Product Review: Gluten Free Pantry Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix

We've tried a great many cake mixes - some with disastrous results. This one is a keeper! The original recipe on the box calls for butter, but this cake includes instructions to be made dairy-free.

I made this mix into cupcakes for my birthday recently. The smaller cupcakes didn't take the entire amount of time to cook as a sheet cake would, so watch them starting at 20 minutes in. They came out rich and dense, with a deep chocolate flavor. It reminds me more of a brownie style of cake than a a light, airy cake, so if you prefer the thicker texture, this mix is a good bet. They were a bit crumbly, too, adding to the brownie style of cake. They don't keep long, so eat them within a few days. Add your own touches to these, such as mini chocolate chips, walnuts, or pecans.

We made a buttercream frosting to top them, but they would be tasty eaten plain. Add these to ice cream or coconut milk ice cream for birthday parties!

Recipe: Homemade Brown Sugar Oatmeal

This is a great warm-me-up breakfast for weekdays or weekends. Very filling!

Homemade Brown Sugar Oatmeal

1 cup organic oatmeal

1 cup water

1 tblsp honey

1 tblsp brown sugar

1 tblsp milk, soymilk, or milk alternative

Optional: chopped pecans or walnuts

Measure out oatmeal into bowl. Heat water in microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds. While heating water, add honey and brown sugar to top of oatmeal. Add a sprinkling of chopped nuts if desired. When water is ready, pour over top of oatmeal. Mix well, let stand one minute. It will be soupy at first, then will thicken. After one minute, add milk, soymilk or milk alternative. Mix and enjoy! MAKES TWO SERVINGS.

Alternatively, you can add Grade A Maple Syrup in place of the honey to make Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal. Add raisins instead of nuts. Try dried fruits. The possibilities are endless for add-ins! Just make sure to use a 1:1 ratio on oatmeal to water. This recipe as written makes enough for two servings, so if you want to make a single serving, reduce everything by 1/2.

Recipe: Alex's Favorite Smoothie

Here is my son's favorite smoothie recipie. 100% wheat, gluten, dairy, lactose, soy and corn free. Vegan and vegetarian friendly!

Alex's Favorite Smoothie

1 banana

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup strawberries

6 ice cubes

1/4 cup water

Add all ingredients to a standing mixer/blender. Blend well. Add extra water if thinner smoothie is desired. Enjoy!

Celebrating Valentine's Day Gluten-Free

One of the biggest obstacles many of us come across during holiday time is how to satisfy our cravings for sweets while remaining gluten-free. I'm happy to report that you can still HAVE those sweets, and I'm here to help! Whether you want to bake it yourself or need some help in the kitchen, these folks have you covered!

No matter if your craving is baked goods, cupcakes, a sweet gift basket, Black & White cookies, brownies, cakes, molten chocolate cakes, biscuits, or cream puffs - there is something for you from one of these vendors. The list of delicious offerings goes on, but let's get to the purveyors of these fine goods so you can go place an order in time for Valentine's Day...

Check out Sabati Gourmet at www.cinderellasweets.com for Black & White cookies, brownie bites, Ring Tings, Devils Food 7 Layer Cake, Rainbow Cookies and more. Best of all - ALL of their products are free of gluten, casein, dairy, lactose, soy, and corn. Not to mention they are certified kosher! No matter your need - they have you covered!

Want to make your own products instead? Try www.betterbatter.org and make your own Cocoa Breakfast Biscuits, Molten Chocolate Cake, Ganache Filled Red Velvet Cupcakes, or Chocolate Angel Food Cake. Vegetarian/Vegan, kosher, casein free and Feingold Diet approved. Shipping is a flat $5! Large free recipe selection!

Looking for almond cream puffs, brownies and heart shaped cakes? What about bundt cakes or donuts? Check out www.glutenfreecreations.com - hand made just for you!

Are you looking for that perfect box of chocolates? Need it dairy and lactose free? Try Hand Foiled Chocolate Hearts from the Chocolate Emporium! They offer gluten, dairy and nut free chocolates - something for everyone! Truffles and clusters available, too. Visit www.choclat.com today!

And lastly, I can't forget to mention www.BabyCakes.com - one of the first bakery shops I heard about that can do gluten, soy, egg, and dairy free products. Kosher and agave sweetened. Cupcakes ship by the dozen with frosting on the side. Martha Stewart raved about this place! Come see why!

Try a new recipe, order a new sweet, and suprise your honey this Valentine's Day! Cheers!

Product Review: Glutenfreeda's Chocolate Minty Python Cookies

HOLY COW! They aren't kidding on the “minty” part. These have a STRONG mint flavor, with a rich, deep chocolate. I like mint, but these truly are for those who LOVE mint. I think it is too overpowering for what would otherwise be a perfectly delightful cookie. The chocolate is a rich, dense flavor that would be well accompanied by just a hint of mint. These are pre-formed – just drop on a cookie sheet and bake. No trans fats, no hydrogenated oils. If you are a mint lover, these are for you!

