Month: October 2012

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Nut-Free Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake

There are lots of ways to handle Thanksgiving when you have celiac disease. Most years I have made the entire dinner, but last year my uncle deep fried the turkey (yum!) and my aunt and I both made side dishes since gluten-free vegan mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and mashed sweet potatoes are not much different from the regular version. There is one job, however, that always falls to the gluten-free or food allergic diner in the group. The celiac needs to bring the dessert. Since I prefer to spend the day hanging out with family I prefer a pre-made dessert and this one has consistently been a hit. It is surprisingly easy to make. It has a nice strong pumpkin flavor, so you get the richness and texture of cheesecake with flavor of a pumpkin pie. Baked ahead it keeps in the refrigerator for several days. It may keep longer, it just hasn’t had a chance to do so in my home! The one downside is that it does contain both soy and eggs so it is not suitable for everyone. For a dessert anyone can eat try the Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Slice Dessert. Ingredients Gingersnap Crust 1 7 oz package of Kinnickinnick’s ginger snaps (about 1 to 1½ cups crushed) (Trader Joe’s also makes a GF version, but it contains corn) ¼ to 1/3 cup coconut oil Cheesecake...

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Marinade for a Tender Grass-Fed Steak

The last time I went to our local grocery to get some grass-fed steaks the guy behind the counter wanted to make sure I had cooked them before. Now that people know how much more omega-3s are in grass-fed meat, how much fewer scary bacteria are in there, and how much better it is for the planet, people are buying more of it. I smiled and told him that when I was done pounding with the toothy end of a meat tenderizer they would marinate in a soy sauce based marinade overnight. He was relieved and shared his tales of woe from angry customers who were confused by the toughness of the steaks. They are healthier but they are also tougher. This is the issue of grass fed beef, It is less fatty and tougher than grain fed beef because the cows are older, they have to actually graze which means they walk a lot more, and they basically ate nothing but health food. Which is where the soy sauce comes in. Grass-fed beef needs to be tenderized. Most commercial meat tenderizers contain either papain or MSG. Papain is an enzyme that breaks down proteins. The problem with using it as a meat tenderizer is that it works extremely well and if you leave the steak in it long enough it will start to dissolve. Yuk. MSG makes you...

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Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Corn-Free Nut-Free Vegan Apple Slice Dessert

My son’s school does an apple slice dessert one day a year. It is a big deal and a big hit with the kids and the moms. I adapted the recipe from the school website to be gluten-free, and dairy-free. It was already nut-free, corn-free, seed-free, nightshade-free, citrus-free, soy-free and egg-free. This version makes 9 servings and virtually anyone can eat it. Alas it is neither fat-free nor sugar-free. But then again it is dessert. These quantities are for an 8 x 8 pan, If you want more you can double everything and use a 13 x 9 pan. This is a great bake ahead holiday dessert solution for your vegan holiday guests. Ingredients Crust 1 cup Namaste Biscuit and Pie Crust mix 2 tbsp sugar 1/8 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup Spectrum butter flavor shortening 2 tbsp appropriate creamer or milk (I used a soy creamer, but coconut creamer will work and even flaxmilk is just fine) Filling 3 to 3 1/2 apples preferably Granny Smith 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tablespoon Namaste biscuit and pie crust mix More butter flavor shortening Equipment Two bowls, one for mixing crust and one for mixing sugar and cinnamon Paring knife and cutting board Apple peeler Measuring cups and spoons one 8 x 8 or if doubling one 13 x 9 glass, ceramic, or stainless steel baking pan Instructions...

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How To Tell if a Food Contains Too Much Sugar

One of the things I heard a lot about after my son was diagnosed was low sugar eating. Not only are celiacs much more likely to have diabetes mellitus, (aka Type 1 diabetes) but we are also prone to a host of inflammatory diseases made worse by sugar and fungal infections that feed off of sugar. The problem is that most people define sugar incorrectly. So here are a few things I learned the hard way. 1) “No added sugar” is largely meaningless 2) Agave, maple syrup and honey may all be more environmentally correct and contain trace minerals but metabolically they are still forms of sugar 3) Refined fruit products (apple juice, date bars, raisins) can contain obscene amounts of sugar 4) Sugar hides in some pretty strange places There are two facts that I memorized 1) Table sugar has about 15 calories per teaspoon. 2) A teaspoon of sugar has a mass of about 4 grams This is important because I would read boxes in the grocery store full of foods with “no added sugar” thinking that this label meant something about sugar content. It doesn’t. For example juice was banned when I read that a single serving of juice had say 140 calories from sugar. This didn’t seem like a lot until I realized that it was the equivalent of NINE teaspoons of sugar. Coffee with...

