LIST - The Best Gluten Free Holiday Gifts

Give the gift of gluttony

Having Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance is not a gift I would ever gift. But there are plenty of gifts you CAN give to make your gluten free friend or family member feel special. Here I've compiled some ideas for different types of gluten free-ers: The Newbie, The Cook, The Traveler, The Reader, and The Adventurer.

Just remember, holidays are about giving, not receiving. Don't take a sneak taste at the goodies you give. No matter how well you reseal that package, we'll all be able to tell it was opened.


For the Newbie: Give the gift of gluten free baked goods, show 'em there are replacements for all that "wheat" stuff.
1.  Goodies from Mariposa Baking Co. - Based in Oakland, CA, this bakery is truly magical. I went there a few months ago and almost had to be dragged out (see the review here). From fresh baked gluten free breads to frozen take-home goodies, this place is the ultimate score. Check out their gift sets, which you can order online and have shipped across the US. 

2. Sweet Treats from BabyCakes on Gilt Taste - Check out Gilt Taste's offerings of gluten free (and vegan) goodies from BabyCakes in NYC! I've visited the bakery, and trust me, it's good. They have a bunch to choose from including banana bread, double chocolate cake, muffins, and chocolate chip cookies.

3. Baked Goods from Schär Gluten Free - Based in Europe (Italy, Germany, UK), normally you would have a hard time finding these gluten free products in the US. I first came across them at a small health-food store in NJ, and now everywhere I go I keep an eye out. The rolls are just stellar, they come par-baked so they don't get dried out in transit. They're light, chewy, just perfect. Order some from their website and make your gluten free-er's dreams come true.


For the Cook: These cooking essentials will ensure they are fully stocked to make some great gluten free food. As the gift giver, you can certainly insist on some samples.
1. Gluten Free Flours from Bob's Red Mill - Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a bag of xanthan gum!! Bob's Red Mill is like the Wall-mart of gluten free ingredients. They have everything you need to cook anything gluten free, from gluten free oats to gluten free all purpose flour. Be sure to check out their gluten free bakers bundle, a great gift set.

2. Measuring Spoons with a 1/8 tsp - You'd be surprised how often you need a 1/8 tsp. measure for making gluten free food. These are nice stainless steel and can be separated. Especially good for a kitchen that cooks gluten-filled foods too. Your gluten free-er can have his or her own separate measuring spoons to ensure there's no cross-contamination.

3. Refillable Cooking Spray - It may seem like a gag gift at first, but this is truly practical. Gluten free cooking requires a lot of spraying to make sure your goodies don't stick, so this refillable canister saves a lot of dough over time.


For the Traveler: These gifts make traveling gluten free much easier and less stressful.
1. Food and Travel Translation Cards - A heck of a lot easier than trying to learn how to say "I am allergic to wheat, barley..." in many languages. If you know someone that is a frequent international traveler (or even planning their first gluten free vacation), this is a great gift so he or she can be stress-free and communicate clearly with restaurant staff. Available in Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Thai, Arabic, Spanish, you name it! It even features cards to multiple allergies like lactose intolerance + gluten free or nut allergy + gluten free.

2. LÄRABAR in Bulk - Stuffing your travel bags with snacks is no longer limited to a trick your mother has! I love LÄRABARs because they are natural and simple, made from whole foods, tasty, and they are all gluten free. You can buy online in bulk, or get a fun variety pack.

3. Triumph Dining Gluten Free Restaurant Guide - The most recent restaurant guide from Triumph Dining features over 6,500 restaurants with gluten free options across all 50 states in the US. At nearly 500 pages, this guide is great for a road-tripper to always have an idea of where to get their next gluten free meal.


For the Reader: Some great material to learn all about the gluten free lifestyle.
1. Journal of Gluten Sensitivity - A quarterly journal published by Celiac.com, available in print or online. This subscription is perfect for someone curious about the latest scientific research and information for those with Celiac.

2. Gluten-Free Baking Classics by Annalise Roberts - In my opinion, the best gluten free cookbook for making amazing breads, wonderfully chewy pretzels, moist cakes, even apple pie. The perfect gift.

3. Gluten Free Living Magazine - The first national magazine dedicated to the gluten free lifestyle. Printed quarterly, this magazine focuses on helping individuals living with Celiac or gluten intolerance, understanding mystery ingredients, and understanding more about Celiac disease.


For the Adventurer: New ways to have a wheat-free adventure!
1. Gluten Free Cooking Classes - A fun way to meet new people and learn to cook some great gluten free foods. Also, after your recipient takes the class, you can absolutely demand some samples. It's a win-win. Check out ICE in NYC, but also many cooking schools across the country have gluten free classes.

2. A Gluten Free Vacation - I stumbled across this site the other day, and this is a perfect gift for someone looking to travel in a group with a set itinerary. This company adds another dimension by scouting and planning meals at that are gluten free. They are even able to customize trips for you if you do not wish to travel with a group.

ARTICLE - Should a Whole Family Knock Out Gluten for One Celiac Member?

I recently joined the American Dietetic Association (ADA) as a student member(!!) and they send me these amazing daily newsletters with health and nutrition articles. This one came in the newsletter today.

Read the full article from The Daily Telegraph in Australia here

Here's the question: If one member of your family has Celiac (or a gluten intolerance), should the whole family cut out gluten?

