Posts Tagged celiac

Gluten Free Blarney Stone Creamy Potato Soup Review

Over this past weekend Snowmageddon occurred.  Here in New Jersey, it snowed a whopping 28.5 inches.  That kind of winter weather calls for three things:  hot chocolate, comfy p.j.’s and a big pot of soup simmering on the stove.  After my diagnosis with celiac disease, I found it hard to find soup mixes or premade varieties without wheat.  No longer could I take a quick trip down the soup aisle in my grocery store and pick up a few cans of Campbell’s soup.  About a year ago, I discovered Fantastic World Foods Simmer Soups.  Their Blarney Stone Creamy Potato soup is “a creamy blend of diced potatoes seasoned with onions and leeks.”  Simply add in milk to their mix and simmer on the stove for 10 minutes.  Inspired by their Baked Potato soup suggestion on the back of the package, we added a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon.

Pros:

  • Overall a tasty and hearty gluten-free soup!
  • Reasonably priced at $3.65 for a 7.5 package of soup mix (approximately 6 servings).

Cons:

  • Do your pricing research!  In doing a search on-line for Simmer Soups, I found that the price point varied greatly by retailer.  For example, if you ordered a 6-pack of Simmer Soups directly from Fantastic World Foods the price is $30.72.  In comparison, if you order the same quantity via Amazon.com, the price is $21.94.

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Gluten Free Ginger Peach Muffins with Agave Nectar

“Movin to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches.”
- The Presidents of the United States of America

I apologize in advance.  This song will get stuck in your head for days. Possibly weeks.  Who knew a little ditty about peaches would be so #&$%^ catchy?!  That said, my latest recipe creation was actually not inspired by the evil peaches song but by a Ginger Peach White Tea we picked up from The Republic of Tea. I loved the blend of this tea and thought this combination would be perfect in a muffin!

The melding of ginger and peach flavors provide just the right contrast of spicy and sweet.  The muffins are moist and freeze/reheat perfectly (which is good because the recipe makes three dozen!).

Gluten Free Ginger Peach Muffins with Agave Nectar

3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 container (6 ounces) peach yogurt
1 can (15 ounces) peaches drained & diced
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients and mix well.  Then add in all dry ingredients – finish by folding in the fresh grated ginger and chopped pecans.  Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray. Using a spring loaded ice cream scoop (this is so much easier than trying to pour directly into the muffin tin!), evenly distribute the batter into muffin tins. Bake 30 minutes (or until wooden tester comes out clean). Makes three dozen muffins.

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Gluten Makes Me Grumpy

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

Episode 32 “Gluten Makes Me Grumpy” Features:

  • Feedback from listeners Scott and Nate about onion rings in the french fry order.
  • Are you attending the Gluten Free Life TV Twitter Party on February 2nd?
  • 2010 Gluten Free Cooking Expo April 17th & 18th in Lisle, IL.
  • Sausage Recall due to salmonella.  1.2 million pounds of sausage recalled!
  • In search of gluten free gravy for my mashed potatoes:  Trader Joe’s GF Turkey Gravy (premade) for $1.49 and Road’s End Organics Golden Gravy Mix & Shitake Mushroom Gravy (mix) both 99 cents.
  • BIG Brown Rice Tortillas from Trader Joe’s – my review.
  • Have you joined the Hold The Gluten fan page on Facebook?
  • Prevention Magazine offers over 4,000 gluten free recipes (keyword search “gluten free”).
  • 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!

