Pumped for Pumpkin

Pumpkin dip with gluten-free ginger molasses cookies:
Next best thing to Grandma's pumpkin pie!

Nothing says “Thanksgiving” like pumpkin pie. But if you have celiac disease, pumpkin pie, at least the kind that Grandma makes, is out of the question. Sure, you can make your own gluten-free pumpkin pie crusts or you can even purchase pre-made GF crusts in the frozen foods section of your local health food stores. Somehow, those crusts never “pan out” for me.

I’ve stumbled upon a great work-around for pumpkin pie, though. I was in Mama Jean’s (a lovely health food store in Springfield, MO) a few weeks ago, and a young woman was handing out samples of pumpkin dip with WOW Baking Company’s Ginger Molasses Wheat & Gluten Free Cookies (and these are like the kind of cookies Grandma makes). Oh, sweet mother of pearl! I don’t know if I was starving to death at the time or what, but when I tasted that combo, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven! I’ve made the dip twice since then, the first time with the recipe she gave me and the second time from my memory of the recipe, which I seem to have misplaced. (Yes, I’ve misplaced both my memory and the recipe, so read it how you will.)

Anyway, here’s the approximation to her recipe (which turned out to be mighty tasty, if I say so myself):

Wow Cookies are good
even without the dip!

Pumpkin Dip

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat variety), softened

2 C. powdered sugar

1 15-oz. can of pure pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 T. cinnamon

1 T. pumpkin pie spice

Blend the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Then add the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and mix well. (I like my dip with lots of spice, but don’t hesitate to cut back on the spices a bit, if you prefer.) Chill before serving (if you can wait that long). Serve with gluten-free ginger snap cookies or apple slices.

Enjoy! And have a Happy Thanksgiving!

PULPA-tations

Yogurt topped with pulpa de fruta and
REnola makes it hard to wait for morning!

In the past year, I have become a missionary for homemade yogurt. I eat it nearly every morning—and I think everyone else should, too. In fact, I am so blinded by my enthusiasm for the stuff that I can’t see anyone else’s point of view.   Maybe you’ve read my previous blogs touting its 

virtues . . .

When I was in Costa Rica during January, I accidently discovered a product which raised my daily yogurt experience to a spiritual event.  The product, which I stumbled upon in the fruit section of the grocery store I frequented, is called pulpa de fruta, which is pretty much just what it sounds like: fruit pulp. Costa Ricans use it to create fruit drinks, but I immediately recognized it as the perfect topping for my yogurt. The store carried a variety of flavors, but my pulpa of choice was raspberry. I was so devoted to it that throughout the afternoons and evenings, I daydreamed about pouring it over my yogurt the next morning.

As my time in CR drew to an end, imagine my dismay to learn that there is no place in the US to purchase this nectar of the gods! I thought Amazon had everything, but a search for pulpa de fruta on that site brought up a bag of Chilean Assorted Fruit Candies for $39.99 a bag, a few books, a hand juicer, and other unrelated items. A general search of the Internet didn’t succeed much better, either. I returned home in abject despair, an outcast of heaven on earth. Until yesterday!

REnola is gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly.

Yesterday I decided it was time to clean out my freezer, to use up the abandoned bags of fruits and vegetables and packages of meats purchased for recipes that had never made an appearance on my table. The first bag I grabbed was a bag of frozen raspberries, which I set on my counter to thaw for raspberry muffins or raspberry crisp or whatever.

When I dumped the contents of the thawed bag into a bowl, I had an epiphany—well, actually it was more like a “DUH” moment--I could make my own Pulpa de Fruta! I mashed up the raspberries, added honey, and there it was!

This morning I had it atop my homade yogurt along with another of my recent discoveries: Larabar’s REnola—a grain free, gluten free delicious granola. (It’s even paleo friendly, if you’re into that!) My breakfast has been redeemed!

The real deal: Leong's Cashew Chicken

My version of Leong's Cashew Chicken. Close enough!

Early last year (Jan. 24, 2014), I wrote a blog about Springfield’s (MO) signature dish, Cashew Chicken, and I included a recipe for slow cooker cashew chicken, which I found to be not half bad. In the story I mentioned that the first time I remember eating cashew chicken was at Leong’s Tea House back in the early 70s when I was in high school. Having grown up on the stuff, I sure did miss it when celiac disease forced me to give it up.

Well, a few weeks ago, my son’s friend Annie (a lifelong Springfieldian) gave me Leong’s actual recipe. The recipe had appeared somewhere in a newspaper, and Annie’s grandmother has been making it for years.  I finally tried it out over the weekend. Even with my mediocre cooking skills, I thought it turned out pretty darned close to Leong’s original. I took some of it to my sister, and she thought so, too!

Here’s the recipe as it appeared in the newspaper (See gluten-free suggestions below):

Plated up and ready to eat. I served it over brown rice.

