted out of frosting the cake because it's sweet enough. This easy to make cake is ideal for a sunday brunch or even Mother's Day. Enjoy!

Luscious Lemon Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemonade
2 tbs lemon zest
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs + 2 egg whites
2 cups Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a fluted pan with non-stick spray.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add the lemonade, lemon zest and vanilla and combine until a smooth mixture forms.
3. Add the eggs and egg whites, beating well after each egg. In a separate bowl, sift together Pamela's baking mix, baking powder and salt. Add to the ingredients already in the mixer and mix well.
4. Slowly add milk. Mix until incorporated.
5. Pour batter into the prepared fluted pan. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10-15 minutes before removing cake from pan and transferring to a wire rack.

Gluten-Free in Stockholm, Sweden

2011-04-23T15:31:00.000-06:00

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Stockholm recently. In Sweden, celiac disease and eating gluten free is well accepted and the blank stares of confusion are rare at restaurants! I did my research before going on the trip about where to eat and shop for food. I highly recommend visiting the cafe at Junibacken museum. They have many gluten free options including a Swedish meatball, mashed potato and lingonberry dish that was fantastic!

Swedish Meatballs

an enormous chocolate dipped macaroon

For fast-food, visit McDonald's for a cheeseburger and fries. The french fries are cooked in clean oil so there is no risk for cross contamination with breaded items. I have to say- I never really like McDonald's, but I had to try it out in Sweden! The fries were good, the burger still sucks. But if you are like many people, and really love and really miss McDonald's, take a vacation to Stockholm.

Other fast food options include the Taco Bar. I'm from New Mexico, so my opinion of eating Mexican food in Stockholm is quite biased. But to give the restaurant credit, almost everything on the menu is gluten free, including the tacos and enchiladas. Dinner for 2 was about 120sek. Not too bad! The salsa was mild but extra jalapenos perked up my chicken tacos.

Stockholm is not cheap. For a decadent and tasty meal try out the Vassa Eggen Steakhouse. This hip bar and steakhouse was extremely accommodating. I was able to have warm gluten free bread, Swedish boiled potatoes and a beautifully charcoal grilled steak topped with roasted garlic and red wine sauce. Yum. Plan on spending about 350sek for 2 people.

One of the best meals we had was at Lao Wei. This ever popular Chinese vegetarian restaurant fills up very quickly, but it's well worth the attempt of getting a table! The whole menu is gluten free and vegetarian. The flavors are fantastic and the ingredients are fresh! Highly recommended.

So good, we forgot to take a photo before eating!

Another great restaurant is the Resturang Cypern. The menu is clearly marked of what items are gluten free. Plus it was really tasty Mediterranean food. We enjoyed the food and relaxed atmosphere so much, that we had dinner here two times.

Chicken Kebabs with Greek Salad

Ikea cafe- when in Stockholm, don't forget to visit the Ikea mothership. Almondy tortes are sold in the cafes and in the freezer section of the store. I enjoyed a slice of almond torte and a cappuccino at the cafe. It was well worth the 20 min free bus ride from downtown.

One of the best places to have a lunch or an afternoon snack is the Vete-Katten bakery. They serve "Friends of Adam" gluten free muffins and bread. You can have a wonderful sandwich on gluten free bread, a sweet muffin and a hot cup of tea. This place is awesome. It's comforting and beautiful all at the same time. I was able to read and people watch one rainy afternoon. Absolute bliss.

Cardamom Muffin by Friends of Adam

Feta and Cottage Cheese Sandwich

Many hotel chains offer a gluten free breakfast. We stayed at the Elite Stockholm Arcadia Hotel- the continental breakfast included boiled eggs, cheese, variety of meats, fresh fruit, and gluten free bread- just ask the breakfast staff!

Grocery stores are always a life saver. I found a great selection of GF bread, cookies, crackers, cereals and other snacks at Hemkop. I bought bread and sandwich fixings to take my lunch on the go. This saves money and ensures you always have a safe meal to eat when out and about.

Ham and swiss cheese on Shar Bread

Eating gluten-free in Stockholm is about as easy as eating in Boulder, Co. It's a gluten-free playground and I would be more than happy to visit again!

'tis the season of strawberries...

2011-04-23T14:28:00.000-06:00

Although it still feels like winter in Colorado, I think the wait is over. Fresh, flavorful strawberries have arrived in the markets. Sometimes the simplest meals are the best. This comes from the current issue of Martha Stewart. It's a wonderful breakfast and snack.

Strawberry and Nut Butter Toast
Ingredients (serves 1-2)
2 slices gluten-free bread (I used Schär)
2 tbs sunflower-seed butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
~6 strawberries, thinly sliced

Toast your bread, spread with sunflower-seed butter and top with strawberries! Yum. Yum. Yum.

Mama's Best Banana Bread

2011-04-01T15:51:00.000-06:00

This is my Mama's best banana bread recipe made gluten-free. Luckily it tastes just the same as when she used to make it for me as a child, I just happen to feel better eating it this go-round!

Ingredients
1 egg
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups GF flour (bistro blend all-purpose GF flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Using a standing mixer beat egg slightly, then add sugar and melted butter. Beat until well combined. Add mashed bananas and continue to beat on slow-medium speed for about 1 minute. Add flour, soda and salt into mixture. Beat until smooth. Fold in walnuts. Pour into a greased (with butter) and floured (using GF flour) bread loaf pan. Bake for 55min to 1 hour at 350° F.

Citrus Salad

2011-03-31T14:10:00.000-06:00

Citrus Salad

Ingredients

1 grapefruit

1 tangelo

1 navel orange

1 blood orange

2 clementines

fresh mint, chopped

sea salt

olive-oil

Peel and slice all fruit. Spread on serving dish, sprinkle with sea-salt, mint and a drizzle of olive-oil. Enjoy this perfect winter citrus salad while dreaming of summer!

Posole Stew with Chicken

2011-03-17T08:26:00.001-06:00

If you haven't noticed, I really miss New Mexican cuisine. There is nothing like it and unfortunately in many restaurants wheat flour is a very common hidden ingredient used to make red chile and green chile sauce. Fortunately, I grew up in a household where I watched enchiladas, tacos, tortillas, posole, and green chile stew being made on a regular basis. It's been very easy for me to adapt my favorite recipes because some of them are naturally gluten free (especially when made at home) and others only need slight tweaking.