* Please refer to Peanut, Paul & Mary review for ordering information and where to buy.

Product Review: Glutenfreeda's Peanut, Paul & Mary Cookies

One of the absolute best "homemade" cookies I've found to date. This one is almost always sold out at Whole Foods. It's a peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie that is soft and delicious – the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Just like YOUR homemade! Have you been missing the taste of fresh baked cookies?

The kitchen smelled wonderful while these were baking. They did not taste gritty like a lot of gluten-free cookies do – they were soft and chewy on the inside with a gently crisp outside. You can shorten or extend cooking time for softer or crispier cookies, and they have no hydrogenated oils and no transfats. Pre-formed dough balls, just drop on a cookie sheet and bake. I have yet to try this line's Chip Chip Hooray! (regular chocolate chip) because Whole Foods is always sold out, but I have found an alternate source to purchase from. www.allergygrocer.com (aka Miss Roben's) now has them for sale in their frozen section, along with Snicker Poodles (snicker doodles), Sugar Kookies (sugar cookies), Chocolate Minty Python (“Monty Python” for those of us old enough to get the reference! chocolate mint flavor), and Peanut Envy (peanut cookies).

* A note about www.allergygrocer.com – they now boast an impressive frozen foods section. You can order from a wide array of products previously unavailable to many in the gluten-free community. You need to sign up for a free account to view/order from the frozen section. For the best shipping value, fill up an entire case of frozen goods. This should be easy when you see what all they carry! I will have to restrain myself the next time I shop with them... :o)

Product Review: Ian's Gluten-Free Turkey Corn Dogs

Crispy and incredibly tasty. The turkey was a savory treat to go with the subtle sweetness of the crunchy batter.

The “dogs” do have a tendency to pop out of their batter shells, but my son didn't mind. He just picked up the crispy coating and happily chomped away. (and he's not gluten free) These need to go into the oven, so don't plan on cooking these in the microwave. Their texture would most likely come out rubbery and soggy.

Definitely one of the better tasting ones we've found. After Wellshire Kids was found to have gluten in the "gluten free" corn dogs, Whole Foods pulled the items from their stores. That was a huge disappointment – we really liked the chicken dogs. Funny thing - I never had a reaction when I ate those, but those who have severe gluten allergies did. I read two instances where children with severe allergies reacted BADLY to the Wellshire Kids corn dogs.

This is one item, though, that I think would be better homemade. If anyone has a recipe for homemade turkey corn dogs, please feel free to share!

Product Review: Glutino Gluten-Free Cinnamon French Toast

Not for a quick weekday breakfast! Save these for the weekend when you have time to play around with them. (the cooking instructions have these babies going into the oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes - but trust me, you'll probably want a bit more time)

The first thing it suggests is putting them on a tray with parchment paper, but I used aluminum foil with the same effect. Beware, they WILL stick. Maybe next time I'll spray the foil with Pam! These have your typical rice bread as part of the equation - short, dense and heavy. There is no overwhelming cinammon scent, a la Cinnabon, but then again, I wasn't really expecting that. They still smelled good right out of the box - a bonus if ever there was one. They appeared to be "glazed", but I don't know what with. It almost looked like ice, but it did not disappear after baking. On their own they were tasty, but my son and I wanted a bigger hit of cinnamon. If I had to eat them "plain" I definitely wouldn't like them as much - they are too weakly flavored for that.

I personally prepared these by baking for 10 minutes, flipped them over, added Earth Balance butter to one side and sprinkled our own cinnamon/sugar blend over the top. We then baked for two minutes longer. This way, the edges came out a bit crispier just like homemade pan-fried french toast, with a softer, denser center.

I would love to see these come with a dairy free cinammon butter - that would make them over the top. Definitely worth a try if you are craving a sweet, cinnamon treat!

Recipe: Julie's Fried Chicken Batter

Do you miss fried chicken and need a replacement for flour? I found a way to get fried chicken that rivals that of my "seasoned flour" making days. All I needed was a little inspiration to “try something new” and now I make it no other way. Even if I could have flour back, I'm not giving up this version! Whether you use a fryer or use a pan on the stove with oil, this works for both. You will not need to add any additional seasoning - it comes perfectly seasoned!

