Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Hot out of the oven: Our new gluten free bread with seeds, a newly adapted recipe from our book, and a little history of bread!

July 26, 2010 by gfcelebration

Finally, there is a little extra time to pen down our thoughts and experiences regarding our newly adapted recipe from our book “A Celebration of Gluten free Baking.” We tested the recipe many times, in an effort to deliver consistently good results. Especially in light of the fact that we are actually experiencing higher humidity levels in New Mexico, due to the increasing storms traveling our way from the Gulf region, we can actually experiment with, and learn more about the influence that increased moisture has on our many recipes. Before we present you with the results of our latest accomplishment, we wanted to explore just what a stronghold bread, especially the gluten containing variety, seems to have on so many people.

In the gluten free community, any discussion about bread inevitably stresses the differences we each bring into our experience with it. When newly diagnosed as gluten intolerant, or with celiac disease, many don’t immediately realize the implications this brings with it. In our case, we were just delighted to finally know what had been ailing us for so long. But some may not have had a lot of outward symptoms and move straight into denial about the seriousness of the situation. We experienced this in our own extended family – hence the birth of our book last year. Gluten free baking brings a few new challenges with it. For all the happy bakers out there, baking bread takes on a new form, using completely different techniques. No more kneading the dough – in fact, it was quite shocking for us to deal with the liquid texture of this type of dough. Some of you have never ever attempted to bake anything,  and are just now happily switching from buying the traditional gluten containing bread to the gluten free offerings. Whatever your situation may be, learning is ongoing. Admittedly, some of the commercial offerings have improved significantly over the last several years, but there is simply nothing like a home-made, tasty sandwich bread with a crunchy outer crust topped with toasted seeds. Gluten tolerant folks generally don’t understand the unique challenges we face, since bread has such deep seated roots in our world’s cultural history. It goes far beyond just learning to live without gluten. For some of us, the initial healing phase requires the complete elimination of any kind of flour, especially in light of the fact, that most recipes require the addition of dairy, and/or eggs, an additional allergen for some. Even when we offer a recipe in the traditional way, i.e. using eggs and dairy, we learned that any of our gluten free recipes work well by substituting coconut milk for regular milk and a flax meal/water combo for eggs. That’s why we delved into exploring some of our history with regards to bread and wanted to share it with you. The adaptation to gluten free living is really quite simple, but as it turns out it is our own mental and emotional conditioning, going back generations, that challenges so many and makes it difficult to achieve true wellness. Our own  expectations, and unconscious inner programing since birth, lead us into this frenzy for the perfect recipe. Perhaps with a renewed focus on health rather than a misguided concept of a certain look we are longing to achieve, we can break this cultural conditioning. Grains, especially in their refined form, are a relatively new idea. When you examine the many chronic and life threatening medical conditions that have emerged over time, you can connect the dots and draw your own conclusions.Hope you enjoy reading this and we look forward to hearing from you regarding our recipe and your experiences with it.

Bread, by Jongleur

Over a long period of humanity’s history, bread has held a special place in the world’s cultures and societies. Social gatherings and connecting with people conjure up images and memories of sitting together sharing our thoughts and breaking bread.

Social gathering over breakfast, by Zuejay

For some, this represents a giving of themselves in the gift of the preparation of the bread, the welcoming of a stranger to our table, etc., and has become a central and expected part of our social rituals. It is synonymous with reaching out to one another, sharing and connecting on a deeper personal level. Just exploring the linguistic roots of the word “companion” we learn that it is derived from the Latin words “com”, meaning “with” and the word “panis,” meaning “bread.”

Let us explore the origins of bread and how its significance has carried its own weight for thousands of years.

Bread is said to be the oldest prepared food, dating back to the Neolithic era.

Neolithic Cutlery and Food Items Found in Switzerland. Historisches Museum, Bern. Author: Sandstein

Up to this point, history teaches us that humans lived as hunter gatherers  for eons, prior to the relatively new development of cultivating grains. This new innovation allowed humans to settle in a fixed location, and as a result, have formed the dietary  foundation of many of today’s cultures. Historians have traced the use of wheat and barley as far back as 10,000 B.C. The people in this early part of our history consumed grains only as they found them in the wild. These would have been consumed on a fairly small scale, just like seeds, for example, and would have been eaten fresh, or dried like seeds. Just for a moment, think of just how few grains you would actually be consuming by today’s excessive standards, if you had to gather them in this fashion. Yet, at about this time in humanity’s history, early farming practices were limited to the grains einkorn, wheat, millet and spelt. The very first “bread” did not resemble in any way, shape, or form, today’s versions. This first “prototype” was probably a cooked version of a type of grain paste, made from ground cereal grains and water.

Evidence of the first breads, as we know them, did not come about until 2,500 B.C., when sourdough was created, probably through accidental leavening, since yeast spores develop quite naturally in any dough left to rest, and will eventually leaven the dough. Airborne yeasts could be grown by leaving uncooked dough exposed to the air for some time before cooking.

Bread starter

Rising Bread Dough

Risen Bread Dough

The Ancient Egyptians baked bread in bread molds, placed in an oven, in contrast to the Assyrians, who placed the dough in heated earthen pots, that were then sealed and buried in the ground.

Assyrian Pottery, by ankawa.com/photography

Proper ovens were developed by the Greeks who created a wide variety of doughs and styles of bread. The Greeks are also being credited for developing dessert breads, puddings, pastries, etc.

Under the rule of the Roman Empire, bakers began to use beer yeast to improve and control the rising of the dough. Leavened bread became the staple of the masses. Pliny the Elder

Pliny the Elder

reported that the Gauls and Iberians used the foam from beer to produce a lighter kind of bread than other peoples. Many parts of the ancient world drank wine instead of beer and as a result preferred to use a paste made of grape juice and flour, that was allowed to ferment, or a wheat bran steeped in wine, as a source of yeast for leavening the bread dough.

