Label reading is the most important thing you can do when you are shopping for food. Even the "all natural" foods can be tainted with additions such as wheat, milk, soy, nuts, etc. Fortunately, there are new regulations which require food manufacturers to list the ingredients which are allergy-triggers at the end of the ingredient list.
If you have a magnifying glass, and don't mind reading all the mile long names of who knows what in that box or bag of food, be my guest! It is much more time efficient to scan down to the allergy list, cross your fingers, and hope for a clear-to-buy!
8.22.2009
8.04.2009
White pasta
I am not a cereal fan. There are few things that I actually enjoy eating for breakfast. Mostly, I am not all that hungry until 10:00 at the earliest. A while ago, I got this 8 grain cereal mixture, made it up once, and it's been sitting around my pantry ever since.
I made this crazy dish for dinner the other night. The idea of it started from the Rachael Ray show, but I changed her idea to be easy and GF. Don't be afraid with what you read in the ingredient list. The 8 grain cereal mix is part of the recipe. I know, I know. But it really does taste good in the end. I promise.
Now, I feel the need to continue giving "heads up" for this recipe. It is not your regular sort of pasta dish. There is no red sauce on it. I did choose to put in tomato in order to give some color, and because I have alot of grape tomatoes ripening in my garden right now. So they are in most of my meals lately. No sauce on pizza is white pizza so I dubbed this dish white pasta. Don't loose me... here we go!
White pasta
Cook a couple cups of GF noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse and put back in the hot pot while you make the topping. Squeeze some lemon juice over the hot noodles and toss to coat.
Take a large skillet and heat it on medium heat. Pour enough olive oil in to coat the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 cup of the Red Mill 8 grain cereal to the oil and cook it until it gets browned and smells nutty. Keep an eye on it - you don't want it to burn! Add 1/8 cup of dried parsley to the pan. Stir and add a little more oil if the mixture has soaked the pan dry. Saute on gentle heat for a total of about 10 minutes. Add a teaspoon of garlic powder and stir to distribute.
After the grain cereal has softened up enough to chew but is still firm, take 4 ounces of cooked, sliced ham (I used ham for sandwiches) and cut into strips. Add to the pan to heat through. Pour entire mixture into the pasta, mix together. Take small tomatoes, cut in half. Add to pasta and fold in. The remaining heat will cook them enough to make them soft but will still hold their shape. Shred parmesean cheese over the top to taste.
There it is. A no-sauce pasta dish that has meat, tons of flavor and GF nutrients. And it's a little on the weird side so it must be something special, wouldn't you agree? Try it. I dare you!
7.29.2009
Refreshment
I was at work the other day and was offered a most refreshing drink. This was tasty and even more importantly, it is easy to make! Who doesn't cool down after a nice glass of iced tea? So, here is the beverage of choice for my summer time glasses.
Citrus Tea
Make (or buy) a batch of unsweetened iced tea
Make (or buy) a batch of lemonade, limeade or orange juice
Mix the tea with the citrus-ade at a 3 cup tea to 1 cup juice ratio.
Add more juice if you want more of a citrus flavor.
Try it - I bet you will like it!!!
Citrus Tea
Make (or buy) a batch of unsweetened iced tea
Make (or buy) a batch of lemonade, limeade or orange juice
Mix the tea with the citrus-ade at a 3 cup tea to 1 cup juice ratio.
Add more juice if you want more of a citrus flavor.
Try it - I bet you will like it!!!
7.05.2009
Cookie time
A while back, I told you that I heard about Betty Crocker(TM) coming out with some box mixes to cater to us GF'ers. I have been looking and looking for them, but with no success. About a week ago, my sister told me she found the cake mix in our local Price Chopper grocery store. This is a store that I do not go to, but may just have to start to!
As grocery day approached, I decided to make my way there instead of to my regular, closer shopping marts. That place is alot different that I remember it! Way bigger - way nicer - way fancier. I may stop there from time to time... Anyways, after strolling through the baking isle and didn't find the bags of GF mixes. The next place to look is in the "health food" section. There's Red Mill stuff, Pamela's stuff, Gluten Free Pantry stuff, Arrowhead Mills stuff.... Now I'm getting a little ticked. How better can they hide it? So, in a last ditch effort, I went down the baking isle again. Really looking at every shelf, and finally saw the BOXES of GF mixes by Betty Crocker (TM). So I grabbed a box of chocolate chip cookie mix and a box of brownie mix. Finally, there will be some easy dessert joy!