Julie's Fried Chicken Batter:

2 cups milk

3 large eggs

1 package Louisiana Fish Fry Seasoned Fish Fry Mix

2 large bowls

1 package of chicken tenders

Canola oil - fill to line on home fryer, or adequately fill a pan to completely cover the tenders

Pre-heat home fryer or pan of oil as you desire. Pour milk and eggs into one large bowl. Use a fork or a whisk to thoroughly combine, and set aside. In another large bowl, empty the fish fry mix. Add chicken tenders to milk mixture and let soak for 5 minutes. Transfer tenders from milk to bowl of fish fry, one at a time to thoroughly coat, then into the hot oil. (Make sure oil is HOT before transferring - if it isn't, you will end up with a soggy mess!) If there are tenders that won't fit in the pan or the fryer, keep them in the milk until they are ready to be dipped in the fish fry mix. This keeps the coating from getting soggy. In a pan – fry for 6-7 minutes per side on medium-high heat, then remove from pan to plate lined with paper towels or napkins. In a fryer – follow timing/heat directions on fryer - then remove to plate lined with paper towels or napkins for cooling. Chicken should not be too greasy, coating should be crisp and medium brown.

*This mix works very well as intended for fish, but once we used it for chicken, there was no going back! Try it on shrimp as well! If you can't find this in your local supermarket, visit http://www.louisianafishfry.com/ to order online! Photo is from their website - this is the package you will find in stores.

Recipe: Mama B's Mac & Cheese

My beloved grandmother, who passed in March of 2008, left to all the grandkids a cookbook of all of her favorite recipes. She meant to have this cookbook published many years ago, and I promised I would get it done for her, but the cost was always too prohibitive. I never got a chance to tell her before she passed that I WILL keep my promise!

This recipe has been altered from her original version to accommodate the gluten free diet I currently have to follow. I have included the dairy products, but they can be exchanged for soy milk and soy cheese or any other dairy alternative that suits you. If using an alternative cheese, just make sure it has melting ability (some don't) or this recipe will not turn out well!

Mama B's Mac & Cheese

1 pkg Tinkyada Rice Pasta Macaroni Elbows

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp prepared mustard

1/2 tsp salt

Dash pepper

1 cup milk

1 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set in large bowl. Melt butter in a small pot over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch, mustard, salt, pepper and milk. Return to low heat, gently stirring and cooking until thickened. Add cheese and continue cooking and stirring until cheese is melted. Pour cheese over pasta, stir and enjoy!

Product Review: Tinkyada Rice Pastas

Hands down, my absolute FAVORITE pasta. After tasting several pastas reminiscent of glue, boy was I happy to find this brand. I use all of their pasta products: spirals, penne, spaghetti, elbows, etc. Boiling the water first, then adding the pasta and letting it cook for the longest cook time will still yield a chewy but tender pasta. Use the shorter cook time on the package for “al dente”. I add both a pinch of salt and a bit of canola oil to the water, but you MUST stir it frequently to avoid it becoming one huge clump. I don't believe any pasta out there can avoid this trap, but it seems especially pertinent in the first five minutes of cook time.

Here are a few tricks I've learned with this pasta:

* If you want a “cleaner, less starchy” pasta taste, boil for 10 minutes, partially drain (you can use a measuring cup to remove about half of the water), refill with fresh water to cover the pasta, once it's boiling again, cook 10 minutes longer. This method is more time consuming, but it is worth it if you have the time.

* When pasta is done cooking, drain in a collander, and rinse immediately with cold water. This stops the pasta from cooking any longer and is great for both cold pasta salads and spaghetti.

* To prevent sticking after it has been cooked, add a touch of olive or canola oil to the pasta after rinsing.

Hot sauces will still stick well even if the pasta has been rinsed. Our favorite sauce is Classico Italian Sausage – made even better if you add a small amount of lean ground beef and crushed garlic to it. Delicious!

Product Review: Kinnikinnick Robin's Honey Brown Rice Bread

Boy, was I sucker punched by this one. After reading all the hype about how good Kinnikinnick products are, I found some at Whole Foods to try. One of the most difficult things when dealing with the gluten free diet is keeping our sliced bread frozen. Having to toast it first when fixing a sandwich is not usually what I want to do, but alas, it's one of the things we have to put up with. But I digress...

I toasted the bread, and it smelled just fine while it was toasting, but when I took that first bite, it was like an explosion in the mouth – and not in a good way. It was greasy and gritty, and tasted like sand. I'm not sure if I got a hold of an older loaf or if it just wasn't for me, but it left such a bad taste in my mouth after that first bite I threw away the whole sandwich. Considering the cost of pre-made gluten free breads, believe me when I say it HURTS to do that.

I had high hopes for this bread, especially after reading glowing reviews from others on Kinnikinnick's website. I also tried their Tapioca Rice New York Style Plain Bagels. They had a funny smell, but taste and texture was similar enough to a regular bagel that I'd be willing to try it again. I tried it microwaved first (wrapped with a slightly damp paper towel) to mimic a fresh baked bagel. Next time, I'll try using the toaster and see if it comes out any better.
I hear fabulous reviews about their fresh doughnuts, so if anyone else has tried those yet, feel free to post your comments!

