Happy New Year!

It was 3 years ago that I made on New Year's Day my last gluten-y breakfast, consisting of an Dutch apple pancake, a recipe that I now do with white rice flour and it is just as delicious as I remember it being Jan 1st 2007, with the added bonus of not making me sick.

Today, my husband Jim and I are celebrating our new beginning in D.C. and the wellness we both have achieved through my astringent gluten-free diet with some Scrabble by the fire and some classic rock jams.

This morning, my friend Amy came by and we had coffee and played some viol duets. Woodycock from the 16th century kicked our butts, but with a little more practice we'll get it!

Here is what we had for lunch:




Faux Pho
Make some chicken broth, strain, set aside. If you're feeling more traditional, make oxtail or beef broth.
Saute shallots, minced, 4 cloves garlic, minced and half a head of cabbage, shredded
Spice it with grated ginger and red pepper flakes
Add to the broth
Pan fry some shrimp and add in
Boil up some fettuccine-style rice pasta separately (seems crazy, but if you boil them in the broth it gets kinda slimy) and set aside (or add in to your broth if you don't want it to get sticky)
Poach two eggs
[boil a few cups of water; add 1 t sea salt and 2 t rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. crack yr eggs into a small dish; turn off the heat, slide in the eggs, cover for just under 5 mins; remove from the hot water.]
Add juice of half a lemon to your broth, adjust ginger and add sea salt to taste, wheat free tamari if you like soy. Add star anise and lemongrass if you have it (more pho-like)
When your eggs are ready:
Fill yr 2 bowls with noodles, then with the broth, portion out the shrimp, and drop one poached egg in the middle of the two bowls. Garnish with scallions and dulse and chilies if you like a little heat.


And for our listening pleasure, Jim found this LP at the local CD Cellar:
Renaissance of the Celtic Harp by Alan Stivell (1971)

Stunning, repertoire spanning centuries of celtic and bardic harp, orchestrations featuring full chorus, strings, tabla, scottish drums, guitar and double bass. Basically this is my dream record!

Happy 2010 to you all. New beginnings, out with the old, fresh starts all around.

best G-F chocolate ever!!

Um, this is really, really, really x 1000 good chocolate:



Alter Eco

And that is all I have to say...! e n j o y .

Worms -n- Dirt!

Goat City Original, inspired by large communal dinners made in the AS220 kitchen in Providence in the late 90s. I think Mark Pedini and Matt Everett are the ones who named this dish so aptly.

Worms -n- Dirt

8 oz. lentils
12 oz. cooked brown rice pasta or other g-f pasta (I used Tinkyada veggie spirals)
1 bunch of beets with their greens scrubbed, peeled and chopped into bite sized chunks
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
Braggs
2-3 cloves garlic
1 t cumin
1/8 t cayenne
salt and pepper

Start by boiling your lentils til tender, about 25 mins. Prepare beets and steam bottoms for 10-15 mins, add in the greens in the last mins of steaming. Strain out lentils and place in a large bowl with your steamed beets and greens. Boil your pasta (mine took 15-16 mins). Drain and rinse, add to bowl. Saute garlic in olive oil, add to bowl, along with your spices to taste and a goodly splash of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Braggs (if I had to guess how much of each, I think 1/4 c olive oil, 1/8 c ea of vinegar and Braggs). Stir gently and taste. I sometimes add a little more Braggs, sea salt or balsamic vinegar to get the balance right. Serve warm. This feeds an army. I have made it many times for traveling bands coming through our house.
Enjoy!!

Goat City House Concert and G-F meal!

Last night some amazing folks graced our living room with their performances:





Amy Domingues, viola da gamba and voice
singing her 1600s ode to Tobacco while accompanying herself on this beautiful instrument.





Jozef van Wissem, lute
Jozef played at our house as the last date of an extensive US tour. He's flying home right now to the Netherlands on a three part flight itinerary, thanks to Delta airlines.
Before the concert, we ate this lovely spread of food:



The lasagna was a Goat City original recipe...

Goat City Spinach, Manchego and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Lasagna

for the sauce:

6-9 red bell peppers, roasted whole in oven at 500 degrees for 20 mins or til blackened, then peeled and seeded when cool.

food process 1/2 c your favorite olives (I used sundried tom stuffed greens). add roasted red peppers and a mixture of sauteed and slightly carmelized shallots and garlic (about 4-5 cloves garlic and 1 lg shallot). add a can of Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes and pulse til chunky/smooth. chop up 1/2 c parsley and stir in; set aside.

filling =
1 lg bag spinach, steamed and pureed in food processor, then dump out into a lg bowl and add: 1 pack of Chavrie garlic/herb chevre, grated lump of Manchego to taste, 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper to taste plus smashed 1/2 c toasted pine nuts (less if that's too much to your tastebuds).

I used Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles, 1 box.

to assemble:

ladle in 1/3 sauce in the bottom of your pan and spread. add 1/3 of your noodles. add half of the filling, 1/3 sauce, 1/3 noodles. add the rest of your filling, then top with noodles, then rest of sauce, then more grated manchego. I also grated pecorino romano on top. cover and bake at 375 for 30 mins.

Enjoy!!

Band-Aids aren't supposed to hurt you...

Hello, and welcome to Gluten-Free Goat City.

After my recent skin biopsy for DH, I was sent home wearing a latex (whoops!) band-aid. A few bandage changes later I had a really uncomfortable rash. Thanks to my Celiac Disease, I am extremely sensitive to latex. There may be gluten in the adhesive as well. So to avoid this unsightly and uncomfortable skin condition, I can recommend these cruelty-free, latex-free and gluten-free Eco-Guard Band-Aids from Vegan Essentials.


A nice rep there called the manufacturer for me to make sure they are indeed gluten-free. I haven't had a chance to try one out yet, but when I do, I will be sure to update this post.

Naturally Dah'ling and more

I just found a very helpful blog and website called Naturally Dah'ling, and I wanted to share it with you. If you are like me, and cannot use ANY shampoos/conditioners, soaps, makeup, toothpaste etc containing any gluten, then this blog is for you too!
Happy perusing!

From Natural Solutions, here is an info-packed article about gluten-free body products, where gluten hides in your everyday shampoo or lip balm and some companies sporting some gf cosmetics etc:

Gluten-Free Glamour

By Allison Young

Kristen Campbell was sensitive to most eye makeup. Nevertheless, she persisted valiantly in her quest for smoky eyes, but even 100 percent hypoallergenic mascaras and liners would leave her eyes puffy. Each time she had a bad reaction, the 29-year-old switched brands, but nonirritating makeup eluded her. And that wasn’t all: Her back and chest sported breakouts and certain shampoos gave her scalp an instant rash.

