Gluten Free Mom

Tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful gluten free moms! 

I know who you are~

I see you in the isles of the grocery story pouring over the ingredient list on food labels.

I know how you felt when your child was sick and you could not figure out why and you felt like it was your fault.

I hear from you when it is late at night and you are searching the web for gluten free birthday cake recipes or suggestions for sack lunches. 

I sympathize with your agony over the initial struggle of "going gluten free." 

I feel your delight in finally having a healthy, thriving family.

I know you understand the simple pleasure of feeding your family a healthy meal. 

I am one of you, and I love you-all, so special blessings to you today!!

From one Gluten Free Mom to another, here is one of our favorite salads. 

It is simple and easily gluten free and takes about a minute to make. 

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

• 2 tablespoon good quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 - 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (we like Roma tomatoes)
• 1/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (mozzarella balls and disks work great as well)
• 6 to 8 large fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
• salt to taste

Layer the bottom of a plate or bowl with mozzarella cheese and add the tomatoes.

Top with basil leaves. 

Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add salt to taste.

**Since I am casein free, I make my own bowl without the cheese.  After you are finished, dip your gluten free bread into the leftover sauce for an extra special treat. 

My recipes are indexed on Gluten Free Mom.com.

Gluten Free Vegetarian Pasta Paella

So why is the Gluten Free Kid a Vegetarian?

Could you eat this??  Okay so maybe you could and hopefully you are laughing now, but this is the reason the Gluten Free Kid is a vegetarian.

Having grown up in the Midwest, I love the county fair.  The sounds of the rides mixed in with the whine of the animals, the smell of hot pavement, cotton candy and well, cow manure, brings back so many memories . . .

To pass these memories along to our kids, we visit the local county fair every fall.

Our excursion this past September including riding the Ferris Wheel, spending way too much money on games we could never win and then walking through the animal barns.

I have to exercise a lot of self-control during this part because I love animals.  If not for the time restraints of caring for another being (in addition to the wise advise of my husband), we would probably have a house full of every creature you can have as a pet.

We safely made it past the cute bunnies, the baby goats and we were doing great until we saw the sign, baby pigs for sale, $10 each. 

These were the most darling pigs I had ever seen - only about 10 pounds each, pink, relatively clean, they seemed to happily tolerate our cuddling and fondling. 

The Gluten Free Kid absolutely feel in love with the baby pigs.

Even Dad was starting to bend and talk about a place where we could put them . . .

Then came the very kind farmer who politely informed us that these pigs were not meant for pets - they were bread to be slaughtered and eaten.

And even though they were cute and cuddly today, in a matter of months they would weigh hundreds of pounds and would not be able to move without the assistance of forklift.  He assured us at this point both the pigs and us would be miserable.

So we left the swine barn, somewhat teary eyed. 

Thinking "distraction method", we entered the cow barn only to come to the reality that they too were all meant to be slaughtered, and then the chickens . . .  well you get the picture.

From that day, the Gluten Free Kid has been a vegetarian.  She decided that maybe she could not have a pig as a pet, but she was certainly not going to eat  one.

So here is her Favorite Vegetarian Pasta Paella

1 pound GF penne pasta

1 t ground turmeric

3 T olive oil

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 red onion, chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

1/4 pound snow peas (if you do not have snow peas on hand, frozen green beans work well)

1/2 cup pitted and sliced black olives

3 t GF flour (any blend will work)

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and add the GF pasta with the ground turmeric. Cook until tender.

Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic and onion until softened, about  3 minutes.

Add the red pepper and carrots and saute for 3 more minutes.

Stir in the snow peas, black olives and cooked pasta, and cook for 3 more minutes.

Sprinkle with the GF flour and stir until combined.  Cook for 1 minute, then gradually add a little less than 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. 

Cook until bubbling and thickened, another 2 - 3 minutes. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve while hot.

Adapted from Vegetarian Pasta Cookbook , by Sarah Maxwell.

Okay, here is one more cute animal photo:

All of my recipes are indexed on my website at Gluten Free Mom.com. 

 

Gluten Free Blueberry Bread

Blueberry Bread

We have a new favorite cookbook~Gluten Free Baking by Rebecca Reilly

Okay, I know you are going “not another gluten free cookbook.” 

I have tried a lot of gluten free cookbooks and this one takes the lead.  We have made numerous recipes in this cookbook and they are to die for!!  I mean really, really good.  Better than any other recipes I have tried up to this point.

