Bread, from the Bread Machine

I still have yet to develop my own recipe for the bread machine. It's really a challenge! (But I'll keep trying and let you know...)

But here's a loaf I made today with the 365 Gluten Free Sandwich Bread Mix. (That's the Whole Foods store brand). It's almost the same mix as the Gluten Free Pantry Sandwich Bread Mix. They are the only two mixes that I have had any success with. And they both ALWAYS come out right.

Hello, Sandwich!

NC Triangle Race fo the Cure 2009

Hi Everyone!

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

I just wanted to share with everyone (if you have not already heard). Zach from the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog has set up a team for the NC Triangle Race for the Cure. What a great cause, and what a great way to bring fellow GF people together in service to the community.

If you live in the Triangle area and would like to join up, you have just a few minutes left, today is the deadline! You can sign up here.

If you'd like to donate to help out our team, we would appreciate it!

Two things you can donate to:

• To raise funds for Gluten Free Week at Camp Kanata (through Zach's blog)
• To donate directly to the Komen Race (through the GF team)

Thanks to Zach for putting this together and see you at the race!

Happy, Healthy Fruit Smoothies

One of the ways I reward myself when I actually go to the gym is by making myself a refreshing smoothie to enjoy afterward.

A cool treat on hot evenings. And can be pretty good for you too.

So, to celebrate today's gym night, I made a smoothie batch and will share it here with you!

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Smoothie Q & A

What's in a smoothie?

• Whatever you want to put into it--fruit, juice, yogurt, flaxseed, etc. etc.

What do I need to make one?

• A Blender
• A Spatula
• Another Spatula (a backup for when you chop up the first one by accident)

Specific Ingredients?

• Bags of Frozen Fruit
• Fruit Juice, Milk, Soy Milk, Rice Milk--any liquid you prefer
• A Banana?
• Yogurt?
  
• FLAXSEED meal--(provides Omega-3's, yea!)

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As you can see, I have filled my blender with frozen fruit (peaches, pineapple, mixed berry blend), Pomegranate juice, and 2 Tbsp. Flaxseed Meal

Put the lid on the blender.
Turn it on.

And...voila! ...Wait!--your smoothie is not blended. (What??)

Now comes the most important part of the directions. The rest of making your smoothie is completed by the very scientific process that I like to call, "Trial and Error". Most likely, you will need to add more liquid, if your smoothie started out like mine looks.

But if it gets too watery, then you'll need to throw in some more frozen fruits or a banana. I use a spatula to push the chunky fruit at the top down to the mixing blades. I have killed about 4 spatulas this way. (Always keep a spare around! That must be why they often come in 2-packs.)

In the end, it should look something like this:

















Today, I enjoyed a half glass smoothie, and made SMOOTHIE POPS! Check out my new toy that I just got on amazon.com--homemade popsicle molds. You probably already know this, but when I was growing up in Ohio, your mom didn't love you if she didn't make you homemade pops! (We never even knew what store-bought pops were.) Underground Thought of the Day:
It is so true, now more than ever: Homemade IS Better. It's a delicious fruity treat--WITHOUT high fructose corn syrup--woohoo!

What's to eat Underground?

Here in the Underground, life gets a little busy.  I saw someone put up a tweet the other day asking for ideas of GF things to eat that are "quick, easy and not Amy's".  I love Amy's.  I found some great prices on Amy's frozen dinners at Kroger this afternoon.  The Rice Mac'N'Cheese was 2.89 (the best price I've found in Raleigh), and the Rice Lasagna was 2/7.00 (3.50 each). 

That said, what else is there to eat?

Well, lots of things.  This weekend I had Singapore Noodles from a chinese restaurant (one of the few dishes without SOY SAUCE).  Corn Chips.  Yogurt.  Jello.  Fruit Smoothie.  The other day I had a Glutino Pizza Crust pizza.  Today I've got some bread in the machine for the upcoming week.

My little brother thinks a gluten free blog is a little bit silly.  Because he doesn't really feel like he goes out of his way to find GF things to eat in his life.  He said, "come on, just have your corn chips, grits, and eat plain other stuff like meat, vegetables, rice and potatoes."  You know, he's right.  There are times that I think to myself, there's no need to blog any of this stuff, it's so obvious.  

