Eastside Mexican Food Just Got Easier: Don Tequila

I've lived around the corner from Don Tequila for about a near now, and still hadn't eaten there. Sure I like Mexican food, but being a vegetarian celiac in the land of cheese, rice, tortillas, and well, more cheese is not only calorie crazy version of dinner but decidedly heart unhealthy one. Plus, like so many of you, I have a fragile tummy and there's only so much sour cream or guacamole I can eat before I can eat no more (it's about five bites, if you're keeping count).

Sure, authentic Mexican is great, veggie laden, full of protein rich beans, but authentic Mexican food is harder to find than it's Americanized, cheese covered cousin. But this isn't about bad Mexican food, it's about good Mexican food, it's about Don Tequila on Green Road in University Heights.

Taking over Jack's Deli's old space, this unassuming Mexican restaurant has thrived where once a Jewish deli reigned supreme. Their menu is extensive and options plentiful (so you can your dinner, and smoother it in cheese too, should you wish). Best of all, though there is certainly a language barrier, they very clearly understood me when I said "I have a serious allergy to flour. Corn is okay but no flour. Can I eat this?"

Sometimes, when I get the head nod or when waiter assures me something "will be fine", I just don't feel so secure. You've had similar experiences, no? You want to believe them that those corn chips really are just corn, but your gluten-free paranoia takes over and suddenly your sipping water and pushing food around your plate to make it look like you've eaten something. We've all been there. Sure, I was worried, too, but when I ordered spinach enchiladas (actually filled with spinach, not gobs of cheese with a bit of spinach mixed in), I double checked to make sure the sauce didn't have flour in it, too.

"Oh. Yeah, enchilada sauce is made with flour," the waiter with a sudden wash of understanding of just how pervasive the whole wheat allergy thing is. I bit my lip trying to figure out how to navigate the menu, not being sure what was safe."Don't worry. We'll just put another sauce on it. One with no flour." With that, he took my menu. Problem solved!

When my food arrived - smothered in a delicious green sauce - it was not only gluten-free goodness, but one great meal. Actually two great meals, considering I took my leftovers home and had 'em for lunch! Not bad a bad deal for $6.75, not a bad deal at all.

Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Salad

A little new business. You might've noticed this site has been through a little revamping. The layout has literally had a 180 degree swap, making it more readable and there's even a search bar to make ingredient / recipe / eatery inquires that much easier for you.

Course, that's not the exciting part. Okay, it's one of the exciting parts, but it's not the most exciting part. You see, I get lots of emails from people asking me where they can eat when they visit Cleveland. Which is very cool by me (thanks people!), and I always do my best to toss out some new ideas (or give them directions to one of those cross country, gluten-free friendly chains) in addition to sending them a direct link to the restaurant label on the this site. Admittedly, I feel a little silly doing this, but as my best source, most consolidated form of information, it's the most helpful...right? That plus the fact that sometime life intercedes and I miss responding to some of the nice people who want to know where to get a bite to eat made me realize this site was in need of a bit of an overhaul to be even more of a user friendly resource.

Ta da! The "Essential Gluten Free In Cleveland" was born (ie, that nifty list of links on your left). Hope this helps streamline things, folks, though don't think this is closing the door on emails, I'm still just a mouse click away.

Anyway, back to the food....

I know there's been a lot of talk of baking 'round here, but I eat actual food, really I do. Vegetable filled, good for you, savory dishes. In fact, in some circles, I'm known for 'em. ....And by circles, I mean anyone whose showed up to the same holiday pot luck I have, wrinkled their nose at my surprisingly unattractive dish, only to ask for the recipe by the time I catch them scraping the remnants from the emptied bowl.

With the perfect blend of lemony acidic tang, sharp garlic, and smooth olive oil complementing beautiful summer veggies, this roasted vegetable and chickpea salad is a crowd pleaser - even if those crowds include people who don't particularly love vegetables or chickpeas.

I came across it two Christmases ago - apparently trying to make the most Sephardic Jewish dish I could possibly bring to a decidedly non-Jewish occasion - while flipping through my favorite cookbook, the now out of print Ultimate Vegetarian Cookbook. While, sadly, this book evaporated somewhere between post college pack up and moving back to Cleveland, this recipe, at least survived the move. Good thing, too, because from Christmases, Passovers, and Fourth of July barbecues, this recipe has served me in serving up a yummy dish. (There are used version of the book available on Amazon, and buying one is always on the bottom on my to do list. ...Though I suppose singing the virtues of this book and directing you all where to get it ought to inspire me to get my copy while I can....)

Because it yields so very much food, it really is a perfect bring-it-to-a-party dish. This salad is so good, you certainly don't need a special occasion to make it. Plus, it keeps in the fridge for a good three days. Besides, with it finally just now getting warm this summer, who couldn't use another amazing summer salad in their repertoire?

Roasted Vegetable & Chickpea Salad

From The Ultimate Vegetarian Cookbook

1 lb butternut squash cubed
2 red pepper, halved

4 slender eggplant cut in half, lengthwise
4 zucchini cut in half, lengthwise
4 onions, quartered
1 Tablespoon olive oil (for brushing)

2 10 oz cans of chickpeas
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley, divided
1/3rd cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3 tablespoons lemon juice, more or less as desired
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a baking tray with baking spray and arrange the vegetables evenly over the surface. Brush evenly with olive oil and bake for 40 minutes or until they are tender.
Brush baking tray w/ oil and arrange vegetables brushed with oil evenly. Bake 40min or until Remove from the oven and let them cool until you can handle them.

Meanwhile, whisk together 1/3rd cup olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and half of the parsley. Set dressing aside.

Remove the skin of the peppers and chop; chop remaining vegetables into bite-sized chunks. Mix into the chickpeas, toss with dressing, and let sit for 30 minutes. (This is actually super important, do not skimp on the time!) If bland, season to taste with an additional tablespoon of lemon juice and a dash of salt and pepper; the acidic zing will quickly spark your salad, honest. Sprinkle remaining parsley over the top before serving.

Eat as is, or enjoy over toast. (I prefer Whole Foods Gluten Free Bake House's Prairie Bread, how 'bout you?)

My Pal, Joey's

Okay, for starters. I eat more than pasta, really I do. 

A firm gluten-free veggie burger, a fluffy quiche, a crunchy peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a baked potato loaded with veggies, the perfect poached egg, or even simple oatmeal. These are great meals that I love and eat often, Scout's honor. Yet, of the last 8 posts, a full forth have been on pasta. 

But be honest, you love pasta, too. 

There are times though, times you don't feel like standing over a stove, times you loathe watching your pot with hawk-like attention, burning your tongue and your finger tips as you hastily test those blasted rice noodles that so easily over cook. On those day, your not pasta's biggest fan. But what's a celiac to do? If your craving pasta (and you've gone to Maggiano's so many times the wait staff notices when you get a new haircut), you've got not choice but to make it yourself. 

That is, unless you've forgotten about Joey's. 

Nestled away in quaint Chagrin Falls, Joey's doesn't look like the sort of place that would accommodate to your gluten-free needs, much less, know what gluten is. The place is small, made smaller by it's perennially darkened interior. In the summer, the outdoor tables that line the sidewalk in front of Joey's seem more like the little restaurant has spilt out onto Main Street, rather than purposefully set out for al fresco dining. If that sounds chaotic, then I've described it right. Reminiscent of tiny places with an occupancy max of 100, yet favorited by some 20,000 New Yorkers, so too is Joey's a Chagrin Falls eating icon. 