In March 2008, Campbell was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, something experts say can affect up to 30 percent of the population. Believing “what goes on, goes in,” Campbell not only purged her diet of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, she overhauled her makeup bag, handing off anything that contained “hydrolyzed wheat protein,” a form of wheat found in everything from conditioners to face creams. Her skin responded almost immediately—her eyes stopped itching, her rash receded, and her breakouts cleared up.

Get off the gluten
Not all dermatologists agree that gluten can be absorbed through the skin and no scientific study exists that proves or disproves the theory, which leaves both patients and doctors in gluten limbo. But Kathleen Davis, MD, an integrative dermatologist in New York City, tells people to avoid using gluten on their skin if they think they’re allergic to it. “Why take a chance?” she says. Rodney Ford, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist in New Zealand and author of The Gluten Syndrome (RRS Global Ltd., 2007) doesn’t need published proof; he sees firsthand how gluten can affect the skin, from itching to rashes. “I meet literally thousands of children and adults with gluten problems. Many of the children even have issues when they touch Play-Doh, which is usually made from wheat flour,” says Ford.

Instead of waiting for proof, due diligence would dictate that anyone with a gluten intolerance should avoid gluten-containing beauty products. That’s especially true for those that could potentially be ingested or inhaled, like lipsticks, face wash, hand soap and cream, toothpaste, mouthwash, and hair spray.

But fear not: If you must avoid gluten in your skincare products, plenty of alternatives offer similar moisturizing and antioxidant qualities to vitamin E–packed wheat germ oil. Carrots, pumpkins, papayas, and other fruits all provide deluxe reparative treatment for skin and hair. Carrots, for example, earn a place on the beauty all-star team because they boast nourishing and antiseptic properties, making carrot oil or extract a champion blemish defense. Pumpkin’s natural UV protectors and its anti-inflammatory compounds makes it a perfect option for sensitive skin, while papaya contains papayin, a natural enzyme that nimbly exfoliates, tightens, and regenerates skin.

Where wheat lurks
Not long ago, getting your hands on gluten-free cosmetics was the equivalent of finding a bobby pin in a beauty haystack. If you suspect gluten is giving your skin and scalp a hard time, weeding out anything with “wheat,” “barley,” or “rye” in the ingredient name is only the beginning; gluten can sneak in under aliases. Luckily, gluten-free products abound and several websites take out some of the guesswork. Check out naturallydahling.com, cosmeticskitchen.com, and glutenfreecosmeticcounter.blogspot.com for the newest, gluten-free finds. In the meantime, here are our top four ingredients to purge from your list:

1. Tocopherols (vitamin E): Often extracted from wheat germ, vitamin E shows up in tons of products, from face cream and moisturizer to lipstick and eyeliner. Look for vitamin E derived from other sources, such as safflower.
Also listed as: mixed tocopherols; natural vitamin E; d-alpha-tocopherol; dl-a-tocopherol; tocopheryl.
2. Triticum vulgare (wheat): Whether it’s the wheat protein, germ extract, or germ oil, look out for this grain found in lipsticks, moisturizers, conditioners, hair color, and shampoos.
Also listed as: triticum aestivum germ oil; triticum vulgare germ oil; triticum vulgare (wheat) protein; proteins, triticum vulgare; triticum vulgare proteins, hydrolyzed wheat protein; hydrolysate; wheat protein hydrolysate; hydrolysate proteins, wheat; wheat hydrolysate proteins; glutens, enzyme-modified; wheat gluten, enzyme-modified.
3. Hordeum vulgare (barley): Both the extract and the flour can be found in creams, hair products, lip glosses, and antiperspirants and deodorants.
Also listed as: hordeum vulgare extract; hordeum vulgare seed flour; hordeum distichon (barley) extract.
4. Avena sativa (oats): The flour and protein of this grain, often cross-contaminated with other grains, crops up in creams, hair products, face powders, body washes, and blushes.
Also listed as: avena sativa flour; avena sativa kernel flour; oatmeal; avena sativa extract; avena sativa kernel protein. n

Allison Young is a freelance writer in Phoenix.



The Gluten-Free Gang

Verikira Naturals
Cucumber Body Lotion
Slather on this blend of cucumber, rose, neem, and coconut extracts and say good-bye to scaly skin. ($26, 7.5 oz; verikira.com)

Lavera
Lipstick
Lick your lips all you want with this moisture-rich lip treat. The triple threat of organic shea butter, jojoba oil, and almond oil protect and prime your pucker. ($21; lavera.com)

The Body Deli
Fruit Smoothie Masque
Don’t mask gluten, avoid it with this luscious mask that features green papaya enzymes, a gentler exfoliant than harsh glycolic acids. ($28, 1 oz; thebodydeli.com)

Desert Essence Organics
Fragrance Free Shampoo
Who needs wheat when you’ve got organic sea kelp for strength and organic green tea for shine? This entire line is 100 percent vegan, 100 percent biodegradable, and wheat- and gluten-free. ($9, 8 oz; desertessence.com)

ZuZu Luxe Mascara
No need to cry over itchy eyes with this water-resistant, vegan mascara that adds length and layers to lashes. ($15.25; gabrielcosmeticsinc.com)

Jason Kids Only!
Foaming Hand Soap
Kids’ hands often end up in their mouths, so keep them clean and gluten-free with this fruity liquid soap. ($8.99, 8 oz; jason-natural.com)

Peter Rabbit Organics
Baby Shampoo and Wash
Bathe baby’s sensitive skin and scalp in plant-derived goodness without worrying about a wheat or gluten reaction. Bonus: It’s great for you too. ($13.99, 12 oz; econatura.com)

Gluten Free Biscuits!

Want to make a chicken or turkey pot pie? Dumplings in soup? or just plain, delicious biscuits for breakfast?

Here is a great recipe from The Gluten Free Cooking School site:

GF Biscuits

1 1/2 c. brown rice flour
1 c. tapioca starch
1 c. potato flour
1/2 c. sorghum flour
2 t baking powder
2 t sea salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
2 t xanthan gum
1 stick butter or 8 T Earth Balance (I use soy free EB)
1 1/4 c. your favorite milk sub or milk
1 1/4 c. water
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 egg or egg replacer

Preheat oven to 350. In food processor, mix dry ingredients. Add butter/EB. Pulse in. Drop in an egg and the vinegar, mix. Add milk and water (you might want to add it a little at a time. I think I cut back on the water a little, but the dough will be wetter and stickier than reg biscuits).

Drop spoonfuls onto greased parchment and bake for 15-20 mins. (I used half of the recipe to top a chicken pot pie and it ruled!)

Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by.

Dutch Pancake Sunday Brunch!

What a great day. Turntable from freecycle in Arlington. Espresso drinks. New product discovered at Whole Foods:

Turtle Mountain So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverages!