Ten GF things that are amazingly easy to find/make/eat:

1. Corn Chips (I dip in salsa, guacamole, plain greek yogurt, or hummus)
2. Rice. It only takes 20 minutes to cook rice.  Serve with butter, or Mrs Dash, or other seasoning.  Combine with any vegetables and it's a great side or light meal.  Put extra in the fridge for later.  Sometimes I'll eat plain rice with butter, even for breakfast.
3. Tuna Salad. Mix a can or pouch with real mayonnaise (check label to make sure it doesn't have modified food starch) and relish.  Spread tuna salad on GF bread for a sandwich, or onto gf rice crackers.  Nut Thins are awesome crackers for this.
4. Personal Pizza.  Use either a Glutino Pizza Crust* (see note below), piece of GF bread, half a GF French Roll or English Muffin from Trader Joe's, or your choice any other bread product.  Spoon spaghetti or pizza sauce onto bread or crust, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake in oven @ 400 until all cheese melts.  Broil about another minute, to make the cheese bubble, if desired.  Also easy to make in a toaster oven, or even a microwave (careful in the micro, though, it will prob. turn out mushier).
5. Fresh fruits and vegetables.  This week I had a bag of oranges that I was enjoying one a day.  Apples are very good anytime.  Celery and carrots.  Melon.  If you're not eating enough of these, go out and find a cool new vegetable/fruit cutting board and big knife.  Then you'll want to use it--and just from excitement you'll be bringing home all kinds of pretty new produce.  You can throw these into recipes too.  Have them both ways. 
6. Hummus.  Anything goes with hummus.  These days, they have all kinds of amazing flavors, such as:  roasted garlic, red pepper, basil, cilantro, white bean, etc.  I eat it with corn chips, baby carrots, any other veggie or chip.
7. Yogurt.  Just double check the ingredients to make sure they don't have modified food starch.  I think Breyers used to be OK, but now it isn't.  (anyone know?)  But I've been trying to move to the organic yogurts more and more, and lower sugar ones.  Most of the time, I've just been getting plain greek yogurt.  You can add any fruit, fresh or frozen (I esp. like fresh apple pieces, frozen raspberries or cherries).  Honey too, if you are into that.  It's wonderful stuff, and very good for you (lots of probiotics).
8. Soup (homemade).  I don't know anyone who can't get a carton of GF organic/low sodium broth, a bag of frozen vegetables, a chopped onion (also available frozen), a couple cut up potatoes, a can of tomatoes (and leftover meat, or a ham bone, etc).  Put everything into a big pot and cook for an hour or so.  Vary with whatever's in season or make with any variety of beans or lentils.
9. Salad (oh, yeah!) Any to-go salad or bag of greens will do.  Some ideas: add fresh grilled chicken, salmon or veggies--mushrooms, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, julienne carrots, etc. (**Just watch out for the dressing.  Assume that all dressing is EVIL (GLUTEN) unless proven otherwise--esp. watch for Modified Food Starch.  Read the ingredients.  I usually enjoy Maple Grove Farms dressings). 
10. Any cut of meat, poultry or fish.  Seasoned any way you like, just without CARAMEL COLOR or MODIFIED FOOD STARCH or SOY SAUCE (also found in TERIYAKI).  Grilled, broiled, baked, etc. etc.  Of course!  So simple, yet so good.

There you have it. Mix and match any of them for a delicious meal.  It doesn't have to be hard.  Just leave the pre-made foods out of it.  Simplify.  It's easier than it sounds.

*Glutino Pizza Crusts.  A few years ago when I first tried these, I was very disappointed in them.  I felt that they came out very DRY from the oven.  They seemed flavorful enough (they have tons of sodium, so they must taste good), but just dry.  I hate dry foods...so I discovered this Underground Tip: Rinse the crust (both sides) in warm/hot water when you take it out of the freezer, for about a minute.  Then, turn the crust upside down and douse it in water, set it on your cookie sheet/pizza pan.  Soak like this for about 5 minutes, until the water seems absorbed.  No longer or it will be soggy.  Flip over, cover with sauce, cheese, toppings.  Bake until cheese melted all over (about 12-15 min) @ 400.  Tell me if this works for you!  It's really good to me.

Onion Pepper Confetti Basmati Pilaf

Today, I was out in my driveway cleaning up a new (used) dresser with some Murphy Oil Soap, and my neighbor friend stopped by with some vino!  Yay!

We got a chance to visit, I asked her if she'd eaten--she said no--so I said, "Stay for dinner!"  

