New website and posts

If you follow our blog – please start visiting us at http://glutenfreeclasses.com/category/recipes/ .  You can bookmark this page or register through the RSS feed to receive updates from the blog.  Over the next month we will posting to both sites and then shutting the current site down.  I am trying to “consolidate” my efforts in order to be able to spend more time providing you with recipes and support.

Sorry I have not posted any new recipes in a few weeks.  The Gluten Free Cooking Expo was last weekend and it consumed all of my time!  If you came out to the Expo, please let me know your thoughts about the event.   It was an amazing event!  We had a large vendor fair and chefs presenting gluten-free recipes for two days.  The cooking sessions were well attended and I think everyone left feeling encouraged and excited about their gluten-free lifestyle.  The best part for me was knowing that some of the attendees are going to go home and start their own support groups.  I really tried to encourage people to take the positive energy from the event and go do something good at home.

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing some of the Expo recipes with you.  We also recorded the cooking sessions and will have them available online as soon as they are edited.  We have a new weekly newsletter coming out and many other exciting projects underway.  A book, online cooking series and much more!  Thanks for all of your support.  I can’t do this without all of you!

Jen Cafferty  jen@glutenfreeclasses.com

Easy Berry Pie

Summer is even more delicous when you bite into a juicy berry pie.  Here is an extremely easy recipe that even the novice gluten-free cook can create.

Ingredients:
1 cup blueberry fruit spread
1/4 cup strawberry fruit spread
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 pints fresh blueberries
8 large strawberries, hulled and cut in 1/4″ slices
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
9″ gluten-free pie crust (see below)

In a saucepan, met blueberry spread with cinnamon over medium heat.

Turn off heat.  Add blueberries and lemon zest until berries are coated.  Spoon berries into the crust.

Melt strawberry fruit spread in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Mix in strawberries until coated.  Arrange glazed strawberries on top of blueberries along the edge of the crust, to form a decorative ring.  If you face the points toward the center of the pie, this works best.

If you can eat dairy, I highly recommend the pre-made Whole Foods Market Gluten Free Pie Crust.
If you can’t eat dairy, I highly recommend the Breads From Anna Pie Crust Mix (super easy to make and delicous!)

Here are some more easy gluten-free summer dessert recipes:
Gluten-free red velvet beet cake
Grilled Pineapple with gluten-free rum sauce
Gluten-free cocoa brownies

Gluten-Free Red Velvet Beet Cake

Beets in a cake? Who knew you could make a delicious cake out of this often hated vegetable. I visited the Oak Park, Illinois Farmers Market today and came home with a bunch of beets and this wonderful recipe from Nelson’s Farmstand.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/8 cups apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour blend (use one that contains xanthan gum or add 1 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups cooked, mashed dark-colored beets
1/3 cups chopped nuts, optional
1/3 cups chocolate chips, optional

In a bowl, combine cocoa, apple sauce and vanilla, and mix well.   In another bowl combine flour (xanthan gum if adding), sugar, baking soda and salt.   Mix well and add to cocoa mixture.   Blend in eggs and beets.   Beat two minutes with an electric mixer.   Stir in chopped nuts and chocolate chips, if desired.  

Pour in a 9×13 greased pan.   Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until baked through.  

Allow to cool.   Serve with cool whip, whipped cream or ice cream.

Grilled Pineapple with Gluten Free Rum Sauce

This is a very easy decadent treat on a hot summer night.  Make sure to use a clean grill grate so your pineapple doesn’t taste like meat or marinade from your dinner. 

Grilled Pineapple with Rum Sauce

Ingredients
1 pineapple, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 cup rum 
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
Vanilla or Coconut Ice cream or Sorbet

Mix rum, brown sugar, honey, and orange juice together until sugar is dissolved. Preheat Grill.  Place pineapple pieces on the grill and baste with rum sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning and basting occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool for a few minutes before serving.  Serve over icecream with a spoonful of remaining rum sauce.

Quick Honey BBQ Sauce

Make this quick and easy recipe the next time you are in the mood to grill.  It would also be delicous on top of meatloaf.
This is a recipe that I tought at a gluten-free barbeque class last night.  They really liked the flavor.  It reminds me of a combination BBQ Sauce/Chili Sauce, because it is on the sweet side. 

Honey BBQ Sauce

 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup honey
2 T vinegar
2 T minced parsley
1 T gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (Wizard’s Wheat-Free Vegan is a good one)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Sautee onion and garlic in oil until softened.  Add additional ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.   Either leave the sauce chunky or blend in a blender or with a hand blender, if you want to have a smoother sauce.   Keep the sauce in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to two weeks.

Gluten Free Soft Pretzels

I don’t frequently feel “left-out” when it comes to food.  I have come to turns with my gluten-free cooking and dining options and actually embrace the lifestyle.  I am convinced my family is healthier now that we are on a gluten-free diet.  But every once in a while, I miss some of my old favorites.  What I would give to walk into a store and buy a hot, fresh, soft pretzel.  Now I can make them at home – and it is actually easy!

One of the greatest product lines available to the gluten-free home cook is Pamela’s Products.  The bread and pancake mixes are so versatile.  You can use either of them in so many recipes and your products will be moist and delicious.  Their website www.pamelasproducts.com has many recipes for you to view and try.

Every year, Pamela’s Products holds a recipe contest.  This soft pretzel recipes is the winner from the winner from the 2008 Pamela’s Greatest Gluten Free Recipe Contest.  Elizabeth I. was the winner last year and here is her recipe.

Ingredients
2-1/4 cups warm water
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 bag Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix including yeast packet
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp baking soda

NOTE: These can be made to be sweet or savory,you’ll need to choose your option to decide your ingredients.

