Hold The Gluten

It has been four long and torturous years since I have eaten mozzarella sticks. 1,460 days without deep fried deliciousness.

During a recent (rare) dinner out, I watched my husband happily devour a basket of mozzarella sticks while I ate a (ho hum boring) salad. Enough was enough! I needed fried cheese and I needed it NOW!  But what’s a gluten intolerant girl to do?  Many GF folks have attempted mozzarella sticks with sad results.  I’d heard horror stories of exploding and/or oozing cheese.  Not too appetizing…

Determined to satisfy my craving, I dusted off my Presto Cool Daddy Deep Fryer.  Armed with a package of mozzarella cheese sticks, Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose GF Baking Flour, and Aleia’s Parmesan Bread Crumbs, I went to work.  There are three secrets I’ll let you in on:  (1) Cut each mozzarella cheese stick in half.  I did deep fry a few full size sticks and they didn’t fry well.  (2) Roll the cheese in the egg and breadcrumbs twice.  (3) After you have “floured, egged, crumbed, egged, crumbed” all of your cheese, place them in the freezer for one hour.  This trick ensures the cheese will stay contained.

These mozzarella sticks were absolutely wondrous! The Hoover Vacuum Company would have been proud of my scarfing abilities! One word of caution, try to restrain yourself from eating 24 mozzarella sticks all in one sitting.   I speak from experience as there is only so much relief Pepcid can offer in this situation!

Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks

2/3 cup GF flour mix
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 package (16 ounce) mozzarella cheese sticks
1 quart of canola oil

In a shallow dish, combine the gluten free flour mix and cornstarch thoroughly. In a second shallow dish, beat eggs and water until combined. In third shallow dish, combine the gluten free breadcrumbs and garlic powder. Cut each of the mozzarella sticks in half (the smaller size allows for more even frying). Coat each mozzarella stick thoroughly in the flour mixture, egg mixture, and then in the breadcrumbs. Continue these three steps until all mozzarella sticks have been covered in the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs (you will have 24 “mini” mozzarella sticks). Now begin the “double dipping process”. Re-dip all mozzarella sticks in the egg and breadcrumbs. Place on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and freeze for one hour.  After freezing is completed, fill your deep fryer (or large pan) with canola oil. The oil temperature should be 365 degrees. Deep fry the mozzarella sticks for approximately 25 to 30 seconds (or until golden brown). Using a frying skimmer, carefully remove mozzarella sticks from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with warm marinara sauce and enjoy!

For Immediate Release:

UNO CHICAGO GRILL® NOW OFFERS GLUTEN-FREE VEGGIE PIZZA
Extends Popular Line of Pizzas in Time for Celiac Awareness Month!

Boston, MA, May 11, 2009 – Following up on the success of its gluten-free cheese and pepperoni pizzas, launched in January, Uno Chicago Grill® is announcing the launch of its first gluten-free veggie pizza in time for Allergy and Celiac Disease Awareness Months (May).

Featuring peppers, onions and mushrooms as toppings, the new gluten-free veggie pizza will give those suffering from celiac disease or wheat intolerance or allergy yet another option to enjoy pizza at Uno®.  Frank W. Guidara, CEO of Uno Chicago Grill, said the company was encouraged to proceed with the launch after the gluten-free community responded so passionately to Uno’s introduction of its cheese and pepperoni gluten-free pizzas earlier this year.

“The best thing about the launch of our gluten-free pizzas was that the celiac community responded so positively and helped spread the word,” Guidara said.  ”Local support groups, online communities and individuals were excited about this product and embraced it far beyond our most optimistic hopes. In truth, we’ve been overwhelmed by the reception, so we are delighted to offer yet another option to this under-served audience.”

Uno’s gluten-free pizza crust is prepared in a dedicated gluten-free facility, whose products are certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (www.gfco.org), and is delivered to restaurants frozen in a sealed case, for immediate placement into freezers.  Uno’s gluten-free pizzas are thin crust and round, making the difference in shape from their oval flatbreads and deep-dish pizzas striking and unique to the eye.

