Gluten Free Mom

Naturally Gluten Free Flour less Brownies and a Visit to Whole Foods in Redmond

These are surprisingly good and naturally gluten free (because they are flour less) brownies.  The secret is NOT to reveal the main ingredient, black beans, until after everyone loves them.

I picked up this recipe on a recent visit to Whole Foods in Redmond.  I was honestly really disappointed in the gluten free selection when this Whole Foods first opened. They just did not have much to offer. 

But have you visited lately? 

They have turned the entire front corner of the store into what is like a mini-gluten free mart.  They have put some series effort into offering a great variety of gluten free products such as Pamela's, Namaste, Arrowhead Mills, Glutino . . ..  They are also carrying several kinds of gluten free beer including Red Bridge, New Grist and Bard's.  If you are in the neighborhood, it is definitely worth a visit.

Now to the brownies - I was pretty skeptical about these.  Come on, brownies made with beans?  But it was pouring down rain yesterday and the kids and I were searching for comfort food, so I whipped these up.  They get two thumbs up for being super easy to make with ingredients you most likely have on hand, and two thumbs up for being surprisingly tasty.

I am not a deceptive person, but I knew if the kids were aware of the main ingredient they would be reluctant to try these.  Thankfully they did not notice me pouring the beans into the food processor and they actually liked these brownies.  The gluten free teen said she liked them better than other brownies we have made.  They make a thin bite-sized brownie that is super moist and not over the top rich. I have cooked with garbanzo bean flour and the kids picked up on the taste immediately. Upon sampling these no one even mentioned a bean-like flavor.  The Weekend Chef is reluctant about them, but then again he knows they contain beans. All I can say is try them, you may be surprised too.

Flour less Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed (we used Eden's Organic Black Beans that I rinsed really well)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup melted butter, more for the baking dish (we used Earth Balance to make them Casein Free)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder (this is the only ingredient we added - to give them a little more rise)

1/2 cup gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (we used Sunspire chips which are also Casein Free)
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional - we did not use these)

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter an 8-inch baking pan.

Place the drained and rinsed black beans, eggs, melted butter, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract,sugar and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.

Gently stir in the chocolate chips and optional walnuts. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until just set in the center. Cool before cutting into squares.

Just for fun, here are the nutrition facts for a leading gluten free brownie mix versus the flour less brownie.  I am in no way saying that the flour less brownies are comparable in taste and texture to the cake-like GF brownies.  I am merely providing the following for you to make your own comparisons:

Nutrition Label from Leading GF Brownie Mix:

As compared to the flour less brownie:

Per serving (1 brownie/about 2oz/60g-wt.): 160 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 50mg cholesterol, 35mg sodium, 17g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 12g sugar), 4g protein.

The Gluten Free Best of 2009

What a decade this has been.  As the decade dubiously called the Decade with No Name draws to an end, an editorial  in the Seattle Times noted that the American Public has rated it as the worst decade in 50 years. 

We all remember the downs, so there is no need to recite them here.  In addition to those, we have had our fair share of personal hard times starting with a heart-wrenching adoption process, then the ever sickening health of our now gluten free teen. 

While challenging, the decade has actually ended on a high note for us.  The boy from Guatemala who we feared would spend his young life as a homeless child is now sitting next to me playing Lego Star Wars on his DS.  My once emaciated daughter who vomited so violently that she could actually throw it across the room, is now, well almost as tall as Mom, extremely healthy, bright and even adept at testing the boundaries (she convinced the Head of her very conservative private school to allow her to die a strip of her hair pink - minor to some, but definitely a statement in our world).

And if this decade has brought you into the gluten free life, then you are ending it on a good note as well. It is now easier than ever to live gluten free.  So many of the myths about such everyday ingredients as vinegar and blue cheese have been revealed to be just that, myths!  Both are safe for those on a gluten free diet. Yes, the diet is still challenging but there are so many actually good gluten free products on the market that one can scarcely feel deprived. 

