Thanksgiving 2012 & feeding the stuffing addiction

CB thinks it's hilarious when I wear his apron because I can't eat pork.

I have to admit, Thanksgiving went down better than I ever anticipated.  I made the entire meal gluten-free rather than having things I couldn't eat after I slaved over it for two days.

Here was our menu:

Turkey (cheated and bought a Marks and Spencers ready-to-roast job)
Gravy
Cornbread and bacon stuffing
Sweet potato casserole
Green bean casserole
Pecan-crusted spinach and artichoke dip
Baked macaroni and cheese
Sour cream mashed potatoes
Pao de queijo (not traditional Thanksgiving by far, but I wanted rolls, and this is what I got)
Pumpkin cheesecake
Pumpkin cupcakes

I was going to make oven-roasted root vegetables but decided at the last minute that we had more than enough food already.

Clockwise from top left: Cornbread and bacon stuffing, sour cream mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin cupcakes, pecan-crusted spinach and artichoke dip, pao de queijo, turkey breast, green bean casserole (left), sweet potato casserole (right), and the shining sun in the center is the baked macaroni and cheese. Pumpkin cheesecake not pictured.  And, yes, we have a terrible tablecloth.  We know.

When I was young, I became fascinated with stuffing.  It was my favourite part of Thanksgiving, and I remember being so excited when I found out you could eat it other times of the year.  I begged for it until my mother finally showed me a box and told me I could make it myself.  No, it's not good for you, and it's especially not good for you from a box!

When I found out I couldn't eat gluten, stuffing was the first thing that came to mind.  Instantly, I wanted it all the time and for every meal.  Gluten-free stuffing mixes exist here (well, at least one), and, while tasty, they just don't scratch the itch of this Stove Top purist.  I'm afraid nothing ever will.  However, last year, while visiting my parents for Christmas, I came upon a recipe that I adapted into a satisfying replacement.  Don't get me wrong -- it doesn't taste like Stove Top -- but it is good enough to go back for seconds.  I used a bag of Bob's Red Mill cornbread mix last year, but I didn't have one for Thanksgiving.  I immediately went to the Gluten Free Goddess and located something I could make work for me with several adjustments.  So, without further ado, here is my version of what makes Thanksgiving Thanksgiving.

Cornbread and Bacon Stuffing

Sweet Cornbread

Ingredients:
1 cup stone ground gluten-free cornmeal
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional -- not included in dry ingredients list)
1/2 cup organic light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 cup very warm water
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
2 extra tablespoons water, if needed

Hardware:
Cast iron skillet
Oven
2 mixing bowls
2 whisks
Measuring cups and spoons
Spatula (to get the last bits out of the bowl)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C with lightly greased skillet inside.

Combine the dry ingredients -- cornmeal, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt, and brown sugar -- in a bowl and whisk until they are thoroughly combined.  Set aside.

Whisk the eggs and olive oil together for about 1 minute.  This is where the original recipe had me confused.  I checked the comments and notes, and it seems like I'm the only person who can't seem to figure it out.  I don't see where the warm water and juice is meant to be added.  I choose to add it here, as I thought it might be lumpy if you tried to mix it in later.  So, add the lime juice and the warm water. Mix to combine.

Add the dry bowl to the wet bowl in three or four portions, ensuring to mix thoroughly between each portion.  You are looking for a smooth, cake-like batter; do not beat it past when it looks like cake batter.  If your batter is too thick, add in a little extra warm water, bit by bit, until you get the consistency you want.  Mine came out perfect without extra water.

Remove the skillet from the oven (carefully!) and sprinkle the coarse sea salt into it.  The salt here is optional, but I love the complexity it gives a sweet cornbread.  Pour the batter into the skillet, scraping the bowl with the spatula to make sure you have it all.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Definitely check on it at 25 minutes because mine did not need any longer.  Let the cornbread cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving (or turning it into stuffing).

Stuffing

Ingredients:
3 cups crumbled cornbread
6 slices gluten-free bread, toasted
6 slices bacon (I used 4 slices of turkey bacon [turkey bacon has bigger pieces because there is less fat])
2 eggs
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped (I didn't bother)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Hardware:
Casserole dish with lid that can go in oven
Oven
Stove
Small bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Frying pan or skillet
Various kitchen utensils (fork, spatula, something to help with frying)
Mixing bowl

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.

Cut the toasted bread into small cubes.  Set aside.

Fry the bacon until crispy and remove from the pan.  If you are using veggie or turkey bacon, add some oil to the pan, as there is a lot less fat in them than pork bacon.  Add the onion, celery, sage, and thyme to the pan and fry until the onion is tender and translucent.  Remove from heat.  Crumble cooled bacon back into the pan.

In the small bowl, beat the eggs with the fork.  Add to the mixing bowl with the bacon and onions/celery and all seasonings -- salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.  Fold together with the fork.  Add the cornbread crumbles and bread cubes and fold with the spatula.  Try to ensure that all the dry parts are covered.  Pour half of the chicken broth over the mixture and fold with the spatula.  Assess how much more broth you need (I needed the whole cup) to completely moisten the mixture and add it in.  Fold again.

Pour the mixture into the casserole dish (no need for greasing) and cover.  Bake in oven for 30 minutes.  Alternatively, it can be used to stuff a bird instead of baking.  I'm not that adventurous yet.

R.I.P. Autumn

I don't care what the actual dates or markers are for the end of autumn.  This is it for me.

This is the last pumpkin of 2012.

CB likes food, too

Sometimes I'm so selfless, I make food for people I can't even eat! Now that I'm truly getting better from my surgery, I'm trying to do more things when I'm not grading essays.  This week, I made a lunch (and dinner) for CB that had prawns -- a food I am VERY allergic to -- but was actually gluten-free.  I made myself a dinner out of the non-prawny leftovers with a wee bit of chicken cooked with the same flavours but with olive oil instead of the butter.  I'm pretty sure this would be tasty without any meat if you amp up the veggies a bit more.  Any veggies could go well with it, I think.  If you substituted the butter, you could even make it vegan!

Prawn and Veggie Quinoa

Ingredients
prawns -- 8-9 per person, I cheated and bought peeled & cooked, but it was to be sure I wasn't in too much contact with them
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water (plus some in a bowl)
1 vegetable stock cube (optional)
handful of black olives, pitted
handful of cherry tomatoes
handful of green beans
half-head of broccoli
1 lime
little gem lettuce -- or small romaine leaves
fresh coriander leaves -- cilantro on that side of the ocean
a few tablespoons of butter
garlic powder
chili flakes
black pepper

Hardware
mixing bowl
a couple of pots and pans (at least one pot with a lid)
stove
bowl
fine mesh strainer
colander
assorted metal cooking utensils
knife

Directions
Pour the quinoa into the mesh strainer and rinse under water for about two minutes, rubbing the grains within your fingers.  This step is important because quinoa can taste bitter and woody if you don't remove the natural outer coating.  Some quinoa comes pre-scrubbed, but I still give it a go-over.  In a decent-sized pot, melt enough butter to coat the bottom. Toss in the quinoa and stir vigorously until you get a nutty scent.  If, like me, you have spent most of your life nasally-impaired, this takes about 45 seconds to a minute.  Pour the water over the quinoa and stir.  When the water begins to boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  If there is still water in the pan, re-cover and let it continue to simmer until all the water evaporates.  Turn off the heat and let it stand uncovered for five minutes.  Dump it into the mixing bowl and fluff with a fork.

Boil water in another pot with a bit of sea salt.  Chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces.  I cooked the broccoli and the green beans together because, well, I don't see why not.  Cook to your desired consistency, drain, and dunk immediately in a bowl of cold water for a minute or so.