Uno has offered an extensive gluten-free menu since 2006, with over 20 items ranging from appetizers to entrees, to desserts and beverages.  Menu choices include grilled chicken with mango salsa, lemon basil salmon and Certified Angus Beef® steaks, but the development of gluten-free pizzas took over a year and a half before the company felt it had the right product.

“Food allergies are a very serious, sometimes life-threatening issue for many Americans,” said Guidara. “Pizza is our signature product, and we wanted to offer a gluten-free pizza so all of our guests could enjoy pizza when dining at Uno.  With that in mind, we spent over a year developing a crust that lived up to the Uno name.”

With 12 million Americans suffering from food allergies, including 2.5 million school-age children , Uno considers it good business and good corporate citizenship to offer an ever-expanding gluten-free menu. This commitment is made all the more compelling by the fact that an estimated 1 in every 133 people has celiac disease.  While awareness of celiac disease is rising, more than 95 percent of people with the disease remain undiagnosed.  Among people who have a first-degree relative—a parent, sibling, or child—diagnosed with celiac disease, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.

In addition to its gluten-free menu offerings, Uno boasts a number of healthy firsts including being the first national restaurant chain to eliminate artificial trans-fats and to increase menu and nutritional transparency via nutrition information centers located in their restaurants.  For guest convenience and safety, Uno clearly labels menu items with ingredients that are linked to the most common food allergies, such as fish/shellfish, soy, tree nuts/peanuts, egg, milk and wheat/gluten.  Diners can also preview the menu and nutritional information online via the company’s website at www.unos.com.

The company has invested more than $2 million in nutritional advancements since 2005 and, according to Guidara, will continue its commitment to providing delicious, fresh and healthful menu options for its guests.

About Uno Restaurants:
Based in Boston, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes more than 200 company-owned and franchised full-service Uno Chicago Grill units located in 29 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. The company also operates a fast casual concept called Uno Dué Go®, a quick serve concept called Uno Express®, and a consumer foods division which supplies airlines, movie theaters, hotels, airports, travel plazas, schools and supermarkets with both frozen and refrigerated private-label foods and branded Uno products.  For more information, visit www.unos.com.
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Contact: Elliott Subervi, (732) 542-9100 x.111

Oh Mexican Independence Day, how I love you so! What other holiday would I be able to indulge in so many gluten free options? Heavenly guacamole. Nachos smothered in cheesy goodness. Corn tortillas filled with whatever your heart’s desire. Let us not forget the frozen margaritas (brain freezes never felt so darn good)!

In honor of this wondrous day, I would like to share with you my version of Tortilla Pie. Credit for my inspiration goes to Family Fun Magazine. I was leafing through their latest edition (May ‘09) and saw a recipe for “Stacked Burrito Pie”. They used flour tortillas and ground beef (which I omitted for my recipe), but their version got me thinking of what I could do with gluten free corn tortillas.

Oh yeah, this one is a keeper!

Tortilla Pie

4 gluten free corn tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
Tabasco sauce to taste
1/2 cup corn kernels (drained)
1/2 cup black beans (drained & rinsed)
8 ounces of Mexican Blend shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round baking dish with butter. Place the first tortilla (the small 6-inch tortillas) into the bottom of the buttered pan. Using a spatula, evenly spread two tablespoons of sour cream over the tortilla, then spread 1/4 cup salsa, a few dashes of Tabasco, two tablespoons each of corn and black beans. Finish the layer with an even coating of shredded cheese. Place the next corn tortilla on top of the cheese and repeat layering the sour cream, salsa, Tabasco, corn, black beans, and cheese.  Repeat layering until all ingredients have been used.  Bake pie for 30 minutes.

Optional add-ins: ground beef cooked with taco seasonings, diced jalapenos, and/or freshly chopped cilantro.

Note:  I did not heat the corn tortillas prior to making the Tortilla Pie, but will make my next pie with “heated tortillas”  They should provide a crisper pie.  To heat tortillas, I typically coat both sides with Canola Oil cooking spray and heat them in a skillet.