The cookbook was recommended by the Gluten Free Girl at her baking class and is written by Rebecca Reilly.  Rebecca is a Cordon Bleu and Le Notre Patissier trained chef in addition to owning a Café, being an on-air chef for a Maine TV station, and numerous other degrees.  So she knows what she is talking about and she has applied this knowledge to the gluten free life style. 

Just to give you a sample, here is Rebecca's recipe for Blueberry Cake.

I made this for Easter brunch.  It was devoured. 

Rebecca calls this a Blueberry Cake, but I made it in a bread loaf pan because I wanted it to be more like a quick bread.  I like it better as bread than a cake.

Blueberry Bread

·         1 ¼ cups gluten free flour mix **I include Rebecca’s basic GF flour mix below and it is what we used. 

·         ½ cup almond flour

·         1 t GF baking powder

·         ½ t xanthan gum

·         1/8 t salt

·         ¾ stick unsalted butter (use Earth Balance for CF) softened

·         1 cup sugar (I use super fine baking sugar)

·         2 eggs, at room temperature

·         1 T grated lemon zest

·         ½ cup warm milk (use Almond Milk for CF)

·         1 ½ cup fresh blueberries

Lemon sauce (recipe below)

Lightly butter a bread loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Mix together the GF flour mix, almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.

Cream the butter until white.   Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. (yes- really for five minutes)

Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.

Add the lemon zest.

Add the dry ingredients in 2 parts, alternating with the milk.  Do not over mix.

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Let the mix rest on the counter for 30 minutes.  **The original recipe does not call for this, but it was a tip I learned from the Gluten Free Girl’s baking class.  As Shauna explained, gluten free flour needs to hang out together for a while before being popped into the oven.

Preheat the oven to 325 degress and bake for one hour.

Remove from the bread pan and pour the lemon sauce over it.

Lemon Sauce

1/3 cup sugar

3 T lemon juice

Bring to a boil in a nonaluminum pot.

Rebecca Reilly’s Basic Gluten Free Flour Mix

·         2 cups brown rice flour

·         2/3 cup potato starch

·         1/3 cup tapioca starch

Naturally Gluten Free Guacamole Dip

So how was Mexico, in a word fabulous!!

Life in Seattle gets hard this time of year (especially for a sun lover like myself) it seems like it has been cloudy since July.

Not only is moss covering most surfaces outside,  I was starting to feel like it was growing between my toes as well. 

The antidote - Baja California. 

Hot, sunny, hot, sunny, hot, sunny.

Our only agenda - apply sunscreen, lay by pool and read, cool off in the pool, eat lunch, re-apply sun screen, roll over, take a nap, have afternoon cocktails, go back to room and take another nap on the patio, get dressed, go to dinner, fall to sleep to the sounds of crashing waves, and start over again the next day.

Eating gluten free?? Easy - mind you, I did not eat any bread or pastries, but had eggs and potatoes for breakfast, usually a salad or a tostado for lunch, for dinner I had salmon twice, pork chops once and some kind of corn flour enchilada another time.  It was great! 

How did the kids survive at home?  Great - but I really, really missed them.  My husband and I were both surprised how much we missed them!

New discoveries?  Coconut milk ice cream and guacamole dip.

I never used to like guacamole dip - maybe it is because it is normally made with sour cream and I am allergic to dairy.  Our hotel made me some without sour cream and I could not get enough of it.  I ate it every day!! 

I made some the first day we returned home - okay, it did not taste as good as it did when I ate it pool side taking in the tropical breeze with every bite, but it was still pretty fabulous. 

Guacamole Dip

o    2 avocados, peeled

o    1/3 cup chopped onion

o    1/2 jalapeno chile pepper finely chopped

o    1 medium cut up tomato

o    1 T lime juice

o    1 1/4 t sugar

o    garlic salt to taste

o    1/4 cup sour cream is optional (we make it without and it taste just fine)

Put everything in a food processor and process on pulse until blended.   You can also just mix it with a large fork.  Serve with Tostitos. 

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www.glutenfreemom.com

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Risotto with Butternut Squash

If you are a gluten free cook then, like me, you most likely cook a lot (okay that may be an understatement).

To keep it interesting I , first of all, cook with the kids.  (Stressful at times yes, but they usually keep things hoping). 

The second way I keep things interesting is by trying something new every week. 

Sometimes it is as simple as a new salad dressing.  Other weeks it will be a whole different style of cooking, like Indian food.  Trying new things keeps me entertained in the kitchen and the family entertained around the dinner table. 

