Announcement: I've moved my blog!

I am very excited to announce that I have packed my virtual bags and moved my blog to http://www.chicagonow.com/gladlyglutenfree 

I am now part of the ChicagoNow online community of bloggers writing about all things Chicago. I look forward to continuing to share experiences, recipes, recommendations, and research pertaining to celiac disease and living gluten and dairy free through this new site.

I've enjoyed my relatively short stay on Google Blogger and will continue to keep my older posts here. All new posts will appear on my ChicagoNow Gladly Gluten Free site. Over time, my older posts will be ported over and appear on my ChicagoNow Gladly Gluten Free site as well. 

Stop by for a visit. I'll have some warm, gluten free chocolate chip cookies waiting....not really, but maybe a recipe for them though!

Spring Garden Birthday Party

Even though Chicago weather isn't following suit, spring is definitely here....at least that is what the birds chirping at 6am are telling me. To celebrate this season that brings new life blooming with possibility, we decided to have a spring garden themed birthday party for my daughter. We had both gluten and gluten-free guests, so I made two versions of some of the menu items to accommodate both.

Menu
Party Chicken
Easy Roasted Potatoes
Vegetable Quiche
Springtime Butterflies and Flowers Birthday Cake
Flower Pot Cupcakes
Bird Nests
Assorted Fresh Fruit, Veggies and Hummus Dip (Tribe brand is gluten free)

We had several games and crafts focused on a spring theme. Most of the children attending were under the age of 6, so we tried to have games and crafts that were not too complicated. My daughter and I tried to show some restraint when shopping for all of the decorations, but it is hard when you are bombarded with cute little butterflies, spring chicks, and pastel flowers at these craft stores!


Games and Crafts

• Decorate and Fill a Flower Pot
• Face Painting
• Flower Toss
• Pin the Petal on the Flower
• Thank You Flowers

Decorate and Fill a Flower Pot
This is a fun and easy way to get kids excited for spring and express their creative sides.
Supplies Needed:

• Large folding table covered in butcher/craft paper
• Small terra cotta pots
• Spray Paint (whatever colors you choose)
• Spring-themed foam stickers, foam letters
• Glitter glue, markers
• Potting Soil 
• Small stones
• Assorted Seeds

Spray paint flower pots in assorted colors and let dry. Arrange all supplies on a large folding table covered in craft paper. When children arrive, they can choose various foam stickers, glitter glue, and markers to decorate their flower pot. When they are finished decorating, let them choose which seeds they'd like to plant in their pot. Place a stone at the bottom of the pot to cover the drain hole. Fill pot with potting soil and have the children sprinkle in seeds.

Face Painting
Kids always love getting their face painted. The key to keeping the party running smoothly is to offer a menu of a few choices (frog, butterfly, flower) and stick to those options! Hobby Lobby and other craft stores sell various brands of face paints. I personally like
Supplies Needed:

• Set of Paint Pots
• Paintbrush with fairly thin tip
• Cup with Water
• Paper Towel
• 2 Chairs (one for face painter, one for party guest)
• Menu of available options (I printed out a page with clip-art images of the choices)
• Hand Mirror (for looking at the finished product)

Flower Toss
This is is a riff on Bozo Buckets, one of my personal favorites as a kid growing up in Chicago.
Supplied Needed:

• Large flower pot
  
• Set of artificial daisies or similar large flower (remove tops from stems)
  
• Small stones
  
• Hot glue gun

Here, I use one "bucket" which is really a large flower pot. Kids toss the tops of artificial daisies into the flower pot, seeing how many they can get into the pot. Each of the daisies are weighted down by a stone that is hot-glued to the back. The game was such a hit that even grandma gave it a try!

Pin the Petal on the Flower
This is another riff of an old favorite - Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Kids are blindfolded and stick their "petal" on the flower stem, trying to get as close to the center as possible. At the end of the game, we had made quite a nice piece of modern art.
Supplies Needed:

• Craft paper (pink, green, yellow for the flower center)
• Tape
• Blindfold
• Chalk or marker

Thank You Flowers
Since writing thank you cards is something that I always have trouble keeping up with, we decided to give everyone their "thank you" when they left the party.
Supplies Needed:

• 14 inch dowel rods
• Green Paint
• Flower Graphic with Thank You message printed on it
• Clear Tape

Paint the dowel rods green, to look like a stem of a flower. Tape the thank you message onto the top of the dowel rod and insert into each of the guests' decorated flower pots. Miraculously, their planted seeds grew into a very thankful flower during the party!