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Gluten-Free Vegan Low Sugar Cranberry Syrup

This is a low-sugar pancake topper that is full of nutrients yet gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free, and corn-free. It is also naturally bright red which I personally think is fun and festive. In the beginning after our diagnosis we were on the very low sugar diet. The one where bananas and grapes are forbidden along with all fruit juices as part of the intestinal healing process. I hate that diet. I love pumpkin pancakes. I love making pumpkin pancakes for a holiday brunch. That said, I was looking for something a bit more exciting and festive than maple syrup as a topper, which is how I decided to make cranberry syrup. This is a very low sugar recipe. That is intentional. You can make a sweeter shinier syrup using more sugar than this recipe has. I personally find the pumpkin pancakes sweet enough without sugar and I liked the tanginess of the cranberry syrup as a contrast. That said, adding more sugar is as simple as adding more sugar at the end while the syrup is still warm. This would also be great over low-carb, sugar-free vanilla “ice cream” for your vegan guests as a holiday dessert. Add a few pepitas and its red, green, white and easy. Ingredients 2 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp liquid stevia 1 10 oz bag frozen cranberries 2 cups water Pinch of salt...

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Fast Foolproof Vegan Sour-Cream Garlic Mashed Potatoes

We never ate mashed potatoes growing up because they were too much work. That said, when you deconstruct the recipe you find that the bulk of the work is in the peeling. Potatoes are uneven, slippery when wet and take a while to peel. Here is my solution. Don’t peel them. The skins add color, texture, vitamins and fiber so I don’t peel them. In several years of holiday dinners I have never had a single complaint. This recipe uses vegan sour cream which is soy based. Once I test a modification using butter flavor shortening and flaxmilk I will publish that one as well. The sour cream just adds a tangy baked potato flavor. Be sure to make way too much because the leftovers feature nicely in twice baked potatoes, and then there is always demand for leftovers with the gravy the day after that. Also note that potatoes do NOT freeze well so don’t make them to freeze. Ingredients 2 lbs Potatoes Salt Black pepper 1/4 tsp garlic powder (you didn’t think I would use fresh garlic did you?) 1/3 cup vegan sour cream You can double or triple the amount of ingredients. Equipment Pot large enough to hold potatoes Potato masher Measuring cups and spoons. Colander large enough to hold potatoes Oven to table ceramic serving dish. Instructions Cut any eyes that are sprouting out of...

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Gluten-Free Nut-Free Easy Vegan Sweet Potatoes

I am always amazed at how many “fun side dishes” for Thanksgiving require that the oven be used. I am sure this is not an issue for those with multiple ovens, but if you have one oven then it is probably full of a turkey all day so anything that needs to be cooked at something other than 325 degrees Fahrenheit is probably going to be an issue. Which is why I love these mashed sweet potatoes. You can make them any day, but this recipe has special Thanksgiving instructions. You use the oven early in the day and the microwave later to rewarm the potatoes. Ingredients Enough sweet potatoes for your group. I use one potato per person unless they are large then I assume half a potato. One full pink container of So Delicious or other coconut milk creamer in the original flavor (not vanilla or hazlenut) Maple Syrup Safe shortening (I like Earth Balance with coconut in the blue tub, but Spectrum Organics and regular Earth Balance Organics will also work) Salt Equipment Large jelly roll pan preferably not nonstick Silpat or parchment paper to line jelly roll pan. Fork to prick potatoes Potato Masher Knife to cut open potatoes Spoon to scoop flesh out of potatoes Instructions The night before wash all of the sweet potatoes you plan to use the following day. You can...

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Watch Genetic Roulette for Free!

With Halloween coming we talk a lot about the idea of people wanting to be scared. I have always been rather bored by a lot of scary movies as I have absolutely no fear of zombie pets or really zombie anything. I find most scary movies boring because they are so farfetched. The only ones that scare me are ones like Misery where nothing paranormal happens. Well I have found what may be the scariest movie ever. Forget Jason, Chucky, and the rest, this is really scary stuff. This is mutant babies, raging food allergies, giant tumors, autism and other horrors. I have no idea if I am going to sleep tonight. The facts, figures and devastating consequences in this extremely calm and clinical documentary have left me utterly freaked out and ready to never eat out again at a non-organic restaurant. Everyone needs to see this movie. Everyone. I have been vaguely aware of this for a few years but the way this is put together is just arresting. They are making it available for free through Halloween. So if you are looking to get really good and scared go to the link below and get past the first ten minutes (they are slow…like all good horror movies the suspense just keeps building) and try not to scream....

