I have added a sidebar with "Gluten-Free Goodness" to help you find great Gluten-Free blogs with lots of recipes, as well as other websites with great wheat/gluten-free information. Hopefully I'll have time to add to these as time goes on.
Celiac.com: For all the information you need about eating gluten-free, check out this website. It is specifically designed for those with Celiac's Disease, but those of us avoiding gluten can use it too!
Gluten-Free Mall: Don't forget to check out pre-made foods and mixes at the Gluten-Free Mall. This is where I get my chocolate chips!
Gluten-Free Girl: This has tons of other gluten-free blogs/websites. There is also a part called "Essential Posts" that looks helpful. The posts can be long, but still interesting.
Gluten-Free By the Bay: A blog full of all sorts of yummy recipes! There are also links (near the bottom left) to other Gluten-Free blogs/websites. The blog also offers gluten-free kosher and Jewish foods. Surely you can find something delicious to try on this blog!
Gluten-Free Goddess: This blog has recently been changed to Karina's Kitchen: Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess. There are tons of recipes on here...and they are delicious with great photography! If you go one place, go here :)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
This is for YOU, Grandma!
Growing up I think that my Grandma Mina always had the fear that I would starve to death (when I moved out of my parents home) because I really didn't know how to cook. I never liked cooking. Any time my brother or I had to help in the kitchen I offered to set the table or clean up. I rarely wanted to be a part of the actual food prep part (except for making gravy on Sunday's--I would usually take that job because I love gravy!). My brother was the baker in the family and while I'd partake in his goodies, I can only remember one time I attempted to make chocolate chip cookies--and that was a near disaster (who knew you couldn't put all the ingredients, wet and dry, together and just stir....well, I think they came out decent, but not quite the same! [By the way, this was attempted when my mom was out of town.] What was I thinking? Guess I didn't read directions too well! My brother, younger, mind you, knew better and got quite the kick out of my mistake! I was around 11 years old then and it must have scarred me good because I rarely baked after that!).
Then there was the time I tried to make Easy Mac in my college dorm room microwave. I mean, who can mess up Easy Mac!? It's not named that for no reason! Well, I managed to learn that freshman year that it's not a good idea to attempt to make Easy Mac without milk or butter--water just didn't cut it! This time it was new roommate who got the kick out of my cooking disgraces. (I must add, though, that after this I made Easy Mac multiple times for late night snacks, so I finally did get the hang of it!)
So, all that to say that the irony that I would be the one with multiple food allergies--to the point that I have to do all my baking and cooking from scratch--is really quite great. Ha! I get a kick out of God's humor at times. I don't always enjoy being in the kitchen, but at least I am not afraid of substituting ingredients any more. That's a normal way of life and I am pleased that I am finally getting the hang of it!
I think am slowly becoming a cook and baker in my own right. I have been tweaking a recipe that I adapted from the New Joy of Cooking cookbook. I think it is titled "Drop Biscuits" in the book. At our house we call them "Stone Biscuits." My husband named them after the first time I made them. The only way I could get them to stay together was to squeeze them in my hand and put them on the pan. Thankfully the recipe has been improved slightly so they will somewhat "drop" and sometimes I will still squash them slightly so they'll stay together better.
So here is my famous Stone Biscuit recipe. For those of you who are used to buttery, flaky, light biscuits, these aren't for you! But if you are deprived and wanting something like a biscuit, this may be your new favorite. I suggest eating them with peanut butter and honey -- delicious!
STONE BISCUITS
½ cup white rice flour
½ cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
¾ tsp
2/3 – ¾ cup water or milk
1/4 cup canola oil
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Stir water/milk and oil together and add to dry mixture. Stir well with a fork until all or most of the flour is absorbed. Gather small amounts of dough on fork and drop on pan, pressing lightly with your hand if they aren't staying together. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 10 minutes.
I always told my Grandma (well, if I didn't tell her, I thought it!) that I'd learn to cook when 1. I got married and had someone to cook for or 2. I was starving and in need of food. Reason #1 taught me some things, but #2 has truly begun to forge me into a cook/baker. And Lord willing, I'll have many more years to learn even more!
Then there was the time I tried to make Easy Mac in my college dorm room microwave. I mean, who can mess up Easy Mac!? It's not named that for no reason! Well, I managed to learn that freshman year that it's not a good idea to attempt to make Easy Mac without milk or butter--water just didn't cut it! This time it was new roommate who got the kick out of my cooking disgraces. (I must add, though, that after this I made Easy Mac multiple times for late night snacks, so I finally did get the hang of it!)
So, all that to say that the irony that I would be the one with multiple food allergies--to the point that I have to do all my baking and cooking from scratch--is really quite great. Ha! I get a kick out of God's humor at times. I don't always enjoy being in the kitchen, but at least I am not afraid of substituting ingredients any more. That's a normal way of life and I am pleased that I am finally getting the hang of it!
I think am slowly becoming a cook and baker in my own right. I have been tweaking a recipe that I adapted from the New Joy of Cooking cookbook. I think it is titled "Drop Biscuits" in the book. At our house we call them "Stone Biscuits." My husband named them after the first time I made them. The only way I could get them to stay together was to squeeze them in my hand and put them on the pan. Thankfully the recipe has been improved slightly so they will somewhat "drop" and sometimes I will still squash them slightly so they'll stay together better.
So here is my famous Stone Biscuit recipe. For those of you who are used to buttery, flaky, light biscuits, these aren't for you! But if you are deprived and wanting something like a biscuit, this may be your new favorite. I suggest eating them with peanut butter and honey -- delicious!