Bird Nests

While visiting a friend with a lake cabin up in Hayward, Wisconsin, I was pleasantly surprised to find  Grandma Ferdon's production house which sells gluten free food! As one of my vacation souvenirs, I took home a bag of their Chow Mein noodles. Delicious! With spring upon us and Easter fast approaching, I tried to think of a way to put these chow mein noodles to work in a creative way other than the typical Asian stir fry dish. Why not make the ever popular and oh so easy little bird nests? My kids thoroughly enjoyed plopping the "eggs" into each of these nests. Don't worry. You don't need to travel up to Hayward to get your own bag of chow mein noodles. You can order them online.

Bird Nests
2 cups Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
2 cups gluten free chow mein noodles (Grandma Ferdon's)
Jellybeans (Lifesavers brand are gluten free)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave. Stir melted mixture. Add chow mein noodles and gently stir until fully coated. Drop by tablespoonful onto the lined baking sheet. Form into a nest shape using your fingers. Place a few of the colored jellybeans into the center as "eggs".

Flower Pot Cupcakes

When I ran across this in a magazine, I knew I just had to re-create it for my daughter's birthday. Although it looks complicated, it is really pretty easy to put together. The cupcakes are gluten and dairy free, made from Betty Crocker's gluten free chocolate cake mix and frosted with Pillsbury's strawberry frosting. When I contacted Pillsbury, I was happy to know that all of their frostings, with the exception of their Coconut Pecan flavor are gluten free.

Supplies Needed:

• Terra cotta flower pot
• Styrofoam ball (cut in half)
• Toothpicks
• 8-10 gluten/dairy free cupcakes (unfrosted, bake these in baking cups)
• Pillsbury Strawberry Frosting
• Large ziploc bag
• Frosting tip (#104 Wilton)
• Artificial leaves, artificial grass

Insert cut styrofoam ball into terra cotta pot. It will serve as the base for holding the cupcakes. Insert two toothpicks about halfway into the styrofoam. Gently place a cupcake on top, so that the toothpicks hold it securely in place. Continue inserting toothpicks and placing cupcakes on top until cupcakes are covering the flower pot.

Take the large ziploc bag and, using scissors, snip off a small corner. This is going to become your homemade frosting bag. Insert the frosting tip through the opening, just so it sticks through the bag. Fill the ziploc bag with the strawberry frosting, squeezing out any air pockets. Pipe the frosting around the cupcakes in a rose-petal fashion. Embellish with artificial leaves and grass.

Easy Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes are so easy and so delicious at the same time. The crispiness of the roasted potatoes makes it a yummy side dish to any weeknight recipe. Mix up the types of potatoes you use for a little change.

Easy Roasted Potatoes
3 lbs quartered potatoes (red, sweet, yukon, gold)
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place quartered potatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil to bowl, mixing with your hands to ensure potatoes are sufficiently covered. Spread quartered potatoes in pan and add salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes until browned and slightly crispy.

Party Chicken

This recipe is an adaptation of one of my mother-in-law's recipes. It is always a hit at parties (hence the name) and family gatherings.

Party Chicken
3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced in half, lengthwise)
1 (16 oz.) package bacon (Hormel, Applegate farms are two gluten free brands)
1 (2 oz.) package Carl Buddig beef lunch meat


White Mushroom Sauce
1 (8 oz.) package of mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp Earth Balance spread
2 tbsp brown rice flour
1 tsp potato starch
1 cup chicken stock (Rachael Ray, Kitchen Basics are gluten free brands)
1/2 cup Silk Almond Milk (original flavor)
Salt and Pepper to taste



Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Heat olive oil in large pan, add garlic, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to saute. Once mushrooms are cooked, remove from pan and set aside. In the same large pan, melt the Earth Balance spread. Add the brown rice flour and potato starch and whisk until it forms a thick consistency (roux). Slowly add the chicken stock and almond milk and continue whisking until it reaches a creamy consistency. Add the cooked mushrooms back into sauce and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a 9 x 13 baking pan, spread the Carl Buddig lunch meat on the bottom of the pan. Wrap a slice of bacon around each chicken breast and place in pan on top of the lunch meat.  Pour white mushroom sauce over the chicken and bake uncovered for approximately 3 hours. Chicken should be very tender when ready.

