gluten free

Aldi’s Celebrates National Celiac Awareness Month

Aldi’s has some new gluten free stuff of late.  May is National Celiac Awareness Month so everyone I know who has celiac is buzzing to help everyone understand celiac disease and it seems Aldi’s has brought out a bunch of new LiveGFree products in the past few weeks.  Aldi’s is a German company but they have a number of stores in the US and sell many gluten free products (the LiveGFree line comes to mind) and mark some of their store brand prepared foods GF which is a big help…I get tired of reading tiny print to check for questionable ingredients.  Anyway, I got a few things there last week and I want to share my thoughts.

First off, gluten free spinach and cheese ravioli sold as frozen loose ones in a bag. I boiled them for 7-8 minutes and served with a simple puttanesca sauce; spicy tomato sauce with black olives and capers.  Topped it with some fresh grated real Parmesan cheese.  Fantastic! The texture of the dough was great and the filling delish. Bet they would be great sautéed with onions and butter.

aldi ravioli

I have some plain cheese ones too; I am guessing they are good too. They also sell a rectangular box of ravioli in sauce that is pretty tasty when heated in the microwave, get them often for a treat. I just don’t have time to make homemade ravioli these day so I am thrilled that Aldi’s is providing tasty choices for me; was really missing my ravs!

multigrain tortilla chips

Secondly, I love their Simply Nature multigrain tortilla chips….just addictive with hummus.  Speaking of which, Giant has store brand hummus in a wide variety of flavors.  Most are marked gluten free right on the lid.  Excellent flavor and texture and I especially like the spinach artichoke and roasted garlic varieties.hummus

Aldi’s has some yummy crackers and chips; these sweet chili ones are nearly addictive if spicy! chili rice crisps

Finally, I found a couple varieties of gf hot pockets, ham and cheese and spinach, artichoke and kale pockets. I think I wrote before about the tasty pepperoni hot pockets and the Southwestern ones which are okay.  Ham and cheese hot pockets are quite nice but I really enjoy the spinach, artichoke and kale ones, really great flavor.  Love them for quick work lunches, with a yogurt and a piece of fresh fruit. spinach hot pockets

They sell eggs cheap which I use in great quantity when I bake as well as decent produce like baby kale, arugula, berries, citrus and avocados.  Better prices than most grocery stores.

I got a few other new food items at Aldi’s.  I will be testing them in coming weeks. Yumm!

Kefir Grain ABCs; Easy and Cost Effective

Back around Christmas I posted about making kefir for improving the health of your digestive system. I was making it with dehydrated kefir powder I got at a health food store. I had heard about kefir made from “grains” that could be reused. Again and again.  Sounds kinda magical doesn’t it?

Well, I did some research online and found that yes, there is such a thing as kefir grains.  They are not grains like we think of, more like a starter clump.  I couldn’t find the grains at any local stores but I found a guy on Craig’s List who was selling enough to get started.  We met in the parking lot of a Dunkin Donuts in Montgomerville, PA. Seemed somehow illicit swapping kefir curds in a baggie for my $10!  He turned out to be a very nice young man who enjoys making and drinking kefir with his wife.  He gave me some advice and coaching on the process for a couple of weeks via emails.

Basic directions: all you do is put the gently rinsed grains (they look like soft cauliflower cut into small flowerets) into a glass or ceramic jar, pour in milk; no need to heat.  Best is raw milk, next best organic whole milk or try two percent. I don’t suggest you make it with skim milk.  I do the raw milk but my quart of it doesn’t keep very long…as I only make a pint of kefir at a time.  Anyway, pour in the milk, put a loose lid on it and let it stand on the kitchen counter top for a day to 36 hours.  I stir mine occasionally as I walk by.  It will clump up – the curds rise to the top. Plastic or wooden stirrer….no metal.

Once it gets thickened you strain out the curds, being gentle with them.  Put the jar of kefir in the fridge to chill and put the curds in a glass jar and just cover with milk, put that also in the fridge; retards the kefir grains; basically brings the process to a halt. For detailed information check out this site: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-milk-kefir-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-202022.

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I drink it cold for a snack.  You can mix it with fruit juice. I sometimes have it over crushed pineapple. It is sort of like buttermilk and yogurt had a baby; thick liquid, tangy flavor.  Great for your gut.  Full of far more probiotics than the stuff you can make using the powdered kefir. Which is what I did before.  Now I have my kefir grains and I don’t need anything but the milk to make it with.  And it is better for you.  I did buy a small plastic strainer; you shouldn’t really use metal in connection with making or storing kefir.

If you have celiac or any sort of gut issues kefir is a great healthy choice to incorporate into your life style.  I hear you can even make it with coconut milk.  Not tried that yet.  Maybe someday…  Meanwhile I have tasty, healthy authentic kefir when ever I want it.

GF Easter Meals…Hints and Ideas

Preparing for a gluten free Easter can be daunting but if you plan carefully you can be eating some great food and all of it safe and easy to prepare.  Let me give you a few baking hints and menu ideas to assist in creating the best Easter ever, even gluten free.

First off, don’t forget the basics, read labels, avoid spice mixes and don’t assume stuff is gluten free just because you think it should be.  I have been tripped up by roasts with built in marinades that contained gluten, by seasoning mixes, or by tasty country ham which had no warnings but turned out to be full of gluten.  Read the label. I no longer buy ham or bacon unless the label reads gluten free as I have been taken down by hidden sources of gluten; seasonings, marinades and curing mixes.  So be very careful selecting that ham or roast.  Take the time to read and be sure before spending a lot on a roast that you will end up giving away the leftovers because it ruined your day due to hidden gluten.