I am looking forward to trying it. I got the unsweetened variety, but I think the vanilla will taste great in coffee...have to check the label on that one, but the unsweetened one in the green packaging is DEFINITELY gluten-free.

And enjoy the coffee drink with this Dutch Pancake recipe:

3 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c white rice flour
----------------------
2 T Earth Balance or butter
1 apple, diced finely
2 T maple syrup, honey or agave
1/2 t cinnamon
dash nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450.

In a saucepan, melt the soy free Earth Balance. Add maple syrup, honey or agave, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1 apple finely chopped. Cook down for 1-2 mins.

In a large bowl, beat 3 eggs til frothy. add your favorite gf milk and white rice flour.

Pour the apple mixture into a small 8" baking pan. Pour batter on top (better if you let it rest for 30 mins). Grate nutmeg on the top.

Bake at 450 for 15 mins, then 350 for 5 mins, or until set. Pull it out and let it stand for 10 mins (if you can stand to wait...!)

I would have included a picture, but we ate it. We topped ours with maple syrup. You could do apple butter or more carmelized apples on top, plus some whipped cream if you're feeling decadent.

Enjoy! Time to go frolic in the sunshine.

Glutened...by salsa?? yup.

Looks so innocent, doesn't it?



Beware the "smoke flavor"!
Muir Glen Medium Chipotle Salsa contains:
NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR (CONTAINS ORGANIC MALTED BARLEY FLOUR)...! AARRGH!
I read that 4 days in (after the asthma, itching, fatigue and immediate scratchy throat finally [duh!] clued me in). Lesson learned? Always, always, always check the label. My thinking was it's tomatoes, hot chipotle peppers, lime, salt...it's freaking salsa!! Think again. Sheesh. Any products that might have a vinegar or smoke flavor should be checked and double-checked.
(Note: their other salsas/products appear to be mostly gluten-free. Please check!)

Gluten-free Pumpkin Cake with Maple Icing

Try out this Pumpkin Cake recipe from Karina's Kitchen!

Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake Recipe

I altered her recipe to use no cane sugar (I used honey). You can sub 2 cups brown sugar as the sweetener if you prefer.
I also used 2 cups roasted red kuri squash in place of the canned pumpkin b/c I couldn't find any in the store (!) It came out great.

For the cake:

2-3large organic free-range eggs
3/4 c. honey, agave or maple syrup (or a combo)
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 15-oz can cooked pumpkin
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
2 cups gluten-free flour mix (I used 1 c. sorghum flour, 1/2 c. tapioca flour and 1/2 c. brown rice flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon gluten-free Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 10 x 13"/bundt baking pan with greased foil or parchment.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl till light and frothy; add the honey, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the GF flour mix through sea salt). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture a little at a time and beat to combine- for two minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Cool on a wire rack while you make your frosting.


Maple Cream Cheese Icing:

8 oz. softened cream cheese or vegan cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter or vegan margarine
3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar (more, if needed)

Beat until the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time; beat till smooth. Add another tablespoon maple syrup, if needed. Add more sugar, if needed.

When the cake is cool, frost with the Maple Cream Cheese Icing. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.

Yields 15 pieces.

This was the best cake EVER! I didn't even frost it since I am trying to be cane sugar and dairy free these days, and my husband and I could see how it would be delicious with it, but it tasted so good without it! Next time I will add some chopped walnuts and maybe some chocolate chips...mmm.

Enjoy the amazing fall weather...
Til next!

Viola da Gamba day

Hello, and welcome back to gluten free Goat City.

Today I had an introduction to an instrument that I have long wanted to try, the viola da gamba. The bass viol I got to play has six strings and frets.



The bow was a stumbling point for me with the underhand hold and different feel. I have a lot of work ahead of me...

Also, I have heard back from some companies regarding my favorite products that have been given the gluten-free stamp of approval:

Nana's Cocina tortilla chips, Original and Red Salsa flavors from nearby Manassas Park, VA.

Intelligentsia, all coffees and espressos, from my favorite US roaster in Chicago.

Yay, more gluten free products for the list. It's growing...!

Time to go try my new bow hold. Pumpkin Cake recipe coming soon...

happy anniversary!

Dear readers,

I couldn't have made it all of this way without many of you whom I know, but I especially wouldn't be in such a good place today without Jim. Today is our second wedding anniversary.

Jim's attributes are many, not the least of which is his unflappable way of helping me keep my eye on the prize through the storms we have weathered together, but also his deep understanding of my situation. He knows so much about how to help someone you love be gluten free that he will be my first guest post in the months to come. Look for it soon! I am excited to see it too. Hoping his sense of humor shines through.

We are both working today -- well, trying to work as little as possible so that we can have a nice meal together tonight in our "ski lodge" in front of the fire.

I will be baking an apple pie today using this crust recipe.

For dinner, we will be enjoying a baked cod and potato dish that we ate almost every day on our honeymoon in Portugal. We'll be going to our local wharf for some fresh cod on the way home from work. Here is the recipe:

Portuguese Codfish Casserole

2 lbs fresh cod
5 lg potatoes, washed, peeled if you wish, and sliced thinly thru the whole potato
2 large onions, sliced thinly
1 c or more of olive oil
8-10 minced garlic cloves (more or less depending on your taste)
2 T fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 T red pepper flakes
1 t paprika
3 T tomato sauce
1 t sea salt
dash blk pepper

mix together oil, garlic, parsley, red pepper, paprika, tom sauce, salt and pepper. set aside.

steam cod for five mins.

preheat oven to 375 degrees. layer in an oiled baking dish 1/2 potato slices, all of the cod, all of the onions. top w/ other 1/2 of potatoes.

pour olive oil mixture over the top.

bake for 45 mins.

Et voila! Just like being there...on the beach in early October (it was 75-80 degrees and sunny every day!)...visiting the many medieval castle ruins and gardens...stumbling upon the most amazing little restaurant in Calores, where they treated us like king and queen and served us wine made from grapes of ancient vines and flourless chocolate torte...mmm...sipping Port in front of a fire every night and just having the most relaxing seaside honeymoon ever!

Jim has prepared a slide show on DVD of our wedding day and honeymoon...can't wait to watch it and reminisce!

Time to go find the right salad recipe to go with our meal. I hope you enjoy the recipes and find time to reflect on all the good things in life too.

Life is good.

Killing Me Softly...

Hello, readers. It's been an emotional roller coaster of a week! If you are like me and compulsively followed your gut onto the gluten-free diet before you got a clear diagnosis from your primary care doctor (mine did not offer good care or guidance in ANY way), gastroenterologist (well, if my doc had sent me to one) or dermatologist (for more steroid cream? no thanks!), then you are, also like me, stuck wondering how to get diagnosed, which is doable but intensely more difficult than back when you ate bagels for breakfast.