The most common source of leavening to this very day is to retain a piece of dough from the previous batch to use as a sourdough starter.

The more recent invention of bread makers for the home have helped automate the bread making process and have enabled many to explore the art of bread making (even in the gluten free community).

The cultural importance of bread has a significance beyond the mere importance as a food. For example, the Lord’s Prayer contains the line “Give us this day our daily bread,” which is commonly interpreted and understood to mean “necessities”, in general.

Lord's Prayer in Greek

Alongside wine, bread plays a significant role in Christianity as one of the elements of the Eucharist and the use of the sacramental bread.

Sacramental Bread

Today the word bread throughout the English speaking world is synonymous for money. The beatnik community in the 50′s used the term bread as a euphemism for money. In Cockney Rhyming Slang, bread means money and originates from the phrase “bread and honey.” Words such as “bread winner”, or the phrase “putting bread on the table” have little to do with the providing of bread, but the sustaining of one’s necessities in life. Likewise, the term “bread basket” is used to describe an agriculturally rich region. The very term bread has woven itself into the deeper fabric of our lives.

The sheer number of breads available today is staggering. The majority, if not all, are completely unacceptable to anyone with gluten intolerance, or celiac disease, since most of the world’s breads, with few exceptions, are made using gluten rich flours.

White bread, for example, is made from flour containing only the endosperm, whereas brown bread has only 10% bran added back to the white bread flour and the addition of a coloring agent (mostly caramel, another no-no for the gluten free population). Whole meal bread varieties contain the whole grain and is also called whole grain, or whole wheat bread. Roti, an unleavened bread, is also a wheat-based bread – chapattis being a larger version of roti. Naan is a leavened cousin of these two. Granary bread is made with malted wheat grains. Rye bread is made from whole grain rye (the milling process and resulting texture varies). It is much higher in fiber and has a stronger flavor. Quickbreads are leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda and include, pancakes, waffles, muffins, cakes, dessert breads, scones, etc.

The many cultures in our world have left their own indelible mark on the creation of breads. Keep in mind that this list is only representative of some countries and not to be considered all-conclusive. Please do not feel offended in any way, if your country was not mentioned. No ill feelings were intended, and we only wanted to point out the similarities present as well as the differences.

In Mexico, bread is called “pan.” Although corn tortillas are the traditional bread throughout most of Mexico, popular breads also include the bolillo roll and pan dulce, which is primarily eaten at breakfast.

Tortillas

The most commonly eaten pan varieties in Peruvian cuisine are the “pan de piso” and “pan serrano.” Many of the breads served are made with potatoes. Some doughs are prepared with cooked pumpkin, or squash, shaped and fried like doughnuts and served with a sweet fruity dipping sauce. Bizcochos are a sweet bread usually servd with butter and hot chocolate.

Bizcochos, by Mushii

A Spanish region, located in the Zamora province, is called  ”Tierra del Pan,” which literally translates into Land of the Bread.

In countries such as India, Pakistan and the Middle Eastern countries, several types of unleavened flat breads called roti, chapatti, or naan form the mainstay of the peoples’ diet. Yet, white and brown breads are also becoming increasingly popular.

Naan, by jetalone

White and Brown Bread, by kspoddar

Lavash is a thin flatbread, and the most widely consumed bread in Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Lavash

Germany claims to have the largest variety of breads worldwide. There are 300-500 basic bread varieties and more than 1,000 of small bread rolls and pastries. At the 2005 Bread Show in Cologne, more than 1,000 different breads were represented. Worldwide, Germans takes the lead as being the biggest consumers of bread per capita.

German Bread Varieties, by Klaus Hoepfner

Throughout the Scandinavian countries, four grain types have been dominant; barley and rye being the oldest, and wheat and oats being more recent. Up to the 20th Century, rye has been the most commonly used grain for bread.

Rye Bread

Today, many of the older grain varieties such as emmer and spelt are being cultivated and new bread types are being developed as a result of using these grains.

Finland and Russia are both known for their dark sourdough breads made with rye (see image above). Finnish bread is disc-shaped with a hole in the center for easier storing.

Finnish Bread Varieties, by HellaHulla

Some families still have leaven handed down from one generation to the next.

Iceland, in the past, due to a very harsh climate, also incorporated dulse, Iceland Moss, or Irish Moss into their bread recipes, to help stretch the use of their available grains, which also mainly consisted of imported rye. Breads baked in the local hot springs are very popular today.

In both Britain and the United States of America, people are gradually welcoming and favoring the artisan breads over the more familiar wonder bread varieties. The San Francisco Bay Area is well-known for its sourdough bread. In the U.S., traditional breads also include cornbread, which can be made with just corn, but many times includes wheat flour, especially if the darker yellow corn meal is used.

Traditional Cornbread

Fry bread plays a significant role in Native American cultures and is often served at home and at gatherings like pow-wows and state fairs.

Fry Bread, by John Pozniak

Sadly, it is also being implicated as playing a role in the skyrocketing increase of obesity and diabetes among Native Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that a plate of fried bread, on average, consists of  700 calories and a whopping 27 grams of fat. This bread is also known under the name “cachange” in South American cooking. In New Mexico, fry bread tacos are also known as “Navajo Tawi.”

Fry Bread Taco, by John Pozniak

Fried Dough Stand

Fry bread is also offered as a dessert version, served with honey, or powedered sugar and is somewhat similar to an elephant ear. It is also known as fried dough.

Everyone, of course, if familiar with the French baguettes, but a local pan bread is known as “pain de mie” (sandwich loaf) and is used for toast.