If you are on a gluten free diet and have not tried risotto, then make today the day. 

We never ate it before going gluten free, but after having it at Risotteria in NYC we knew we had to try it.

Risotto is a short –grain rice that is traditionally grown in Italy but is now also grown in California.  The most common (and usually most highly recommended) is Arborio.  The rice has a white center that remains firm when cooked and a starchy outer layer that absorbs liquid and creates the creamy risotto texture.

It has become a stable in our diet.

It is great as a side dish with marinated steak or salmon, but with a few added ingredients is filling enough to be a main meal when served with just a side salad. 

Yes, it involves a little stirring- so recruit some of the rest of the family to jump in and help.

(the sunglasses were to stop the onions from making her eyes tear)

Risotto with Butternut Squash

• 1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
• 2 T olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 6 cups GF chicken stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian)
• Large pinch of saffron threads (optional)
• 6 T butter (or Earth balance for CF)
• 2 ounces diced pancetta (omit for vegetarian)
• ½ cup minced shallots (2 large)
• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (omit for CF)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds and cut into ¾ inch cubes.  Toss the squash with olive oil, 1 t salt and ½ t pepper and roast on a rimmed baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees.  Stir halfway through the cooking time. The squash should be very tender. 

Warm the chicken stock in a medium sauce pan on low heat.   If you are using saffron, add it to the stock while it warms.

Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the pancetta and shallots on medium heat for 10 minutes.**

Add the rice and stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes.

Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.

Add ½ cup of chicken stock to the rice and 1 t salt and ½ t pepper.

Stir and simmer until the stock is absorbed. 

Continue to add the chicken stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring every few minutes.  When the stock is just about evaporated, add more.

Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente.  Start checking it after 20 minutes but it usually takes around 30 minutes total.

Remove from heat and add the roasted squash cubes and the Parmesan cheese.*** 

**Omit the pancetta for a vegetarian dish.  You may also substitute bacon.

***Omit Parmesan cheese for casein free.

To make basic risotto, follow the recipe above and leave out the pancetta and squash. 

Once you get the basic risotto down, you will find it is very versatile.  You can add grated lemon zest and lemon juice right at the very end, or some toasted almonds or pine nuts.  Your only limits will be your imagination.

All my recipes are indexed at Gluten Free Mom.com.

Garden Soup (adaptable for Casein Free)

I had a perfect moment yesterday afternoon.

The glorious sun came shining down on us and it was a beautiful day - it may rain here a lot, but when the sun shines it is the clearest most beautiful light.

So the kids and I spent late afternoon in the backyard on the tree swing.

Then we came in so I could make dinner.

I was spinning a salad looking out my kitchen window -

The Gluten Free Kid was in her room (which unfortunately for her is over the kitchen) and I could hear her playing the song from the end of Juno (you know the duet on the front steps) on her guitar,

I could still see my middle daughter dashing around the back yard plucking the blooms off the crocuses that have started to bloom,

And my very active five year old boy was actually being quiet in his room (yes, I knew it was too quiet and that he had to be doing something terribly destructive to be this quiet, but oh the quiet was so nice ),

At that moment, I looked up and the sun dipped behind  the tops of the mountains and

it was a perfect moment.

This put me in the mood for a soup that was warm (because it is still chilly here) but gives a taste of the soon to come summer vegetable crops. 5 medium zucchini

Garden Soup

• 5 medium zucchini
• 3 large carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 cups GF chicken stock (Pacific Natural Foods is GF)
• 8 ounces package GF cream cheese (see below for casein free)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cut unpeeled zucchini in 1 inch slices and peeled carrots into 1/2 inch slices.  Combine with onion and chicken stock in a large heavy pot.

Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender crisp – about 7 minutes

Add half the vegetable mixture and half the cream cheese to a food processor (or as much as it will hold) and blend until smooth.  Place the pureed mixture in a bowl.  Continue until all of the soup and cheese is blended.

Be careful, the hot soup will put off steam in the food processor.

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Great served hot or cold.

**For casein free you can use Tofuitti Better than Cream Cheese.  Please click here to double check the ingredients and determine for yourself whether you think this product is safe enough for the gluten free diet.    As an alternative, you can also use ¾ cup of coconut milk. 

This recipe was adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Simple Classic, which is sold by the Junior League of Seattle.

Serve with Caesar salad and ’Cause You’re Special Hearty Biscuits.