Cut the green beans into manageable pieces.  Drop it and the broccoli into the mixing bowl with the quinoa.  Cut the olives in half and toss in the quinoa.  Chop the coriander roughly (I used herb scissors I got as a wedding present that made me feel very special indeed) into the mix.  Toss it all together until it is well-mixed.

Ok, I tried to get a little fancy with the tomatoes.  I cut them in half and put them in a very hot, heavy-bottomed pan -- NOT flat side down.  If you put them flat side down, the heat will pull the seeds out and get gunky. But, the magic is, if you leave them down on one round part and leave them there for a couple of minutes, they will char on that side and create a sweetness throughout the whole bite.  Just make sure to remove them before they start smoking and dump them in the mixing bowl.

Now for the prawns!  I don't generally cook things I'm allergic to, so I'm glad these came out as well as they did.  I put a fair amount of butter in a pan -- more than I thought was needed, actually.  Toss in the garlic powder, chili flakes, and black pepper. Squeeze half the lime (don't worry about trying too hard) into the butter and spice mixture and stir it all around.  When it's nice and bubbly and coating the entire pan surface -- and then some! -- place the prawns in one at a time.  I like to place them into the pan clockwise, so I know what order to flip them.  After about 30 seconds, swirl the pan around.  After another 30 seconds, flip them over.  Do the same again.  Obviously, if you have uncooked prawns to started, you're going to need to cook them more.  I have no idea about that.

Place the lettuce leaves out on a plate. Spoon the quinoa mixture on top of them. Place the prawns on top.  Offer up lime wedges for an extra tang.

Here is CB's lunch box for Monday. It may not look like it, but there was a TON of quinoa packed in there (and a lime wedge in the wee box).

Jennifer Esposito calls out CBS and I make tacos

Lest I fall into the same pattern as the shops around town, I made sure to make my mother a gluten-free dinner that didn't have to be made with exceptions or substitutions.  It's not hard to find a cake or cookie suitable for a gluten-free lifestyle in Tesco or M&S; this is not to say that they are all tasty!  However, it's much harder to find a decent loaf of bread.  Considering all the foods that have "hidden" gluten -- meaning, not just bread -- it's more important that we can eat dinner than dessert!

As I watch my mother struggle with her new lifestyle, I realise how lucky I was to have supportive folks around me as I worked my way through the changes.  I did it very much alone in the sense that I didn't know anyone who could give me advice or show me the ropes, but I did have my husband (while he was still on the way to being my husband) and our families for moral support.

All these thoughts were piqued today when I read this article: Blue Bloods' Jennifer Esposito Departs Show, Slams CBS For Its 'Shameful Behavior'.  I don't know this actress (I mean, I've seen her in things) or anyone else on the show or in the network, so I can't speak to what truly happened.  However, her words "[...] CBS implied that I was not truly ill [...]" struck such a chord with me.  I know most Celiacs don't like to actually say "Celiac Disease" because it sounds so terrible like that.  However, it IS a disease, and it is something that requires actual treatment and consideration.  Some people think that, just because the most-known treatment is not eating particular food that it's not as bad as other diseases.  You don't hear people saying the same about Diabetes, which also involves a specific diet as a major form of treatment.  While, like I said, I don't know for a fact that CBS acted terribly, her phrasing makes it sounds real.  It is something that happens, and it shouldn't.

Anyway, so, in an effort to support my mother through the process and show her that real food is within reach, I made tacos.  Tacos have long been one of her favourite meals, but removing both beef and gluten from her diet have made the concept of making them unappealing for her.  What follows isn't really a recipe for tacos as much as it is just a chronicle of the meal.

I made tortillas with masa harina (OH! That is what was in the mystery jar! Mystery solved!), water, and sea salt in my tortilla press. I fried them without oil in a cast iron skillet and kept them warm until everything else was prepared.  I battered the chicken lightly in a seasoned corn meal and pan fried.  It was served with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and salsa (I decided against the salsa because of my recent surgery).  It was a great send-off for my mother's last meal in Belfast (this time!).

Gluten-free facts, part 2

1.  When you first stop eating gluten, your body will be very confused.  You will likely get hungry all the time.  My suggestion is, for the first week or so (listen to your body!), really up your protein intake.  Don't immediately move to gluten-free substitutions unless you have to because your body will grab hold of them and immediately slow down its processing.  I carried around turkey jerky in my handbag.  Yes, it was super-classy.

2.  Your energy levels will probably hit an all-time low for the first couple of days after leaving behind gluten.  I don't suggest moving to a gluten-free diet when you have a big meeting or when your kids have a weekend full of baseball practices.  That being said, if you look at your calendar and find yourself making excuses for every few days, JUST DO IT.  After the low comes the best all-time energy high you have probably experienced in your entire life.  I swear, I think my eyes were even bigger!  Everyone began complimenting me -- did I lose weight? did I change my hair?  I just took the things my body saw as poisons out of my body!

3.  As far as pasta is concerned, brown rice pastas are the best.  They hold their texture and really hold up to overcooking.  The first time I made baked macaroni without wheat pasta, I tried a mostly-corn pasta.  I cooked it according to the directions, and it was a little soggy.  However, once I added the rest of the ingredients, it didn't hold up.  I was left with a wet pasta mush at the bottom of the dish with too-thick sauce along the top.  It was gross.  I eventually tried again with a brown rice pasta, and it was perfect.  I couldn't tell the difference between it and the wheat version.

4.  In the first part of my gluten-free facts, I mentioned that it's better to make your own sauces.  Honestly, if you have the time, it will always pay off to make any of your own gluten-free foods than to buy them.  I'd say the exception is probably bread because baking bread is not something everyone enjoys or can do.  I don't say that to be offensive.  My first loaf of gluten-free bread was a gluey mess. It made me not want to try again.

5.  Gluten affects everyone differently, not just those with gluten allergies/intolerances and not.  I need things to be handled carefully, using different utensils for my food and to make sure they don't touch.  I need precautions with things that you might never even consider -- even though the crumbs fall through a toaster, all those gluteny crumbs are heating up all over your gluten-free bread!  If you're less sensitive, please be understanding to people who take more precautions than you do.  If you're more sensitive, please be understanding that not everyone has to jump through all the same hoops as you do.  Neither one is doing it to be belligerent, so please don't act as though you know what's best for someone else.

Always forward, just sometimes with cheesecake

Sydney likes breathing!  My surgery has come and gone, and I'm definitely on the path to recovering well.  I had the last of the things intruding into my face removed on Monday, and now I just have to let it do what it's meant to do.  In the meantime, I'm learning about breathing through my nose -- which should be a reflex but isn't anymore after years of disuse.

One of the great things about the surgery was that my mother was able to come and look after me.  I didn't know in what way she would be helpful, but she definitely was.  She did the majority of the cooking and cleaning, allowing CB to go to work without guilt.  I used what energy I had to pursue what I felt like was a a very noble goal:

Make Mum feel less crap about living gluten-free

I wanted to show her that, while not always easy -- especially not in places like Belfast or rural Georgia -- a gluten-free life doesn't have to be completely depressing. A couple of months ago, Mum had to undergo a battery of allergy tests, completely changing the way she lives her life.  Unfortunately, but, I'm sure, not coincidentally, many of the things she's been told to remove from her diet are the very things I've removed after years of trial and error.  The biggies: gluten and beef.

Since I wasn't quite up to my standard, I instructed her on making those pumpkin cupcakes I do so adore.  Before she arrived, I also whipped up a favourite I perfected last year: pumpkin cheesecake.  (Can you tell it's autumn, and I've gotten a pumpkin from the market?)