French Bread varieties, by Edward Z Yang

Italy has a rich history in bread making and has been largely responsible for spreading this art to the many territories that fell under the then Roman Empire. In fact, bread was often used as a form of currency. Bread rolls are more typically found in the North and larger loaves in the Southern region. Italian bread often contains olive oil, or butter. The traditional rustic breads include Stilatino Imbottito (stuffed bread roll) and Pizza Blanca (flat white bread). Foccaccia bread is becoming increasingly popular in many parts of the world. A sugared Pandoro is a classic Italian sweet bread.

Pane Altamura, by fugzu, Pistoia, Italy

Pandoro

Mantou is the name for the traditional Chinese bread and is like a steamed bun and considered a staple in the Northern parts of China where wheat, rather than rice, is cultivated.

Mantou, by Sfllaw

Mantou, bing and wheat noodles form the staple carbohydrate of the Northern Chinese diet, in contradistinction to rice, which is the mainstay of the Southern Chinese cuisine.

So many of these examples and approaches to baking bring us to the basic and most important recipe development for bread. To a baker, the single most important measurement in the development of a recipe, is the amount of flour used in relation to the other ingredients. This is known as “Baker’s Percentage.” Ingredients are measured by weight instead of by volume, which is much more accurate and consistent than a measurement by volume, especially for the dry ingredients. Flour is always stated as 100% and the rest of the ingredients are a percent of that amount of weight. In the United States, common table bread uses approximately 50% water, whereas most artisan breads require 60-75% water. In yeast breads, the higher water percentages result in greater oxygen formation, and a courser crumb.

Wheat flour, in addition to its starch, contains three water soluble protein groups, albumin, globulin and proteases, and two non-water soluble protein groups (the real problem for all of us celiacs, or gluten intolerant people) glutenin and gliadin, to provide the shape and structure of the resulting dough. When kneading a traditional gluten dough, the glutenin forms strands of long thin, chain-like molecules, while the shorter gliadin form bridges between the strands of glutenin. This resulting network of interwoven strands, produced by the two proteins, is known as gluten.

In the case of sourdough breads, the familiar sour taste comes from lactobacillus. The yeast lives in symbiosis with the lactobacillus and this, in turn, feeds on the by-products of the yeast fermentation, and makes the culture go sour by excreting lactic acid, which, in turn, also protects it from spoiling.

Strains of yeast have since been selected and developed mainly for their consistent reliability and predictability. This is what is commonly known as baker’s yeast.

A traditional sourdough starter is a culture of yeast and lactobacilli, and resembles a dough-like, or pancake-like flour/water mixture, in which the yeast and lactobacilli live and flourish. A successful starter can be used indefinitely by using a part of it and refreshing it with the addition of fresh flour and water. If you refrigerate a starter, it can live for weeks without needing to be fed. Some families and bakeries have starter cultures that are several generations old. Check out these images of the traditional way of making bread. (Scroll halfway down the page).

For further information,check out these links to several videos on the History of Bread: History of Bread(1), History of Bread(2), History of Bread (3), History of Bread(4), History of Bread(5), and History of Bread(6).

At last, this concludes our overview of the History of Bread and leads us to the coveted recipe for Gluten Free Bread with Seeds. This recipe is an adaptation of our French bread recipe for a bread maker, which is in our book “A Celebration of Gluten Free Baking.”

Gluten Free Bread with Seeds

You will need the following ingredients, all of which need to be at room temperature:

  • 2-1/2 cups brown rice flour
  • 1/3 cup sweet rice flour
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour
  • 2/3 cups non-instant dry milk powder
  • 3 Tbsp. rice bran
  • 2 Tbsp. raw sunflower seeds
  • 2 Tbsp. golden flax seeds
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 1-1/2 tsp. guar gum
  • 1 tsp. Himalaya salt
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1-3/4 cups warm water
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 large eggs
  • Extra seeds for topping off the bread (2 tsp. sunflower seeds, 1 tsp. flax seeds and 1 tsp. sesame seeds)

Directions:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl (except for the yeast) and set aside.

2. Dissolve yeast in the warm water together with the honey. Let the yeast proof for a few minutes.

Yeast added to dry ingredients

3. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the prepared yeast mixture, eggs, oil and vinegar.

Eggs, Oil and vinegar added

4. Using a handmixer, combine all ingredients at low speed, then continue to blend well for about 2 minutes, at a medium setting.

Blending of all ingredients

5. Grease a 1-1/2 pound loaf pan with butter. Add the dough mixture (this dough will be batter-like in texture). Smooth the top and lightly sprinkle the top with 1 tsp. flaxseeds, 1 tsp. sesame seeds, and 2 tsp. sunflower seeds.

6. Lightly grease a large enough piece of plastic wrap to cover the loaf pan.

Rising Bread

7. Place the loaf in a warm and draft free place and let rise for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until the dough rises just above the top of the pan.

Bread with Seeds, prior to baking

8. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

9. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the bread for about 55 minutes.

10. Remove the bread from the oven, turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Gluten Free Bread with Seeds

This bread will have developed a light crust all around and can be sliced (once completely cooled) easily for sandwiches, or toast.

Gluten Free Bread with Seeds

We look forward to your feedback. Feel free and share with us your experience with this recipe.  :-)

Posted in Bread, History of Food, Meatless Monday, recipes | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Gluten Free Ravioli / Tortelloni, A Great Success!!

July 9, 2010 by gfcelebration

Over the past couple of weeks the “test kitchen” here has been extremely busy, as we have been steadily working on developing and perfecting several different, new and exciting gluten free recipes. As a result, lots of new and interesting posts will be appearing on this site in the coming days and weeks (just to leave all of you devoted followers with something to look forward to  ;)  )

Ravioli and Tortellini

Homemade gluten free pasta is something that we have been wanting to explore for quite a while. Some commercially available options, while mostly adequate, often leave something to be desired. They can work really well for a basic, quick spaghetti dinner, but sometimes turn out completely overcooked, or gluey. One variety, to be edible, actually has to be thoroughly rinsed with cold water after cooking to remove the somewhat slimy, starchy film that it develops. This just should not be the case! We knew it was definitely time to experiment. What is the result of our adventures, you are no doubt asking???  A very convincing, nearly indistinguishable from the gluten containing variety, vegetarian ravioli / tortelloni.