Of course, if they give you that dreaded hour wait, it's not like you'll be bored. You're in beautiful Chagrin Falls after all, and if staring at the majesty of Northeastern Ohio's best known waterfall doesn't do it for you, you'll absolutely want to browse someone the shops that sell everything from absurd old clocks to gorgeous vintage furniture.  There the kind of shops I for one want to live in and absolutely can't step into without my wallet held by someone else.

When you do get your table at Joey's, the menu itself can be deceiving, as it doesn't advertise it's ability to suit your gluten-free needs. The fact is, they don't have gluten-free pasta every night. It is (as it always is!) best to call ahead, to alert them that your coming, to ask for them to set a serving of GF pasta aside for you.  (I, myself, ended up with the last serving of the night. Getting gluten-free pasta is serious business and I don't mess round. ) Of course, if your a meat eater, then eating at Joey's will be all the more easier for you - your waitress can get great information from the kitchen on which sauces are safe and which had trace amounts of gluten - but for the vegetarians among you, well, you're going to want that pasta. 

I enjoyed a dish of pasta Aglio e Olio (kinda funny, since I'd just made some myself) and asked for mushrooms to be added. It was really very good, very garlicky, not too oily, and beautiful, as fresh parsley clung brightly to nearly every noodle. Accompanied by as salad, it was the kind of meal you'd never know was gluten-free. And that's what it's all about, isn't it? Absolutely delicious, completely normal dining?

While your not charged more for your gluten-free pasta (always another nice way to feel normal eating out) the plate was somewhat smaller than the monster-sized bowls of pasta set in front of gluten-eating patrons. Trust me though, what you get is enough, more than enough, and well worth your money.  And the next time you feel like treating yourself with a night out, a great meal is waiting for you at Joey's. 

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio with Broccoli

Do you want to know a secret? Doo-waaa-doo Let me whisper in you ear. Doo - waaa - dooo Oh, Oh Closer. Doo-waa-doo. Do you promise not to tell?

I have a secret. A fully awesome secret. I found the greatest gluten-free pasta in Cleveland, Ohio. And I found in the most unlikely, yet most likely of all places. An Italian grocery store. You know, the kind of place you wouldn't even think of going into because wall to wall pasta and cannolis are more than you can take. Yeah, that kind. 

Like most things in life, the simplest answer, the easiest solution to your problem is always right under your nose. Italians have the highest rate of celiac disease of any ethnic population. Italy is the home of great pasta. Ergo, Italians know how to make great gluten free pasta. Wonderful if your a celiac in Italy, lousy if your one in Ohio. Or...is it? 

Friends, I'm planning a full on reconnaissance mission to said grocery store tomorrow (as when I bought the pasta, I shrugged and said, eh, we'll see how this goes and neglected to talk to anyone or take pictures, foolish, foolish), so I don't want to spill the details yet. But I will leave you with the fruits of my perfect pasta labor, the best plate o'spaghetti I've had in a long, long time. 

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio with Broccoli 

adapted from Food Network Kitchens

1 bag of Scotti Spaghetti

1/4 cup of starchy cooking water (from cooking above spaghetti)

1/2 cup good olive oil (I had Greek on hand)

3-5 cloves of minced garlic (depending on your garlic taste)

1 tablespoon kosher salt (plus salt to salt the pasta water)

a dash of pepper

at least 2 Tablespoons of chopped flat leaf parsley 

zest of 1/2 a lemon

grated Parmesan cheese (optional, I mean, kinda optional, but when is cheese ever optional really? Unless you have a food allergy. Then it's forbidden.)

2 heads of broccoli

Bring a pot of well salted water to boil. Cook Scotti spaghetti (or other, lesser pasta) for amount of time directed to ensure al dente pasta, drain and reserve 1/4 starchy cooking liquid, setting it aside. Put another medium sized pot on a burner, bringing the water to a boil. 

Meanwhile, in a medium pan, heat the oil, garlic, and salt over a low / medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic browns and softens. 

As the water in your second pot boils, plunge a head of broccoli into the water, holding it there for 60 or so seconds (that is to say, blanch your broccoli). You will notice how the stalk and buds turn a lovely vibrant green and become considerably softer. After approximately 60 seconds, remove the broccoli, set it aside, and repeat with the other head. Pull apart (or chop if your not into using your fingers as kitchen tools) the heads into bite sized pieces. 

Mix the oil and garlic into the pasta, adding in the cooking liquid, and zest the lemon over top. Throw in broccoli pieces, parsley, dash of pepper, and salt to taste. Add cheese as desired. Enjoy your simple and simply delicious meal. 

Gluten Free in Quicheland

After you're first diagnosed, in that moment you realize things are about to change in a very real way, the whole of your dietary life flashes before your eyes. 

All those morning of pancake breakfasts, of Norman Rockwellesque lunches of grilled cheese sandwiches and Campbell's tomato soups, of fried chicken (if you ate that sort of thing...I guess it was tofu, for me) appear to you all at once, clouding your vision in a sea of surprisingly hungry despair. 

And when you try to think of what doesn't have gluten in it, some how all your mind can conjure up is a head of lettuce or some shriveled up, forgotten carrot in the back of the fridge. Prisoners get bread and water. But us celiacs? We only get the water. 

I find it truly amazing how deeply our minds choose to deceive us at that moment. It's as if celiac disease itself takes hold of our sense memory, purposefully blotting out images of wonderful, naturally gluten free foods we've enjoyed for years, as it desperately tries to keep it's cannibalistic stranglehold of our GI tracts. 

Admit it it. Among the joy of summer's first sweet, juicy peach, the refreshing power of a cold glass of milk, and the crunch of a good ear of Ohio corn, you've enjoyed some truly great, naturally gluten-free meals in your day. And haven't you always felt the better for it? Fresh whole foods, rich in vitamins and minerals (the kind you actually get to absorb into your body now that's your system's filled with gluten-free goodness), yes, with a meal like that, you hardly miss the gluten at all. 

After my diagnosis depression - you know, those first six months when I whined a lot and nothing but rice and fruit - I started to think about meals I ate as a kid and how I could adapt them. When I remembered how often we'd made a naturally gluten-free, crustless quiche, booked it to the grocery store, rolling my eyes all the while for how long wallowing in celiac self pity had kept me from eating delicious meals like this. While the traditional version involves heavy cream, cups and cups of cheese, and a buttery, flaky crust, with me and my tender tummy in the house, we always made a significantly pared down version of this rich dish. Who knew that with weekly dinners of crustless quiche and salad, I'd been eating gluten-free for years? And why my memory chose not to offer me up a slice of THIS on diagnosis day, I'll never understand. 

For those of you who hem and haw that a quiche just isn't a quiche without a crust, worry not, Gluten-Free Pantry has you covered. Armed with perhaps my favorite of gluten-free mixes - GF Pantry's Quick Mix - and easy quiche with spongy - but not heavy - crust is just minutes away. Paired with oven roasted red potatoes, you've got a meal to chase away even the most persistent of gluten-filled memories. 

(Note: While there's been a recent slump in Gluten-Free In Cleveland activity, rest assured this site is gearing up for a full throttle comeback. In addition to misplacing my digital camera's charger, I've been suddenly afflicted with a substantial lack of appetite. So much so that eating anything, much less writing about food, has been a sincere struggle. Poor kitchen's been abandoned for weeks now, and I hardly think my muffin tins know what to do with themselves.

