Brownies are their own language, aren’t they?  I’ve yet to meet a person who didn’t have a preference or strong opinion on brownies.  Some people’s opinions are so intense that you’d be better off slicing the brownies with a machete so you’d have protection if needed.

There are the fudgy brownie people.  The cakey brownie people. [...]]]>

Brownies are their own language, aren’t they?  I’ve yet to meet a person who didn’t have a preference or strong opinion on brownies.  Some people’s opinions are so intense that you’d be better off slicing the brownies with a machete so you’d have protection if needed.

There are the fudgy brownie people.  The cakey brownie people.  The edge eaters.  The middle eaters.  The cocoa brownie eaters.  The dark chocolate and butter eaters.  The burnt eaters.  The batter eaters.  Me?  I’m an equal opportunity brownie eater.  Big surprise, right?  Miss “Wants Everyone Happy” is content with whatever piece the overly opinionated leave on the plate as if second-rate brownies.

I’m a self-proclaimed chocolate-hater, but when it comes to chocolate cake and brownies… I’m in love.  Love.

The first batch of gluten-free brownies I made were good.  Not GOOD… but good enough to squash the craving.  These brownies?  These are unbelievable.  They’d make a non-gluten-free eater a believer.

Gluten Free Brownies
A Delta Whiskey Recipe

1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
4 ounces 60% chocolate (I used Ghirardelli*)
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter and chocolate together in small saucepan over low heat.  Set aside and let cool slightly.

Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick spray.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk the flours and xanthan gum together for 90 seconds (again, I’m neurotic).  Set aside.

Instead of using my stand mixer, I do this by hand or with my hand-held mixer so I can keep an eye on the thickness.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs for about 30 seconds, slowly add the sugar and vanilla.  The mixture will become thick within a minute or so.  Slowly add the melted chocolate and butter, then mix in the flours just until moistened.

Pour into prepared 9″ x 13″ baking pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

I started playing around with coconut flour a few weeks ago and have found amazing results.  To keep fiber and nutrition high, I use the brown rice flour as well.  The coconut flavor is mild, just lending a little unexpected sweetness.

*Ghirardelli Chocolate*

I’ve baked with Ghirardelli for years and was saddened to see that it wasn’t on the gluten-free list.  Puzzled, I emailed the company for explanation.  This is what I received in response…

Thank you for contacting Ghirardelli Chocolate.  In June 2008, the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company started production of a new milk chocolate bar, Milk Chocolate Luxe with Crisps, which has a product containing barley malt as an ingredient.  As a result, the line on which our chocolate bars and squares are produced, will now share a common line with barley gluten.  The chocolate chips (60% Bittersweet, Semi-Sweet, and Milk Chocolate) line and powder line (hot chocolates and baking cocoas) will remain free of gluten ingredients.

Ghirardelli takes the following measures to reduce cross contamination on our production lines: lines are cleaned between the changing from one product to the next.  The first two batches of any product made are disposed of and not packaged.

To me, that’s a pretty darn safe product.  The cross-contamination seems to be taken care of with the sanitation and the discarding of the first two batches of chocolate, so I still use the 60% bars when baking.  It is up to you.

There’s a fruit farm about 20 minutes from our house that I love.  You can either walk into the rambling old barn and pick up a pound, a 5 pound bag or a whole bushel of apples, or… you can go pick them yourself.  I’ve never had the opportunity (or the time) to pick my [...]]]>

There’s a fruit farm about 20 minutes from our house that I love.  You can either walk into the rambling old barn and pick up a pound, a 5 pound bag or a whole bushel of apples, or… you can go pick them yourself.  I’ve never had the opportunity (or the time) to pick my own apples, which is fine because knowing my city-girl instincts, I’d pass right by all of the apples with spots and dots.  Instead, I grab a half bushel of apples (25 pounds for $11!) and spend my time in the air conditioned confines of my kitchen whipping various things up with the spotted and dotted apples.  

The fruit farm is also known for their cider donuts and cider slushies.   When I told The Husband I was headed to the fruit farm, he jokingly said, “If you don’t come back with the donuts, don’t come back at all.”  I laughed, then headed out the door determined to make it back with a half dozen for him to devour and me to drool over.

