Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Wordless Wednesday
This little guy was just hanging out in our yard the other morning. My son made us watch in silence so we wouldn't scare him away. He thinks it's the Easter Bunny.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Recipe: Gluten & Dairy Free "Cream" of Zucchini Soup
Our next door neighbour grows zucchini in the summer, and sometimes the vines are so prolific that they grow over our side of the fence, and he lets us keep what grows on our side. I can't use them all at once, so I chop some into large chunks and freeze them, pulling them out for stir fries, baked goods, and soups. This soup is one of those 15 minute ones, using 6 ingredients. It's also kid approved. Just sayin'.
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 large zucchini, washed and chopped into chunks. I don't peel mine, but feel free.
1 large potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
1 box ( approx. 4 cups) vegetable broth. I use Campbell's Gluten Free Vegetable Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste
Dried Thyme to taste
Directions
1- In a soup pot, add zucchini, potato, and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook until potato is soft and cooked through.
2- Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until creamy and smooth. It can also be put in a blender, following the company's directions for blending hot liquids.
3- Serve, topped with shaved zucchini as garnish, or with some grated Parmesan cheese if you are not dairy free as well.
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 large zucchini, washed and chopped into chunks. I don't peel mine, but feel free.
1 large potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
1 box ( approx. 4 cups) vegetable broth. I use Campbell's Gluten Free Vegetable Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste
Dried Thyme to taste
Directions
1- In a soup pot, add zucchini, potato, and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook until potato is soft and cooked through.
2- Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until creamy and smooth. It can also be put in a blender, following the company's directions for blending hot liquids.
3- Serve, topped with shaved zucchini as garnish, or with some grated Parmesan cheese if you are not dairy free as well.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Recipe: Gluten Free Sausage Pasta Carbonara
I sometimes like my pasta in a sauce other than tomato or pesto, and this is one of the simplest yet tastiest pastas around. It can be made mild or spicy. This pasta is ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta and sauté the sausages.
Ingredients
1 bag pasta (approx. 450g) I use a short pasta for this, like a rigatoni.
4 Italian Sausages (hot or sweet), meat removed from casings
1 Gluten Free bouillon cube (beef or vegetable flavoured)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Chopped fresh basil or dried basil to taste (substitute parsley or oregano if preferred)
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Shaved parmesan for garnish (if desired)
Directions
1- Heat water for pasta. While waiting for water to boil, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Remove meat from casings and add to frying pan, breaking up meat with a fork into small pieces. Dissolve bouillon cube in a small amount of hot water, and add to sausage in pan.
2- When water boils, add pasta and cook according to instructions. Continue cooking sausage until no longer pink. Add garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until garlic is soft and fragrant, adjust seasonings and turn off heat, another 2-3 minutes.
3- While pasta continues to cook, in a small bowl, beat eggs, adding the grated cheese a little at a time until combined.
4- When pasta is cooked, remove one ladle of cooking water before draining and add it to sausage mixture. Drain pasta, and return to pot. Do not rinse pasta in cold water. Add sausage mixture and toss. Pour in egg and cheese mixture, stirring to mix. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg, but it's important to stir so that you don't get clumps of eggs. Taste, and adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately, garnishing with shaved cheese or fresh basil if desired.
Ingredients
1 bag pasta (approx. 450g) I use a short pasta for this, like a rigatoni.
4 Italian Sausages (hot or sweet), meat removed from casings
1 Gluten Free bouillon cube (beef or vegetable flavoured)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Chopped fresh basil or dried basil to taste (substitute parsley or oregano if preferred)
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Shaved parmesan for garnish (if desired)
Directions
1- Heat water for pasta. While waiting for water to boil, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Remove meat from casings and add to frying pan, breaking up meat with a fork into small pieces. Dissolve bouillon cube in a small amount of hot water, and add to sausage in pan.
2- When water boils, add pasta and cook according to instructions. Continue cooking sausage until no longer pink. Add garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until garlic is soft and fragrant, adjust seasonings and turn off heat, another 2-3 minutes.
3- While pasta continues to cook, in a small bowl, beat eggs, adding the grated cheese a little at a time until combined.
4- When pasta is cooked, remove one ladle of cooking water before draining and add it to sausage mixture. Drain pasta, and return to pot. Do not rinse pasta in cold water. Add sausage mixture and toss. Pour in egg and cheese mixture, stirring to mix. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg, but it's important to stir so that you don't get clumps of eggs. Taste, and adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately, garnishing with shaved cheese or fresh basil if desired.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan
We had an out of town guest this past week who is leaving today, so I didn't have much time to plan a menu plan for the week. Still, sometimes simple is best! Here's what we're eating at my house this week.