Ingredients

12 oz dried white corn posole (click here or here to buy)

6 red chile pods

1 lb skinless chicken breast, cut up in 1"pieces

3 cloves garlic

1 small onion, diced

1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

1 tsp salt

Garnish:

Red Chile Sauce, recipe here

fresh cilantro

lime wedges

avocado slices

Directions:

Put posole in glass bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight.

In a large pot, boil posole in salted water for about 2 hours over medium heat. After about 2 hours, add chicken, chile pods, oregano, garlic and onion. Cover and simmer for about 1 more hour until posole is tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed. Season with salt. Spoon into bowls and garnish with cilantro, avocado, lime, and extra red chile.

This recipe can also be made in a slow-cooker, set on low for 6-7 hours.

Tomato and Sausage Risotto

2011-03-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

Last year on a trip to Italy I had my fair share of risotto. It was warm, beautiful, flavorful and oh so rich. I will have the privilege of going back to Italy this year but decided I couldn't wait for authentic Italian risotto, I needed to make some today! This recipe is straight from Smitten Kitchen (which was adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food).

Ingredients

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed (make sure sausage does not contain any gluten fillers)
1 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).
Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired. Serves 4

New Mexico Green Chile Sauce

2011-03-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

Red or Green? That is the token question at almost every restaurant in Santa Fe. Personally, I like "christmas". I like to have my food drenched in red and green chile. This green chile recipe is a smothering sauce. Smother your eggs, smother your burrito, smother your potatoes, smother your enchiladas. You get the point.

New Mexico Green Chile Sauce
Ingredients
2 tbs oil (olive or grapeseed oil)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cold water
2 tbs cornstarch
1.5 to 2 cups chicken broth
~16oz chopped green chile (roasted)

Directions
Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, and set aside. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft, over medium heat. About 8 minutes.
Whisk cornstarch mixture into onions, immediately add 1 cup chicken broth. Sauce should be thickening slightly. Stir and then add remaining chicken broth. Next add the green chile and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Tacos topped with NM Green Chile Sauce

**Why do New Mexican's spell chile with an "e" and not and "i"? Read this article from the New York Times

Oatmeal Cookies with Walnuts & Chocolate Chips

2011-03-02T15:28:00.002-07:00

I love oatmeal cookies and luckily am still able to tolerate GF oats, as many celiacs cannot. These cookies are delicious, crispy on the outside with a little chew on the inside. Just perfect. This recipe makes a big batch! Take them to a party or store them in the freezer for another day. Makes about 36 cookies.

Ingredients

1 3/4 stick of unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp bourbon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Mix

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 cups gluten free oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Slowly add the baking mix and cinnamon and blend on low until well incorporated.

Stir in oats and then fold in chocolate chips and walnuts until evenly distributed. Drop by the spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the cookie (until golden brown). Let cool on cookie sheet for about 7 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Suki Thai Noodle House in Boulder

2011-03-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I received a newsletter from Boulder County Celiacs. Featured was Suki Thai, a restaurant that has almost an entirely gluten free menu (the vegetarian pad thai sauce and kids mac & cheese are not gluten free). I was thrilled to read about a place in which the risk of cross contamination would be very slim. We headed out to have lunch at Suki Thai. The professor (who loves all things glutenous) and I were both extremely pleased with our meal; it was simple, delicious and cheap! The food is fresh and cooked to order. Gluten free food is often more expensive and it seems these days there is always an up-charge on gluten free products in restaurants. This restaurant is across the board affordable and very tasty. It is wonderful to have a great dish for $6.50!

Fried tofu noodle bowl with fresh veggies,

daikon, corn, cilantro and lemongrass

Chicken Pad Thai made with egg, bean sprouts,

peanuts, scallions and fresh rice noodles

Fresh Thai iced tea

Finding Solace in the Kitchen with Foods that Heal

2011-02-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

Everyday I have to think about eating a meal that is safe. Every time I go out to eat I have to explain my situation. Sometimes I feel silly, other times I feel like a burden but most of all, I hope that one more person will be educated about gluten intolerance and in the long run, life will be a lot easier! I had the pleasure of telling my story to WalkAbout Magazine in the hopes that even more people will learn about celiac disease and the importance of eating gluten free and thriving!

Please check out the story here.

Tomato Avocado Salsa

2011-02-25T11:01:00.001-07:00

This recipe comes from a wonderful woman in Santa Fe. Della kindheartedly shared this recipe with me after I devoured it at a holiday party last year. Thankfully it is now my go-to salsa :)

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 jalapeno, diced

2 scallions (use only the bottom half), diced

1 large handful of fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp each)

1 avocado, chopped

Directions

Add tomatoes, jalapeno, scallions, cilantro, salt and pepper to blender or food processor and chop for about 30 seconds. If not spicy enough, add sprinkles of chile pequin (red pepper flakes).

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with slices of avocado. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

Gluten Free Italian Breadsticks

2011-02-21T15:05:00.002-07:00

These are a great little snack to stash in your bag when you are out and about, at a restaurant, or just feel like something "bready". I like to dip them in olive oil with a little sea salt.

Ingredients
1 tbs active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm milk
1 cup GF flour blend w/xanthan gum (bistro blend all purpose GF flour)
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs Parmesan cheese, grated
1.5 tsp Italian spices (I used a variety of oregano, fennel, rosemary, lemon peel etc) ground
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
extra olive oil to brush on the tops of breadsticks

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Whisk yeast and warm milk together in a small bowl. Set aside for about 5 minutes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silpat (as shown).

In a mixer, mix the yeast mixture, flour, cornstarch, cheese, spices, 1 tbs olive oil and vinegar on low speed for about 1 minute. The dough should be well combined. Using the palms of your hands, roll out breadsticks into strips, about 1 inch wide and 6 inches long. If dough is too sticky to roll out, place dough in a pastry bag or heavy duty plastic bag (with corner cut off) and squeeze the dough out of the bag onto the sheet.

Lightly brush the tops of the breadsticks with olive-oil for a crisper top. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack and serve with olive oil for dipping.

Zucchini stuffed with Quinoa and Cannellini Beans

2011-02-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup red quinoa, rinsed

4 med zucchini

1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tbs olive oil

Heat oven to 400°F. In a large saucepan, combine quinoa and one cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed. about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Arrange in a large baking dish, cut sides up. Fluff the quinoa and fold in the beans, tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic and 1/4 cup of the cheese, and 2 tbs olive oil. Spoon the mixture into the zucchini. Top with the remaining oil and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. Remove the foil and bake about 8 minutes more.