Thankfully, I've recently received some great tips about GF friendly people and places in Cleveland from wonderful readers and, while I'm on the road of reminding my body that food is good and dehydration is bad, I am really excited to share this information with you. As such, I want to extend a friendly invite any and all readers who think their favorite gluten-free spot, store, or recipe has been over looked to shoot me an email and be included in some pretty exciting upcoming posts!) 

 

Spinach-Broccoli Quiche

 

3 eggs

3 -4 Tablespoons of egg whites (or a 4th egg)

1 and 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monetary & Colby blend, etc.  Use 2% 

milkfat cheese if you like) 

1 cup skim milk

1 cup baby spinach

1/2 cup chopped broccoli

1 teapsoon sea salt

1/2 scant teaspoon nutmeg 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup and 1 Tablespoon GF Pantry Quick Mix, divided (optional, leave out for crustless quiches) 

GF cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Spray a quiche pan or small / medium casserole dish with GF cooking spray. (If making crust variation, sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of Quick Mix as evenly as possible over the bottom of the pan.) 

In a small bowl, mix together spinach, broccoli and, and cheeses and spread out over the bottom of the pan. In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, egg whites, spices (and quick mix) until well combined. Gently pour the liquids over the cheese and vegetables. You may want to sprinkle the top with an additional shake of nutmeg. 

Carefully place pan in oven and bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean (though, careful not to let the top become too browned).  LET SIT for at least 10 minutes. I know it's beautiful, I know it's tempting, but it's so much better having had a chance to rest, trust me on this. (During this time, the neurotic quiche bakers among you will notice the quiche's puff with fall ever so slightly. Don't fret, it's fine).  

Serve with salad, fruit, or roasted red potatoes and enjoy naturally gluten-free greatness. 

 

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes

 

10- 12 small red potatoes, well washed

2 Tablespoons of olive oil 

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

2 Tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese

freshly diced scallions 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, placing a small casserole dish on the top rack. 

Boil the potatoes for roughly 15-20 minutes, or until they're tender. Carefully! remove hot dish from the oven and transfer potatoes into it. Gently twist a fork into the flesh of each of the potatoes - letting it open up hopefully without breaking it in half, though, if you do, that's okay, too. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, sprinkle spices and top with cheese. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes and serve with sliced scallions. 

Light, Bright Mac & Cheese and The Most Exciting News To Come From Starbucks Since Coffee

As my fingers rapidly race over my keyboard, I'm reminded of that scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, wherein after having all the kids and their parents sign the "you've entered at your own risk" (to put it mildly) waiver, he tries to get them to hurry along, announcing "So much time and so little to do. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it. " 

Spring is springing all over Northeast, Ohio. It's beautiful, sunny, and on a few days, even warm. (And though, we Clevelanders know that this likely means tomorrow the temperature will likely lurk near freezing, we're made of a heartier stock then most, and can tough out the most ridiculous spring season - heck, even our flowers blossom under these conditions!) While I'd love to say I've been neglecting my gluten-free duties for the sunshine, I've actually been buried under various projects, including creating a slide show for the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless' annual benefit on May 1st. (NEOCH is one of those great organizations who work behind the scenes to revive Cleveland. The $50 ticket includes dinner - though questionable one as far as gluten is concerned - an open bar, a keynote speaker, and a silent auction. Please contact me if you're at all interested in attending or donating.) 

And that's a shame, as I have so much information on gluten free events, great gluten free finds in our very own Cleveland, and delicious spring recipes that I'm practically bursting at my celiac seems. Though it's perpetually on my to-do list, I'm continually shocked to find another jam packed day has gone by without finding the time to share recipes, food finds, and some of the great info so many of you have emailed to me. 

On that note, to those who've sent emails - both of their gluten-free finds and just of appreciation - thank you. Even if I don't respond right away (or for weeks) I read every one and I'm so happy that Cleveland's celiac community is growing stronger everyday as it makes itself vi sable on our culinary landscape. 

Speaking of speaking out, have you heard the best news to come out of Starbucks since the return of the pumpkin spice latte (seriously, those things might just have liquid cocaine in them, they're that addictive) - that's right, following in the trailblazing footsteps of General Mills' Chex and Betty Crocker, Starbucks will soon be offering a GLUTEN-FREE VALENCIA ORANGE CAKE. 

Starbucks says the decision was made based on the numerous phone calls, letters, and emails they've been fielding over the years from gluten free customers. This isn't just a quality of life increase for us folks, this is putting celiac disease center stage as well as proving to all of those who know they need to eat gluten-free but are dragging their feet that it IS possible to live happy, healthy, and DELICIOUSLY, gluten-free.  (Granted, I say this without having eaten this cake, but I can't imagine Starbuck's putting a shotty cake out - at least not when they have all the time in the world they want to perfect it. )

These pastries are expected to hit stores in May and will cost $2.25. You can read more about it in the Forbes article here. And if all this talk of orange cake has set off a craving you just can't control, why not whip up an Amazing Almond Orange Vanilla Pound Cake - a mouthwatering gluten-free version of Starbucks' lemon loaf cake (and my mom's favorite thing for me to make ever). 

There's oh so much more happening in the gluten-free world (and isn't that an exciting sentence all on it's own?) but reading about it all at once - or writing about it for that matter - would be fully overwhelming. For now, I leave you with an impromptu dinner that turned out to be one of the best gluten-free meals I ever made. 

First things first, I love pasta. Since I was little, I have filled my plate and my tummy with sticky, starchy semolina flour that tasted so very good going in but ended up being so very bad to my poor little body. And though my tastes have widened considerably since childhood, and though I've thankfully traded in semolina for gluten-free alternatives, I still very much doubt there's any dish better than a hearty vegetable and (gluten-free!) pasta bake.  There's something positively magical about a drippy, creamy sauce that fills each and every nook and cranny of elbow pasta.  If casseroles are comfort food, then pasta casseroles are the biggest, warmest, hug from your grandmother that you can imagine.  

Trouble is, eat foods like that every day and you'll have far more health problems than just celiac disease. But be honest, you don't really like those greasy, heavy meals that sit in your stomach for hours. No, with skim milk, vegetable oil butter,bright, vitamin rich vegetables, and protein and fiber packed quinoa pasta, a perfect, delicious dinner, a classic comfort food, really is within your gluten-free reach.

(Note: this recipe uses a tablespoon of Gluten-Free Pantry's Quick Mix, an all purpose blend of flours that contains xanthum gum, 4 types of GF flours, and is considerably thicker than regular GF flour. If you really want a great mac & cheese but don't have GF Pantry's Quick Mix, or don't want to fuss with the flour, you might want to check out my (Secret!) Mac and Cheese ... I told you, I love baked pastas. I might even have a problem. Think there's a twelve step program?) 