Vegetable Quiche

I had a little trepidation the first time I attempted to make quiche without cream, butter and cheese. Does it really qualify as quiche without those key ingredients? I had my cheese-loving sis over for lunch the other day and made this quiche. Her response? "It's really good. I don't even miss the cheese and I love cheese!" This recipe has a mix of spring vegetables, but you can add whatever vegetables you have on-hand. The Parma! vegan parmesan helps give it a hint of cheese flavor. This one will be on our Easter brunch menu and can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Crust
This crust recipe is taken from Nestle/Libby's Gluten Free Pie Crust recipe. I just adapted it to be dairy free.


1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold Earth Balance vegan shortening, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 to 4 tbsp ice water


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine potato starch, tapioca flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Form well in center. Add egg and vinegar; stirring gently until just blended. Sprinkle with water. Blend wet and dry mixtures together with a fork and clean hands until it just holds together and forms a ball. Divide ball in half, wrapping one half in plastic wrap for later use. Place remaining half on lightly floured (use rice flour) sheet of wax paper. Top with additional piece of wax paper. Roll out dough to desired thickness, remove top sheet of wax paper and invert dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Slowly peel away wax paper. Place empty pie crust in oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Filling
6 eggs
1/3 cup Silk Almond milk (original flavor)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Parma! Vegan Parmesan
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil

1/2 cup leek (chopped)
2 cups assorted chopped vegetables (carrots, asparagus, red bell pepper)
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic (minced)

Once crust is finished pre-baking, remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in saute pan. Add minced garlic and chopped leeks and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped vegetables and continue to saute. When the vegetables a crispy soft, add the baby spinach and seasonings and continue to saute until spinach is slightly wilted. Remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and almond milk together, adding seasonings (salt, pepper, Parma!, basil, and oregano). Take vegetable from saute pan and pour them into the pre-baked crust. Add the egg mixture and pour over the vegetables. Bake 35-40 minutes or until egg mixture is set and golden.

Almost Gluten Free Goldfish Crackers

In our attempt to find a gluten free replacement for the elusive, bright orange Goldfish cracker, we recently tried a new product, Cheese Bites, from Schar. The verdict? Yummy! They do contain real cheese, and therefore milk, so I could not take part in the taste test. Of the three remaining in our household (two of which eat gluten), everyone agreed that they are a tasty, cheesy cracker. Here is the breakdown:

• Husband: "These are light and cheesy. I actually like them better than goldfish."
• Daughter: She was too busy devouring them to provide commentary. Just a thumbs up. Way up!
• Son:  "These are good mommy. These are better than fishies because they have triangles and square and circles too."

Hmm....educational crackers?

Against the Grain - A Sampling of Great Gluten Free Breads

Is good gluten free bread an oxymoron? I used to think so. I can recall bringing home loaves of gluten free bread from the grocery store that literally made a "thud" noise when dropped on my kitchen counter. Bread shouldn't do that. I can also recall trying to make a sandwich with two pieces of gluten free bread, only to have them collapse into two useless piles of crumbs. I must say that I have come across some really good tasting breads, english muffins, and bagels lately that rival gluten containing breads. Look for whole grain varieties, and you can boost your fiber intake a bit too. Below are a few of my favorites.

Udi's
I've jumped on the Udi's bandwagon. Their white and whole grain sandwich bread is fabulous. It toasts very well, holds up to sandwich fixins', and tastes delicious. Their bagels are monstrous and my son's favorite. Check on their website for a $1.00 off coupon because a small loaf is usually over $5!

Deerfield's Bakery
Available online through their bakery website, in Whole Foods Markets throughout Chicagoland, and in some specialty stores (All Ways Healthy in Lake Zurich carries the baguettes), the Deerfield's rice bran mini baguettes and dinner rolls are the chewiest, most delectable gluten free breads I've tasted. A real treat.


Kinnikinnick
Tapioca Rice New York Style Plain Bagels are a morning favorite in our house, but Kinnikinnick makes a variety of breads and bagels that are chewy and great when warmed or toasted.