I have a giant bag (10 lbs., I think it was originally) of Basmati rice from the Indian grocery store, purchased on 7/14/07.  I know that because I dated the bag, to track how long it takes to eat it all (just for fun).  When I finish it some day (a long time from now?), I think I'll have a party.  

Anyway, what would I make for dinner?  I had one red and one orange pepper in the fridge...um...starting to shrivel up (whoops, didn't cut up for hummus soon enough!)...so this is what I was able to come up with:  Onion Pepper Confetti Basmati Pilaf, in my large stock pot. 

The simple ingredients:

• two peppers (I like red, orange or yellow)
• one medium onion
• a couple Tbsps. Olive Oil or Butter
• 2/3 box of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I like Pacific Foods or Trader Joe's)
• 3 cups basmati rice
• water
• parsley flakes
• 1-1/2 tsp. celery salt

Directions:

Invite friends into kitchen and talk with them.  Simultaneously:  chop peppers and onions. Share stories about bad dates (optional).  Saute onions and peppers in oil or butter.  When onions are clear, add the broth, rice, parsley and celery salt.  Add maybe about a cup of water.  Bring to boil.  Simmer on low until rice is cooked.  Taste the broth.  If it is bland, add a little more celery salt.  

Stir the rice occasionally.  If all the water cooks off before the rice is fully cooked, add some more.  (I'm sorry I don't measure exactly.  You can do it.  Be courageous.)

This makes a large pot that you can keep in the fridge for the next couple days.  I served with a fresh salad with chopped tomatoes and balsamic vinegrette, and some vino.  Then an orange for dessert?

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Part of the wonderful conversation I had with this friend of mine was about how we remember our mid-western grandmothers made very simple foods with very few ingredients.  No MSG, modified food starch, high-fructose corn syrup, or anything.  Just 3 or 4 ingredients!  

We also were talking about how many of our mothers and grandmothers never used recipes, they just cooked "by ear."  Whatever you've got on hand, put something together, and make it work. 

Um...you can BE CREATIVE.  (I just love it when people tell me that).

Many of us are feeling a little stressed about money these days, but I think if we get psyched about being creative cooks, and enjoying the experimentation that we can come up with new recipes and even enjoy the journey of trying them out.  

This recipe cost:

2 peppers:  $2 from a 6-pack from Costco ($6)

3 cups Basmati:  maybe $0.72 from my $5 10-lb bag?

1 onion: maybe $0.37 from my 3-lb yellow onion bag that cost $2.49

1 box low-sodium chicken broth (70mg per cup): $2.29 at Trader Joe's

parsley flakes: 1 Tbsp from a package, maybe $0.12's worth?

celery salt: maybe $0.15's worth?

I didn't calculate the exact numbers...but isn't it about $6 for several days worth?  You can serve this as a main dish, or just a fancy side.  

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So you might want to try it.  I can't upload photos for the time being, so you'll have to use your imagination (I'll try to add them later).  But I promise you will enjoy this.  It tastes even better if you share, so invite that neighbor or friend over.  Enjoy!

Hey Blue Cross, You're Welcome!

So there's been a little stir since my post Let's Do Free Lunch. The question I meant to raise was this: "If there are so many drug reps constantly encouraging MD's to prescribe their products to their patients, why aren't we making a clamour ourselves, educating and encouraging the medical community to consider symptoms as possibly indicating Celiac Disease (DH, or gluten sensitivity, et. al.)?"

My foremost thought when composing that short piece was that MD's could really be more aware of the wide spectrum of associated symptoms w/CD because so often people are misdiagnosed (and treated with unnecessary drug therapies).

I was undiagnosed probably about 12-15 years (prob. since middle school). Over all those years I was told:

• "Here, take these Iron pills"
• "You should work out more"
• "I don't want to diagnose you with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome because it's not a real illness"
• "Let's try Prozac."
• "You have 9 cavities."
• "Here's an extra antibiotic for your next (chronic) sinus infection"

The list goes on, but that gives you an idea. So I just accepted the fact that I was unable to stay awake an entire day, I could never feel energetic and happy, I was always sick all winter, I destroyed my teeth because I'm a jerk, I'm lazy and that's why I don't work out more, and so on. But I forged on, graduated from college with honors, and just worked as hard as I possibly could in life, trying to ignore how terrible I felt. Lots of caffeine consumption!

