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Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts

Friday, August 12, 2011

gluten free s'mores, a serious indulgence



















I recently saw a very inciting photo of homemade s'mores on the blog cooking with my kid, and decided to see how I could make it gluten free! the two primary ingredient obstacles are graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallow fluff. I had actually never heard of marshmallow fluff so I had to google it. apparently it is something you can buy, but I had no idea if it was gluten free, and honestly I wasn't even sure I could find this type of product in a store in Vancouver as I was reading an American blog.

I searched online for recipes and when I found one I was happy to discover that the ingredients in the marshmallow fluff are gluten free already! as for the graham crackers, most websites suggested substituting them with crushed gluten free cookies, like shortbread, or even almonds. so, I went to the store intending to buy Pamela's shortbread cookies, but while I was cruising the cookie aisle, I found Kinnikinnick's gluten free graham crackers, which they call S'moreables. they are gluten free obviously, but also nut and dairy free.

for those with egg or dairy sensitivities, the ingredients in the smore's and marshmallow fluff recipes include eggs and butter. however, these can easily be substituted with an egg replacer like Ener-G's egg replacer which is gluten free. instead of butter try Earth Balance's non-dairy butter spread. I like the 'red' container as it is also soy free. I have used both butter and Earth Balance spread for this recipe, and found real butter worked much better, and resulted in a tastier s'more. the marshmallow fluff requires corn syrup, but brown rice syrup works too, Lundberg makes one. 

the gluten free s'mores taste just as amazing as they look, and each time I've made them, the whole batch is gone within hours!


let’s make it gluten free!


s’mores ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup of butter at room temperature, I like Avalon’s organic butter because it contains no color, try Earth Balance for an non dairy alternative
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar, I like Roger’s organic sugar
  • 2 large baking chocolate bars, I used Camino’s semi sweet baking chocolate, it comes with two bars but I only used one because they are very thick
  • 1 large egg, or use Ener-G egg replacer
  • 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff (see recipe below)
  • 1 tsp vanilla, I use Simply Organic’s vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
  • ¾ cup graham crackers processed fine. I used Kinnikinnick’s gluten free S’moreables graham style crackers, half a box makes approx. ¾ cup. a food processor works great for this, or a simple rolling pin will do.
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

s’mores instructions:
  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • grease an 8-inch square baking pan
  • using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  • beat in egg and vanilla
  • set aside
  • in another bowl whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt
  • slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined
  • divide the dough in half and press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom  of the prepared pan
  • spread the marshmallow fluff over the dough
  • break the chocolate bar into squares and place evenly on top of the marshmallow
  • place the remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff , this can be tricky as the dough is kind of sticky, and so is the marshmallow! (one of the original blog post commenters suggested rolling it out on wax paper first the flipping it over and placing on top of the chocolate, a fabulous idea!)
  • bake for 30 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.
  • cool completely before cutting into squares, makes 16

marshmallow fluff ingredients:
  • 3 egg whites, room temperature (I never knew how important this was, cold eggs will not fluff!) use Ener-G egg replacer for an egg free version
  • 2 cups of light corn syrup, or Lundberg’s brown rice syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted, I like Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade certified organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, I like Simply Organic’s vanilla extract

marshmallow fluff instructions:
  • in a large bowl of an electric mixer, or a regular bowl if you are using a hand mixer, add egg whites, corn syrup, and salt
  • mix for approximately five minutes on high, or until the mixture is thick and the volume has almost doubled, it will look like fluff!
  • on low speed add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended
  • add the vanilla extract and mix until well blended

note:
you only need to make half of this recipe to complete the s’mores recipe above. if you make the whole amount, you can keep the extra in an air tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

you will love these s'mores, and they won't taste gluten free! warning, they are very addictive, and very sweet! happy baking, Andrea.


kinnikinnick smoreables   |   camino semi sweet baking chocolate   |   ener-g egg replacer   |   earth balance dairy free spread



Tuesday, May 31, 2011

celebrating a milestone: gluten free red velvet cake


we are very very pleased to announce that our blog has recently reached over 100,000 page views, and to us that is something worth celebrating! we started our blog in late 2009 in the hopes of sharing our gluten free lifestyle experiences with anyone and everyone. we had virtually no help at the beginning of our diagnosis in 2005 and really had no idea where to turn. our blog was created out of our desire to help even just one person overcome the challenges of a Celiac Disease diagnosis. over the years we have come to realize that living with Celiac Disease is not just about cutting out gluten, but rather integrating this new diet into a normal and enjoyable lifestyle, and this is the focus of our blog.

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).


velvet frosting recipe:
1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
pinch of salt
3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)
3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)


•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!


don't think we would let our milestone pass by without a giveaway to thank our readers, we have an exciting giveaway coming very soon, stay tuned for the announcement!  Andrea.


celiac disease   |   the allergen-free baker's handbook   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook



Monday, April 18, 2011

gluten free mom: rice crispy squares!

image copyright gluten free vancouver
a long time favorite childhood treat, rice crispy squares, can now be made gluten free thanks to Dandies Marshmallows, which are gluten free and vegan! we first discovered these recently at Ed's Gluten Free Specialty's new Vancouver store, and we were thrilled to find such a unique and truly missed product! finally someone thought to make gluten free marshmallows! it was the same feeling when we found gluten free ice cream cones last year!

even though my daughter is not gluten intolerant, I still prefer to make everything gluten free for her since she is still small, 'two half' as she likes to say. she is still messy, and she likes to share what she is eating with me. so once I found these gluten free marshmallows I was now free to make her one of my all time favorite treats--rice crispy squares! well...not exactly 'rice krispy' squares since Rice Krispies are not gluten free. however, Kellogg's has announced that they will be introducing a new gluten free version of the famous Rice Krispies in June! to read more about this, click here.

since the gluten free Rice Krispies are not available yet, I chose another product—Perky's Crunchy Rice cereal, which is now part of the Enjoy Life brand. you can also use Nature's Path Crispy Rice cereal, both are gluten free. I bought the cereal at London Drugs on sale, which sells both cereal brands. if you would like to ensure your rice crispy treats are 100% vegan, then you should use the Nature's Path cereal as the Enjoy Life cereal uses honey as a sweetener. 

for the recipe, I just googled rice crispy squares, and followed the instructions. I used one package of Dandies Marshmallows, and one box of Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice cereal. making these treats brought back so many memories, I think this was one of the first recipes I learned to make by myself, and now I can share this experience with my daughter! enjoy!  Andrea.


ps. Dandies Marshmallows are now available through SPUD organic delivery, and they are on sale this week for $4.99! if you are not a spud member but would like to become one, please quote my account number to receive discounts on your first four orders, worth $25! CRVAN-MCLAND. thanks!



dandies marshmallows   |   ed's gluten free specialty   |   london drugs   |   spud



Wednesday, April 6, 2011

high crow gluten free baking company (+ giveaway)

we discovered a great new gluten free baking business in Vancouver recently, called High Crow Gluten Free Foods. I met with Julie Desgroseillers to find out more about how she started her business and the amazing products she produces. Julie’s gluten free products range from cookies, four kinds of bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and even wedding cakes! (see end of post for details on the giveaway)

Julie's BSc in Dietetics, her experience as a product designer and pastry maker, and her life time dream to have her own bakery someday form the foundation of her business. Julie enjoys baking foods that are nutritious, and reflect a handcrafted, homemade quality and these are ultimately the goals that drive High Crow.

Julie was keen to take on the challenge of gluten free and dairy free baking even though she is not celiac or gluten intolerant, and she experimented until she started getting rave reviews from her taste testers both big and small. all High Crow baking is prepared in a dedicated gluten free commercial kitchen in Delta, BC, which trust us is a rarity. even with her new gluten free kitchen, Julie still buys her ingredients cautiously and buys direct from the manufacturers to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

Julie likes baking with sorghum and chickpea flours because she prefers the nutritional values and the texture that these flours offer. she also uses millet and rice flour, and has been experimenting with rice bran because of its nutritional qualities. in all her baking Julie tries to achieve a product that is high in fiber and protein, and low in sodium. Julie uses soy milk instead of regular milk, but she can make products soy free on request.

High Crow has many sweet and delicious treats to choose from like cookies, brownies, blondies, and mini loaves, but after trying many of her products, I think it is Julie's gluten free breads that set her apart from anything else I have tried. Julie sells four different breads: millet & rice bread, sorghum bread, chickpea & sorghum bread, and flax seed bread. what is also really exciting is that Julie also makes dinner rolls, hamburger buns, and hot dog buns! hello summer barbeques!

any brides who are looking for a gluten free/ dairy free wedding cake, look no further as Julie also bakes and sells cakes to Buttercup Custom Cakes, a wedding cake designer, who then comes to Julie's gluten free kitchen to decorate the cakes, to ensure no cross contamination. 

currently Julie is selling her products through the Steveston and Vancouver Winter Farmer's Markets, and will also be at the following summer markets: the Royal City Farmer's Market (New West) and the Kitsilano MarketJulie also takes orders by phone or email, which can be picked up at her commercial kitchen (see website for more info) or you can pick up at one of her markets. you can now also find High Crow products at the Wired Monk Cafe in Abbotsford, as well as the ABC Country Restaurant in Abbostford. I know Julie is also in talks to sell her products at other retail outlets in the lower mainland, and once those locations have been confirmed we will let you know.


this giveaway is now closed. thanks to all who entered, a winner will be announced shortly.  Andrea.


Monday, February 7, 2011

cookie of the week: glutino chocolate vanilla creme cookies

welcome to a new feature on our blog called 'cookie of the week.' we had been planning to do a review of a few different cookies a while ago, but it seemed like there were too many for just one post. the longer we waited (procrastinated) there seemed to be even more cookies on the market to choose from. I am not, nor have I ever been a huge cookie fan, but when I see a new gluten free cookie that I have never tried before, I get curious. I think I am strung along by the temptation that maybe, just maybe, I will strike gold and find THE BEST GLUTEN FREE COOKIE EVER. well, I have to admit I have not found that elusive cookie. I have found some decent cookies however, but I have also been met with huge disappointment. it doesn't help matters that the cookies that are often the most disappointing, are the most expensive! 

I was very excited recently to stumble upon an Oreo look-a-like, made by Glutino, and I have to admit I was intrigued. as soon as I saw them I started replaying all those warm and fuzzy Oreo television commercials over and over in my mind, I could remember splitting the cookies open and eating the creme filling first, and dipping the rest in milk...I'm sure you get the nostalgia here. these Glutino Oreo look-a-like cookies are called Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies. it's not short and sweet like the name Oreo, but that's ok, it kind of reminds of when no name brand foods came along. I am sure for most people a chocolate vanilla creme cookie will always be an Oreo!

so how do they taste? pretty good! certainly not the same as I remember an Oreo tasting like. but they are nicely sweet, and chocolatey, you can pull them apart and follow your heart. dip them in milk, and you will feel like a kid again. these cookies are well priced compared to other gluten free cookies. one package of cookies costs around $5.00, and you get about 24 cookies, sorry I didn't count them, I just ate them! this is pretty good since one of the other cookies we are going to review costs the same but there are only two cookies in the package!!!

the Glutino chocolate creme cookies are of course gluten free, and they are also dairy free, yeast free, and kosher. they do contain soy, eggs, and corn. perhaps the only negative is that they are not organic, but hey, it's an Oreo look-a-like!  happy dipping!  Andrea.



Monday, October 4, 2010

celiac in the city: my local cafe

I went on a great date recently with someone who is really cute, has a great smile, and loves gluten free food...my niece Pilar! she just turned two so grandma and I decided to take her for a grown up lunch at My Local Café located at 3772 west tenth avenue in the point grey neighborhood. we enjoyed one of the best gluten free lunches I have ever had (their deep dish gluten free lasagna, salad, and garlic rice bread…read on!) many of our loyal readers mentioned this little place to Andrea and I to let us know that they sell gluten free treats like chocolate cake and muffins, but I was so excited to see that many of their breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items are gluten free too!