Light, Bright, Mac & Cheese Primavera 

based in part on Alton Brown's baked mac & cheese recipe

1 box Quinoa Pasta (I like Ancient Grains)

3/4 cup sliced White Mushrooms

1 cup Frozen Peas (microwaved for 2 minutes, so they are pert but still cold)

1 cup Baby Spinach

3 Tablespoons Earth Balance

1 Tablespoon Gluten-Free Pantries' Quick Mix

1 egg

1 3/4 cups Skim Milk

1 1/2  - 2 cups Shredded Cheese (I used Kraft Natural's Colby and Monetary Jack Blend as well as a little Cheddar) 

1 generous squirt of Mustard

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

Black Pepper to taste

Cook the pasta for about 7 minutes, drain and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a small sauce pan, whisk together flour and butter over medium high heat. Stir in milk and nutmeg and let simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, spray GF cooking spray over a medium sized pan and saute mushrooms and for 5-6 minutes over medium heat. Set the mostly cooked vegetables aside and toss the spinach into pan, turning heat to low, and stirring occasionally, making sure the spinach wilts, but doesn't burn. Temper an egg into the sauce mixture (for directions on tempering, click here, don't worry, I had to look it up, too) and then stir in the cheeses, mustard, salt,  and pepper. 

Gently fold the cheese mixture into the pasta. Once the pasta is thoroughly covered in ooey-gooey cheese (truly, this is an intoxicating smell), fold in the vegetables. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish and bake for 30 -35 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with a dash of nutmeg sprinkled over the top. 

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!! 

Gluten Free PSA #10: April Celiac Events, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bob's Red Mill GF Pizza Crust...And News Thrown In For Good Measure

If there ever were a time for indecision, it's April. 

Not quite spring, yet not quite winter, April is a month brimming with ambiguity. If you need further proof, look only to the fact that temperatures soared to nearly 60 degrees earlier in the week, later there was a nose dive in temperature and an accompanying unexpectedly picturesque blanket of snow covering my lawn, and then today rain, so much so, opening day at Jacob's Field (or what "progressive field? are we really supposed to call it that?) was rained out.

Oh April. You do enjoy playing rough, don't you? 

And speaking of rough, I don't talk about it much, but for me, celiac disease has always been my "fun" autoimmune disease. Those five other autoimmune conditions that have constant turf wars in my body? Yeah, they don't really lend themselves to clever blogging or excuses for baking, and as such, they rarely have any reason to be written about here. (At least not yet, and when there's a way to treat connective tissue disease with muffins, believe you me, my blog will be the very first place in the world to report it!) 

I guess I bring these other illnesses to say, I apologize for the slow down in posts. All this screwy weather has screwed with my rheumatism and when I don't feel well, all of my cooking senses melt away faster than the snow we had last week. While I continue to make attempts at greatness in the kitchen, I'm sorry to say that the brownies and muffins I made left something to be desired, good, but not great, and so aren't quite reading for generally blogging consumption. 

Till my cooking karma returns, I give you April Celiac Updates and a few yummy things that have been taking up space on my digital camera: 

Gluten-Free Things to Do This April

April 13 - Gluten Free Pasta Class at the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking (click here for registration information) 

Mid April - The Greater Cleveland Celiac Association meets at the Solon Public Library, please contact Cindy Koller-Kass for details

April 26 - Celiac Disease Conference and Vendor Fair! Perhaps the most exciting gluten-free event of the spring season, this event will have programs for all ages, speakers, doctors, and of course, a sampling of delicious gluten free food from many great vendors. Click the link for registration information and mark your calenders! 

Carrabba's Italian Grill

Carrabba's gluten-free menu is pretty much common knowledge around celiac circles, and well, if you're savvy enough to use the Internet to find my little piece of gluten-free Internetland, you've probably heard of their GF menu or even made use of it yourself. 

But in case you haven't....

Carrabba's Italian Grill is one of those prefabbed chain restaurants that's about one indoor gondola ride away from being a theme restaurants. Pictures of large Italian families on the wall, fake trellises with faker vines and grapes hanging over head, wine glasses standard on every table - it's like Italy, if Italy came at $15.00 a plate. 

All that said, there's a reason Carrabba's dot the Midwestern countryside. The food is good. The menu is good. The ambiance, though fabricated, is good. (Though I've always thought the shrubbery atop the roof was more than just a little silly.) And they have a gluten free menu, a good one. 

Of course, the only vegetarian celiac thing on are a few salads. But still, they're good salads. I'm really partial to the grilled eggplant, roasted red peppers, artichokes, and hazelnut encrusted goat cheese atop mixed greens salad. Oh, it's a good as it sounds. Drizzled in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, it's the kind of salad that actually is a great GF dinner salad, not just some lettuce on a plate. 

Now sure, it's a bummer you can't have pastas (but if you're not vegetarian, you can have your choice of some 10 beef, fish, or chicken dishes), but this salad really wont make you feel like you're going without. 

Bob's Red Mill Pizza Crust

I like pizza. I like it's smell. I like it's texture. I like the sauce, the cheese, and boy to a like a good chewy - but not too chewy - crunchy - but not too crunchy - crust. Yyyyyum. 

But finding a great GF crust is as much of an art as making a perfect topping to cheese to sauce ratio (for the record, I like spinach, garlic, and eggplant, you know, in case anyone is planning some GF pizza fan mail...). I've done the whole foods pizza crust mix (great for thick french bread pizzas, but not quite an every day crust), I've made use of the little 6" glutino crusts (they puffy up beautifully and are wonderfully crunchy, but really don't yield that perfect pizza slice), and I've even recently tried Joan's GF pizza crust (good, pre formed and rolled out makes for incredibly easy use, but the middle took forever to cook, and considering you have to special order it's not something I'd do again). 

But what mix really gets my pizza needs going? Bob's Red Mill. Oh Bobby - or Roberto i guess if we're going to be Italian - you do make a great crust. It doesn't taste like rice, or potatoes, or weird tapioca pudding. It tastes like pizza. It bakes like pizza. It chews like pizza. 

Because the bag comes with it's own package of yeast, when you decide it's pizza night, be aware you're going to have left over dough for another night. Ah well, pizza twice in one week -- yeah, I don't hear any complaining either. 

And finally...

I wanted to take an opportunity to thank wellsphere.com for naming me one of their top health bloggers and adding me to their ranks of featured bloggers. (Look for the new badge, with my picture, on the side bar.) Wellsphere has a wealth of information on a variety of wellness, health preservation, and disease related topics, so it's an honor to be counted among some of the truly great blogs (many of them in the celiac disease community!) who are featured there.

If you still haven't had enough of me and my gluten-free writings, look for my article on Celiac Disease and the Jewish Community in an upcoming issue of the Cleveland Jewish News (it should appear by then end of April) and check out my recipe for gluten-free mandel bread. ...Though you might not want to try it out 'till the end of passover. And let's forget that I posted about pizza during pesach. Oy. 

And finally, finally, if you've had enough of all things celiac disease and gluten free related for one sitting, I invite you to check out my friend Kali's site and her quest to raise enough money to bring her service dog home to her. Kali, a young lady with elhers-danlos syndrome, is a brilliant and determined future lawyer (look only to how forcefully she pushes her way through law school despite her condition) and her love for the dog she has never met is quite touching.  Hers is a great story, an inspiring read, and a worthy cause. Should she be able to raise enough money to bring Hudson, the adorable service dog paired up with her, home, her quality of life will improve dramatically. Best of luck to you, Kali! 

Gluten Free Goodies from the Raisin Rack - Ravioli, Sub Buns, and Challah

Even though I'm a happily happy gluten-free girl, there are a few gluteneous items that I really do miss. I like to think of these as holy grail gluten-free items, things that exist as lovely dinner fantasies in my mind, but I doubt really exist. 

