1- Help in the kitchen
3- Friends
4- Summer temperatures in October
5- Silliness and Fun
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday Five: Thanksgiving Recap
1- Help in the kitchen
3- Friends
4- Summer temperatures in October
5- Silliness and Fun
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Product Review: Food For Life Brown Rice Tortillas
This week I tried out gluten free tortillas that resemble a traditional flour tortilla to make vegetable and bean burritos. I found them in the gluten free frozen section at my local grocery store and decided to give them a try.
They come in packs of 6, and the instructions say to keep frozen or refrigerated until use. I kept them frozen until the night before use, and then defrosted them in the fridge. When I was ready to use them, I opened the resealable package and pulled a few out.
The tortillas are separated by wax paper, keeping them from sticking together. I was impressed by the size and look of the tortillas. They look very much like a traditional flour tortilla, with just a slightly tougher consistency. I followed the package directions and heated the tortilla before filling it with beans, peppers, onions, dairy free cheese, salsa and cilantro.
I piled on the ingredients to see how the tortillas would hold up under pressure (and because I like my burritos that way). The true test came when I rolled up the burrito. The tortillas had a flakier texture than a regular tortilla, so they were a bit tougher to wrap, but they performed well. I would suggest perhaps heating them a bit more (I put them in the microwave for about 30 seconds), or using toothpicks to keep them together. Here's what my burrito looked like on the first try:
You can see in the photo that the tortilla cracked at one end, but after I made a few more I was able to better manage it. The photo below shows how it held up after being cut in half. I didn't rearrange anything for the photo, because I wanted to show how it worked the first time. As I mentioned before, with a toothpick to hold it together, a nice, tight burrito would be easy to achieve.
What's that? How did they taste????
Pretty darn good!
I was ready for some dry, mealy tortilla, but instead I found that they had a mildly nutty, buttery flavour with a bit of an al dente texture. I actually found myself nibbling on a plain tortilla because I liked the flavour so much. The only drawback is that they don't absorb liquid the same way a flour tortilla does, so the juices flowed right out. I remedied this by wrapping a napkin around the bottom end while I was eating. No problem!
The Verdict: I really like this product. It's the closest to a regular flour tortilla I've had since my son went gluten free almost a year ago. The texture and flavour is a bit different, but still good, and they held up well to my overflowing burrito. These will become a staple in my house.
Pretty darn good!
I was ready for some dry, mealy tortilla, but instead I found that they had a mildly nutty, buttery flavour with a bit of an al dente texture. I actually found myself nibbling on a plain tortilla because I liked the flavour so much. The only drawback is that they don't absorb liquid the same way a flour tortilla does, so the juices flowed right out. I remedied this by wrapping a napkin around the bottom end while I was eating. No problem!
The Verdict: I really like this product. It's the closest to a regular flour tortilla I've had since my son went gluten free almost a year ago. The texture and flavour is a bit different, but still good, and they held up well to my overflowing burrito. These will become a staple in my house.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Recipe: Homemade Apple Sauce
Since apple picking a few weeks ago, I've been making a lot of apple based recipes. I've always liked applesauce, and when my son was a baby it was one of the things I would make for him from scratch in the fall when local apples were cheap and plentiful. This year it was great making applesauce from the apples my son was able to pick himself!
This recipe makes about 6-8 servings. It can be doubled or tripled and frozen in freezer bags or single serving containers.
Ingredients
6-7 medium apples, Macintosh or Spy
juice of half lemon
1 tbsp. brown sugar or honey (or more to taste)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 cup water or more as needed
Directions:
1- Peel and core apples. Cut into chunks.
2- Place apples in a saucepan and squeeze lemon juice over top. Stir to coat to prevent browning.
3- Add water, sugar and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to help break down apples.
4- Continue to cook until apples are mushy and mixture has a sauce-like texture, adding more water if mixture becomes too thick and lowering temperature if bottom begins to burn. Adjust seasonings.
5- For a completely smooth sauce, blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
 |
| Homemade applesauce |
This recipe makes about 6-8 servings. It can be doubled or tripled and frozen in freezer bags or single serving containers.