Monday: Gluten Free Pasta Carbonara with Homemade Sausage
Tuesday: Gluten & Dairy Free Zucchini Soup
Wednesday: Shaking Beef
Thursday: Oven Fried Chicken & Green Beans
Friday: Tofu in a Mushroom Sauce
Monday: Gluten Free Pasta Carbonara with Homemade Sausage
Tuesday: Gluten & Dairy Free Zucchini Soup
Wednesday: Shaking Beef
Thursday: Oven Fried Chicken & Green Beans
Friday: Tofu in a Mushroom Sauce
Friday, May 31, 2013
Celiac Awareness Month is Over. Now What?
Thirty-one days of raising awareness of Celiac Disease and non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (that's a mouthful) has come to an end. This year the month was more eventful than I remember it being in previous years, though not entirely for the right reasons.
Disney came under fire for an episode of a popular kids' show that turned the bullying of a gluten free child into a joke, Chelsea Handler had something to say about gluten free people, and the Today Show aired a segment discussing how being gluten free is a turn-off.
The list goes on.
While most of the people I know in the gluten free community, myself included, reacted with a range of emotions ranging from anger, to disappointment, frustration or sadness, these incidents just reinforced the importance of a month dedicated to awareness and education.
The gluten free fad has expanded choice for those looking for gluten free products, but it has also made it more difficult to be taken seriously when it is a matter of health and not choice. It's not the end of the world if someone cutting gluten from their diet for non-health reasons gets cross-contaminated, but it is for someone suffering from Celiac disease or non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. My son suffers from rashes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, change in energy, mood swings and difficulty concentrating. It's hard to know how long symptoms will last for. Might be a day, might be a week or more.
The more society sees people who eat gluten free as "picky eaters," whiners, annoying, or just plain difficult, the more likely it is that someone in charge of my son's food will neglect to take his food restrictions seriously and make him sick. There are endless stories of restaurants offering gluten free items on the menu but not taking any precautions against cross-contamination, of family members or friends pressuring someone to eat something with gluten because their illness is "all in their head," of prominent celebrity chefs publishing "gluten free" recipes that feature ingredients containing gluten.
So although May has come to an end, the struggle to spread the word about Celiac Disease and non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity continues. There was a time when mentioning a peanut allergy was met with a blank stare; now most people are familiar with the seriousness of it. Things change. Celiac is difficult for many to grasp because the symptoms can be so varied, and often the physiological reaction to gluten occurs hours after it has been consumed, and people suffer in private. Sometimes the damage isn't visible to the naked eye at all. It's hard to make people take seriously an illness where the symptoms are often silent and they are unable to actually "see" the damage. It's also difficult to make people understand a disease that there's no medication for, no doctor supervised treatment outside of a change in diet.
It's not a lost cause. It just means we have to keep working. If my child had a disease that required someone at his daycare or in his school to help him with his medication, or if he had a life threatening allergy, I would be providing those institutions with as much information as possible about his condition and how to keep him healthy. I approach this the same way. It's important that his food restrictions be understood and that he can feel safe in his environment. It's imperative that those who care for him when I'm not there understand the consequences for him when he is contaminated with gluten.
Advocacy isn't always about making a lot of noise. It's not always about petitions or blog posts or campaigns. It can be about focusing on your circle of influence. Start with those in your immediate circle. Answer questions, provide suggestions, be patient when faced with the types of questions whose answers seem obvious to you but clearly aren't to the person asking. Don't apologize for being gluten free, but don't assume that everyone will be willing to bend over backwards to accommodate your needs. Thank people who do. Don't eat something that will make you sick to keep the peace, and don't waste your time engaging with people who would pressure you to do that in the first place.
If you want to do more, great. Write that blog post, pen a letter, make a donation or attend an awareness event. Speak up when something comes to your attention. It was an online petition started by one woman who got that Disney episode pulled. We have a long way to go, but I have faith.
The gluten free community is full of some fierce people. I'm often awed and inspired by the dedication of those I engage with online and in "real" life. There was an incredible push for awareness this month, and I have no doubt it will continue into June and beyond. I'm proud to be a part of this community, and inspired by the work everyone does every day to make life easier for those who are gluten free. Keep up the good work!