Enjoy Life
Placing one of their Classic Original Bagels next to an Udi's bagel is almost comical. It is half the size with the same amount of calories. This bagel is a little powerhouse though. It is very dense, has a slight sweetness to it, and is loaded with nutrients. It is very good warmed up with peanut butter slathered on top.


Food for Life
The Brown Rice English Muffins are the perfect housing for eggs as a breakfast sandwich or lunchtime snack. They toast up well and are a good source of fiber (4 grams for the whole muffin). The White Rice and Brown Rice breads are dense but yummy too.

Breadsmith
Located throughout Chicagoland, Breadsmith's bakery makes gluten containing breads and pastries, as well as gluten free breads and muffins on certain days of the week. You can buy them and then freeze for later use, but be sure to call ahead to place your gluten free order. I've tried several of their gluten free breads, along with their pizza crusts, muffins, and cookies (these contain dairy). There is a sweetness to their baked goods which makes them great as a dessert bread, in french toast, or topped with sweet spreads such as peanut butter and jelly.

French Quarter Flavors for Mardi Gras - Jambalaya

New Orleans is full of so many interesting sights, sounds, and flavors. No better time to celebrate the spirit of New Orleans than during Mardi Gras this week. This Jambalaya dish is taken from Emeril Lagasse's cookbook, "New New Orleans Cooking" and adapted to be gluten free. Emeril has a pleasantly surprising number of products that are gluten free, including his Essence seasoning that I use below. Chock full of shrimp, chicken, and andouille sausage, this jambalaya stands as a meal all by itself. Don some beads and you're ready to eat!

Jambalaya
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and chopped
1 cup boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
1 cup gluten free andouille sausage (Aidells Cajun Style Andouille, Al fresco Roasted Garlic are two brands)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 tsp worcestershire sauce (Lee & Perrin's brand is gluten free)
1 Tbsp Emeril's Essence (Original or Bayou Blast)
1 tsp salt
3 turns freshly ground pepper
3 cups cooked brown rice couscous or cooked brown rice (Lundberg's brand makes a gluten free rice couscous)

In a bowl, combine shrimp, chicken, and seasoning until well blended. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a pan, adding the shrimp and chicken. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then add the sausage, onions, peppers, celery, and garlic and stir fry for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add in tomatoes, bay leaves, worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cooked brown rice couscous and let simmer for 5 more minutes until flavors are combined. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

In the News...

Here are some new research findings and product offerings pertaining to celiac disease.

Celiac Disease - Asthma Connection

A recent study of Swedish patients with celiac disease showed an increased risk of developing asthma when compared to patients Swedish patients without the condition. Likewise, those patients who had asthma also had an increased risk of developing celiac disease. Full article published in Reuters.

University of Chicago Mouse Model Study Suggest Clues to Celiac Disease

University of Chicago's Celiac Disease Center is at the forefront of celiac research and has created a mouse model to study the triggers leading to the development of celiac disease, along with its relationship to other autoimmune diseases such as Type-1 diabetes. New research findings point to a biochemical interaction that may trigger the autoimmune response in celiac disease. Full article published in USA Today. 

Coming Soon - Kellogg's to Offer Gluten Free Rice Krispies

I contacted Kellogg's consumer line and received confirmation that they will be offering a gluten free version of their Rice Krispies cereal in May 2011. The representative could not provide me with information about any additional products being made available, but get those marshmallows ready for the Rice Krispie Treats!

Subway is Testing Gluten Free Products

Subway is currently testing a line of gluten free sandwich buns and a gluten free brownie dessert in their Texas market.

Kim & Scott's Now Offer Gluten Free Pretzels 

The famous soft pretzels that so many of us moms and kids have enjoyed at the Kohl Children's Museum now has a gluten free pretzel offering. I'm looking forward to trying one of these!

Just in Time for Easter! Annie's Offers Gluten Free Bunny Cookies

Annie's brand, known for providing organic versions of many comfort foods and snacks, now offers Gluten Free Bunny Cookies. Available varieties are Vanilla/Chocolate bunnies, SnickerDoodle, and GingerSnap (contains milk). 

Semi-homemade Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Coconut Frosting

We are always looking for something sweet in this house after dinner. Short on time, I headed to the freezer and pulled out some unfrosted chocolate cupcakes I had made using Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Devil's Food Cake Mix. Once re-heated in the microwave, they were just as moist and chocolately as the day I had made them. Now, how to frost them. We concocted a Vanilla Coconut Frosting that tasted great with sweetened coconut shavings for garnish. I used Bob's Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour in the frosting to give it that hint of coconut and a little fiber boost. This cupcake was worth a few extra minutes on the treadmill tomorrow morning!