It's not as easy to answer as you think. It is definitely easier and cheaper to cook one meal for dinner. When I was younger, my dad would make 3 meals a night: one for me (the vegetarian), one for my mom (the lactose-intolerant), and one for him and my brother, who fortunately would eat anything. Cooking multiple meals is a pain in the butt, especially when you've got gluten-filled mixed with gluten-free. It works for some meals like burgers, but 9 times out of 10 I would choose to keep it all simple and gluten free.

But that doesn't mean your whole kitchen has to be a gluten free zone. Those that can eat gluten should. There are many vitamins and nutrients present in wheat and barley that are difficult to replace. It's totally fine to make the non-gf family members some pancakes for breakfast, a sandwich on wheat bread, or some cookies for a dessert treat. Just be sensitive to keeping your "glutard" safe!

Here's how you can successfully keep a mixed gluten kitchen without accidentally glutinating someone:

- Keep the toaster oven a gluten free one. Fully clean it out so your gluten free family member can put their toast right on the rack! Put all gluten-filled foods in tin foil. Suck it up.
- Don't leave gluten-filled foods open on the counter or in the pantry. Wrap them up to avoid crumbs contaminating something else.
- Be mindful of utensils. If you are scooping peanut butter/jelly/mayo/etc onto gluten-filled bread, scoop and fling it onto the bread; do not touch the knife to the bread until you are done dipping it into the jar. You don't want to contaminate the jar with bread crumbs.
- Do a good job washing dishes (if you do them by hand... like me). Don't leave any gluten behind.
- Don't take your grimy, glutiney hands and go touching everything in the house. Wash them first.
- If you have gluteny leftovers, label them in the fridge. I like to put a sticky note with a skull and wheat  crossbones on them (see above). That way everyone knows that there is danger inside.

*** Note: gluten intolerance is a spectrum, and everyone has a different level of intolerance to the stuff. While I write here that you can put a piece of gluten-filled bread on some foil in the toaster and it's ok, that doesn't mean that this is safe for everyone. You know best how sensitive you are, so be cautious.


What do you think? If you live in a mixed-gluten household, how do you handle preparing meals and keeping your gluten-free family members safe?

RESTAURANT - Pizza Fusion: LA + NJ

I try to make it back to LA, where I'm from, at least once a year. See my nearest and dearest friends. Jay-walk knowing you're not allowed to, but doing it anyways because I'm a New Yohkah now. Remembering how to drive. Amoeba Records*. And now, visiting Pizza Fusion in West Hollywood.

Last year our trip to LA was the Eric's first trip sans-gluten. We did all the research ahead of time, and Pizza Fusion stood at the top of our list. It did disappoint. Because he was a bit of a gluten free virgin, the waiter was thrilled to tell him about their multiple gluten free beers, gluten free pizza crust, and, oh ya, a gluten free brownie!

Since last year's LA trip, we went to another Pizza Fusion location in Red Bank, NJ. Totally different atmosphere, in a good way. Replace vegan models for families, bar service for BYOB, and teens practicing for their singing audition with children singing loudly.

After these two great gluten free times, Pizza Fusion in WeHo (ya, I'm that cool) was on the top of our to do list. Look up to see the gluten free flatbread with olive tapenade, artichoke dip and marinara. I'm pretty sure the flatbread is the same crust as the pizza, but it's extra crispy.

And here is the gluten free pizza with vegan soy cheese and pepperoni. This crust is ridiculous. Ya, you'll pay a little more for the crust, but just keep the toppings simpl and the price is pretty reasonable.

End your meal with an AMAZING gluten free brownie. The first time we got this last year, the waiter was almost giddy to bring it out to us. It's like when you are throwing someone a surprise party, and YOU are the person bringing the guest of honor to the party. I did this a few years ago for my good friend Sam, and it took everything I had not to spill the beans and burst out laughing 10 feet from the door.

See for yourself...

Check out Pizza Fusion's website for more info. There are lots more locations than the two I mentioned.

Pizza Fusion
7950 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90046
(323) 375-3390

Pizza Fusion
95 Broad St.
Red Bank, NJ 07701
(732) 345-1600

Photos by Lobo Jones Photography
www.lobojones.com

* I'm leaving out one very important place from my list of things I look forward to in LA. In N' Out burger. Duh. I figured it was overkill to mention In N' Out and Pizza Fusion in one post. It's just unfair to the readers. Fear not, East Coasters! Check out The Burger Garage in Queens. See my post here.

RECIPE - Gluten Free Pasta w/ Turkey Meat Sauce

No, you're not looking at the cover photo for a popular gluten free magazine. This is some straight up home cooking! Photo courtesy of Eric Van't Zelfden. Plates and ambiance courtesy of Kristin Van't Zelfden.

The idea for this dish is for it to be super easy. We made this on our vacation in California. It was our last day in LA before driving up the coast to San Francisco, and we wanted to make something quick, easy, with minimal leftovers. Ta Da!! This is so easy, and if you already have your meat defrosted you can cook it in 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb gluten free pasta (we used the fusilli from Trader Joe's)
1 can tomato sauce (we use the marina from Trader Joe's, seeing a trend?)
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp italian seasoning (a great blend includes basil, thyme, parsley, red pepper flakes, and garlic)
salt and black pepper
parmesan cheese on top

Directions:
Sauce
Heat a saute pan with olive oil. Add turkey and stir to break the turkey up. Once about half way cooked, add 1 tbsp of the italian seasoning and keep stirring until the turkey is fully cooked. Add the tomato sauce, rest of the italian seasoning, and some salt and pepper. Keep the temperature very low and heat the sauce slowly.

