Month: May 2015

Aldi’s Has Lots of Gluten Free Foods!

Aldi’s has a lot of gluten free products these days.  I hear they come and go on a monthly basis.  I tried a few about a year ago and when I wrote Aldi’s to say thank you for something gluten free the response said that they couldn’t promise that these products will stick around. Well, they have.  I think this is due to all of us gf types buying them on a consistent basis.

Some of my Aldi favorites are the gluten free frozen sandwich pockets, particularly the pepperoni pizza ones.  Really flavorful and tasty, they are my go to instant work lunch when paired with a dish of fruity yogurt.  I like the southwest veggie ones but not nearly as much.

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Aldi’s makes a tasty multigrain cracker, in several flavors.  My favorite is the sea salt multi-seed snack crackers; great crunch and a good flavor to match with a chunk of sharp cheddar. I had tried them the first time around and was very excited to find them again.

aldi's crackers

I like their big bars of dark chocolate; some are marked GF on the wrapping; made in Germany and good quality for the price. aldi's chocolate

The store brand gf pizza mix is decent, I made it kinda thick.  Thin it is supposed to make two small pizzas.  Worth trying again.  Ditto as to their pasta; worth trying: great prices for both items. Their chocolate snack bars are rather tasty if small; that is a yes vote!aldie's pizza

I was less impressed with the frozen chicken nuggets, gf and fully cooked. I have eaten them 2 or 3 times.  Small, lacking in texture or flavor and rather dry. I have to dip them in spicy bbq sauce to enjoy them.  I would rather make my own from fresh raw chicken and bread crumbs.

The gf vegetable lasagna is edible but not particularly fresh tasting with a bland watery tomato sauce.  Nothing to compare with homemade but if you need a quick meal that you don’t have to make, it will do.

The worst tasting thing was the waffles.  They are corn based and taste strongly of corn, texture is coarse too.  Just not what I want in a waffle, very convenient though if you value that…

I heard they have ravioli; not found any yet.  I found pictures on line.  Now I got to find it in the freezer case. Nor have I eaten any bread from Aldi’s. Heard good and bad about that.  And they have small pizzas in the freezer: three items I must try soon!  I didn’t use to be a fan of Aldi’s but you can’t beat their prices and as I said above, some of their products are pretty tasty. Get thee to Aldi’s if you want gf food at reasonable choices.

Blueberry Nutella Smush – Heavenly Ice Cream Treat

There are times when nothing but ice cream will do.  After a long tiring day and not much in my tummy I ate an omelet for supper.  It was pretty good but I had seen this article on ice cream blends in a food magazine at the library and was craving to try one. There were more than a dozen mixtures pictured, all based on vanilla ice cream and fruit and at least one or two other ingredients like a sauce and cookies/nuts. nutella

There was one combination I was sure I had all the ingredients, ice cream, bananas, nutella sauce and cornflakes.  Seemingly simple with clean, clear flavors.  Upon some reflection I decided to replace the banana with some fresh blueberries I had purchased at a farm stand. Bananas seemed too bland and I adore blueberries with ice cream. Continue reading →

Rhubarb Cobbler…Tender Sweet Spring Treat

Rhubarb….yes another yummy recipe using rhubarb. My spring mission: to convince you rhubarb haters to try one of these recipes.  This one is delicate in flavor with a fluffy yet satisfying cobbler topping and no sour ickiness as some say rhubarb can seem to have.  It takes a bit less fruit than a pie and goes together in just a few minutes.  And it is gluten free for all of you who must avoid gluten which means no wheat, rye or barley flours. I have never made rhubarb cobbler but thought it might be tasty so I gave it a whirl and was really pleased with the results. <!–more–>

This recipe is a variant on the same basic one I posted about for peach cobbler last summer, it is modified from a muffin dry mix in Bette Hagman’s book, More from the Gluten-Free Gourmet and uses a flour mix that will give you 4 cups of the dry ingredients.  One cup will make an 8×8 pan of cobbler topping.  I used a rectangular pan but it is just slightly smaller than 8×8 and worked perfectly.

I store the rest of my dry mix in the freezer so a pan of cobbler can be thrown together in less than 10 minutes plus baking time.

I always get the fruit part cooking before putting the topping together so the fruit is hot and ready for the topping and can go right into the oven. Ripe sweet fresh fruit is vital for a successful cobbler. No canned or underripe fruit will do.