(this recipe has been adapted from Real Simple Magazine, Zucchini with Quinoa Stuffing)

Flourless Mexican Chocolate Cake

2011-02-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Flourless Mexican Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

4 oz bittersweet chocolate (good-quality, not unsweetened)

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/2 tsp bourbon vanilla extract

3/4 cup white sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper. Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a metal bowl, set over a saucepan of just simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Add in vanilla and stir. Remove bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate until combined. Add eggs and whisk until well incorporated. Add cinnamon. Sift cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Pour batter into greased pan and bake in middle oven for ~ 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a cooling rack for 5-7 minutes and then invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder, powdered sugar or serve with fresh berries.

Green Chile, Pepperoni, Goat Cheese, and Roasted Garlic Pizza

2011-02-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

I eat a lot of pizza but this is a particularly good combination. It reminds me of fall in New Mexico, which always makes me smile. Make sure to read the label on your pepperoni to verify it is gluten free. I used pepperoni by Applegate Farm; it's gluten and casein free and can be found in most health food stores. Another reason I like this brand is that it's minimally processed and free of antibiotics.

Ingredients:
1 10" or 12" GF pizza crust
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
6-8 slices pepperoni
goat cheese, topped to your liking
roasted garlic, topped to your liking
roasted green chile, topped to your liking (For more info on how to roast green chile click here)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Top crust with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and remaining toppings. Bake for 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!

Before baking...

and after baking

Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

2011-02-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Valentines Day! I ventured out and bought a gluten-free devils food cake mix, made by Betty Crocker. Betty Crocker now makes GF mixes, which are made in a dedicated gluten free facility, so there is no concern about cross contamination! I made these treats especially for the hubby. He loves chocolate. Really loves chocolate. So go out buy your favorite chocolate mix and top your cupcakes with this delightful strawberry buttercream.

Strawberry Buttercream
1/2 cup frozen strawberries, thawed
1 stick unsalted butter, cold
pinch of sea salt
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp GF vanilla extract

Directions:
Put thawed strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree. Set aside.
In a standing mixer, add butter and salt. On medium speed, cream until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and slowly add sugar until well incorporated. Now add 3 tbs of pureed strawberries and the vanilla extract, mix until blended. The frosting should be creamy and look similar to ice-cream.

Tea Time!

2011-02-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite pastimes is sipping a hot cup of tea. I enjoy the warm comfort of tea in the morning, in the afternoons and sometimes before bed. I've been drinking tea for as long as I can remember. When I was very small, I would have afternoon tea with my great-grandmother, with a lot of cream and sugar added! And to this day, I still love a hot cup of earl grey with cream and sugar in a beautiful teacup. Before I was diagnosed with celiac disease I would drink a daily dose of "stomach ease" tea in attempt to feel better. Little to my knowledge it was most likely making me feel worse! Yogi Stomach Ease Tea contains barley malt (as do 3 other flavors, including the fasting tea, calming tea, and kava stress relief.). Barley malt is not gluten free, so make sure to read all of your tea labels. Some of my favorite (gluten-free) teas include:

Celestial Seasonings: Tension Tamer and Mint Magic are wonderfully soothing teas. Search for your favorite flavor and check the gluten status on the website.

Stash Teas: I love the Earl Grey, however all of the flavorings used do not contain any gluten. That's right, all the tea blends from Stash are gluten free :)

Mighty Leaf Teas: all teas from Mighty Leaf are free of gluten. No wheat, barley or rye, however they do have a disclaimer saying that some of the tea may be at risk for cross-contamination due to the facility where the tea is processed. hmm. Drink at your own risk! I drink the Organic English Breakfast and Orange Dulce without any issue. As an added bonus, all the tea pouch is biodegradable.

Two Leaves and a Bud, Tea Company: this tea company is fantastic. It's based out of Colorado and all of the teas are organic. The teas is packaged in beautiful little sachets that are environmentally friendly and of course are all gluten-free. Happy sipping!

Sweet Potato Muffins w/Molasses

2011-02-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought I had exhausted my creativity with muffins and sweet breads, a molasses sweet potato muffin came to mind (and I had left over sweet potatoes in my fridge). I searched the Internet for some recipes and as a result came up with this one. The muffins are not too sweet and have a light, moist texture. Delicious with a cup of tea!

(Makes about 10 muffins)
1 cup GF flour (Bistro Blend All-Purpose gluten free flour)
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs unsulphered molasses
1 egg
3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
3/4 cup mashed or pureed sweet potatoes (plain without the peel)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F; prepare muffin pan with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the first seven ingredients (through the salt). Set aside.
In a standing mixer, combine the milk, oil, molasses, egg, vanilla extract, orange zest, and sweet potatoes and mix on low until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in pecans.

Using a spoon, fill the muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for five minutes, remove muffins from the pan and serve immediately or cool completely on rack.

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2011-02-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

These sweet potatoes are great as a side dish or even a top a spinach salad. They are easy to make and super healthy! Packed with Vitamins A and C and beta carotene, sweet potatoes should not only be eaten on Thanksgiving day!

This recipe is taken straight from the Food Networks, Ellie Krieger. Thank you Ellie! :)

Ingredients:

2 lbs sweet potatoes

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs honey

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces and put into a 9x13in baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and bake for one hour (or until potatoes are tender), stirring occasionally.

Swiss Chard & Sweet Potato Gratin

2011-01-31T15:18:00.002-07:00

I'm in love. This is one of the best gratins I have EVER had. It's rich, creamy, a tad sweet with wonderful flavors of chard and Gruyere cheese. I had this for dinner with a side of steamed broccoli. Nothing else needed. The recipe is originally from Smitten Kitchen, but needed to be adapted. First I needed to make it gluten free, and second I didn't want to make a dish that served 12 people! You will be pleasantly surprised. It is fantastic!