We have very cool friends for neighbors.  Sherry and Ray live down the street from us.  Too far to stick your arm out the window for a cup of sugar, but close enough to wander down for one of their fabulous get togethers.  Sherry and Ray recently hosted a Snuggie Party at their abode.  Yes, a Snuggie Party.  For those of you who do not obsessively watch infomercials, the Snuggie is infamously known as “a blanket with sleeves”.  According to my son (an infomercial junkie), I also need a Hoveround electric chair, several Sham Wows, and Urine Be Gone.

We excitedly donned our Snuggies (the kids put on their pjs) and headed over to Sherry and Ray’s house for a snugtastic time (yes, I went there!).  When I realized Sherry’s delicious hummus was naturally gluten free, I quickly gobbled up most of it myself.  After a few glasses of wine and a secret Snuggie handshake, Sherry  kindly shared her hummus recipe.

White Bean Hummus with Balsamic Vinegar

1 19-ounce can of White Cannelini Kidney Beans
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic (I used roasted garlic)
Sea salt & pepper to taste

Using a colander, drain and rinse beans. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend until hummus is smooth and creamy. Serve with veggies, corn chips, or use in place of mayo on a sandwich!

I am the queen of multi-tasking! I can talk on the phone, prepare dinner, and wipe a bottom all in one fell swoop. Just for clarification it was my kid’s bottom, not mine. And yes, I wash my hands thoroughly before making dinner.

Note:  Sometimes I don’t posses a filter. The above paragraph is quite a lovely example!

But I digress. I am working on pulling together the contents of my next Hold The Gluten podcast (to be recorded this week, so stay tuned), but could not wait another millisecond to share my latest creation. In preparation for Easter Dinner, I wanted to experiment in making my first gluten free cake. This August will mark my four year “gluten free” anniversary, however, I have yet to delve into the cake arena. After a huge success using buttermilk in my baking, I felt mentally prepared to work on a gluten free carrot cake. I cannot stress this enough — this cake was the moistest cake I have ever eaten! I sang songs of praise about my carrot cake. I made up a dance about my carrot cake.  I ate with wild abandon not caring about calories or using a fork.  Shhh, I think the secret is the combination of buttermilk, applesauce, and grated carrots.

Tonight I finished the last of the cake. In four shorts days, I ate an entire two layer carrot cake by myself. What the heck, I was making up for lost time!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
6 ounces of applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of two 9 inch cake pans with shortening (I used Spetrum Organic). Sift first eight ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, buttermilk, canola oil, sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract on low speed until combined. Slowly add sifted dry ingredients into bowl until incorporated (continue to beat on low speed). Fold in carrot, coconut, and pecans. Pour batter into greased cake pans. Bake 30 minutes (or until wooden tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean).

Cream Cheese Icing

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup butter (softened)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract. Continue mixing on low speed while slowly adding the sifted confectioners sugar.

*Note: The Cream Cheese Icing is from Janni on allrecipes.com. I changed the amount of vanilla extract, but kept all else the same (why mess with a great frosting recipe!).

I have a horrid confession to make…I’ve been eating large quantities of pre-packaged gluten free foods.  Cookies, breads, frozen meals; anything that did not have to be measured, mixed, and cooked by “yours truly”.  My turn to the dark side happened after burning myself out during the holiday season.  Frenetically baking like Betty Crocker on crack will eventually catch up with a person.  Not to mention the “episode” involving my dog Baxter eating two dozen freshly baked gluten free cookies.  Oh the horror!

After a month (or two) of recuperation and a detox from hydrogenated oils, I am back in fighting form and ready to bust out of my gluten free baking slump.  My latest recipe is a twist on my “traditional” cornbread.   I wanted to add a sweetness to the cornbread’s dense consistency.  The addition of blueberries, lemon, and honey make this an awesome breakfast bread.

I have to admit - nothing beats homemade.  Hmmm, if only I could find someone to bake for me!

Blueberry Lemon Cornbread

Grease bottom & sides of 8 x 8 baking dish with butter

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup millet flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream (I used Daisy Reduced Fat)
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Zest of one small lemon
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)
Additional sugar for pan bottom (approx 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk all wet ingredients (include lemon zest) together. Slowly add wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients until incorporated. Fold in blueberries. Sprinkle sugar into bottom of pan (enough to coat) before pouring batter. Bake 25 to 30  minutes.