Pasta
As if you don't already know. Heat a lot of water. Once it boils, add a lot of salt. Add pasta. Stir. Stir every few minutes. Taste to see if it's cooked. Once it's nearly cooked, drain. **Here's the trick**. Put drained pasta back into its pot and add in sauce. Add in fresh parsley. Heat until sauce boils, stirring constantly. Heat for just 2-3 minutes and serve.

RESTAURANT: Hot Spud in San Francisco, CA

Hot Spud is a relatively new restaurant in San Francisco near Fisherman's Wharf, and it is a potato paradise! I don't know where they get their spuds from, but they are all the exact same size, and gigantic. I'd say the size of a mango.

The process of making a hot spud is fascinating. First, they find the perfect potato that has been baking slowly. They split the spud, scrape down the sides, and mash it up with butter, salt, and cheese. So already you have a base of mashed spud. Then, they add the toppings. In the picture above we have sausage, peas, corn, olives, sour cream, and some special sauce. Top it off with some sour cream and you've got one giant spud!

Mostly everything is gluten free, with the exception of some obvious croutons. Even the sweet potato brownie and sweet potato cheesecake are gluten free!! Here's a pic of the sweet potato brownie. Delicious!

Hot Spud
2640 Mason St (b/w Jefferson and Beach Streets)
San Francisco, CA 94133
www.hotspudsf.com

BAKERY - Mariposa Baking Co in Oakland, CA

For those of you that religiously follow my tweets (@gfmf_nyc) you know that I recently visited the creme de la creme of gluten free-dom. Say "hello" to Mariposa Baking Company in Oakland, CA.

Here are a few of my favorite things about Mariposa:

1. It feels like the Willy Wonka factory for gluten free goods. You can see straight into the bakery and see all the bakers and staff bakin' up some magic.

2. Fresh. Baked. Gluten Free. Bread. The best I've ever tried.

3. They ship across the country. Shipping is a little pricey, but it's worth it.

4. Gluten free "rye" bread. Didn't get a chance to try it, but not for lack of trying.

5. All the customers in there have the expression of a 5-year old waiting to get into Disney. 

The only thing that brought us back to reality was the bagel. Compared to everything else, it was sub-par. Not so much of a chewy bagel as a dense, cornbread-like good. Still good, don't get me wrong, just not as good as everything else. 

Now, time for some food porn courtesy of Eric Van't Zelfden... You might want to pause and get a tissue before scrolling down...

Everything Bagel

Room Temp Section

Fresh Baked Breads!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cookies!

Chilled Section

RECIPE - Gluten Free Chicken Fajitas w/ Fresh Corn Salsa

Beat the heat... with this spicy dish!?! It may sound odd, but eating hot and spicy foods in the summer actually helps you stay cool. The spicy food helps you sweat, and the more you sweat, the better your body can cool off. And for me, making this dish is a much better (and tastier!) idea than turning off the AC.

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I recommend slicing in half "hamburger" style so they are thinner, cook faster, and have more surface area for those spices)
2 tbsp mexican spice blend (mine contains cumin, garlic, onion, oregano, chili powder, and a little cinnamon)
2 tbsp canola oil
2 zucchinis
2 bell peppers
1 red onion
corn tortillas (read the label and make sure you are not getting any wheat in your corn tortillas)
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh corn salsa (see recipe below)
toppings: sour cream, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, and chopped cilantro

Directions:

In a Ziploc bag, add the chicken, 1 tbsp canola oil, a little salt and pepper, and spice blend. Close the bag and mix around until the chicken is coated with the spices. Let sit for about 20-30 minutes.

Heat your grill or grill pan until it's very hot. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, slice the onion in half, and slice the peppers into quarters. Drizzle with a little canola oil and salt, and grill until about 2/3 of the way cooked. Remove from heat and cover with foil to let steam finish cooking the veggies.

Add the chicken to the grill and cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on how thick your chicken is. In the meantime, warm the corn tortillas on a gas burner or in a toaster oven. If you has a gas stove, simply turn a burner on low, throw the tortilla on, and flip once the tortilla is warm and gets a little char (about 10-15 seconds).

Slice chicken into thin slices, chop the veggies, and assemble your fajitas!



Fresh Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

2 ears of corn
1 tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4 grilled red onion (from recipe above)
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp agave syrup
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Remove husks, add a little canola oil, and grill the corn for a few minutes until it starts to get charred. Slice the jalapeno in half and grill. Chop the jalapeno and remove seeds for a more mild heat.

Once cooled, remove the kernels from the corn, and mix in a bowl with the chopped grilled jalapeno, chopped tomato, chopped grilled red onion (reserved from recipe above), lime juice, olive oil, agave, and salt and pepper. Mix and let sit for about 10 minutes. Mix again and taste for seasoning.

Serve with the fajitas above or with any other Mexican dish!

RECIPE - Gluten Free Garlic Bread

Even vampires would have trouble resisting this delicious, toasty, gluten free garlic bread!