My Local Café is also one of the only restaurants in Vancouver to make their own sorghum and brown rice bread in house and it is really really good! in fact, everything at My Local Café including the gluten free waffles, and muffins are made in house. they do use a few other gluten free brands including Rizopia rice pasta from Galloways, and Bobs Red Mill for their tasty gluten free pizza crust. My Local Café also offers a wide variety of vegan and dairy free alternatives and has a great atmosphere for dining in. gluten free dishes are also prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, with separate cutting boards, utensils and even a designated gluten free toaster, what a treat!

the philosophy behind the all vegetarian, organic dishes at My Local Café is ‘thoughtful food’ and thoughtful it is. the owner, Shafique Shivji (or cookie monster as noted on his business card ) wanted to open a café where everyone could enjoy good tasting food – even if it is secretly gluten or dairy free. this little café reminds me why living in Vancouver is absolutely the best place to be if you are celiac or gluten intolerant.

the menu at My Local Café is broken down into morning or midday plates. it is important to advise the staff if you are seeking a gluten free version of any of the dishes on the menu and they will be sure to substitute any bread items for their gluten free brown rice bread (at no extra charge!), but you do have to advise them first. by doing so also ensures that your dish is prepared in their separate gluten free area of the prep kitchen. it is important to also know that My Local Café is not a dedicated gluten free restaurant but takes ample measures to minimize cross contamination and the staff are well informed of what gluten free means.

here are the gluten free highlights:

morning plates:
either ‘the local’ or ‘2 eggs on toast’ (poached eggs, cheese, roasted potatoes, fruit) can be substituted with the café’s homemade brown rice bread. the ‘local’s quiche’ is also made on a wheat free crust and is layered with seasonal vegetables.

my favorites include the gluten free waffles and muffins! the waffles are made with buckwheat flour, and come with either roasted fruit or toasted pecans, maple syrup and whipped cream! they are toasted in a dedicated gluten free toaster. the gluten free muffins, made with gluten free oats, are probably the best I have had so far, and come in chocolate cranberry, blueberry banana, peanut butter and chocolate chip, and peach and coconut. the muffins are also placed on the top display shelf to minimize cross contamination with their wheat muffins. there are always a variety of other gluten free treats at the order counter including gluten free chocolate cake and rice crispy squares.

midday plates:
most of their ‘local’s soup’ varieties are gluten free, including a recent tomato basil soup, but it is advisable to ask if their daily soup is gluten free first. you can also have it with their brown rice bread as well. spreads available include an olive tapenade, garlic or pesto spread. they are all excellent!

I love their ‘create – your – own sandwich’ option with gluten free rice bread, and you can select what vegetarian options you would like with your choice of spread. I tried spinach, tomato and cucumber with the olive tapenade spread over the weekend and it was delicious! you can have your gluten free sandwich toasted or untoasted, both options taste great.
the ‘daily baked dish and ‘local’s cauldron’ vary from week to week but are often a gluten free deep dish vegetarian lasagna or vegan shephard’s pie! they each come with salad and bread (again ask for the gluten free bread substitute).

and if all of that was not enough, there is gluten free pizza! the pizza is really good! its thin crust with cheese and vegetables, and it also comes with one of their various daily salads. there are usually three salad options daily to choose from and are almost always gluten free including a wild rice and celery salad, mixed vegetables, or spinach and apple.

Pilar and I had so much fun and it is very kid friendly too! Andrea and I highly recommend this little café, the food is thoughtful with an abundance of gluten free variety! Robyn. 


My Local Cafe is open monday to friday from 7am to 8pm & saturday and sunday from 8am to 8pm.


My Local Café on Urbanspoon

Monday, August 16, 2010

gluten free ice cream cones...at last!

it is so hot here in Vancouver right now! and for Andrea and I, ice cream is one of our all time summer favorite indulgences (well anytime of year really). but like everything else, even ice cream can contain gluten, so you still have to be careful even in this food category. the general rule of thumb for ensuring your ice cream is gluten free is quite simple, any flavor that has a wafer or cookie in it, it is not safe to eat. having a gluten allergy automatically rules out ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cones altogether too. for those with celiac disease, you will need to also be mindful of cross contamination with flavors that do contain gluten, so it is important to read product websites, or to call the manufacturer to be certain. also if you are buying ice cream by the scoop, I recommend asking the server to use a fresh, clean ice cream scoop as well. 

we both thought gluten free ice cream cones would be out of the question with no gluten free cones in sight. however a few months ago we discovered a product called Goldbaum’s that is available through the Gluten Free Mall or Amazon. and we couldn't wait to try them, but ordering across the border can be a pain sometimes, you know? well we have good news for all you Vancouverites! we have recently found Goldbaum's at Choices Markets!!! in addition to being gluten free, Goldbaum's are also dairy free, soy free and nut free.

now that the hard part has been made easy, the only other thing to do is find your favorite gluten free ice cream! Haagen Dazs regular flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, are gluten free. the Haagen Dazs Extras, and the cookies and cream flavour, are not. we would also like to tell you about a great dairy free ice cream made with coconut milk called So Delicious. most of their coconut milk ice cream products are gluten free, you can read their product listing here to be sure. I love the coconut flavour and the vanilla bean flavour. 

Andrea recently discovered another coconut milk ice cream called Coconut Bliss, which is organic, gluten free and vegan. whether you are celiac or not, you will loves these ice cream cones! just like my niece Pilar, as you can see in the photo. in fact one of her new first words is 'cream cone'. she loves them, and so will you!

happy days indeed!  Robyn.


Tuesday, July 27, 2010

gluten free, sugar free cooking: falafels

a while back I mentioned that I am experimenting with a few cookbooks in order to learn something new about gluten free cooking and baking, as well as to generally open up my repertoire of gluten free favorites. the first book I have been experimenting with is titled "Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking", by Susan O'Brien. over the past weeks I have already tried her recipes for brown rice pudding, and quinoa tabbouleh. last week I tried O'Brien's recipe for falafels.

falafel is a Middle Eastern food originating in Egypt, and is now an iconic part of Israeli cuisine. I am not exactly sure why out of over two hundred recipes in O'Bien's book, I happened to choose two middle eastern dishes, but I digress. the main ingredient in falafels is either chick peas, or fava beans, or a combination of both, and both are gluten free. chickpeas are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. unfortunately many falafel recipes and most mixes use wheat flour. additionally, the falafels are typically served inside a pita bread pocket, which is obviously not safe for people on a gluten free diet.

if you are craving your beloved falafels, or would like to try them for the first time, you can try a gluten free falafel mix, such as OrgraN Falafel Mix, Fantastic Foods Falafel Mix, or Authentic Foods Falafel Mix. however, you can also make them on your own from scratch! (come on... you can do it!)

O'Brien's book includes two recipes, one for the falafels on page 89, and one for the falafel sauce on page 188. 

the falafels:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained, but reserve juice
1/4 cup quinoa flour (I got mine at Whole Foods)
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari sauce (try San-J brand)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

there are two ways you can cook the falafels, in the oven, or in a deep fryer. I tried both, and I have to say I preferred the deep fried version, the outer crust was just so crispy, and the inside was nice and soft. the oven method was good too, but a little more consistent in the cooked texture between inside and outside. the deep fryer that I have is by Waring Pro, which has been great, but this smaller version would actually be perfect since it is deeper than it is long, better deep frying proportions in my opinion.

directions:
if you are going to cook in the oven, set your oven to 350°F. in a large frying pan heat one tablespoon of oil and saute the onion until soft, then add the parsley and garlic and keep cooking for another minute. in a blender or food processor, combine the rest of the ingredients (except the remaining oil) and blend. next I added the sauted onions mixture and blended again. 

if you are cooking in the oven, then form your the falafel mixture into patties and place on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes each side, 30 minutes total. if you are using a deep fryer, form your mixture into one inch balls and drop into the hot oil. I did not time them, but when the outside crust is dark golden brown, they should be ready. 

obviously pita bead shells are out of the question for holding your falafels, unless you can buy or make gluten free pita bread. I decided to follow O'Brien's recommendation to make lettuce wraps. I bought fresh organic butter lettuce and added a few falafel balls, and lots of falafel sauce! you can garnish with more of your chopped fresh herbs. you could also try making a wrap using gluten free tortillas, I like the Food For Life brand. this recipe makes approximately four servings.

here is the recipe for the falafel sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sesame tahini
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup lemon juice, use freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon chopped parsely
dash of fresh ground pepper

place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

this seems like a lot of work, but believe me you are going to love these! my husband and I kept half of the wet falafel mix in the fridge over night and deep fried the next day for another round of yummy gluten free falafels! enjoy!  Andrea.



get the book   |   susan o'brien   |   benefits of chickpeas



Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts

Friday, August 12, 2011

gluten free s'mores, a serious indulgence



















I recently saw a very inciting photo of homemade s'mores on the blog cooking with my kid, and decided to see how I could make it gluten free! the two primary ingredient obstacles are graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallow fluff. I had actually never heard of marshmallow fluff so I had to google it. apparently it is something you can buy, but I had no idea if it was gluten free, and honestly I wasn't even sure I could find this type of product in a store in Vancouver as I was reading an American blog.

I searched online for recipes and when I found one I was happy to discover that the ingredients in the marshmallow fluff are gluten free already! as for the graham crackers, most websites suggested substituting them with crushed gluten free cookies, like shortbread, or even almonds. so, I went to the store intending to buy Pamela's shortbread cookies, but while I was cruising the cookie aisle, I found Kinnikinnick's gluten free graham crackers, which they call S'moreables. they are gluten free obviously, but also nut and dairy free.

for those with egg or dairy sensitivities, the ingredients in the smore's and marshmallow fluff recipes include eggs and butter. however, these can easily be substituted with an egg replacer like Ener-G's egg replacer which is gluten free. instead of butter try Earth Balance's non-dairy butter spread. I like the 'red' container as it is also soy free. I have used both butter and Earth Balance spread for this recipe, and found real butter worked much better, and resulted in a tastier s'more. the marshmallow fluff requires corn syrup, but brown rice syrup works too, Lundberg makes one. 

the gluten free s'mores taste just as amazing as they look, and each time I've made them, the whole batch is gone within hours!


let’s make it gluten free!


s’mores ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup of butter at room temperature, I like Avalon’s organic butter because it contains no color, try Earth Balance for an non dairy alternative
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar, I like Roger’s organic sugar
  • 2 large baking chocolate bars, I used Camino’s semi sweet baking chocolate, it comes with two bars but I only used one because they are very thick
  • 1 large egg, or use Ener-G egg replacer
  • 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff (see recipe below)
  • 1 tsp vanilla, I use Simply Organic’s vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
  • ¾ cup graham crackers processed fine. I used Kinnikinnick’s gluten free S’moreables graham style crackers, half a box makes approx. ¾ cup. a food processor works great for this, or a simple rolling pin will do.
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

s’mores instructions:
  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • grease an 8-inch square baking pan
  • using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  • beat in egg and vanilla
  • set aside
  • in another bowl whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt
  • slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined
  • divide the dough in half and press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom  of the prepared pan
  • spread the marshmallow fluff over the dough
  • break the chocolate bar into squares and place evenly on top of the marshmallow
  • place the remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff , this can be tricky as the dough is kind of sticky, and so is the marshmallow! (one of the original blog post commenters suggested rolling it out on wax paper first the flipping it over and placing on top of the chocolate, a fabulous idea!)
  • bake for 30 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.
  • cool completely before cutting into squares, makes 16

marshmallow fluff ingredients:
  • 3 egg whites, room temperature (I never knew how important this was, cold eggs will not fluff!) use Ener-G egg replacer for an egg free version
  • 2 cups of light corn syrup, or Lundberg’s brown rice syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted, I like Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade certified organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, I like Simply Organic’s vanilla extract

marshmallow fluff instructions:
  • in a large bowl of an electric mixer, or a regular bowl if you are using a hand mixer, add egg whites, corn syrup, and salt
  • mix for approximately five minutes on high, or until the mixture is thick and the volume has almost doubled, it will look like fluff!
  • on low speed add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended
  • add the vanilla extract and mix until well blended

note:
you only need to make half of this recipe to complete the s’mores recipe above. if you make the whole amount, you can keep the extra in an air tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

you will love these s'mores, and they won't taste gluten free! warning, they are very addictive, and very sweet! happy baking, Andrea.


kinnikinnick smoreables   |   camino semi sweet baking chocolate   |   ener-g egg replacer   |   earth balance dairy free spread



Tuesday, May 31, 2011

celebrating a milestone: gluten free red velvet cake


we are very very pleased to announce that our blog has recently reached over 100,000 page views, and to us that is something worth celebrating! we started our blog in late 2009 in the hopes of sharing our gluten free lifestyle experiences with anyone and everyone. we had virtually no help at the beginning of our diagnosis in 2005 and really had no idea where to turn. our blog was created out of our desire to help even just one person overcome the challenges of a Celiac Disease diagnosis. over the years we have come to realize that living with Celiac Disease is not just about cutting out gluten, but rather integrating this new diet into a normal and enjoyable lifestyle, and this is the focus of our blog.