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Trader Joe’s (BIG!) Brown Rice Tortillas

trader joes gluten free rice tortillas

Becoming gluten free prompted many changes in my life.  While it may seem trivial, I was unfairly forced to ingest itty bitty tortillas.  Gone were the days when my dinner description included the words “quesadilla the size of your head”.   Now I know you are asking yourself the (totally valid) question: “Um, hello Maureen, traditional gluten free corn tortillas are six inches in diameter.  That’s not itty bitty, that’s portion control!”  And to answer your question: Sometimes I want a quesadilla the size of Sputnik!  Then  I discovered (BIG!) Brown Rice Tortillas in my local Trader Joe’s refrigerated section.  Before I share with you my humble opinion, I must admit to missing the lilliputian-sized corn tortillas so much that I have returned them to my refrigerator.  Sometimes bigger isn’t always better.  Well, unless we’re speaking about quantities of bacon or chocolate, but that’s another post entirely.

Pros:

  • BIG BIG BIG tortillas!
  • Works well for quesadillas.
  • Reasonably priced at $2.49 for six 10-inch tortillas (vs $1.50 for ten 6-inch corn tortillas).
  • Do not come frozen (therefore avoiding severing a digit or two while trying to separate a solidified tortilla mass).

Cons:

  • Very chewy texture.  Borderline rubbery.
  • Not your best option for a wrap-type sandwich (easily broke when folded).

trader joes gluten free tortillas

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Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Review

“Birthdays are nature’s way of telling us to eat more cake.”

forkfull of gluten free cake

This past Sunday was my birthday.  Not to be all Negative Nancy, but turning 37 was NOT that thrilling in the grand scheme of things.  To make matters worse, a full-on “raging hormone” war was taking place in my SAGGY, FLABBY body.  Can I get a waaaah?  What I wanted – strike that – needed was chocolate.  Lots of chocolate.  My darling husband of ten years knew it was vital that he take action quickly:  provide his long in the tooth wife with some chocolaty confection or get punched in the throat.  Just for the record, I wouldn’t really punch my devoted spouse in the throat.  I abhor physical violence.  A kick in the shin might be warranted though as I take my chocolate very seriously.

Enter the wondrous Betty Crocker.  As you all know, Betty Crocker offers gluten free cake, cookie and brownie mixes.  What could be better to perk up a disheartening 37th birthday than with chocolate cake?  I had yet to try Betty’s gluten free version of their Devil’s Food cake.  However, a few months ago I had taste tested the gluten free vanilla cake mix with good results.  Chuck (a.k.a. husband in reaction/avoidance mode) began mixing the cake ingredients.  Just as I had doctored the Betty Crocker vanilla cake mix, Chuck added two ingredients to the gluten free devil’s food cake mix.  One cup of sour cream and one packet of chocolate pudding mix went into the batter.  The result?  A moist, dense, chocolaty hunk of heaven.  This cake was so darn good that Chuck and my two kiddos were permitted ONE slice each.  I ate the rest of the cake forkful by fabulous forkful.  By the time I got around to taking a picture to post (priorities People, cake before photography!), all that remained was one tiny bite.

My birthday turned out to be quite fabulous and amazingly tasty.  I can’t wait to turn (gasp) 38!  Yeah, that’s totally a lie, but the cake…I’ll take any day!

headerGlutenLanding

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At Least You Can Eat Cheese

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

Episode 30 “October aka Celiac Awareness Month” Features:

betty.crocker.gluten.free.snacksGluten Free Giveaway! The fantabulous folks at Betty Crocker sent me a their gluten free fruit-flavored snacks to sample.  They’d also like to share the gluten free goodness with one lucky Hold The Gluten listener!  Leave a comment for a chance to receive a Betty Crocker “Simple Joys” prize pack that includes 2 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit-Flavored Snacks, a retro Pick ‘em Up Sticks game, a light-up yo-yo and a classic Frisbee.  Betty Crocker Fruit-Flavored Snacks is a snack you can feel good about as they are made with real fruit and each serving is less than 100 calories! Now kids – and kids at heart – can enjoy the simple joy of a fun, great tasting gluten free snack.    Deadline to enter is 12/14/2009.

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

Rock on Celiacs!

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What The Gluten?

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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Happy Gluten Free Cinco de Mayo!

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

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

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 bookThe 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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