Ravioli by fugzu

Ravioli is a very popular type of Italian filled pasta, made with either ground meat, cheese, vegetables, herbs, or a combination of all of them, sealed between two very thin layers of dough. Loosely related to many similar dishes around the world, including Chinese wantons and German Maultaschen, the earliest references to ravioli seem to appear in the  middle ages, in letters of an Italian merchant in the 14th century, Francisco de Prato. Writing to his family, from business trips away to other towns, he describes an interesting meal, specifically a pasta dish, filled with green herbs mixed with an egg and fresh cheese, simmered in a broth; clearly a forefather of the pasta known around the world today. Ravioli, and many other types of filled pasta, all definitely appear to have their roots in the middle ages, becoming quite well known, favorite recipes over time, eventually even crossing the globe with the many immigrants who came to America, sharing the rich culinary knowledge from their homelands.

Making and Drying Pasta

Thanks to a thriving trade between the British Isles and Italy at the time, pastas like ravioli and tortellini became very popular in the 14th and 15th centuries in England, even appearing in a well known early cooking and medicinal recipe book of the day, titled “Forme of Cury,” written by the head cook of King Richard II. In it, he includes recipes for everything from healing poultices to a multi-course banquet fit for the King. The recipe for a type of ravioli like pasta, almost completely unrecognizable in Middle English, is called “ranioles.” Click here for more interesting information about this.

Now the recipe that we made is closer to a tortelloni than a ravioli, actually a neat blending of the two. This recipe being gluten free,  we were not sure at first, whether it would hold up to being turned and twisted into the shape necessary for classic tortelloni, so we decided to just leave our pasta in a triangular shape. However, in the end, we did realize that it would be very easy to create almost any shape pasta with our gluten free dough, and we will definitely be able to make classic tortelloni next time.

Tortelloni

Tortelloni are also an Italian stuffed pasta, a cousin in a sense to ravioli, shaped similarly to round tortellini, only slightly larger. Exactly as in the version we made (which was actually very traditional without us even realizing it), tortelloni are usually stuffed with a mixture of ricotta cheese and leafy greens, or herbs. Many other variations also exist, where the greens are replaced with stronger tasting ingredients such as mushrooms and walnuts. Another very common filling is made with pumpkin puree and spices. Different from ravioli, which are traditionally served in a broth, or light sauce, tortelloni are usually served with either a ragu, or melted butter and sage leaves.

Like ravioli, tortelloni also have a colorful history surrounding its creation, populated by several different legends. Originating in either Bologna or Modena, depending on which story you read, the pasta owes its shape to either divine inspiration, or the extraordinary architecture of the surrounding area.

One of the main canals in Bologna

One story, originating in Medieval Italy, tells how the Roman goddesses Venus and Jupiter arrived at a tavern on the outskirts of Bologna tired from their involvement in a terrible battle being fought between the two towns of Bologna and Modena. After eating a meal, they retired to their rooms. The innkeeper, completely captivated by their beauty, secretly followed them and tried to peek in through the key hole of one of the rooms, but all he could see was Venus’ navel, so he immediately went to the kitchen and created tortellini in its image. The most widely believed (and most probable) explanation for the creation of this recipe is that it is based on the shape of a turtle, paying homage to one of the most important architectural features of Modena.

A Palazzo in Modena

Today, in most places, both ravioli and tortellini, as well as most other kinds of pasta, are usually made using a pasta machine which rolls out the dough into nearly paper thin sheets. While extremely helpful, we did not have a pasta machine, so instead decided to make our recipe the old fashioned way, with a rolling pin and a lot of elbow grease!  ;)

Modern Pasta Machine by Donovan Govan

As the story goes, even Thomas Jefferson dabbled in creating his own pasta machine, after developing a great love for pasta, as evidenced by the sketch below.

Sketch of a Pasta Machine Built by Thomas Jefferson

In experimenting with our own recipe for tortelloni, we knew that we wanted to include sweet rice flour.

For the longest time we were just unable to find it in our area, but through some research, learned that it can be found in many Asian markets under the name “Mochiko.” It is made by Koda Farms, located in the sunny San Joaquin Valley of Central California. They are third-generation farmers and specialize in rice products. They state that all their products are suitable for gluten free diets and make every effort to avoid any possibility of cross-contamination. To our pleasant surprise, we discovered that it is also far less expensive than most of the traditional gf flours.

Thinly rolled out gluten free pasta dough

We also strived to make this a corn and soy free recipe. Even though the rolling out part of the dough is done by hand, we highly recommend that you prepare the actual dough in a food processor; the dough becomes pliable, cohesive and easy to work with this way. It has just the right degree of firmness for the handling  and continuous rolling of the dough, while still allowing it to be filled and pinched into shape. Having made the gluten containing variety of ravioli (a loooong time ago), we surprised ourselves with just how similar this dough turned out to be. The gluten free flour combination we selected, consists of tapioca, brown rice and sweet rice flour, and we used guar gum, instead of xanthan gum, in order to avoid any inclusion of corn. We also avoided any dairy in the preparation of the dough, and chose to use coconut milk instead. As of the publication of this post, we are still tinkering with the recipe for this pasta and did not want to include it until we are completely satisfied with the result.  Keep checking back as we will try to include it in an upcoming post. The following are the series of steps used to create this pasta.