My mother was quite like me about pumpkin before I'd tried it.  I remember thinking I hated pumpkin because I didn't care for a lot of other squashes. I'd never even carved a pumpkin until I was 16.  I got the flu when I was in college, and a friend sent over muffins to cheer me up.  I had no idea what they were.  From a box, she said, and frosting from a can.  Yeah, but what flavour?  It absolutely blew my mind to discover they were pumpkin.

It wasn't until I moved to Northern Ireland that I started craving pumpkin.  I think it was a response to knowing I wasn't in America but REALLY starting to feel it.  Unfortunately, pumpkins are only available in the month of October here, so I missed out the first time around for not recognizing my craving soon enough.  Last year, after having lost another piece of my Americanness by marrying a Northern Irish man, I grabbed hold to as many pumpkins as I could, and the pumpkin cheesecake is one of the results.

I didn't get any beautiful pictures because it was gone that fast.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups pureed pumpkin
3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (separated into 2 halves)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups gluten-free graham cracker or digestive biscuit crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 stick salted butter, melted

Hardware:
oven
springform pan
flexible spatula
Ruby (or mixer, or strong arms)
mixing bowl (2 if you don't use a mixer)
wooden spoon
measuring cups and spoons
egg separator (not necessary, but I just got a new one that I adore)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F/175°C.

In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon.  Press the mixture into the bottom of your springform pan.

Using a mixer or your wooden spoon, whip the cream cheese by itself until it gets shinier.  There's not really a perfect thing to say to look for.  You want it smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, remaining cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Mix together until combined.  Add in the flour and vanilla extract.  Make sure everything looks uniform.

Lumps aren't a good idea.  I made one where I found there was a bit of unmixed cream cheese at the bottom of the bowl; I threw it on the top of the cheesecake, thinking it would all melt in together.  WRONG.  I had white lumps of no flavour in the finished product.  Though, I will admit that I like to leave some of the pumpkin a little chunky, sometimes.  This gives you a cheese with a little extra texture and bit of a fruity bite.  If you don't like that, don't do that.  If you're using canned pumpkin, you don't have much choice there.

Pour the mixture over the crumb base. Gently tap it on the countertop to remove any big air bubbles.  If you don't, they will find their ways to the top and create big, burnt, air-filled lumps on the surface.  Bake for 55-60 minutes.  When it is completed, leave it to cool at room temperature for 20 minutes before covering with cling film (or a large plate if it's more handy) and moving it to the refrigerator for 4 hours.  At this point, remove the sides of the springform and either leave it on the base or put it on a cake stand or plate or whatever you have around.  I don't like to leave it on the base because, when I slice through the cheesecake, I don't want to knick the coating of the pan.

When serving, I like to make it look fancy with a light dusting of icing sugar (powdered sugar) or cinnamon . . . or an icing sugar/cinnamon mix! . . . and a dollop of whipped cream on the top.

Give it to someone who doesn't like pumpkin.

Chronically Me . . . and you . . . and you

Visit chronicallyme.com for more

I usually try to focus on the positive aspects (I hear you snorting already) of having digestive conditions.  Sometimes, though, you just get touched that someone else knows exactly what crap you are dealing with everyday.  This comic is PERFECT.  CB always comments -- though he generally forgets by morning -- that, as soon as I get comfortable in bed, I'm up and down to the bathroom.  It's as though my body thinks it has free reign once gravity isn't such an issue anymore.

The biggest "positive" I always keep in mind is that I'm far more in tune with my body than I ever have been.  This is coming from the girl who would always go to the doctor with "I think I have X." "No, no," says Doctor, "I'm sure it's not."  And, lo and behold, it was always X!  Once my IBS started up in earnest, I never really knew what my body was trying to tell me.

I remember last year, a week after all my tests had been done, after all the scopes had been up or down their respective routes, phoning my doctor to ask how long I needed to take the prescribed medicine.  The answer wasn't sugar-coated: "The rest of your life."

The pills in question turned me into a zombie.  I was prescribed 8 of them a day -- 2 when I woke, 2 at lunch, 2 at dinner, and 2 at bed time.  I don't think anyone quite believed me when I said I didn't have the energy to get up to get myself a glass of water.  All I could do was lie there.  It hurt to be hungry, but it hurt to eat.  My mother actually, unfortunately, experienced what I meant when she was prescribed the same pills.  She was told to have 3 a day -- not 8, like me -- and, after the first dose, she felt like she was moving in slow motion and didn't even have the energy to finish her dinner.  She couldn't follow a conversation. (If you're wondering, yes, I did get the gift of gab from her, so it was a particularly difficult time!)  She told her doctor that she would only take them on very bad days.

I finally went to my GP and explained that I could not live like a zombie anymore. We tried another tablet.  I didn't feel like a zombie, but I didn't feel any relief, either.  Another, some relief.  It got rid of the more dull achy pains, but I still had the stabby ones that have dropped me to the floor at times.  Finally, they decided to pair it with an anti-anxiety pill.  Sweet relief!  It got rid of most of the pain!

There was a trade-off, though.  Every day, regardless of how I was feeling, my stomach was swollen.  I was used to swelling off and on, but this was constant.  I was worn out.  I also began to realise that I didn't know what my body was telling me anymore.  I'm sore, but why?  Was it food?  Was it exercise?  Was I simply overly tired?  Was it -- gasp! -- just that time of that day, and it was just going to happen?

I made one of Sydney's Patented Executive Life Decisions and weaned myself off all of my pills.  Are they helpful? Sure, but they don't actually make me any better.  In the long run, they weren't doing anything.  They were making me temporarily more comfortable but also more complacent.  I can tolerate pain.  I can recognise it, acknowledge it, and file it away.  It can frustrate me, but it rarely stops me.

I've been doing remarkably well.  Do I have pains?  Yep, but I think about them less because they are not a worry; they are what they are.  Do I still swell?  Yep, I am still six months fake-pregnant on some days.  Do I have more energy?  On most days, I think I do.  I still get worn down, perhaps a bit easier at times, but I feel like my body is saying You can do it rather than You know, you probably shouldn't.  And, that's the other thing: I can hear what my body is saying.  You could do without eating that food again.  You overdid it on the lifting boxes.  What makes you think you can pull more than your own weight? And, perhaps the most important thing it tells me.  Calm down; you need a rest, but you'll be stronger tomorrow.

I am listening again.

A Tale of Two Jars

I love glass jars.  They are perfect for storing the tons and tons of gluten-free flours necessary to be a real gluten-free baker.  I also keep things like pine nuts, chocolate chips, oats, lavender, and various rice pastas among their ranks.  Because there is such a range, my most important tool is my label maker.

CB thought I was crazy when I said I needed a label maker when I bought my first jars.  It soon became obvious just how necessary it really was.  I even have two jars which are not Celiac-friendly -- regular oats and wheat flour.  Labeling has become more and more important as my kitchen and my skills grow.

And then there was this guy.

I had my mind set last night on a baking project.  It was part "I want to make it!", part "This is a good excuse to put away some jars and get them out of boxes!".  I fully admit it.  CB was helping me to get everything together, and he holds up one big, full jar.  "What is it?" he asks.  I suddenly realise that I have no freaking clue.

I do remember how it happened, though.  Several months ago, we were packing away all our earthly belongings for the great move that never transpired.  I saw an empty jar and a bag of flour.  I didn't want the bag to burst open inside a box (Could you imagine the looks on the customs officers' faces when they see a box covered in white powder?!), so I dumped it into the jar.  CB says, "But we've already packed your label maker?  How will we know what it is?" "Well," I wisely explain, "We'll know it's X FLOUR because it's the only one without a label." "Good idea!" he says.