Try this at home! The hardest part is making the bread! The rest is easy, and a great way to enhance the bread you've baked. Especially useful for stale bread, just add a few drops of water onto the bread before the oil and garlic.

Ingredients:

1 large loaf of gluten free French/Italian bread from "Gluten Free Baking Classics" by Annalise Roberts. Check out her website here. Purchase the book on Amazon here.
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or through a garlic press
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp italian seasoning (mixture of basil, parsley, oregano)
salt and black pepper
1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Let your freshly baked loaf of gluten free bread cool. Try to resist the temptation of nibbling.

Slice bread in half "hamburger" style and lay flat. Mix together olive oil, garlic and spices. Slather on bread halves.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until the bread starts to get toasty. Add mozzarella cheese and bake for another 5 minutes until cheese melts. Slice and serve!

RECIPE - Grilled Chicken w/ Pineapple Salsa

Not to toot my own horn, but I have to admit this dish is definitely in the top 10 healthiest meals I've concocted! Michelle Obama would be proud. Paula Deen probably would not be.

I realized after typing out the recipe that this plate perfectly follows the new USDA food guidelines for a healthy meal, called MyPlate (see NYT article here). No more silly food pyramid! This new guide shows us an actual plate, sectioned off to show how much fruits, veggies, grains, and protein we should be eating.

So, apparently here's how we should be eating. 1/2 of our plate (however big it may be) should be fruits and veggies (but it looks like slightly more veggies than fruits). The rest should be split between grains and protein (more grains than protein, tho). All topped off by a side of dairy. And, you only get a fork. No knife or spoon.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

Even though this is lightyears better than our old friend the food pyramid, there's still a lot to be desired.

- There is no guide as to how big the plate should be. There's really no mention of serving size at all. All they say is "enjoy your food, but eat less" (NOTE: this is an actual quote)
- Under suggestions for your "dairy" circle are chocolate milk, strawberry milk, pudding, ice cream, and American cheese. Seriously?!?
- Under suggestion for your "fruit" corner they have fruit cocktail. This is not fruit, it's canned fruit remnants with sugar water.

Honestly, though, I was very surprised that these were the only items on their page that made me cringe. Otherwise, this website is a very useful guide to healthy eating. They talk about legumes, nuts, fats as a healthy part of your diet (whoulda thunk?), empty calories, and reducing sodium intake.

Now there's no excuse. Mrs. Obama is telling you to eat better, and you have to listen to her. She's like the nation's mom now, don't disappoint her!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (or 2 large ones cut in half hamburger style)
1 cup yellow rice or brown rice)
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
2 zucchinis, sliced
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 tbsp of your favorite spice blend (mine just has garlic, salt, pepper, paprika)

Directions:

Place chicken into a plastic ziploc bag. Add 2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil and spice blend. Seal bag and mix around until chicken is fully coated. Let marinade for about 20-30 minutes.

To make the salsa, mix pineapple and tomato in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add avocado and squeeze lime juice on top. Add cilantro and mix very gently, being careful not to mush the avocado. Let sit while the chicken is marinading and cooking. Stir again before serving.

Make the rice according to package directions.

Slice the zucchini, rub with a little canola oil, and sprinkle w/ salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini for about 3 minutes per side. They should be about 2/3 of the way cooked. Remove and cover tightly with tin foil to finish cooking.

Shake off excess oil and grill the chicken until cooked, time varies depending on grill and how thick your chicken is.

PRODUCT REVIEW - Immaculate Baking Co GF Cookie Dough

I was inspired to buy this awesomely-convenient refrigerated gluten free cookie dough from this commercial:

That is some fine advertising. And, if you put lots of veggies on your pizza like I do (see recipe here), you can almost consider your meal healthy.

Not to take a total commercial detour, I do want to share this commercial with ya'll. It's pretty much the best thing I've seen on TV in a long while. At least since Dexter was last on.

Anyways, I found this mix by Immaculate Baking Co. at our BRAND NEW Khim's Millenium Market on Myrtle Ave. A bit pricey, I think $6 for the 12 cookies, but definitely worth a try. The cookies are HUGE, you'll be fine with just one.

I was pleasantly surprised with the cookies, they were soft, chewy, and had a nice texture. Even 3 days later the leftover cookies were soft. That's something that even wheat-filled cookies oftentimes can't match. And you can't beat the convenience.

Now, Immaculate Baking Co., time to make some of your other products gluten free!!

LIST - Gluten Free for a Crowd

This might be a BIT of an exaggeration, but hey, people are gluten free!

It's that time of year in NYC... the time when everyone is finishing their spring cleaning, prepping for summer, and having parties. And since I'm not in college anymore, normally at parties people feed you! It's a great concept. But hosting a party for a crowd, especially if you are gluten free, can be a big challenge. Why? Take a look:

• If you are like me, you are anal about food being cooked properly and being hot when served. This is hard to achieve with a crowd because you usually have to cook food in batches and it may take a while to serve lots of people
• People like variety, so when cooking for a crowd you tend to have more dishes to offer than if you were just cooking for yourself or your family
• People have their own special diets (like you!) only different. There are vegetarians, vegans, people that don't eat fish, people that don't eat red meat, even people that don't eat veggies!
• Groceries. Cooking for a crowd can cost a lot, especially if you serve alcohol in addition to your meal.
• Dishes. Need I say more?