Option 1 – Savory:
olive oil spray
kosher salt to taste

Option 2 – Sweet:
1/4 butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp powdered cinnamon

Whisk together 1-1/4 cups warm water, brown sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Allow to sit for a few minutes until bubbles begin to show yeast activity. Pour Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix into a large bowl. Stir in the olive oil and the yeast mixture until completely combined. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for one hour.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into twelve pieces. With wet hands, roll each piece into a “snake” between six and eight inches in length. Lay the snake onto the parchment paper, then gently flatten the dough with wet fingers until about half previous height. Pick up one end of the snake, so that half of its length is lifted from the cookie tray. Twist the dough 360° and gently lay the end down again. Pick up the other end of the dough and give it a full twist in the same direction. Smooth any rough spots with wet fingers. Repeat with each section of dough, so that both cookie trays have six pretzel twists on them. Cover both trays with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°. Mix remaining cup of warm water and baking soda. Using a pastry brush, gently paint the twists with the baking soda mixture.

Bake twists for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Savory: For a quick, classic pretzel taste, spray twists with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.

Sweet: For a sweeter option, use a pastry brush to spread melted butter or margarine on twists and the sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.

Try Lemon Thyme or Rosemary. Just toss in a tablespoon of fresh herbs at the very end of the mixing and proceeded as directed. Try your favorite fresh herbs, finely chopped, and you will be delighted with a great textured, low fat snack. For a really nice golden color, don’t forget the water and baking soda wash. For a smooth texture, try a egg yolk and milk (or water) wash.

Learn Italian GF Cooking from the Best

I am so excited that Rosalia Libreri, Owner of DaLuciano’s Restaurant (River Grove, IL), has agreed to present at this year’s GF Cooking Expo.   Anyone visiting Chicago must stop at DaLuciano’s for authentic Italian food.  You won’t believe the gluten-free menu at this restaurant.

My family devours the fried calamari, chicken parmigiana, cannoli and creme puffs (all gluten-free!).  You can see thier menu at www.dalucianos.com.  If you plan on visiting the restaurant, they open at 4pm daily and reservations are a must!

Rosalia will be teaching us how to make a few of her favorite gluten-free Italian specialties.  Her children (4 of the 7 have celiac disease) will be selling her yummy cookies and products at the Expo vendor fair.  Don’t miss her!

Other Expo presentations include:  Gluten-Free Asian, How to prepare GF food on a budget,  Blissful Breakfasts, Entertaining at Home, Nutrition Sessions and much more.  All sessions will be gluten and dairy free and you get to taste everything you see prepared on stage. 

Visit our website at www.glutenfreeclasses.com for all the details.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

My garden is overflowing with gorgeous herbs right now.  This is a simple recipe and a great way to use your fresh tarragon.  We have been serving the chicken salad on Udi’s multigrain bread.  I could kiss Udi for making such a delicious loaf of bread!

Serves 2

Ingredients

3/4 cup gluten-free rotisserie chicken (or cooked chicken breasts), chopped or shredded
3 T mayonnaise
2 T sour cream (or soy sour cream)
2 T chopped tarragon
2 T chopped almonds
1 rib celery, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together all ingredients.  Place on multi-grain bread and top with lettuce and tomato.  Enjoy with a cold glass of freshly brewed iced tea.

Herb Stuffed Rainbow Trout

This is my daughter’s favorite dinner.  I will upload a picture when I can find my camera!  My son seems to have “misplaced it.”  We recently found out that my daughter is not allergic to fish.  She was so excited when the doctor called with the results and energetically asked if I would make her rainbow trout for dinner.  This is an easy and very elegant meal that can be served to company or just hanging out with your family.  We serve it with grilled fennel.

Ingredients
4 rainbow trout (ask the fish monger to remove the heads)
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 lemon, sliced thin
1 lemon, sliced into wedges
2 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
canola oil for the grill
cooking twine

Preheat grill to 400.

Open up each fish and on the meaty part of the fish sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.  Place the garlic slices on the salt.  Cover the garlic with the lemon slices and top with a big bunch of parsley.  Tie each fish up with cooking twine so the parsley, lemon and garlic does not fall out when grilling.

Oil grill grates with cooking oil so the fish does not stick.  Place each piece on the grill and cook covered for approximately 12 minutes, flipping fish one time (6 minutes per side.)

Remove fish and serve with lemon wedges.

Top Ten Tips for Living Gluten Free

Jen’s top ten tips for living gluten-free include:

1.  Find a local support group that can help when you are newly diagnosed or have questions along your journey.

2.  Find a local grocery or health food store that will allow you to taste the gluten-free products before you buy them.

3.  Start taking classes to learn how to prepare gluten-free foods.

4.  Experiment in the kitchen and don’t be afraid to try new foods and products.

5.  Make sure you have a “safe” kitchen.  Clean your kitchen well and purchase some necessary new items (such as a toaster) to avoid cross-contamination.

6.  Enlist your family and friends in supporting you in your new lifestyle.

7.  Find some great websites and blogs that fit your gluten-free needs.  See my list on the right side of this page.

8.  Locate a safe restaurant where you can eat during times when you don’t feel like cooking.  Eventually, you will be able to educate chefs at more restaurants.  But in the beginning, find a place that you know you can go to and not get sick.

9.  Carry gluten-free snacks with you in case a hunger attack strikes.  You can’t depend on the fact that safe food will be available.

10.  Relax and enjoy your gluten-free journey.  You will learn about great new foods and meet wonderful new people along the way.

For gluten-free support:
www.gluten.net   – The Gluten Intolerance Group 
www.csaceliacs.org  – The Celiac Sprue Association