Recipe: Gluten Free Stuffed Onions

This recipe is a variation on a recipe I found in a Spanish cookbook called 1080 Recipes by Simone & Inés Ortega. It's a fantastic resource for Spanish cooking, but it's not a gluten free cookbook. Still, I love to adapt dishes to be GF, and then tweak them to fit my family's tastes.

These stuffed onions have been adapted to be gluten free, but also to include some additional ingredients that made the recipe more to my personal taste. I omitted the bread, changed the cooking water to broth, and made a few other changes along the way. I also cut the recipe from 12 onions to 6, to be more manageable.

The recipe itself isn't complicated, but it is time consuming with a few different stages. I love onions, and I really love the way their flavour changes when cooked, sweetening and taking the spicy edge off. Everyone enjoyed these, even the toddler. If there is any meat leftover after the onions are stuffed, make meatballs out of them.

**For a dairy free version, substitute the milk for a dairy free version, and omit the Romano cheese.

Looking for a Gluten Free BBQ Sauce? 5 Awesome Options

Superbowl Sunday is coming up, and if you're like most people I know, BBQ something-or-other will probably be on your menu. While I often make my own BBQ sauce, there's nothing more convenient then simply opening a jar of sauce. 

Unfortunately, many sauces have wheat or other sources of gluten listed in the ingredients, which can make shopping an all day trip while you read the minuscule writing on the sides of the jars.

I've rounded up 5 flavourful options that are widely available, and of course, gluten free. They are presented below in no particular order.

Cookbook of the Month Review January 2014: Sweet Debbie's Organic Treats & A Winner!

Sweet Debbie's Organic Treats: Allergy Free & Vegan Recipes
by Debbie Adler
 

  Baked Goods That Actually Make You Feel Good? 

Are you saying "no" to dessert because of food allergies or health concerns? Or saying "no" when your kid asks for a cupcake at a birthday party? If so, Sweet Debbie has a Chocoholic Cupcake for you.

With her own son allergic to "every food in the USDA pyramid," Debbie Adler took matters into her own kitchen. Today, her wildly popular, allergen-free bakery, Sweet Debbie's Organic Cupcakes, has Hollywood's A-list celebrities lining up for her delicious, nutritious muffins, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, donut holes and breads. 

Now Sweet Debbie is sharing all her delectable secrets for fifty scrumptious treats like: 

Irresistible Red Velvet Cupcakes 
Salted Caramel Apple Muffins 
Cosmic Chocolate Chip Cookies 
Gourmet Dark Chocolate Mesquite Brownies 
Blueberry Streusel Donut Holes 

If you're a vegan, diabetic, have Celiac disease, a food allergy or an intolerance, or are simply interested in boosting your health via your baking tins, set the oven to "preheat" and sit down with "Sweet Debbie's Organic Treats." Your sweet tooth will thank you for it.
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: October 29, 2013

Gluten Free Weekly Meal Plan January 27-31, 2014

Monday: Stuffed Onions (Recipe to be posted this week)

It's Robbie Burns Day! Is Haggis Gluten Free?

Looking forward to celebrating Robbie Burns Day this evening at home or out with friends and wondering: Is Haggis Gluten Free? I researched this very question for a reader last year and wrote all about it in this post. 

Image ©Zoonabar [http://flickr.com/photos/zoonabar/ zoonabar] Creative Commons

Important Update on Products Using Gluten Free Certification Organization Label

The Gluten Free Certification Organization is an program of the Gluten Intolerance Group, a nonprofit organization. For a product to receive certification as gluten free, it must meet strict requirements, including testing under 10ppm (the US and Canadian legal limit is 20ppm, so this is even stricter.) Companies can apply to have their product qualify to use the GFCO label on their products if they meet the requirements.

Sometimes, companies use the label even when they have not been certified under the program, or their certification changes.

This week the Gluten Intolerance Group has an update on their site about products that are using the label, but do not meet the organization's standards. In addition, there has been some recent concern about the potential for gluten to be an undeclared ingredient in some spices imported from abroad, and they are working with the Canadian government to learn more. Click here to read more.

Product Review: Glutino Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix

Photo Source

There are many gluten free products out there that can easily compete with their regular versions, but pie crusts haven't seemed to be one of them. I'm not against posting reviews of products I don't like, but I prefer to let people know about products I love instead. Finding a gluten free pie crust that can compete with a regular pie crust has been difficult.

Gluten Free Weekly Meal Plan (January 20-24, 2014)

I have to admit, I'm over this whole winter thing, and it's still only January. I need a beach, ASAP. The only good thing about this weather is eating hearty food that keeps me warm (kind of). Here's what we're eating this week!

Monday: Tofu & Green Beans in a Mushroom Sauce

Recipe: Green Juice with a Hint of Ginger (No juicer required)

I'm a big fan of smoothies, but sometimes I don't feel like something so thick and filling. Lately, it's been extremely cold where I live, and I find myself craving something light and refreshing as a pick me up after all the comfort foods I've been eating to stay warm! I love those green juices they sell at the supermarket, and have always been interested in creating my own and drinking them fresh, not pasteurized or whatever it is they do to keep them fresher, longer.

The problem is I don't have a juicer. I used to have one, but it was a cheap one and didn't work very well and I found myself frustrated with it more than satisfied, and finally got rid of it. I would like a better juicer, but they're not cheap and right now it's just not in the budget. I thought that meant that I was limited to smoothies.

Recipe: Sweet Debbie's Cosmic Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

January's Cookbook of the Month is Sweet Debbie's Organic Treats Vegan cookbook, and today Debbie was kind enough to share her recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies on the blog!

These are absolutely incredible, and free from gluten, eggs, dairy, and more. Great for those with multiple allergies or who are just trying to eat better.

Enjoy!