In January of 2007, I went gluten-free on my own with no guidance, and with every intention of going back to a life with gluten at some unknown point, a point that moved further and further into the future until it has now disappeared forever. I did try to eat wheat and gluten in April 2007, and a few more times during that year -- every time I suffered for it and developed a rash and other intestinal symptoms, all of which would disappear when I went back to being as gluten-free as possible.

If 365 roasted sunflower seeds from the Whole Foods can make me as sick as they did a few weeks ago (labeled "manufactured on machinery that also handles wheat") and for as long, I can only imagine how incredibly bad it would be for me to ingest a bite of cake like I did at my wedding September 29, 2007...if I got married now, I would be looking for a caterer to do a gluten-free wedding for us!

So, how to move forward with a diagnosis without eating a baguette and having your blood tested for the correct antibodies, and then have a small intestine biopsy that may or may not show the disease, depending on how long it went undiagnosed and how long you've been healing on your new diet? (Folks like me with DH, the skin presentation of CD, sometimes do not show ANY symptoms in their small intestine). All followed by a 7-or-so-day gluten hangover with a variety of symptoms and a compromised immune system?

There is hope. At least I keep telling myself that this week.

There is a genetic test you can order from Prometheus Laboratories to show the two genes that ALL Celiacs share. This would rule it in or out definitively. If you have the two genes, it means that you are predisposed to the disease. It's not a diagnosis, but it IS a starting point to one.

I am lucky (or profoundly unlucky) to have the skin manifestation of the disease, Dermatitis Herpetiformis or DH, only identified by sight by a knowledgeable naturopath in March of 2007. All people with DH have CD. And, once you have celiac disease, you always have it. But I need a skin biopsy to show that I have one disease, and therefore, the other. My DH went away completely when I finally decided to stick to the diet in November of 2007 (um, an obvious clue). What to do?

Well, thanks to the 365 sunflower seeds I was eating every day and then immediately falling asleep bloated on the couch for a week or so...these episodes were followed up with...HARK! a really itchy bubble/blister appeared on my leg, right where one of the lesions used to be pretty constantly between the late 90s and 2007. I quickly made an dermatologist appointment to get it biopsied.

Luckily it was still in fine bubble form for my appointment this past Monday, where the nice intern listened so patiently to me about my history and why I was there that day. He thought the biopsy could be done. (With a positive DH diagnosis I would have a CD diagnosis). Then the head doc came in and got skeptical with me. I should have been prepared -- I have faced skepticism so many times with doctors! He said, "Celiac disease is very, very rare. I don't know if this lesion is enough of one for analysis. We can try..." (I didn't tell him that in fact celiac disease is NOT rare, just underdiagnosed -- three million Americans alone have this silent disease, and only 5% are diagnosed. I didn't want to jeopardize my getting the biopsy done, so I smiled and nodded). He did the circular cut with some local anesthetic and sewed me up. Are you taking aspirin or blood thinners? he asked. I said no. Well, you're bleeding quite a bit. (OK...well, it did stop eventually. I hope that doesn't mean I have other underlying issues). But the deed is done. I don't have any other lesions to biopsy, so my fingers and toes are crossed that he:

1. took the skin sample from where it needed to be taken. (I have subsequently read that the biopsy site is adjacent to the lesion, usually not on it. He took my bubble, and a tiny bit of the surrounding skin, ergh).

2. is sending it to the correct lab where they will do the correct analysis. Here I just am having to have faith that he knew what he was doing because I didn't research all of my options. I could have had a test sent to me that I could have brought in to their office to have done professionally, and then made sure it went to one of a couple of labs...but I didn't have that info going into the appointment.

3. that he did everything with care so I won't have a scar. This would especially hurt if the test comes back negative for improper sampling. Then I would be right back at square one, with a scar to remind me.

I am ready to move on with my life, so I am hoping for some closure on this. And by moving on with my life, I mean my gluten-free life, which I have come to accept and even love. It's part of accepting and loving myself for who I am. I would like this diagnosis so that I can voice it out loud without question marks: "I have (fill in the blank here with: celiac disease, gluten intolerance, anything other than wondering...)." There. It already feels better.

Why bother with the diagnosis at all, you may wonder? I didn't bother until now, after reading that I can write off my extra food expenses on our taxes with a doctor's diagnosis, and that eventually I may have coverage as a celiac to see a nutritionist, much like diabetics do. When diet is the ONLY prescription, shouldn't peeps with CD be covered by their insurance to see a nutritionist to make sure they are properly absorbing nutrients? (a huge problem for undiagnosed celiacs still eating wheat and gluten, and obviously something that would need monitoring after you change your diet -- g-f foods and flours are not enriched like their glutenous cousins, and I have had to be on a pretty crazy vite, mineral and probiotic regimen to feel well, and apparently I still might have a vitamin K deficiency, hence my heavy bleed at the biopsy site).

Time to go change my band-aid where my old bubble-friend was. Thanks for reading and supporting me through this time. There are better days to come!

Be well.

ROOT organic spirits and Woodland Bop flasks/cozies

Hello again, and welcome to Goat City. There is a fall nip in the air, and we lit our first fire of the season while tuned in to an episode of 'Lewis' on public television. The only thing missing was some kinda grog or hot toddy...well, there is a new, organic hand-crafted booze, safe for the gluten-free diet from a Native American recipe called ROOT.



Looks nice, doesn't it?
Here's what they say about it on the interwebs:

“At 80 proof, ROOT is unlike anything else on the market today and is the first true American liqueur since the Pre-Prohibition Era.

It is lively, and rose gold in color, this rustic spirit has a full, rich smoky flavor, inspired by an 18th century Pennsylvania folk recipe, which eventually evolved into Birch or Root Beer. The recipe stems from Root Tea, which goes back to the 1700s, when Native Americans taught the recipe to settlers. Over generations, Root Tea grew in potency, particularly in Pennsylvania, where the ingredients grew in abundance. During the Temperance Movement, a Philadelphia pharmacist removed the alcohol and ironically rechristened it Root Beer. This is our creation and interpretation of a genuine potent, Root Tea.

ROOT is a certified organic spirit made with North American herbs and pure cane sugar. All botanicals are painstakingly selected and tested for purity. Using all natural, organic ingredients, like anise, birch bark, cloves and cardamom, with hints of spearmint and citrus, the sugarcane based liquor is distilled in limited batches to ensure maximum quality.”

Do not fret if you don't live in PA. You can order it here.

I am excited to try this. It is meant to be drunk neat or mixed into a cocktail (I can see this going nicely with Reed's Ginger Brews), or in a hot toddy with some maple syrup, as the nice people at Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction in Philadelphia recommend.