Good idea, my butt.  Months later, I'm sitting here trying to compare the weight, texture, and colour of the flour to fill in the blanks.  What are you?  There is the remnant of a label on the glass.  What did you used to be?  Why aren't you that anymore?

At the end of the day, I am no more knowledgeable on what he is than what he is not (except almond flour.  He is not almond flour.).  It didn't matter for my project, though.  Ruby and I went about our business and created a masterpiece anyway. 

I got this recipe from Gluten-Free Goddess, which is a site I wish I had found ages ago.  I didn't make my cupcakes vegan because, well, I'm not vegan, and vegan products are pretty expensive around here. I also played it pretty fast and loose with the smaller measurements.  I can't say exactly why I did it, though.  It doesn't sound like me. 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Hardware:
Ruby (okay, okay, a mixer of some sort)
mixing bowl (if you are using a stand mixer, you can use the bowl from it)
flexible spatula
cupcake liners
muffin tins
measuring cups and spoons
oven
wooden spoon
whisk

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

Dump all the dry ingredients (sorghum flour, brown sugar, tapioca starch, sugar, almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg) into your mixing bowl.  Whisk by hand or with whisk attachment on mixer.  I suggest the whisk because, with so many dry ingredients, you want to make sure there aren't any lumps and everything is well-combined.

Add in (melted! Always measure by melting! I can't believe I haven't said it earlier!  You can pop it in the microwave for a short time -- watch continuously and stir every 10 seconds.) coconut oil a little at a time.  Switch to your wooden spoon and watch for it to completely combine before adding more.  The texture should be like wet sand when it's all in the mixture.  Add your pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Here's where having a mixer saves the day.  Your end result is a thick and stretchy batter, so guess how it gets that way.  If you aren't using a mixer, it gets there with hard work.  I let Ruby at it on Setting 8 (medium high) for about 2-3 minutes.  The original recipe said 1-2, but I found it wasn't completely combined by then.  A hand mixer will probably take the same amount of time.  I don't know how long if you're just using a spoon, but I don't envy you right now.

Fill your cupcake liners with your batter.  Since my oven broke two of my silicon muffin tins (I don't know how; please don't ask.), I'm down to only one muffin tin, so batches were in order.  I didn't know how much the batter would rise, so, on my first batch, I filled the liners only halfway.  It didn't rise very much, so the tops of the cupcakes were below the tops of the liners.  On the second batch, I filled them 3/4 to the top, and they were almost there.  Next time, I'm going to fill them nearly to the edge and cross my fingers.  The recipe also says to smooth the tops. I thought my batter looked pretty smooth and figured it would spread out when it got hot, so I didn't bother.  It doesn't affect the taste at all, but I wish I had listened because they rose unevenly.

Bake for 22-25 minutes.  Because I don't yet have a good relationship with my ovens, I checked on them after 15 minutes.  20 minutes.  22 minutes.  I took the first, smaller batch out after 22, and I left the more full second batch in for the full 25.  Watch carefully in these last minutes if you fill your liners higher and leave them in longer because I can't guarantee any results.

Let them cool in the muffin tin until you can touch them without burning yourself.  Move them to a wire rack to cool for an hour.

Time for your frosting!  I have to admit that I have never made frosting or used a piping bag.  It's shameful, I know, and it's not beautiful.  Again, I used a newly scrubbed Ruby to whip it all together.  If you don't have a stand mixer, you'll need to whisk it all together again.

Start with your powdered sugar and give it a good whisk before you add anything to it.  Lumps will not be easy to get rid of once you add the other ingredients.  Alternatively, you could sift it into your bowl.  Add the cream cheese and maple syrup and whisk until thoroughly combined.  You can use a piping bag or spread it with a knife.

My icing was a bit too sweet for my tastes and didn't taste enough like maple, so I will lower the amount of sugar and up the maple syrup next time.  It's all to your taste.  Give it a lick when you finish and you can decide what you need to do for your own.  I think I'll just eyeball the sugar and go for 4 tablespoons of maple syrup next time.

Oh, there will be a next time.

Best Friends Forever

We are finally settling into the new house, just in time for everything to go topsy-turvy pretty soon.  I'm having what I refer to as my "nose job" in 11 days.  I know, I know, I can hear you already. "But, Sydney! You have the perfect nose! You have the nose every girl dreams about when she thinks of her fairy tale future!  Tons of women take pictures of you when they go to have nose jobs!"  Well, you can calm down.  It's okay.  The outside of my nose shouldn't change at all.

It's the inside that is getting a makeover!  Ever since I was very tiny (Mum, care to chime in with specifics?), I've had chronic sinusitis and difficulty breathing at even the best of times.  Well, sometime last year (I'm being coy.  I know exactly when.), my nose stopped and never started again.  Antibiotic after antibiotic (which I hate -- almost as much as excessive parenthetical comments!), nasal spray after nasal spray, nothing.  Doctors, scans, doctors not calling back, unfruitful follow-ups, and finally!  Someone decides that something needs to be done!  So, in 11 days, I'll be having three procedures inside my nose -- 1) removing two bits of bone that are making passageways too narrow; 2) realigning my party wall, which meets the bottom of my nose in exactly the right place but bends in the middle; 3) cauterizing the lumpy lining of my nostrils that prevents anything from draining down the right paths.  You see why I just say I'm having a nose job?!

One of the most exciting things about my nose job is: If you think Sydney Likes Food now, just wait until she can actually taste it!

Regardless, the house is coming together beautifully, if slowly.  I've been cooking, but it's been mainly old standbys that don't take too long.  We're still acclimating to the schedule change; CB has never had a full time job!  He did do his PhD, which was definitely more than a full time job, but it typically involved him hunching over a desk in his home office/spare room/chinchilla abode.  This job requires him to be out of the house for more than 10 hours a day, and I have to figure out what to do with myself in the empty space.  (If I'm honest, it's mostly academic for me, now, too.  I should be grading papers right now.)  I did make one new meal that was delicious, but the texture needs a little tweaking, as does my understanding of the new ovens.  I'm going to give it a shot again this week, so, if all goes well, I'll photograph and properly document it here soon.

Ah, yes, but the title of the post.  I have a new kitchen friend.  I feel like I have known this friend forever because of how long I have wanted -- nay, needed! -- it amongst my tools.  I will never let it go.  We will make so many yummy things together.  You just wait.

Meet Ruby:

One lie about cupcakes and one curiosity fulfilled

As I mentioned in my last post, CB got a job.  We have started and ended house-hunting, and, for those of you crossing your fingers for me, I got a great kitchen and a yarn room that I don't have to share (except with this spoiled rotten little gem).

Until we move in, I'm basically chronicling thoughts and meals, which, admittedly, isn't the most interesting way to keep a food blog.  Every time I think about getting into creative mode in the kitchen, I'm confronted with the idea that this is not-my-kitchen and these are not-my-things.  So, back to CB got a job, and we looked at houses.

The day that he found out he had gotten the job, I decided he needed a little something of recognition. I spoil him, I do.  I secretly arranged with the woman who made our wedding cake to make a tiny congratulations cake for him.  The best part of her cakes is that not only are they tasty, but they have little clay figurines on top.  I dare say more people commented on how good our little figures looked on the big day than commented on how good we looked!

The reason I mention the cake, besides just being very tickled by it, is that The Little Cupcake Cafe is one of the few places in Belfast to get a decent gluten-free treat.  I had already arranged with CB's mother to help me pick up the cake, but it was turning into a logistical nightmare to try to get it without him knowing.  Thus, the little white cupcake lie.