Excellent Recipe & Product Sources

One of the best things to have in the gluten free chef's pantry is a plethora of recipes to choose from. I recently found, and completely fell in love with, www.glutenfreeda.com. There are so many recipes there that I have yet to try, but after I tried the first one, I knew I'd be back for more. They also use the same Gluten Free Pantry French Bread and Pizza Mix as a 1-for-1 substitute that I use in most of my recipes, so I knew I was on the right track there.

Carol Fenster, Ph.D., has two of the best cookbooks you can buy: 1000 Gluten Free Recipes and Gluten Free Quick and Easy. If you buy no other books besides these two, you will be in good shape! Check Amazon.com for both books. I have a HUGE collection of gluten free cookbooks, and can name on one hand the number I actually use on a consistent basis.

You can buy a lot of your supplies from www.glutenfree.com, www.allergygrocer.com or from www.glutenfreemall.com if shopping online; or Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Trader Joes if shopping at a specialty store. Many regional/national grocers now also have organic and natural foods aisles, and it is becoming increasingly easier to buy products at Vons, Safeway, Albertsons, etc. Another fantastic thing to get your hands on is a publication called Living Without Magazine, found at www.livingwithout.com. You will find recipies, product information, support and much more. Well worth the price for this one!

Don't forget one very important thing - fruits, vegetables, meats and rice in their pure and natural form never have gluten or dairy. Don't be afraid to experiment! My son now loves to shop for fruit. Especially if we can wash them as soon as we get home and arrange them on a fruit plate. We put blueberries, strawberries and pineapple on our very first one, and he's been asking for them ever since. And in our (very) humble opinions, yes, organic DOES taste better.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of the first things I wanted to do when I was diagnosed was find a tasty recipe for gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. I think it deserves to be said that nothing beats the smell of fresh cookies to snap you out of a funk. I would have my house smelling like a bakery all day, every day if I could!

Setting out to find suitable replacement flours was a long process, but I have found that the Gluten Free Pantry (http://www.glutenfree.com/) puts out the absolute BEST flour to use as a 1-for-1 substitution for regular glutinous flour for baking in the form of "French Bread and Pizza Mix". Stay with me on this one - the products made with this flour turn out much more fluffy than any other flours I have tried. Beth's All Purpose flour is also good, but I like the lighter texture of the French Bread and Pizza Mix for most baked goods.

That said - here is my version of the best loved chocolate chip cookies in the world - gluten and dairy free! The nuts are optional!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies:

2 1/4 cups Gluten Free Pantry French Bread & Pizza Mix (found at GlutenFree.com, Whole Foods, Vons, Safeway)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup Crisco Butter Flavor Shortening*

6 tsp water*

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12 oz) vegan chocolate chips (such as 365 Brands from Whole Foods or Enjoy Life Foods mini chips)

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, cream together shortening, water, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time. Gradually beat in baking soda, salt and French Bread Mix. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired). Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes – less for chewy cookies, more for crispier cookies.

*If dairy free butter is used in place of the shortening, the cookies tend to be thin and crisp. Remove water from recipe if using dairy free butter. The water in the recipe with shortening (as called for on the Crisco tub) also tends to produce thinner, crispier cookies - the recipe can be made without the water if you like your cookies to be a little more cake-like.

Begin At The Beginning...

If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance (the inability to digest wheat and/or gluten) then you might be feeling one of several emotions right now. Anger, denial, confusion, depression, etc.
I was diagnosed as being Celiac in 2001, then in 2008 after an Upper GI, I was told no, it wasn't Celiac, I was just "Gluten Intolerant". I don't care what you want to call it - it all means the same thing to me. When I eat wheat or gluten, I get sick. VERY SICK. And it was adult onset, so that made me mad.
Why on earth did I spend the better part of my life being able to eat a sandwich, when now all they do is make me ill? Hand-in-hand with this problem you often find lactose intolerance. Though for many people, within six months of switching to a gluten-free diet, they can resume eating dairy products. This is not to say that it will happen for everyone, but it's a start.
The hard part for me was changing my mind set to "What I CAN eat" versus "What I CAN'T eat". After my initial anger and depression over losing so many foods, I had to find a way to turn this into something positive. It took a lot of trial and error finding replacements for a great many foods in my pantry, but as Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease become more well-known, better and better products are being made to replace the traditional flour products.
My goal with this blog is to better educate the newly diagnosed, give hope to long-term gluten free friends, share recipies and food sources, and rate new products as they become available. Keep in mind my opinions are just that - opinions. I welcome comments, suggestions, recipies, etc from others in the gluten-free community and hope that this blog will become a source of comfort and hope to all who need it.
Julie
The Gluten Free Diva