The following is a list of some of our best moments of 2009 - hardly extensive or all inclusive but let's focus on the positives for a while as we shepard in a new decade.

Favorite New Recipe of 2009

We have tried so many recipes, but our favorite has to be the crepes.  They are so easy to make with a variety of fillings that they have been a twice a month staple for us.

Best New Gluten Free Foods

Bring on the Udi's!!  Udi's White Sandwich and Whole Grain Bread

Upon tasting this bread you will not be able to tell that it is gluten free. Few gluten free products have excited us as much as Udi's bread. The first gluten free bread that you can leave on the counter top and eat without toasting. Looks, smells and has the texture of traditional wheat bread. Really it is that good. Just as satisfying are the Udi muffins and we hear they are making hot dog and hamburger buns which we are excited to try.  There is sure to be more good products coming out of this company in the future.

Honorable Mentions to the following companies for bringing us some great gluten free products:　

Lucy Sugar, Cinnamon Thin, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Cookies I have yet to find someone who has not loved these cookies! They are crisp and crunchy with great flavor and oh so sweet. We love them all but the Cinnamon Thin are my favorite. You can buy these with confidence that you will love them.

Zero Grano Straight from Italy these are saltine-like crackers but actually much better! Light and crunchy with a hint of rosemary. Great with soup.

Zazzeri Pienza Gluten Free Pasta from Italy imported by PrimeSources International Another wonderful gluten free pasta from Italy. The shape and flavor is very satisfying. Not as hardy as Bi-Aglut but not starchy like some other pastas. I particularly like the different shapes. How fun to serve the family Chicken Noodle Soup with star shaped gluten free pasta noodles.

Food Should Taste Good chips are certified Gluten Free and processed on equipment that does not process any gluten ingredients, and they taste wonderful. Really a cross between a cracker and a chip. We love the the Sweet Potato chip dipped in hummus.

Zing Bar Surprisingly tasty gluten and soy free bars. I really like the chocolate and peanut butter flavored bar.

General Mills Honey Nut Chex General Mills now makes six gluten free cereals that you cannot beat if you are looking for mainstream everyday cereal.

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownies, and Yellow and Devil's Food Cake Mix One of the latest mainstream food manufacturers to enter the world of gluten free living. These are reliable, readily available and easy to make gluten free mixes. Try Streusel Cake with the Betty Crocker Yellow Cake mix.

Favorite New Appliance

Last year I really wanted a pizza oven - I was really craving that crispy crust and burned-just-right-cheese on top that you get from a pizza oven.  Not really having the funds or the space for such, I was resigned to live without until Jules Shepard introduced me to Presto 03430 Pizzazz Pizza Oven

We not only cook homemade pizza with it, but also focaccia bread and cheesy bread sticks.  Okay, maybe not as good as a real pizza oven baked pizza but it produces a nice crunchy crust on the bottom and perfectly melted cheese on top.  Moreover, it makes the chore of cooking dinner a lot more fun!!

Favorite Place to Eat Gluten Free

  Hands down our favorite family dining place in Seattle is Romios Pizza and Pasta in the Greenwood neighborhood - whenever we walk in the door the theme song from Cheers replays in my head -

"Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name. "

 That's the kind of neighborhood restaurant Romio's is.   And it is true, it can be three months between visits and Don the waiter always greets us with a very warm welcome.

Of course, the gluten free food is great as well.  This is a restaurant that actually works hard to make it's gluten free customers happy.  At Romios you can enjoy the simple pleasure of eating a GF pizza while drinking a cold GF beer.   They also serve GF grinders, subs and  pannini.   Recent additions include lasagna and ravioli. 

Our absolute favorite is the GF pita bread with hummus.  That with a bowl of artichoke soup is the perfect meal for mel.  The gluten free teen loves the ravioli.  They also have Lemon Pie for dessert, but we have always been so full by the end of the meal that we cannot eat dessert.