Now, I am certainly NOT trying to be a Martha Stewart or Sandra Lee type and tell you my time-tested tips. These are things that work for me. If it doesn't work for you, or if it doesn't sound "quite right", then don't do it!

What to Make?

• Don't accommodate wheat-eaters - don't feel obligated to make a dish containing wheat if you're the only gluten-free person at the party. They'll live. If it's a pot luck, they can always bring something glutenny.
• Slow cooking - I am a big fan of making a giant hunk of meat for a party. Anything you can put in an oven or crockpot for hours is awesome. You hardly have to touch it the whole day. 
• BBQ - another great way to cook gluten free (who cooks wheat on a grill?!??!) Just throw some meat and veggies on, get some good BBQ Sauce (like Sweet Baby Ray's), and you're good to go.
• Healthy choices - unless you're having a Super Bowl party, it's always a good idea to make your party as healthy as possible. It'll save you time and money.

Saving Time

• The night before - all this can be done the night before your party: chopping veggies, defrosting/trimming meat, making dessert, making spice blends
• The hours before - all this can be done the morning of your party: cooking starchy side dishes like rice and potatoes, putting everything cold in their serving bowls, pre-cooking veggies and meat, setting up your crock pot or roast.

Saving Money

• BYOB - you never get to old to ask guests to bring some wine or other booze. 
• Do it Yourself - instead of buying the pre-sliced carrots or taco mix from a packet, make it yourself. Fresh veggies are cheaper than the pre-sliced ones, and you probably have all the spices you need to make any blend
• Naturally gluten free - especially if there are only a few guests that are gluten free, don't try to impress with gluten free breads or gluten free pasta. First, you'll probably have one guest that insists the wheat version is "so much better' (annoying), and second it's so much cheaper to keep it naturally gluten free.

Sense the inspiration?

Sample Menu
We made this menu last weekend for 25 people. Only took ~3hrs to prep and cook everything, and probably cost ~$75 (included standard stuff not listed, like plates and napkins).

Sangria - made with Trader Joe's red wine, rum, apples, peaches, pears, blueberries.  Oh, and made in our giant plastic cauldron leftover from Halloween. It was a nice touch.

Appetizers - corn chips w/ guacamole and salsa, guests brought a few appetizers as well

Meat - a giant hunk of pot roast cooked in my crock pot with tomatoes, onion, chili pepper, hot sauce, a little water, and spices (garlic, cumin, chili powder, ancho chili powder, salt, pepper, oregano). Cooked for ~6hrs and shredded.

Sides - spanish rice (cooked with tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepper, and same spices as above), black beans (cooked with onion, garlic, and same spices as above), fajita veggies (zucchini, peppers, onion, mushrooms cooked with same spices as above). Also with standard taco toppings: tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, lime

Dessert - gluten free chocolate/raspberry cake, guests brought other desserts (including gluten free brownies!)

RESTAURANT: P.F. Chang's

If you haven't already been, do yourself a favor and find a P.F. Chang's. I know it's a chain, but it's really good food. And they are very sensitive to food allergies. My favorite part is when you get your gluten free menu, it states all the special care that the restaurant will go through to ensure that you don't get glutinated: separate gluten free soy sauce, gluten free foods served on different plates and different colored plates, ingredients lists, etc.

Some of our favorite gluten free menu items:

- chicken lettuce wraps

- spicy chicken

- mongolian beef

Now if only we could get a location in NYC....

RECIPE - The Anti-Salad

Spring Vegetable Salad with herbed rice. The perfect anti-salad.

Who decided that LETTUCE should be the main ingredient in a "salad"? No one really enjoys lettuce, we all just put up with it because, hey, no calories. No more!

The only times lettuce is acceptable is: on a cheeseburger or blt sandwich, on some fancy sandwich (but only arugula or some frou-frou lettuce), or on P.F. Chang's gluten free lettuce wraps (which are awesome, btw).

But ALL other times, lettuce should stay away.

Yes, Romaine, I'm talking to you.

That's why I love the idea of the anti-salad, made with brown rice as its base. The taste is better, the brown rice is more filling and contains more protein than lettuce, and the salad stores easier and actually tastes better after a day or two. And with some simple gluten free ingredient swaps (like gluten free tamari soy sauce, and fresh or dried herbs instead of packaged rice mixes) you'll want to make about 10 lbs of this salad and share with all your friends.

Here are my two newest versions of the ANTI-SALAD:

Spring Vegetable Salad (pictured above)
makes: a lot
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
1 red onion, cut for roasting
1 fennel bulb, cut into 6 or 8 pieces
1 large zucchini, quartered
10 spears of asparagus, trimmed
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
6 or 7 large mushrooms, cut into thick slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp dried or fresh parsley
1 tbsp dried or fresh thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

Directions:
Place these veggies (or any other spring vegetables you want! get inspired here) on a roasting pan and lightly coat with olive oil, salt and pepper: red onion, fennel, zucchini, asparagus. Roast in a hot oven for about 30 minutes, until all veggies are nicely browned. Once cooked, let cool and then chop into bite-size pieces.

While the veggies are roasting, make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, vinegars, herbs, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Blanch the peas in boiling water for just a minute or two. Let cool and pat dry.