Ah, yes, the sunny days of house-hunting.  While the rain was holding off, we decided a constructive use of our time was to simply take a taxi to a nice neighbourhood and walk until our feet fell off.  We made notes of real estate agencies and houses that looked pleasant.  We walked, got a little sunburned, and ended up with just about nothing once we looked up the prices.  We kept fairly good moods, considering the poor luck we were having.

Until Cake Day.

We were well across town from the shop, and I declared that I wanted a cupcake.  An hour later, it escalated to my needing a cupcake.  Another hour and CB was simply refusing me a cupcake.  Never mind that we were too far away for either of us to do anything about it.  By the end of our house search, I said that I was going to get a cupcake because his mother wouldn't like to hear of his refusing me a simple pleasure; she would surely drive me to get one.  She played along brilliantly, feigning exasperation at her son and immediately driving to the only shop which could provide me with what I wanted.

We sat down for a cup of tea and a cupcake.  Cathy, the fondant artiste, silently showed me the cake and placed it behind the till.  I managed to signal to the girl working the counter that I was to pay for the cake while asking for a glass of water; she casually slipped my change on the counter and walked away, enjoying the bit of espionage.

As we were standing to leave, I said to CB, "That box behind the till says 'Burke'.  Do you think it's for us?"
CB: "Burke is a common name.  I'm sure it's not."
Me: "But it could be?"
CB's Mum: "Did you buy Sydney a box of cupcakes?!"
CB: "No, let's leave." (getting a bit embarrassed by now)
I peek behind the till.  "But, it has MY name on it."
CB: "Sure it does."
I am handed the box.  "Look, it does!"  I open the box and all is revealed.  I thought he was going to hit the floor with shock.  After he eyes up the little figure of himself, I add: "I didn't even want a cupcake."

Less sneaky but equally as exciting (for me. Only me.) was the idea of eating on our short trip to Dublin.  As a thank you present for helping him with the application and interview preparation for his job (and probably for constantly stating how much I believe in him), CB bought two tickets to see Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance in the Gate Theatre in Dublin. [Go!  See it!  Bring a wee hand fan because it is boiling inside!]  We already had our mind set on where to eat dinner before the show, but we still had an opening for lunch the next day.  CB sent me a link with gluten-free possibilities to browse, and there it was.  The restaurant that had managed to slip my mind that I used to obsess over visiting.

Cornucopia.

It was somehow a hundred times better than I even imagined it.  We got there just before the major lunch crowd, so we got a table just as we got our food.  By crowd I mean that the queue was completely out the door, and people were sharing every little corner of tables just to be able to eat.  The menu is a set of blackboards behind the counter.  Not everything is gluten-free, but everything is vegetarian.  There was a legend hanging above the blackboard explaining what was egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, chili-free, vegan, etc.  It truly felt empowering not to have to ask what was in something before I ordered.  I am aware that that last statement will sound completely alien to anyone without dietary restrictions, but I felt like I owned the place when I ordered my food.

THIS was the amazing, empowered meal I had.  Curry and rice with sweet potato, carrot, chickpea, fine beans, and broccoli; kidney bean, tofu, and rocket salad; and a garlic and almond potato salad.  100% vegan, 100% gluten-free, 100% giddy-inducing.  Eat there.  Just do it.

Don't let them get you down

The title of this post is directed, mainly, at myself.  I'm reminded everyday that I have an issue, a condition, something that makes me different.  It's not presented as a particularly negative thing, but I can't help but sometimes internalise it as such.

My husband CB and I are in a transitional period.  For a while, we weren't sure which side of the ocean we would be calling home.  The lease on our house was up in July, there was one more job over here that wouldn't be decided until August, and, well, visas take a while to process.  Short term leases are really only available on efficiency apartments or really poorly everything-ed student houses.  So, we've been living in CB's parents' house for the past month.  They have been gracious and welcoming, but then there's the food thing.  As they want to be accommodating, and the family dinner is often a big deal, I'm forever hearing, "Can you eat this?", "Where is good for you?", "Which is better: X or Y?".  I know that every one of those sentences means they are trying, they are considering me, and they are not just leaving me to fend for myself, but I can't help but remember that, in our own house, it was simply a given.  I can eat this, I can't eat that.  It wasn't really discussed unless it was in a positive way: "Guess what I just learned I can eat!"

CB got the job -- which I'm convinced was the only job left in Northern Ireland -- so we begin our house hunting today.  Visas get put off a while longer.  I get to start planning my new kitchen.

I can't say that my time in this house has been without inspiration.  I'm referring to the Olympics but trying to steer clear of being just another blogger talking about the Olympics.  I've been learning (and educating) about athletes that are Celiac/gluten-intolerant.  Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis player who failed to place in these Olympics but won Wimbledon in 2011, has a gluten intolerance.  In fact, he credits his Wimbledon title to this discovery, as he was able to train longer, harder, and faster once he omitted gluten from his diet.  Jenn Suhr, Gold medalist in the pole vault for the USA, tested positive for Celiac Disease only last year.  She was finding it difficult to maintain her strength in training sessions and would even put off eating solid foods until after the training day was done.  She eliminated the gluten and brought home a gold medal this year.

What I'm not saying is that not eating gluten will take you to the Olympics.  What I am saying is that, even with a condition that can be so depressing and something that factors into your daily life, you can excel to whatever level is appropriate for you.  I need to lose all this weight from my medical ups and downs (mostly downs) last year, but I've often allowed lethargy and stomach pain stop me from pushing myself.  But, I'm going to do it.  I've got the swimsuit hanging in the wardrobe.  I brought my tennis racket over from where it sat, dusty, in my parents' house in America.  I'm going to do it.

I might just leave the pole vaulting to Suhr, though.

Brava, Sligo!

When I decided -- with my husband and his family -- to go on a weeklong holiday in the west of Ireland, I honestly wasn't sure if I would end up starving to death while we were gone.  After all, "gluten" seems like such a foreign word in rural places, and let's just forget about "Celiac"!

To my extremely pleasant surprise, it turns out that Sligo, Ireland is a Mecca for Celiacs.  I was even able to do something that is a no-go in the big city of Belfast -- eat breakfast in a restaurant!  I'm so happy that my favourite little town in the world is able to cater for my particular needs so well.

It appears that the reason Sligo is so Celiac-friendly is because of the hospital in town.  In 2010, they began testing and trials based around Celiac (Coeliac) and Hemochromotosis ("iron-overload").  Apparently, the incidence of Celiac diagnosis in northwest Ireland is very high, and gluten-related investigations in Sligo's hospital sit at about 2,000 cases per year.  That number is extremely high when considering Sligo is a very small place.  Sligo now has the technology to perform Celiac testing in house, rather than sending the materials to Dublin for processing.

I was previously in Sligo in 2008.  Though I can honestly say that I wasn't looking for gluten-free options in restaurants, I do know that nothing caught my attention back then.  (Having many restrictions on my diets, I tend to pick up on available options and the fine print that says to ask your waiter if you have any allergies even if they do not relate to me.)  I can only assume that the more the community learns about Celiac, the more likely they are to provide options for their own citizens and vistors.

The following is only a guide.  Since a lot of the information I found before heading to Sligo was quite old, I thought I would offer an updated account of what I found.  It's not exhaustive -- I didn't go door-to-door, restaurant-to-restaurant (though it does sometimes feel like what I do!).  These are the places I discovered. [Note: Everything food-related in Sligo seemed to be a bit pricey.  I was tempted to say that about all the restaurants.]