All of my recipes are indexed at Gluten Free Mom.com

Gluten Free Birthday Cake or At least Frosting

A Slice of Time

The Gluten Free Kid celebrated her 12^th birthday on Friday.

Sometimes we live day to day without stopping long enough to look around. I looked at my daughter on the morning of her birthday and was almost surprised by how grown up she’d become. 

tall, long brown hair, the heart necklace we bought in New York, her pink Abercrombie sweatshirt, striped toe socks and Ugg Slippers (yes, she wears Ugg slippers to school.  Obviously, this is one part of dress that they overlooked in the school uniform policy).

How can my first child be twelve years old (old enough that we don’t even have digital photos of when she was a baby)?

How can I be old enough to have a twelve year old?

To celebrate her most special Leap Year birthday, The Gluten Free Kid wanted to go snowboarding (something you don’t really have to twist our arms to do).   So we packed up The Beast and headed up to our favorite mountain.

That night after Gluten and Casein Free Cake and a dance party in the RV (the neighboring RV’s must of thought us crazy) we watched videos of the Gluten Free Kid’s first days of life.

On my goodness, how I wanted to reach back in time and kiss that little babies head,

feel her snuggle on my shoulder and

rub her peach fuzz head against my check.

Oh so precious~ I wish I would of appreciated those moments more.

As the day ended and we tucked the kids into bed, I realized another Slice in Time had passed.

Another memory created.

Another home video made to be watched in the years to come and remember when . . .

I am happy I stopped today to actually look at my daughter and appreciate the moment.  To implant a memory in my head of her special smell, the feel of her skin, her funny personality and determinedness, the way she loves her daddy . . .

Because in another twelve years I will look back and long for that twelve year old moment.

So now to what you are waiting for, a great recipe for a Gluten Free Casein Free Birthday Cake.

Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have one. 

I have made many gluten free cakes, and even though my family loved this one, I have to admit it was not my favorite, so it is just not good enough to post here.

I tried a recipe from scratch and in all honestly, I have much better luck with cake mixes.

So as not to leave you hanging, her are our favorite cake mixes-none of them will disappoint!

Dowd and Rogers Cake Mixes – we have tried them all and love them all. 

123 Gluten Free Yummy Yellow Cake Mix

‘Cause you’re Special Cake Mixes

Now, the frosting that was another story.

It was the best Gluten Free Casein Free Chocolate Frosting we have ever made.  And it is so easy-

• 2 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate (I used Nonuttin Chocolate Chunks)
• 1 T butter (or Earth Balance for CF)
• 1/3 cup milk (or Almond Milk for CF)
• 1 t vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Mix together the chocolate, butter and milk and melt in the microwave on 50% stopping to stir every 30 seconds.  It will not take long to melt.

Add the vanilla and then beat in the sugar one cup at a time until the frosting is the desired spreading consistency.

If you are following along with this blog, no I have not given up on the Red Velvet Cake because There is Always a Way!!

Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

Sorry I have not posted a recipe in a long time.  I have several to share, but traveling last week and catching up this week  . . .

As the Week End Chef pointed out, I had not been to the grocery store in two weeks!!  (Of course, he went twice for fresh fruit and veggies but I have literally been on vacation)

After a few brief days of sunshine (at least our version of sunshine which is different from the rest of the US – with the sun so low on the horizon this time of year, those accustomed to Midwest sun might think this merely a haze), it is back to the rain this morning.

It has been a really long gray winter.  We knew it was bad, but when we were flying to New York and popped up through the cloud layer that covers Seattle like a down comforter this time of year, both my daughter and I had to squint. 

The sun was so bright!!

As if someone had turned the lights up several notches. 

(It is my theory that the reason Seattleites exercise and drink so much coffee is to keep them stimulated during these gray months).

While spring will hopefully come someday soon, we are still eating what is generally considered gray haze comfort food.

There is nothing like homemade macaroni and cheese.  This is my Mom’s recipe (thanks Mom).

Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese

·         2 cups GF macaroni (elbow works best)

·         3 T butter

·         2 T GF flour

·         ½ t salt

·         Dash of pepper

·         2 cups milk

·         ¼ cup finely chopped onion (optional)

·         8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cubed (makes 2 cups cubed)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 1 ½ quart casserole.

Cook GF macaroni in salted water according to package directions.

In a saucepan, melt 3 T butter.  On medium heat, blend in 2 T GF flour, salt and pepper.