Favorite New Gluten Free Publication

With so many new people starting the gluten free diet, it is really great that Jules Dowler Shepard published a new book entitled The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten-Free: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed.  If you are new to the diet or know someone who is, this book is a great step by step guide that will get you started down the road to great health. 

 What are your favorites?  Just for fun, I created a survey to collect some of your favorites.  Results will be added to comments section:

Click here to take survey

Our Favorite Gluten Free Christmas Treats and a New Recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies and Almond Roca Toffee

Ti's the season to party around our house - we have gone to and had more Christmas parties this year than in the year's past.  Thanks to some thoughtful friends and  great caterers, I have dined like a queen this year (okay maybe that was pushing it a little, but I have been treated to some great gluten free food). 

In previous years I have honestly made it through most Christmas parties by eating before I go and sipping wine all night. 

This year I have really been treated to some delightful and thoughtful gluten free treats.  For one party, the hostess stopped by Savory Moments in Redmond and treated me to a wonderful meal of steak, rice and a fabulous chocolate gluten free cake!!  Can I tell you how nice it was to participate in the meal with the other guests?   I was so stuffed - with the food and warm thoughts of appreciation.

At a party for our school, the entire catered meal was gluten free,

 and it was fabulous,

 and everyone loved it. 

There was  gluten free pasta, steak on this wonderful gluten free breaded tart, salmon, chicken skewers and more.  They even had a delicious gluten free dessert.  The caterer was Upper Crust and they did a wonderful job.  I was honestly overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness.

So while I have absolutely nothing to complain about this season, there is one remaining party to negotiate. 

 A party whose theme is flour and butter. 

I can already smell the fresh baked cookies.

You guessed it, a cookie exchange. 

I have politely not gone for the past several years.  Probably being a little over dramatic, but it was the one party I just could not convince myself to go to.

But this year I am going to the party -

first of all, I am so full that it will actually be okay to not be able to eat the cookies. 

Plus I love my friends and do not want to miss out on this tradition. 

And, while I may not be able to sample their treats, I am bringing some of my own to share.

But what to bring?

If you find yourself in similar circumstances this year, I do have a few recipes to share.  I think most importantly, you should take treats to share that are naturally gluten free.  You do not want to waste your expensive gluten free flour on cookies for people who just don't need to eat gluten free. 

Plus there are tons of treats that are naturally gluten free.  Some of our favorites include fudge which we even make it casein free.  It is not Christmas without fudge at our house.

Cashew brittle is also a great hit during the holidays.  Our Chocolate Decadence Cookies are my all time favorite and they only use 1/2 cup gluten free flour. 

I have settled on Peanut Butter and Chocolate cookies.  They are naturally gluten free, taste an awful like a Reese's Peanut Butter cup, very easy to make and melt in your mouth.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup smooth peanut butter (the healthy, natural type of peanut butter will leave you with crumbly cookies. For this recipe, go with your mainstream peanut butter like Jiff. It has more oil and holds the cookie together better.)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons finely chopped peanuts (optional)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (we used casein free chocolate chips)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter with the sugar, baking soda and egg.

Stir in the peanuts and chocolate chips. These are optional ingredients. We did not use the peanuts but the chocolate chips are mandatory for us.

Roll tablespoons of the dough into balls.

Set the balls on 2 baking sheets, and using a fork, lightly make a crosshatch pattern on each cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned and set.

Let cool on a wire rack.

We double the recipe - one batch is not nearly enough!

Thanks to Jennifer who is an ex-pat living in Holland for this recipe. Jennifer has a 9 year old daughter who was diagnosed with Celiac disease 3 months before they moved to Holland from the US.

Christmas Blessing going your way Jennifer!!