Recently I made this for my guy who used to be quite skeptical about rhubarb until he recently enjoyed my rhubarb crumb pie and then tried some of this cobbler last weekend.  He loved it and asked for a serving of it to take for lunch the next day. Convert… You can be the next to change your mind on rhubarb for dessert!

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Angie’s Rhubarb Cobbler

Dry Cobbler Mix – use one cup for this recipe and freeze the rest

2 ¼ cups white rice flour

½ cup potato starch (not potato flour!)

½ cup tapioca flour

1 tsp. baking soda

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1/3 cup sugar

Blend well and store leftover dry mix in a freezer bag or a jar in the freezer.

Fruit Filling

4 cups sliced rhubarb

½ tsp. almond extract

2/3 cup sugar –add more or less depending on how sweet you want it

2 tbsp. GF flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mix the fruit and almond extract in a sauce pan. Stir together the sugar, cinnamon and flour and mix into the fruit.  Cook on the stove top for 5-10 minutes until it is thickened and hot.  Pour into a buttered 8 inch square pan, top with big blops of the cobbler topping.

Cobbler Topping

1 cup dry baking mix

2 eggs

2 tbsp melted butter or canola oil ( I like butter for this)

1/3 cup milk/buttermilk

½ tsp. vanilla

 Directions:

Mix the wet ingredients and then add to the dry mix in a big bowl.   Mix briefly: do not over-mix for best texture.  Use a big spoon to plop it right away on the hot fruit.  Bake immediately as baking soda and powder can’t stand around waiting or they lose their umph!

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  The top should be light brown and spring back when you poke it with your finger.  If it looks damp or squishy bake it 5 more minutes before cutting.

Let cool 5 minutes before serving as it will burn your mouth right out of the oven! Oh the torture to have to wait.  Some people love it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  But I think this tender and sweet rhubarb cobbler is perfect just on its own.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova…A Springtime Delight

Recently my mom asked me to make this dessert.  She saw it in a magazine.  I wanted to please her for Mother’s Day so I made it today for a family supper; the fruit combination is pure spring; sliced strawberries and lightly stewed rhubarb spooned on top of whipped cream spread over a meringue layer. Meringue isn’t that inspiring, at least that is what I thought a few years ago before I bit into my first slice of pavlova. Clearly this dessert is a case of the results being far more than a simple sum of the ingredients.  It is light, sweet, airy, and basically melts in your mouth.  The topping is usually fresh fruit. I have made it a few times with great success.  But this time I used a mixture of cooked and fresh fruit as my topping since raw rhubarb is wicked tart and needs some taming before it is palatable.  As a kid I loved to cut a stick of rhubarb and dip the cut end into granulated sugar and bite into its crazy tartness! This is much better use for fresh rhubarb.

The old school classic pavlova topping is fresh passion fruit.  We mostly serve it with sliced fresh local strawberries, perfection. It is tasty with blueberries too.  I once used a mixture of ripe summer fruits; peach, nectarine, blueberries, mango and kiwi.  That was really memorable.  Go with what is ripe and flavorful when you are shopping for fruit.  No canned fruit though, only fresh will do.  Except for this particular blend of fresh and lightly cooked fruits.

My sister got the classic pavlova recipe from Food network – a 1999 recipe.  It is naturally GF so no one will ask where the wheat is!  Don’t leave out the red wine vinegar; totally necessary. I confess I have forgotten the vanilla this time and noticed nothing wrong.  I used brown sugar this time slightly more rustic look but great flavor.  Use what ever sugar you like.

I didn’t take many pictures.  Was only thinking of getting it baked and compiled, not of sharing the recipe.  Such a hit and so tasty I had to post on it.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova

Ingredients:

Cake:

1/2 cup egg whites at room temp (about 4 or 5 eggs)

1/8 t of cream of tartar

1/8 t of salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 t cornstarch

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1-2 T light brown sugar packed or white sugar

1/2 to 1 tsp. almond extract (optional)

Fruit Topping:

3 tbsp. amaretto

3 tbsp. honey

1 cup fresh sliced rhubarb

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a clean, dry bowl until foamy. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla and continue whipping until stiff, smooth and glossy, about 8 minutes more.

While it beats, on a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit a sheet pan, use a pencil to draw or trace a 9 inch circle in diameter. Line the sheet pan with the parchment, pencil side down (you should be able to see the circle).