Bistro Bianconi, Tobergal Lane, Sligo town
I think we ended up eating here three times over the week.  Pizza, pasta, etc.  It's a nice sit-down restaurant, but it doesn't require dressing up.  Everything we tried was great, gluten-free or not.  They have gluten-free pizza bases and pastas.  They don't charge more for them, and they don't look at you funny when you order.  The four course early-bird menu wasn't entirely Celiac-friendly (soup, Caesar salad, garlic bread for starters), but the regular menu is always available.  Their ice cream was gluten-free, and they had a lovely pavalova on for the dessert of the day once.

Osta Cafe, Garavogue Weir, Sligo town
Ok, I'll admit it.  I ate their pancakes on four different occasions.  But, in my defense, they have several different options!  While there are not a ton of gluten-free choices on their menu, a simple breakfast is well-handled.  There are scones (I had a plain one with jam and butter.) and muffins (Mine was raspberry and coconut.) baked every morning.  Gluten-free pancakes come with the following options: lemon, butter, and sugar; cinnamon-infused berry compote and greek yoghurt (seen half-eaten above); local honey, greek yoghurt, and sliced almonds; bacon and maple syrup . . . and I'm pretty sure I'm missing something.

Bella Vista, Shore Road, Strandhill
Strandhill was a beautiful little place not far from Sligo town.  It's famous for its surfing (no swimming allowed), but the view is amazing.  Of course, everything on the west coast is the Atlantic Ocean, but you really feel like you're looking out into the ocean from Strandhill.  As far as I can tell, all the businesses in Strandhill are on one road -- Shore Road.  We passed by a couple of restaurants where I could have eaten (a lot of Asian cuisine is safe if you know what to look for), but we stopped at Bella Vista because there were a lot of options.  I think the place is a bit under-staffed, but hopefully that was only a temporary problem.  They also charge €2 for changing a pasta or a pizza base to gluten-free.  I ordered tagiatelle a la pollo.  It turned out that they had actually run out of gluten-free tagiatelle, and the waitress was too busy to ask me if substituting spaghetti was okay until it was being presented to me.  Of course, I was fine with it, but why bother asking if they had already made the decision?  My husband, CB, would like to point out that you should discourage anyone non-gluten-free in your party from getting the steak sandwich.  Everything else was good.

The Yeats Tavern, Drumcliffe
The Yeats Tavern is just down the road for where W.B. Yeats (and his wife! Don't forget his wife!) is buried.  Otherwise, it seems to have nothing to do with the poet.  Regardless, I had a very decadent meal here.  It started simply enough -- their vegetable soup is gluten-free, and they have a lovely note just under it on the menu that says "Ask your server for gluten-free bread!".  And, what a lovely piece of bread it was!  My main course was a special of pan-fried chicken smothered in roasted peppers and covered in a thick slice of goats cheese, which was baked to form a crust. It was drizzled with balsamic vinegar and pesto.  It also came with a choice of potatoes -- the dinner menu does not mention that the chips are not gluten-free, but I noticed it on the early-bird menu posted at the entrance -- where I chose the buttered new potatoes and stole a few sneaky bites of CB's garlic and cheese au gratin (we checked on their Celiac status!).  For dessert, they have gluten-free ice cream, around which they formed several options, and a chocolate brownie with a "gluten-free alternative".  I didn't find out what that alternative was because I opted for an ice cream dish with bananas and toffee -- surprisingly light and refreshing!

Poppadom, O'Connell Street, Sligo town (no website)
Considering my love for Indian food, I knew I would be visiting this restaurant again after a positive experience four years ago.  It did not disappoint (except that CB wanted Peshawari naan and did not find it on the menu -- he got on just fine with his regular naan).  I always find myself customising my meal in Indian restaurants as of late, and they were more than happy to provide exactly what I wanted.  We were confused that there was a tasty chicken option on the early-bird menu (which we missed) that wasn't on the main menu, though I can't remember what exactly it was.  Best yet was that, after a warm and muggy day, they had an air conditioner!  I know, I know: I'm a spoiled American and my husband is an over-warm Irishman, but we like our cool air.


Tesco store, O'Connell Street, Sligo town
This entry is the one real oddball on my list because it is not a restaurant.  However, I can't speak on my time eating in Sligo without mentioning shopping at Tesco.  They had a great selection of gluten-free flours (even Bob's Red Mill!), mixes, sauces, breads, and other food-stuffs.  I found things I haven't been able to find anywhere up North.  In fact, we indulged a bit on some sourdough bread (well-sealed) and a box of deep-pan pizza bases to bring back home with us!  There were some mini baguettes from a gluten-free bakery in Cork (who knew?!) that made for great sandwiches for the days' adventures (believe it or not, we did more than eat!).

And, in case you were wondering why I'm so shocked at the gluten-free selection, this was the view from our bedroom window every morning!

Oatmeal raisin wonderfulness

I know I've said it a hundred times, but recipes that are already gluten-free are so much nicer.  This Christmas, I treated myself to a Babycakes (look how lovely!) cookbook, and I'm finally getting the chance to put it to use.  And, now I have a new favourite dessert.

I made her recipe for oatmeal cookies and crumbled one (and a half, shh) into a bit of greek yogurt.  It was a beautiful combination.

The recipe calls for Bob's Red Mill products, and I definitely suggest you use them.  There are a lot of other gluten-free products on the market, but Bob's is reliable and makes a great mix of baking flours.  Whenever possible, I buy their flours.  I even found my first Bob's flour in Belfast today -- oat flour -- and I'm going back to buy a bunch of it tomorrow!

So, here is the Babycakes recipe for the cookies.  I hope you try it, love it, and run out and buy the book for yourself.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
1 cup [vegan] sugar
1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free oats
1/4 cup ground flax meal
2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1 /2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins

Hardware:
measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowl
parchment paper
baking sheet
whisk
spatula
oven

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, oats, flax meal, cinnamon, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt. Add the melted coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla stirring with a spatula. Add the raisins and stir until combined.

Bake for 8 minutes.  Rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 7 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool on the parchment for 15 minutes.

Gluten-free facts

There is a ton of information out there on Celiac Disease, but it's not always accessible, understandable, or without judgment.  And it really shouldn't be that way.  Some people have mild discomfort and are looking for ways to improve their life.  Others may have been dancing around the idea of gluten issues or Celiac for a while now.  So, here are my top ten thoughts that I hope can help you make your own decisions.

1. Not everyone who problems with gluten have Celiac.  Some people have gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity. Just because you have a Celiac blood test come back negative does not mean that it's all in your head.

2. While there are tell-tale signs, not everyone experiences Celiac the same way.  Both men and women can have swelling that makes them look really pregnant, but that could also be from IBS (which often goes hand-in-hand with Celiac and gluten intolerance and from which I also suffer).

3. The only way to be 100% sure you have Celiac is through blood tests or, preferably, biopsy of your gut.  The biopsies are invasive and can sometimes be painful, but they are performed with an endoscopy (camera down your throat and into your stomach and gut) and under general anesthesia.  Your body has the amazing ability to repair itself internally extremely quickly, assuming you are in otherwise good health.  The wounds from the biopsy should heal completely within 48 hours.  You likely will not notice them on top of your other symptoms.

4. The downside of the blood test or biopsy: If you have already determined you have a problem with gluten and stopped eating it, the tests will come back negative.  There is only the possibility for a positive result if you have been eating gluten for 4-6 weeks before the test.  If you've ever had a gluten accident or had to eat gluten for a health test (I did for a heart monitor), you will likely say that it's not worth it to get the diagnosis when you already know you have a problem.

5.  People do take the term "Celiac" more seriously than "gluten intolerance" or "gluten sensitivity".  Be aware that, if you choose not to take the Celiac test because you don't want to eat gluten, it will make a difference in how some people treat you.