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).


velvet frosting recipe:
1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
pinch of salt
3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)
3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)


•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!


don't think we would let our milestone pass by without a giveaway to thank our readers, we have an exciting giveaway coming very soon, stay tuned for the announcement!  Andrea.


celiac disease   |   the allergen-free baker's handbook   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook



Monday, April 18, 2011

gluten free mom: rice crispy squares!

image copyright gluten free vancouver
a long time favorite childhood treat, rice crispy squares, can now be made gluten free thanks to Dandies Marshmallows, which are gluten free and vegan! we first discovered these recently at Ed's Gluten Free Specialty's new Vancouver store, and we were thrilled to find such a unique and truly missed product! finally someone thought to make gluten free marshmallows! it was the same feeling when we found gluten free ice cream cones last year!

even though my daughter is not gluten intolerant, I still prefer to make everything gluten free for her since she is still small, 'two half' as she likes to say. she is still messy, and she likes to share what she is eating with me. so once I found these gluten free marshmallows I was now free to make her one of my all time favorite treats--rice crispy squares! well...not exactly 'rice krispy' squares since Rice Krispies are not gluten free. however, Kellogg's has announced that they will be introducing a new gluten free version of the famous Rice Krispies in June! to read more about this, click here.

since the gluten free Rice Krispies are not available yet, I chose another product—Perky's Crunchy Rice cereal, which is now part of the Enjoy Life brand. you can also use Nature's Path Crispy Rice cereal, both are gluten free. I bought the cereal at London Drugs on sale, which sells both cereal brands. if you would like to ensure your rice crispy treats are 100% vegan, then you should use the Nature's Path cereal as the Enjoy Life cereal uses honey as a sweetener. 

for the recipe, I just googled rice crispy squares, and followed the instructions. I used one package of Dandies Marshmallows, and one box of Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice cereal. making these treats brought back so many memories, I think this was one of the first recipes I learned to make by myself, and now I can share this experience with my daughter! enjoy!  Andrea.


ps. Dandies Marshmallows are now available through SPUD organic delivery, and they are on sale this week for $4.99! if you are not a spud member but would like to become one, please quote my account number to receive discounts on your first four orders, worth $25! CRVAN-MCLAND. thanks!



dandies marshmallows   |   ed's gluten free specialty   |   london drugs   |   spud



Wednesday, April 6, 2011

high crow gluten free baking company (+ giveaway)

we discovered a great new gluten free baking business in Vancouver recently, called High Crow Gluten Free Foods. I met with Julie Desgroseillers to find out more about how she started her business and the amazing products she produces. Julie’s gluten free products range from cookies, four kinds of bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and even wedding cakes! (see end of post for details on the giveaway)

Julie's BSc in Dietetics, her experience as a product designer and pastry maker, and her life time dream to have her own bakery someday form the foundation of her business. Julie enjoys baking foods that are nutritious, and reflect a handcrafted, homemade quality and these are ultimately the goals that drive High Crow.

Julie was keen to take on the challenge of gluten free and dairy free baking even though she is not celiac or gluten intolerant, and she experimented until she started getting rave reviews from her taste testers both big and small. all High Crow baking is prepared in a dedicated gluten free commercial kitchen in Delta, BC, which trust us is a rarity. even with her new gluten free kitchen, Julie still buys her ingredients cautiously and buys direct from the manufacturers to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

Julie likes baking with sorghum and chickpea flours because she prefers the nutritional values and the texture that these flours offer. she also uses millet and rice flour, and has been experimenting with rice bran because of its nutritional qualities. in all her baking Julie tries to achieve a product that is high in fiber and protein, and low in sodium. Julie uses soy milk instead of regular milk, but she can make products soy free on request.

High Crow has many sweet and delicious treats to choose from like cookies, brownies, blondies, and mini loaves, but after trying many of her products, I think it is Julie's gluten free breads that set her apart from anything else I have tried. Julie sells four different breads: millet & rice bread, sorghum bread, chickpea & sorghum bread, and flax seed bread. what is also really exciting is that Julie also makes dinner rolls, hamburger buns, and hot dog buns! hello summer barbeques!

any brides who are looking for a gluten free/ dairy free wedding cake, look no further as Julie also bakes and sells cakes to Buttercup Custom Cakes, a wedding cake designer, who then comes to Julie's gluten free kitchen to decorate the cakes, to ensure no cross contamination. 

currently Julie is selling her products through the Steveston and Vancouver Winter Farmer's Markets, and will also be at the following summer markets: the Royal City Farmer's Market (New West) and the Kitsilano MarketJulie also takes orders by phone or email, which can be picked up at her commercial kitchen (see website for more info) or you can pick up at one of her markets. you can now also find High Crow products at the Wired Monk Cafe in Abbotsford, as well as the ABC Country Restaurant in Abbostford. I know Julie is also in talks to sell her products at other retail outlets in the lower mainland, and once those locations have been confirmed we will let you know.


this giveaway is now closed. thanks to all who entered, a winner will be announced shortly.  Andrea.


Monday, February 7, 2011

cookie of the week: glutino chocolate vanilla creme cookies

welcome to a new feature on our blog called 'cookie of the week.' we had been planning to do a review of a few different cookies a while ago, but it seemed like there were too many for just one post. the longer we waited (procrastinated) there seemed to be even more cookies on the market to choose from. I am not, nor have I ever been a huge cookie fan, but when I see a new gluten free cookie that I have never tried before, I get curious. I think I am strung along by the temptation that maybe, just maybe, I will strike gold and find THE BEST GLUTEN FREE COOKIE EVER. well, I have to admit I have not found that elusive cookie. I have found some decent cookies however, but I have also been met with huge disappointment. it doesn't help matters that the cookies that are often the most disappointing, are the most expensive! 

I was very excited recently to stumble upon an Oreo look-a-like, made by Glutino, and I have to admit I was intrigued. as soon as I saw them I started replaying all those warm and fuzzy Oreo television commercials over and over in my mind, I could remember splitting the cookies open and eating the creme filling first, and dipping the rest in milk...I'm sure you get the nostalgia here. these Glutino Oreo look-a-like cookies are called Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies. it's not short and sweet like the name Oreo, but that's ok, it kind of reminds of when no name brand foods came along. I am sure for most people a chocolate vanilla creme cookie will always be an Oreo!

so how do they taste? pretty good! certainly not the same as I remember an Oreo tasting like. but they are nicely sweet, and chocolatey, you can pull them apart and follow your heart. dip them in milk, and you will feel like a kid again. these cookies are well priced compared to other gluten free cookies. one package of cookies costs around $5.00, and you get about 24 cookies, sorry I didn't count them, I just ate them! this is pretty good since one of the other cookies we are going to review costs the same but there are only two cookies in the package!!!

the Glutino chocolate creme cookies are of course gluten free, and they are also dairy free, yeast free, and kosher. they do contain soy, eggs, and corn. perhaps the only negative is that they are not organic, but hey, it's an Oreo look-a-like!  happy dipping!  Andrea.



Monday, October 4, 2010

celiac in the city: my local cafe

I went on a great date recently with someone who is really cute, has a great smile, and loves gluten free food...my niece Pilar! she just turned two so grandma and I decided to take her for a grown up lunch at My Local Café located at 3772 west tenth avenue in the point grey neighborhood. we enjoyed one of the best gluten free lunches I have ever had (their deep dish gluten free lasagna, salad, and garlic rice bread…read on!) many of our loyal readers mentioned this little place to Andrea and I to let us know that they sell gluten free treats like chocolate cake and muffins, but I was so excited to see that many of their breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items are gluten free too!

My Local Café is also one of the only restaurants in Vancouver to make their own sorghum and brown rice bread in house and it is really really good! in fact, everything at My Local Café including the gluten free waffles, and muffins are made in house. they do use a few other gluten free brands including Rizopia rice pasta from Galloways, and Bobs Red Mill for their tasty gluten free pizza crust. My Local Café also offers a wide variety of vegan and dairy free alternatives and has a great atmosphere for dining in. gluten free dishes are also prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, with separate cutting boards, utensils and even a designated gluten free toaster, what a treat!

the philosophy behind the all vegetarian, organic dishes at My Local Café is ‘thoughtful food’ and thoughtful it is. the owner, Shafique Shivji (or cookie monster as noted on his business card ) wanted to open a café where everyone could enjoy good tasting food – even if it is secretly gluten or dairy free. this little café reminds me why living in Vancouver is absolutely the best place to be if you are celiac or gluten intolerant.

the menu at My Local Café is broken down into morning or midday plates. it is important to advise the staff if you are seeking a gluten free version of any of the dishes on the menu and they will be sure to substitute any bread items for their gluten free brown rice bread (at no extra charge!), but you do have to advise them first. by doing so also ensures that your dish is prepared in their separate gluten free area of the prep kitchen. it is important to also know that My Local Café is not a dedicated gluten free restaurant but takes ample measures to minimize cross contamination and the staff are well informed of what gluten free means.

here are the gluten free highlights:

morning plates:
either ‘the local’ or ‘2 eggs on toast’ (poached eggs, cheese, roasted potatoes, fruit) can be substituted with the café’s homemade brown rice bread. the ‘local’s quiche’ is also made on a wheat free crust and is layered with seasonal vegetables.

my favorites include the gluten free waffles and muffins! the waffles are made with buckwheat flour, and come with either roasted fruit or toasted pecans, maple syrup and whipped cream! they are toasted in a dedicated gluten free toaster. the gluten free muffins, made with gluten free oats, are probably the best I have had so far, and come in chocolate cranberry, blueberry banana, peanut butter and chocolate chip, and peach and coconut. the muffins are also placed on the top display shelf to minimize cross contamination with their wheat muffins. there are always a variety of other gluten free treats at the order counter including gluten free chocolate cake and rice crispy squares.

midday plates:
most of their ‘local’s soup’ varieties are gluten free, including a recent tomato basil soup, but it is advisable to ask if their daily soup is gluten free first. you can also have it with their brown rice bread as well. spreads available include an olive tapenade, garlic or pesto spread. they are all excellent!

I love their ‘create – your – own sandwich’ option with gluten free rice bread, and you can select what vegetarian options you would like with your choice of spread. I tried spinach, tomato and cucumber with the olive tapenade spread over the weekend and it was delicious! you can have your gluten free sandwich toasted or untoasted, both options taste great.
the ‘daily baked dish and ‘local’s cauldron’ vary from week to week but are often a gluten free deep dish vegetarian lasagna or vegan shephard’s pie! they each come with salad and bread (again ask for the gluten free bread substitute).

and if all of that was not enough, there is gluten free pizza! the pizza is really good! its thin crust with cheese and vegetables, and it also comes with one of their various daily salads. there are usually three salad options daily to choose from and are almost always gluten free including a wild rice and celery salad, mixed vegetables, or spinach and apple.

Pilar and I had so much fun and it is very kid friendly too! Andrea and I highly recommend this little café, the food is thoughtful with an abundance of gluten free variety! Robyn. 


My Local Cafe is open monday to friday from 7am to 8pm & saturday and sunday from 8am to 8pm.


My Local Café on Urbanspoon

Monday, August 16, 2010

gluten free ice cream cones...at last!

it is so hot here in Vancouver right now! and for Andrea and I, ice cream is one of our all time summer favorite indulgences (well anytime of year really). but like everything else, even ice cream can contain gluten, so you still have to be careful even in this food category. the general rule of thumb for ensuring your ice cream is gluten free is quite simple, any flavor that has a wafer or cookie in it, it is not safe to eat. having a gluten allergy automatically rules out ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cones altogether too. for those with celiac disease, you will need to also be mindful of cross contamination with flavors that do contain gluten, so it is important to read product websites, or to call the manufacturer to be certain. also if you are buying ice cream by the scoop, I recommend asking the server to use a fresh, clean ice cream scoop as well. 

we both thought gluten free ice cream cones would be out of the question with no gluten free cones in sight. however a few months ago we discovered a product called Goldbaum’s that is available through the Gluten Free Mall or Amazon. and we couldn't wait to try them, but ordering across the border can be a pain sometimes, you know? well we have good news for all you Vancouverites! we have recently found Goldbaum's at Choices Markets!!! in addition to being gluten free, Goldbaum's are also dairy free, soy free and nut free.

now that the hard part has been made easy, the only other thing to do is find your favorite gluten free ice cream! Haagen Dazs regular flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, are gluten free. the Haagen Dazs Extras, and the cookies and cream flavour, are not. we would also like to tell you about a great dairy free ice cream made with coconut milk called So Delicious. most of their coconut milk ice cream products are gluten free, you can read their product listing here to be sure. I love the coconut flavour and the vanilla bean flavour. 

Andrea recently discovered another coconut milk ice cream called Coconut Bliss, which is organic, gluten free and vegan. whether you are celiac or not, you will loves these ice cream cones! just like my niece Pilar, as you can see in the photo. in fact one of her new first words is 'cream cone'. she loves them, and so will you!

happy days indeed!  Robyn.


Tuesday, July 27, 2010

gluten free, sugar free cooking: falafels

a while back I mentioned that I am experimenting with a few cookbooks in order to learn something new about gluten free cooking and baking, as well as to generally open up my repertoire of gluten free favorites. the first book I have been experimenting with is titled "Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking", by Susan O'Brien. over the past weeks I have already tried her recipes for brown rice pudding, and quinoa tabbouleh. last week I tried O'Brien's recipe for falafels.

falafel is a Middle Eastern food originating in Egypt, and is now an iconic part of Israeli cuisine. I am not exactly sure why out of over two hundred recipes in O'Bien's book, I happened to choose two middle eastern dishes, but I digress. the main ingredient in falafels is either chick peas, or fava beans, or a combination of both, and both are gluten free. chickpeas are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. unfortunately many falafel recipes and most mixes use wheat flour. additionally, the falafels are typically served inside a pita bread pocket, which is obviously not safe for people on a gluten free diet.

if you are craving your beloved falafels, or would like to try them for the first time, you can try a gluten free falafel mix, such as OrgraN Falafel Mix, Fantastic Foods Falafel Mix, or Authentic Foods Falafel Mix. however, you can also make them on your own from scratch! (come on... you can do it!)