Well, until now. Thanks to the Raisin Rack and their insanely fantastic array of products, I recently had some of those foods I've spent so very many years missing. And if this is a dream, I don't wanna wake up. 

Conte's Cheese Ravioli 

Growing up, I remember my mom taking us to museums, enrolling us in music lessons, and making sure we knew basics of environmentalism and sustainability. With that busy of a day (plus her day job), cooking generally went by the wayside. But for a non-food allergy family like ours, easy dinners were never hard to come by. One of her favorite last-minute dinner standbys was frozen peas and frozen ravioli. There's something about that insanely easy freezer dinner that always said home to me. 

But ravioli are one of those too hard too make, too unlikely to find gluten-free goods, the kind you just kind of have to give up on in favor of a healthy, happy digestive system. But oh ravioli...

All nostalgia aside, who doesn't love ravioli? Those puffy cheese filled clouds float along beautifully in a hearty tomato sauce, sure, but I'll always prefer them aside a nice crunchy pea. However you like to dress up (or down) your ravioli, know that Conte's Gluten Free Pasta comes as close to gluten-free perfection as rice and potato flour can muster. Perfect texture, perfect chewy tenderness, perfect everything. 

Conte's makes all sorts of amazing pasta shapes -fusilli, spaghetti, elbows - and various stuffed pastas - raviolis, stuffed shells, and even pierogies. 

Kathy's Creations Sub Buns

I have yet to actually get myself out to Kathy's Creations bakery, but this sub bun might just convince me to make that hour plus drive. They look like bread. They feel like bread. And oh my goodness, they taste like bread. Not just bread - fresh bread. These buns don't have to be toasted to taste amazing, just ripping into one straight from the package was pure bread perfection. 

Allow me to repeat myself: without being toasted, this bread tastes just like bread. 

I can't tell you the last time I had a sub sandwich and the truth is, it probably wasn't all that memorable. But this one - piled high juicy, tender with oven roasted eggplant and sweet peppers, sprinkled with roasted garlic, smeared with cream cheese, and topped with ripped parsley - this is a sandwich I won't soon be forgetting. Served up with a side of grapes and a banana, this healthy, hearty alternative to anything Subway or Quizno's could mass produce and send down the line in crinkly paper wrapping. 

Kosher Naturals' Challah Muffin

I always assumed taste memory was like bike riding memory. Once you ate something, once it became a part of your sense memory, you couldn't possibly forget the way it tasted, right? Well, not right, as I found upon trying to explain the superiority of challah to all other breads to my gluten eating, non-Jewish boyfriend. While I knew in my heart that there is truly nothing like a chunk of it ripped straight from the round or a thick slice of it battered in egg washed and grilled to french toast greatness, the ability to explain just why this is so eluded me. It had been that long since my last challah crumb. 

Like the food itself, I thought the memory of challah was lost to me. 

But funny thing about sense memory, it doesn't go away, it just hides really, really well.  While my eyes didn't quite believe that puffy little ball of dough would taste anything like the bread passed out on Saturday mornings at Hebrew School, it took only one bite of Kosher Naturals' Challah Muffin for me to be absolutely sure this is challah. Moist, thick, slightly sweetened by brown sugar or honey, this was challah. And thank goodness they come 4 to a box - 3 for me and 1 to share. Well...maybe. 

Checking out their website, I discovered Kosher Naturals offers their muffins in 4 flavors - original and toasted onion  (both of which are kosher), as well as blueberry and chocolate chip. Chocolate chip challah? Yum.

Admit it, there are times you kind of love being gluten-free. Times when you eat a great meal and don't have a stomach ache. Times when people marvel at your dedication to your life and your health. Times when you discover some of your favorite foods really might be in reach and that having celiac doesn't really bar you from social or traditional activities. Thanks to great products like these, you can live those times breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

Lopez Bar and Grill

Dearest gluten-free friends, sometimes life gets busy. My to-do list was filled with projects I felt I could safely push off 'till spring and, idling in my free time I baked, I slept, I lazily did laundry, and I aimlessly sipped coffee at Caribou, reading up on how to use Flash Animation. Sleeping when I liked, writing when I liked, catching up on the entire cannon of Desperate Housewives, I'm not going to lie, it was a mighty nice existence. 

Thing is though, I happened to gaze at the day and month time stamp on my computer and was shocked to discovered that time has in fact slipped into mid-March! Suddenly, "recently graduating from college this past May", doesn't seem all that recent and it's high time I get myself back into high gear. 

With that in mind, I present to you (a rather quick review of) a way for us gluten-freers to get dinner fast: take out. 

Or, okay, eat there if you've got the time - but either way, Lopez Bar and Grill (on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights) provides a mighty nice dinner for the gluten-free and gluten eating among you. A menu of Southwestern delights made from fresh ingredients, from what I gathered from the menu and my waiter, there were few places for gluten to hide on my plate. 

I enjoyed the fajitas  - which basically meant a lovely plate of grilled zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, tomatoes, onions, and red and green peppers accompanied by corn tortillas - very happily and was thankful for such a plain, yet delicious, meal. (It came with a side of re-fried beans that I can't say I ate - due both to not knowing how they were prepared, and because I could smell the hot spice from a full foot away. A true horror for my acid reflux-y stomach, though a god-send for some, I know.)

I got the impression that the Lopez staff were more than willing to accommodate their customers and convey their food concerns to the kitchen. It was also nice to get a plate of Southwestern food that wasn't piled high with questionable sour cream or guacamole (delicious as they are when you're safe in the knowledge that the one you're about to enjoy is gluten free, but treacherous when they appear on your plate without an ingredient list to accompany them). 

On the whole, Lopez is a nice alternative to cooking at home, or another dinner at Cafe Tandoor, Tommy's, Sun Luck Garden, or Maggiano's -- all of which are great food allergy friendly dining establishments, but variety is the spice of life, right? Of course it is, and at Lopez you can have it, mild, medium, or super hot. 

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I think we'd all agree that January and February are rather dreary months - especially where food is concerned. 

Snow, ice, and bitterly cold temperatures aside, there is no quintessential winter vegetable to cook with, no holiday to get creative for for. (That is, unless you count Valentine's Day, but really, in the heart of February, I think we'd all agree any piece of chocolate will do.) 

To make matters all the more complicated, we're wadding through the wake of the post-holiday food season,  a time when every calorie counts as we lament over tightened jeans and sweaters that are the door prizes of all those holiday parties, while desperately trying to keep ourselves warmed from the inside out. What sounds better on a cold winter's evening than something hot, thick, and filling? The conundrum of winter marches on...

I've got news for you folks, winter isn't going away any time soon (Punxsutawney Phil backs me up here) and, unless you're going to make oatmeal a three times a day ritual, it's time to get creative. 

I generally hate cooking for just me and, with my mom at work and my boyfriend in Michigan, I resigned myself over to freezer food for dinner. There's a bit of me that always scoffs at prepackaged frozen food - after all, is it really that difficult to make a casserole? - but when there's an option of quick, organic, and gluten free...well, who am I to pass that up?

My automatic go-to dinner in a pinch always involves sunshine sunflowerseed veggie burgers. Amazingly delicious and easy to make, between these burgers and salad from a bag, dinner may as well have been ready before I set foot in the kitchen. Well, almost. I had my vegetable, I had my protein, but a complete meal - much less a complete vegetarian meal - really does need a carb. 