6. Read every label.  You would not believe the stuff gluten is in.  Check ingredients lists, and check them often.  Recipes change all the time.  Doritos in the UK used to be gluten-free but no more.  Lindt chocolates are now made with barley malt, which contains gluten.

7. You would be much better off making your own sauces and spice mixes at home (or at least buy from a handmade shop -- the extra cost is worth it in this case because it's fresh and you can ask exactly what's in it.).  Gluten can be used as a stabiliser in these products.  It thickens sauces and gravies.  It keeps spice mixes from separating into layers or clumping because it will absorb moisture quicker than the rest of it.

8.  Celiac or not, corn isn't good for you.  It is hard for all people to digest, and it's particularly hard for people with gluten problems.  It doesn't make much sense because there isn't gluten in it.  What I do know is that corn is a grain, and humans have found a way to eat it as a vegetable instead.  It was never intended to be eaten on the cob, by the kernel, or popped in oil and air.  We can't digest it.  However, cornmeal and cornflour are often used as substitutions for wheat flour.  It isn't as bad for you when ground up into these forms, but it still isn't digested as easily as other flours.  Just be careful.

9.  If you are diagnosed with Celiac, it's in your best interest to invest in some bigger clothing.  It's not that I'm saying you will gain weight -- you may as you find your way in this new life -- but you will have "fat days".  It's not fun, and it's not comfortable.  You don't necessarily need an entire new wardrobe, but get yourself some new house clothes, a pair of bigger jeans, a few t-shirts or whatever tops you wear on casual days, two professional outfits (if you have need for them in your life or line of work), and two formal event outfits.  It sounds like a lot, but when you have a gluten accident (I refer to it as "being glutened".) or simply have a stressful couple of days, you'll feel a lot better having clothes that fit rather than trying to squeeze into clothes that will only make you more sad, tired, and stressed out.  Emotions run high on these fat days because your body will be spending most of its energy working through issues in your gut.

10.  It's not easy.  Take it day by day.  While you should never undertake a diet that fully eliminates a vast amount of food without extensive research and/or doctor consultation, it's not going to hurt to try.  Anyone can go two weeks without something.  If you have a problem with gluten, you'll know.  You'll probably know sooner than that.  It took me two days to know.  It's likely I'd gone two days many times in my life without gluten, but I probably just thought that they were good days without thinking about what I'd eaten.  If you do not have a true problem with gluten digestion, I cannot recommend going completely gluten-free.  I would love to have a gluten-free home, but I know it is not healthy for my husband, and it won't be healthy for my children if they don't inherit the Celiac.  There are some people who could be considered "Lifestyle Celiacs", but I don't think it's a good idea.  However, if it makes you feel better, give it a chance.  Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist.  Find out.  It may seem like Celiac and gluten problems are the fad of the moment, but it's mainly due to the fact that a lot of people are only finding out that wheat can even cause problems, as well as the Lifestyle Celiacs (Lifestyle ANYTHINGS tend to be very vocal, which I can't say is always a problem since it can increase awareness for those who genuinely have issues).  Celiac is not a fad.  It is not a fraud.  And, it is not something you can ignore if you have it.  Every day that you continue eating gluten damages your body.

Bonus: Let those you care about know what's going on.  You don't have to tell them everything that's happening in your bowel habits and everything you've eaten that causes issues, but tell them you have a digestive problem and have to be careful.  It makes eating at restaurants and friends' houses easier, and you don't have to pre-apologise on every bad day.  Take credit for your bad actions -- it's not an excuse, but a reason -- but those you care about will understand that things are tough sometimes.  Be honest, and they will help.

When in Belfast . . .

When in Belfast . . . and you get one of the two weeks with warm and sunny weather . . . do as the Irish do -- "barbecue".  The term "barbecue", here, refers to anything that is put over a fire.  It does not require any specific sauces or any particular lawn ornaments.  It just means you go outside and eat your food.

This weather is called "exam weather" by most people.  Belfast experiences two guaranteed weeks of lovely weather each year, the first as schoolboys and -girls sit their year-ending exams.  The idea is that they spend hours staring at essays and standardized tests only to glance up at the sun streaming in the windows.  The second week is just as school resumes in the autumn.  The new school term generally brings with it the winter uniform (wool blazers and long socks) and another sunny, warm week.  The apathy of the new syllabi and reading lists is met with even more sunshine.  In short, it is cruel.

However, not being a schoolchild and not currently facing a near deadline of any sort means that I can take advantage of the weather.  I am not -- by ANY stretch of the imagination -- an outdoors person, but I relish in these days, mostly because it is dry rather than warm.

Today, on a bit of a whim, I bought a mini disposable barbecue.  It amounted to an aluminum casserole tray, a bit of charcoal packaged in paper, and a thin grate.  We procured my husband some German smoked sausages and mini finger rolls, a chicken breast for myself, and the makings of a wee cookout.

The finished product included Pão de Queijo, grilled blackened chicken, smoked sausage hot dogs, grilled green beans and asparagus, and both German and American potato salad.  It took too long to make, but it was so worth it!  Check out the recipes linked below, and recreate our cookout for your own summer days, whether they be often or twice a year.


Pão de Queijo
German and American potato salad
Grilled green beans and asparagus (posted soon!)

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cheese breads)

When I first became gluten-free, my aunt passed this recipe on to me.  Her boyfriend is from Brazil, and he recommended it as a gluten-free recipe (requiring no substitutions, which I find so useful).  It was so impressive, I tried several combinations of flavours.  Try various types of soft cheeses and throw in your favourite herbs and spices.  It's quick and easy -- especially if you have a blender -- and is a tasty snack.

Other additions that have been successful are cayenne; garlic powder and basil; cracked black pepper.  Let me know if you try something new and like it!  Also, if you'd like to make multiple flavours at once (and/or like a bit more rustic appearance), sprinkle your chosen spice/herb directly atop the batter once poured into the muffin tins.  It looks lovely and lets you tell the difference between the different kinds.

The final breads will puff up in the oven and fall once they begin to cool.  The centers will be chewy but should still be light.  If the centers are heavy, let them bake for a few more minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning the thin tops.

Ingredients:
1 egg, room temperature
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups (170 grams) tapioca flour
1/2 cup packed (about 66 grams) grated fresh mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
sunflower oil spray or other greasing oil

Hardware:
medium mixing bowl (or blender)
wooden spoon (if no blender)
measuring cups and spoons
flexible spatula
large spoon or ladle
muffin tins
oven

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

If you have a blender, the directions are incredibly easy.  Add all ingredients, minus the sunflower oil, into the blender in the following order: milk, egg, flour, cheese, salt, paprika, garlic powder, olive oil.  I include this order because it has liquid on top and bottom, encouraging the entire mixture to properly circulate through the blender. Blend until combined, stopping to scrap the sides with the spatula to ensure a proper mix.

Grease muffin tins, and pour the mixture evenly to just above the middle of each cup.  It should make approximately 18 small breads.  Bake for about 18 minutes, until breads have risen and are slightly browned on top.

If you don't have a blender, I hope you have a strong mixing arm!  Add the ingredients to the mixing bowl in the following order: milk, egg, olive oil, cheese, salt, paprika, garlic powder, flour.  The reason I include this order is because, otherwise, you will likely have a gluey substance in your bowl!  It will still take swift and heavy stirring to thoroughly combine, and the job will be made easier based on how finely your cheese is grated.  Stir until you are sure it is completely combined, scraping the sides with the spatula when necessary.