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Gluten-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free Vegan Russian / Thousand Island Dressing

Have you ever tried to purchase commercial gluten-free salad dressings that do not include soybean oil? It is pretty ugly. I buy a local brand made with olive oil here in Chicago. It comes in three flavors. One my husband no longer likes and he is sick of the other two. So now I am making my own dressings. Making your own salad dressing actually takes less time than buying one pre-made (assuming that you are like me and need to read every single bottle) in many cases. And this is one of them. It literally takes five minutes and if you have these pyrex clear measuring cup bowls you have one bowl to clean up. If you have any interest in Russian or Thousand Island salad dressing here is an easy recipe that is egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, corn-free, nut-free and soy-free. It uses canola but is non-GMO certified so it is also GMO free. It actually avoids the entire big eight. 1/2 cup earth balance mindful mayo 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish (I used Trader Joe’s organic) 1/4 cup Ketchup (I used Heinz Organic which does not appear to be kosher, but kosher varieties are available) pinch salt. Mix everything in a bowl. Chill and serve. Put the leftovers in a bottle. Like I said…easier than buying...

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Egg-Free Soy-Free Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Tartar Sauce

When you are trying to avoid multiple food allergens processed and bottled sauces can be a problem. We eat a lot of fish and we like tartar sauce. I am unaware of a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free tartar sauce, so I decided to make my own. I looked at the recipe for tartar sauce in one of my classic cookbooks and laughed hysterically because that is never going to happen. So here is my fast and easy recipe for tartar sauce. Please note that I make small amounts because I have a small family and because the mayonnaise mentioned here does not have the kind of shelf life that a commercial egg and soybean mayonnaise would have. This recipe doubles and triples easily for a larger crowd. Ingredients 1/4 cup Earth Balance Mindful Mayo (olive oil flavor) 1/4 cup Trader Joe’s gluten-free sweet pickle relish, solids only Salt to taste Equipment Measuring cups Container for serving Spoons Instructions Mix Mayo and relish in the container until combined. Add salt to taste Serve. Yup, that is it. Try it out and let me know what you...

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Proposition 37 and GMO Labeling

When I was a child in the 1970s my mother was one of the original supporters of a group called the Center for Science in the Public Interest. At the time they were petitioning for those now omnipresent nutrition labels on food which indicate fat, sugar, sodium and other statistics. The food companies said they were not necessary and that people did not need this excessive information since the ingredients were already on the bag. Of course we all know what happened. The law passed. While junk food did not disappear, people did change what they ate once they knew what was in their food. The lunch that most of my friends ate, baloney and mayonnaise on Wonder bread with a side of cheese puffs and a Twinkie, is no longer socially acceptable, and it has been eerily replaced by the lunch my mother insisted on for us and which led to some teasing, namely peanut butter on whole wheat with juice, a piece of fruit and a granola bar. It doesn’t even sound that healthy anymore. My mother swore that someday I would thank her for that weird lunch and everybody would know that my lunch was healthier. She swore that someday lots of people would try to avoid additives and preservatives. She was, of course, correct. Now we are up against a similar issue around labeling GMOs....

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Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Soy-Free Irish Cream Recipe

I figured that Irish Cream like Bailey’s was something I would never drink again. It was a little sad. Then I saw a recipe for homemade Irish Cream on Chowhound, which made me wonder if I could make a gluten, dairy, and soy free version that also avoids can liners and HFCS. There are many keys to real Bailey’s which are not options for me (like cream from real Irish cows) and the Chowhound knockoff used sweetened condensed milk which is rather a non-starter in the dairy-free world. I made a few versions that were not exactly authentic tasting. Finally after poring over the Bailey’s site I figured out my mistakes and this version actually worked. I went back and taste compared the actual genuine Bailey’s Irish Cream with this one. The real thing contains more fat which gives it a richer mouthfeel. Mine is thickened with tapioca which mimics the thickness just fine, but lacks the richness of actual milkfat (and yes, I actually did taste comparisons despite the unpleasant side effects) but otherwise, this tastes like Irish Cream. So if you cannot have the real thing…this is a darn good approximation. You can easily double it. I personally made about 7 batches of the stuff getting it right so I wasn’t interested in efficiency. Ingredients 1 cup So Delicious Vanilla or Original creamer 1/3 cup granulated sugar...

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