There have been two sweet potatoes sitting in my kitchen, staring at me for weeks. I meant to eat them, really I did...and yet, there they sat, in the fruit bowl, supporting the apples. Maybe I didn't feel like cooking but a little kitchen experimenting? Yeah, I suppose I could manage that.

Besides, not actually being fried these fries are made out of the fantastically nutritional sweet potato. Rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and dietary fiber, iron, calcium, and protein, the sweet potato was ranked highest in nutritional value among all other vegetables in 1992 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. (For more fascinating sweet potato facts, please click here...though I'm sure it's only half as interesting as actually eating one!) 

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries 

This is less of a recipe and more of a cabinet emptying, favored spice using experience. Have chili pepper? Love thyme? Throw it in, combine your favorite spices, and shake it up...

2 Sweet Potatoes

2 zip lock or otherwise sealable plastic bags (or one large plastic bag if making one type of fry)

1 pizza pan or cookie sheet

For savory fries...

1 TSP of Olive Oil

1-2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of pepper

1/2 tsp of garlic

1/4 tsp of rosemary (optional)

1/4 tsp of paprika (optional, instead of rosemary)

For sweet fries...

1 TSP of Vegetable Oil

1 tsp of salt

1-2 tsp of white sugar

2 tsp of brown sugar (add more as desired)

1 tsp of cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel, or leave peel on for more rustic looking fries. Slice potatoes length wise and then in thin strips, no more than a half inch thick. Place potato strips into bag and combine oil (1 TSP per potato), seal the bag and shake, making sure the oil thoroughly coats all of the fries by rubbing the fries through the bag. 

Open the bag and add in the spices (or sugars for sweet fries). Reseal the bag and shake again, ensuring the spices get distributed as evenly as possible. 

Pour fries out on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30 -40 minutes, turning the fries over once during cooking time. 

Serves 1 -2 persons per potato. 

Nicole's Italian Restaurant - Albany, New York

I've been a a gluten-free on the go girl for a while now. 

If I'm not in Cleveland, I'm probably traveling to Ann Arbor to visit the boyfriend, or if I'm really lucky, I'm in or around my real love, New York City (...and won't the boyfriend be thrilled to read that! hah!) I know these two cities well. I rarely get lost, I know what's fun to do, and I know what to eat. I'm comfortable in these places, but as far as going somewhere new? Well, that always brings about some trouble. 

I wasn't just going somewhere new, I was going to Albany, New York - not exactly a strong hold of alternative eating. And as we tried to coordinate with my family there on finding a gluten free restaurant, I remembered why I so like having my own kitchen and my own familiar places to eat. (Not to say my family was anything less than stellar in trying to find a place, it's just, you know hard to be the new gluten-free kid in town.)

But it was worth the frustration. Why? Because this man, my Grandpa Norman, was celebrating his 85th birthday, and I was determined to be there. Norman is fairly particular about food himself - in a good way. Few people his age are as educated about what they put in their bodies and I for one think it's pretty cool that he shops at health food stores and makes all sorts of health food soups, not to mention the fact that he works out at the YMCA several times a week and has a job, too. My grandpa could totally beat up your grandpa - but he keeps his power in check. A pretty cool guy, right?  

Anyhow, while it was tough to find a restaurant that could satisfy all of our needs (my uncle suffers from a major fish allergy, and he and my cousin are also vegetarians...we're a fun bunch for any waitress, I'm sure) we did finally agree on a lovely place called Nicole's. A charming Italian bistro serving Northern and Southern Italian cuisine, Nicole's is the kind of darkly lit, beautifully decorated restaurant that special evenings were made for. And what's more special than an 85th birthday?

While we'd called ahead so they were ready for my gluten-free needs, I was pleased to find that not only could I order directly off the menu, but I had options! They nicely offered to oblige any off menurequest if nothing on the menu really suited me, but really, who could refuse a Grilled Portabella Napoleon with a side of fluffy rice in olive oil? (I picked that over the Grilled Stuffed Mushroom, or any of the meat dishes I could've chosen, were I a meat eater.)

The waitress was knowledgeable about Celiac and I really felt safe eating there. Everything delivered to us - gluten free or not - was absolutely beautiful. Take these pats of butter for example, who knew sat fat could be that darling? 

They say we eat with our eyes first, and Nicole's really knew how to make food look delicious. My grilled portabella napoleon came to me as two stacks of perfectly grilled vegetables - eggplant, red peppers, spinach, yellow squash, and of course, portabellas - each topped with a thick slice of buffalo mozzarella cheese and drizzled with the thickest balsamic reduction. Perfect. Simple. And something I hope to be able to recreate at home. 

Admittedly, I was jealous while I watched my family enjoy appetizers of hazelnut encrusted brie and fresh tomato topped bruchetta, but once my gorgeous plate arrived, I could hardly remember any of those pesky Ugh, why must I eat gluten free! feelings. 

So if you're gluten free in Albany - either by actually living there or if you're there visiting family and friends - remember to stop by Nicole's for a special occasion or just a treat for yourself. 

Baked Vegetables to Beat the Winter Blues

Brrr! Is it ever cold in Cleveland, Ohio!

To be fair, it's not just here. I don't know if you've stepped outside to check - and if you haven't, I couldn't blame you - but there's this horrible cold front sweeping over the whole Midwest and East Coast. With the wind chill, the forecast estimates tomorrow will be negative twenty-five degrees (Fahrenheit). That kind of number doesn't even make sense in my brain. 

As we inch closer and closer to absolute zero on the Kelvin scale, it's clear that a good meal is in order to keep our spirits up lest we fall victim to some serious winter weather blues. Something comforting, something well balanced, something to warm you from the inside out. They say if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, and if mother nature isn't going to provide the warmth, a homemade dinner will have to do. 

With the chill in mind, my boyfriend and I were trying to figure out a high veggie count dinner on our low budget. Potatoes, of course, were on the menu but what to go with them? He likes his potatoes mashed - I rejected, too fatty. Next he suggested stir fried - I rejected, takes far too long and the idea of a potato stir fry has never really sat well with my Asian cooking sensibilities. I suggest we shred them into that kugel - he rejected, he didn't want me to spend our evening hunched over in the kitchen, not to mention how I tend to smell like an onion for days after kugel baking. Finally he suggested we just plain bake the potatoes. 

Baked! A quick, warm, easy, cheap. Perfect. And while the cooking wheels in my head started to turn - I could top the potato with sauteed spinach, and red pepper, and garlic, oh and some goat cheese! - I began to worry that this potato meal was more of an overgrown side dish than something that would satisfy hungry tummys on a cold winter's night. 

As I milled about the market, worrying that this meal was going to leave us hungrily raiding the freezer by 9pm, I turned to see my boyfriend picking up a package of two precut portabella mushroom tops. Think you can do something with these, babe? 

Oh yes I could, and far far better than that rotten place we went to for New Year's. This dinner was nutritious, filling, warming, and oh so cheap (cost about $12.00 for all ingredients involved). Take that, winter weather blues. 

Spinach & Red Pepper Saute over Baked Potato

As remembered with the help

 of Rachel Ray

2 potatoes

1 bag of spinach - washed, and trimmed if needed 

1 red pepper - diced into bite sized pieces 

5 -6 cloves of garlic - minced 

1/4 - 1/2  teaspoon of nutmeg

2 Tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 Table spoons of herbed Goat Cheese (check to make sure the added herbs haven't added any gluten, if not regular goat cheese and add any herbs you like - rosemary, thyme, etc - or none at all!)