Grease muffin tins, and spoon/ladle the mixture evenly to just above the middle of each cup.  It should make approximately 18 small breads.  Bake for about 18 minutes, until breads have risen and are slightly browned on top.

German & American potato salad

There is little more that says American summer than a yellow, mayonaissey potato salad.  Besides meat, it was the bit of the various holiday cookouts that I despised the most.  I've never been a big fan of mustard, which both my parents love, and there are hundreds of other tasty ways to eat potatoes.

When I spent time in Germany, I came to try potato salad again.  It just didn't LOOK like mustard.  I loved it.  Then, years later, my husband tried potato salad on a cruise ship.  He ate massive amounts -- I simply hoped that he would OD on it and never really want it again.  No such luck.  One lovely day, a cookout of our own took place, and I made both German and American potato salads because I was eager to please.  To my surprise, I actually enjoyed the American variety best, and my dear husband liked the German one more.

German potato salad


Ingredients:
2 lbs. new or baby potatoes
1/2 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup water (plus enough for boiling)
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 slices bacon/turkey bacon/veggie bacon (depending on whether it needs to be veggie for you or not. I use turkey bacon.)
salt and pepper

Hardware:
small frying pan
knives (or knife, singular, if you want to wash between uses)
large pot for boiling potatoes
colander
fork
cutting board
wooden spoon
measuring cups and spoons
medium casserole dish
plastic wrap (if your casserole dish does not have a lid)
stovetop
refrigerator

Directions:
Cut potatoes into small, bite-size pieces and boil in salted water until just tender.  Stick a fork into them to check -- you want the fork to enter easily but the potatoes to cling to the tines rather than crumble off.  Drain through the colander and allow to sit to cool to room temperature.

Dice the onion.  Fry the bacon in the frying pan until it reaches your desired crispiness.  Veggie and turkey bacon doesn't really crisp up the same way pork bacon does, but both are considerably healthier options.  Remove the bacon from the pan, and add the onion, butter, and 1/4 cup butter to the pan.  Stir quickly with the wooden spoon until the onions begin to soften -- only two minutes or so.  Stir in the bouillon cubes until completely dissolved; the consistency will resemble a thin paste.  Try to work out as many bouillon lumps at this stage as they will be harder to mush later.  Remove from the heat, stir a bit more, and set aside to cool.  Chop bacon into small pieces.

Place cooled potatoes into the casserole dish.  Pour vinegar and oil over the potatoes.  Spoon the onion mixture into a thin layer on top of the potatoes.  Sprinkle bacon bits over the top.  DO NOT mix together yet.  Cover with lid or plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.

Let sit for at least two hours.  It's best if you can leave it overnight. Just before serving, mix the entire potato salad together.  Serve cold.


American potato salad


Ingredients:
2 lbs. new or baby potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 eggs
1 cup each chopped onions and celery, if desired
2 slices bacon/turkey bacon/veggie bacon (depending on whether it needs to be veggie for you or not. I use turkey bacon.)
salt

Hardware:
small frying pan
knives (or knife, singular, if you want to wash between uses)
large pot for boiling potatoes
colander
fork
whisk
medium mixing bowl
cutting board
wooden spoon
measuring cups and spoons
medium casserole dish
plastic wrap (if your casserole dish does not have a lid)
stovetop
refrigerator


Directions:
Cut potatoes into small, bite-size pieces and boil in salted water until just tender.  Carefully add the eggs to the boiling water for the last few minutes to hard boil.  Stick a fork into the potatoes to check -- you want the fork to enter easily but the potatoes to cling to the tines rather than crumble off.  Drain through the colander and allow to sit to cool to room temperature.

Fry the bacon in the frying pan until it reaches your desired crispiness. Veggie and turkey bacon doesn't really crisp up the same way pork bacon does, but both are considerably healthier options.  Remove from pan, allow to cool to room temperature, and chop into small pieces.

In the mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the mayonnaise, the dry mustard, garlic powder, basil, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, and sugar. Whisk together until combined.  Ensure the dry mustard does not have any lumps as it will be unpleasant to bite into a mustard lump in the finished product.  Add the remaining mayonnaise and the yellow mustard and whisk together.  Add in the onion and celery, if using.

Chop eggs into small pieces.  Add potatoes, egg, and bacon to the sauce mixture.  Pour into the casserole dish and cover with lid or plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least a few hours.  Serve cold.

Return of the Prodigal Diner

I've decided to revisit this lovely little collection of foods after some time away.  If you have read the introduction, you will know that I have struggled with food allergies and intolerances since I was a small child.  Recent times have been no less trying.

You may recall that most of my favourite foods contain some form of starch -- a quick glance at the sidebar should fill your eyes with crepes, breads, oats, flours.  It is not a coincidence.  Fast foods are often heavy on the bread to trick your brain into being satisfied with your purchase.  Potatoes and pastas are a staple of the need-it-now kitchen.  Even if you are blessed with the time, patience, and desire to stand in front of a hot stove, chances are you'll have made a pie or a batch of cookies in your day.

Enter: First big life change of 2011.  The events of January 4th indicated a problem that I could no longer ignore.  Following a half-day babysitting, my grumbling tummy required food; I looked at the day's pay in my hand and ordered a pizza. I wolfed it down happily while watching a movie with my then-boyfriend (now-husband).  About 20 minutes after I stopped eating, my stomach began to swell.  It was so big and painful that I changed into pajama bottoms for extra space and stretched out across the couch.  I then did what could only be described as passing out; my head, stomach, and back all raging against me could not even stop the sleep.  I awoke to the understanding that a change had to be made.

Clearly, the was not the first time I'd encountered these symptoms, but it was the first time that they interfered with my life in such a drastic way since my mother put a little bug in my ear.  She had read about someone with Celiac Disease who had the same, increasingly damaging signs of poor health.  I rolled my eyes -- who lives without gluten?  But, knowing no harm would come to me if I went gluten-free for two weeks, I begrudgingly took up the challenge.

Within two days, I felt amazing.  Surely I had gone without gluten for this long before now?  I'd had dinners of rice and vegetables many times in my life, but I'd also had really good days before as well.  The results in the first month were astounding.  I couldn't go back to eating gluten even if I wanted to pretend I was fine.  My hair got softer, my skin less dry.  I was able to breathe more clearly and sleep at the appropriate times of the day.  No more swelling or stomach pain.  I had so much more energy than I have ever known myself to have.  My mood was so much brighter.

Thus ended my love-affair with wheat.

It was not an amicable break-up, to be honest.  I felt great, but I was upset over every little thing I could not eat.  I didn't see any doors opening when all these lovely, grain-filled ones were slamming in my face.  I didn't know about substitutions and specialty foods yet, primarily because I didn't realise that many other people suffered.  And, when I discovered packaged gluten-free bread, let's just say I was underwhelmed.  You can see where even the thought of this blog depressed me.

Finally, a light through a window!  I began searching the internet for information on gluten-free lifestyles, and I came across a message board (I wish I could link you, but my knowledge of its whereabouts is long gone.) where Celiacs and other gluten-frees were discussing how, after getting the gluten issue under control, they were able to introduce foods they were intolerant to back into their diets.  Under careful supervision from my by-then-fiancé, I tried my first red food in years.  No reaction.  A few more red tidbits.  No reaction.  The curse of the lycopene had been lifted!  (In the interest of full disclosure, the same cannot be said of the red-meat malediction.)

I started to experiment.  I got myself back into the kitchen and learned new tricks.  A lot of my new recipes take longer, and sometimes things aren't as soft or fluffy as I would hope.  But, I'm learning to cook all over again.  I've had a number of health problems in the past year, but none of them were gluten-related.  As much as I hate to admit it, I'm better off without gluten.