Serves 4-5
Ingredients
1/4 stick butter
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
2 bunches swiss chard, cleaned, leaves only and cut into 1 inch pieces
pinch of nutmeg
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup of heavy cream or whole milk
1 tbs gluten free flour
1 lb red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch thick rounds
1 tsp fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated

Directions
Prep the Chard: Heat 1 tbs butter over medium heat in wide 6-qt pot, add onions and cook until softened. Add greens and nutmeg, stir until all leaves are wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a colander and drain well. Press out excess moisture with the back of a large spoon.
Make Sauce: combine milk and garlic in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and keep warm. In a larger sauce pan, heat 1 tbs butter and add GF flour, whisking constantly (do not let burn). Slowly add in milk/garlic and continuing whisking , bringing to a simmer. You have just made a gluten free roux! Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble Gratin: Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 8x8 baking dish (I used an odd 6 x12 oval shaped dish). Spread 1/2 the sweet potatoes in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1/4 of the herbs and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Now top with 1/2 of the greens, 1/4 of the herbs and 1/4 cup of cheese. Now poor 1/2 of the milk mixture over the 2 layers. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining sweet potatoes, remaining herbs, 1/4 cup of cheese, the rest of the greens and again season with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining 1/2 of the milk mixture over the greens (pressing the vegetables slightly, to make sure they are submerged and moist). Sprinkle with the last 1/4 cup of cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Product Review: Lillabee Anytime Muffin Mix

2011-01-27T21:28:00.001-07:00

These muffins are delicious! They are light, fluffy and simply take on whatever flavor you add. I love cinnamon, so naturally I turned this fantastic muffin mix into cinnamon-apple muffins. The mix makes 12 muffins, which did not last very long in my house. I had them for breakfast and snack. Try them out, you won't be disappointed. You can order online at Lillabee or find them at the Boulder Farmers Market. Be creative with your add-ins!

Additional ingredients needed

2 eggs

1/4 cup + 2 tbs butter (or non-dairy alternative)

1 tsp gluten free vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk (or non-dairy alternative)

2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 apple, peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Follow the directions on the insert of the mix to make these scrumptious muffins (make sure to add cinnamon to the dry mix)!

Gluten Free Classic Meatloaf

2011-01-26T13:36:00.001-07:00

Meatloaf isn't pretty. In fact, I find it a little strange but it sure does taste good. It's almost impossible for me to eat meatloaf at a restaurant because the addition of bread crumbs. I've never made meatloaf before, but I do know that it's the epitome of down home cooking. This recipe is adapted from the Food Networks Elli Krieger, her recipe can be found here. It's a new take on the classic. I used extremely lean beef, added gluten free oatmeal, and a substantial amount of veggies and herbs.

Gluten Free Classic Meatloaf
1 tbs olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
6 oz mushrooms, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 pound extra-lean ground beef (93% lean)
1/2 cup gluten free oats
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp gluten free worcestershire sauce
4 ounces tomato sauce
1 tsp yellow mustard
1tsp unsulphered mollasses

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, ~8 minutes. Add in the carrots, tomato paste, thyme, parsley and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more. cool completely.

Heat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl combine the beef, gluten free oats, eggs, worcestershire sauce, mushroom mixture, salt and pepper. Mix until just well combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high.

In a small bowl whisk the tomato sauce, molasses and mustard and pour over the meatloaf.

Cook the meatloaf until done about 50-55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4-6 people

Cinnamon Carrot Bread

2011-01-25T15:13:00.001-07:00

Gluten Free Cinnamon Carrot Bread
Ingredients
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce
2 carrots, peeled and finely grated
1.5 cups GF flour (Bistro Blend All Purpose GF Flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a loaf pan using butter and GF flour. Tap out extra flour.
In a mixing bowl, beat egg slightly, add sugar, melted butter, apple sauce and carrots. Mix well and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together. Add carrot mixture to flour and mix until well combined. Fold in pecans. Pour into loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

When cooled, slice bread, drizzle with honey and enjoy with a hot cup of tea!

Red Potato, Parsnip, and Carrot Soup

2011-01-24T09:28:00.000-07:00

It's cold in Colorado and I seem to regularly be in the mood for soup. I've been making this dish for many years but never have shared the recipe with anyone. I love the creaminess of the potatoes and the addition of the sweet marsala wine makes it a tad more unique than your typical potato soup. I use vegetable broth in order to make a vegetarian soup, but chicken broth could be substituted.

Ingredients

3 tbs butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 carrots, peeled, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large parsnips, peeled, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 qt gluten-free vegetable broth

4 large red potatoes, cleaned and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish, chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1 cup low-fat milk

1/8 cup sweet marsala wine

Directions

Melt butter in large pot (5qt) over medium heat. Add onions and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and parsnips, cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, potatoes, parsley and thyme. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Puree half of the soup in a blender or food processor. Add puree back into soup and stir in milk and marsala wine. Bring soup to a simmer until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with flat leaf parsley.

Product Review: Lillabee Allergy Friendly Baking Mix

2011-01-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Jared from the Lillabee, Allergy Friendly Baking company. I first discovered Lillabee in August on a trip to the Boulder farmers market and was thrilled to see and sample such a wonderful chocolaty brownie mix. These products are great for people who don't have a lot of time (or want) to make flour blends from scratch. They are simple to make, taste delicious and are free of gluten, oats, nuts, dairy and soy! To make the products even more appealing to the health conscious crowd-- all the mixes steer clear of genetically modified organisms (GMO's). I've made a great birthday cake using the yellow cake mix and everyone seemed to enjoy the sweet taste and light texture. I am excited to try out additional products by Lillabee, so here we go...!

These waffles are a breeze to make and are a great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Waffles with Peaches

1 cup Lillabee pancake/waffle mix
1 egg
2/3 cup milk or non-dairy beverage
1 tsp gluten free vanilla extract
1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit ( I used peaches from High Country Orchards that I had packed and froze from the summer crop)

Follow directions on the package insert from the Lillabee mix with the exception of adding cinnamon. Bake according to your waffle maker's manufacturer directions and top with fresh fruit! Delish!

Gluten-Free in LA (South Bay Area)

2011-01-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Los Angeles (the South Bay area) I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to eat healthy, gluten-free food...with some preparation of course! Staying at a bed and breakfast turned out to be fabulous! Richard and Susan Egan, owners of "By the Beach" in Redondo Beach were extremely accommodating to my dietary needs and were excellent cooks. My daily gluten free breakfast included fresh poached eggs with tomatoes and greens. A variety of fresh fruit (mangos, pineapple, pears, cherries, bananas, kiwis), artisan cheese, coffee and orange juice. It was just perfect. The room also had a small kitchenette where I could store additional snacks and make lunches in order to be prepared for a day at the beach or a long wait in LA traffic! I would highly recommend this B&B for the Celiac traveler or any traveler. It was comforting, clean, quiet and our hosts were extremely welcoming.

gluten free breakfast on the patio

the backyard of the B&B

In El Segundo, we discovered a restaurant that was full of flavor and reasonably priced. The self proclaimed "urban country" food did not disappoint at the Farm Stand. Fresh flavors of the Mediterranean infuse the food and the happy hour wine is a big plus. I'm always a little nervous trying out new restaurants, but the staff at the Farm Stand is aware of the importance of gluten contamination and I was able to eat safely. I would recommend the herb salmon with roasted veggies and rice pilaf or the lemony roasted chicken with a tart cherry pilaf and veggies. Yummy! I was also able to have some really good meals at the Whole Foods in El Segundo. The prepared foods area is remarkable! Other restaurants in the area include, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Outback Steakhouse, and The Green Temple Vegetarian Restaurant. For a delicious dessert, try Pinkberry frozen yogurt with fresh fruit. Trader Joe's is also a gluten-free paradise and I was able to pick up a lot of snack foods here. It's always nice to return home from a trip healthy and happy! Cheers to L.A!