O'Brien's book includes two recipes, one for the falafels on page 89, and one for the falafel sauce on page 188. 

the falafels:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained, but reserve juice
1/4 cup quinoa flour (I got mine at Whole Foods)
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari sauce (try San-J brand)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

there are two ways you can cook the falafels, in the oven, or in a deep fryer. I tried both, and I have to say I preferred the deep fried version, the outer crust was just so crispy, and the inside was nice and soft. the oven method was good too, but a little more consistent in the cooked texture between inside and outside. the deep fryer that I have is by Waring Pro, which has been great, but this smaller version would actually be perfect since it is deeper than it is long, better deep frying proportions in my opinion.

directions:
if you are going to cook in the oven, set your oven to 350°F. in a large frying pan heat one tablespoon of oil and saute the onion until soft, then add the parsley and garlic and keep cooking for another minute. in a blender or food processor, combine the rest of the ingredients (except the remaining oil) and blend. next I added the sauted onions mixture and blended again. 

if you are cooking in the oven, then form your the falafel mixture into patties and place on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes each side, 30 minutes total. if you are using a deep fryer, form your mixture into one inch balls and drop into the hot oil. I did not time them, but when the outside crust is dark golden brown, they should be ready. 

obviously pita bead shells are out of the question for holding your falafels, unless you can buy or make gluten free pita bread. I decided to follow O'Brien's recommendation to make lettuce wraps. I bought fresh organic butter lettuce and added a few falafel balls, and lots of falafel sauce! you can garnish with more of your chopped fresh herbs. you could also try making a wrap using gluten free tortillas, I like the Food For Life brand. this recipe makes approximately four servings.

here is the recipe for the falafel sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sesame tahini
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup lemon juice, use freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon chopped parsely
dash of fresh ground pepper

place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

this seems like a lot of work, but believe me you are going to love these! my husband and I kept half of the wet falafel mix in the fridge over night and deep fried the next day for another round of yummy gluten free falafels! enjoy!  Andrea.



get the book   |   susan o'brien   |   benefits of chickpeas



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gluten free vancouver: dining & lifestyle blog by Gluten Free Vancouver is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts

Friday, August 12, 2011

gluten free s'mores, a serious indulgence



















I recently saw a very inciting photo of homemade s'mores on the blog cooking with my kid, and decided to see how I could make it gluten free! the two primary ingredient obstacles are graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallow fluff. I had actually never heard of marshmallow fluff so I had to google it. apparently it is something you can buy, but I had no idea if it was gluten free, and honestly I wasn't even sure I could find this type of product in a store in Vancouver as I was reading an American blog.

I searched online for recipes and when I found one I was happy to discover that the ingredients in the marshmallow fluff are gluten free already! as for the graham crackers, most websites suggested substituting them with crushed gluten free cookies, like shortbread, or even almonds. so, I went to the store intending to buy Pamela's shortbread cookies, but while I was cruising the cookie aisle, I found Kinnikinnick's gluten free graham crackers, which they call S'moreables. they are gluten free obviously, but also nut and dairy free.

for those with egg or dairy sensitivities, the ingredients in the smore's and marshmallow fluff recipes include eggs and butter. however, these can easily be substituted with an egg replacer like Ener-G's egg replacer which is gluten free. instead of butter try Earth Balance's non-dairy butter spread. I like the 'red' container as it is also soy free. I have used both butter and Earth Balance spread for this recipe, and found real butter worked much better, and resulted in a tastier s'more. the marshmallow fluff requires corn syrup, but brown rice syrup works too, Lundberg makes one. 

the gluten free s'mores taste just as amazing as they look, and each time I've made them, the whole batch is gone within hours!


let’s make it gluten free!


s’mores ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup of butter at room temperature, I like Avalon’s organic butter because it contains no color, try Earth Balance for an non dairy alternative
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar, I like Roger’s organic sugar
  • 2 large baking chocolate bars, I used Camino’s semi sweet baking chocolate, it comes with two bars but I only used one because they are very thick
  • 1 large egg, or use Ener-G egg replacer
  • 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff (see recipe below)
  • 1 tsp vanilla, I use Simply Organic’s vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
  • ¾ cup graham crackers processed fine. I used Kinnikinnick’s gluten free S’moreables graham style crackers, half a box makes approx. ¾ cup. a food processor works great for this, or a simple rolling pin will do.
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

s’mores instructions:
  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • grease an 8-inch square baking pan
  • using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  • beat in egg and vanilla
  • set aside
  • in another bowl whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt
  • slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined
  • divide the dough in half and press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom  of the prepared pan
  • spread the marshmallow fluff over the dough
  • break the chocolate bar into squares and place evenly on top of the marshmallow
  • place the remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff , this can be tricky as the dough is kind of sticky, and so is the marshmallow! (one of the original blog post commenters suggested rolling it out on wax paper first the flipping it over and placing on top of the chocolate, a fabulous idea!)
  • bake for 30 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.
  • cool completely before cutting into squares, makes 16

marshmallow fluff ingredients:
  • 3 egg whites, room temperature (I never knew how important this was, cold eggs will not fluff!) use Ener-G egg replacer for an egg free version
  • 2 cups of light corn syrup, or Lundberg’s brown rice syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted, I like Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade certified organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, I like Simply Organic’s vanilla extract

marshmallow fluff instructions:
  • in a large bowl of an electric mixer, or a regular bowl if you are using a hand mixer, add egg whites, corn syrup, and salt
  • mix for approximately five minutes on high, or until the mixture is thick and the volume has almost doubled, it will look like fluff!
  • on low speed add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended
  • add the vanilla extract and mix until well blended

note:
you only need to make half of this recipe to complete the s’mores recipe above. if you make the whole amount, you can keep the extra in an air tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

you will love these s'mores, and they won't taste gluten free! warning, they are very addictive, and very sweet! happy baking, Andrea.


kinnikinnick smoreables   |   camino semi sweet baking chocolate   |   ener-g egg replacer   |   earth balance dairy free spread



Tuesday, May 31, 2011

celebrating a milestone: gluten free red velvet cake


we are very very pleased to announce that our blog has recently reached over 100,000 page views, and to us that is something worth celebrating! we started our blog in late 2009 in the hopes of sharing our gluten free lifestyle experiences with anyone and everyone. we had virtually no help at the beginning of our diagnosis in 2005 and really had no idea where to turn. our blog was created out of our desire to help even just one person overcome the challenges of a Celiac Disease diagnosis. over the years we have come to realize that living with Celiac Disease is not just about cutting out gluten, but rather integrating this new diet into a normal and enjoyable lifestyle, and this is the focus of our blog.

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).


velvet frosting recipe:
1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
pinch of salt
3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)
3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)


•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!


don't think we would let our milestone pass by without a giveaway to thank our readers, we have an exciting giveaway coming very soon, stay tuned for the announcement!  Andrea.


celiac disease   |   the allergen-free baker's handbook   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook



Monday, April 18, 2011

gluten free mom: rice crispy squares!

image copyright gluten free vancouver
a long time favorite childhood treat, rice crispy squares, can now be made gluten free thanks to Dandies Marshmallows, which are gluten free and vegan! we first discovered these recently at Ed's Gluten Free Specialty's new Vancouver store, and we were thrilled to find such a unique and truly missed product! finally someone thought to make gluten free marshmallows! it was the same feeling when we found gluten free ice cream cones last year!

even though my daughter is not gluten intolerant, I still prefer to make everything gluten free for her since she is still small, 'two half' as she likes to say. she is still messy, and she likes to share what she is eating with me. so once I found these gluten free marshmallows I was now free to make her one of my all time favorite treats--rice crispy squares! well...not exactly 'rice krispy' squares since Rice Krispies are not gluten free. however, Kellogg's has announced that they will be introducing a new gluten free version of the famous Rice Krispies in June! to read more about this, click here.

since the gluten free Rice Krispies are not available yet, I chose another product—Perky's Crunchy Rice cereal, which is now part of the Enjoy Life brand. you can also use Nature's Path Crispy Rice cereal, both are gluten free. I bought the cereal at London Drugs on sale, which sells both cereal brands. if you would like to ensure your rice crispy treats are 100% vegan, then you should use the Nature's Path cereal as the Enjoy Life cereal uses honey as a sweetener. 

for the recipe, I just googled rice crispy squares, and followed the instructions. I used one package of Dandies Marshmallows, and one box of Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice cereal. making these treats brought back so many memories, I think this was one of the first recipes I learned to make by myself, and now I can share this experience with my daughter! enjoy!  Andrea.


ps. Dandies Marshmallows are now available through SPUD organic delivery, and they are on sale this week for $4.99! if you are not a spud member but would like to become one, please quote my account number to receive discounts on your first four orders, worth $25! CRVAN-MCLAND. thanks!



dandies marshmallows   |   ed's gluten free specialty   |   london drugs   |   spud



Wednesday, April 6, 2011

high crow gluten free baking company (+ giveaway)

we discovered a great new gluten free baking business in Vancouver recently, called High Crow Gluten Free Foods. I met with Julie Desgroseillers to find out more about how she started her business and the amazing products she produces. Julie’s gluten free products range from cookies, four kinds of bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and even wedding cakes! (see end of post for details on the giveaway)

Julie's BSc in Dietetics, her experience as a product designer and pastry maker, and her life time dream to have her own bakery someday form the foundation of her business. Julie enjoys baking foods that are nutritious, and reflect a handcrafted, homemade quality and these are ultimately the goals that drive High Crow.

Julie was keen to take on the challenge of gluten free and dairy free baking even though she is not celiac or gluten intolerant, and she experimented until she started getting rave reviews from her taste testers both big and small. all High Crow baking is prepared in a dedicated gluten free commercial kitchen in Delta, BC, which trust us is a rarity. even with her new gluten free kitchen, Julie still buys her ingredients cautiously and buys direct from the manufacturers to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

Julie likes baking with sorghum and chickpea flours because she prefers the nutritional values and the texture that these flours offer. she also uses millet and rice flour, and has been experimenting with rice bran because of its nutritional qualities. in all her baking Julie tries to achieve a product that is high in fiber and protein, and low in sodium. Julie uses soy milk instead of regular milk, but she can make products soy free on request.

High Crow has many sweet and delicious treats to choose from like cookies, brownies, blondies, and mini loaves, but after trying many of her products, I think it is Julie's gluten free breads that set her apart from anything else I have tried. Julie sells four different breads: millet & rice bread, sorghum bread, chickpea & sorghum bread, and flax seed bread. what is also really exciting is that Julie also makes dinner rolls, hamburger buns, and hot dog buns! hello summer barbeques!

any brides who are looking for a gluten free/ dairy free wedding cake, look no further as Julie also bakes and sells cakes to Buttercup Custom Cakes, a wedding cake designer, who then comes to Julie's gluten free kitchen to decorate the cakes, to ensure no cross contamination. 

currently Julie is selling her products through the Steveston and Vancouver Winter Farmer's Markets, and will also be at the following summer markets: the Royal City Farmer's Market (New West) and the Kitsilano MarketJulie also takes orders by phone or email, which can be picked up at her commercial kitchen (see website for more info) or you can pick up at one of her markets. you can now also find High Crow products at the Wired Monk Cafe in Abbotsford, as well as the ABC Country Restaurant in Abbostford. I know Julie is also in talks to sell her products at other retail outlets in the lower mainland, and once those locations have been confirmed we will let you know.


this giveaway is now closed. thanks to all who entered, a winner will be announced shortly.  Andrea.


Monday, February 7, 2011

cookie of the week: glutino chocolate vanilla creme cookies

welcome to a new feature on our blog called 'cookie of the week.' we had been planning to do a review of a few different cookies a while ago, but it seemed like there were too many for just one post. the longer we waited (procrastinated) there seemed to be even more cookies on the market to choose from. I am not, nor have I ever been a huge cookie fan, but when I see a new gluten free cookie that I have never tried before, I get curious. I think I am strung along by the temptation that maybe, just maybe, I will strike gold and find THE BEST GLUTEN FREE COOKIE EVER. well, I have to admit I have not found that elusive cookie. I have found some decent cookies however, but I have also been met with huge disappointment. it doesn't help matters that the cookies that are often the most disappointing, are the most expensive! 

I was very excited recently to stumble upon an Oreo look-a-like, made by Glutino, and I have to admit I was intrigued. as soon as I saw them I started replaying all those warm and fuzzy Oreo television commercials over and over in my mind, I could remember splitting the cookies open and eating the creme filling first, and dipping the rest in milk...I'm sure you get the nostalgia here. these Glutino Oreo look-a-like cookies are called Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies. it's not short and sweet like the name Oreo, but that's ok, it kind of reminds of when no name brand foods came along. I am sure for most people a chocolate vanilla creme cookie will always be an Oreo!

so how do they taste? pretty good! certainly not the same as I remember an Oreo tasting like. but they are nicely sweet, and chocolatey, you can pull them apart and follow your heart. dip them in milk, and you will feel like a kid again. these cookies are well priced compared to other gluten free cookies. one package of cookies costs around $5.00, and you get about 24 cookies, sorry I didn't count them, I just ate them! this is pretty good since one of the other cookies we are going to review costs the same but there are only two cookies in the package!!!

the Glutino chocolate creme cookies are of course gluten free, and they are also dairy free, yeast free, and kosher. they do contain soy, eggs, and corn. perhaps the only negative is that they are not organic, but hey, it's an Oreo look-a-like!  happy dipping!  Andrea.



