Holidays

January 2015: Trader Joe’s GF Brownie Mix

This is questionably the most disquieting and rejuvenating time of year. Rounding the last corner of 2014, some of us leave behind familiarity, take comfort in the newly found ability to change, and seek a new beginning. Others are content in with their choices and their seemingly inevitable fate and pray for nothing to change. Some choose to confront our actions of the past year and others choose to move forward without taking a glance at the powdered rubble that lay where they once trekked.

Where do you stand as a new year and new opportunity stand right before us? Are you smiling as you replay back intimate, cherished memories in your head from the year past? Are you regretfully looking back on a year full of mistakes ready for a clean slate? No matter what events transpired in 2014, 2015-or simply the mere idea of a new year- can bring about a fresh start or a reminder of who we are and who we want to be.

How are you going to play the next chapter in the game of life? Well, that is that’s up to you, my friend.

* * * * * *

And the holiday baking continued. Over this winter break, a friend of mine kindly baked me a batch of gluten-free brownies. It’s not too often people are willing to share their baked goods (obviously with good reason) – so do be appreciative of when they do!

They were absolutely de-licious. In each bite, the brownie crumbles apart in your mouth into a perfect combination of silky chocolatey-ness with an immensely chewy texture. I thought I had reached a heaven for brownie-enthuiasts with Betty Crocker’s GF Brownie Mix; however, I was shocked to find that these Trader Joe’s brownies hands down beat out the former reigning champion. Now, mind you, I did not bake these brownies, so I can only pray that they will turn out just as good when I do. Additionally, to mix things up a little, my friend added chopped walnuts to the brownie mix for a little nutty flavor. If you would like to experience the perfection of gluten-free brownies, simply purchase the baking mix from Trader Joe’s, follow the directions on the box, add some chopped walnuts, and voila!

Happy baking and cheers to the endless possibilities the new year may bring!

Anika

December 2014: Betty Crocker GF Chocolate Brownie Mix

“Anything is good if it’s made of chocolate” -Jo Brand

The holiday season is here! Bright lights, gingerbread houses, festive snowman sweaters, peppermint hot chocolate, ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas- the whole ordeal. It’s that time of year to spread warmth and joy, to give a friendly smile to a stranger, and to donate presents to those less fortunate in true holiday spirit. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

In keeping with holiday traditions, I have commenced the journey through a baker’s heaven- starting with a scrumptious batch of gluten-free “double chocolate” brownies. I have made numerous batches of GF brownies over the years, but Betty Crockers GF Chocolate Brownie mix is unparalelled in the field of brownie mixes. Instead of the typical sticky, dense gluten-free brownie, I strived to make a brownie that was immensely chocolatey, fudge-y, and chewy in the middle with a crackly top- the perfect brownie. And that is exactly what I made with this mix.

I had been using Bob’s Red Mill GF Brownie Mix for years. At first, I was satisfied with the mere idea of being able to eat a brownie again. But I soon realized that the brownie itself wasn’t satisfying at all! These brownies were sticky. With each bite, the morsels of brownie would stick to my front teeth and gum line. Definitely not the most pleasant experience! The corner pieces weren’t even worth fighting over- and that’s saying something.

Betty Crockers was my savior. This mix allowed me to make brownies to the point of bakery perfection. I followed the simple recipe on the back of the box: heat up the oven to 350 degrees, grease the baking pan, stir the brownie mix, 1/2 stick of butter, and 2 eggs, spread the batter, and bake. It only takes five-ten minutes to prep before popping the brownies in the oven to bake. I only made one alteration: I added about 1/3 cup of semisweet medium-sized chocolate chips to the batter. I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a chocoholic, and if you are too, I would definitely recommend adding a little more chocolate to enhance the flavor. You can even get creative by adding white and dark chocolate chips to the batter, frosting the brownies with peanut butter, or even sprinkling crushed peppermint for a fun holiday twist!

Hopefully you whip up a batch of brownies or two this holiday season and send in any pictures of your baking creations!!

Cheers,

Anika

Time to Give Thanks

 “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.”

It is the season to give thanks. To express your gratitude to the people that surround you for their unwavering and relentless love through your struggles and successes. To feel grateful for waking up each morning with a new day on the horizon. To not take for granted shelter and warmth, your health, and the food on the table before you. It’s time to travel near or far to gather together with friends and family to appreciate what you have in your life.

And of course, to enjoy a feast.

Thanksgiving is a day full of love. Love for the lovely people cooking up a storm in the kitchen. But more so, love for the  storm that is annually cooked up in the kitchen. Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving dinner? It’s filled with carcinogenic turkey, thick homemade gravy, seasonal sweet pumpkin pie, and many other holiday favorites. But what about those of us who are gluten-free? With these recipes and trading out a few ingredients, you can enjoy all your favorite traditional dishes without compromising on the taste and flavor!

Let’s start with the stuffing. It is an integral part of the Thanksgiving meal- and an easy swap to make it gluten-free. Most stuffing recipes call for diced bread, so simply switch the wheat-based bread with a gluten-free option. Udi’s GF White or Multigrain Bread would be substitute. Alternatively, you could make gluten-free cornbread and use cornbread in the stuffing.

What is turkey without gravy? Nearly every gravy recipe out there calls for wheat or all-purpose flour. The flour is what gives the gravy its thick texture. However, every Thanksgiving, I whip up some gluten-free gravy using Simply Organic’s Brown Gravy Seasoning Mix. I swear by it- it’s easy, flavorful, and gluten-free.

A staple part of the Thanksgiving diet, and the most important in my humble opinion, is dessert. Typically, you can find me indulging in a slice of pumpkin, apple, and and/or pecan pie. And it’s easy as pie to make gluten-free. You can make a nut-based crust or just buy Wholes Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse’s Pie Crust. It’s a frozen, remade gluten-free crust that I have used every year for pumpkin and pecan pies! Or if you’re not a big fan of pie, I have a great pumpkin bread pudding recipe that turned out really well last Thanksgiving.

In addition to these swaps, you can try making my cheesy green bean casserole, which always makes an appearance at the Thanksgiving table, or candied sweet potatoes, which is always a family favorite.

And remember, be thankful for the delicious gluten-free meal you’re going to devour on Thursday!

Cheers!

Anika

Gluten-Free on Halloween?!

Hello, lovely people! Unfortunately we haven’t crossed the finish line on the marathon to gingerbread houses and Christmas carols as yet, but do not fret, we have another holiday pit-stop racing towards us! This Friday is a night for laughs and scares, to be yourself and to be someone or something else entirely, to rekindle your inner kid spirit and to solemnly swear never to do it again at the end of the night. But most importantly, it is a night notorious for us fellow celiacs to slip up and down a chocolate or two that may not be gluten-free.

Yes, I understand that those adorable fun-size chocolate bars don’t have ingredients listed on them- heck most halloween candy doesn’t! That’s why it’s imperative you do your research before so you can enjoy a fun-filled night without anything interfering with your schemes and shenanigans. Below you can find two great links to the most updated list of gluten-free Halloween candy. Please take the time to browse through and make a mental note of any candies or chocolates you thought were gluten-free but do not appear on the list. Steer clear of those on Friday night!!

http://celiac.org/live-gluten-free/gluten-free-lifestyle/gluten-free-candy-list/

http://surefoodsliving.com/2014/10/gluten-free-halloween-candy-quick-list-2014/

Please feel free to comment with any specific questions regarding staying safe and eating gluten-free on Halloween or simply your favorite Halloween treat!

Cheers,

Anika

 

 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cans of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 loaf of GF cinnamon raisin bread, sliced*
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins

First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the sliced bread and raisins in a baking dish ( 11 by 7-inch should be fine). In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, spices, and vanilla and mix. Then, mix in the pumpkin puree. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread. Cover with foil and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until pumpkin pudding has set. Serve warm with ice cream (or just by itself) and enjoy!

Happy holidays!

*I recommend using Glutino’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/pumpkin-ginger-bread-pudding-recipe/index.html

Diwali: Festival of Lights

For those of you know did not know, today is the end of the Indian holiday called Diwali! Diwali is a week-long festival of lights. Traditionally, small clay lamps are lit all around the house to ward off evil. Brightly colored flowers are arranged in festival patterns as a decoration. In addition to lighting up and decorating the house, sweets and snacks are shared between family and friends.

Although there are a variety of gluten-free choices when it comes to Indian food, some specific treats for the holidays may not be suitable. For example, in my family, we make homemade Gulab Jamun (these are comparable to soft, spongy cakes in the shape of Dunkin Donuts’ munchkins served in a sweet syrup). Another great gluten-free treat we make at home is Kalakand (a dense milk cake served in small pieces). Check out my recipe!

Comment if you would like to see some more Indian recipes on the blog.

Happy Diwali!

Anika