Pinkberry mango frozen yogurt topped with

blood oranges, raspberries and chocolate chips

Chocolate Macaroons

2011-01-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

This cookie recipe is straight from Bob's Red Mill. It's simple to make and satisfies any chocolate craving.

Chocolate Macaroons
Ingredients
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking disks or chips, melted and cooled slightly

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Beat egg whites and salt until almost stiff. Add sugar slowly, beating until egg whites stand in peaks. Add almond extract. Fold in coconut. Add melted chocolate and stir until well incorporated. Drop by the teaspoons onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from baking sheet. Makes about 20 cookies.

Product Review: Against the Grain Gourmet

2011-01-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

I don't typically do product reviews however tonight I had the displeasure of tasting a pizza by Against the Grain Gourmet. This pizza really does go against the grain. ALL grains that is. It is made with tapioca starch and an obscene amount of cheese. I'm sad to say that it tasted like an overly greasy croissant with pesto and cheese in a very thin form. It was limp, flaky, greasy, too salty and did not resemble the texture or taste of pizza. Just because it has fancy packaging and costs $11.99/package does not mean it's a product worth purchasing. I know good pizza and I know this was not something that gluten-free eaters should have to settle for. To top it off, a six ounce serving gives you 30 grams of fat and 475 calories! Getting enough whole grains is extremely important for someone with Celiac Disease. They are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. This product has less than 1 gram of fiber per serving. Seems to me that when choosing gluten- free products, one should look for grains such as brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and whole corn in the product. Grains are good for you and going against the grain isn't.

Spinach, Tomato and Garlic White Pizza

2011-01-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

I haven't cooked very much in the last couple weeks and I had some veggies I needed to use in the fridge...this pizza recipe is extremely full of flavor sans any marinara sauce! The garlic-olive oil is tasty enough that the red sauce isn't even missed. If you have left overs, it is delicious cold or at room temperature.

Spinach, Tomato and Garlic White Pizza

Ingredients

1 12" GF pizza crust (the Gluten Free Bistro)

2 tbs of olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup fresh spinach

1 roma tomato, thinly sliced

1 oz marinated artichoke hearts

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pour olive oil on pizza crust, spread around with a pastry brush. Mince garlic and spread evenly on crust. Top pizza with cheese, spinach, tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Bake for 12 minutes or until crust is crispy and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Artichoke, Mushroom, Capers and Roasted Garlic Pizza

2011-01-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

This pizza is a cinch to make. I bought almost all the toppings from the food bar at Sunflower Market.

Artichoke, Mushroom, Capers and Roasted Garlic Pizza

1 12" GF pizza crust (Gluten Free Bistro)
3/4 cup pizza sauce
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
calamata olives
capers
marinated artichoke hearts
roasted garlic
1 portobello mushroom, thinly sliced and sauteed in butter for a few minutes
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped

Top crust with marinara, cheese and toppings. Bake in 400° oven for 12 minutes, or until crust is cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!

Before baking...

and the finished product

Hearty Vegetable Soup with Pesto

2011-01-04T21:13:00.001-07:00

Happy 2011! It's a new year, I suppose this means it is time to eat a little healthier.

Hearty Vegetable Soup with Pesto

Ingredients

2 leeks, sliced, white parts only

2 pinches of saffron

2 tbs olive oil

12oz fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1in pieces

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

3 small zucchini, sliced

2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped

6 small yellow potatoes, cut into 1 in pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

2 bay leaves

1 qt vegetable broth

4 cups water

2 cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper to taste

pesto, homemade or store-bought

Directions

Warm oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat; add the leeks and saffron and cook for about 10

minutes. Add the vegetables, garlic and spices, sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetable just begin to

soften. Add the broth and water, season with salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the beans and heat for about 5 to 7 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and add a dollop of pesto onto each serving.

Clementine Cake

2010-12-30T08:16:00.001-07:00

This cake is delicious. Even the gluten eaters in my family love it. I think it is best the second day, but really can be eaten anytime after it cools. Spruce it up with some drizzled dark chocolate, whipped cream, berries, orange zest or simply as is!

(serves about 10)

Ingredients

5-6 whole clementines

6 eggs

1 cup white sugar

2 1/3 cups almond flour

1 heaping tsp baking powder

powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

Place whole, un-peeled clementines in a pot with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 hours. Drain and when cool enough to handle, cut in half and remove any seeds.

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Butter and line an 8 inch spring-form pan with parchment paper.

Put clementines in a food processor or blender and chop very finely. In a standing mixer, add eggs, sugar, almond flour, baking powder and clementine puree and mix all together. Pour batter into spring-form pan and bake for 1 hour (when toothpick comes out clean). After 30 minutes, cover the cake with foil so the top does not burn.

Remove from oven. After cake is cooled, remove from pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

(adapted from Nigella Lawson)

If you are in Santa Fe and want to try a slice of cake similar to this one, check out the Station at the Railyard. They make a clementine cake every couple days and the coffee is also fantastic.

New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

2010-12-28T07:55:00.001-07:00

I've been experimenting with red chile recipes for the last couple months and nothing seemed to satisfy my tastes or cravings for spicy, traditional red chile sauce. On Christmas Eve, I went to my uncles house for a holiday party. I was prepared to have to eat my own food, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that the red chile, posole soup and tortilla soup dinner were all gluten-free! I have finally found the perfect red chile sauce. After eating this red chile, it boggles my mind that anyone would continue to make red chile with wheat flour or cornstarch. My experimentation has happily ended thanks to my Uncle Wally!