Sadly, since I’ve started sleeping again, I didn’t make it to the fruit farm until well after 10:00 11:00 a.m., which is practically dinner time to farmers.  The cider donuts were gone, not even a cinnamon-sugar crumb to tuck in a ziploc bag for The Husband to sniff.  With that in mind, I grabbed a half-gallon of the site-made cider and decided I’d make donuts that both of us could enjoy.

As a dedicated donut-hater, I have to admit, there is something about cake donuts that makes me happy.  I blame it on my grandfather and his love for those wax chocolate coated donuts that come wrapped in a sleeve from the vending machine.

I’ve always loved the cider donuts from the fruit farm and never considered making  my own until faced with the reality that I’d never have them again.  These donut holes are so close to the original that it’d be hard for anyone to discern which are glutenous and which are not.

Try  making the dough and the holes the night before, storing in the fridge for a (somewhat) fuss-free breakfast.

Gluten-Free Cider Donut Holes
Delta Whiskey

1- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 -1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Oil for frying
Roller:
2 cups sugar mixed with 1 -1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg  for 90 seconds.   Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs, 1 at a time until combined.  Mix in cider and buttermilk, then mix in the flours.

Using a medium cookie scoop (1 -1/2 tablespoon scoop), scoop the dough into balls, place on a waxed cookie sheet and freeze for 20 minutes.

I have a mini-fryer that I love, but it’s totally unnecessary (especially considering I lived 29 years without one) using a fryer or a large, heavy-bottom pot, heat about 4-5 inches of light colored oil to 375 degrees.

Test your oil by dropping one donut hole in the oil, cook 7 minutes, allowing the hole to do it’s business, remove to a wire cooling rack then break it open to make sure it’s not doughy, but cooked through. You don’t want to crowd the pot, working with 4 or 5 holes at a time.  Mine cooked perfectly after 7 minutes, but depending on the temperature of your oil, you may need a little less or a little more time.

Prepare your rollers by whisking the remaining 2 cups sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in one shallow bowl, then placing the 2 cups confectioner’s sugar in a separate shallow bowl.  Set aside.

Once cooked, remove to a wire rack, cool 1 minute then roll in desired sugar.  We really loved the cinnamon-sugar mixture as a roller, it seemed to have more of a fall taste, but the powdered sugar was great too.

Makes 36 (HUGE – 2″) donut holes.

Today is the 5th annual Celiac Awareness Day.

I might be new to this Celiac thing, but dang it… I’ve learned a lot about myself in the last month and half and I want to share it with you so you can understand more about this [...]]]> Photo taken 4 years ago before I was sick.

Today is the 5th annual Celiac Awareness Day.

I might be new to this Celiac thing, but dang it… I’ve learned a lot about myself in the last month and half and I want to share it with you so you can understand more about this gluten-intolerance.  

Yesterday over lunch, my friend Sarah and I were having a conversation about allergies, the conversation was started a few months ago and continues each time we see each other.

“You look like you’re glowing.” she said yesterday.  Well.. I am!  I feel great!

What’s changed?  Let me tell you about five of the most incredible changes that are suitable for public consumption…

My skin.  My skin is better than it has been in decades.  Not one to ever suffer from acne, I endured the occasional break-outs.  The difference in my skin is remarkable though.  Where my skin used to look pallid with grayish undertones, I’m pink again.  My skin is milky and pink in all the right places.   The listless, dark circles under my eyes are gone! My eyes sparkle with the intensity and warmth I feel in my soul.

I sleep.  Holy, Moses.  I. Sleep.  I’ve had insomnia for over a decade, one of the biggest complaints The Husband had about me.  Each night I would try to combat the insomnia, getting in bed by 10:15, reading something relaxing, saying my prayers… I’d finally drift off to sleep around 12:30, only to wake time and time again throughout the night and give up at 5:00.   The sleep never made sense to me before.  While I had insomnia, there were strange nights where I’d sleep the whole night through without explanation.  The night of my first gluten-free day… I slept all through the night and I have ever since (oh BOY! do I sleep!)