Ingredients
6-7 medium apples, Macintosh or Spy
juice of half lemon
1 tbsp. brown sugar or honey (or more to taste)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 cup water or more as needed
Directions:
1- Peel and core apples. Cut into chunks.
2- Place apples in a saucepan and squeeze lemon juice over top. Stir to coat to prevent browning.
3- Add water, sugar and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to help break down apples.
4- Continue to cook until apples are mushy and mixture has a sauce-like texture, adding more water if mixture becomes too thick and lowering temperature if bottom begins to burn. Adjust seasonings.
5- For a completely smooth sauce, blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan
This week's plan is a simple one, containing easy to make recipes and leftovers. I did try a new product, gluten free tortillas, so I'll be writing a product review of them later in the week.
Monday: Leftover turkey pie with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and salad.
Tuesday: Vegetarian Fajitas with Gluten Free Rice Tortillas
Wednesday: Three Sisters Soup and Warm Vegetable Salad
Thursday: Spaghetti and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Friday: Ceviche on a bed of lettuce and served with leftover soup
Monday: Leftover turkey pie with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and salad.
Tuesday: Vegetarian Fajitas with Gluten Free Rice Tortillas
Thursday: Spaghetti and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Friday: Ceviche on a bed of lettuce and served with leftover soup
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Thanksgiving Dinner Roundup
Well, the meal is over, the kitchen's clean and my belly is bursting. Thanksgiving was a success! Here's our meal in review!
We began the meal with a bowl of blended carrot spice soup. A simple soup full of fall flavours was a great way to start the meal.
Then came the main course: lamb stew & turkey pie with a gluten free pie crust provided the meat portion of the meal. Before going gluten free, I would make this pie with a puff pastry crust. I did find a recipe, but it looks like it needs some practice. Instead, I bought a GF pie crust mix and made the crust myself. I'll write a review of the mix later this week.
The pie is traditionally a way to use up leftover meat, but this time I made it with white meat only since I didn't cook a whole turkey. The recipe calls for leeks, and I was able to use a few leeks from my garden and the rest from the weekly local produce delivery I receive. It's served with gravy made from the drippings during cooking and thickened with GF flour
The meat was accompanied by a variety of sides: Cranberry and Applesauce
Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins (made from Bob's Red Mill Cornbread Mix)
Deep Fried Stuffed Olives with Goat Cheese Filling and a GF Breadcrumb Crust. My photo-taking ability doesn't do these babies justice. My sister modified a recipe to make them suitable for my son, and they were delicious. Good enough to just eat on their own with a glass of wine...
We also had mashed potatoes, quinoa pilaf, cauliflower and a green salad on the side. I was too distracted by the olives to remember to take pictures of them.
For dessert, we had apple crumble, pumpkin pie and pumpkin cupcakes with a gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free whipped topping. I'm going to write a review for this product as well in the days to come, but let's just say that EVERYONE loved it!
My mom made these. She added some pumpkin puree to her icing recipe and the kids loved them.
Everyone was so full, that we spent quite a bit of time just relaxing after the dishes had been cleared.
The weather was summer-like, so we took the kids outside and enjoyed a warm, sunny afternoon in the backyard. Who could ask for a better way to spend a Thanksgiving Sunday?
Just a reminder, the menu plan will be posted tomorrow instead of today due to the holiday here in Canada.
We began the meal with a bowl of blended carrot spice soup. A simple soup full of fall flavours was a great way to start the meal.
 | |
| Carrot Spice Soup |
 |
| Turkey pie, with a gluten free pie crust |
The meat was accompanied by a variety of sides: Cranberry and Applesauce
 |
| Homemade cranberry sauce |
Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins (made from Bob's Red Mill Cornbread Mix)
 |
| Cornbread Muffins |
Deep Fried Stuffed Olives with Goat Cheese Filling and a GF Breadcrumb Crust. My photo-taking ability doesn't do these babies justice. My sister modified a recipe to make them suitable for my son, and they were delicious. Good enough to just eat on their own with a glass of wine...
 | ||
| Deep Fried Olives |
For dessert, we had apple crumble, pumpkin pie and pumpkin cupcakes with a gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free whipped topping. I'm going to write a review for this product as well in the days to come, but let's just say that EVERYONE loved it!
 |
| Whipped Topping. YUM!!!! |
 | ||
| Cupcakes with Pumpkin Icing |
 | ||
| My son, who took not one, but two cupcakes for himself |
 | ||
| The men. Working hard. |
Just a reminder, the menu plan will be posted tomorrow instead of today due to the holiday here in Canada.