Really, this is a method and a semi obvious one at that. Any veggies you have on hand, or ones you love, will do. Zucchini and yellow squashed sliced long and thin, a melange of peppers, broccoli florets, strips of mushrooms, really the list goes on and on. Garlic spinach is a favored dish of mine, but this simple food pairing - of potato meets sauteed veggie - welcomes innovation. 

Bake your potato as desired - in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about an hour (check it after 45 minutes, but ours took 75 minutes to cook!) or in the microwave for an easy-peasy 8 minute potato. 

When your potato is closed to being done, grab a small frying pan and either the largest frying pan you have or a large pot and heat the oil (2 T in the large one, the 2 ts in the small one) and garlic (4 minced cloves in the large pan, 2 minced cloves in the small one). Stir, and after a minute or so, add the diced red pepper to the small pan. Add about 1/3rd of the spinach to the large pan / bowl. (Rachel Ray tells you to remove the garlic before adding the other vegetables. I'm far less fussy and don't like to potential burn myself with hot oil, so I leave mine in.) 

Let the peppers cook about 5 minutes, or until done. 

Turn the spinach gently in the pan and as it wilts and reduces, add another 1/3rd in. Turn and add the last of the spinach. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. 

Grab your potato, cut in half and top with wilted spinach, red peppers, and goat cheese. So very good. 

Oven Baked Portabella Tops  

as found on whatscookingamerica.net  and then halved for our 2 person meal purpose

2 Portabella mushroom tops (cleaned and stemmed) 1/8 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar 

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Score the tops of the mushroom with a diamond shaped pattern, flip over, and on the gill side, cut a shallow "X" where the stem was once attached. Place - gill side down - on an oiled baking pan.  

In a small pan heat garlic and olive oil for about two minutes - until the oil has been infused with the garlic - and the remove from heat. Remove a good deal of the garlic (you can use it in the spinach above!) and let the oil cool. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, thyme, olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the mushroom tops and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the mushrooms over and bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes, until tender. 

Simple. Easy. Filling. Unexpectedly amazing. 

Christmas Dinner - (Secret!) Mac & Cheese and Berry Chocolate Pie

Did you know Irving Berlin of “White Christmas” fame was Jewish?

You can’t really be surprised, can you? Who has a bigger mythos about the ideal Christmas than people who've never participated? Christmas is like this big crazy part of social consciousness that I have no part of, and no idea what it’s actually like – that is unless Norman Rockwell paintings, Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown, and The Santa Clause are accurate representations of the holiday, at which point I’ve got it covered.

In any event, introducing my boyfriend to Jewish holidays, traditions, and foods – or forcibly hoisting them upon him, as the case may be –means that I have to participate in his holidays, too. Namely, football Sundays and Christmas. My first Christmas with his family, I made a chickpea and roasted vegetable salad with olive oil and lemon dressing.

Before you laugh, it actually was delicious and everyone did eat it. But yes, it did look just a little out of place along side the honey baked ham and deviled eggs.

This year, I opted for more family friendly, less out there vegetarian foods. In addition to what has apparently become my signature holiday dish, the oven roasted Brussels Sprouts that are requested time and again (I thought a signature dish was supposed to be a casserole or a pie! Who’s known for their sprouts?!), I made one of my boyfriend’s favored dishes when it comes to my cooking. My (Secret!) Mac & Cheese.

There are two secrets when it comes to this dish. The first is its secretly low fat...okay, lower fat. It’s probably the lowest fat that mac & cheese can be. But the second secret blows the first out of the water; this is an adapted Paula Deen recipe. That’s right – a low fat adaptation of the first lady of buttery Southern cooking herself. But since you absolutely can't tell that this mac & cheese is low fat or  gluten free, these are the kinds of secrets you can keep to yourself while making the kind of dish you love to share.  

Of course, low fat adaptations aside, mac & cheese is still a dish comprised of cheese and milk and thus still kinda heavy. And, while it just wouldn’t be Christmas with out a pie (so says my Christmas education via Norman Rockwell), I thought it best to keep dessert as light as possible while still being memorable.

I made the pie recipe on the fly, and spent a lot of my day obsessing about how it would turn out. (I'm a rather nervous baker.) Inspired by a craving for this amazing raspberry tart I enjoyed in my gluten eating days - (from the best Chinese vegetarian restaurant, Peking Gourmet, that is before it got torn down in the name of Cedar Road progress), I grabbed up frozen berries, chocolate, and pecan pieces and set to work. But in trying to recreate it, I discovered the tart had a secret of its own: the layer of melted chocolate between the berries and crust in Peking’s tart served the double purpose of not only being delicious and chocolatey, but also protecting the pie crust from almost certain sogginess that the pie frozen berries would’ve caused. This pie turned out fantastically and is further proof you can adapt almost anything to great gluten-free fare. 

I had a frozen Whole Foods gluten-free pie crust left in the freezer from Thanksgiving (how great is it that they come two to a pack?) which made my pie baking – or rather, not baking – even easier. If you don’t have a gluten free pie crust, you can use a pie mix like I did when I made my amaretto apple pie or, if you’re particularly daring, making one from scratch.

So while it might not have been Charlie Brown and Sally or Tim Allen in a fat suit, but I’m coming to really enjoy Christmas. And holidays or not, these are recipes make for a great meal to share with those you love.

(Secret!) Mac & Cheese

1 16oz bag of Tinkyada penne or fusilli pasta (or favored bag of pasta)

1 cup of skim milk

1/2 cup of reduced fat sour cream

2 cups of low fat cheese (Trader Joe's has a great light cheese blend, but 2% sharp cheddar Kraft will absolutely do the job)

3 tablespoons smart balance / earth balance or regular butter 

2 eggs 

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta to just this side of done and drain but do not run water over it. Place pasta in a large bowl (or just back in the pot) and quickly mix in the cheese and butter. They will melt as they combine with the hot pasta. 

In a separate bowl, beat two eggs and combine them with the milk, sour cream, and spices. Add the milk mixture to the pasta and stir thoroughly. (It's important to do this separately fro

m the pasta or else the eggs will curdle and you'll end up with scrambled eggs and pasta.) 

Pour the mac & cheese into an 8 x 8 casserole pan (or a larger pan for a thinner dish) and bake at 350 for about an hour, or until the top gets crispy. 

If you have a little extra cheese on hand, sprinkle it over the top after 45 minutes. 

(No Bake) Berry Chocolate Pie

1 large bag of frozen mixed berries - or 1 -2 bags of preferred frozen berry

scant 1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 of a lemon

2 squares of Bakers' semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoon of water

1 tablespoon of cornstarch 

1/2 cup of pecans pieces 

1 gluten free pie crust, baked and ready to go 

(the whole foods pie crust bakes for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees and worked great)

The night before, place frozen berries in a strainer - and place the strainer in a larger bowl - to thaw them in the refrigerator (that is, please don't leave them out overnight). 

On pie day - and your pie crust has already been baked and is ready for filling! - melt the two squares of chocolate in the microwave. First, for 45 seconds, giving it a stir, and then again until melted (about 25 more seconds). Stir the chocolate until its completely smooth and the spoon it on to the pie crust. With the back of your spoon, sweep the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom and about half way up the side of the pie. Place the chocolate covered crust in the the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is no longer wet and cooled. 