New Mexico Red Chile Sauce
(Chile Caribe)
Ingredients:
20 dried red chile pods (mild, medium or hot)
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of salt
pinch of mexican oregano
chicken broth (roughly 3/4 of a quart depending on the consistency of the sauce)

Directions:
Rinse chile pods, remove stems, clean out seeds and put in a blender. Add minced garlic, oregano and salt. Set aside. Warm chicken broth in microwave or on stove top until just boiling. In 1/2 cup increments add broth to blender. Puree until smooth. Continue adding broth until consistency is similar to that of tomato sauce. When finished, pour through a strainer to remove any large pieces that were not blended well. Pour into sauce pan on stove and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste for salt.
Enjoy with all your favorite foods from scrambled eggs to tortilla soup. This is the good stuff. It's everything I've been looking for.

Pumpkin Bread with Pecans

2010-12-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

I love the mornng time and the sweet smell of baking pumpkin bread wafting through the house just makes me smile. This recipe was adapted from my mom's banana bread recipe that I ate as a child. It can be made with regular wheat flour 1:1 substitution.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread with Pecans
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup white sugar
1.5 cups GF flour (Bistro Blend All Purpose GF Flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a loaf pan using butter and GF flour. Tap out extra flour.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg slightly, add sugar, melted butter, and pumpkin. Mix well and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice together. Add pumpkin mixture to flour and mix until well combined. Fold in pecans. Pour into loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Hotel Boulderado Holiday (Gluten Free) Tea!

2010-12-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love holiday events, christmas lights, the music, family dinners etc... and this month I've been having an exceptionally hard time being away from Santa Fe (I'm counting down the hours). To make up for my slight unhappiness I was determined to experience some wonderful holiday events in Denver and Boulder. Well...it was a fabulous weekend! The professor and I had an evening of beautiful entertainment at Colorado Ballet's the Nutcracker. The next day we devoured tea sandwiches, scones, cookies, tea and champagne at the Hotel Boulderado. I was able to have a gluten free meal that was almost identical to everybody else.

First Course

Gluten-Free Orange-Cranberry Scones with English Double Devon Cream OR Fresh Fruit PlateTea Sandwiches
Boulderado Egg Salad with Fresh Watercress on Gluten-Free Bread
Black Bean Hummus with Cilantro, Roasted Peppers, and Fresh Cotija Cheese on Corn Tortilla Chips
Roma Tomatoes Stuffed with Tarragon Chicken Salad and Topped with Pecans
Atlantic Smoked Salmon with Lemon-Caper Butter and Red Onion Relish on Gluten-Free BreadTea Desserts
White and Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Chocolate Truffles
Mini Assorted Gluten-Free Pastries and Sweets

After the sugar high wore off, we strolled along Pearl Street to people watch and walk off some calories. I would highly recommend having tea at the Boulderado Hotel. The staff was extremely helpful, polite and careful in preparing a meal that was safe to eat and tasted really good! Cheers!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2010-12-20T09:26:00.001-07:00

I've been in the soup mood lately. Although it has been a really mild winter in Colorado, soup always reminds me of cold winter days. This tortilla soup is the perfect soup for a crowd because it's full of flavor, very pleasing to the eye and easy to make! It would be great for a Christmas Eve supper.

Serves 6
Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1.5 cups cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 quart chicken broth
3 cups water
1 tbs canola oil
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 large onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 cup corn
2 cups pinto beans, cooked if using fresh, or if using canned, rinsed well.
4 or 5 corn tortillas, sprinkled with a little olive oil and cut into 1/2 in strips
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, sliced
3 -4 scallions, chopped, green parts only
6 tsp sour cream

Directions
Heat 1 tbs oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, onions, garlic and jalapeno. Sautee vegetables for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a soup pot, add broth, water, sea salt, cilantro, corn and chicken, bring to a boil. Turn down heat, add in tomato-onion mixture and pinto beans. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375° F. Place tortilla strips on a baking sheet and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake until lightly golden and crisp, turning every few minutes. (baking time ~10-12 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool.

Ladle soup in to bowls, garnish with avocado, scallions, sour cream, a squeeze of lime, cilantro and crispy tortilla strips. Enjoy!

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Tortilla Soup

Cinnamon Waffles

2010-12-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Gluten Free Cinnamon Waffles

(makes about 4 waffles)

Ingredients
1 cup GF flour (Bistro Blend All Purpose GF Flour)
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1.5 tbs sugar
1 heaping tsp baking soda
1/8 cup + 1 tbs canola oil
1 egg
~2 cups liquid (water, rice milk, milk, soy milk)

Directions
Whisk all dry ingredients together. Set aside. Whisk oil and egg together. Add to dry mixture. Slowly add 1/2 cup of liquid and stir, continue adding a little at a time until consistency is not too thick and easy to spoon into a waffle iron. Pour into waffle iron and cook on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.

Serve with fresh fruit and real maple syrup!

*The Bistro Blend is a blend of whole grain flours [eco-farmed brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, buckwheat flour, organic coconut flour, xanthan gum] http://www.theglutenfreebistro.com/products.html

Chex Snack Mix, Gluten Free

2010-12-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, my mom and grandma would make Chex mix. I loved it so much that I would actually pick out the rye crackers and wheat chex to eat because they seemed the most saturated in flavors! Little did I know those two items were attacking my intestine. This mix reminds me of the holiday season, so here you have it... a new gluten-free snack!

Ingredients
6 cups corn chex cereal
2 cups mixed nuts
1 cup GF pretzels (I used Sticks & Twigs, by Mary's Gone Crackers)
1 cup GF seasoned tortilla chips or crackers (I used The Works! by Food Should Taste Good brand) broken into small pieces
4 tbs butter
2 tbs worcestershire sauce (use Lea & Perrins brand)
1 tsp seasoned sea salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions
Heat oven to 250°F. In a large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in all the seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated. Bake in oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread the mixture on paper towels to cool. Once cool, transfer to airtight container to store.

Cookies Galore!

2010-12-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to the Boulder County Celiac Holiday Cookie Exchange. I took over 3 dozen cookies which all were a hit! It was wonderful to be around so many delicious (and safe) baked goods, share recipes and socialize. My contributions included:
-Molasses Spice Cookies
-Vanilla Wafers
-GF Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies
-Miami Vice Cookies (Double Chocolate)

All cookies were made using GF flour from the Gluten Free Bistro and the recipes can be found here.

Before baking...

and the finished product. Yum!