I have energy.  While I could never understand why I had more energy on the weekends than during the week, I finally get it.  Weekends were my days to eat whenever I wanted, I’d snack on fruit in the morning and generally forget to eat until The Husband was asking what was for dinner.  I was always bounding with energy on weekends, busy running from one project or errand to the next.  I’d make dinner, then I’d crash.  I’d be exhausted, sick to my stomach and just downright puny.  I get it now.  When I wasn’t filling my body with glutens that were toxins to me, I was full of energy, happy, creative, attentive.  Once I ate… it was all over.  I always attributed my energy to lack of stress from the work-week, then the crash because I hadn’t eaten all day.  Wrong.

My Attention Deficit Disorder has improved.  I know I’ve talked before about the illogical “bad brain days” before.   I have a list of tasks that need completed before I leave the house in the morning.  No joke.  My list in the bathroom drawer reads: Deodorant. Q-tips.  Brush Teeth. Contacts.  Dry Hair.  Fix Hair. Astringent. Moisturizer. Makeup.  Clean Counter.  Unplug straightening iron.  I have to glance at it and make sure I’m not leaving something out.  I also have to do everything in the exact same order.  Every morning.  To some, this seems a little OCD.  I agree, but the OCD is a by-product of the thousands of dollars my parents spent sending me to Sylvan when I was young to learn “coping mechanisms.”  The list is one of the coping mechanisms.  Not knowing whether I was going to have a “bad brain day” or not, I have to follow the same pattern, or its guaranteed to be a bad day.  Now, I will not say that I am without ADD these days, I will tell you that my attention span has greatly improved.  I’ve actually worked whole days without the mindless chatter of a news program in my ear.  The bad brain days?  Totally attributed to what I was eating!

My attitude. This is a really hard one to explain.  While my main  mode of operation is happy!, I had begun to be snappy, irritable and angry for no reason.  This occurred over a long period of time.  For the most part, outwardly I was the same person to strangers, the happy, easy-going girl… but even in the past few years that had begun to spiral out of control and I was downright rude sometimes.  The most frustrating part was that I had no reason for being unhappy or rude.  I just was.  I tried to snap out of it, give myself a couple good slaps across the face and tell myself to soldier airman on.  It didn’t work.  I was just crabby (or crappy depending on how you want to say it).  The week I went gluten-free I was back to my normal, happy self.  No longer did the little irritants in life bother me, I was back! Finally, I wake up each morning thankful for being back to the me of days gone by.  Such a simple shift in attitude, one that I’d tried in vain to change for years… all of it controlled by what I was eating.

Of course, there are many, many more things I could write about that have changed… and maybe someday I will, but  sometimes things are better left unsaid.  You don’t need to know the nitty-gritty of all of the things that have changed in my physical body to know I’m a brand new me, or… the old me before I was sick.

Today is the 5th Annual Celiac Awareness Day.  In the myriad of books I’ve pawed through over the past few months I’ve learned this staggering fact: the amount of people living undiagnosed with Celiac disease in America is unbelievable.  1 in 197 people have Celiac disease, only 1 in 4,000 are actually diagnosed.  Educate yourself.

Many people are using gluten-free as a “fad diet.”  That’s great and I wish all the success in the world to those who are living a gluten-free lifestyle.  It’s healthy, regardless if you’re a celiac or not.  For the rest of us, it’s not a fad… it’s an intolerance that can be deadly if left untreated.  Please, I urge you.  If you’re having gastrointestinal problems, if you get sick when you eat, listless, tired, dull, educate yourself.  Check out the symptoms, go get a blood test (tTGA).

My brother is gearing up to deploy again.  If he’s CONUS during the summer, he’ll be homeward bound.  Nothing can keep the man from spending time in his beloved Midwest.  Rumor has it, as soon as his plane landed he was headed to Gates BBQ to start his five day tour of BBQ.  There’s a [...]]]>

My brother is gearing up to deploy again.  If he’s CONUS during the summer, he’ll be homeward bound.  Nothing can keep the man from spending time in his beloved Midwest.  Rumor has it, as soon as his plane landed he was headed to Gates BBQ to start his five day tour of BBQ.  There’s a special part of his body that was built for BBQ that never seems to get it’s fill.