Here at Goat City, we might humbly suggest ordering one of our Woodland Bop flasks/cozies -- a 4 oz stainless steel flask in a lovingly handmade cozy, made from recycled fabrics, vintage buttons and crocheted toggle closures, so they're snug and inconspicuous, yet your flask remains accessible for refills of ROOT, etc. Here's a peek:



If you would like to order a flask in a cozy, please contact me directly:
magpie@fernknight.com
I would be delighted to fill your order and can customize color scheme, etc.

Thanks for stopping by Goat City. Enjoy the fall weather with some ROOT! We will be having a sampling party soon, and we will let ya know how it goes down.

Truffle Tremor!

Hello, friends and family!

I have good news. My favorite goat cheese of late, Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor is safe for those of us on the gluten-free diet! This is excellent news!
Charles of Cypress Grove has assured me that no bread mold is used in their cheese-making process (for ANY of their cheeses), and that there's no danger of cross-contamination as they don't use gluten in their facility.

YAY!
Enjoy...

Also, I wrote to the company that makes the delicious herbed Chavrie in PA. They also wrote back to say yes, our products are all gluten-free!

It's the year of the goat.

some places gluten hides

Hello, welcome to my mostly food and info plus a little bit of music blog.

Over the past two years of research, I have found out from various sources along the way where gluten can hide, sometimes in food or in the kitchen, but also it can hide in beauty products and household items:

Check the ingredients in your lotion, shampoo, conditioner, hair products like mousse and gel, makeup (especially lipstick) and soap.

Vitamins, cold and flu medicines, pain relievers and prescription meds may contain gluten. Ask your pharmacist to check for you if you are not sure.

Don't lick stamps or envelopes -- the sticky stuff contains wheat paste.

Recycle your toaster, wooden cutting board, rolling pin, wooden spoons, etc. They trap gluten no matter how hard you try to clean them up.

Recently I was munching daily on some roasted sunflower seeds from the Whole Foods. I was feeling unnaturally tired, bloated and puffy-eyed. After seven consecutive days of feeling this way and trying to figure it out, I pinpointed it to my pre-dinner handfuls of seeds -- manufactured on machinery that also handles wheat...when you see that on the label, best to steer clear. Also getting rid of my 365 black pepper and garlic powder for the same reason.

Two years in and I am still learning! I will update this post from time to time as I have more knowledge.
Best of luck if you have been recently diagnosed with celiac disease -- it's a long journey back to health, but if you are diligent, you will have your health back.

Squash Quinoa Soup, Sorghum Bread and Joe Walsh 'Barnstorm'

It's been a soft rock week, month...um, year! I can't help but be drawn in to Boz Scaggs and Jimmy Castor, what can I say? I heart Fleetwood Mac. The latest fave lp is 'Barnstorm' by Joe Walsh. It has been my soundtrack for baking and cooking today. You can hear the Hotel California in Barnstorm, all grown up.

First up, the bread portion of the Fall Soup and Bread Day.

Sorghum Bread from Gluten-Free Girl:

2 t yeast
1 t sugar (honey works too)
1/2 c warm water
1 1/2 c sorghum flour
1/2 brown rice flour
1/2 c sweet rice flour
1/2 c tapioca flour
1/2 c potato starch
2 T flaxseed meal
1 t xanthan gum
2 t baking soda
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 eggs
2 T olive oil
club soda - room temp - only as much as needed to hold dough together.

Activate yeast: combine yeast, sugar and warm water in lg bowl - mix gently and set aside 15 mins.

preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Combine dry ingred. Add liquids: add yeast/water mix to dry, mix. Add apple cider vin, then eggs, one at a time, then olive oil. Drizzle in club soda til dry ingredients are wet completely.

Knead on gf floured surface 10 mins. (stand mixer med. for 5 mins).
Transfer to oiled bowl. Cover w/ damp towel. Turn off oven and place bowl in oven for an hour. then put the bowl on top of stove and turn the oven on to 500. place a dutch oven in the oven to heat up for the last half hour of rising.

Transfer dough into hot dutch oven, cover, place into oven and bake at 500 for 30 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 mins.

After first day, slice and freeze.

[and for the soup portion]
[Flip over the Joe Walsh l.p.]

Squash Quinoa Soup

2 T olive oil
Shallot and/or onion
mushroom broth (Pacific is g-f in a pinch) plus water to make 25-28 oz
5 oz apricot nectar
1 lb chopped and peeled butternut squash
3/4 c quinoa
1 t cumin
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 zuke
3 leaves red chard

These are just the veg I happened to have, plus some broth and quinoa. Feel free to add other yummy things, like sweet potatoes, tomatoes or peas...

Saute the shallot/onion til translucent in olive oil in a big soup pot.
Add broth, apricot nectar, squash, quinoa and cumin - bring to a boil. then simmer, covered, 5 mins. Add chopped zuke and chard, cover and simmer til things are soft, about 10 more mins, and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Serve with the crusty sorghum bread and/or a salad. Delish. Enjoy~
Thanks for stopping by Goat City.

Peach-Raspberry Pie, soundtrack by Ramases and Myrdhin

Good eve! I am typing this as I am waiting for the pie crust to come to room temp so that I can work with it. I am rolling it out in between two pieces of parchment, as it is my first gluten free rolled out pie crust experience...the rest I have done have been the pressed-in kind. I wanted a two-crust pie! I was inspired by an apple pie recipe in the book Gluten Free Girl by Shauna James Ahern, who also has a lovely website. So, here I go.

Tonight's soundtrack for baking and cooking have been these two moody lps:

Myrdhin s/t Celtic harp music from 1974...good stuff. don't be scared away by his photo...



also: Ramases 'Space Hymns' - really, words can't describe this album. you'll have to check it out for yourself to understand the magic. just put it on and start baking...

gluten free pie crust: (for a 2-crust pie)

1 1/2 c sorghum flour
1/2 c tapioca flour
3T sweet rice flour
1/4 t sea salt
3 t sugar (I use a squirt of honey)
8 T butter/or, vegan: 3 T coconut oil/4-5 T soy-free earth balance or yr fave shortening
1 egg/or egg replacer
2T apple cider vinegar
1/4 c ice water, just enough to hold dough together

(I used one egg and the coco oil/e. bal combo -- less dairy is better for me. I can see after eating it how butter would be really perfect...sigh, someday...)

food process dry ingred together. add butter or e.b./coco oil. process til it looks like small pea-sized lumps. while it's processing, add egg and vinegar. then drizzle in a little water at a time, just until the dough can hold together.