Goat Cheese, Sausage and Roasted Tomato Pizza

2010-12-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

Since living gluten-free there is only one pizza I have truly missed: the Fino, from Il Vicino. My rendition is so good, that I don't think I'll be dreaming of Il Vicino anymore.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

1 12" GF pizza crust (Gluten Free Bistro)

3/4 cup marinara/pizza sauce
1 cup whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup oven roasted tomatoes (see recipe here)

1 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped

1-2 chicken italian sausages (casings removed, crumbled and cooked through)

Spread sauce evenly on crust using a spoon. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, then top with remaining ingredients. Bake in 350°F oven for 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Slice and serve immediately.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

2010-12-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

This soup is so good for you and extremely yummy! It's chock-full of phytonutrients because of the abundance of swiss chard added in, which is probably one of the healthiest vegetables around. Paired with a high fiber, low-fat lentil, this is one awesome soup.

Lentil Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 tsp tomato paste
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp salt
1.5 cups dried lentils, rinsed and sorted through
1.5 quarts water or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 large bunch of greens, such as swiss chard, broccoli rabe or spinach, rinsed and chopped coarsely
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions
Heat oil in larges soup pot. Add onion and saute for about 5 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Add in the tomato paste, parsley, garlic, salt, carrots and celery, saute for a few more minutes. Add lentils and bay leaves and water/stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for about 45 minutes, partially covered. Season with salt and pepper.

In a pot of of salted water, boil the greens until tender and bright green Drain and add the greens to the lentil soup and heat thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Serve and sprinkle with cheese. Enjoy!

Molasses Spice Cookies

2010-12-02T14:07:00.001-07:00

All I can say is WOW! These are probably the best gluten-free cookies I have ever made. Perfectly moist in the center with a crisp outside.

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups GF flour ((Bistro Blend All Purpose GF Flour*)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (combo of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar, plus more for rolling or sprinkling
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses

Directions
Mix GF flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda and xanthan gum in a bowl, set aside.
In a stand mixer, mix melted butter, sugar, egg and molasses for about 2 minutes or until well combined. Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until well combined.

Remove dough from mixer, shape into a large ball and cover completely in parchment paper. Store in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove chilled dough from fridge, and scoop out dough 2 tablespoons at a time. Roll into balls and then roll the dough balls in a small bowl of sugar. Arrange on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 to 3 inches between each cookie.
Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack.

Rich Chocolate Pie with Caramel Sauce and a Pecan Crust

2010-11-29T18:06:00.001-07:00

Holiday season has arrived! I don't believe in over indulging and over eating, but I do believe in high quality, real food, which often times can be quite decadent! This richly creamy, chocolate pie will satisfy any chocolate craving. The nutty crust is a wonderful companion to the caramel sauce and silky semi-sweet chocolate. Have a slice, you won't regret it.

Crust
1 3/4 cup pecans, chopped finely
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling
1 pint whipping cream
16 oz high quality semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Topping
Caramel Sauce (store-bought or homemade) I used Trader Joes, Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce

Directions
Heat oven to 350° F. Stir together all crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Firmly press ingredients on bottom and sides of a pie pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, heat whipping cream in a saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to boil, about 5 minutes. remove from heat and stir in chocolate until completely melted and smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more, until set.

Just before serving warm caramel sauce on stove top or in microwave and drizzle over the top of chocolate pie. Garnish with extra pecans.
Serve and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup with Tart Apples

2010-11-22T12:32:00.002-07:00

It’s definitely squash season. The varieties are abundant at most farmers markets and grocery stores. My favorites these days are butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash, but all are delicious and pretty simple to prepare. This recipe was inspired by Dr. Weil’s squash soup recipe featured on the NY Times.

1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half, seeded and chopped into about 2” pieces

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into about 2” pieces

2 Tbs good olive oil

2 sweet yellow onions, peeled and chopped into large pieces

1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tsp red chile powder

4 cups GF vegetable or chicken broth

Pesto for serving (you can make your own or use a store-bought version. I used Trader Joe’s jarred Basil Pesto)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large roasting pan, add squash, garlic, apples, and onion together. Drizzle with olive oil and mix well to coat. Sprinkle with salt and red chile powder and stir again. Bake for 40 minutes, tossing the mixture about every 10 minutes to ensure even roasting.

Working in batches, add roasted veggies and 1 cup of broth at a time to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and add to a large pot. Continue until all veggies and broth have been blended together. Simmer the soup on low heat for about 20 minutes to warm through. Serve with a dollop of pesto in each serving bowl.

Lemon Infused Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-11-20T12:33:00.001-07:00

Today I was honored to attend a private luncheon with The Gluten Free Girl and the Chef. I never thought that moving to Boulder would open up so many gluten-free doors. Colorado is the mecca for gluten-free living and start-up companies! The luncheon included about ten different gluten-free companies, ranging from New Planet Beer to The Last Crumb Bakery. Everyone pitched in and made delightful food and it was wonderful to meet other people so passionate about eating healthy and gluten-free. Shauna Ahern (the Gluten-Free Girl) was very gracious and seemed to enjoy all our contributions! I was very nervous, as she was the first to have a slice of my lemon pound cake. I didn't even have time to taste it before serving! As Shauna took a bite, I went into panic mode... she is a great chef herself and is married to a professional chef, so naturally my confidence was withering away. Luckily for me, she said great things about the pound cake and could even identify the bourbon vanilla extract I put in the frosting. Phew! Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and only was able to take pics with my phone which doesn't do justice to the beautiful foods.

Lemon Infused Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake
5 Tbs unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3/4 cup sugar, plus more for dusting the pan
1 cup GF flour (Bistro Blend All Purpose GF Flour*)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice, plus finely grated zest of two lemons, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup milk
2 large eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9"x5" loaf pan. Dust with sugar, and tap out excess; set aside. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and xanthan gum. Stir together lemon juice and milk. Set aside.
Put butter and 3/4 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix until pale and fluffy, for about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and lemon zest until combined. Working in two batches, alternate mixing in flour and milk. Mix until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake cake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes. Let cool slightly and remove from loaf pan to cool on wire rack completely.

Frosting
Ingredients
2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces organic cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp bourbon vanilla extract

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth on med-high speed. Add cream cheese and mix until smooth. gradually beat in the sugar until smooth, then add the vanilla extract on high. Beat until frosting is light and fluffy.

Once cake is completely cool, slather on the frosting on top of cake. Garnish with lemon zest and slice to serve.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-19T12:38:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving is fast approaching which means menus need to be planned! I'm not a huge fan of the "traditional" thanksgiving dinner; the kind with soggy green-bean casserole and overly-sweetened marshmallow sweet potatoes. The taste of a crispy young green-bean and a lightly maple glazed sweet-potato far outweigh vegetables that have been overly cooked and overly flavored. Here are some of my favorite, fresh recipes that will definitely be on the table this year!