Disney came under fire for an episode of a popular kids' show that turned the bullying of a gluten free child into a joke, Chelsea Handler had something to say about gluten free people, and the Today Show aired a segment discussing how being gluten free is a turn-off.
The list goes on.
While most of the people I know in the gluten free community, myself included, reacted with a range of emotions ranging from anger, to disappointment, frustration or sadness, these incidents just reinforced the importance of a month dedicated to awareness and education.
The gluten free fad has expanded choice for those looking for gluten free products, but it has also made it more difficult to be taken seriously when it is a matter of health and not choice. It's not the end of the world if someone cutting gluten from their diet for non-health reasons gets cross-contaminated, but it is for someone suffering from Celiac disease or non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. My son suffers from rashes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, change in energy, mood swings and difficulty concentrating. It's hard to know how long symptoms will last for. Might be a day, might be a week or more.
The more society sees people who eat gluten free as "picky eaters," whiners, annoying, or just plain difficult, the more likely it is that someone in charge of my son's food will neglect to take his food restrictions seriously and make him sick. There are endless stories of restaurants offering gluten free items on the menu but not taking any precautions against cross-contamination, of family members or friends pressuring someone to eat something with gluten because their illness is "all in their head," of prominent celebrity chefs publishing "gluten free" recipes that feature ingredients containing gluten.
So although May has come to an end, the struggle to spread the word about Celiac Disease and non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity continues. There was a time when mentioning a peanut allergy was met with a blank stare; now most people are familiar with the seriousness of it. Things change. Celiac is difficult for many to grasp because the symptoms can be so varied, and often the physiological reaction to gluten occurs hours after it has been consumed, and people suffer in private. Sometimes the damage isn't visible to the naked eye at all. It's hard to make people take seriously an illness where the symptoms are often silent and they are unable to actually "see" the damage. It's also difficult to make people understand a disease that there's no medication for, no doctor supervised treatment outside of a change in diet.
It's not a lost cause. It just means we have to keep working. If my child had a disease that required someone at his daycare or in his school to help him with his medication, or if he had a life threatening allergy, I would be providing those institutions with as much information as possible about his condition and how to keep him healthy. I approach this the same way. It's important that his food restrictions be understood and that he can feel safe in his environment. It's imperative that those who care for him when I'm not there understand the consequences for him when he is contaminated with gluten.
Advocacy isn't always about making a lot of noise. It's not always about petitions or blog posts or campaigns. It can be about focusing on your circle of influence. Start with those in your immediate circle. Answer questions, provide suggestions, be patient when faced with the types of questions whose answers seem obvious to you but clearly aren't to the person asking. Don't apologize for being gluten free, but don't assume that everyone will be willing to bend over backwards to accommodate your needs. Thank people who do. Don't eat something that will make you sick to keep the peace, and don't waste your time engaging with people who would pressure you to do that in the first place.
If you want to do more, great. Write that blog post, pen a letter, make a donation or attend an awareness event. Speak up when something comes to your attention. It was an online petition started by one woman who got that Disney episode pulled. We have a long way to go, but I have faith.
The gluten free community is full of some fierce people. I'm often awed and inspired by the dedication of those I engage with online and in "real" life. There was an incredible push for awareness this month, and I have no doubt it will continue into June and beyond. I'm proud to be a part of this community, and inspired by the work everyone does every day to make life easier for those who are gluten free. Keep up the good work!
 |
| Source |
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Gluten Free Costa Rica: Hotel Playa Bejuco
Playa Bejuco is a stretch of beach about halfway between Jaco Beach and Manuel Antonio National Park along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. We recently spent two weeks in a rental home close to the beach, and on our last night there decided to go to dinner at the nearby Hotel Playa Bejuco.
This area of beach is a designated blue flag beach, which means it has the highest ecological rating. The beach is clean and almost deserted most of the time, and has great surfing waves but also enough shallow water for wading into the ocean if surfing's not your thing. It's a bit off the beaten path, but if crowded beaches and overpriced accommodations aren't your thing, this place might just be for you.
Eating out anywhere is always a bit of a gamble because we need to make sure the food preparation is safe for my gluten free son. We asked to see the menu before committing to the restaurant, and it was extensive enough that we were certain to find something for our son. We asked a few questions of the waitress when we arrived and were happy to find that she was able to answer all our questions to our satisfaction. She confirmed that the French fries were fried in a separate fryer from anything breaded, and knew the ingredients of the dishes we asked about.
The menu was pretty extensive, and the prices were reasonable. We ordered two appetizers and three main courses and the bill came to approx. $40 US. Pretty reasonable, especially for the quality of the food. The meals were delicious.
Our meals:
Chicken & Vegetable Soup
Caprese Salad
Chicken & Rice with Salad & Fries
Chicken in Mushroom Sauce with Grilled Vegetables & Fries
Fried Coconut Fish with Vegetables
We couldn't have been happier with the service and the food. The waitress was friendly and although we were there in the low season, the quality of the food was still good. There was a group of surfers staying too, and they were enjoying the pool and talking about their surfing experiences. The atmosphere is elegant but relaxed, and the hotel is an eco hotel in tune with nature.
There are two floors to the restaurant, one with a view to the pool and the second floor overlooking the beach. We didn't stay at the hotel, so I can't speak to the accommodations, but the outside of the hotel was well maintained. The pool was one of the nicest I've seen, and there is a small children's pool as well. The whole building exuded charm, and it's a quick walk to the beach from the hotel. Building directly beach front is not allowed in Costa Rica, but it's less than a one minute walk from the hotel to the beach. I snapped a few photos of the hotel grounds:
If you're looking for a place to have a special meal, but don't want the crowded, overpriced restaurants of the more touristy areas, this restaurant is easy to get to, is full of charm and has great service and food.
This area of beach is a designated blue flag beach, which means it has the highest ecological rating. The beach is clean and almost deserted most of the time, and has great surfing waves but also enough shallow water for wading into the ocean if surfing's not your thing. It's a bit off the beaten path, but if crowded beaches and overpriced accommodations aren't your thing, this place might just be for you.
Eating out anywhere is always a bit of a gamble because we need to make sure the food preparation is safe for my gluten free son. We asked to see the menu before committing to the restaurant, and it was extensive enough that we were certain to find something for our son. We asked a few questions of the waitress when we arrived and were happy to find that she was able to answer all our questions to our satisfaction. She confirmed that the French fries were fried in a separate fryer from anything breaded, and knew the ingredients of the dishes we asked about.
The menu was pretty extensive, and the prices were reasonable. We ordered two appetizers and three main courses and the bill came to approx. $40 US. Pretty reasonable, especially for the quality of the food. The meals were delicious.
Our meals:
Chicken & Vegetable Soup
Caprese Salad
Chicken & Rice with Salad & Fries
Chicken in Mushroom Sauce with Grilled Vegetables & Fries
Fried Coconut Fish with Vegetables
We couldn't have been happier with the service and the food. The waitress was friendly and although we were there in the low season, the quality of the food was still good. There was a group of surfers staying too, and they were enjoying the pool and talking about their surfing experiences. The atmosphere is elegant but relaxed, and the hotel is an eco hotel in tune with nature.
There are two floors to the restaurant, one with a view to the pool and the second floor overlooking the beach. We didn't stay at the hotel, so I can't speak to the accommodations, but the outside of the hotel was well maintained. The pool was one of the nicest I've seen, and there is a small children's pool as well. The whole building exuded charm, and it's a quick walk to the beach from the hotel. Building directly beach front is not allowed in Costa Rica, but it's less than a one minute walk from the hotel to the beach. I snapped a few photos of the hotel grounds:
 |
| Pool view from the ground floor of the restaurant |
 |
| The Bar |
 |
| Second floor hall with rooms to the left |
If you're looking for a place to have a special meal, but don't want the crowded, overpriced restaurants of the more touristy areas, this restaurant is easy to get to, is full of charm and has great service and food.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Wordless Wednesday
I know my Wordless Wednesdays have been filled with Costa Rica pics for the past few weeks, so I'll try to make this the last one. I can't help it, it's such a beautiful country!
 |
| Farmer's Market in Jacó Beach |
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| Monkeys relaxing in Manuel Antonio National Park |
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| Beach at Manuel Antonio |
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Product Review: XO Baking Co. Vanilla Cake Mix
For my husband's birthday in March my son wanted to bake him a birthday cake. Usually we just pick up or make some gluten free cupcakes, but this year he was excited about baking a cake, so we went out to check out gluten free cake mixes. I've used a few different mixes in the past with varying results, but I always like to try new things. While browsing Bulk Barn for something unrelated, I came across XO Baking Co.'s mixes.
I had never heard of this company before. My local grocery store doesn't carry their products. The packaging called my attention, and there were a few different products to choose from. My son decided that Daddy would want a vanilla cake, so we picked up the mix and went home to bake a cake.