Happy Thanksgiving! (And a Menu Plan Update)
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in Canada! Enjoy celebrating with family and friends, and give thanks for all the blessings in your life. I'm thankful that I have a happy family, great friends and colleagues, and a safe place to call home. I'm also thankful for all of you who read my blog, whether you check in everyday or just every now and then. I'll try to keep posting interesting content, more recipes and great product reviews. Send me your suggestions of places to go, products to try and books to read.
Later today I'll post a rundown of my Thanksgiving, focusing especially on all the gluten free goodies that will grace our table. I baked the turkey pie last night, and it looks incredible! I'll also post a recipe for my applesauce this week.
As for the weekly menu plan, I'll put that up tomorrow. It's a long weekend in Canada, so I have an extra day to plan and cook. Hopefully there will be some leftovers for tomorrow, but I've got a great fall soup ready for this week, and I'll be trying out some rice tortillas for the first time to make some fajitas. The recipes will be light and healthy following a heavy Thanksgiving meal, but they'll be satisfying and flavourful too.
Finally, I'll be posting a review this week of the pie crust that I used for the turkey pie, updating my 100 in 2011 list, and adding recipes to my recipe tab. A busy week ahead on Celiac Baby! Don't forget to check back often!
Later today I'll post a rundown of my Thanksgiving, focusing especially on all the gluten free goodies that will grace our table. I baked the turkey pie last night, and it looks incredible! I'll also post a recipe for my applesauce this week.
As for the weekly menu plan, I'll put that up tomorrow. It's a long weekend in Canada, so I have an extra day to plan and cook. Hopefully there will be some leftovers for tomorrow, but I've got a great fall soup ready for this week, and I'll be trying out some rice tortillas for the first time to make some fajitas. The recipes will be light and healthy following a heavy Thanksgiving meal, but they'll be satisfying and flavourful too.
Finally, I'll be posting a review this week of the pie crust that I used for the turkey pie, updating my 100 in 2011 list, and adding recipes to my recipe tab. A busy week ahead on Celiac Baby! Don't forget to check back often!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Thanksgiving Recipe: Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is one of those hit-or-miss recipes; people either love it or hate it. The trouble is, many people have only ever eaten cranberry sauce from a can, that jiggly, wiggly, jelly-like stuff that pops straight from the can in one large lump that needs to be broken apart with a spoon. Yum.
Freshly made cranberry sauce is a totally different experience, and the flavours can be changed to suit your individual tastes. Depending on my mood and what I'm serving, I'll add nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, oranges, or any number of different flavours to complement the wonderful tartness of the cranberries themselves.
I can't imagine a Thanksgiving dinner without a not too tart, not too sweet cranberry sauce to add flavour and colour to my Thanksgiving plate. The cranberries pair well with turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and any other side dish that needs a bit of a boost. So forget the can, and in a few short minutes you can make a cranberry sauce to convert even the biggest sceptic.
The photo doesn't do the sauce justice. The colour is a deep ruby red, with a nice, thick consistency.
Here's the recipe for the cranberry sauce I'll be serving this Thanksgiving.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
1 12oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1-2 clementines, peeled and pulled apart. Throw in the rind of one clementine as well.
1 cup red wine (people are picky about this. I use whatever I have on hand or whatever I like. This time I used a Bordeaux because I had an open bottle on hand.)
1/2-1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar, or more to taste. White sugar would work as well, but provides a slightly different flavour
1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
1- Place all ingredients into a small pot and stir to mix together. Use 1/2 cup of orange juice to start, and more later if necessary.
2- Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook until cranberries burst and liquid evaporates to desired sauce consistency (my sauce took less than 30 minutes from start to finish). Taste and adjust flavours before removing from heat. Some people like their sauce a little sweeter than others, so add more sugar if desired.
3- Remove from heat and let cool. Remove the clementine rind before serving. Can be served cold or warm.
I like my sauce thick, almost like a jam, with the cranberries almost completely dissolved into the sauce, so I let it cook right down. This way, I can put any leftover sauce on gluten free toast or crackers for a great leftover snack.
Updated November 2013
Freshly made cranberry sauce is a totally different experience, and the flavours can be changed to suit your individual tastes. Depending on my mood and what I'm serving, I'll add nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, oranges, or any number of different flavours to complement the wonderful tartness of the cranberries themselves.
I can't imagine a Thanksgiving dinner without a not too tart, not too sweet cranberry sauce to add flavour and colour to my Thanksgiving plate. The cranberries pair well with turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and any other side dish that needs a bit of a boost. So forget the can, and in a few short minutes you can make a cranberry sauce to convert even the biggest sceptic.
The photo doesn't do the sauce justice. The colour is a deep ruby red, with a nice, thick consistency.
Here's the recipe for the cranberry sauce I'll be serving this Thanksgiving.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
1 12oz. bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1-2 clementines, peeled and pulled apart. Throw in the rind of one clementine as well.
1 cup red wine (people are picky about this. I use whatever I have on hand or whatever I like. This time I used a Bordeaux because I had an open bottle on hand.)
1/2-1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar, or more to taste. White sugar would work as well, but provides a slightly different flavour
1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
1- Place all ingredients into a small pot and stir to mix together. Use 1/2 cup of orange juice to start, and more later if necessary.
2- Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook until cranberries burst and liquid evaporates to desired sauce consistency (my sauce took less than 30 minutes from start to finish). Taste and adjust flavours before removing from heat. Some people like their sauce a little sweeter than others, so add more sugar if desired.
3- Remove from heat and let cool. Remove the clementine rind before serving. Can be served cold or warm.
I like my sauce thick, almost like a jam, with the cranberries almost completely dissolved into the sauce, so I let it cook right down. This way, I can put any leftover sauce on gluten free toast or crackers for a great leftover snack.
Updated November 2013
Friday, October 7, 2011
How to Host a (Relatively) Stress Free Thanksgiving
This Sunday I'm having Thanksgiving at my house. I posted the menu HERE. Well, the weekend is upon us, and like everyone, I haven't had much time to prepare in advance. I don't want to be running around like a turkey with her head cut off (ahem), so I've got a plan in place to hopefully help me keep my sanity this weekend. With a little tweaking, hopefully this schedule could make Thanksgiving a little less stressful for you too!
Friday Night: List-mania! I'll be making a grocery list, a to-do around the house list that includes cleaning and odd jobs, a list of items needed for the meal, and a time line for Sunday. I'll be throwing in a few loads of laundry tonight to get it out of the way.
Saturday: Up early. I'm going to try to grocery shop before the crowds hit. I've decided to go with a gluten free pie crust from a mix instead of a puff pastry crust for my turkey pie. I did find some gluten free puff pastry recipes, but they look like they might take a few tries to get them right, and I don't want to be trying anything complicated this weekend. I'll pick up a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers for the centerpiece.
Cleaning: My husband and I will clean the areas of the house that aren't likely to get dirty between Saturday and Sunday. I'll get out the plates, serving dishes, etc. needed for the meal, give them a clean and put them in the dining room for Sunday. I'll take a few minutes to sweep the front porch and tidy up any dying flowers.
Cooking: Since we're not doing a roast turkey, I can make the turkey pie the day before. If you are doing a whole turkey, make sure you've given it enough time to thaw before it needs to go into the oven and then cook it the day you plan to serve it. I plan on preparing the turkey pie, as well as the cranberry sauce and the apple crumble in advance, leaving very little for Sunday. We have a lot of apples, so I may even make some homemade applesauce.