take it out and halve it. put each in between two pcs of parchment and refrigerate overnight if possible, or for a few hours.
take it out 20 mins before you want to start rolling it out. keep it in the parchment -- gf pie crust likes to be sticky:



preheat your oven to 400.
slice (evenly) about 6-8 peaches, thaw some frozen raspberries (about 1/2 c) or use fresh; place all fruit in a bowl. add: 1/4 c agave or other sweetener, 1T kuzu dissolved in 2T apricot nectar or other juice, 1t fresh grated ginger root, 1t cinnamon, 1t vanilla. stir gently.

roll out your bottom crust and carefully place it in the pie plate. it will break apart -- it doesn't matter. it will be forgiving when it bakes! fill it with fruit:



(I needed more peaches...)

roll out your top crust. place it on top, crimp your edges however you desire and with a sharp knife slice some air vents in a pretty star pattern on top. brush it w/ milk and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar on top if you want.



place it in the oven at 400 for 10-15 mins. turn it down to 350 and bake for another 30 mins. (this is where you might need to switch your soundtrack to another album while it is baking...) if your edges start getting too browned cover them w/ foil. put your feet up and enjoy the celtic harp stylings of Myrdhin!

pull your pie out when it's done and let it cool for a bit before you try to cut into it. et voila!


highly recommended topping: Luna and Larry's organic coconut bliss -- naked coconut or vanilla flavors, in your local natural foods store's frozen section with the sorbets. gluten, dairy, soy and cane sugar free! sweetened with agave. enjoy!

Summer's End Reflection Day

So many things have come to light this last year of living as gluten-free as humanly possible (asking for "sin gluten" all over Spain in November of 2008 sometimes yielded an ok meal for me; I remember right before our appearance at the Tanned Tin Festival in Castellon asking about the vegetarian paella -- well, within minutes I knew the answer, and unfortunately for me, I ended up in the bathroom 5 minutes before we took the stage. I made it through our performance fine, but I was very irritable for the rest of our stay--poor Jim!)

When I look back on my life, some of my late teen and early adult years seem shrouded in a fog -- bad skin, battles with depression and anxiety, mood swings, horrible PMS, bad menstrual cramps, a bubbly incredibly itchy skin rash known as Dermatitis Herpetiformis or DH, being either bloated/constipated or food would pass seemingly right through me, headaches and having depleted energy levels that I tried to eliminate with running and kickboxing, and balance issues I tried to counteract with Yoga -- these were all part of the fogginess.

My gluten intolerance, I believe, was triggered at college. I had an allergic reaction to Penicillin (age 19) that involved hives and my first experiences with asthma. Then I started having bad skin and weird digestion, mostly stomach pains from constipation or gas/bloating. More allergies cropped up later: cats (age 29, more asthma) when I lived in a leaky moldy apartment -- the mold and cat dander were too much for my already compromised immune system, but I didn't know that then... And dogs and horses. The whole time I was reacting to wheat and dairy, but I had no idea why. People eat pizza, and so would I...if I am sensitive to it, it has to be better to inoculate myself with it (I probably had wheat and/or dairy every day though), otherwise I will become bubble-girl. I will just put this steroid cream on my itchy, bubbly rash after I eat a pizza! And chew on some Tums. This was my way of thinking.

Doctors diagnosed me with "unexplained anxiety". Around this time, I spent hours on the phone with my parents and my brother about quitting music because I was so freaked out by daily life. I was floundering. My friendships and relationships in my mid-twenties went badly. (Thanks to those who stuck by me!) Then in my late twenties I saw a homeopath, who put me on a good diet, but there was still gluten and dairy in it, so my symptoms did not abate much. His explanation: "We don't really know why women have hormonal breakouts, bad PMS, etc." I was just going to have to live with myself the way I was.
Think again!

Since I was 22, when I had a stressful experience with a teacher at school just as I was graduating, I developed a condition that started with a clenched throat and tongue feeling and progressed to pain in my upper chest, shoulders and upper back. It would last sometimes a week in length, and then disappear as mysteriously as it appeared, only to return in a few months, or weeks. It would feel pretty incapacitating at times, but somehow I soldiered through. No doctor ever could tell me what this was -- gluten-free, I don't get this condition anymore. I thought it was brought on by stress, and I would get it about 6 times a year from age 22 to age 36. Wow...since it has gone away, I have to think it was my diet that brought it on. Maybe it was acid reflux? No idea...whatever it was, I will never willingly eat a pain au chocolat, as much as I miss them when in Europe, in order to never feel that way EVER again.

And the years of my body not being nourished by food also gave me muscle spasms (probably a magnesium deficiency), the ones where you wake up and can't turn your head! Not a good way to spend three days of your life, multiple times a year. Especially if you play string instruments for a living and in bands -- sorry, Eyesores, for all of those times I was unable to practice, or worse, showed up in pain and played grumpily through it...these spasms, I am happy to say, are diminishing as I heal and nourish myself.

Fast-forward seven blurry sick years of denial: I moved to Philadelphia with my now husband in March of 2006, after living in Ireland for 6 weeks. I was eating gluten and dairy over there (mmm, Guinness like you've never tasted!), but I stopped using my steroid cream -- I ran out, and I decided I was done with it, that it couldn't possibly be good for me. I had been using it for about 6 years, every day. It healed the horribly itchy and oozing rash [Dermatitis Herpetiformis - DH]-- DH is the skin manifestation of Celiac Disease -- and then, every day after a shower, it would come back, especially on my shins, and sometimes in new spots. Yay. I needed to figure out what was behind this condition and stop putting a Western medicine band-aid on it. I wanted to get to the root.

Anyway, I was feeling pretty good in Ireland, but Philadelphia was, putting it mildly, a shock to my system. I had a job interview after one month of being there in April of 2006, and I realized in horror that NONE of my "professional" clothes fit me -- only the same pair of stretchy jeans that I wore on my trip to Ireland, and they would not do. My good friend Chris took me to H&M, and, more horror! -- I couldn't fit into any pants til I reached size 11 (I have always been around size 6-8, skinny as a rail, and always eating, yet always hungry. It was so strange to suddenly be filled up like a balloon). What was wrong with me? I was almost in tears in the dressing room.

My parents came to Philly for a visit in July of that summer, and the pictures we took during that time reveal this puffiness and remind me of my horrible menstrual cramps, broken out skin and unbearable anxiety. I hope my folks didn't notice; my now husband Jim probably assuaged any tensions away for them!

I started my job and had debilitating driving anxiety, but somehow I made it to work on those days.

I saw a doctor at Temple in Philly in 2006 after we got some health insurance. She told me, "I have eczema too. If you figure out a way to get rid of it, let me know; I'd be interested." In the meantime, did I want some steroid cream? NO! That's why I am here, seeing a doctor -- to figure out what is wrong with me! Never mind, I will figure it out myself...(this is when they scribble on your chart "lifestyle changes"...ergh). She did also tell me that over-prescription of antibiotics in childhood shows up as adult-onset allergies, eczema/psoriasis and asthma...ok, this was describing me. I had ear infections and tonsillitis as a child, lots of Penicillin (that I am now allergic to) and since I became allergic to Penicillin, I have allergies, oozing skin lesions and asthma. Oh, and she also told me that I should probably have a tonsillectomy (!). I was getting pretty freaked out at this point. I needed to get to the bottom of this.