STONE BISCUITS
½ cup white rice flour
½ cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
¾ tsp
2/3 – ¾ cup water or milk
1/4 cup canola oil
Mix dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Stir water/milk and oil together and add to dry mixture. Stir well with a fork until all or most of the flour is absorbed. Gather small amounts of dough on fork and drop on pan, pressing lightly with your hand if they aren't staying together. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 10 minutes.
I always told my Grandma (well, if I didn't tell her, I thought it!) that I'd learn to cook when 1. I got married and had someone to cook for or 2. I was starving and in need of food. Reason #1 taught me some things, but #2 has truly begun to forge me into a cook/baker. And Lord willing, I'll have many more years to learn even more!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Oh, Happy Day! Chocolate Chip Goodness!
Finally, a chance to sit and write a bit! We have been so busy with preparations for our big move that I have barely had time to sit still. One more month here in Raleigh. Anyways, I have so many things I want to be blogging about and I'm just not taking the time to do it. Let's hope I can be more consistent here on out...but I'm sure that won't always happen!So this is a happy day because I successfully tried another delicious recipe tonight! One of my new favorite blogs is Gluten-Free Goddess. I discovered this blog a month or so ago and have been reading it every now and then. I have been waiting to try her Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares since I found the website. I finally tried them tonight. Very yummy! I left out the vanilla to keep it corn free, used unsweetened coconut flakes from Whole Foods to cut down on the sugar, used I also made my own self-rising flour per her blog's instructions. The bars were pretty tasty! I had a hard time stopping at two bars :) Hope you can enjoy these some day soon too!
But, if you are looking for a real chocolate chip cookie recipe, look no further than the recipe found in 125 Best Gluten Free Recipes. I discovered this treasure at my local library and have since purchased it. I couldn't get over how real these chocolate chip cookies tasted (and looked (see picture above)--they stayed together despite being gluten free!)! Of course, maybe it's because I've been deprived for over two years...then again, maybe they really are that good since my husband who won't usually eat "my food" even ate them and enjoyed them! I also left out the vanilla extract in these cookies, changed the 1 cup sorghum flour to 1/2 cup almond meal (find at Whole Foods in the bulk bins or bagged at Trader Joe's) and 1/2 cup white rice flour, and substituted 1 tsp. guar gum for xantham gum. I used Spectrum's Palm Oil Shortening for the cup of shortening. Think I used pecans for walnuts and garfava bean flour (from Bob's Red Mill found at Whole Foods...but they may have discontinued making this because I can't find it on Bob's Red Mill website now!) for the bean flour.
The chocolate chips I use are supposed to be gluten, dairy, corn and soy free. I say supposed to be because it seems I still get a slight reaction from these (congestion) when I eat them by themselves. Maybe it's the chocolate itself that bothers me...but regardless, it is not enough to warrant me to stop eating them. Besides, when we are overseas soon I'm not sure I will be able to indulge in chocolate, so I'm getting my fill now!
So may ya'll also have a happy day soon brought on by chocolate chip goodness!
Friday, June 1, 2007
Help for the Corn Allergic
I want to have a place to refer friends to when talking to them about various aspects of food allergies. As part of that plan, I have gathered my favorite resources on corn allergies. They are also linked on the right of the blog, but here I will give some information about each website. I hope to do this with all of my allergies one day!
Name for Corn & Its Derivatives -- List of hidden corn and its derivatives. This list is quite extensive--very daunting! For those who are very severely allergic to corn in all of its forms, it may be necessary to hold to this list faithfully. For others, like myself, who are less allergic to corn, you may find you can cut out the major sources of corn, but still tolerate the minute amount found (or possibly found) in other items. For example, "Honey" is on the list. I wondered why this was there. One reason is honey is sometimes mixed with corn syrup. It's necessary that it says "Pure" or 100% and does not contain other ingredients. Another reason is that the bees may pollenate corn fields or near them and the corn particles could contaminate the honey.
Forum for those Avoiding Corn -- This has been a life saver to me--mainly because corn allergies do not get nearly as much (or enough!) publicity like the other "Top 8" allergens. I am so glad someone told me about this forum! There are a lot of very knowledgeable individuals who all have corn allergies (or live with someone who does). Many members also have other food allergies and environmental allergies.
Corn-Free Foods (and Products) List -- This is a list of "safe" products for those with corn allergies as managed by several individuals from the Avoiding Corn Forum. The list is constantly changing and being updated. It has food items, medical needs, and personal care items. Some products on the list have also been approved for those with Celiac's Disease.
General Corn Information -- This website has general information about corn allergies, lots of links and helpful comments.
Name for Corn & Its Derivatives -- List of hidden corn and its derivatives. This list is quite extensive--very daunting! For those who are very severely allergic to corn in all of its forms, it may be necessary to hold to this list faithfully. For others, like myself, who are less allergic to corn, you may find you can cut out the major sources of corn, but still tolerate the minute amount found (or possibly found) in other items. For example, "Honey" is on the list. I wondered why this was there. One reason is honey is sometimes mixed with corn syrup. It's necessary that it says "Pure" or 100% and does not contain other ingredients. Another reason is that the bees may pollenate corn fields or near them and the corn particles could contaminate the honey.
Forum for those Avoiding Corn -- This has been a life saver to me--mainly because corn allergies do not get nearly as much (or enough!) publicity like the other "Top 8" allergens. I am so glad someone told me about this forum! There are a lot of very knowledgeable individuals who all have corn allergies (or live with someone who does). Many members also have other food allergies and environmental allergies.
Corn-Free Foods (and Products) List -- This is a list of "safe" products for those with corn allergies as managed by several individuals from the Avoiding Corn Forum. The list is constantly changing and being updated. It has food items, medical needs, and personal care items. Some products on the list have also been approved for those with Celiac's Disease.
General Corn Information -- This website has general information about corn allergies, lots of links and helpful comments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