Not one to be content with just trying out a product, I always like to do my research. There's a lot to like about this company. The founder, Lindsey Deitch, has been diagnosed with Celiac disease, so safe gluten free food is a priority for her. She's also a certified health and nutrition coach, and her baking mixes are all natural, produced in a dedicated gluten free facility and certified gluten free (Source).
I was surprised when looking at the cake mix to find that one mix actually makes a double layer cake. Most mixes make a one layer, 8 inch cake, but this one doubles that for roughly the same price as other mixes. The mix is also dairy free. The cake baked nice and fluffy, and the taste was easily one of the best cakes I've tasted from a mix, gluten free or not. I was really impressed with how moist and soft the cake was. I frosted it with a plain gluten free frosting, but the company offers a frosting mix as well. It wasn't available where I shopped. We topped it with some shredded coconut that my son insisted we turn blue because Daddy would like it that way.
The result: A delicious, double layer cake that was gone in one sitting. I used 9 inch baking pans, so the cake would have been even taller if I had used 8 inch ones. The slices held together, and there was nothing dry and crumbly about the final product.
I would highly recommend this mix.
I had never heard of this company before. My local grocery store doesn't carry their products. The packaging called my attention, and there were a few different products to choose from. My son decided that Daddy would want a vanilla cake, so we picked up the mix and went home to bake a cake.
I was surprised when looking at the cake mix to find that one mix actually makes a double layer cake. Most mixes make a one layer, 8 inch cake, but this one doubles that for roughly the same price as other mixes. The mix is also dairy free. The cake baked nice and fluffy, and the taste was easily one of the best cakes I've tasted from a mix, gluten free or not. I was really impressed with how moist and soft the cake was. I frosted it with a plain gluten free frosting, but the company offers a frosting mix as well. It wasn't available where I shopped. We topped it with some shredded coconut that my son insisted we turn blue because Daddy would like it that way.
The result: A delicious, double layer cake that was gone in one sitting. I used 9 inch baking pans, so the cake would have been even taller if I had used 8 inch ones. The slices held together, and there was nothing dry and crumbly about the final product.
I would highly recommend this mix.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan
Monday: Chicken Parmesan with Mini Potatoes & Salad
Tuesday: Gluten Free Spaghetti Carbonara
Wednesday: Pork & Veggie Stir Fry over Rice
Thursday: Minestrone Soup
Friday: Fish Cakes with Oil & Vinegar Coleslaw
Friday, May 24, 2013
Gluten Free Buzz (3)
Good morning everyone! Today is my last day in paradise (Costa Rica) and though I'm sadly packing for our return trip home tomorrow, I'm excited to get home and write up all the exciting posts I've got rattling around in my brain!
Since we're coming up towards the end of Celiac Awareness Month, let's take a look at some of the latest news stories around Celiac and Gluten Intolerance.
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has produced a nifty little infographic on the failing grade American Universities are receiving on the subject of gluten free.
Everyone can do their part: This 4 year old girl raised $4000 for Celiac research, as reported in the Westfield Patch
Wegman's is celebrating Celiac Awareness month with demos, meal ideas, recipes and more.
This school offers gluten free school dinners, as reported in the Aryshire Post.
Bunner's Bakery shared a recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins with Toronto Life. I tried some Bunner's products last month at the Gluten Free Garage, and they were delicious. I will be making these!
Celiac.com reports that pea protein is best for improving gluten free bread. Who knew?
Have an interesting story you would like to see included in Gluten Free Buzz? Send me an email at CeliacBaby (at) Hotmail (dot) com.
Since we're coming up towards the end of Celiac Awareness Month, let's take a look at some of the latest news stories around Celiac and Gluten Intolerance.
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has produced a nifty little infographic on the failing grade American Universities are receiving on the subject of gluten free.
Everyone can do their part: This 4 year old girl raised $4000 for Celiac research, as reported in the Westfield Patch
Wegman's is celebrating Celiac Awareness month with demos, meal ideas, recipes and more.
This school offers gluten free school dinners, as reported in the Aryshire Post.
 |
| My son with his Bunner's muffin! |
Bunner's Bakery shared a recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins with Toronto Life. I tried some Bunner's products last month at the Gluten Free Garage, and they were delicious. I will be making these!
Celiac.com reports that pea protein is best for improving gluten free bread. Who knew?
Have an interesting story you would like to see included in Gluten Free Buzz? Send me an email at CeliacBaby (at) Hotmail (dot) com.
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