Clothing: I always seem to end up frantically searching for something to wear on special occasions minutes before guests arrive, even if it's a pretty casual affair. This time, I'll lay out my son's clothes as well as my own the night before. This includes jewelry and make-up.
Sunday: Up early.
Cleaning: Today I'll spend some time in the morning after breakfast cleaning areas like the family room and kitchen, that always look messy regardless of how often I clean them. Empty the dishwasher to make room for all the dishes coming later, make room in the closet for shoes and purses, and double check things like extra toilet paper in the bathrooms.
Cooking: I'll set the table in the morning and make the cornbread so that the oven is free in the afternoon for reheating the turkey pie and for the lamb.The salad I'll put together at the last minute. My mom is bringing the lamb, potatoes and muffins.
Clothing: Hopefully my son will take a nap before everyone arrives. I'll put him in his good clothes at the last minute. Come to think of it, I'll put myself in my nice clothes at the last minute as well. I have a knack for getting dirty at the most inopportune times.
Then, I'll pour myself a nice cup of coffee, and take a few minutes to relax before the guests arrive.
Wish me luck!
Friday Night: List-mania! I'll be making a grocery list, a to-do around the house list that includes cleaning and odd jobs, a list of items needed for the meal, and a time line for Sunday. I'll be throwing in a few loads of laundry tonight to get it out of the way.
Saturday: Up early. I'm going to try to grocery shop before the crowds hit. I've decided to go with a gluten free pie crust from a mix instead of a puff pastry crust for my turkey pie. I did find some gluten free puff pastry recipes, but they look like they might take a few tries to get them right, and I don't want to be trying anything complicated this weekend. I'll pick up a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers for the centerpiece.
Cleaning: My husband and I will clean the areas of the house that aren't likely to get dirty between Saturday and Sunday. I'll get out the plates, serving dishes, etc. needed for the meal, give them a clean and put them in the dining room for Sunday. I'll take a few minutes to sweep the front porch and tidy up any dying flowers.
Cooking: Since we're not doing a roast turkey, I can make the turkey pie the day before. If you are doing a whole turkey, make sure you've given it enough time to thaw before it needs to go into the oven and then cook it the day you plan to serve it. I plan on preparing the turkey pie, as well as the cranberry sauce and the apple crumble in advance, leaving very little for Sunday. We have a lot of apples, so I may even make some homemade applesauce.
Clothing: I always seem to end up frantically searching for something to wear on special occasions minutes before guests arrive, even if it's a pretty casual affair. This time, I'll lay out my son's clothes as well as my own the night before. This includes jewelry and make-up.
Sunday: Up early.
Cleaning: Today I'll spend some time in the morning after breakfast cleaning areas like the family room and kitchen, that always look messy regardless of how often I clean them. Empty the dishwasher to make room for all the dishes coming later, make room in the closet for shoes and purses, and double check things like extra toilet paper in the bathrooms.
Cooking: I'll set the table in the morning and make the cornbread so that the oven is free in the afternoon for reheating the turkey pie and for the lamb.The salad I'll put together at the last minute. My mom is bringing the lamb, potatoes and muffins.
Clothing: Hopefully my son will take a nap before everyone arrives. I'll put him in his good clothes at the last minute. Come to think of it, I'll put myself in my nice clothes at the last minute as well. I have a knack for getting dirty at the most inopportune times.
Then, I'll pour myself a nice cup of coffee, and take a few minutes to relax before the guests arrive.
Wish me luck!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Waiting for the Election Results
Did you vote?
If you live in Ontario, the provincial elections were today. It seems like we've had a lot of elections in Canada lately. That's no excuse to not vote. It literally took me fewer than five minutes, all told.
And now we wait.
This race looks to be a tight one, so who knows what might happen?
Grab a bag of gluten free chips and enjoy the election coverage!
If you live in Ontario, the provincial elections were today. It seems like we've had a lot of elections in Canada lately. That's no excuse to not vote. It literally took me fewer than five minutes, all told.
And now we wait.
This race looks to be a tight one, so who knows what might happen?
Grab a bag of gluten free chips and enjoy the election coverage!
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