Monday, October 4, 2010

celiac in the city: my local cafe

I went on a great date recently with someone who is really cute, has a great smile, and loves gluten free food...my niece Pilar! she just turned two so grandma and I decided to take her for a grown up lunch at My Local Café located at 3772 west tenth avenue in the point grey neighborhood. we enjoyed one of the best gluten free lunches I have ever had (their deep dish gluten free lasagna, salad, and garlic rice bread…read on!) many of our loyal readers mentioned this little place to Andrea and I to let us know that they sell gluten free treats like chocolate cake and muffins, but I was so excited to see that many of their breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items are gluten free too!

My Local Café is also one of the only restaurants in Vancouver to make their own sorghum and brown rice bread in house and it is really really good! in fact, everything at My Local Café including the gluten free waffles, and muffins are made in house. they do use a few other gluten free brands including Rizopia rice pasta from Galloways, and Bobs Red Mill for their tasty gluten free pizza crust. My Local Café also offers a wide variety of vegan and dairy free alternatives and has a great atmosphere for dining in. gluten free dishes are also prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, with separate cutting boards, utensils and even a designated gluten free toaster, what a treat!

the philosophy behind the all vegetarian, organic dishes at My Local Café is ‘thoughtful food’ and thoughtful it is. the owner, Shafique Shivji (or cookie monster as noted on his business card ) wanted to open a café where everyone could enjoy good tasting food – even if it is secretly gluten or dairy free. this little café reminds me why living in Vancouver is absolutely the best place to be if you are celiac or gluten intolerant.

the menu at My Local Café is broken down into morning or midday plates. it is important to advise the staff if you are seeking a gluten free version of any of the dishes on the menu and they will be sure to substitute any bread items for their gluten free brown rice bread (at no extra charge!), but you do have to advise them first. by doing so also ensures that your dish is prepared in their separate gluten free area of the prep kitchen. it is important to also know that My Local Café is not a dedicated gluten free restaurant but takes ample measures to minimize cross contamination and the staff are well informed of what gluten free means.

here are the gluten free highlights:

morning plates:
either ‘the local’ or ‘2 eggs on toast’ (poached eggs, cheese, roasted potatoes, fruit) can be substituted with the café’s homemade brown rice bread. the ‘local’s quiche’ is also made on a wheat free crust and is layered with seasonal vegetables.

my favorites include the gluten free waffles and muffins! the waffles are made with buckwheat flour, and come with either roasted fruit or toasted pecans, maple syrup and whipped cream! they are toasted in a dedicated gluten free toaster. the gluten free muffins, made with gluten free oats, are probably the best I have had so far, and come in chocolate cranberry, blueberry banana, peanut butter and chocolate chip, and peach and coconut. the muffins are also placed on the top display shelf to minimize cross contamination with their wheat muffins. there are always a variety of other gluten free treats at the order counter including gluten free chocolate cake and rice crispy squares.

midday plates:
most of their ‘local’s soup’ varieties are gluten free, including a recent tomato basil soup, but it is advisable to ask if their daily soup is gluten free first. you can also have it with their brown rice bread as well. spreads available include an olive tapenade, garlic or pesto spread. they are all excellent!

I love their ‘create – your – own sandwich’ option with gluten free rice bread, and you can select what vegetarian options you would like with your choice of spread. I tried spinach, tomato and cucumber with the olive tapenade spread over the weekend and it was delicious! you can have your gluten free sandwich toasted or untoasted, both options taste great.
the ‘daily baked dish and ‘local’s cauldron’ vary from week to week but are often a gluten free deep dish vegetarian lasagna or vegan shephard’s pie! they each come with salad and bread (again ask for the gluten free bread substitute).

and if all of that was not enough, there is gluten free pizza! the pizza is really good! its thin crust with cheese and vegetables, and it also comes with one of their various daily salads. there are usually three salad options daily to choose from and are almost always gluten free including a wild rice and celery salad, mixed vegetables, or spinach and apple.

Pilar and I had so much fun and it is very kid friendly too! Andrea and I highly recommend this little café, the food is thoughtful with an abundance of gluten free variety! Robyn. 


My Local Cafe is open monday to friday from 7am to 8pm & saturday and sunday from 8am to 8pm.


My Local Café on Urbanspoon

Monday, August 16, 2010

gluten free ice cream cones...at last!

it is so hot here in Vancouver right now! and for Andrea and I, ice cream is one of our all time summer favorite indulgences (well anytime of year really). but like everything else, even ice cream can contain gluten, so you still have to be careful even in this food category. the general rule of thumb for ensuring your ice cream is gluten free is quite simple, any flavor that has a wafer or cookie in it, it is not safe to eat. having a gluten allergy automatically rules out ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cones altogether too. for those with celiac disease, you will need to also be mindful of cross contamination with flavors that do contain gluten, so it is important to read product websites, or to call the manufacturer to be certain. also if you are buying ice cream by the scoop, I recommend asking the server to use a fresh, clean ice cream scoop as well. 

we both thought gluten free ice cream cones would be out of the question with no gluten free cones in sight. however a few months ago we discovered a product called Goldbaum’s that is available through the Gluten Free Mall or Amazon. and we couldn't wait to try them, but ordering across the border can be a pain sometimes, you know? well we have good news for all you Vancouverites! we have recently found Goldbaum's at Choices Markets!!! in addition to being gluten free, Goldbaum's are also dairy free, soy free and nut free.

now that the hard part has been made easy, the only other thing to do is find your favorite gluten free ice cream! Haagen Dazs regular flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, are gluten free. the Haagen Dazs Extras, and the cookies and cream flavour, are not. we would also like to tell you about a great dairy free ice cream made with coconut milk called So Delicious. most of their coconut milk ice cream products are gluten free, you can read their product listing here to be sure. I love the coconut flavour and the vanilla bean flavour. 

Andrea recently discovered another coconut milk ice cream called Coconut Bliss, which is organic, gluten free and vegan. whether you are celiac or not, you will loves these ice cream cones! just like my niece Pilar, as you can see in the photo. in fact one of her new first words is 'cream cone'. she loves them, and so will you!

happy days indeed!  Robyn.


Tuesday, July 27, 2010

gluten free, sugar free cooking: falafels

a while back I mentioned that I am experimenting with a few cookbooks in order to learn something new about gluten free cooking and baking, as well as to generally open up my repertoire of gluten free favorites. the first book I have been experimenting with is titled "Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking", by Susan O'Brien. over the past weeks I have already tried her recipes for brown rice pudding, and quinoa tabbouleh. last week I tried O'Brien's recipe for falafels.

falafel is a Middle Eastern food originating in Egypt, and is now an iconic part of Israeli cuisine. I am not exactly sure why out of over two hundred recipes in O'Bien's book, I happened to choose two middle eastern dishes, but I digress. the main ingredient in falafels is either chick peas, or fava beans, or a combination of both, and both are gluten free. chickpeas are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. unfortunately many falafel recipes and most mixes use wheat flour. additionally, the falafels are typically served inside a pita bread pocket, which is obviously not safe for people on a gluten free diet.

if you are craving your beloved falafels, or would like to try them for the first time, you can try a gluten free falafel mix, such as OrgraN Falafel Mix, Fantastic Foods Falafel Mix, or Authentic Foods Falafel Mix. however, you can also make them on your own from scratch! (come on... you can do it!)

O'Brien's book includes two recipes, one for the falafels on page 89, and one for the falafel sauce on page 188. 

the falafels:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained, but reserve juice
1/4 cup quinoa flour (I got mine at Whole Foods)
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari sauce (try San-J brand)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

there are two ways you can cook the falafels, in the oven, or in a deep fryer. I tried both, and I have to say I preferred the deep fried version, the outer crust was just so crispy, and the inside was nice and soft. the oven method was good too, but a little more consistent in the cooked texture between inside and outside. the deep fryer that I have is by Waring Pro, which has been great, but this smaller version would actually be perfect since it is deeper than it is long, better deep frying proportions in my opinion.

directions:
if you are going to cook in the oven, set your oven to 350°F. in a large frying pan heat one tablespoon of oil and saute the onion until soft, then add the parsley and garlic and keep cooking for another minute. in a blender or food processor, combine the rest of the ingredients (except the remaining oil) and blend. next I added the sauted onions mixture and blended again. 

if you are cooking in the oven, then form your the falafel mixture into patties and place on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes each side, 30 minutes total. if you are using a deep fryer, form your mixture into one inch balls and drop into the hot oil. I did not time them, but when the outside crust is dark golden brown, they should be ready. 

obviously pita bead shells are out of the question for holding your falafels, unless you can buy or make gluten free pita bread. I decided to follow O'Brien's recommendation to make lettuce wraps. I bought fresh organic butter lettuce and added a few falafel balls, and lots of falafel sauce! you can garnish with more of your chopped fresh herbs. you could also try making a wrap using gluten free tortillas, I like the Food For Life brand. this recipe makes approximately four servings.

here is the recipe for the falafel sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sesame tahini
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup lemon juice, use freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon chopped parsely
dash of fresh ground pepper

place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

this seems like a lot of work, but believe me you are going to love these! my husband and I kept half of the wet falafel mix in the fridge over night and deep fried the next day for another round of yummy gluten free falafels! enjoy!  Andrea.



get the book   |   susan o'brien   |   benefits of chickpeas



Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts

Friday, August 12, 2011

gluten free s'mores, a serious indulgence



















I recently saw a very inciting photo of homemade s'mores on the blog cooking with my kid, and decided to see how I could make it gluten free! the two primary ingredient obstacles are graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallow fluff. I had actually never heard of marshmallow fluff so I had to google it. apparently it is something you can buy, but I had no idea if it was gluten free, and honestly I wasn't even sure I could find this type of product in a store in Vancouver as I was reading an American blog.

I searched online for recipes and when I found one I was happy to discover that the ingredients in the marshmallow fluff are gluten free already! as for the graham crackers, most websites suggested substituting them with crushed gluten free cookies, like shortbread, or even almonds. so, I went to the store intending to buy Pamela's shortbread cookies, but while I was cruising the cookie aisle, I found Kinnikinnick's gluten free graham crackers, which they call S'moreables. they are gluten free obviously, but also nut and dairy free.

for those with egg or dairy sensitivities, the ingredients in the smore's and marshmallow fluff recipes include eggs and butter. however, these can easily be substituted with an egg replacer like Ener-G's egg replacer which is gluten free. instead of butter try Earth Balance's non-dairy butter spread. I like the 'red' container as it is also soy free. I have used both butter and Earth Balance spread for this recipe, and found real butter worked much better, and resulted in a tastier s'more. the marshmallow fluff requires corn syrup, but brown rice syrup works too, Lundberg makes one. 

the gluten free s'mores taste just as amazing as they look, and each time I've made them, the whole batch is gone within hours!


let’s make it gluten free!


s’mores ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup of butter at room temperature, I like Avalon’s organic butter because it contains no color, try Earth Balance for an non dairy alternative
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar, I like Roger’s organic sugar
  • 2 large baking chocolate bars, I used Camino’s semi sweet baking chocolate, it comes with two bars but I only used one because they are very thick
  • 1 large egg, or use Ener-G egg replacer
  • 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff (see recipe below)
  • 1 tsp vanilla, I use Simply Organic’s vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
  • ¾ cup graham crackers processed fine. I used Kinnikinnick’s gluten free S’moreables graham style crackers, half a box makes approx. ¾ cup. a food processor works great for this, or a simple rolling pin will do.
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

s’mores instructions:
  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • grease an 8-inch square baking pan
  • using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  • beat in egg and vanilla
  • set aside
  • in another bowl whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt
  • slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined
  • divide the dough in half and press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom  of the prepared pan
  • spread the marshmallow fluff over the dough
  • break the chocolate bar into squares and place evenly on top of the marshmallow
  • place the remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff , this can be tricky as the dough is kind of sticky, and so is the marshmallow! (one of the original blog post commenters suggested rolling it out on wax paper first the flipping it over and placing on top of the chocolate, a fabulous idea!)
  • bake for 30 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.
  • cool completely before cutting into squares, makes 16

marshmallow fluff ingredients:
  • 3 egg whites, room temperature (I never knew how important this was, cold eggs will not fluff!) use Ener-G egg replacer for an egg free version
  • 2 cups of light corn syrup, or Lundberg’s brown rice syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted, I like Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade certified organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, I like Simply Organic’s vanilla extract

marshmallow fluff instructions:
  • in a large bowl of an electric mixer, or a regular bowl if you are using a hand mixer, add egg whites, corn syrup, and salt
  • mix for approximately five minutes on high, or until the mixture is thick and the volume has almost doubled, it will look like fluff!
  • on low speed add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended
  • add the vanilla extract and mix until well blended

note:
you only need to make half of this recipe to complete the s’mores recipe above. if you make the whole amount, you can keep the extra in an air tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

you will love these s'mores, and they won't taste gluten free! warning, they are very addictive, and very sweet! happy baking, Andrea.


kinnikinnick smoreables   |   camino semi sweet baking chocolate   |   ener-g egg replacer   |   earth balance dairy free spread



Tuesday, May 31, 2011

celebrating a milestone: gluten free red velvet cake


we are very very pleased to announce that our blog has recently reached over 100,000 page views, and to us that is something worth celebrating! we started our blog in late 2009 in the hopes of sharing our gluten free lifestyle experiences with anyone and everyone. we had virtually no help at the beginning of our diagnosis in 2005 and really had no idea where to turn. our blog was created out of our desire to help even just one person overcome the challenges of a Celiac Disease diagnosis. over the years we have come to realize that living with Celiac Disease is not just about cutting out gluten, but rather integrating this new diet into a normal and enjoyable lifestyle, and this is the focus of our blog.