I remember trips to our local Farmer’s Market as a little girl.  We would always bring home a brown paper bag full of ripe pomegranate fruits.  After slicing them in half, I would marvel at the ruby red seeds that looked like jewels.  Extracting the seeds took some effort, but that was definitely part of the fun!  I can still recall the burst of tartness on my tongue and my red-stained fingers.

In the last several years when the benefits of the pretty pomegranate hit the news, I rediscovered my childhood treat.  This “superfood” is packed with antioxidants and promotes heart health.  I recenlty met Janny, a blogger for POM Wonderful.  She kindly directed me to POM Wonderful’s site and the bevy of recipes that include pomegranate juice and/or seeds.  Suddenly my glass of plain ol’ juice seemed in need of a makeover!

Armed with my trusty blender, I set out to create a healthy, tasty, and filling smoothie.  What’s fantastic about smoothies is that you can customize your frozen concoction based on your favorite fruits and flavors.

POM-tastic Fruit Smoothie

1 cup POM Wonderful juice
1 cup orange juice
1 banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup mixed frozen fruit (I used a combination of melon, grapes, & peaches)
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
1 tablespoon MLO Brown Rice Protein Powder

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until liquefied. If smoothie is too thick, add more POM or orange juice to thin out. Makes two 8 ounce smoothies.

Cookie Monster is my googly-eyed hero! As a child, I admired his impressive ability to hoover large quantities of cookies, donuts, and even a typewriter or two. Then Sesame Street went all “PC” and made poor Cookie eat veggies (hello, his name is “Cookie Monster” for a reason!).

I will warn you right now, these cookies are ridiculously good. So good that I have successfully eaten three dozen of these fantabulous cookies. By myself. Hidden in the pantry. In an attempt to control my peanut butter cookie binge, I froze a dozen of these beauties. Defrosting requires time to think about over-consumption, right? Um, not if you eat them directly out of the freezer bag. Lately I’ve spent a lot of quality time channeling my inner Cookie Monster.

In the articulate words of Cookie Monster, “om nom nom nom”.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and peanut butter — continue to mix well. Slowly add in white rice flour, millet, and soghum flours. Add in baking soda, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined. By hand, fold in peanut butter chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 18 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Whoo Hoo!  Our voices have been heard!!  I know many of us provided feedback to Uno Chicago Grill in the hopes of a gluten free pizza being offered on their menu.  Our wait is over!!! It has been announced that Uno Chicago Grill will be adding gluten free pizza to their menus NATIONWIDE!  I have contacted their public relations team for more information on the time line, what states/locations will be next, etc.  Will keep you posted, but wanted to share this fantabulous news!!

Update from Elliott Subervi of Utopia Communications, Inc.

Thanks for reaching out.  As of January 13th all Uno locations nationally are carrying the GF Pizza, (all but the original locations in Chicago…Pizzeria Uno & Pizzeria Due will not be carrying the GF Pizzas).  A word to the wise, it is always better to call the location you are headed to prior, since we are seeing a sell-out of the GF Pizzas in some locations very quickly.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNO CHICAGO GRILL® ROLLS OUT GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA NATIONALLY
Positive Consumer Response Prompts Earlier Introduction

Boston, MA (January 13, 2009) – Following a highly successful market test, Uno Chicago Grill® will offer its new, gluten-free pizza nationally. Uno® is the first national casual dining chain to offer a gluten-free pizza and received very positive feedback from guests who suffer from celiac disease, which affects approximately one percent of the population .

In fact, word-of-mouth reaction from the gluten-free community during the northeastern market test prompted the company to advance the timetable for a national roll-out.

“Food allergies are a very serious, sometimes life-threatening, issue for many Americans,” notes Uno CEO Frank Guidara. “Pizza is our signature product, and we wanted to offer a gluten-free pizza so all of our guests could enjoy it when dining at Uno.”

“Consumer reaction was so positive, and the chatter so strong on gluten-free blogs and websites, that our restaurants began receiving requests to carry the new pizza,” noted Richard Hendrie, senior vice president, marketing, Uno Chicago Grill. “Because the demand was so strong, we decided to pull out all the stops to get the gluten-free pizza into our 200 plus locations as quickly as possible.”