Assemble the salad: mix all veggies in a large bowl (including peas, mushrooms, and roasted fare). Add in rice and gently stir until fully mixed. Add half the dressing, mix, and add the other half.

Non-Fried Fried Rice Salad. To make it real fried rice, reheat and add sliced omelette or shrimp.

Non-Fried Fried Rice Salad
makes: a lot
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
1 lb edamame, cooked and removed from shell
1 1/2 cups snow peas, cut in half
4 scallions, finely sliced
2 cups broccoli, roasted (I roasted with veggies in recipe above)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, blanched and cooled
1/2 cup gluten free tamari soy sauce (I use San-J reduced sodium)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp hot sauce (try sriracha)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp agave syrup (a little more if you don't like spicy foods)
2 inches ginger root, sliced

Directions:
Mix all veggies (including edamame, snow peas, scallions, broccoli, corn) in a large bowl. Add in rice and gently stir to mix.

To make the dressing, mix gluten free soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, sesame, agave, and ginger in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. If you like, remove the ginger before adding to salad (I like to keep it in as a "surprise").

Add half the dressing to the salad and mix, add other half and mix again. Enjoy!

LIST - I Can't Believe It's Gluten Free!

Holy smokes, Batman!!! You won't believe the gluten free foods we've got here!!


It's been almost a year since Eric kicked wheat to the curb, and I've been thinking a lot recently about how much he has to limit what he eats because of this food allergy. It got me wondering that sometimes it's possible to be overly careful and miss out on some gluten free foods that are just fine to eat.

Hopefully while reading this you'll make a face like Lucy's above. These are ingredients and products that I was surprised to find out are gluten free, even though they definitely don't seem like it at first. Just remember, always do your research! If you are dining out, never assume that something is gluten free, ask the wait staff to make sure. And if they are not sure (like if you get the response "gluten? what's that?" you might be better off passing.

Buckwheat

Yes, I know that you are now programmed to cringe at anything with the word "wheat" in it, but this type is OK. Buckwheat, in fact, is not wheat at all. It's just a regular old plant that has flowers and seeds, and those seeds are ground up and used in noodles, groats, pancakes, farina and more. They are most frequently seen in Japanese soba noodles and in buckwheat pancakes or crepes in fancy cafes. Just be sure to ask and make sure that the buckwheat was not mixed with regular wheat flour to make the dish.

Doritos (most kinds)

Now, I don't normally support bagged, preservative-laden, chemically snacks that can sit on the shelves of your pantry for years. But I am always excited to see when the folks that make these snacks take the time to figure out if people with food allergies can eat them. Take Doritos. On their website they list if each type of chip is gluten free, contains trains fat, lactose free, casein free, onion free, additive free, msg free and is pork free (the pork free thing is a little odd, but I guess it's good to know...). You'll notice that all Doritos except Nacho Cheese and Spicy Sweet Chili contain no gluten ingredients. Thanks, Frito Lay. You make it much easier for millions of gluten intolerant Americans to get their snack on!

Chex Cereal (5 flavors)

Another example of a big company helping out the little people by telling them which products won't make them crawl into bed for days on end. Chex cereal has been heavily marketing it's 5 types of gluten free cereal: Rice, Honey Nut, Chocolate, Cinnamon, and Corn. They even have a slew of gluten free recipes on their website!

Tamales

Tamales are a delicious Latin American dish made of corn masa stuffed with meats, cheese, and veggies and steamed inside a wrapper of corn husks or plantain leaves. They're gluten free because the corn masa traditionally is only made from corn. Check out Trader Joe's frozen beef tamales, or support your local Latin American restaurants and get some authentic, probably home-made, tamales. Just be sure to confirm that there is no wheat flour in the mix.

Tamari

Tamari is a kind of soy sauce, actually it was the original soy sauce first invented in Japan. Tamari traditionally contains little or no wheat, and if you purchase gluten free soy sauce from the supermarket, chances are it is Tamari.

Fruit by the Foot

I'm not sure why I was so surprised to learn that Fruit by the Foot snacks are gluten free. Maybe it's because Fruit Roll Ups, a very similar sugary delicious snack, do not say "gluten free" on their label. Check out the General Mills website for nutritional info on every product they make. The Fruit by the Foot says "gluten free" right on the top right of the label.


Breadfruit


I couldn't help it, had to throw this one in there. For anyone that's watched Top Chef, you probably know already that breadfruit is not a loaf of bread shaped into a strawberry or pear. It's a regular old fruit, just with a spongy texture that will remind you of bread. Fooled ya, didn't I?

Oats


I wanted to include oats on this list with a word of caution: regular "Quaker Oats" are NOT gluten free. The thing about oats is that they are naturally gluten free. But in modern times, there is so much darn wheat everywhere that it frequently contaminates the oat fields. I exclusively use Bob's Red Mill's gluten free oats. They are grown on fields away from wheat fields, packaged in a gluten free facility, and each batch is tested for the presence of gluten. If you have an extreme gluten sensitivity then you should avoid, but for the vast majority of folks these oats will be just fine.