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).


velvet frosting recipe:
1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
pinch of salt
3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)
3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)


•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!


don't think we would let our milestone pass by without a giveaway to thank our readers, we have an exciting giveaway coming very soon, stay tuned for the announcement!  Andrea.


celiac disease   |   the allergen-free baker's handbook   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook



Monday, April 18, 2011

gluten free mom: rice crispy squares!

image copyright gluten free vancouver
a long time favorite childhood treat, rice crispy squares, can now be made gluten free thanks to Dandies Marshmallows, which are gluten free and vegan! we first discovered these recently at Ed's Gluten Free Specialty's new Vancouver store, and we were thrilled to find such a unique and truly missed product! finally someone thought to make gluten free marshmallows! it was the same feeling when we found gluten free ice cream cones last year!

even though my daughter is not gluten intolerant, I still prefer to make everything gluten free for her since she is still small, 'two half' as she likes to say. she is still messy, and she likes to share what she is eating with me. so once I found these gluten free marshmallows I was now free to make her one of my all time favorite treats--rice crispy squares! well...not exactly 'rice krispy' squares since Rice Krispies are not gluten free. however, Kellogg's has announced that they will be introducing a new gluten free version of the famous Rice Krispies in June! to read more about this, click here.

since the gluten free Rice Krispies are not available yet, I chose another product—Perky's Crunchy Rice cereal, which is now part of the Enjoy Life brand. you can also use Nature's Path Crispy Rice cereal, both are gluten free. I bought the cereal at London Drugs on sale, which sells both cereal brands. if you would like to ensure your rice crispy treats are 100% vegan, then you should use the Nature's Path cereal as the Enjoy Life cereal uses honey as a sweetener. 

for the recipe, I just googled rice crispy squares, and followed the instructions. I used one package of Dandies Marshmallows, and one box of Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice cereal. making these treats brought back so many memories, I think this was one of the first recipes I learned to make by myself, and now I can share this experience with my daughter! enjoy!  Andrea.


ps. Dandies Marshmallows are now available through SPUD organic delivery, and they are on sale this week for $4.99! if you are not a spud member but would like to become one, please quote my account number to receive discounts on your first four orders, worth $25! CRVAN-MCLAND. thanks!



dandies marshmallows   |   ed's gluten free specialty   |   london drugs   |   spud



Wednesday, April 6, 2011

high crow gluten free baking company (+ giveaway)

we discovered a great new gluten free baking business in Vancouver recently, called High Crow Gluten Free Foods. I met with Julie Desgroseillers to find out more about how she started her business and the amazing products she produces. Julie’s gluten free products range from cookies, four kinds of bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and even wedding cakes! (see end of post for details on the giveaway)

Julie's BSc in Dietetics, her experience as a product designer and pastry maker, and her life time dream to have her own bakery someday form the foundation of her business. Julie enjoys baking foods that are nutritious, and reflect a handcrafted, homemade quality and these are ultimately the goals that drive High Crow.

Julie was keen to take on the challenge of gluten free and dairy free baking even though she is not celiac or gluten intolerant, and she experimented until she started getting rave reviews from her taste testers both big and small. all High Crow baking is prepared in a dedicated gluten free commercial kitchen in Delta, BC, which trust us is a rarity. even with her new gluten free kitchen, Julie still buys her ingredients cautiously and buys direct from the manufacturers to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

Julie likes baking with sorghum and chickpea flours because she prefers the nutritional values and the texture that these flours offer. she also uses millet and rice flour, and has been experimenting with rice bran because of its nutritional qualities. in all her baking Julie tries to achieve a product that is high in fiber and protein, and low in sodium. Julie uses soy milk instead of regular milk, but she can make products soy free on request.

High Crow has many sweet and delicious treats to choose from like cookies, brownies, blondies, and mini loaves, but after trying many of her products, I think it is Julie's gluten free breads that set her apart from anything else I have tried. Julie sells four different breads: millet & rice bread, sorghum bread, chickpea & sorghum bread, and flax seed bread. what is also really exciting is that Julie also makes dinner rolls, hamburger buns, and hot dog buns! hello summer barbeques!

any brides who are looking for a gluten free/ dairy free wedding cake, look no further as Julie also bakes and sells cakes to Buttercup Custom Cakes, a wedding cake designer, who then comes to Julie's gluten free kitchen to decorate the cakes, to ensure no cross contamination. 

currently Julie is selling her products through the Steveston and Vancouver Winter Farmer's Markets, and will also be at the following summer markets: the Royal City Farmer's Market (New West) and the Kitsilano MarketJulie also takes orders by phone or email, which can be picked up at her commercial kitchen (see website for more info) or you can pick up at one of her markets. you can now also find High Crow products at the Wired Monk Cafe in Abbotsford, as well as the ABC Country Restaurant in Abbostford. I know Julie is also in talks to sell her products at other retail outlets in the lower mainland, and once those locations have been confirmed we will let you know.


this giveaway is now closed. thanks to all who entered, a winner will be announced shortly.  Andrea.


Monday, February 7, 2011

cookie of the week: glutino chocolate vanilla creme cookies

welcome to a new feature on our blog called 'cookie of the week.' we had been planning to do a review of a few different cookies a while ago, but it seemed like there were too many for just one post. the longer we waited (procrastinated) there seemed to be even more cookies on the market to choose from. I am not, nor have I ever been a huge cookie fan, but when I see a new gluten free cookie that I have never tried before, I get curious. I think I am strung along by the temptation that maybe, just maybe, I will strike gold and find THE BEST GLUTEN FREE COOKIE EVER. well, I have to admit I have not found that elusive cookie. I have found some decent cookies however, but I have also been met with huge disappointment. it doesn't help matters that the cookies that are often the most disappointing, are the most expensive! 

I was very excited recently to stumble upon an Oreo look-a-like, made by Glutino, and I have to admit I was intrigued. as soon as I saw them I started replaying all those warm and fuzzy Oreo television commercials over and over in my mind, I could remember splitting the cookies open and eating the creme filling first, and dipping the rest in milk...I'm sure you get the nostalgia here. these Glutino Oreo look-a-like cookies are called Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies. it's not short and sweet like the name Oreo, but that's ok, it kind of reminds of when no name brand foods came along. I am sure for most people a chocolate vanilla creme cookie will always be an Oreo!

so how do they taste? pretty good! certainly not the same as I remember an Oreo tasting like. but they are nicely sweet, and chocolatey, you can pull them apart and follow your heart. dip them in milk, and you will feel like a kid again. these cookies are well priced compared to other gluten free cookies. one package of cookies costs around $5.00, and you get about 24 cookies, sorry I didn't count them, I just ate them! this is pretty good since one of the other cookies we are going to review costs the same but there are only two cookies in the package!!!

the Glutino chocolate creme cookies are of course gluten free, and they are also dairy free, yeast free, and kosher. they do contain soy, eggs, and corn. perhaps the only negative is that they are not organic, but hey, it's an Oreo look-a-like!  happy dipping!  Andrea.



Monday, October 4, 2010

celiac in the city: my local cafe

I went on a great date recently with someone who is really cute, has a great smile, and loves gluten free food...my niece Pilar! she just turned two so grandma and I decided to take her for a grown up lunch at My Local Café located at 3772 west tenth avenue in the point grey neighborhood. we enjoyed one of the best gluten free lunches I have ever had (their deep dish gluten free lasagna, salad, and garlic rice bread…read on!) many of our loyal readers mentioned this little place to Andrea and I to let us know that they sell gluten free treats like chocolate cake and muffins, but I was so excited to see that many of their breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items are gluten free too!

My Local Café is also one of the only restaurants in Vancouver to make their own sorghum and brown rice bread in house and it is really really good! in fact, everything at My Local Café including the gluten free waffles, and muffins are made in house. they do use a few other gluten free brands including Rizopia rice pasta from Galloways, and Bobs Red Mill for their tasty gluten free pizza crust. My Local Café also offers a wide variety of vegan and dairy free alternatives and has a great atmosphere for dining in. gluten free dishes are also prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, with separate cutting boards, utensils and even a designated gluten free toaster, what a treat!

the philosophy behind the all vegetarian, organic dishes at My Local Café is ‘thoughtful food’ and thoughtful it is. the owner, Shafique Shivji (or cookie monster as noted on his business card ) wanted to open a café where everyone could enjoy good tasting food – even if it is secretly gluten or dairy free. this little café reminds me why living in Vancouver is absolutely the best place to be if you are celiac or gluten intolerant.

the menu at My Local Café is broken down into morning or midday plates. it is important to advise the staff if you are seeking a gluten free version of any of the dishes on the menu and they will be sure to substitute any bread items for their gluten free brown rice bread (at no extra charge!), but you do have to advise them first. by doing so also ensures that your dish is prepared in their separate gluten free area of the prep kitchen. it is important to also know that My Local Café is not a dedicated gluten free restaurant but takes ample measures to minimize cross contamination and the staff are well informed of what gluten free means.

here are the gluten free highlights:

morning plates:
either ‘the local’ or ‘2 eggs on toast’ (poached eggs, cheese, roasted potatoes, fruit) can be substituted with the café’s homemade brown rice bread. the ‘local’s quiche’ is also made on a wheat free crust and is layered with seasonal vegetables.

my favorites include the gluten free waffles and muffins! the waffles are made with buckwheat flour, and come with either roasted fruit or toasted pecans, maple syrup and whipped cream! they are toasted in a dedicated gluten free toaster. the gluten free muffins, made with gluten free oats, are probably the best I have had so far, and come in chocolate cranberry, blueberry banana, peanut butter and chocolate chip, and peach and coconut. the muffins are also placed on the top display shelf to minimize cross contamination with their wheat muffins. there are always a variety of other gluten free treats at the order counter including gluten free chocolate cake and rice crispy squares.

midday plates:
most of their ‘local’s soup’ varieties are gluten free, including a recent tomato basil soup, but it is advisable to ask if their daily soup is gluten free first. you can also have it with their brown rice bread as well. spreads available include an olive tapenade, garlic or pesto spread. they are all excellent!

I love their ‘create – your – own sandwich’ option with gluten free rice bread, and you can select what vegetarian options you would like with your choice of spread. I tried spinach, tomato and cucumber with the olive tapenade spread over the weekend and it was delicious! you can have your gluten free sandwich toasted or untoasted, both options taste great.
the ‘daily baked dish and ‘local’s cauldron’ vary from week to week but are often a gluten free deep dish vegetarian lasagna or vegan shephard’s pie! they each come with salad and bread (again ask for the gluten free bread substitute).

and if all of that was not enough, there is gluten free pizza! the pizza is really good! its thin crust with cheese and vegetables, and it also comes with one of their various daily salads. there are usually three salad options daily to choose from and are almost always gluten free including a wild rice and celery salad, mixed vegetables, or spinach and apple.

Pilar and I had so much fun and it is very kid friendly too! Andrea and I highly recommend this little café, the food is thoughtful with an abundance of gluten free variety! Robyn. 


My Local Cafe is open monday to friday from 7am to 8pm & saturday and sunday from 8am to 8pm.


My Local Café on Urbanspoon

Monday, August 16, 2010

gluten free ice cream cones...at last!

it is so hot here in Vancouver right now! and for Andrea and I, ice cream is one of our all time summer favorite indulgences (well anytime of year really). but like everything else, even ice cream can contain gluten, so you still have to be careful even in this food category. the general rule of thumb for ensuring your ice cream is gluten free is quite simple, any flavor that has a wafer or cookie in it, it is not safe to eat. having a gluten allergy automatically rules out ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cones altogether too. for those with celiac disease, you will need to also be mindful of cross contamination with flavors that do contain gluten, so it is important to read product websites, or to call the manufacturer to be certain. also if you are buying ice cream by the scoop, I recommend asking the server to use a fresh, clean ice cream scoop as well. 

we both thought gluten free ice cream cones would be out of the question with no gluten free cones in sight. however a few months ago we discovered a product called Goldbaum’s that is available through the Gluten Free Mall or Amazon. and we couldn't wait to try them, but ordering across the border can be a pain sometimes, you know? well we have good news for all you Vancouverites! we have recently found Goldbaum's at Choices Markets!!! in addition to being gluten free, Goldbaum's are also dairy free, soy free and nut free.

now that the hard part has been made easy, the only other thing to do is find your favorite gluten free ice cream! Haagen Dazs regular flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, are gluten free. the Haagen Dazs Extras, and the cookies and cream flavour, are not. we would also like to tell you about a great dairy free ice cream made with coconut milk called So Delicious. most of their coconut milk ice cream products are gluten free, you can read their product listing here to be sure. I love the coconut flavour and the vanilla bean flavour. 