The fourth of July, 2006, we spent the day with some friends, at a gathering where I ate my own food that I brought: a berry cobbler made with butter and spelt flour. I spent the next 36 hours in horrible stomach pain on our couch. Hmmm...

Thanksgiving '06 with my side of the family at my brother's started off with me feeling cranky and head-achy and left me not feeling well at all (more Tums) digestively. I had barely eaten anything.

At Christmas '06 with Jim's folks there were apple pies to sample, and five trays of cookies later, I realized that I was unwell, and that I had been unwell since my college days existing on pizza, Danz Dozen M&M cookies and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Sure, there were salads and other foods in there, but I was starting to get the picture. On January 1, 2007, I embarked on a new diet journey that I thought was going to last 30 days -- it has instead lasted til now as I type this and will continue for the rest of my life. I started off on the anti-candida diet (I had read it would eliminate candida and eczema (I didn't know what my rash was, having been told it was eczema by one doc and dermatitis by another), and I was willing to try it for a month, whether I had candida overgrowth or not -- I just wanted to get rid of the rash, whatever it was, through diet). It was a shock to my system because I didn't start it slowly -- I stopped eating so many things all at once (white carbs, dairy, sugar, fruit, alcohol, fermented foods). But I was still eating oatmeal (which has gluten in it) for breakfast every day. I needed some guidance, and after my trunk erupted in burning itchy detox hives for a month (apparently my liver couldn't handle getting rid of the toxins), I bit the bullet and went on recommendation to Remede Naturopathics in Manhattan to see Dr. Nicole Egenberger. She set me on the path that I needed to be on, tweaked my diet (got rid of all gluten and dairy) and sent me home with digestive enzymes and herbs to support my liver through the detox. My hives cleared just in time for my wedding in September of 2007, nine months after starting my quest. And much to my delight, 99% of my DH on my skin was gone for the first time since 1999! The fog had lifted.

Thanks, friends and family, for sticking by me all those years I was sick, irritable and extremely unwell. I didn't want to admit that there was anything wrong with me and even if I did, I had no idea what it was, so instead, I might have taken some mood swings out on you all.

And in the last two and a half years, thanks to my husband Jim, thanks to my family, my husband's family and my good friends for understanding my dietary needs and concerns and not treating me like I have food neurosis!

If I eat one speck of gluten, I become sick, and life is un-fun. I love eating and I love life, and fun, so I don't really miss the food that I left behind. My new diet is so much more exciting, and I feel so good from it. I hope anyone reading this blog can realize that they can change their diet, especially as the grocery stores catch up with all of us gluten-free dieters out there, more and more of us every day.
Approximately one in 133 people have celiac disease. Only 3% of those people are diagnosed...the rest suffer along like I did and so many others have.
If you have these symptoms regularly, you can save yourself by going gluten-free; however, you should go to a doctor for help in diagnosing your condition BEFORE you change your diet (my mistake was to change and then seek help, but it's not like I had NEVER sought the advice of doctors -- they just couldn't help me until I figured it out for myself; unfortunately, it took being on the g-f diet for me to figure it out! Such a conundrum).
The aim of my blog is to help you get the help and guidance you need from professionals, and to help you guide them, as sometimes doctors don't put two and two together:
(this is from Columbia's Celiac Disease Center's site)

"Celiac disease is an inflammatory condition of the small intestine, induced by gluten. It has diverse clinical manifestations that resemble a multi-systemic disorder rather than a primary intestinal disease. Originally considered a rare disease of childhood, celiac disease is, however, now recognized as a common condition that may be diagnosed at any age.

What is dermatitis herpetiformis?

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is the skin manifestation of celiac disease. All patients with DH have celiac disease. It is an intensely itchy rash that usually occurs in the same place for each patient. This may be on the hands or fingers, forearms, buttocks or scalp or anywhere on the body. The rash typically consists of very itchy, small red dots that may develop into blisters or pimples. They are intensely itchy."

From 1997-2007, I had the skin manifestation of Celiac Disease, DH, among all the other symptoms that I talked about earlier. They were all connected! Glad I started listening to my body, even if it took 15 years of seemingly random symptoms to figure it out. Listen to yours too, even if it is kinda frightening. Going gluten-free has been such a gift -- I feel like someone gave me my life back. That person was me, with a little help along the way from my very special homeopath in NYC, Dr. E. They may have charged me an arm and a leg (worth EVERY penny), but at least I have my whole body working again!

Time to make something out of these peaches on my kitchen counter...a pie, mayhaps? Back to living, eating and generally having fun...thanks for stopping by Goat City.

Chocolate Truffles!

I recently had the pleasure of meeting someone I had admired from afar, a friend of a friend, named Lagusta. She has a vegan meal delivery business in New Paltz, NY called Lagusta's Luscious:
Lagusta's Luscious
We all had a vegan potluck together, and then we got to try her vegan chocolate truffles! She very carefully went over the ingredients for me to ensure they were not only dairy-free, but also gluten-free. Check out these inspiring flavors!
Bluestocking
They were delish, and I ate four too many then stayed up late!
Worth it tho'...meeting Lagusta gave me incentive to work on my recipes and blog. I am hoping I inspired her too, in a gluten-free way!

Bread-- to bake or buy, that is the question...

To which I reply:
Buy a new bread machine with a gluten-free setting!! and make your own! Use mixes like this one from Bob's Red Mill...
So much more tasty than frozen. You might not have to toast it first to enjoy it, even!

while it's still summer...

The best summer smoothie ever:

smoothie for one, dbl ingred for two-

1/2 red grapefruit
1/4 c frozen berries
1/4 c Luna and Larry's coconut bliss - naked coconut - in your frozen section if you're lucky...it's soy, dairy, sugar and gluten-free!
1 c or more if desired apricot nectar or any juice...

blend, enjoy!

ready for fall already

Mediterranean Chicken and Spinach Rice Bake
Easy and delicious Mediterranean Diet recipe- Baked Chicken Spinach Mushroom Rice

from http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
my favorite site at the moment!


2 2-lb bags frozen chopped spinach
2-3 tomatillos, cored, chopped
3 ripe red tomatoes, seeded, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt
Lemon Pepper
4-6 oz. marinated mozzarella, sliced
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
3 large chicken breasts (or white beans for a vegetarian version)
Olive oil, as needed
2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced
Balsamic vinegar, as needed
2 cups cooked brown rice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Thaw the spinach a bit [and pat dry if necessary] so you can scatter half of it in the bottom of a large baking dish. Sprinkle half of the tomatillos, tomatoes and garlic on top. Season with sea salt and Lemon Pepper. Scatter half the cheeses.