All ingredients need to be at room temperature. Place all ingredients into the food processor and pulse several times to loosely incorporate the ingredients. It helps to stop this process several times in order to scrape down the sides of the processor, helping to  incorporate all the ingredients. Next, process the dough until a firm ball forms, then remove it from the processor, and shape it into an even size ball. Cut the amount of dough in half. Prepare a baking board, by dusting it with a small amount of sweet rice flour. Take the first half of the dough and roll it out evenly and smoothly into a rectangular shape.

GF pasta dough ready to be cut into individual pieces

Use a knife to cut the dough into a shape that you can divide into even squares (roughly 3 inches on each side).

We placed an even 1/2 tsp. of ricotta cheese and herb filling into the center of each dough square, and then folded the sides over to form a triangle. There are also specially designed pasta presses that you can use which can make forming the pasta much easier.

Finished GF Tortelloni, Uncooked

The finished pasta can either be stored in the refrigerator, separated with plastic wrap as we did in the picture above (to keep them from sticking together), or cooked immediately. To cook the tortelloni, add salt to a pot of lightly simmering water, and drop in the pasta using a slotted spoon. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the pasta floats, turning each piece over halfway through to make sure that they cook evenly.

Cooking GF Tortelloni

Cooking GF Tortelloni

Once the tortelloni is cooked, remove from the water and serve with your favorite gluten free pasta sauce.  For all of you pasta purists, of course, home-made sauce is a dream, but for convenience sake, we chose to serve ours with Trader Joe’s “Pasta Putenesca”.

Gluten Free Tortelloni

As anyone with any experience cooking gluten free will tell you, recipes often take many different trials, errors, and variations to become perfect. This version was absolutely wonderful. It tasted amazing, light and fresh, just slightly chewy, but not soggy, or doughy. There was a unanimous thumbs up from everyone who tried it. We want to keep perfecting this recipe, and are trying out several different and new variations. As the work progresses in our test kitchen, we will let you all know how it goes.

Posted in Dinners, History of Food, Meatless Monday, Pasta, recipes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken and Curried Summer Veggies!

June 24, 2010 by gfcelebration

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken and Curried Veggies

This time of year, with fresh produce of all sorts becoming abundant in farm stands and farmers markets, finding new ways of creatively preparing and serving all of the wonderful vegetables and herbs, is sometimes a challenge. On a hot day, especially when living in the desert, curry is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Just the simple act of turning on the stove can be unappealing!  :-)  However, before you shy away from the idea entirely, the quick simplicity of this dish makes it well worth the 45 mintues that you will need to have the oven on. No other cooking is necessary, except for quickly frying the onions; the wonderful, brilliant TJ’s Curry Simmer Sauce does the rest (another reason we all love Trader Joe’s).

In this recipe, the curry adds a subtle flavor, not too spicy, perfect for pairing with a salad, and eating dinner outside under the stars. The mix of the sweet carrots, mild zucchini, and flavorful spices , balances beautifully with the chicken and creamy cheese, creating a dish that cannot be missed, and will not soon be forgotten!

Ingredients:

1 lb. TJ’s organic boneless, skinless, chicken thighs

2 small zucchini, cubed

2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed

1/2 an organic red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 an onion, diced

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 Tbsp. shredded coconut

2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, minced

1/2 tsp. TJ’s everyday spice mix

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. curry powder

1 jar TJ’s curry simmer sauce

Method:

1.) Fry the onion until just translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables, TJ’s spice mix and curry powder, and cook covered for a further 3 minutes; turn off and set aside.

Ricotta and Herbs

2.) In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 Tbsp. Italian parsley, coconut, salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta and Herbs

3.) Cut each chicken piece so that a small cavity forms. Stuff with the ricotta mixture.

4.) Place the vegetable and onion mixture on the bottom of a casserole dish. Push the mixture aside slightly to make spaces for the chicken.

5.) Place the chicken in the casserole dish and cover everything with the entire jar of  TJ”s curry sauce + an extra 6 – 8oz of water as needed.

6.) Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes at 375°F, or until the chicken is throughly cooked.

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken with Curried Summer Veggies

Serve with brown rice and a salad.

Posted in Dinners, Indian Food, recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

Easy Gluten Free Potato and Zucchini Pie

June 10, 2010 by gfcelebration

Don’t Judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

Robert Lewis Stevenson

Zucchini Potato Pie

As we are rapidly moving towards the Summer season, vegetables of all sorts are making a welcome appearance in local farmers markets, freshly picked from the garden, washed and waiting to be made into tempting recipes. There really is nothing like fresh vegetables. During the Winter, when most fresh produce has to be trucked into grocery stores, unless you are one of the lucky few who happens to live in a perennially warm climate, we all think we remember what a truly fresh head of lettuce, a carrot, or a tomato tastes like. Then the seasons change, and warm Spring weather returns, along with seedlings growing in the garden, and weekend farmers’ markets, proving that whatever we thought about the taste of vegetables in the Winter was wrong.

Zucchini Potato Pie

Finding ourselves in the local store the other day, fresh zucchini was in abundance, the beautiful green color drawing everyone’s attention across the produce section. Making it for dinner sounded like a  wonderful idea, but how? The possibilities are almost endless. After some tinkering, and the addition of potatoes, some eggs, raw cheese, coconut milk, and rosemary, the following recipe evolved. This dish really has room for limitless variations which could be created depending on what vegetables happen to be in season. Because this recipe was such a favorite, we will definitely try out some of the other variations, and post them here in the future. In the mean time, try the recipe yourself, and let us know what you think. What vegetables are in season in your area? What other ingredients do you think would taste amazing in this recipe?

Ingredients:

3 medium sized zucchini, washed and grated with the skin on

4 small potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2  tsp. onion, diced

2 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed, finely minced

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. TJ’s Everyday Seasoning

1/4 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 cup raw cheddar cheese, grated

1 cup coconut milk

Method:

Start by grating the zucchini, and thinly slicing the potatoes. A mandolin really works great for this,creating perfectly even, paper thin slices. Set both aside in separate bowls, you will need the zucchini for a bottom crust, and the potatoes for the topping.