Andrea recently discovered another coconut milk ice cream called Coconut Bliss, which is organic, gluten free and vegan. whether you are celiac or not, you will loves these ice cream cones! just like my niece Pilar, as you can see in the photo. in fact one of her new first words is 'cream cone'. she loves them, and so will you!

happy days indeed!  Robyn.


Tuesday, July 27, 2010

gluten free, sugar free cooking: falafels

a while back I mentioned that I am experimenting with a few cookbooks in order to learn something new about gluten free cooking and baking, as well as to generally open up my repertoire of gluten free favorites. the first book I have been experimenting with is titled "Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking", by Susan O'Brien. over the past weeks I have already tried her recipes for brown rice pudding, and quinoa tabbouleh. last week I tried O'Brien's recipe for falafels.

falafel is a Middle Eastern food originating in Egypt, and is now an iconic part of Israeli cuisine. I am not exactly sure why out of over two hundred recipes in O'Bien's book, I happened to choose two middle eastern dishes, but I digress. the main ingredient in falafels is either chick peas, or fava beans, or a combination of both, and both are gluten free. chickpeas are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. unfortunately many falafel recipes and most mixes use wheat flour. additionally, the falafels are typically served inside a pita bread pocket, which is obviously not safe for people on a gluten free diet.

if you are craving your beloved falafels, or would like to try them for the first time, you can try a gluten free falafel mix, such as OrgraN Falafel Mix, Fantastic Foods Falafel Mix, or Authentic Foods Falafel Mix. however, you can also make them on your own from scratch! (come on... you can do it!)

O'Brien's book includes two recipes, one for the falafels on page 89, and one for the falafel sauce on page 188. 

the falafels:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained, but reserve juice
1/4 cup quinoa flour (I got mine at Whole Foods)
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari sauce (try San-J brand)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

there are two ways you can cook the falafels, in the oven, or in a deep fryer. I tried both, and I have to say I preferred the deep fried version, the outer crust was just so crispy, and the inside was nice and soft. the oven method was good too, but a little more consistent in the cooked texture between inside and outside. the deep fryer that I have is by Waring Pro, which has been great, but this smaller version would actually be perfect since it is deeper than it is long, better deep frying proportions in my opinion.

directions:
if you are going to cook in the oven, set your oven to 350°F. in a large frying pan heat one tablespoon of oil and saute the onion until soft, then add the parsley and garlic and keep cooking for another minute. in a blender or food processor, combine the rest of the ingredients (except the remaining oil) and blend. next I added the sauted onions mixture and blended again. 

if you are cooking in the oven, then form your the falafel mixture into patties and place on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes each side, 30 minutes total. if you are using a deep fryer, form your mixture into one inch balls and drop into the hot oil. I did not time them, but when the outside crust is dark golden brown, they should be ready. 

obviously pita bead shells are out of the question for holding your falafels, unless you can buy or make gluten free pita bread. I decided to follow O'Brien's recommendation to make lettuce wraps. I bought fresh organic butter lettuce and added a few falafel balls, and lots of falafel sauce! you can garnish with more of your chopped fresh herbs. you could also try making a wrap using gluten free tortillas, I like the Food For Life brand. this recipe makes approximately four servings.

here is the recipe for the falafel sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sesame tahini
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup lemon juice, use freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon chopped parsely
dash of fresh ground pepper

place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

this seems like a lot of work, but believe me you are going to love these! my husband and I kept half of the wet falafel mix in the fridge over night and deep fried the next day for another round of yummy gluten free falafels! enjoy!  Andrea.



get the book   |   susan o'brien   |   benefits of chickpeas



Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts

Friday, August 12, 2011

gluten free s'mores, a serious indulgence



















I recently saw a very inciting photo of homemade s'mores on the blog cooking with my kid, and decided to see how I could make it gluten free! the two primary ingredient obstacles are graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallow fluff. I had actually never heard of marshmallow fluff so I had to google it. apparently it is something you can buy, but I had no idea if it was gluten free, and honestly I wasn't even sure I could find this type of product in a store in Vancouver as I was reading an American blog.

I searched online for recipes and when I found one I was happy to discover that the ingredients in the marshmallow fluff are gluten free already! as for the graham crackers, most websites suggested substituting them with crushed gluten free cookies, like shortbread, or even almonds. so, I went to the store intending to buy Pamela's shortbread cookies, but while I was cruising the cookie aisle, I found Kinnikinnick's gluten free graham crackers, which they call S'moreables. they are gluten free obviously, but also nut and dairy free.

for those with egg or dairy sensitivities, the ingredients in the smore's and marshmallow fluff recipes include eggs and butter. however, these can easily be substituted with an egg replacer like Ener-G's egg replacer which is gluten free. instead of butter try Earth Balance's non-dairy butter spread. I like the 'red' container as it is also soy free. I have used both butter and Earth Balance spread for this recipe, and found real butter worked much better, and resulted in a tastier s'more. the marshmallow fluff requires corn syrup, but brown rice syrup works too, Lundberg makes one. 

the gluten free s'mores taste just as amazing as they look, and each time I've made them, the whole batch is gone within hours!


let’s make it gluten free!


s’mores ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup of butter at room temperature, I like Avalon’s organic butter because it contains no color, try Earth Balance for an non dairy alternative
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar, I like Roger’s organic sugar
  • 2 large baking chocolate bars, I used Camino’s semi sweet baking chocolate, it comes with two bars but I only used one because they are very thick
  • 1 large egg, or use Ener-G egg replacer
  • 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff (see recipe below)
  • 1 tsp vanilla, I use Simply Organic’s vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all purpose gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill
  • ¾ cup graham crackers processed fine. I used Kinnikinnick’s gluten free S’moreables graham style crackers, half a box makes approx. ¾ cup. a food processor works great for this, or a simple rolling pin will do.
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

s’mores instructions:
  • preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • grease an 8-inch square baking pan
  • using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy
  • beat in egg and vanilla
  • set aside
  • in another bowl whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt
  • slowly add flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture until combined
  • divide the dough in half and press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom  of the prepared pan
  • spread the marshmallow fluff over the dough
  • break the chocolate bar into squares and place evenly on top of the marshmallow
  • place the remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff , this can be tricky as the dough is kind of sticky, and so is the marshmallow! (one of the original blog post commenters suggested rolling it out on wax paper first the flipping it over and placing on top of the chocolate, a fabulous idea!)
  • bake for 30 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned.
  • cool completely before cutting into squares, makes 16

marshmallow fluff ingredients:
  • 3 egg whites, room temperature (I never knew how important this was, cold eggs will not fluff!) use Ener-G egg replacer for an egg free version
  • 2 cups of light corn syrup, or Lundberg’s brown rice syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted, I like Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade certified organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, I like Simply Organic’s vanilla extract

marshmallow fluff instructions:
  • in a large bowl of an electric mixer, or a regular bowl if you are using a hand mixer, add egg whites, corn syrup, and salt
  • mix for approximately five minutes on high, or until the mixture is thick and the volume has almost doubled, it will look like fluff!
  • on low speed add the powdered sugar and mix until well blended
  • add the vanilla extract and mix until well blended

note:
you only need to make half of this recipe to complete the s’mores recipe above. if you make the whole amount, you can keep the extra in an air tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

you will love these s'mores, and they won't taste gluten free! warning, they are very addictive, and very sweet! happy baking, Andrea.


kinnikinnick smoreables   |   camino semi sweet baking chocolate   |   ener-g egg replacer   |   earth balance dairy free spread



Tuesday, May 31, 2011

celebrating a milestone: gluten free red velvet cake


we are very very pleased to announce that our blog has recently reached over 100,000 page views, and to us that is something worth celebrating! we started our blog in late 2009 in the hopes of sharing our gluten free lifestyle experiences with anyone and everyone. we had virtually no help at the beginning of our diagnosis in 2005 and really had no idea where to turn. our blog was created out of our desire to help even just one person overcome the challenges of a Celiac Disease diagnosis. over the years we have come to realize that living with Celiac Disease is not just about cutting out gluten, but rather integrating this new diet into a normal and enjoyable lifestyle, and this is the focus of our blog.

to celebrate we would like to share with you an awesome Red Velvet Cake recipe adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal. this recipe was easy to follow, and most importantly turned out well without any drama! and the cake was delicious! all of the recipes in Pascal's book are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and of course, gluten free!


first you need to whip up Pascal's gluten free flour mix:
4 cups of superfile brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour


and here is the cake recipe:
2 3/4 cups gluten free flour mix (see above)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was sweetened, and I used it anyway)
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp double-acting baking power (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of hemp milk/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (I use Bragg apple cider vinegar)
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 tbsp rice milk (I used eggs and hemp milk)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
1 oz bottle red food coloring (Pascal recommends Seelect Natural Food Coloring, order online)


•preheat your oven to 350° F. grease two eight inch round cake pans. Pascal recommends lining each with parchment paper, greasing again, then dusting with cocoa powder. I did this and it really helped get the cakes out.

•whisk together the flour mix, the cocoa powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.

•combine the rice milk and the apple cider vinegar, and set aside.

•using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about two minutes. next add the food coloring and mix until all the ingredients are combined. sift the flour mixture into the mixing bowl in three batches while alternating with the rice milk mixture. beat until smooth, this takes about thirty seconds. scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

•divide the batter into the two pans and smooth down the surface using a spatula.

•bake in the center of the oven for approximately thirty-five minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. rotate the pans half way though the baking time.

•let the cakes cool on a rack for thirty minutes. then flip the cakes onto a plate, remove the parchment paper, then flip back right side up and let cool completely.

•once the cakes have cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the tops of the cakes. frost with velvet frosting (see recipe below).


velvet frosting recipe:
1 cup vegetable shortening (I used Earth Balance's shortening, which contains soy)
pinch of salt
3 cups confectioners sugar (I use Wholesome Sweeteners fair trade organic sugar)
3 tbsps of hemp/ rice milk (I use Manitoba Harvest Hemp Bliss unsweetened)
1 tbsps of freshly squeezed  lemon juice (I buy all my organic produce from SPUD)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)


•in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and salt on medium speed for one minute.

•add the confectioner's sugar in three batches.

•add the rice/ hemp milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, takes about five minutes.

•frost your cake and enjoy!


don't think we would let our milestone pass by without a giveaway to thank our readers, we have an exciting giveaway coming very soon, stay tuned for the announcement!  Andrea.


celiac disease   |   the allergen-free baker's handbook   |   follow us on twitter   |   follow us on facebook



Monday, April 18, 2011

gluten free mom: rice crispy squares!

image copyright gluten free vancouver
a long time favorite childhood treat, rice crispy squares, can now be made gluten free thanks to Dandies Marshmallows, which are gluten free and vegan! we first discovered these recently at Ed's Gluten Free Specialty's new Vancouver store, and we were thrilled to find such a unique and truly missed product! finally someone thought to make gluten free marshmallows! it was the same feeling when we found gluten free ice cream cones last year!

even though my daughter is not gluten intolerant, I still prefer to make everything gluten free for her since she is still small, 'two half' as she likes to say. she is still messy, and she likes to share what she is eating with me. so once I found these gluten free marshmallows I was now free to make her one of my all time favorite treats--rice crispy squares! well...not exactly 'rice krispy' squares since Rice Krispies are not gluten free. however, Kellogg's has announced that they will be introducing a new gluten free version of the famous Rice Krispies in June! to read more about this, click here.

since the gluten free Rice Krispies are not available yet, I chose another product—Perky's Crunchy Rice cereal, which is now part of the Enjoy Life brand. you can also use Nature's Path Crispy Rice cereal, both are gluten free. I bought the cereal at London Drugs on sale, which sells both cereal brands. if you would like to ensure your rice crispy treats are 100% vegan, then you should use the Nature's Path cereal as the Enjoy Life cereal uses honey as a sweetener. 

for the recipe, I just googled rice crispy squares, and followed the instructions. I used one package of Dandies Marshmallows, and one box of Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice cereal. making these treats brought back so many memories, I think this was one of the first recipes I learned to make by myself, and now I can share this experience with my daughter! enjoy!  Andrea.


ps. Dandies Marshmallows are now available through SPUD organic delivery, and they are on sale this week for $4.99! if you are not a spud member but would like to become one, please quote my account number to receive discounts on your first four orders, worth $25! CRVAN-MCLAND. thanks!



dandies marshmallows   |   ed's gluten free specialty   |   london drugs   |   spud



Wednesday, April 6, 2011

high crow gluten free baking company (+ giveaway)

we discovered a great new gluten free baking business in Vancouver recently, called High Crow Gluten Free Foods. I met with Julie Desgroseillers to find out more about how she started her business and the amazing products she produces. Julie’s gluten free products range from cookies, four kinds of bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, and even wedding cakes! (see end of post for details on the giveaway)

Julie's BSc in Dietetics, her experience as a product designer and pastry maker, and her life time dream to have her own bakery someday form the foundation of her business. Julie enjoys baking foods that are nutritious, and reflect a handcrafted, homemade quality and these are ultimately the goals that drive High Crow.