Spoon the stiff egg whites in the circle, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top and sides of the disk. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until the meringue has puffed up and slightly cracked on the top and the surface is highly browned to the color of cafe au laid, about 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop open the oven door just a bit, and let it cool in the oven at least 30 minutes, to room temperature. This ensures a gradual cooking, which protects the delicate meringue.

Put the honey and amaretto in a sauce pan, heat, add the sliced rhubarb.  Cook stirring, 3 to 5 minutes.  Do not let the fruit slices fully break down; just soften somewhat.  Turn off and cool.  Pour the mixture over the sliced strawberries, stir and let stand 30 minutes before using. Stir occasionally as it stands.

Whip the cream and brown sugar (or white sugar) and almond extract until stiff. Spoon it on top of the center of the fully cooled pavlova and spread out to within 1/2 inch of the edge, spoon on the rhubarb and strawberries, I used a slotted spoon so I could control how much syrup goes on the cake. To serve, slice into wedges with a serrated knife.  Serve extra syrup on the side.

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Yes, this slice is kinda messy looking and it is on a paper plate.  But, it was lick the paper plate yummy.

A cloud of spring fruit flavors.  So pretty and so delicious…and really not that difficult to make. Gluten free naturally and impressive what ever fruit you top it with.  I promise your dessert will be a hit if it is a pavlova!

Gorgeous Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

A stir fry is a great way to get veggies into you and your family.  We like lots of different vegetables. I put in broccoli for my 3 year old grandson who will eat anything with broccoli in it. Plus carrots for color and sweetness, chunks of chicken breast for a protein source and a few other choice vegetables to round out the mix.  This stir fry is made with medium wide rice noodles, the kind you put in Pad Thai.  They are low calorie and have no eggs or dairy.  The fresh ginger is crazy good for you as is the garlic and all those fresh vegetables.

Don’t be afraid to change a vegetable if you don’t like something or don’t have it on hand. My rule of thumb is to try not to have more than five main veggies in it or it will lack a cohesive flavor profile.  I used chicken but it works great with thin sliced boneless pork or beef.  I actually love it made with light tuna packed in olive oil.  Don’t like pineapple juice: use orange juice or another fresh 100 percent real fruit juice. Dislike ginger: leave it out but that will reduce the flavor punch so you might need soy sauce after all.  If you hate rice noodles it can be served over brown or white rice. That is the beauty of a stir fry; flexibility in many directions.

Don’t be frightened of the rice noodles.  They are so simple to make. Just boil up enough water to cover the noodles; pour it over them in a bowl and let stand ten minutes.  Drain and they are ready to throw into the stir fry near the end.  Simple and they add authenticity without a lot of calories.  You can find them nowadays in many grocery stores in the international food section as well as in Chinese grocery stores.

This entree goes together very fast once you chop the vegetables.  I didn’t add any soy sauce or rice vinegar.  I liked the mild clean flavor: lets the ginger and garlic shine.  Add those other things if you must! Very important: try not to overcook it – soggy is not the way you want the veggies to look or taste.  They should be just barely tender.  Makes 3-4 servings depending on your hunger.

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Ginger Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients

1 cup pad thai noodles, broken up somewhat

1 ½ cup boiling water

¾ lb chicken breast tenders (or pork in thin strips)

1-2 tbsp. mild olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled

2 celery stalks

1 large carrot

1 cup zucchini slices

2 cups broccoli florets

2 thin slices fresh ginger cut into short strips

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp cornstarch

¼ cup pineapple juice

Prep: Chop onion long way in half and then into long strips.  Cut celery into thin slanted slices, same for carrot.  Cut zucchini into ¼ inch slices  and cut into half moons. Cut broccoli stems into thin rounds and separate the florets into bite sized bits.  Peel garlic and smash in press.  Put dry noodles into a bowl, cover with the hot water and let stand ten minutes and then drain. Reserve to add near the end of the cooking.

Stir fry directions: Cut chicken into small chunks and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a mini wok (9-10 inch diameter) and add half the oil. Heat not quite to smoking hot. Add the chicken; brown lightly on both sides, remove from pan, set aside. Add rest of oil to still hot pan. Add onion and carrot slices, stir for a minute, add celery, stir 2 minutes, add broccoli stems, cook a minute, add the tops, cook a minute, add the zucchini, garlic and ginger.  Cook until tender crisp.  Add chicken back in.  Stir a minute to heat it, add the noodles, stir briefly.  Mix the cornstarch and juice; pour over the stir fry.  Mix in and cook one minute. If you need more liquid add more juice or some water. Serve hot.