Next, dice the onion and fry over in a pan set on medium high heat until the onions are slightly translucent. Add the rosemary and jalapeños, and cook for a further 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, 3/4 of the grated cheese (set the rest aside, you will need it later), coconut milk, and remaining spices.

Lightly grease a round pie pan, or a spring-form pan lined on the outside with aluminum foil to prevent leaks, and place on a cookie sheet.

Incorporate the onion mixture with the grated zucchini, and line the bottom of the pie pan with it, forming a rough bottom crust. Add the egg and cheese mixture, allowing it to sink in slightly to the grated zucchini. Cover the top with the sliced potatoes, arranging them in an overlapping circular pattern. Top with the remaining cheese, about 1/4 cup, and place in a preheated oven.

Bake at 350°F/180°C for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on top.

Remove and serve warm with a salad.

Zucchini Potato Pie with a Salad

We served it with a mixed green salad made of:

TJ’s artisan oakleaf salad greens

1 apple, finely chopped

TJ’s Greek Feta Salad Dressing


Posted in Meatless Monday, Quiche and Fritatta, recipes | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Fillet of sole, Mixed Green Salad and Rainbow German Potato Salad!

June 9, 2010 by gfcelebration

A few days ago, we had purchased some frozen fillets of sole, that were wild-caught, using sustainable fishing practices. In general, we don’t consume a lot of fish, out of concern for not wanting to expose ourselves to mercury, or other toxic heavy metals, or pesticides, but the fact that this type of fish, at this point, is certified as one of the best environmental choices by the Marine Stewardship Council, encouraged us to give it a try.

The Blue Ocean Institute, founded by president Carl Safina, offers a truly informative  website, giving you insight into anything related to our oceans and the life within it. Carl Safina encourages good stewardship and the implementation of sustainability practices involving our fisheries. If you enjoy reading about this subject matter in general, you might want to read Carl Safina’s books ‘Song for the Ocean Blue,’ Voyage of the Turtle,’ ‘Eye of the Albatross,’ as well as several others – all of which can be found at this site. Please note, that we do not derive any financial benefits for suggesting these books. They are exceptional and can surely be found in most library systems as well. Both Blue Ocean’s and Carl Safina’s websites provide a seafood list, which can help guide you to the best consumer options available, as well as answer any of your most frequently asked questions regarding seafood.

While we are on the topic of our oceans, you might be interested in  watching an interview with Carl Safina, in which he addresses our current nightmare in the Gulf of Mexico, and warns that the ecological fallout from the spill may be felt across much of the world. You can find the link to this PBS interview here. A lengthier interview on Democracy Now can be viewed here. Just wanted to provide these links to learn some interesting facts, some of which you may already know, and some could change the way you view the world around you.

Our readership consists primarily of individuals that already have had to alter their lifestyles to the largest degree possible in order to heal from the effects of gluten intolerance and/or celiac disease. Because of this willingness to change, you are ready for the next step, the step that allows each and every one of us to question all of the choices before us in our daily lives. Since this blog is primarily about health and gluten free living, this quite naturally involves choices to be made in favor of organic fruits, vegetables, gluten free grains, and humanely raised dairy, eggs and animal products.  This naturally begs the question: How sustainably are these fruits and vegetables grown? Are they truly free of pesticides? Is the farmer able to derive a livable income? How are the animals treated during their short life, in order for us to eat eggs, drink their milk, or eat their meat? There are many good and honest people striving to provide humane and kind treatment to animals, as well as endeavor to grow our fruits and vegetables without using any non-organic, or harmful pesticides. They desperately need our support. For others, though, on both the agricultural and consumer end, the wheels of awareness and willingness to be more conscious turn much slower.

Remember, change always begins with a single step. You take one, fall back another. Don’t be discouraged, just pick up where you left off, and keep going. Before long you will look back in amazement as to the number of positive steps you have taken, and even more surprisingly watch others, inspired by you, walking, or even running alongside you, heading for the same goal. We are shaping our future, through the conscious present choices we make. It all starts with personal interest, involvement and willingness to make a difference.

In the past, both of us have lived as complete vegans, embracing this way of life initially through health concerns, then personal conviction. We encountered so much dogma in those years,  that also blinded us to the reality of not recognizing the health challenges soy presented. We are forever thankful for those 12 years and it enhanced and opened our eyes and hearts to the entire circle of life. Even though we still embrace largely a vegetarian way of life, we do incorporate a small amount of animal products in our daily lifestyle, because it has helped us heal from some health challenges of the past.  The majority of our daily fruit and vegetable intake is organic and raw, and we encourage you to at least increase your own enjoyment of vegetables and fruits. We are very careful in our selection of anything derived from an animal, and only support the use of small amounts of raw dairy, humanely raised eggs, meats, or fish.

The cost of these choices is slightly higher, but some of this can be reduced by buying locally, especially during the summer months, given the availability of local farmers’ markets. Even Whole Foods and other markets strive to make local produce available, whenever possible. Trucking everything in for hundreds of miles, is just not a wise option. Yet in many places, New Mexico being a prime example, local foods are only an option during a few short months in the summer, and even then the choices are limited. Going completely green has to be examined and solved differently for the locations in question. Nevertheless, everyone can make better choices and this is what this introduction to our recipe was intended to do.