Almond Roca Toffee

This recipe is tasty and pretty easy to make.  Just keep the kids away from the stove for this one as it gets incredibly hot and is, therefore, too dangerous for the younger crowd.  It is pretty messy to eat as well, but worth the finger-licking. 

 

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup whole almonds

1 cup butter (we used Earth Balance for casein free)

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (we used Sunspire for casein free)

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray well with non-stick cooking spray.

Place all of the almonds in a single layer on cookie sheet. You are going to be pouring the toffee and chocolate chips over the almonds, so space them out so you have a few bites of almond in each mouthful. They will not cover the entire cookie sheet.

Heat butter, sugar, water, vanilla and salt in a heavy saucepan over high heat, stirring constantly until a candy thermometer registers 310°F. (approximately 15 minutes) The mixture is extremely hot so exercise great care.

Remove from heat and immediately pour over almonds, evenly covering the almonds.

Immediately sprinkle with chocolate morsels and spread evenly stopping 1/2 inch from the sides. The heat of the toffee will melt the chocolate chips into a smooth top.

Let cool until firm. We put ours outside on the deck to quicken the cooling process.

Come on, don't be shy - how have you negotiated this holiday season??

Gluten Free Halloween Cupcakes and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

It is going to be a very mellow Halloween at our house this year as "the flu" has ravaged my family over the past three weeks - the Middle Child and I had it first (along with about half of her school), no sooner had she returned to school then it hit The Six Year Old and then, amazingly the man who never gets sick, The Weekend Chef (although he is slowly losing that title). The worst part of the flu is the coughing.  I took the Six Year Old to the doctor convinced he had come down with pneumonia. Thankfully his lungs are clear and the doctor suggested a spoonful of Honey to soothe his cough. 

I have been making a lot of Chicken Noodle Soup and trying to keep the Gluten Free Teen healthy - she is the only family member to have escaped its' path at this point.  Now that we are passing three weeks of someone ill, I am praying she remains healthy.

To spread a little cheer while the men of the house were down and out, the Girls in the family came up with these Halloween cupcakes.  A little messy but fun.

We went the easy route and used Pamela's Products Luscious Chocolate Cake Mix, for the cupcakes which were amazingly tasty.  While they were cooling we made the spiders:

Chocolate Spiders

2 cups gluten free chocolate chips (we used Sunspire Tropical Source chocolate chips for casein free as well)

3 T milk (or almond milk for casein free)

1/2 cup crispy cereal or peanuts (we used some Enviro Kids Leapin Lemurs cereal)

1/2 cup gluten free pretzels (we used Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Twists, )

Make the spiders by combining the chocolate chips and milk in a glass bowl. Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth.  

Reserve about one-third of the chocolate mixture for the spider legs. Stir the peanuts or cereal into the remaining chocolate.

Form the spiders by dropping teaspoons of the chocolate with the cereal or nuts mixed into it onto waxed paper.  Let cool.

While the spiders are cooling, frost the cupcakes with white frosting:

White Frosting

1/2 cup shortening (we used Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening)
1/2 cup margarine (we used Earth Balance for casein free)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk or less

Cream together first four ingredients. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Gradually whip in milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat until fluffy.

Once the cupcakes are frosted, placed a spider body from the wax paper on top of each cup cake.  Warm up the remaining chocolate mixture in the microwave.  Break the pretzel sticks to form curved legs and stir in the chocolate to coat.  Attach the pretzels as legs.  (the kids did this part - it was very messy and involved lots of licking!)

Not feeling up for the challenge, here is an easier Halloween Recipe that is a family tradition at our house.  Every year while we are carving our pumpkins, I roast some pumpkin seeds.  It is amazingly easy and a fun crunchy, naturally gluten free snack:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Snack:

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons melted butter or olive oil

salt to taste

Optional additional seasonings: garlic salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder

Preheat oven to 300º F.

Rinse the seeds - it is O.K. to leave some strings and pulp on your seeds but clean off any major chunks.