Vanilla Coconut Frosting
1/4 cup Earth Balance Vegan Shortening Sticks
3 Tbsp Tofutti Imitation Cream Cheese (no butterfat version)
1 tsp Mc Cormick's Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup C & H Powdered Sugar
2-3 Tbsp Silk Vanilla flavored Almond Milk
1 Tbsp Bob's Red Mill Organic High Fiber Coconut Flour
Baker's Angel Flake Sweetened Coconut for garnish

In a blender, combine the Earth Balance shortening and Tofutti Cream Cheese. Blend at medium-high speed until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and coconut flour. Add in vanilla extract and almond milk, blending until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with sweetened coconut flakes. This recipe generously frosted 6 cupcakes.

Semi-homemade GF/CF Pizza

At the end of a long day, it is really nice to have dinner be a simple phone call away. You dial your favorite pizza joint and 30 minutes later, dinner arrives at your door. Unfortunately, gluten free/casein free pizza delivery has not yet arrived to McHenry county, so it is up to me to either create my own pizza or pull one of the pricey, pre-made gluten free pizzas from my freezer. Amy's brand does make some pretty tasty dairy free pizzas with a rice flour crust available in the freezer section of select supermarkets. When you are looking for a homemade taste but are short on time, here is a semi-homemade recipe to try. You can swap in any pre-made gluten free crust, but I really enjoy the Breadsmith's seasoned pizza crust. They are available in most all Breadsmith bakery locations throughout Chicagoland. You can buy them and then freeze for later use, but be sure to call ahead to place your gluten free order. Most Breadsmith locations dedicate a certain day of the week to baking their gluten free items.

Semi-homemade Sausage and Veggie Pizza
1 pre-made gluten/casein free pizza crust (Breadsmith seasoned crust)
1 8 oz. package Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Mozzarella Style Shreds
1 jar Classico Marinara with Plum Tomatoes and Olive Oil
2-3 links Al Fresco Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage, chopped
Chopped sweet peppers (red, yellow, orange)
Baby spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Thaw pizza crust (if previously frozen) and spread marinara sauce on top of crust. Generously layer chopped sausage, chopped sweet peppers, spinach, and Daiya cheese shreds on top of crust. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is golden brown.

Springtime Meal - Pork Loin Chops in Red Wine Sauce, Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

March has finally arrived, and we are on the cusp of Spring. I felt optimistic seeing the sun shine brightly over the still frozen Chicago ground today and melt the last bits of remaining snow.  So, I decided to add some fresh asparagus to our risotto this evening, and it added just the right flavors. Try this risotto recipe with the pork chops and you won't be disappointed. Credit to the cookbook "Tastes from a Tuscan Kitchen" by Madeline Armillotta and Diane Nocentini for their Pork Chops with Sage and Chianti recipe that I adapted here.

Pork Chops in Red Wine Sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
5 pork loin chops
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp ground sage
12 ounces of cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup red cooking wine (Holland House brand is gluten free)

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, browning the pork chops. Add the minced garlic, parsley, and sage and saute with the chops. Add the cooking wine and cherry tomatoes and simmer for 30-45 minutes, allowing sauce to reduce and pork chops to tenderize.

Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto
1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio Rice (Rice Select is one brand that is gluten free)
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup white wine
4 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (Pacific Foods, Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock and Swanson's Natural Goodness are all gluten free brands)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 bunch roasted asparagus (chopped into bite sized pieces)
1 10 oz. package of mushrooms (chopped)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees for roasting the asparagus. They can roast while the risotto is cooking. For risotto, saute onion and mushroom in oil until onions are translucent. Add rice and stir for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the white wine. Add 1 cup of broth to the pan and continue stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until all liquid is absorbed. While risotto is cooking, wash and pat dry asparagus. Lay asparagus on cooking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss asparagus to make sure all spears are lightly coated with the oil. Place in preheated oven and roast until crispy soft (approx. 10 minutes). Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and slice into bite sized pieces. When risotto has absorbed the last remaining broth, add the asparagus pieces and gently stir into risotto before serving.