Flourless GF Cornbread

You know how it is when you just have a craving for something. Then, you search for a recipe for that something... and then you have to decide if the recipe can be adapted to be made not only gluten free, but hopefully tasty with not too weird a texture.

But once in a while you stumble across a gem that doesn't need to be adapted or finagled or tried out to see if it "works" as a gf version. This cornbread is one such gem. It is tasty. And it is gluten free already. Yahoo!
I have made this cornbread on a number off occasions and it is the best one I've made pre or post Celiac Disease in the family. It has flavor, and is not too dry. And whenever I make it, it always seems that there is never enough. I don't think a batch has ever lasted a full 24 hours in our house.

Here is the link to the original recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/michael-smiths-cornbread/8544/


Skillet Cornbread

1 stick or 1/2cup or 8tbsp Butter

1 ½ cups Milk

1 ½ cups Cornmeal (the recipe calls for coarse cornmeal, but I just buy what is at my grocery store-plain old cornmeal- couldn't tell you if it is coarse or not lol)                          

½ cup Brown Sugar (I like to use dark brown) 

3 Eggs (at room temp is best) 

1 tsp Baking Powder

¼ tsp Salt

Step#1: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place an 8-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to preheat. (I haven't tried this in another type of skillet, but I think I would stick with cast iron in this case.)

Step#2: Combine butter, milk, cornmeal and brown sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a slow, steady simmer and whisk for a few minutes until thickened. (Make sure your heat isn't too high and burns the mixture- my daughter did this once. Also, cook it long enough that it leaves "tracks" as you are stirring- somewhat porridge like in consistency.)

Step#3: Add eggs, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl and whisk lightly. Add cornmeal mixture and stir until well combined. (Ok, I do things a bit different here... I whisk up my egg mixture and add it to my pot of cornmeal that I have taken off the heat. I figure I use less dishes, since I use my measuring cup from my milk to stir the eggs in. Also to note: the baking powder wants to clump up so make sure you get all those lumps out with some vigorous mixing prior to adding it to your cornmeal batter.)

Step#4: Remove your now hot cast iron pan from the oven and oil it. (I used a dab of olive oil and use a brush to coat the pan.) Carefully pour in your well combined cornmeal batter into your hot pan and bake for 20-25 minutes- or until your cornbread is golden around the edges and cooked through.

ENJOY!

GF Holiday Rice Pudding

I know it can be tricky cooking gluten free meals when you have company coming over for the holidays. What will they think? Will a "normal person" like it? Will they think it tastes weird? Will I have to go looking for all sorts of strange ingredients to make this? The list of worries could go on... Let's face it- you have enough stress already dealing with the holiday season.

But I am here to help alleviate some of your stresses...at least on the gluten free front. And even better, this recipe is easy. The creamy white of the rice pudding drizzled with raspberry puree is also beautifully fitting for the Christmas season. Did I mention yet that it is YUMMY?! Yes my kids fought over who was going to have the last bowl and my company raved about it. I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as my family has. In fact I'm making it this Christmas!

Here is the link to the original recipe:
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Rice-Pudding-21031637  

Rice Pudding with Raspberry Purée

8 cups Milk
1 1⁄4 cups Arborio Rice (same kind as when making Risotto)
1⁄3 cup Sugar
1 1⁄2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 cups fresh or frozen Raspberries
2 tbsp Sugar

1 1⁄2 cups heavy/whipping Cream

Nutmeg

1. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice and 1⁄3 cup of sugar. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer (stirring frequently) until the rice is tender and most of the milk has been absorbed (about 45 minutes). Remove your rice pudding from heat and stir in vanilla extract and set aside to cool.

Note: Watch your temperature. You can scorch the milk. I did slightly...oops! But don't worry, the taste didn't come through- I caught it in time. So don't make my mistake...don't try to do too much at once and forget about it. 

2. While your rice is cooking away in the milk, it is a good time to make the raspberry purée (I used frozen and it worked fabulous). Place your berries in a food processor and add 2 tbsp of sugar- purée until smooth. Strain your raspberry sauce through a fine sieve to remove seeds and set aside.

3. Just before serving, whip the cream. Fold the whipped cream into your rice pudding and then transfer into bowls or pretty glasses. Now using a spoon, drizzle raspberry sauce around the edges of each serving of pudding and sprinkle with a touch nutmeg (remember that nutmeg is pretty potent- so a dash or two in each bowl or glass should suffice). Serve, and delight in the yumminess!

