Time for change

 

When I was diagnosed with Celiac disease I had to make a drastic decision, and fast!

 As a professional chef, I was no longer able to taste the foods that might contain gluten.

 Big Problem!

I started looking at gluten free recipes and I became perplexed! Rice flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, flour, flour, flour! I took a step back, and wondered what my body was telling me. Did I have to give up fried foods, fresh baked baguettes, French fries?  French Fries?!? Yes, items can become cross contaminated in the fryer.

Gluten is present in many food items. It is disguised, covered up, and presents itself in hard to pronounce compounds. Gluten is present around us, and it has become a staple in our food culture. The discussion on wheat processing and distribution is for another day.

 I had to find a way to eat without consuming wheat, wheat bi-products, barley, malt vinegar, modified food starch, etc. At first, I was still facing the anger and denial point of my diagnosis. I couldn't face eating another day without bread! Bread is my weakness, I need it daily. I can't lie, to this date I still miss good bread, but oh well.

I had learned that gluten free was my only option. So, here I am.

Of course I didn't want to miss out on my occasional "S'more" or flaky pie crust, so I had to establish a healthy/enjoyable gluten free diet, and not be intimidated by this new approach to cooking.

There are many foods that you can enjoy on a gluten free diet without even thinking! Go to your local farmers market and see what is in season. Don't forget that these farmers are there to answer your questions and to give advice. If you are unsure of a products quality or use, ask for assistance or a taste. Be sure to tell them on the next visit how much you enjoyed their products. If you stick to a whole foods based diet, living gluten free is a breeze. This means avoiding the processed foods, including the "healthy" ones.

There will always be a void where those gluten rich items once were, but you'll be feeling better in no time.

This week I plan on cooking some good classic comfort foods since the 60 degree winter temps have settled in, brrrr! I'll share some of the recipes later in the week.

 

Another day of play in the kitchen
Last week I stumbled upon these pasta samples from "Explore-Asia" and I had to give them a try. You can read last weeks "Plying with my Food" here for more on the product. The black bean pasta I used for this recipe had a great texture after only three and a half minutes of cooking. I chose bright colors for this cold salad. I used several fresh fruits and vegetables to prepare the salad, feel free to substitute what you have available, and what's fresh. Jicama could be used in place of red peppers for texture, carrots would add nice color, have fun! For the dressing I utilized juice from the oranges and added rice wine vinegar to give it a bite. The sweetness of the dressing is rounded out with sesame oil, which also adds a nutty flavor. This salad also works well with Quinoa in place of the pasta. 1 Cup of Quinoa(dry) should be plenty. Follow instructions on package to prepare.
 
 

INGREDIENTS

7 oz. package Explore Asian black bean spaghetti

2 ea. green onion, sliced thin

1/2 bunch purple kale, de-stemmed and shredded

1 red bell pepper, small dice

1 mango, peeled and diced

4 tangerines, peeled and sectioned

1 cucumber, seeded and sliced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Dressing

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tsp. Sriracha

1/4 cup sesame oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Serves 4 as Entrée Directions

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add pasta. Cook for 3 1/2  minutes while stirring occasionally. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water. Add pasta to a large bowl and add next 6 ingredients. Make dressing by combining orange juice., vinegar, and Sriracha in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Add dressing to salad and toss gently.

Cream of tomato soup with crackers

We finally had a day of winter in Long Beach this week so I went for my favorite cold weather meal, soup and crackers. The soup recipe is simple, and the crackers actually taste pretty similar to your old favorite.

Tomato soup:
2-28oz cans whole tomatoes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried basil
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp raw sugar
1/2-3/4 cups hvy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes, spices, vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and blend with immersion blender. Add cream, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with basil or shaved parmesan.

Crackers:
1 cup gluten free flour blend. I used an almond based blend.
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp honey or agave syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2-3/4 cup warm water.
Combine first 5 ingredients and blend well. Add water until dough becomes like play-doh consistency. Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and dust with flour. Form dough in to disk and place in center of paper. Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll out to 1/8" thickness. Remove top sheet and transfer dough on bottom sheet of paper to a sheet pan. Using a pizza cutter, cut dough in to 1x1 squares. Do not separate. Brush dough with water and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake in a 400 F oven for 15-18 minutes. Slightly golden brown. Allow to cool and separate crackers.