We managed to sneak in all sorts of fun in the short amount of time he was here.  Thankfully, my sister-in-law and nephew spend summers here so we were all together again.  We attended opening night of Royals vs. Yankees.  Kauffman stadium was recently renovated and the changes are spectacular.  The stadium is a far cry from the one I remember of  my youth, just like me, it’s all grown up.

After spending the night at our house, the next morning The Husband planned to take my brother up in the plane.  We piled into separate cars and made our way to the airport.  My nephew was so excited about the possibility of flying with his Uncle and Daddy that he sat in the plane the whole time they ran through the  maintenance checks, fueled it up and towed it out of the hanger.  My beautiful sister-in-law, nephew and I watched as The Husband and brother took to the skies.  The circled around, landed and taxied to us.  My nephew was strapped in and given his uncle’s helmet.

My sister-in-law held her breath until they landed safely, but nothing could swipe the smile from my little nephew’s face.

That evening, we went to a barbecue hosted by people from our lives pre-military days.  The stories.  Oh, Lord, the stories.  I guess that’s the good thing about being so close in age with my brother, we really did grow up together.  So many times, where you’d find one of us, the other wouldn’t be too far away.  We also knew when the other was in trouble… still do, in fact.  All I have to do is think ‘I need to talk to my brother’ and he calls within 24 hours.  Craziness, I tell you.

What does Blueberry Boy Bait have to do with my brother?  No idea, other than I made it for his going away family dinner.  The recipe is from Deb at Smitten Kitchen.  With the exception of the flours, I made it exactly as she wrote it.

Blueberry Boy Bait
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Using sorghum flour makes everything slightly darker, it’s grainy and brown, but I don’t mind..  I love the way sorghum flour packs a punch with protein and fiber but remains pretty non-nondescript in the flavor department, allowing the stars of your dish to be what is intended.

2/3 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup sweet white sorghum flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup raw sugar*
1 teaspooon cinnamon
1 pint blueberries, divided (if frozen, do not defrost)

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the flours, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder for 90 seconds.  In a stand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy and thick, about 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time until incorporated.  Scrape down the bowl, reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of the flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of the milk.  Beat in another third of the flour, then remaining milk and finally the remaining flour.  Gently fold in 1/2 of the blueberries.  Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping:

Scatter blueberries over top of the batter.  Stir cinnamon and sugar in the raw together in a small bowl and sprinkle over batter.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

*I used sugar in the raw because I wanted a little crunch on top.  This was great for the first day, but the crunch was gone by day 2.  Feel free to substitute with plain old sugar.

Soon after my diagnosis I found myself with a bunch of over-ripe bananas.  Normally I’d make a banana bread, but I wasn’t feeling sure-footed enough to jump on the bread bandwagon yet, regardless if it was a quick bread.  

In my search for something to use up my bananas, I came across a recipe for [...]]]>

Soon after my diagnosis I found myself with a bunch of over-ripe bananas.  Normally I’d make a banana bread, but I wasn’t feeling sure-footed enough to jump on the bread bandwagon yet, regardless if it was a quick bread.  

In my search for something to use up my bananas, I came across a recipe for Banana Whoopie Pies that sounded intriguing.  Was I ready to completely bypass making a quick bread and go for something even more terrifying?  Cookies?  What better way to get my kitchen in gear than to make a monumental mess and reward myself at the end with some awesome cookies?

I shared these with a few people who couldn’t believe they were gluten free… I was pretty impressed myself.  The recipe makes approximately 20 whoopie pies (40 cookies sandwiched together with the most amazing peanut butter frosting).  Do yourself a favor and hide them from your honey, I have it under good authority that of those 20 whoopie pies… he’ll eat 16.

Banana Whoopie Pies with Peanut Butter Cream Filling
A Delta Whiskey recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart

2/3 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup sweet white sorghum flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour
1  1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 over-ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Cream Filling
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
Approximately 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a whisk for about 90 seconds.*

Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl.

Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium-high until pale, thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated.  Add half of the banana mixture, then half of the flour mixture, then repeat with remaining banana and flour.

Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough on the parchment lined sheets, spacing about an inch and half apart.  The spacing is actually important on these, they tend to spread and flatten while baking.

Bake for 12-14 minutes until a finger gently pressed in the center bounces back.  It has been my experience that gluten-free flours don’t tend to brown as well as all purpose flour.  Cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before sandwiching.

For the filling:
In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter and butter together until smooth.  Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar until blended and smooth, adding heavy cream by the teaspoon until the frosting is smooth.  Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large tip.

Once the cookies are cooled, pipe a good amount of the peanut butter frosting on the bottom of a cookie.  Starting in the center of the cookie, pipe the frosting in an outward circle, making sure to get the frosting to the edge of the cookie.  Sandwich another cookie bottom on top of the frosting.

*I’m neurotic about the flours being mixed properly.  The experts say to make sure they are blended really well, so I set the kitchen timer for 90 seconds and whisk, whisk, whisk.

Head over to Wives of Faith to read the entry to this recipe.

Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler A Delta Whiskey Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted 1/3 cup brown rice flour 1/3 cup tapioca flour (or tapioca starch) 1/3 cup sweet white sorghum flour 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of Salt 1 cup buttermilk 3 cups fresh blackberries (you can [...]]]>

Head over to Wives of Faith to read the entry to this recipe.

Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler
A Delta Whiskey Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour (or tapioca starch)
1/3 cup sweet white sorghum flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of Salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups fresh blackberries (you can use frozen too!)
1 cup sugar
1/4 c raw sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9″ by 13″ baking dish.

Rinse and pat dry the blackberries.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt.  You really want to always whisk the flours well, so I set the timer and whisk for about 90 seconds, probably overkill, but I’m a little neurotic.  Using a wooden or silicon spoon, mix in the 1 cup sugar, butter and buttermilk until combined.  Pour into buttered baking dish.

Spread the blackberries over the top, very gently pressing them into the batter.  If using, sprinkle with the sugar in the raw.  I used the raw sugar for texture only, wanting a slight candy-crunch with the cobbler.  Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, checking with a toothpick after 50 minutes.  In my (very limited) experience, gluten free foods don’t tend to “brown” as easily as the gluten-full foods we’re used to, so checking the done-ness with a toothpick is important.  The toothpick should come out clean.

Blackberries not in season where you are?  Peaches, blueberries, rhubarb, or plums would be a great substitute here.  You can always use flash frozen berries, those bags in the freezer section of the grocery are perfect just don’t defrost them.

Military families don’t really get to spend a ton of time with their families, but I must admit, we do it up right when we are together.  My brother flies in today to meet up with his wife (my beautiful sister-in-law) and nephew who have been here on vacation for a few weeks visiting all [...]]]>

Military families don’t really get to spend a ton of time with their families, but I must admit, we do it up right when we are together.  My brother flies in today to meet up with his wife (my beautiful sister-in-law) and nephew who have been here on vacation for a few weeks visiting all of the various family members.  

This past weekend my sissy-in-law, myself and my childhood best friend got together and we spent an entire day shopping and giggling.  It was food for the soul.  The moments I share with people from my past cannot be replaced.  I realized with a jolt how funny it is that all three of us are military wives.  That’s crazy!  We not only have the bond of time but also the military to hold us together like glue.  I’m so thankful for having such great friends that I can also consider family.

Knowing I would be spending the day in the city, we planned an easy dinner (read: The Husband grilled) and I made dessert before we left in the morning.  The whole thing took 20 minutes, start to dishes dried and put away.

I wanted a graham cracker crust, but unfortunately graham flour is on the no-no list so I improvised and swapped the graham for almond meal, making this a delicious gluten-free pie.

Blueberry Caramel Custard Pie
Original Recipe

Crust:
1 1/2 cups toasted whole almonds
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt

Caramel(ish) Custard:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 c cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla

Garnish:
1/2 c heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Process toasted almonds in a blender or food processor until it forms a small meal.  Mix the almond meal with the melted butter, 1/4 c brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Press into the bottom and up the sides of a pie plate.  Bake for 15 minutes, set aside.