Baking day arrives. I pull out the box. One mixing bowl, check! One BOX of cookie mix, check! One egg, check! Vanilla, check! One stick of softened butter - fail! I am off to the store again.
Next day - start over! Everything comes out. Mis-en-place. Let's bake cookies!
This mixture is really crumbly. It does not hold together like one would expect. It does hold together just enough when you press it on the spoon and push it off to form little mounds on the baking sheet. There are alot of chips in it, which is a good thing in my book! I always have to extend my baking time on GF stuff. There have been too many thing I have made which have been undercooked. Undercooked is NOT good. The directions said to bake until lightly browned...kinda like this:
The choice to make teaspoon sized or tablespoon sized cookies was a tough choice for me. I like a nice big cookie, but a little one to pop in the mouth is a sweet treat too. Starting out with the big one, it was obvious that the cookie flattens out to a thin size and it will break apart pretty easily. The teaspoon sized batch was made next, and those came out a little bit thicker.
All in all, the mix seems to be worth the effort. It is a sweet, chocolately treat that can be made up in minutes. I got 12 large sized cookies and 15 small ones. This was easily enough to fill up a plate and could be a fine dessert dish to bring along to any gathering or event.
Now we can break them into vanilla ice cream, or top them off with fudge frosting. Where's my glass of ice-cold milk? Who is missing out on dessert? Not me - especially when it's this easy!
As grocery day approached, I decided to make my way there instead of to my regular, closer shopping marts. That place is alot different that I remember it! Way bigger - way nicer - way fancier. I may stop there from time to time... Anyways, after strolling through the baking isle and didn't find the bags of GF mixes. The next place to look is in the "health food" section. There's Red Mill stuff, Pamela's stuff, Gluten Free Pantry stuff, Arrowhead Mills stuff.... Now I'm getting a little ticked. How better can they hide it? So, in a last ditch effort, I went down the baking isle again. Really looking at every shelf, and finally saw the BOXES of GF mixes by Betty Crocker (TM). So I grabbed a box of chocolate chip cookie mix and a box of brownie mix. Finally, there will be some easy dessert joy!
Baking day arrives. I pull out the box. One mixing bowl, check! One BOX of cookie mix, check! One egg, check! Vanilla, check! One stick of softened butter - fail! I am off to the store again.
Next day - start over! Everything comes out. Mis-en-place. Let's bake cookies!
This mixture is really crumbly. It does not hold together like one would expect. It does hold together just enough when you press it on the spoon and push it off to form little mounds on the baking sheet. There are alot of chips in it, which is a good thing in my book! I always have to extend my baking time on GF stuff. There have been too many thing I have made which have been undercooked. Undercooked is NOT good. The directions said to bake until lightly browned...kinda like this:
The choice to make teaspoon sized or tablespoon sized cookies was a tough choice for me. I like a nice big cookie, but a little one to pop in the mouth is a sweet treat too. Starting out with the big one, it was obvious that the cookie flattens out to a thin size and it will break apart pretty easily. The teaspoon sized batch was made next, and those came out a little bit thicker.
All in all, the mix seems to be worth the effort. It is a sweet, chocolately treat that can be made up in minutes. I got 12 large sized cookies and 15 small ones. This was easily enough to fill up a plate and could be a fine dessert dish to bring along to any gathering or event.
Now we can break them into vanilla ice cream, or top them off with fudge frosting. Where's my glass of ice-cold milk? Who is missing out on dessert? Not me - especially when it's this easy!
6.29.2009
Random thoughts
One of the things that no one wants to heartily embrace is change. We have a way of doing things. We have a comfort zone. Why rock the boat?
When it comes down to being well, sometimes we have to entertain the notion that the "same ol'-same ol'" may not be the best way.
Food intolerances have been on the uprise over the last number of years. Perhaps this is contibuted to more awareness of such intolerances and the desire of big name people to try to fight them.
About two years ago, I was experiencing some digestion issues. One thing that I don't like to do is to give up is stuff that I usually eat. But it came down to the notion that perhaps I should go GF.
I didn't need a doctor to tell me to do this. I am in control of what goes into my mouth. I chose to eat one way before, and I choose to eat this way now. It has benefited me in several ways so I continue. Do I slip up? Yes, I do. But for the most part, it is not that difficult to eat this way.
If you decide that you want to give up something, you just do it. In order for you to have an accurate blood test, you have to fast, and you do it. If you purpose to be a vegetarian, you strive to achieve that lifestyle. If you are unhappy with something in your life, you do what you need to do to change it. What kind of power is that? A great one, I'd say!