When you're ready to assemble the pie, gently give your berries a final little push in the strainer, so as to remove any lingering juice from them without crushing them, and spoon them into your pie crust. --- Do not throw the berry juice away! Set it aside for the time being, please! --- Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the berries and give it all a gentle stir in the pie crust. Set aside.

In a pot on the stove, combine the berry juice, water, the sugar, and the cornstarch, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes, letting the mixture thicken.

Pour the liquid over the pie. Dot with pecan pieces and refrigerate - uncovered - for at least an hour. 

*Note: If your pie seems to full of liquid, its really easy to spoon some of the extra juices out and you wont be disturbing the taste at all, promise. 

I Never Met a Potato My Boyfriend Didn't Like.... Or, (I Love) Latkes and Favorite Potato Kugel

In the past few weeks, I've made latkes and potato kugel. I've made a you-couldn't-tell-it's-gluten-free (and lower fat!) macaroni & cheese. I had an awesome dinner at Luchita's Mexican Restaurant. I've made two batches of everyone's favorite flourless peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. I've made a mixed berry pie. And I've taken pictures of it all. But for the past few weeks, my poor little blog has lain dormant and my food adventures have gone entirely unrecorded. Why? Four annoying little words: I. Have. A. Hernia. 

Seriously? A 22 year old girl with a hernia? I mean, if I was a champion weightlifter rather than an amature baker that might make some sense. Heck, I suppose I could've gotten a cooking related injury, if I was lifting some 50 lbs sack of (tapioca) flour, then at least there'd be a reason for this madness, but no such luck. Regardless of it's origin,  my mysterious hernia has left me somewhat bed bound, in serious pain, and much too frustrated to write about the joys of naturally gluten free Jewish cuisine or the difficulties of no bake fruit pies. 

But I'm sick of thinking about my hernia and you're not here for my gluten-free griping (I mention it simply for the "sorry I haven't updated in so long!" pity points), so on the good stuff, the food. 

I'd promised gluten-free Hanukkah recipes in time for the holiday and despite the leeway the lunar calendar provides, I missed my deadline. Sure, it's not technically Hanukkah anymore, but maybe you'd looking to extend your holiday to round nine days? Complete with a latke lunch? (Work with me people...)  And if you're questioning whether or not potato pancakes are midday food, I ask you to really question whether there's a time that you wouldn't eat a crispy, crunchy latke. Dig deep, be honest, you know there isn't. 

Despite my lack of timeliness as far as writing goes, I did make latkes on the Hanukkah's first night. 

 "So what....its fried potatoes and onions? What's the difference between the latke things and hash browns?"  my skeptical boyfriend asked. I couldn't quite answer the question. I mean...they're latkes, what more is there to say? Unable to verbally explain the difference between something that comes in an Ore-Ida bag in a local grocer's freezer case and a fried potato cake with 5770+ years of history behind it, I realized I'd just have to show him. Drat, latkes for us both. 

Though I generally use my dad's latke recipe, I googled latkes until I found a tempting looking version over at NYCnosh.com. Most recipes are basically the same potato-onion-egg-matzo meal mix, but this recipe was a departure from my father's in that 1) it subtracted an egg (my dad tends to use 3) and 2) you hand grate one half of the potatoes while pureeing the other half (contrary to convention, I grew up on latkes made solely of pureed potatoes and was pretty confused by the more popular grated potato cousin popular at delis the first time I saw them). 

I, of course, had to sub in all purpose GF flour mix for that traditional, Jewish matzo meal, but I changed nothing else - I mean, this recipe was offered up by New York Jews and was

 touted as mind blowing. Mind blowing. I mean, who knows Jewish food better than New Yorkers? No one, that's who. 

So latkes I made, and latkes we enjoyed - me with traditional low fat sour cream and cinnamon applesauce, him with a goyish topping I promised not to name. And how did the boyfriend like his introduction to Hanukkah food? "It's fried potatoes and onions, what's not to love?!" But upon asking if it tasted like hash browns, he answered a correct "definitely not". Well good, there may be hope for him yet. 

Having a little batter left over, and being too tired stand over the stove flipping and frying, the next night I baked the remaining mixture in a thin casserole pan and introduced my boyfriend to potato kugel. To my surprise, he liked it even better than the latkes, adding that if we kept eating like this, he'd be a Jewish convert in no time. A few days later, we were craving a home cooked meal and still had half a bag of potatoes left. I decided to try out the whole recipe as a kugel and I'm amazed to say that this produces the best potato kugel I've ever had. (Sorry Dad). 

(I Love) Latkes ...or Favorite Potato Kugel 

adapted from nycnosh.com

2.5 lbs of potatoes  (4 medium potatoes or about 8 smallish potatoes) 

1 large white onion

2 eggs

1.5 - 2 tablespoons of GF flour mix 

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1/4 teaspoon of paprika (for kugel, though you could use it in the latkes)

 

vegetable oil for frying latkes (no olive oil please!!)

1/4 cup vegetable oil (for kugel only)

baking spray 

Peel potatoes. Cut half of the potatoes in to 1 inch chunks and boil for 20 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, grate the remaining potatoes and the onion in to a medium sized bowl. This mixture will be extremely soggy and you'll need to drain it as much as possible. I recommend straining it in a colander while pressing it down with paper towels. You may loose a few shreds of potato, but don't worry about it. If you have one, NYCnosh recommends placing the shredded vegetables in a cheesecloth and wringing it out (I don't think I know anyone who actually has a cheesecloth in their kitchen, but this sounds far easier than my strainer method, so perhaps its not a bad investment). Return the shredded onion/potato to a dry bowl.

Beat the two eggs in a separate bowl and mix them into the shredded vegetables. Stir in the spices as well. 

Drain the cooked potatoes and puree them in a blender or food processor. Sprinkle the mixture with the flour. Finally mix the puree into the shredded vegetables to complete your latke batter / kugel base. 

For The Latkes....

Cover your largest frying pan with vegetable oil,  1/4th to 1/2th inch thick (Oy! The oil! I know!). Grab a handful of your batter and make a palm sized patty about 3/4 of an inch thick. Gently - and carefully! - slide the patty into the oil and repeat until pan is filled. Cook for 5 -7 minutes on each side, flipping with a spatula and a fork, so as to prevent as much break

age as possible. 

When both sides have evenly cooked, place latkes on a plate covered in paper towels to drain the oil from them (patting the tops will also be necessary). Serve with applesauce, sour cream, or other favored topping. 

Latke Notes

* If your latkes are browning too quickly - 2 minutes or so on the first side - your oil is too hot. If your latkes seem like they're taking forever to cook, you'll need to turn up the heat. 

* Since you're using GF flour, the latkes are a little more fragile, so be careful when flipping them and make sure they're fully cooked before turning. 

* I didn't have any on hand, but a 1/4 teaspoon of xanthum gum may aid in firming the latkes up. 

For the kugel...

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch casserole dish with GF baking s

pray / canola oil (again, NOT olive oil). Pour kugel into the dish and bake for 45 minutes. 

At this point, the kugel will start getting crispy around the edges, but will still be quite white on top. Spray the stop of the kugel with the baking spray / canola oil and bake for an additional 20 -30 minutes, or until the top browns (looks crispy). 

Serve squares along side apple sauce, sour cream, or on it own. Enjoy!