Additional Note: I made this a couple of hours ahead of time so I didn't have so much to do all at once while preparing the rest of my meal. I kept my rice pudding covered on the counter so it would not dry out- it could be refridgerated likely, but it is nicer when it is warm or room temp when served. I also made my purée and refridgerated it (although not really necessary), as well as made my whipped cream and placed it too in the fridge. Then it is just a matter of assembly before serving.

Adapting to Life as a Celiac... The Silver Linings You Might Have Overlooked

As you can see from my post dates, it has been quite some time since I brought anything to the table. We'll just call my sabbatical as being "blind-sided by life" and blogging ended up being last on the list, and then not on the list at all of 'things to do'. Sometimes things just take your breath away and it takes time to get your breath back after being winded. Celiac disease can have that same effect on a person's life too- and it hits you right in the gut!

As much as one would like to take a break from life or Celiac Disease it just isn't always possible. But sometimes, it is a matter of shifting your perspective- realizing that you can't change being a Celiac, and looking instead for a silver lining. Once you get past all the things you feel that you have been deprived of and are off limits, a whole new world of understanding and possibility of being gf can happen. Focusing on the "can't haves" will only make you feel worse about something you can't change, and you'll just be more miserable for it.

So here are 5 Celiac Silver Linings for you to consider, before you let yourself dip into the "poor me" handbook of woes.

Silver Lining #1:
Since my daughter has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, we have become a much more health conscience family. While my daughter is the only family member who eats completely gf, the rest of us are I believe healthier for eating less amounts of gluten since major meals are always made gluten free in our house. Although I have always been fairly health conscience, Celiac Disease has forced me to act on things I would have normally said someday to.

Silver Lining#2:
Kicking the fast food habit! Let's face it- fast food isn't doing anyone a favor. And though my family didn't consume alot of junk food, less or none is better.

Silver Lining#3:
The gluten free fad is your friend. In the 5 years of my daughter being diagnosed as a Celiac, there has been a lot of growth in the food industry. Having become popular amoungst celebrities and health gurus, eating gluten free has become easier even in just the 5 short years my family has adapted to the diet. Just last week a major name brand pasta had a gluten free version on our grocery store shelf that was fabulous. (I will post later about my discovery.) But aside from products now hitting the mainstream, there is so much available now for recipes too. Almost anything you could imagine or crave is out there on the web, has been developed by a fellow Celiac with a discerning palate. Just visit Pinterest for example and you will be amazed! (You can follow me on Pinterest here http://www.pinterest.com/zomongo/. I have a "Gluten Free Goodness" board- I have tried some of these recipes, while others I have pinned for future reference to try out.)

Silver Lining#4:
This is silver lining is related to the previous one, but focuses on the "where do I buy that?" question. For a time I had to visit specialty health food and organic stores to find the gf food items I needed. But now, not only can I find gluten free foods more readily in major grocery store chains- there is so much on the internet. Gf grocery shopping is now a mouse click away. Specialty gf flours that you might otherwise never try can be easily found and ordered online. This is also a great way to shop for your gf items if your local area stores do not have a great supply of gf groceries. Buying online just makes sense in a lot of ways too. You save the gas and time running around from place to place looking for what you need, not to mention the frustration that is avoided. And what could be easier than having your groceries delivered to your door?! When you tell your friends how you have streamlined your life I'm sure they will be kicking themselves that they hadn't thought of that (Or feel jealous that they don't have the health excuse to take that leap! Lol). http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Foods-Diet/b?ie=UTF8&node=2204829011

Silver Lining #5:
Being catered to. Who doesn't love that?! Yes eating out can be a challenge...however, it can be a terrific experience too. My daughter for example attended her Christmas staff party recently that was held at a restaurant. She was greeted with servers that were already alerted to her condition and appropriate menu suggestions were made to her. However, when it came to dessert she was offered an off menu item. To the servers surprise the whole table decided that my daughter's dessert choice sounded better (Gf Chocolate Ganache Tart with ground nut crust vs Apple Crisp). When dessert arrived, my daughter waited politely and then was about to dig in when the final plate was brought out to be served... and it was announced that it was for the individual with the "allergy"! (Yes there was a brief moment of panic, and then the relief of having dodged the gluten bullet.) When the server was asked if there was gluten then in the rest of the tarts, the answer was "No. They are all made gluten free. We just have a policy to wash our hands before serving allergies." The whole table clapped! But aside from this experience my daughter has had other fabulous meals made by caring chefs who made her complete meal off menu. Who wouldn't want to be asked what they feel like eating and have it whipped up by a chef? Now you have the pull!- who needs star power when you have Celiac Disease?!

Hopefully, I have got you thinking a bit differently about being a Celiac after reading this post. Have you discovered a Celiac silver lining that you may have possibly shrugged off or overlooked? Leave a comment. I would love to know what you have discovered!