Julie was keen to take on the challenge of gluten free and dairy free baking even though she is not celiac or gluten intolerant, and she experimented until she started getting rave reviews from her taste testers both big and small. all High Crow baking is prepared in a dedicated gluten free commercial kitchen in Delta, BC, which trust us is a rarity. even with her new gluten free kitchen, Julie still buys her ingredients cautiously and buys direct from the manufacturers to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

Julie likes baking with sorghum and chickpea flours because she prefers the nutritional values and the texture that these flours offer. she also uses millet and rice flour, and has been experimenting with rice bran because of its nutritional qualities. in all her baking Julie tries to achieve a product that is high in fiber and protein, and low in sodium. Julie uses soy milk instead of regular milk, but she can make products soy free on request.

High Crow has many sweet and delicious treats to choose from like cookies, brownies, blondies, and mini loaves, but after trying many of her products, I think it is Julie's gluten free breads that set her apart from anything else I have tried. Julie sells four different breads: millet & rice bread, sorghum bread, chickpea & sorghum bread, and flax seed bread. what is also really exciting is that Julie also makes dinner rolls, hamburger buns, and hot dog buns! hello summer barbeques!

any brides who are looking for a gluten free/ dairy free wedding cake, look no further as Julie also bakes and sells cakes to Buttercup Custom Cakes, a wedding cake designer, who then comes to Julie's gluten free kitchen to decorate the cakes, to ensure no cross contamination. 

currently Julie is selling her products through the Steveston and Vancouver Winter Farmer's Markets, and will also be at the following summer markets: the Royal City Farmer's Market (New West) and the Kitsilano MarketJulie also takes orders by phone or email, which can be picked up at her commercial kitchen (see website for more info) or you can pick up at one of her markets. you can now also find High Crow products at the Wired Monk Cafe in Abbotsford, as well as the ABC Country Restaurant in Abbostford. I know Julie is also in talks to sell her products at other retail outlets in the lower mainland, and once those locations have been confirmed we will let you know.


this giveaway is now closed. thanks to all who entered, a winner will be announced shortly.  Andrea.


Monday, February 7, 2011

cookie of the week: glutino chocolate vanilla creme cookies

welcome to a new feature on our blog called 'cookie of the week.' we had been planning to do a review of a few different cookies a while ago, but it seemed like there were too many for just one post. the longer we waited (procrastinated) there seemed to be even more cookies on the market to choose from. I am not, nor have I ever been a huge cookie fan, but when I see a new gluten free cookie that I have never tried before, I get curious. I think I am strung along by the temptation that maybe, just maybe, I will strike gold and find THE BEST GLUTEN FREE COOKIE EVER. well, I have to admit I have not found that elusive cookie. I have found some decent cookies however, but I have also been met with huge disappointment. it doesn't help matters that the cookies that are often the most disappointing, are the most expensive! 

I was very excited recently to stumble upon an Oreo look-a-like, made by Glutino, and I have to admit I was intrigued. as soon as I saw them I started replaying all those warm and fuzzy Oreo television commercials over and over in my mind, I could remember splitting the cookies open and eating the creme filling first, and dipping the rest in milk...I'm sure you get the nostalgia here. these Glutino Oreo look-a-like cookies are called Chocolate Vanilla Creme Cookies. it's not short and sweet like the name Oreo, but that's ok, it kind of reminds of when no name brand foods came along. I am sure for most people a chocolate vanilla creme cookie will always be an Oreo!

so how do they taste? pretty good! certainly not the same as I remember an Oreo tasting like. but they are nicely sweet, and chocolatey, you can pull them apart and follow your heart. dip them in milk, and you will feel like a kid again. these cookies are well priced compared to other gluten free cookies. one package of cookies costs around $5.00, and you get about 24 cookies, sorry I didn't count them, I just ate them! this is pretty good since one of the other cookies we are going to review costs the same but there are only two cookies in the package!!!

the Glutino chocolate creme cookies are of course gluten free, and they are also dairy free, yeast free, and kosher. they do contain soy, eggs, and corn. perhaps the only negative is that they are not organic, but hey, it's an Oreo look-a-like!  happy dipping!  Andrea.



Monday, October 4, 2010

celiac in the city: my local cafe

I went on a great date recently with someone who is really cute, has a great smile, and loves gluten free food...my niece Pilar! she just turned two so grandma and I decided to take her for a grown up lunch at My Local Café located at 3772 west tenth avenue in the point grey neighborhood. we enjoyed one of the best gluten free lunches I have ever had (their deep dish gluten free lasagna, salad, and garlic rice bread…read on!) many of our loyal readers mentioned this little place to Andrea and I to let us know that they sell gluten free treats like chocolate cake and muffins, but I was so excited to see that many of their breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items are gluten free too!

My Local Café is also one of the only restaurants in Vancouver to make their own sorghum and brown rice bread in house and it is really really good! in fact, everything at My Local Café including the gluten free waffles, and muffins are made in house. they do use a few other gluten free brands including Rizopia rice pasta from Galloways, and Bobs Red Mill for their tasty gluten free pizza crust. My Local Café also offers a wide variety of vegan and dairy free alternatives and has a great atmosphere for dining in. gluten free dishes are also prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, with separate cutting boards, utensils and even a designated gluten free toaster, what a treat!

the philosophy behind the all vegetarian, organic dishes at My Local Café is ‘thoughtful food’ and thoughtful it is. the owner, Shafique Shivji (or cookie monster as noted on his business card ) wanted to open a café where everyone could enjoy good tasting food – even if it is secretly gluten or dairy free. this little café reminds me why living in Vancouver is absolutely the best place to be if you are celiac or gluten intolerant.

the menu at My Local Café is broken down into morning or midday plates. it is important to advise the staff if you are seeking a gluten free version of any of the dishes on the menu and they will be sure to substitute any bread items for their gluten free brown rice bread (at no extra charge!), but you do have to advise them first. by doing so also ensures that your dish is prepared in their separate gluten free area of the prep kitchen. it is important to also know that My Local Café is not a dedicated gluten free restaurant but takes ample measures to minimize cross contamination and the staff are well informed of what gluten free means.

here are the gluten free highlights:

morning plates:
either ‘the local’ or ‘2 eggs on toast’ (poached eggs, cheese, roasted potatoes, fruit) can be substituted with the café’s homemade brown rice bread. the ‘local’s quiche’ is also made on a wheat free crust and is layered with seasonal vegetables.

my favorites include the gluten free waffles and muffins! the waffles are made with buckwheat flour, and come with either roasted fruit or toasted pecans, maple syrup and whipped cream! they are toasted in a dedicated gluten free toaster. the gluten free muffins, made with gluten free oats, are probably the best I have had so far, and come in chocolate cranberry, blueberry banana, peanut butter and chocolate chip, and peach and coconut. the muffins are also placed on the top display shelf to minimize cross contamination with their wheat muffins. there are always a variety of other gluten free treats at the order counter including gluten free chocolate cake and rice crispy squares.

midday plates:
most of their ‘local’s soup’ varieties are gluten free, including a recent tomato basil soup, but it is advisable to ask if their daily soup is gluten free first. you can also have it with their brown rice bread as well. spreads available include an olive tapenade, garlic or pesto spread. they are all excellent!

I love their ‘create – your – own sandwich’ option with gluten free rice bread, and you can select what vegetarian options you would like with your choice of spread. I tried spinach, tomato and cucumber with the olive tapenade spread over the weekend and it was delicious! you can have your gluten free sandwich toasted or untoasted, both options taste great.
the ‘daily baked dish and ‘local’s cauldron’ vary from week to week but are often a gluten free deep dish vegetarian lasagna or vegan shephard’s pie! they each come with salad and bread (again ask for the gluten free bread substitute).

and if all of that was not enough, there is gluten free pizza! the pizza is really good! its thin crust with cheese and vegetables, and it also comes with one of their various daily salads. there are usually three salad options daily to choose from and are almost always gluten free including a wild rice and celery salad, mixed vegetables, or spinach and apple.

Pilar and I had so much fun and it is very kid friendly too! Andrea and I highly recommend this little café, the food is thoughtful with an abundance of gluten free variety! Robyn. 


My Local Cafe is open monday to friday from 7am to 8pm & saturday and sunday from 8am to 8pm.


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Monday, August 16, 2010

gluten free ice cream cones...at last!

it is so hot here in Vancouver right now! and for Andrea and I, ice cream is one of our all time summer favorite indulgences (well anytime of year really). but like everything else, even ice cream can contain gluten, so you still have to be careful even in this food category. the general rule of thumb for ensuring your ice cream is gluten free is quite simple, any flavor that has a wafer or cookie in it, it is not safe to eat. having a gluten allergy automatically rules out ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cones altogether too. for those with celiac disease, you will need to also be mindful of cross contamination with flavors that do contain gluten, so it is important to read product websites, or to call the manufacturer to be certain. also if you are buying ice cream by the scoop, I recommend asking the server to use a fresh, clean ice cream scoop as well. 

we both thought gluten free ice cream cones would be out of the question with no gluten free cones in sight. however a few months ago we discovered a product called Goldbaum’s that is available through the Gluten Free Mall or Amazon. and we couldn't wait to try them, but ordering across the border can be a pain sometimes, you know? well we have good news for all you Vancouverites! we have recently found Goldbaum's at Choices Markets!!! in addition to being gluten free, Goldbaum's are also dairy free, soy free and nut free.

now that the hard part has been made easy, the only other thing to do is find your favorite gluten free ice cream! Haagen Dazs regular flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, are gluten free. the Haagen Dazs Extras, and the cookies and cream flavour, are not. we would also like to tell you about a great dairy free ice cream made with coconut milk called So Delicious. most of their coconut milk ice cream products are gluten free, you can read their product listing here to be sure. I love the coconut flavour and the vanilla bean flavour. 

Andrea recently discovered another coconut milk ice cream called Coconut Bliss, which is organic, gluten free and vegan. whether you are celiac or not, you will loves these ice cream cones! just like my niece Pilar, as you can see in the photo. in fact one of her new first words is 'cream cone'. she loves them, and so will you!

happy days indeed!  Robyn.


Tuesday, July 27, 2010

gluten free, sugar free cooking: falafels

a while back I mentioned that I am experimenting with a few cookbooks in order to learn something new about gluten free cooking and baking, as well as to generally open up my repertoire of gluten free favorites. the first book I have been experimenting with is titled "Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking", by Susan O'Brien. over the past weeks I have already tried her recipes for brown rice pudding, and quinoa tabbouleh. last week I tried O'Brien's recipe for falafels.

falafel is a Middle Eastern food originating in Egypt, and is now an iconic part of Israeli cuisine. I am not exactly sure why out of over two hundred recipes in O'Bien's book, I happened to choose two middle eastern dishes, but I digress. the main ingredient in falafels is either chick peas, or fava beans, or a combination of both, and both are gluten free. chickpeas are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. unfortunately many falafel recipes and most mixes use wheat flour. additionally, the falafels are typically served inside a pita bread pocket, which is obviously not safe for people on a gluten free diet.

if you are craving your beloved falafels, or would like to try them for the first time, you can try a gluten free falafel mix, such as OrgraN Falafel Mix, Fantastic Foods Falafel Mix, or Authentic Foods Falafel Mix. however, you can also make them on your own from scratch! (come on... you can do it!)

O'Brien's book includes two recipes, one for the falafels on page 89, and one for the falafel sauce on page 188. 

the falafels:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained, but reserve juice
1/4 cup quinoa flour (I got mine at Whole Foods)
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari sauce (try San-J brand)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

there are two ways you can cook the falafels, in the oven, or in a deep fryer. I tried both, and I have to say I preferred the deep fried version, the outer crust was just so crispy, and the inside was nice and soft. the oven method was good too, but a little more consistent in the cooked texture between inside and outside. the deep fryer that I have is by Waring Pro, which has been great, but this smaller version would actually be perfect since it is deeper than it is long, better deep frying proportions in my opinion.

directions:
if you are going to cook in the oven, set your oven to 350°F. in a large frying pan heat one tablespoon of oil and saute the onion until soft, then add the parsley and garlic and keep cooking for another minute. in a blender or food processor, combine the rest of the ingredients (except the remaining oil) and blend. next I added the sauted onions mixture and blended again. 

if you are cooking in the oven, then form your the falafel mixture into patties and place on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes each side, 30 minutes total. if you are using a deep fryer, form your mixture into one inch balls and drop into the hot oil. I did not time them, but when the outside crust is dark golden brown, they should be ready. 

obviously pita bead shells are out of the question for holding your falafels, unless you can buy or make gluten free pita bread. I decided to follow O'Brien's recommendation to make lettuce wraps. I bought fresh organic butter lettuce and added a few falafel balls, and lots of falafel sauce! you can garnish with more of your chopped fresh herbs. you could also try making a wrap using gluten free tortillas, I like the Food For Life brand. this recipe makes approximately four servings.

here is the recipe for the falafel sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sesame tahini
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup lemon juice, use freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon chopped parsely
dash of fresh ground pepper

place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

this seems like a lot of work, but believe me you are going to love these! my husband and I kept half of the wet falafel mix in the fridge over night and deep fried the next day for another round of yummy gluten free falafels! enjoy!  Andrea.



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