Toss the pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the melted butter or olive oil, add seasonings and spread in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown - about 30 minutes.

　

Crunchy Brown Rice Chicken Pot Pie and the Whole Foods Recipe Library

Wow what a difference a week makes.  Last weekend was a spectacular fall day - sunshine with the cool crispness that tells the birds to fly south, the trees to drop their leaves and the Moms to get ready for flu season (more on this last one in a bit).   Also known to some around my house as football weather.

We took advantage of our Indian summer's final furry and went for a boat ride from downtown Seattle to Blake Island.  Really, it was so beautiful at Elliott Bay that we could of just sat there on the boat and been totally contented. 

But we needed to get the boat out to top off the gas tanks for the winter, so we made the short trip over to Blake Island.  Blake Island is a beautiful state park that offers views, sometimes only seen on TV, back towards Seattle. 

The kids immediately scattered to search for sea glass and build drift wood forts  . . . an already perfect afternoon, when we saw it. 

That first splash and the huge fins of the unmistakable orca whale.  Then another commotion in the water a little further out as God treated us to a spectacular demonstration of his creations.  Having spent as much time as possible boating in the San Juans, we have seen enough whales that at times my kids won't even look up from their books (sad I know).  But never have we seen so many and in such playful spirits.  They were breaching and blowing, arching high in the air.  They seemed to be enjoying their last day of summer as much as we were.  I know this is "gluten free" blog, but I have to share this photo:

 

 
Earlier I said "what a difference a week makes" because no sooner had we reached our driveway after a day on the beach, when my Middle Child said she did not feel good.  By bedtime her temperature had reached 101 degrees and what followed was a long week in bed, with "the flu."  It hit our school so hard that at one point our small elementary school had 50 students out.  Far be it from me to let a germ pass through my house without first testing my immune system ( in other words I have been down and out as well).  And the Indian Summer replaced with "did I hear thunder today" and, of course, rain. Our summer was so beautiful that I had almost forgotten that I lived in Seattle.

What does all of this have to do with Crunchy Chicken Pot Pie - two words, comfort food. 

When fall finally let it be known that it had arrived in combination with us being down and out with the flu, I was craving something comforting.  And I was tired of everything we always make. 

I was sitting in the carpool line at school to pick up the Six Year Old boy (who has an immune system coated with iron - he rarely gets sick) and I downloaded the Whole Foods Recipe Application for my iphone.  It is a really cool app that lets you search by course, such as main dishes, salads etc. and by category such as quick and easy, family friendly.  Even more impressive, it also lets you search by "Special Diets"  which includes gluten free.  With a few touches of the screen, I had a new recipe for dinner.  You can search through what appears to be the same recipe library on the Whole Foods website. 

Even better yet, it was tasty and satisfying.  We all loved it.  Next time I will definitely double the recipe and stick one in the freezer.

From the Whole Foods Recipe library here is:

Crunchy Brown Rice Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Serves 6

This is a delicious gluten-free and healthy alternative to traditional chicken pot pie. The Parmesan melts into the rice to create a tasty crust, but omit the cheese, if you like.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon butter (we used Earth Balance for Casein Free)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound sliced button mushrooms (we left out the mushrooms)
2 teaspoons chopped thyme, divided
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth
1 cup whole milk (we used Almond Milk for Casein Free)
1 cup cooked brown rice or brown and wild rice blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (we left this off the casein free one)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 cup frozen peas

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with oil; set aside. ***Since half of use are casein intolerant as well, I made one with the Parmesan Cheese and one without. 

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, carrots, celery, onions, salt and pepper and cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add broth and milk, stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine rice, cheese, paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Stir peas into chicken mixture then season with salt and pepper and transfer to prepared dish. Scatter rice mixture evenly over the top then arrange dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until bubbly and crust is crisp, about 30 minutes.

Has anyone else tried any of the other Whole Foods Recipes?  What did you think?