Recently lauded as America’s Healthiest Chain Restaurant , Uno has added gluten-free cheese and pepperoni pizzas to what is already one of the most extensive gluten-free menus available for a casual dining chain. This is good news to the estimated three million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease, as well as an additional seven million Americans who have a wheat intolerance or allergy and rely on gluten-free foods. While awareness of celiac disease is rising, an estimated 97 percent of those who have it remain undiagnosed .

Guidara explained that it took over a year of research and development to find just the right recipe for a brand that is known for its iconic pizza. “While we want to meet the needs of guests with allergies, we never forget that we are about great taste and choice, and that means developing new dishes that are healthful without sacrificing great flavor.”

The company that was the first to develop deep-dish pizza in 1943 is still full of innovation. Uno Chicago Grill works closely with its Nutrition Advisory Board, which meets quarterly to discuss trends and solutions to improve the quality and nutritional value of its menu. The board includes world-class physicians with expertise in coronary disease, weight management, and other food/health related issues. Guidara oversees the Advisory Board and brings his expertise as a member of the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Roundtable.

The gluten-free pizza was originally tested at Uno Chicago Grill locations in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts (excluding Worcester and Springfield/Holyoke).

According to the Gluten Intolerance Group, surveys show that about 15 to 25 percent of consumers report looking for gluten-free products, far more than need to.

Uno boasts a number of healthy firsts, including being the first national restaurant chain to eliminate artificial trans-fats and to increase menu and nutritional transparency via nutrition information centers located in their restaurants. The company’s gluten-free menu has 20 items ranging from entrées, salads, sides and desserts. For guest convenience and safety, Uno clearly labels menu items with ingredients that are linked to the most common food allergies, such as fish/shellfish, soy, tree nuts/peanuts, egg, milk and wheat/gluten. Diners can also preview the menu and nutritional information online via the company’s website at www.unos.com.

The company has invested more than $2 million in nutritional advancements since 2005 and, according to Guidara, will continue its commitment to providing delicious, fresh and healthful menu options for its guests.

About Uno Chicago Grill:
Based in Boston, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes more than 200 company-owned and franchised full-service units located in 29 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The company also operates a consumer foods division which supplies airlines, movie theaters, hotel restaurants and supermarkets with both frozen and refrigerated private-label foods and branded Uno products. For more information, visit www.unos.com.

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My intentions were to post this (and other) gluten free cookie recipes BEFORE the holiday season.  However, at approximately 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, I was frenetically baking like Martha Stewart on crack.  Like a rabid Keebler Elf.  Like Betty Crocker on a bender.  No, it was not a pretty picture. Why was I baking on Christmas Eve, you ask?  This is why…

On December 23rd, I was out doing some last minute shopping. I battled parking spot stalkers, mall crazies, and scrooges filled with a case of the “bah humbugs”. Exhausted, I came home to find that my first “child” Baxter had eaten TWO DOZEN of my gluten free cookies.  Baxter is our black lab mix.  My husband and I adopted him from a local shelter 11 years ago.  Did I mention Baxter is blind?  Apparently his sense of smell is MUCH better than his eyesight!   I can only imagine the scene: Baxter’s overactive olfactory system detects my ziploc-bagged cookies. Cookies placed on the CENTER of the kitchen table. He somehow pulls them down, unceremoniously rips apart the bag, and devours all cookies. Only a few crumbs were remaining. That and a lot of dog slobber.

On a happier note, I feel quite confident about posting this tasty cookie recipe.  Thing 1 and Thing 2 loved the cookies and Baxter most certainly gave them two paws up.

Hope you all had a WONDERFUL holiday!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

1 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
zest of an orange
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, orange juice, and orange extract — continue to mix well. Slowly add in white & brown rice flours, millet, amaranth, and tapioca flours. Add in baking soda, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined. By hand, fold in orange zest, craisins, and white chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 13 to 15 minutes. After removing from oven, wait a few minutes before transferring cookies to cooling rack. Makes three dozen cookies.