4 whole chicken breasts

3 T. cooking sherry*
1 T. sugar

1 T. soy sauce**

4 eggs

Crisco or peanut oil

3/4 C. cashews

1 bunch green onions, chopped

½ box cornstarch***

Sauce:

3 T. soy sauce

3 C. boiling water

Pepper to taste

1 tsp. oyster sauce****

3 chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved*****

2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with ½ C. cold water to thicken

Marinate chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch cubes, at least 30 minutes in sherry, sugar and soy sauce. Dip each piece in egg batter (or slightly beaten eggs) then in cornstarch, then back in egg batter. Fry in Crisco or peanut oil over medium heat until golden brown. Remove chicken and drain grease. Put in baking pan with ¾ C cashews.

Sauce: Bring to boil and add 2 tsp. cornstarch mixed thoroughly with ½ of cold water. Stir constantly to prevent lumping until gravy consistency. Serve with chopped green onions over cashew chicken.

*I used Holland House, which has “Gluten free” printed on the label.

A few of the gluten-free ingredients
I used to make the recipe.

** I used Kroger brand, which does not contain wheat. Many of the store brands do not include wheat in their ingredients, while the major Chinese labels, such as Kikkoman and La Choy, do include wheat or wheat-containing ingredients. Some brands make a gluten-free version as well. As always, read labels, and take your own soy sauce to Asian restaurants.

***I used the Best Choice brand, because it had “GLUTEN-FREE” printed right on the label and because it was less expensive than the major brand. Argo brand corn starch is also gluten-free, but some others are not. Again, read up!

****Kikkoman Oyster Sauce (red label only) appears to be gluten-free. On the company’s allergen chart, the red label Oyster Sauce is listed as containing no wheat or gluten. I used it in this recipe, and I have used it several times and have had no reaction.

*****I researched bouillon cubes and found that Herb Ox cubes are gluten-free. Since my grocery store didn’t have the cubes, I bought the Chicken Bouillon Packets, which says “Gluten Free” right on the package. One packet equals one cube.

I’m always so happy when recipe ingredients are naturally gluten-free or have gluten-free counterparts. Being a true Southwest Missourian, I am ecstatic that celiac disease doesn’t have to prevent me from enjoying our staple dish!

How sweet it isn't

Note the first ingredient in the GF cornbread!

So, a while back I blogged about how glad I was that Aldi’s is offering gluten-free foods (at least, seasonally).  I’m still very grateful that the company is beginning to recognize people’s needs for gluten-free foods.

The problem, however, is that among the main ingredients in some of Aldi’s products (as well as those of other brands) is SUGAR! In fact, sugar is the first ingredient listed on the cornbread mix I picked up.

Since I spent 90 days on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) earlier this year, I have been trying to eliminate most sugar from my diet. (Honey is the only form of sugar that is allowed on the SCD.) I have felt much better in recent weeks, at least in part because of that change.  I’m sure that eliminating all grains and most dairy products also played a large part. (And now I’ve even eliminated my morning coffee, but that’s another story.)

If you care about your health,
check out this documentary!

Last weekend, though, I saw a documentary film that rocked my world: Fed Up.  The film is narrated by Katie Couric and directed by Stephanie Soechtig (who also co-directed the 2009 documentary Tapped, which explores the connection between ocean pollution and bottled water).  Fed Up describes how sugar is ruining the health of our nation, causing obesity, diabetes, and many other life-threatening health conditions. The film will make you aware of just how damaging and addictive sugar is.

Enjoy your last bowl of ice cream or your last piece of pie or your last Snickers candy bar, and go see the film. I came away from it, vowing to work even harder to  (mostly) avoid the not-so-sweet stuff!

Easier and easier ...

Aldi has a new line of gluten-free products!

I have to admit that I’m not a very good consumer advocate. I don’t often take the time to write to companies about their products—either to complain or to compliment.  But this week I made an exception and wrote to Aldi to compliment them for bringing out their new gluten-free line of LiveGfree products on a trial basis and to encourage them to please, please keep it up!

While I have found that I usually function better if I avoid all gluten, grains, and even sugar, many people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance can happily consume foods containing those ingredients, which are contained in most of the LiveGfree offerings. How wonderful for Aldi shoppers to be able to buy GF products such as cornbread, pizza, or pancake mixes, cookies, pasta, and even gluten-free chicken nuggets, under one roof without having to traipse all over town!

I hope Aldi will continue to stock this new line—and I hope that gluten-avoiders everywhere will take the time to thank (and to patronize) the many stores and restaurants that are attempting to make life easier for us. 

(By the way, thanks to my friends and family who tipped me off to Aldi’s new products! I love to hear about your discoveries!)

Press on (Pt. 2)

Before Panini press.

At the risk of becoming tedious, I feel compelled to proclaim the virtues of my wonderful new Panini press once again. And this time I took photos!

After Panini press.

Using a Rudi’s Spelt Tortilla, shredded cheese, two slices of chopped pre-cooked bacon, a fresh tomato, fresh basil, and a bit of black olive tapenade—I shared the recipe yesterday—I made a perfect quesadilla in my shiny new press (and “perfect” isn’t a word I use very often to describe my cooking!) I put a little light sour cream on the side for dipping, chopped up a fresh peach for dessert, and—oh, sweet mother of pearl--heaven!

Am I the last person in the world to catch on to this wonderful little kitchen appliance? My quality of (gluten-free) life has suddenly made a dramatic improvement!  J