Stirring constantly, slowly add 2 cups milk (I have noticed that GF flour seems to blend better at a higher temperature, so I add the flour and milk at a temperature that is a little higher than I’d use for traditional wheat flour).

Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.

Add the onions (optional) and cubed cheddar cheese.  Stir until melted.

Mix with the cooked macaroni and turn into the casserole dish. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes (my family likes it extra crunchy).

Serve with Beeler’s ham and Caesar salad.

Okay, obviously not casein free.  The Gluten Free Goddess has a Cheesy Uncheese recipe that I have yet to try. 

All of my recipes are indexed at GlutenFreeMom.com.

Worlds Greatest Gluten Free (easily made Casein Free) Sugar Cookies

People who really and truly love each other are the happiest people in the world~Mother Teresa

I really, really truly loved my Grandma~

She was a farmer’s wife from the Midwest~

She taught me how to make pretty things and how to file my nails~

She made an abandoned chicken coup into a playhouse for me~

She had a huge strawberry garden~

I can still taste the last meal she ever cooked for me.  .  . especially the homemade cherry pie.

If I had a photo of her I would post it, but she died before I had my first digital camera.

One of my greatest memories was sitting up on her kitchen counter and making her World Famous Sugar Cookies.

When I went away to college, she would make these cookies for me, individually wrap them in saran wrap, put them in a shoebox and mail them to me at college.

I sent the same care package to my Grandpa after my Grandma died.

So when I had my own kids, one of the most special recipes for me to pass down was my Grandma’s World Famous Sugar Cookies. 

The fact that I believed I would no longer be able to make these with my daughter when we first started figuring out this celiac thing was one of my greatest disappointments.

I remember the last time I made them pre-diagnosis~the tears literally feel into the cookie dough (like a scene out of Like Water for Chocolate) as I prayed that somehow my tears mixed with the cookie dough would heal my daughter’s tummy.

It did not work and it was almost two years before I actually tried making them gluten free (as well as casein free for me). 

And they were fabulous!!  Really, really wonderful!! Almost better than before –it was as if my Grandma had prepared for me a recipe she knew I would need someday.

These are the cookies I make when my daughter comes home from school crying because she missed out on the treats at the surprise party.

And, of course, what other cookies would we make on Valentine’s Day.

These are sweet, soft, delicate cookies~ just like my Grandma was.

Worlds Greatest Gluten Free (easily made Casein Free) Sugar Cookies

·         1 cup butter at room temperature (Earth Balance for CF) ***the butter really needs to be at room temperature.  If it is too melted, your cookies will turn out flat.

·         1 ½ cup sugar (I use fine baking sugar but I am sure regular would work )

·         2 eggs

·         1 t GF baking soda in 1 T milk (Almond Milk for CF)

·         1 t lemon juice

·         1 t vanilla

·         1 t salt

·         3 cups GF flour (we use Our GF Favorite Flour Mix)

·         ¾ t xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir together the GF baking soda and milk and set aside.

Cream the butter.   Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, baking soda mixture, lemon juice and vanilla, and beat well.

Combine the salt, GF flour and xanthan gum.  Add to the creamed mixture and mix until just together.

Drop in walnut (you can tell this is an old recipe) shaped balls on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Spray the bottom of a glass with Crisco (or dampen with water) and dip the bottom on the glass in sugar.  Then press the balls into a disk shape (not too flat).

Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes. 

Top with Powdered Sugar Frosting.

Make these for someone you truly, truly love!!  The reward will be better than anything you could buy.

As always, double check all ingredients and all of my recipes are indexed at Gluten Free Mom.com.

Cinnamon Sauteed Bananas with Ice Cream

We happily tackle some tasty and time consuming gluten free treats, but it is great when you can find a dessert that is quick, easy, tasty and naturally gluten free. 

I served this to a crowd of kids last Friday and they all loved it~

Cinnamon Sauteed Bananas with Ice Cream

• 4 large bananas just firmly ripe
• 2 T sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 3 T salted butter

Peel the bananas, cut crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick.

Toss in a bowl with the sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice.

Add the butter to a 10 inch fry pan set over moderately high heat.

When the butter bubbles, add the banana mixture.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes - I found it easier to turn them over with a spatula.  The bananas should hold their shape and be slightly caramelized.

Serve as it or better yet, over Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream or Purely Decedent dairy free vanilla dessert.

As always, double check all ingredients and all of my recipes are indexed at Gluten Free Mom.com.