Okay, done with the scary but necessary lecture and on to more fun things.  Like rolls that are light and tender yet easy to make.  I posted them last March but have moved them up so if you click on my blog they should be right at the top.  I’ve made them several times and they are a fantastic option for a holiday meal.  Also great choices are the French bread recipe in my blog or my Italian fennel and orange bread.  Both are delicious and my non-celiac family requests them regularly when we get together to visit.boston trip 002

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Orange flourless cake we had last spring for a dessert, topped with candied lemon slices, raspberries and slivered almonds. Yum!

I myself this Easter am making a roast chicken, requested by my mom.  It will not be stuffed in the interest of saving time but I will make roasted root veggies in the pan as well as homemade mashed potatoes.  All naturally gluten free. For dessert we are going to enjoy a cherry sunrise pie; also homemade, easy and gluten free; recently posted on my blog. I am using ginger snaps this time to make my crust; got them on sale last week. You can buy a redi-made gf crust at Wegmans or health food stores like Fry’s here in Hellertown.  Such an easy and tasty pie, I find it hard to even look at any other dessert for Easter lunch.

Other foods I am making for company include shrimp cannelloni with saffron sauce (adapted by me to be gluten free) and an Indonesian chicken curry with a dozen toppings.  Getting all the toppings ready and arranged is the tricky part but it is worth the effort.

And, we will be having a few other desserts.  I am making a lemon buttermilk bundt cake from my Heritage Classics cookbook by Annalise Roberts (I have made several items from that cookbook and each has been fantastic and not too tricky either!) and a ricotta based cannoli pie – http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-cannoli-pie/ .  Both sound perfect and I can’t wait to taste them. I sure miss cannolis!

In summary, don’t get all worked up on it; stick to simple menu choices, avoid eating a lot of processed foods and make things that are naturally gluten free where ever possible. This will be my fourth gluten free Easter and the best ever!

There Is Support Out There!

This is a brief post for anyone who hasn’t found a support group to help them deal with celiac disease.

If you are looking for help in adjusting to celiac disease and are active on facebook there are several national and international celiac support groups you can join.  I am in a few and find them helpful in a variety of ways: people post concerns and others respond with ideas or answers.  Recipes get posted, menu ideas shared as well as discussions on the safety of a wide variety of processed foods from rice mixes to chips to teas and a thousand foods in between.  You can put up pictures of tasty food you are serving, ask about places to dine out gf on vacation and share how your meals out went.  If you desire you can get personal; discuss your symptoms, treatments and test results in detail with others who suffer similarly. gluten free

Some of these are international and some more USA based. Just ask to be added, I have never been turned down by a group and you don’t have to post anything, just treat it as another good celiac resource.

The ones I know about are:

www.facebook.com/groups/glutenfreeconnections/

www.facebook.com/groups/community.glutenfree/

www.facebook.com/groups/Celiacdiseasesupport/

and one for low sugar types: www.facebook.com/groups/481501942001602/

Check them out. I doubt you will regret joining one and the wealth of support is a real boon when you feel “oh so alone” in your gluten free status.

There are also local chapters of national celiac organizations; just google and check them out.

Another site I like is glutenfreephilly.com.  gluten free phillyI used that site to find a great restaurant in Philadelphia last week for dinner after the flower show.  Had used it once before – works all over PA, NJ and Delaware.

It sure can’t hurt to have more  resources for help especially if you are new to being gluten free.

Spring Italian Wedding Soup

My dear friend Cathy’s kids used to call this grass soup when they were little because it is chock full of fresh spinach that melts into this healthy and tasty soup.  I make mine with ground chicken for the tiny meatballs.  You could use ground turkey, veal or beef.  You can make this soup with canned broth; be sure it is gluten free if you have celiac disease like I do, for some odd reason many manufacturers add some (wheat) flour to their broth.  My favorite broth choice is Kitchen Basic, and they also have a low salt broth.  Homemade chicken broth is going to make it more flavorful if you have some around but sometimes we just don’t have time to make fresh broth.  The recipe is my modifications of a soup by Ina Garten, which can be found on foodnetwork.com.

I discovered a new bread crumb by Alieas Love of Artisan Food; gluten free Italian bread crumbs; and it worked perfectly for this recipe. I found them in my local Giant grocery store. They do have dairy and egg in them if you want to know. The store also had panko bread crumbs by this same company; next time I need panko I know what I am getting.

Don’t freak out if you only have one carrot or don’t want as much of any ingredient; relax and make it your way.  Some versions have fresh dill chopped up and added at the end 2-3 tbsp. of it. Next time! stir fry, pan dowdey and crocus 007

Angie’s Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken

1 large egg

About ½-2/3 cup gf bread crumbs

¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. sea salt

Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium to large yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, unpeeled, sliced into quarter rounds

2 celery stalks diced including the leaves

1 or 2 garlic cloves

½ cup white wine

1 1/2 quarts of gluten free chicken broth

½ cup tiny gf pasta; I found some tiny ring shaped pasta

1 package fresh baby spinach, standard size

½ to 1 tsp. sea salt and some fresh black pepper

Directions: Crack the egg and mix it up well before you dump the rest of your meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl, stir up with your hands and form into 1 1/4 inch diameter meatballs, 1 and ½ inches maximum.  Place them 1-2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, bigger ones will need a few more minutes. If you feel perfectionistic, turn them half way though the baking, not really that necessary though.

While they bake, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan; I used a two quart one.  Add the diced onion, celery and carrots.  Cook them about 6-8 minutes until soft, add the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the broth and white wine to the soup, stirring frequently; bring to a boil and add the meatballs, reheat, add the pasta, cook until nearly done, add the spinach, cook 1-2 minutes; taste and adjust the salt. Add fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Pour in a bowl.  I topped mine with some more fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Perfect meal when you want to sooth a still slightly iffy tummy.