In a medium sized, heavy saucepan, bring the cream and brown sugar to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.  In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, cornstarch and milk.  Once the cream mixture is hot, ladle a small amount (about 1/2 cup) into the bowl with the egg yolks and temper the eggs.  Add another 1/2 cup to the mixture, then pour the entire egg mixture back into the saucepan with the hot cream.  Whisk constantly until the cream mixture is thick.  Pour immediately into the pie crust, cover with plastic wrap, pushing down on the custard so the plastic wrap touches the custard.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours (go shopping!) until cool.

When ready to serve, mix the remaining heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla beans with an electric mixer or whisk until thick.  Top the pie with fresh blueberries and fresh whipped cream.

My heart races as I sit here in attendance at the monthly Kansas City CSA meeting, sweat forms on my brow and tears spring to my eyes.

New members are introduced.  I suddenly feel like I’m at an AA meeting, ‘Hi. My name is ___.  I was diagnosed ____.’

Announcements are made.  Hy-Vee is having a 15% off sale. Everything you [...]]]>

My heart races as I sit here in attendance at the monthly Kansas City CSA meeting, sweat forms on my brow and tears spring to my eyes.

New members are introduced.  I suddenly feel like I’m at an AA meeting, ‘Hi. My name is ___.  I was diagnosed ____.’

Announcements are made.  Hy-Vee is having a 15% off sale. Everything you can fit in the bag.  Thank God.  This whole diagnosis has already cost me a pretty penny… but there is no amount of money that can compare to the emotional toll this has taken.

There’s a guest promoting his product, the Bready, we listen and watch as this machine kneads and bakes.  We’re temporarily dismissed to sample new products and recipes.  A line forms in the back.  The Bready’s Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake is out of this world.

Another line.  Another table, this one filled with treats those of us in attendance have provided, some are supplied by companies wanting to get their product out there.  These foods are “safe.”  Crackers, casseroles, brownies, brownies, brownies, cookies, brownies, muffins.

The presentation begins.  This month’s topic is ‘Eating Out.’ We are given a packet of menus.  ”Please do not be afraid to go out… Live.  Have Fun.  Don’t fear.”  There are ways to get menus.  Technology is introduced.  I know this technology.  I never thought I’d have to.  My mind wanders to the day of my diagnosis.  The Husband bought me a new i-pod touch.  ‘I’m sorry you’re going through this, my love… but this diagnosis means healing in your body.’ I turned on my pod and saw the Is This Gluten Free app.  It’s irreplaceable.

Servers. We’re talking about servers now.  Of course, it’s impossible to train all of the servers in every restaurant  to know about gluten intolerance.  I think back to my first day of gluten-free.  My boss and I went to Chili’s for lunch.  I was already embarrassed about having to ask for a “special” menu.  I’m a below-the-radar kinda gal.  I don’t like being “special.”  I ordered a bun-free burger and a side-salad, no croutons.  The salad came, I dug in, took three bites and found something hard at the end of my fork… a crouton.  Crap.

Coupons.  Go to the websites.  Print coupons.  Coupons are gold for us.  A pizza at… oh, Spin Neapolitan Pizza is so good. Back on track. Right. Coupons. It was an additional $4 for a gluten-free crust at Spin, the flour.  Flours.  The flours are so expensive. The Husband and I spent an entire day outfitting the kitchen.  Stay on track.  Pay attention.  ADD is a by-product of Celiac.  Jeez.  Focus.

We’re talking now about the “new” world.  I seem to have received my diagnosis at the “right” time.  The world has changed. Many restaurants are offering gluten-free options.  The CSA Conference is in Kansas City this year.   Mom and I already have hotel reservations, I’ve requested a vacation day.

I look around at all of the people in attendance.  One of the new members appears to be my age.   She’s cute… short, curly hair.  She looks like someone I’d be friends with.  These people… they are alive.  They are healthy.  I will survive.