The ingredients for this recipe are simple:

  • 6 small fillets of sole, sustainably wild-caught
  • 3/4 cup finely shredded coconut
  • about 10 leaves of Basil, finely sliced
  • 2 organic lemons
  • 2 slices of butter, cubed
  • 2 tsp. ground tellicherry pepper
  • 1 small head of organic oak leaf lettuce, washed and trimmed
  • 1 small head of romaine lettuce, washed and trimmed
  • 3 large strawberries, washed and thinly sliced
  • 3 mandarines, peeled, segmented, seeds removed (or 1 small can of mandarines in their own juice)
  • 1 oz. finely shredded raw cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tbsp. TJ’s Greek Feta dressing
  • 9 small organic multi-colored potatoes
  • 1/2 small organic onion
  • 3 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. EV olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp. purified water
  • 1 tsp. Himalaya salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation for this recipe starts with the potato salad. Wash the potatoes, place them in a pot, add enough purified water to prevent them from burning – you may want to top off with additional water during the cooking process. Cook the potatoes for about 25-30 minutes. Drain any remaining water and let cool. Peel and thinly slice them. If the potatoes have been allowed to cool completely, you can use a mandolin for slicing, otherwise just use your trusted knife. Place in your favorite salad bowl. Now you may be wondering, where is the mayonnaise? In American cuisine, this is the generally familiar way of making potato salad. However, in Southern Germany, it is always prepared with oil and vinegar and we wanted to introduce you to this version. Chop the onion finely and add to the salad, top with salt and pepper, to taste. Then add the EVOO, apple cider vinegar and water. If you have fresh chives available, they would make a great addition to this salad. Just chop them finely. Thinly sliced cucumbers also make a wonderful and tasty addition. Again, those are options and for the simplicity of this recipe we just used the potatoes. Mix all the ingredients well and set the dish aside, covered, allowing all the ingredients to marinate and absorb the flavors. Intermittently turn over the ingredients to let the flavors incorporate well.

Rainbow German Potato Salad

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

Lemon, Basil, Butter, Tellicherry Pepper

Now, place the sole fillets in an Pyrex baking dish. Add the juice of one lemon, marinating the fillets. Sprinkle with the tellicherry pepper and top the fillets with the shredded coconut.  Cut the basil leaves thinly and spread over the center. Cut the remaining lemon into thin slices and place over the fillets. Cube the butter and sprinkle on top.

Fillet of Sole

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

While the fillets are baking, prepare the mixed green salad by washing, trimming and breaking the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces.  Wash and remove the stems on the strawberries. Cut the berries into thin slices. Peel the mandarines, break them into segments and remove seeds (or if unavailable, use a small can of mandarines and drain the liquid). Finely grate 1 oz. of raw cheese. Place all these ingredients in a salad bowl, adding the Greek style salad dressing (or, any dressing of your choice). Blend well.

Mixed Green Salad with Raw Cheese

Remove the Fillets of Sole from the oven and serve immediately with the sides of green and potato salad. ENJOY! Let us know how you enjoyed this easy to prepare and light summer dinner.

Posted in Dinners, Salads, recipes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Sweet Spring Cherry/Apple Crumble

May 15, 2010 by gfcelebration

Rain on grass by simrem

The first day of Spring is one thing, and the first Spring day is another.

The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.

Henry van Dyke

When most people think of Spring, especially half-way through the month of May, no doubt fresh flowers, birds nesting, and warm breezes come to mind. In most other places this would be true, however, the weather here in New Mexico is not usually so obliging, as we mentioned before in previous posts, talking about the ever present wind (the picture above was clearly not taken anywhere near NM). Living in the High Desert usually means skipping over most of the Spring season entirely, heading straight from the depths of frigid Winter, to the blistering heat of mid-Summer, all in the short span of a month. Although we can, and often do get a lot of snow in the Winter, the rest of the year is usually very dry, due mostly again to the constant wind. Rain begins to take on an entirely new quality here.

Because of the high elevation, the sunlight has a harsher, brighter quality than almost anywhere else, causing a place like Seattle, even on its sunniest day, to seem dark in comparison. As a result, when it does cloud over and hints that a storm might be coming, everything seems to slow down somehow, almost become calmer, preparing itself for the coming moisture, enlivening the ground with new life. Grass and weeds literally seem to have the capacity of springing up in a matter of hours; in the afternoon the soil is completely brown and bare, by the next morning, green shoots are everywhere.  Even though the weather has not been cooperating to resemble a state even close to Spring – today more reminiscent of somewhere in the middle of March, cold, dark, damp, and brooding – no one can be truly upset because even the storms give the chance, the distant hope, that plants will grow green again  and flowers will bloom. This is what Spring is like in the High Desert.

apples by Sven Teschke

The other day we wanted to make a dessert, as well as try/create a new recipe. But what to make when you don’t have a lot of time, and are short on ingredients?

Crumbles and cobblers are recipes which seem to be coming back in vogue somehow recently, appearing in books, blogs, and just about everywhere you look. Quick and easy to make, it is a recipe which has always been a family favorite, but not something we ever made gluten free, until now.

Cherries

Crumble is something in which you can use up almost any sort of fruit, apples, berries, cherries, peaches, creating untold numbers of different combinations, all tasting incredibly delicious when served warm, with a flaky crumble topping.

As the story goes, crumble was first invented somewhere in the British Isles during WWII, when food rationing was so severe that the ingredients needed to make a fruit pie were unavailable. However, there was fruit from peoples gardens, and flour and sugar in just large enough amounts to make a topping, and so this dessert was born. Personally, I think this sounds like a great story, but I would bet that this recipe has been around for a lot longer than just the last sixty years or so, being easy to make, and allowing for such varied ingredients as it does. Now there is a difference between crumbles and cobblers, the recipe for the latter existing for at least two or three hundred years, using either sweet or savory ingredients for a filling, and usually involving some sort of biscuit like dough for a topping. Crumbles, by contrast, always use fruit for a filling, and have a topping made of flour or oats, a small amount of sugar, and butter, creating a crumbly mixture which gives the dessert its name.  For our version, we had apples and frozen cherries that needed to be eaten, pairing these at once very ordinary, and yet delicious fruits for a wonderful sweet and sour surprise.