Kosher for Passover foods


Some of you may be aware that Passover ends tomorrow evening. I recently was surprised to find that many Kosher for Passover foods are gluten free. Foods such as cakes, cookies, macaroons, even some types of matzoh are gluten free. Without going into too much detail, about a gagillion years ago when the  Jews were fleeing slavery from Egypt, they were forced to roam the desert for 40 years without any sort of bread or bread products. To commemorate their toils in the desert, during Passover no bread or bread products are eaten. Be careful, there are still many products that do contain wheat flour, like matzoh. But I was very excited to see so many gluten free products on display. And now is the perfect time to pick up ~10 lbs of macaroons (like I did) since they will be on sale in the markets.

What other surprising gluten free foods have you encountered?? Leave a comment or email me at gfmadefriendly@gmail.com and I will expand this list!

RECIPE - Pork Chops with Mango Avocado Salsa

I know what I'm making for dinner tonight!!

This kind of naturally gluten free recipe has recently become my go-to. The formula is simple. Meat + spices + vegetable oil + grill + fruit/vegetable on top = yumm. Pork is usually better with fruit, but don't be afraid to try fruit with other proteins!

For a vegetarian version, just replace the meat with black beans and a little cheese. I usually make black beans with chili powder, garlic, and cumin (essentially taco seasoning. Check out Trader Joe's taco seasoning, it's gluten free). They go really well with the fruit and are a satisfying and nutritious meal.

One note. Be careful of packaged spice blends. Some of them may contain fillers that are derived from wheat or barley. Always check the label or do your research ahead of time.

Here are a few different variations:
- pork chops + garlic/herbs + avocado/mango/tomato (this recipe)
- chicken + chili/cumin + zucchini
- steak + garlic/cumin/herbs + broccoli
- pork chops + cilantro/pepper + avocado/pineapple
- chicken + curry + peas

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 pork chops (or 2 giant ones like the picture above). I used boneless, but whatever kind you have available is fine
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp spice blend (garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, tiny bit of cinnamon)

Salsa:
1 mango, diced (I used the sindhri mango because it was on sale. It's smaller and sweeter than the typical mango)
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced (I was lucky to discover a tomato man at the farmers market in Union Square. Literally best tomato I've ever had. For those of you in NYC they are at the market on Wednesdays and Saturdays)
1 avocado, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
salt + pepper

Directions:
For the pork, place chops into a big ziploc bag. Add vegetable oil and spices and toss together to coat. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Grill pork chops over medium-high heat (I use an indoor grill pan. Works just as well as an outdoor grill. If you are missing the smokey flavor from outdoor grilling, add a few drops of liquid smoke to the marinade). For chops as thick as I used, cook 8-10 minutes per side. For thinner chops, cook for less time. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

For the salsa, dice the mango and tomato and add to a medium size bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and toss to coat. Then at the LAST MINUTE, dice the avocado and add to the bowl. Add lime juice right on top of avocado and toss very lightly. If you overmix the avocado breaks up too much. Right before serving toss again.

Ta Da!!

What's your favorite gluten free meal to cook on the grill??

NEWS - Chef Damian Cardone is a Douchebag!

I know, it's not nice to call people names. But this one is totally justified.

So, Damian Cardone is, or shall I say was, the executive chef at Tavern on the Green, which was one of New York City's most famous restaurants. Located in Central Park, the restaurant was known as being romantic, classy, and luxurious. The restaurant closed in 2009 after financial troubles.

Now we learn that their executive chef not only doesn't believe in Celiac disease, he admitted to SABOTAGING diners' attempts to maintain a gluten free lifestyle.

Look at what this moron posted on his Facebook wall:

"Gluten free is bullsh**!! Flour and bread have been a staple of life for thousands, THOUSANDS of years. People who claim to be gluten intolerent [sic] dont [sic] realize that its [sic] all in there [sic] disturbed little heads. People ask me for gluten free pasta in my restaurant all the time, I tell em sure, Then I serve serve em our pasta, Which I make from scratch with high gluten flour. And you know what? nothing, NOTHING! ever happens! People leave talking about how good they feel gluten free and guess what, They just had a full dose! Idiots!"


Wow. 


Read the full article on Foodista's website here.


Thank you Andrea from Foodista on exposing his douchbaggery.

NEWS - Amy's Gluten Free Products

Photo from www.amyskitchen.com

Ok, we all have heard that Amy's has a bunch of gluten free products. But now they have MORE. I'm excited.

I discovered this bounty of gluten free goodies at the newly opened Khim's Millenium Market near my apartment in Brooklyn (note: this location isn't on their website yet). It is NUTS in there. There is a wall of Bob's Red Mill Products. They have Greene's beer (way too expensive, but it's neat that they have it). They have refrigerated gluten free cookie dough. The list goes on and on. They have it all.

Anyways, in the freezer section I noticed a bunch of new Amy's gluten free products. Here's some of their exciting new products, as well as some old favorites.

Here's a link to Amy's website and their list of gluten free products. I think the list of gluten free products is a little old and not updated for their new items.

1. Gluten Free Burrito - cheddar cheese and a dairy free option. Made with a rice tortilla.
2. Sonoma Veggie Burger - made with quinoa
3. Gluten Free Pizza - made with rice flour crust. Available in a dairy free option as well.
4. Gluten Free Dairy Free Mac N Cheese - yummmmmm. Made with rice pasta and non dairy cheese.
5. Mexican Casserole Bowl - Made with beans, cheese, veggies, and chunks of corn masa.
6. Gluten Free Chocolate Cake - haven't tried this one yet, but will be very soon

Have you tried any of these products?? Let me know how they were!