In the meantime, heat up a large skillet and brown the chicken breasts in a little olive oil. Season with sea salt and Lemon Pepper.

Remove the chicken from the pan and cut it into bite-size pieces.

Saute the portobello slices in a little olive oil and good splash of balsamic vinegar, till tender.

Add the cooked chicken and the portobellos to the spinach mixture. Spoon on the rice. Top with the remaining spinach, tomatillos, tomatoes and garlic. Add the remaining sliced mozzarella and goat cheese. Put the pan in the oven. Bake until done, about 25 to 30 minutes, till heated through.

Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/09/joey-and-karinas-fall-spinach-bake.html#ixzz0NzM4ocNt

scuffins, by request

g-f and miss strawberry shortcake? here's your answer: SCUFFINS!


1 c flour (I mixed bob's red mill g-f mix, white rice flour and finely ground walnuts)
1/4 c soy-free earth balance (I added a spoonful of coco oil too)
1/2 t sea salt

cut together. coarse crumb texture, add more earth bal or flour til it looks right, like pie crust.

add mixture of:
1 egg or egg substitute
1/2 ish more or less c almond milk, or other milk, til it looks like you could spoon it onto a cookie sheet
1/4 c honey or agave, more or less
1 t vanilla
1/4 c choc chips

350 for 8-10 mins, depending on the size of your scuffins.

good w/ strawberries on top and coconut sorbet...altho' I do like whipped cream...a lot.

G-F and vegan sprouted adzuki bean burgers!

A friend of mine taught me how to make these (thanks, Geoff!!):

soak adzuki beans overnight. drain and keep in a mason jar with the lid just placed on or a sprouting lid. rinse every day several times with filtered water and drain for two days. should start to smell like yogurt and sprouts will form. go as long as you want, I usually do 2-3 days, depending.

then you boil them for 45 mins or so, til tender, drain.

I like to soak some brown rice at the same time as the beans, but just cooking the rice as normal works too.

Combine:
cooked beans
cooked rice
1 sauteed onion, chopped finely
toasted ground sunflower seeds (a handful)
ground almonds, raw (also a handful)
sea salt, Braggs to taste
black pepper
1/2 c tahini
2 T olive oil
curry powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic (sauteed or powder)...any spice combo to taste.

form into burgers and fry in olive oil. enjoy!!! I place them on romaine leaves and serve with sweet potato fries from the oven.

(you can also use 2 eggs in place of the olive oil and tahini.)

gluten-free and vegan dinner!

meal idea:
romaine tacos!

fillings:

rice
beans
guacamole
salsa

the romaine leaves fold nicely in half just like a taco! delish. enjoy!

No-Bake Puffed Rice Treats

From Jordanna, via "The Gluten-Free Vegan":

(We like to call them cannonballs...they are more filling than they look!)

Mix in large bowl:

2 c. puffed rice cereal
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1/4 c. choc chips
1/2 c. raisins
1/4 c. chopped nuts
1/2 t. cinnamon

Mix in small bowl:

3/4 c. brown rice syrup
3/4 c. nut butter
1/2 t. vanilla

mix together; form into small balls or press into pan for bars; refrigerate.
Enjoy~

chickpea flat bread recipe

This is from the Millennium Cookbook, so it is g-f and dairy-free. The seasoning in the recipe works well; I have also tried curry/cilantro and pumpkin/chive (added in half a can of pumpkin, could be less...also baked for twice as long, but ended up very moist and delicious!)

2 c chickpea flour (I use Bob's Red Mill garbanzo flour)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t cumin seed, toasted and coarsely ground (or powder works)
1 t fresh rosemary (I have also used thyme)
1/3 t red pepper flakes
1 t sea salt
3-4 c water (I usually stop at 3)

in a lg bowl, combine the chickpea flour, garlic, cumin, rosemary, pepper flakes and salt. whisk in the water gradually til the consistency of heavy cream.

preheat oven to 400. grease and line with parchment an 8 x 10" sided baking sheet. pour in batter and bake 15 mins or until bread is brown on the edges and firm in the center. cool and cut into strips. store in airtight container. can be refrigerated and reheated successfully.

Enjoy with: baba ganoush, hummous, goat cheese, olive and caper tapenade, or all of the above. We enjoyed them recently as the injera for an ethiopian meal, tho' if you're hard core and can make real injera which takes days (and traditionally is baked on a clay plate over a fire), teff is gluten-free. unfortunately its price has gone up and most ethiopian restaurants use wheat flour or a combo.

More recipes soooooon. G-F tiramisu, anyone?

beautiful and delicious g-f pear tart

Recipe from Brooke, pic by Mary...

i improvised the g/f part... but it was based on this Smitten Kitchen recipe:
Pear and Almond Tart

Pears
4 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 medium-size firm but ripe Bosc pears, (each about 7 ounces)

Almond Filling
2/3 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 tablespoon brown rice flour
½ c maple syrup
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 sweet tart shell, baked (recipe: the crust was essentially 3/4 stick butter, 1.5 cups rice flour, handful of almonds finely ground, one egg yolk and some honey a pinch of salt, and some fresh ginger food processed.
i didn't roll the dough.. just mushed it into the tart pan. make the sides double thick. Prebake for 20-25 mins.)

For pears: Bring 4 cups water and lemon juice to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until pears are very tender, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool pears.

For almond filling: Finely grind almonds and flour in processor. Mix in maple syrup then butter and flavorings (if using). Blend until smooth. Mix in egg. Transfer filling to medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. (resembled cake batter consistency... i think i added some of the pear cooking liquid to get it to look like the texture in the picture on the blog. mine was thicker.... i cheated and pre-cooked this in a sauce pan to thicken it up before assembling.)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread almond filling evenly in baked tart crust. Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out cores. Cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Gently press each pear half to fan slices but keep slices tightly overlapped. Slide spatula under pears and arrange atop filling like spokes of wheel with narrow ends in center.

Bake tart until golden and tester inserted into center of filling comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool tart in pan on rack. Push pan bottom up, releasing tart from pan. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Cut tart into wedges; sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve.

Thanks, Brooke!

A day of gluten-free meals

Just another day in the life of this happy and well gluten-free person:

Breakfast: Cream of buckwheat hot cereal w/ almond milk, honey and coconut flax sprinkle
plus almond milk cappucino, mmm




Lunch: Polenta with mushroom and herb ragout and steamed kale




Dinner: Veggie moussaka with Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor goat cheese and olives on Mary's Gone Crackers (herb flavor), salad with dijon vinaigrette

Recipes coming sooooon!