What The Gluten?

May 26

Posted by Maureen in Hold The Gluten Podcast | 3 Comments

The latest episode of my Hold The Gluten Podcast is now live!

Episode 24 “What The Gluten?’” Features:

  • Listener Julia shares that Trader Joe’s now offers GF Creme Brulee in choco cups (find them in the freezer section)
  • Reminder!  Betty Crocker to launch GF cake, cookie, and brownie mixes on June 1st.
  • Gluten Free mozzarella stick experiment a HUGE success!
  • Got ice cream?  GF ice cream cone options:  Let’s Do Organic GF Cones, Barkat GF Waffle Cones, & Glutano GF Cones.
  • Gluten Free Summer Camp options for kids.
  • Mark Your Calendar!  Gluten Free Twitter Party on Sunday, May 31st hosted by Joyce Paige.  For more details check out Joyce’s site as well as the Gluten-Free Lifestyle Twibe.
  • 4th Annual Gluten Free Culinary Summit (East and West Coast events).
  • Have you had your bone density scan?
  • What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

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No Gluten, No Poopin’

May 11

Posted by Maureen in Hold The Gluten Podcast | 4 Comments

The latest episode of my Hold The Gluten Podcast is now live!

Episode 23 “No Gluten, No Poopin’” Features:

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

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Uno Chicago Grill Offers Gluten Free Veggie Pizza!

May 11

Posted by Maureen in Let's Eat Out | 2 Comments

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.
###

Contact: Elliott Subervi, (732) 542-9100 x.111

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Happy Gluten Free Cinco de Mayo!

May 5

Posted by Maureen in GF Recipe Compilation, Recipes: Main Dishes | 5 Comments

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.

gluten-free-tortilla-pie

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.

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(Naturally) Gluten Free Hummus with Balsamic Vinegar

Apr 30

Posted by Maureen in GF Recipe Compilation, Recipes: Appetizers & Dips | 2 Comments

gluten-free-hummus

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.

snuggie-party

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!

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Prime Time Gluten Free

Apr 22

Posted by Maureen in Hold The Gluten Podcast | 4 Comments

The latest episode of my Hold The Gluten Podcast is now live!

Episode 22 “Prime Time Gluten Free” Features:

  • Recent dining experience at Joe’s Crab Shack
  • Getting comfortable in my gluten free life
  • Mention of “gluten free” during Prime Time:
  • Beverly Hills 90210 GF Bread & French Toast
  • Celebrity Apprentice GF Meal for Schwan’s
  • Real Housewives of New York Bethany Frankel’s GF muffins
  • The View’s Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s new book “The G Free Diet Book“
  • Starbucks to offer GF Valencia Orange Cake with Almonds in US stores from May 5, 2009
  • Celebrate Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) with gluten free enchiladas, nachos, & margaritas!
  • Grilling season is upon us – all Bubba Burgers are gluten free!
  • Vaccine trial is underway in Melbourne, AU for Celiac Disease
  • What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

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Seven (Slightly Odd) Things You May Not Know About Me!

Apr 13

Posted by Maureen in Up Close & Personal | 7 Comments

Amy of Gluten Free Living, Melanie of The Gluti Girls…and a guy!, and Sophie of Flour Arrangements all tagged me for the same meme “Seven Things You May Not Know About Me”.  Hmmm, now that I think about it, Sophie’s meme was “Ten Things You May Not Know About Me”, but being as mathematically challenged as I am, we’ll round down to seven!

1) “Frisky” the pet gerbil came into my life when I was six years old.  Always the imaginative one, I tried to dress him up like the Hamburglar (you know, from McDonald’s).  Apparently I tied the Hamburglar cape too tightly and Frisky bit the living daylights out of me.  Frisky promptly went back to the pet store.

2) I ate a peanut butter sandwich EVERY DAY from kindergarten through twelfth grade.  I was not a very adventurous eater.  Well, except for #4.

3) I have naturally curly hair.  It is not a perm.  It is not a chia pet.  Nor will you find lost items you are looking for within my large hair.

4) I ate a Milk Bone dog biscuit when I was five just to see what it tasted like.  For the record, it was disgusting.

5) I have never lived “In The Valley”, but use the words “like, totally, and omigod” on a very regular basis.

6) I have been a “vegetarian” for 18 years.  Well, except for bacon.  I LOVE bacon so much I couldn’t give it up.  Therefore, bacon comes from the Bacon Tree in our house.

7)  I am a Reality TV Show junkie.  I’ve watched every season of The Real World, Rock of Love with Brett Michaels, and Real Housewives of Orange County/New York City/Atlanta.  I always take Purell bath and get my tetanus shot after viewing the wondrous nastiness!

So now I’m going to tag seven gluten free bloggers who are ridiculously fabulous.  Have you checked out their blogs?  You won’t be disappointed!

Carrie of Ginger Lemon Girl
Debbie of Gluten Free in the Country
Kerrie of Gluten Free in the Shaolin
Steve of Gluten Free Steve
Heather of Life, Gluten Free
Marlow of Gluten Hates Me

“The rules are simple. Link to your original tagger and list these rules in your post. Simply share seven facts about yourself in the post. Tag seven people at the end of your post and let them know they’ve been tagged. And have fun!”

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Gluten Free is the Bomb Diggity

Apr 8

Posted by Maureen in Hold The Gluten Podcast | 3 Comments

The latest episode of my Hold The Gluten Podcast is now live!

Episode 21 “Gluten Free is the Bomb Diggity” Features:

  • Got cake?!  GF Carrot Cake recipe.
  • Be Free For Me website offers coupons and samples of Gluten, Dairy, Nut, Soy, & Fish Free products.
  • Conte’s Gluten Free Frozen Pasta (ravioli, stuffed shells, gnocchi, pierogis).  Also offer gluten free pizza and lasagna.  Contact Customer Service for locations: (800) 211-6607.
  • Gluten Free English Muffins at Trader Joe’s.
  • Upcoming Event: NFCA Gluten Free Cooking Spree in Washington, DC area on 05/01/2009.
  • NFCA Appetite for Awareness in Philadelphia, PA on 09/30/2009.
  • Betty Crocker GF Update: Yellow Cake Mix,  Devil’s Food Cake Mix, Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix June 1st rollout
  • Gluten Free Mama – Rachel aka GF Mama and her awesome products.
  • Gluten Free Soy Sauce: San-J Organic Tamari.  Look on the bottle for it to say “wheat free soy sauce”.
  • Gluten Free Twitter Party a HUGE success!
  • What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

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Gluten Free Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Apr 1

Posted by Maureen in GF Recipe Compilation, Recipes: Desserts & Baked Goods | 12 Comments

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!).

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Gluten Free Blueberry Lemon Cornbread

Mar 24

Posted by Maureen in GF Recipe Compilation, Recipes: Desserts & Baked Goods | 14 Comments

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.

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