RECIPE - Gluten Free Turkey Chili

It's that time of year again. The time where it's just turned to spring, but still feels like winter. Thanks a lot, Punxsutawney Phil. I know you said it would be an early spring, but you forgot to let us know it would only last a WEEK before going back to winter.

To help get through this faux-spring that we're in, here's a simple chili recipe.

My original plan for this meal was to take 2 cans of chili (1 Amy's, 1 Trader Joe's, both gluten free) that I was sure we had in the pantry and just combine the 2. Genius, right? Amy's are always vegan and full of nice vegetables. But the Trader Joe's one has meat and no recognizable vegetables, perfect for Eric. By combining the 2 you get the best of both.

Turns out we only had the Amy's chili left. That definitely wasn't going to be enough for 2 full dinners, so I started poking around the refrigerator. You can pretty much add anything you want to this dish. You can keep it vegetarian and add mushrooms, carrots, tomato, and corn. You can spice it up a ton and add peppers, onion, chili peppers and hot sauce. Or you can take my approach and add turkey and veggies for a sweet and spicy chili. Not to toot my own horn too much, but it was fantastic.

Ingredients

1 can Amy's chili (they have lots of gluten free varieties, all are vegan too)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 - 1/2 lb ground chili
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 diced tomato
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
salt + pepper
hot sauce, as needed
sliced avocado, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, corn tortilla chips for garnish

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Add turkey, stir to break it into little pieces. add the spices and continue stirring until almost fully cooked. add the tomato and frozen corn kernels, continue cooking for a few minutes. Add canned chili and stir until heated. Adjust spices and add hot sauce if needed.

Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado and some tortilla chips.

RECIPE - Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Cake!!

Sometimes you just can't decide between chocolate and coconut. It's ok, you can have both.

This recipe is so EASY, you won't believe it at first.

First, take a package of gluten free chocolate cake mix. I use Bob's Red Mill. Second, make the cake batter, substituting the milk in the recipe for chocolate milk or chocolate soy milk. Next, bake the cake.

Now for the coconut. Just take a container of vanilla frosting (make sure it's GF!), add about 1/3 - 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, and stir. If you have coconut extract, add about 1/2 tsp and stir again. Let sit for about an hour to help soften the coconut.

Frost the cake, then sprinkle on some extra coconut shavings.

 don't worry... this was not just ONE slice.

Ta Da!! Easy as pie... I mean... cake. You'll also remember the raspberry chocolate cupcakes I made a few months back with another gluten free chocolate cake mix. The possibilities are endless. Here's a few other ideas on how to modify gluten free cake mix:

• Add white chocolate chips to the chocolate cake mix. frost with white frosting and add extra white chocolate chips
• Add white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts to vanilla cake mix. 
• replace any water in vanilla or yellow cake mix with pineapple juice. fill the center of the cake with less frosting and fresh pineapple chopped up. sprinkle coconut shavings on top of cake.
• Mix any flavor of metled fruit preserves into frosting. if it has seeds, remember to strain them out! Make sure the frosting has cooled before icing the cake.
• Create a four layer cake. split the 2 layers each in half, then alternate laying fillings with sliced strawberries/splash of booze (fruit liquor? chocolate liquor?) and fill the other layers with traditional icing. The booze helps keep the cake super moist, and using fruit instead of frosting means that you won't need to buy and extra frosting tub to finish the cake off!

LIST - Help! I've Been Glutinated!!

This is how Eric describes being glutinated. Read all about it here

I'm sorry to have to tell you this. No matter how careful you are, no matter how much self restraint you have, no matter how diligently you grill the waitstaff at a restaurant, there will come a point where you will be glutinated.

Now, there's no need to feel ashamed. It happens to everyone.

Here are some tips to help get you through your glutination:

1. Don't Purge

Just because you accidentally ate a little gluten doesn't mean you should go hog wild and start scarfing down bagels and donuts like your at some state fair's bagel and donut eating contest. It's not worth it, and you'll just feel a thousand times worse.

2. Do Some Detective Work

It's really important to try and figure out where this mystery source of gluten came from. It can as simple as "oops, I shouldn't have eaten that piece of bread" to something far more complicated like cross contamination or hidden ingredients in foods. Even if you can only narrow it down to a few different sources, it will help you because you'll be more careful in each of those situations. If you don't some detective work, you're likely to be glutenated again by the same source.

3. Take Advantage

Don't try to push through the pain. If at all possible, call out from work, cancel your meetings, and relax. You are genuinely ill.

Now, I'm not saying you should purposely glutinate yourself just to stay home from work. That would be ridiculous. And sad. Just pull a Bueller.

4. Gain Back Your Tummy's Trust

While your stomach and intestines are dealing with the gluten inside of you, don't then overload yourself with other foods that are tough on your system. Just like when you're sick with the flu, eat simple foods, and avoid dairy, acid, spicy foods, lots of fats, and heavy seasonings. You want your stomach to focus on the gluten and the gluten only, not on a mound of fiery chili with peppers and sour cream.

5. Get Back On That Horse!

Even though being glutinated can seem like a major setback in your fight against all things wheat, there's no need to shut yourself in from restaurants and new foods. Learn from your glutination, don't be overwhelmed with fear by it.



Have you been glutinated before?? Share your experiences and tips on how to deal!