I am a celiac.

I’m beginning to realize just how tough it is for people with Celiac to survive in this country with all of the glutens hidden in items you’d never imagine.  Still on my campaign to make healthy, delicious food for my  mom, who is blessed to live gluten free, I’ve started to slowly adapt recipes to make [...]]]>

I’m beginning to realize just how tough it is for people with Celiac to survive in this country with all of the glutens hidden in items you’d never imagine.  Still on my campaign to make healthy, delicious food for my  mom, who is blessed to live gluten free, I’ve started to slowly adapt recipes to make them fit into a G-Free world.  

I had my doubts about this recipe.  Chinese?  For Celiac?  And it’s healthy? Rest assured, this dish is phenomenal. Even if you aren’t trying to live a G-Free lifestyle, this recipe will make your tummy happy.  The chicken is super crisp on the outside, then tender and moist on the inside.  The sauce is the perfect consistency of what you get in your favorite Chinese restaurant, sticky and sweet.  Give it a try.  If you aren’t doing the G-Free lifestyle, simply use plain old soy sauce in place of the G-Free soy sauce.

General Tso’s Chicken
Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 1/2 cup cooked hot rice (brown or white, whichever you prefer)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 lb snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise -or- 1 lb green beans
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 Tablespoon light-brown sugar
2 Tablespoon G-Free Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 large egg whites
Salt & Pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Cook rice according to package instructions.  I used white rice simply because of time constraints.

In a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth and cornstarch has dissolved.  Add snow peas (or green beans), garlic, ginger, sugar, G-Free soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of red-pepper flakes; toss to combine and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Add chicken, toss to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.  Lift half of the chicken from the egg white mixture (shaking off excess) and add to skillet.  Cook, turning occasionally, until golden (8-10 minutes).  Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, adding red pepper flakes.  Set aside, reserving skillet.

Add the snow pea or green bean mixture to the skillet.  Cover; cook until peas or beans are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.*  Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat.

Serve over hot rice.

I stayed pretty [...]]]>

In my eternal effort to take comfort food and make it figure friendly I rejoiced when I saw this recipe for Stroganoff Sauce that was filled with vegetables.  I know it’s not exactly tofu and bean sprouts healthy… but it’s pretty good in making a generally fatty dinner into something less guilty.

I stayed pretty true to the recipe only adding more vegetables and some white wine.  Kay says she serves this with chicken, beef, potatoes (just figured out what I’m using the leftovers for) but I paired it with a lean piece of steak and served it atop some mashed potatoes.

Steak Stroganoff was perfect for a blistery cold night like yesterday.  I think the weather has decided to be manic.  We go from tank tops on Saturday to winter coats and sleet on Sunday.  It’s April!  Bring on the spring!

Beef Stroganoff
Adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

3 T butter
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c white wine
3 T flour
3 t chili powder, divided
1/2 t paprika
Salt & Pepper
1 1/2 -2 c beef broth
2 lb steak (I used Ball Tip Sirloin)
2 T sour cream
Mashed Potatoes
Chopped parsley for garnish

In a small bowl, combine flour, 2 t chili powder and paprika.

Finely dice the bell peppers, onion and garlic into 1/4″ pieces.  In a medium sauce-pot, melt the three tablespoons butter over medium heat.

Once melted,  stir in peppers, onion and garlic.  Cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until tender but not browned.  Stir in white wine and cook until evaporated.

Stir in flour mixture and cook out for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Slowly add beef broth (start with a cup then add more as needed).  Season with salt and pepper, turn heat to low and simmer while you  prepare steaks.

Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with a touch of olive oil (about 1 T).  Thinly slice the steak into paper-thin pieces.  I’ve found the easiest way to do this is to throw the steak in the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden up.  Season the steak pieces with salt, pepper and chili powder.  Cook, stirring, the steak pieces over medium-high heat until caramelized (about 3 minutes).

Stir sour cream into the strangoff sauce and taste for seasoning.

Serve by creating a bed of mashed potatoes on a plate, top with steak and then sauce.  Garnish with chopped parsley.

This is the most amazing stroganoff I’ve ever had.