Cherry Apple Crumble

Cherry Apple Crumble

4 cups frozen dark cherries, stones removed

3 large apples

1 Tbsp. sucanat

juice of 2 oranges

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping

1 cup gluten free rolled oats

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup chestnut flour

1 tsp. guar gum

3 Tbsp. sucanat

1 stick butter

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

To make the crumble, place the cherries into a medium-sized casserole or baking dish, and toss with 1 Tbsp. sucanat.

Cherries

Peel, core, and finely chop the apples into bite-sized pieces. Add the apples to the cherry mixture along with the cinnamon and nutmeg,and orange juice drizzled over the top, mixing everything together thoroughly. Allow everything to marinate while you prepare the topping.

cherry / apple mixture

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, slowly adding small chunks of butter until all of the butter is incorporated, and a mixture resembling coarse crumbs begins to form.

fruit with crumble topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C

Evenly spread the topping over the fruit mixture, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Remove and enjoy. This dessert is best when served slightly warm either plain, or with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

cherry / apple crumble

Try this wonderful dessert for yourself and just wait for the compliments to come your way.   :-)


 

Posted in Meatless Monday, recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Gluten Free Lazy Summertime Apple Pie Muffins

May 31, 2010 by gfcelebration

Even though Summer does not “officially” begin until the middle of June, no one wants to remember this fact, instead more than ready to shuck off the cold wet Spring that many places have experienced,  and dive right into the new season ahead.  Day by day, the weather is steadily getting warmer (here in NM it is already blisteringly baking  : p ), schools are letting out, and people are outside relishing the weather, gardening and grilling, and hopefully getting ready to enjoy the long lazy afternoons ahead, lounging in the shade with a glass of lemonade, a good book, and dessert.

Muffins and cupcakes are the sort of recipe that pretty much anyone can make, simple, quick, and easily adapted to include whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand. The idea for an apple pie variation was a natural, considering that apple pie is just one of those desserts that nearly everyone enjoys; how could you not? There is nothing better on a warm day, especially for a holiday meal, or cookout.

In this particular recipe, the apples are deliciously paired with lemon, cinnamon and ginger, adding a complex sweet, sour, spicy flavor to the muffins, completely mimicking the very best apple pie in taste and texture. While usually associated with cold snowy evenings around mid-Winter, Christmas and Thanksgiving meals, apple pie is truly a dessert that can be enjoyed all year, especially with the addition of lemon rind in these muffins, adding a bright fresh flavor perfect for early Summer. The small pieces of soft, slightly baked apple mixed throughout, only enhance the wonderful flavor and aroma. Try them for yourself, and taste the wonderful results.

Summertime Apple Pie Muffins

2 organic apples, peeled, cored and chopped,

2 cups gluten free flour, made up of:

1/2 cup tapioca flour, 1/2 cup brown rice flour,

1/2 cup sweet rice flour, 1/2 cup chestnut flour,

1/2 tsp. guar gum

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

3/4 cup coconut milk

6 Tbsp. sucanat

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. rose water

3 Tbsp. water

Juice of one organic lemon

Rind of one organic lemon

1 Tbsp. honey


Method

Step 1: Peel, core, and  finely chop the apples into small pieces.

Place in a bowl with 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon,  ginger,

2 Tbsp. of the sucanat, 1 Tbsp. of honey, and 1 tsp. of the lemon juice.

Mix until throughly coated.

Step 2: Peel the lemon, making sure to only remove the yellow outer rind.

Mince the lemon peel finely with a knife.

Step 3: In a small pot, combine the finely minced lemon peel, the rest of the lemon juice,

water, rose water, and 2 Tbsp. of sucanat.

Heat until it  just begins to bubble and thicken, making sure not to let it burn.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, the remaining

2 Tbsp. of sucanat,

and the extra 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon.

Slowly add the egg, melted butter, coconut milk, stirring to lightly incorporate.

Now add the lemon peel mixture, along with the chopped spiced apples.

Mix everything throughly until a moist batter forms, and no flour is visible.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

Line muffin pan with paper liners, and fill each one to nearly 3/4 full with the batter.  These muffins do not rise very much, so fill each cup to only slightly less than the desired result.

Bake the muffins in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until lightly golden brown, and slightly springy when pressed. Remove from the oven, and let cool.

ENJOY!!

Summertime Apple Pie Muffins

Another great variation would be to break one of these muffins in half, place it in a dessert bowl, and serve, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Absolutely delicious!!  :-)

Posted in Meatless Monday, Muffins and Cupcakes, recipes | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Pudding

May 31, 2010 by gfcelebration

For many people, pudding is a favorite dessert and invokes fond childhood memories. The traditional version, however, is laced with gluten, white sugar, and also generally requires the addition of milk and eggs. That is why we are especially fond of this variety, since it is made with fresh raw ingredients,  and (drum roll, please!) does not require any flour, eggs or dairy, and even more importantly, does not entail heating up the kitchen on a very hot day.

The quickest and easiest way is to make this in a food processor, or blender. You will need the following ingredients (to serve 3-4 people):

8 fully ripe, organic bananas

3 Tbsp. raw cacao

4 Tbsp. raw honey

Organic raspberries for decoration

Peel the bananas and place them in your food processor, then add the cacao and honey. Because of the natural sweetness of bananas, this pudding does not require the addition of sugar, but because we used raw cacao, we have added a little extra honey to suit most  taste buds. If you use regular chocolate powder, you may want to decrease the amount of honey. Feel free and adapt the recipe to suit your taste. Blend until smooth. Fill your favorite dessert bowls and top with raspberries, or any other berry or fruit of your choice. You can enjoy this dessert immediately, or chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and enjoy it cold.

Gluten Free Banana-Chocolate Pudding

Posted in Meatless Monday, Raw Desserts, recipes | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Older Posts »