Are you having symptoms that won't go away no matter what you do? Should you go GF? Don't let addictions to food keep it's hold on you. Take control and do it! It may be the answer you're looking for.
When it comes down to being well, sometimes we have to entertain the notion that the "same ol'-same ol'" may not be the best way.
Food intolerances have been on the uprise over the last number of years. Perhaps this is contibuted to more awareness of such intolerances and the desire of big name people to try to fight them.
About two years ago, I was experiencing some digestion issues. One thing that I don't like to do is to give up is stuff that I usually eat. But it came down to the notion that perhaps I should go GF.
I didn't need a doctor to tell me to do this. I am in control of what goes into my mouth. I chose to eat one way before, and I choose to eat this way now. It has benefited me in several ways so I continue. Do I slip up? Yes, I do. But for the most part, it is not that difficult to eat this way.
If you decide that you want to give up something, you just do it. In order for you to have an accurate blood test, you have to fast, and you do it. If you purpose to be a vegetarian, you strive to achieve that lifestyle. If you are unhappy with something in your life, you do what you need to do to change it. What kind of power is that? A great one, I'd say!
Are you having symptoms that won't go away no matter what you do? Should you go GF? Don't let addictions to food keep it's hold on you. Take control and do it! It may be the answer you're looking for.
6.23.2009
An experiment
Summer brings out all sorts of things in us. Fresh pick your own strawberries, bar-b-q's, dining on the deck, trips to the ice cream stand. The must-have side dish is (drum roll......) macaroni salad!
I was goofing around with the idea of making a different kind of macaroni salad. The ideas came to reality in the kitchen the other day. Here's the low down.
I made a batch of GF macaroni noodles, and added a bottle of alfredo-cheese sauce to it.
Side note: Take a look at the different jarred alfredo sauces in the stores. You can probably find something that will not have flour in it. I cannot vouch as to whether or not it is truly GF, but when I don't find flour on the label, I give it a chance. Sometimes I miss a non-GF ingredient, though. You'll have to decide if you want to give it a chance.
Anyways, back to the salad. The noodles were saucy, and I added some cut up turkey into it. (Chicken or tuna would be tasty too.) Some of it was served up for dinner that night. Then, the leftovers went in the fridge.
A couple days later, I was looking at it, and thought, "macaroni salad". After macaroni sits for any length of time, it soaks up the moisture and gets kinda dry, as what was happening to my cold alfredo mixture. A little dollop of mayo got stirred in and the macaroni salad began to become reality. A little grind of pepper, a pinch of salt, and some celery seed... it was good! I think adding peas to it would make it even better.
Let me know if you try this summer favorite recipe.
I was goofing around with the idea of making a different kind of macaroni salad. The ideas came to reality in the kitchen the other day. Here's the low down.
I made a batch of GF macaroni noodles, and added a bottle of alfredo-cheese sauce to it.
Side note: Take a look at the different jarred alfredo sauces in the stores. You can probably find something that will not have flour in it. I cannot vouch as to whether or not it is truly GF, but when I don't find flour on the label, I give it a chance. Sometimes I miss a non-GF ingredient, though. You'll have to decide if you want to give it a chance.
Anyways, back to the salad. The noodles were saucy, and I added some cut up turkey into it. (Chicken or tuna would be tasty too.) Some of it was served up for dinner that night. Then, the leftovers went in the fridge.
A couple days later, I was looking at it, and thought, "macaroni salad". After macaroni sits for any length of time, it soaks up the moisture and gets kinda dry, as what was happening to my cold alfredo mixture. A little dollop of mayo got stirred in and the macaroni salad began to become reality. A little grind of pepper, a pinch of salt, and some celery seed... it was good! I think adding peas to it would make it even better.
Let me know if you try this summer favorite recipe.
6.18.2009
Restaurants
Sometimes you have to have a night off from cooking. It used to be slim pickings as to where you could find a normal restaurant with GF selections. Not so these days! The food service industry is coming up to bat for people with food sensitivities!
Where can you go and still order GF? It may not be news to some but the good old Outback Steakhouse has my first choice vote. The bread they bring to the table is GF. There is a section in the menu to choose several tasty entrees from. OK, you have to stay away from those blooming onions but the Alice Springs Chicken is my personal favorite!
Good-dae!
Where can you go and still order GF? It may not be news to some but the good old Outback Steakhouse has my first choice vote. The bread they bring to the table is GF. There is a section in the menu to choose several tasty entrees from. OK, you have to stay away from those blooming onions but the Alice Springs Chicken is my personal favorite!
Good-dae!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)