When I was in grad school, my mom mentioned offhand that a 2nd cousin of ours had received a Celiac Disease diagnosis after being very ill for many years. My response? Ok, whatever, mom, that's nice.

To back up a little bit, my mother had ovarian cancer in the early 1990's, and thankfully survived. After she had a year of chemotherapy, she saw a holistic MD, who prescribed that she follow a yeast-free, gluten-free diet. For many years (I think 5-7), she religiously stuck to this diet. We all thought she was crazy.

One day in 2005, I was at a Borders or B & N, and found a "Gluten Free Recipes" book on the sale table and picked it up for my mom, thinking it had to do with her crazy diet. Next time I was on the phone with her, I told her about it. She said, "Oh, that's what our one cousin has."

Celiac.

What is this "Celiac Disease"? (No doctor had ever told me!)

So because my life was boring, I started reading. And reading. And asking my mom about her problems, other problems in our family. (BTW, it's our Dutch lineage). Anyway, I made lists of my symptoms, her symptoms, autoimmune diseases that were rampant in our family (all thyroid, goiter, Hashimoto's, Sjogren's, Lupus, Cancer, skin rashes, chronic fatigue, depression, etc. etc.)

I'd try anything to stop being so tired.

I made an appointment w/the university clinic to get a lab test. They had no idea what I was talking about. I was prepared--had my lists and some printed literature. I was excited. It could be an answer, I'm not just a lazy jerk!

A few days beforehand I'd piled up on the gluten. Birthday cake (had the test a few days after my birthday), Lofthouse cookies, crepes.

I convinced the practitioner to give me the test. I had it drawn that day. She said, "this is amazing. Wow, I never really knew about this. Of course I can order this for you."

Right after the test, I immediately stopped eating gluten, but had to wait over a week for the result. By the 4th day, I felt better than I'd felt my whole life. So I made a batch of wheat flour crepes. To see if it was all in my mind, or what.

Wretched misery! I felt absolutely terrible--I couldn't think, I got all hot and feverish feeling, started scratching all over my body, and had to lay down I was so exhausted.

The result you know already: POS.

Gluten was killing me! I felt so betrayed.

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That's my story. I'm pretty sure my insurance is aware of my diagnosis.

But I've needed fewer office visits, drugs, and I've been much healthier overall. And it's possible (or probable) that I'm going to avoid the mid-life cancers that many folks in my family have faced. Compared to cancer surgery, chemotherapy and all that, eating some GF pita bread is way cheap!

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I told you all that to tell you this. My Let's do Free Lunch post started much discussion (by accident--but an important discussion nonetheless) about whether or not you ought to be diagnosed. And there is a problem that insurance companies consider this a liability, a "Pre-Existing" condition.

To that, I say, we must spread the word--our stories and the research. (I don't feel like it needs to be political in any way, just sharing the information...)

Check out this article:

The Cost of Undiagnosed Celiac Disease

The insurance companies could save big by encouraging diagnosis of this condition. The classification of this CD, DH (Dermatitis Herpetiformis), and gluten sensitivity as "Pre-Existing" conditions is just plain nonsense. We who are diagnosed want to be healthy, and strive to maintain our own wellness (the act of even finding out our diagnosis in the first place is a testament to that).

I think the best thing we can do is keep talking. Keep discussing. Share our stories. Get the word out. Help others live better lives.

Thoughts?

Mexican Rice

I said I had some recipes up my sleeve.  You will love this.  When I make this recipe, I usually double it (approximately), and never freeze any.  That's because I can count on myself eating it all up right away.  Pretty much, I just use large portions as meals, often with sides of plain frozen veggies (broccoli, mixed vegs, peas, green beans, etc).

Mexican Rice

• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup broth (usually chicken)
• 1 cup tomatoes--chopped, diced, whole, whatever, & juice (canned or fresh)
• chopped onion (1/3 cup or more, about 1 medium onion)
• oil--3Tbsps?

Heat oil in skillet or saucepan.

Add rice and stir until white (be careful not to burn--keep stirring).

Add onion, broth and tomatoes.

Bring to a boil. 

Turn heat down to simmer.

Cover and don't lift lid for 1/2 hour.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from my Aunt Loretta, who got it from her friend of Mexican heritage.  It's so simple, yet so good.  I hope you like it as much as I do.  

Underground tip:  I usually go heavy on the onions.  MMMM, flavor!