GF Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing
Lemon Roasted Green Beans with Marcona Almonds
Braised Carrots with Shallots, Sage and Thyme
Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Cipollini Onions
Chocolate Torte drizzled with Fleur de Sel Carmel Sauce (recipe to come!)

Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
2 cups (8 ounces) cipollini onions

1/4 cup vegetable oil

5 sweet potatoes (2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick semicircles

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons thinly sliced sage leaves

Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add onions, and blanch for 30 seconds. Transfer to ice-water bath; drain, and peel onions.

Heat oil in saute pan over medium heat until almost smoking. Add onions, and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and continue to cook onions until tender, about 5 minutes more.

Remove onions. Reheat pan over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add sweet potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned, about 20 minutes. Add butter, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and onions, and cook another 4 minutes, until maple syrup has reduced to a glaze. Stir in sage, and season with salt and pepper. Recipe courtesy of BluePrint Magazine

Cornbread Stuffing

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
4 cups GF Cornbread, toasted and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried herb blend
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Prepare the stuffing. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8-inch square pan with olive oil. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about five minutes; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste. In a large bowl, toss together the onion mixture, cornbread, apple and herb blend. Transfer to the prepared pan. Scatter the pecans on top and cover with foil; bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil; bake until crispy and golden, about 20 minutes more. Recipe found on The NY Times

Carrots with Shallots, Sage and Thyme

1 cup chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 pound shallots, thinly sliced

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped sage

1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Cut carrots into 3-by 1/2-inch sticks. Bring stock to a boil with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet. Add carrots and simmer, covered, until just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove lid and boil until most of liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer carrots to a bowl and wipe out skillet.

Cook shallots in butter with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden- brown, about 6 minutes. Add sage, thyme, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and return carrots to skillet, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Recipe found on Epicurious

Lemon Roasted Green Beans with Marcona Almonds

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 pounds green beans, trimmed

1 onion, peeled, cut into 8 wedges

6 large fresh marjoram sprigs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel

1/2 cup coarsely chopped Marcona almonds or roasted regular almonds

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Spray 2 large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Combine green beans, onion wedges, and marjoram in large bowl. Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Toss; divide between prepared sheets. Roast vegetables 15 minutes. Reverse sheets. Continue to roast until beans are tender and beginning to brown in spots, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer vegetables to bowl. Add lemon juice, grated lemon peel, and half of chopped almonds. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Recipe found on Epicurious

Mama's Cowboy Cookies, made Gluten-Free!

2010-11-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies
Growing up, my mom could whip up a batch of cowboy cookies in a matter of minutes! The hearty and crispy texture is amazing with the abundance of oats, pecans and chocolate.Y-U-M. I have been reminising about these cookies lately, so using the Bistro Blend Flour, this is what I have come up with. Thanks Mom for introducing me to these cookies at such a young age... and now I am given the chance to perfect them with a gluten free flour blend! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 cup organic vegetable shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 medium egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup GF flour (Bistro Blend All Purpose GF Flour*)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup certified GF oats
1/2 cup pecans

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a stand mixer or other electric mixer, cream the shortening, egg, sugars, and vanilla on med-high speed until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking soda together. Gradually, add flour mixture to sugar mix and beat on low speed until incorporated. Stir in oats, chocolate, and nuts until combined.

Using a tablespoon drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Cookies should be golden brown. Transfer sheets to a baking rack and let sit for about 3 minutes to cool slightly. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.

Shishito Peppers with Sea Salt

2010-11-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

I cannot express how much I love these peppers. This is not so much a recipe but a fantastic way to eat the peppers. They are highly addictive with the lightly charred, blistered skins and sea salt. I have yet to find them in Boulder, but they are sold at the Santa Fe Farmers Market in the fall. They make a great appetizer or side dish and are guaranteed to be a hit for even the most skeptic of eaters.

Ingredients
3/4 lb shishito peppers, rinsed (do not remove stems)
2-3 Tbs olive oil
sea salt

Heat oil in a large pan, add peppers and saute for about 10 minutes until they become slightly charred and the skins begin to blister. Sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt and toss. Serve warm.

Beef Pot Roast with Root Vegetables

2010-11-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

When the morning temperatures are 27°F it feels only natural that a warm, comforting meal would be perfect for lunch. I put on my down-jacket and braved the temperatures at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. I was determined to get some local turnips, potatoes, parsnips and carrots to pair with a hearty beef pot-roast. Ah, comfort food. This recipe is very quick when using a pressure-cooker.

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1, 3lb boneless chuck roast, fat trimmed
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
3 cups beef or chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine (I used merlot)
fresh thyme, about 4 sprigs
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 2inch pieces
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1 lb yellow potatoes, cut into 2 inch pieces
4 shallots, chopped

Directions

Heat an 8-quart pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add oil to cooker. Sprinkle roast evenly with salt and pepper. Add roast to cooker; sauté 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Stir in 3 cups stock and red wine. Close lid securely; bring to high pressure over high heat. Cook for 35 minutes. Remove from heat; release pressure through steam vent. Remove lid, and remove roast with a slotted spoon, place on a platter and keep warm. Add thyme sprigs and remaining ingredients to pot. . Close lid securely. Return to high pressure; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; release pressure through steam vent, Remove lid; let stand 5 minutes. Slice roast. Remove vegetables from cooker using a slotted spoon, and place on platter with roast. Keep remaining cooking liquid to make a gravy if desired.

Corn and Potato Salad with Goat Cheese and Fresh Basil

2010-11-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

I love salads and I especially love creative salads. My husband once told his foodie friend that "Lisa is such a good cook, she makes the best salads"! I was slightly confused at the comment...although I'm very thankful that my husband thinks I'm a good cook, but preparing a salad has never seemed like the skill in the kitchen that I should be most proud of. Salad prep is hardly cooking! Regardless, salads can be very enjoyable and I hope you'll find this dish delicious!

Ingredients
1 Lb small yellow potatoes

3 cups corn kernels (thawed, if using frozen)
2 cups assorted cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium bell pepper (color of your choice, chopped)
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 Tbs white balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
5 cups baby arugula or mixed greens
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 ounces goat cheese

Directions

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook about 12 minutes or until tender. Drain and chill. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Combine potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and bell pepper in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine shallots, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper and oil and stir with a whisk. Drizzle oil mixture over corn mixture and toss well. Sprinkle with basil. Place about 1 cup of arugula on serving plates and top with a large scoop of corn mixture. Top evenly with goat cheese. Yummy!

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine