Sure Foods Living – gluten-free and allergen-free living

Looking for a dairy-free substitute for baking? Instead of butter or margarine, I have used Spectrum Organic Shortening made from palm oil. It works well, although it has such a neutral flavor that it doesn’t give baked goods the same buttery taste as those made with butter or margarine. Problem solved: Spectrum’s new Organic Butter Flavor Shortening!

I have only seen this product in one store so far, Mother’s Market in Orange County, California (I LOVE this market — incredible selection of gluten-free and other allergen-free foods). It isn’t even shown on the website yet, but I called the company and they gave me the ingredients: Organic palm oil, natural butter flavor (non-dairy), annatto and turmeric for color.

I love that more companies are accommodating dairy allergies with products like these.

It’s the last day of Hanukkah and this morning I found out that my daughter’s class would be making latkes. Ugh — eggs. So what does an allergy mom do but rush to the store, rush home and come up with a recipe for gluten-free egg-free latkes of course! I grew up eating latkes, so I was excited by the prospect of making them allergy-free. Searching the web, I came across a recipe called Maxine’s Latkes and at that moment I knew that I would be able to create the perfect latkes for my daughter Maxine! And I did. I hope you enjoy them too!

Maxine’s Allergy-Free Latkes

Makes about 20 latkes. CONTINUE READING »

Tonight my girls chowed down a plate of kale and fought over the last bite, which I then had to split in half. No, I’m not magic! The kale tasted good. Take it from my 4 year old who looked at it and said “Yuck” and then tasted it and said “Yum!” It feels good to watch your kids eat such a powerhouse veggie, packed with vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin B6, and magnesium! Plus, it’s in season now (winter).

I was first introduced to the idea of kale chips by Michelle of What’s Cooking With Kids many months ago when she shared with me her simple recipe as we walked through the Marin farmer’s market. Combining her instructions, a few tips from Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen, and my own advice, I am sharing how I made the kale chips that my daughters loved so much.

KALE CHIPS

Ingredients:

• One bunch of organic kale (try to get Lacinato kale, otherwise known as Dinosaur or Tuscan kale — the hearty leaves are dark blue-green) UPDATE: I’ve decided I like regular old green kale better for chips and it is easy to break the leaves off the stem.
• Olive oil
• Salt (I prefer fine grain sea salt for these chips)

Directions:

1. Wash the kale leaves and spin dry in a salad spinner, or dry with a towel or paper towels. CONTINUE READING »

Are you celebrating Thanksgiving gluten-free? This will be my 7th Thanksgiving since I was diagnosed with celiac disease. The first year was hard, but each year got easier and yummier as family members and I adapted traditional dishes and created new ones.

I am thankful for many things in my life, but here I would like to express my thanks for the people who have visited this blog and have shared their life stories, their insights and their advice. I have learned so much from you all and have been so moved by your comments and emails, so THANK YOU to my readers!

If you are relatively new to the gluten-free diet or need a reminder, you will find my Thanksgiving gluten-free and food allergy tips helpful. If you’ve been at it for a while, you might like to try a new gluten-free stuffing recipe, the one I have made many times to rave reviews.

Or, check out these other wonderful resources to make your gluten-free Thanksgiving a success:

• The Ultimate Thanksgiving Prep Series: Allergen-Friendly — a planning schedule and recipes from my new friend Kim
• Pamela’s Holiday Dinner Menu — recipes and tips from the amazing Pamela, using her products
• Gluten-Free Cornbread Stuffing — plus other Thanksgiving recipes from the Goddess
• Gluten Free Thanksgiving 2010 — recipes from Elana
• Gluten-Free Thanksgiving 2010 — recipes from Gluten Free Girl and many others
• Thanksgiving Tips, Recipes and Resources

If you have other resources, links or gluten-free Thanksgiving ideas you would like to share, feel free to add them in the comments. There is a wealth of help out there today — what a difference from 7 years ago!

Okay, if you are like me, you don’t always (never?) have time to make roll out sugar cookies, cut them into shapes and decorate. Though they are fun, they really are time-consuming. And I still haven’t experimented enough to find a reliable gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free roll out sugar cookie recipe.

What I have been doing lately is make whatever cookie is good (in this case it was oatmeal cookies) and pipe decorations onto them. The kids love them! If you don’t own a piping set, you really must get one. It’s so easy and fun to make your treats look fancy!

Don’t miss the 2010 Halloween Candy lists:

• Halloween Candy List – Gluten-Free Allergen-Free Status – 2010
• Allergen-Free Halloween Candy Quick List 2010
• Gluten-Free Halloween Candy Quick List 2010

Last night my daughter ate a dinner of pasta (gluten-free) with a sauce of olive oil-sauteed red onions, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell peppers and chicken apple sausage. There was nothing left in her bowl… not because she is an amazing kid who eats anything, but because tonight she cooked it with me.

Let me back up a bit and introduce you to Michelle Stern of What’s Cooking. I was introduced to Michelle on Twitter by Stephanie O’Dea, the Crockpot Lady — this is the virtual blogger world that I live in, but we all live in the Bay Area and I now know them as real people. Michelle teaches cooking to kids. She has built a business around it, not because she is a businesswoman as much as she is a teacher, which is where she and I really connected. It turns out that she was a student teacher for a science class at the same high school where I was teaching history. Our paths didn’t cross at that time, but here we are now!

Michelle’s work inspires me to get my kids more involved in cooking and understanding where their food comes from. Her blog is full of great advice… recently she gave two tips for cooking with kids:

1. “Let go of perfection.” – I don’t know about you, but this is a hard one for me!
2. “Let kids DO.” – seems obvious, but this is easy to forget.
3. And I would like to add: “Have patience.” Give them time to learn.

Michelle and I met up for the first time at the farmer’s market where she encouraged me to buy kale to make kale chips (they were yummy!) Her passion has stuck with me since that day, although I really do forget to involve my kids enough in food preparation.

But not last night! Last night my daughter cut cherry tomatoes in half with a serrated knife for the first time. I taught her how to hold the knife, how to hold the tomato and how to cut with a forward and back motion. She was so proud of herself. (If your child isn’t ready to use a sharp knife, you can let him/her use a butter knife to cut olives, as shown in the picture.) She also stood at the stove on a step stool and stirred, as I added each ingredient. The result was that she felt that she cooked the dinner, and so of course she thought it was delicious! (Bonus: little sis also ate most of it, even the yellow peppers, because big sis was eating it!)

Involving your children in the preparation and cooking of healthy food helps them to appreciate it, understand it, and best of all — eat it!

I hope that many of you got a chance to watch Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. I found the T.V. series so inspiring, and like Jamie (otherwise known as the Naked Chef for his use of honest, real food) said: “Yes, this is a T.V. show, but it’s real life.”

He succeeded in making change in the school lunch program in a town chosen for its high rate of obesity. His mission — OUR mission — is so important: feed our kids well so that they can live healthy lives. Of course, there needs to be change not only in our lunch programs, but throughout our society. This change won’t come about easily, as we need education, dedication, motivation and of course, money. But it CAN be done and we need to try.

Many bloggers (including me!) are hoping to make a small difference by sharing tips and recipes for cooking real food in 30 Days to a Food Revolution, an online event dreamed up and organized by Diane of The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

For 30 days, there will be 30 different food bloggers sharing 30 different ways to eat real food.

Less processed food, more real food is the goal! Most of us are living gluten-free or with other special diets, so hopefully you will find a wealth of good stuff to use in your own kitchens, and discover new blogs too.

I will be contributing my tip and recipe on May 4. In the meantime, you can follow these  participating blogs:

• gluten free easily – Day 1
• The Spunky Coconut – Day 2
• I Am Gluten Free – Day 3
  
• The Gluten Free Homemaker – Day 4
• Delectably Free – Day 5
  
• Jenn Cuisine – Day 6
  
• Sure Foods Living – Day 7
  
• dinners & dreams — Day 8
• The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen — Day 9
• The Messy Chef – Day 10
• One Frugal Foodie — Day 11
• Celiac Teen – Day 12
  
• Gluten Free For Good – Day 13
  
• Gluten Free Vegan Family – Day 14
  
• Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried – Day 15
  
• Simply Gluten-Free – Day 16
  
• Lexie’s Kitchen – Day 17
  
• Food Blogga – Day 18
  
• What’s Cooking Blog – Day 19
  
• Cook 4 Seasons – Day 20
  
• Gluten Free Gidget – Day 21
  
• Gluten Free Fitness – Day 22
• Tasty Eats at Home – Day 23
  
• Gluten Free Doctor Recipes – Day 24
  
• Ginger Lemon Girl – Day 25
  
• Simply Sugar and Gluten Free – Day 26
  
• The Daily Dietribe – Day 27
  
• Celiac Family – Day 28
  
• Andrea’s Recipes – Day 29
  
• London Foodie in NY & Sweet by Half – Day 30

There are also prizes to win! Go to the 30 Days to a Food Revolution page to see the details about how to enter.

Easter is coming quickly! Are you ready?

Let’s cut to the chase! This list is by no means complete… but here are some ideas. You can also check out last year’s Easter article. Post more ideas in the comments if you have them!

JELLY BEANS:

• Jelly Belly
  • Gluten-free
  • Free of top 8 allergens (wheat, milk, soy*, nuts, peanuts, egg, fish, shellfish)
    
  • SuperFruit flavors are made with all natural colors and flavors and was recently accepted by Feingold Association.
  • Allergen info (via web March 2010):
    *Soy lecithin is used on Chocolate Pudding flavor.
    Are your Jelly Belly jelly beans gluten-free?
    All flavors of Jelly Belly beans are free of gluten. We do not use any wheat, rye, barley, or oats in the basic recipe for Jelly Belly jelly beans. The modified food starch listed on the package is cornstarch.
    If I am allergic to peanuts, can I eat Jelly Belly jelly beans?
    Please continue to carefully check all ingredient statements on packages and bulk bins for peanut ingredients.  We discontinued Peanut Butter flavor of Jelly Belly beans (this flavor contained peanut butter and peanut flour) however, it is possible this flavor may still be included in packages sold in retail stores.
    None of the other flavors of Jelly Belly beans contain peanuts as an ingredient.  We no longer process peanuts in our manufacturing plants.
    Are Jelly Belly jelly beans dairy-free?
    Yes.  We work very closely with all of our ingredient suppliers to ensure that all ingredients are free of dairy.
    
• Surf Sweets
  • Gluten-free
  • Free of top 8 allergens (wheat, milk, soy*, nuts, peanuts, egg, fish, shellfish)
  • Allergen Info (via web March 2010):
    Are your products gluten-free and casein-free? Yes, all of our products are both gluten-free and casein-free. Casein is the protein found in dairy.
    Are your products peanut-free? Yes, all of our products do not contain peanuts and are produced and packaged in a facility free of peanuts.
    Are your products produced and/or packaged in a facility with other common allergens? No, our products are produced in a facility free of: wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, tree nuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish.
    Surf Sweets products are made with natural colors and flavors, organic fruit juice and sweeteners, and provide you with your daily allowance of Vitamin C. We are also one of the only candies made without corn syrup.
• Gimbal’s
  • Gluten-free
  • Free of top 8 allergens (wheat, milk, soy, nuts, peanuts, egg, fish, shellfish)
  • Allergen info (via web March 2010):
    Gimbal’s Fine Candies facilities are free of these eight most common food allergens.
• Just Born
  • Gluten-free
  • Free of top 8 allergens (wheat, milk, soy, nuts, peanuts, egg, fish, shellfish)
  • Allergen info (via phone March 2010)
    Please always check packaging as ingredients can change from year to year, but at this time, the jelly beans are free of gluten and the top 8 allergens.
• Update: Jolly Rancher, Starburst, Lifesaver and Mike & Ike Jelly Beans are all free of the top 8 allergens!

BUNNIES & CHICKS & EGGS, oh my!

• Peeps
  • Gluten-free (including chocolate covered peeps)
  • Regular peeps are free of top 8 allergens (wheat, milk, soy, nuts, peanuts, egg, fish, shellfish). Chocolate covered peeps contain dairy and have an allergen warning for peanut, tree nut, egg and coconut.
    
  • Allergen info (via phone March 2010)
    Please always check packaging as ingredients can change from year to year, but at this time, Peeps are free of gluten and the top 8 allergens.
• Hershey’s
  • Check label!
  • Stay away from Robin Eggs! These are Whoppers in an Easter disguise, and they contain gluten.
  • Hershey’s allergen info:
    The Hershey Company strives to provide its consumers with accurate, reliable ingredient statements upon which consumers can make their purchase decision. The Hershey Company has an Allergy Task Force that ensures that the ingredient statements are always accurate, and that any allergen statements placed on the label is understandable. Do your products share plants & equipment? We take food allergies very seriously at Hershey and have strict procedures in place to prevent crossover of allergens into other products that do not contain the allergen. In instances where we have a concern about possible crossover by an allergen we take the added precaution of including an allergy information statement on the label.
• Make your own chocolate eggs and lollipops!
  If you’re worried about the ingredients in the available chocolates out there, trying making your own! Here’s how I did it:
  1. I got Easter egg and bunny lollipop molds at a baking supply store (Cake Art).
  2. I used Enjoy Life chocolate chips.
  3. I tempered the chocolate in the microwave (see end of post for instructions), poured it in, and let it set in refrigerator.
  4. I wrapped the little chocolates with colored foil and the lollipops with clear plastic and a pretty ribbon.
  5. I marveled at my work — it was so easy I couldn’t believe it!
• Garnish baked goods with bunnies and other Easter decor
  If you can’t actually find a bunny to eat, then stick one on top of a treat! Last year I made these mini-cupcakes using Pamela’s Vanilla and Chocolate cake and frosting mixes, with Wilton sprinkles and some bunny decorations. They were a hit and I will be making something similar again this year.

How to temper chocolate in a microwave oven to make chocolate molds (from the Guittard website):

1. Place chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl. Place the bowl of chocolate in the microwave oven. Set power level to 5 or 50%. Set time to 30 seconds. Heat for 30 seconds.
2. Take the bowl out of microwave oven and use a rubber spatula in a gentle sweeping motion to stir the chocolate, even if none of it has become liquid yet.
3. Return the bowl to the microwave oven. Heat for 30 seconds more. Remove. And stir.
4. Repeat the intervals of heating and stirring until about two-thirds of the chunks become liquid and about one-third are in soft lumps. The temperature of the liquid chocolate at this point will be about 100°. Continually stir to cool the chocolate until the soft lumps disappear and the temperature lowers to 89°F.
5. At this point the chocolate should be in temper and ready to use.

Want a simple, yet elegant spread for your gluten-free crackers or toasts? Try a Simple Salmon Spread! This would be a great appetizer for an Oscar soiree, and is part of the menu for the Gluten-Free Progressive OSCAR dinner party.

Alison’s Simple Salmon Spread on Gluten-Free Toasts

INGREDIENTS

• About 8 oz. of cooked salmon, skin removed. Bake the salmon in a 375-400 degree oven until just cooked through (about 15-20 minutes). Anyway you want to spice the salmon when you cook it is fine — the flavors will come through in the dip. For my dip, I used leftover barbecued salmon from our dinner the night before, which my husband had spiced with his top secret marinade of olive oil, brown sugar, cayenne and thyme (now I have to kill you).
• About 3 oz. of cream cheese.
• Some lemon.
• Some salt.
• Some dill would be nice (I didn’t have any).
• Sliced bread (gluten-free), toasted and cut into squares. I used Udi’s Gluten-Free Whole Grain bread.

DIRECTIONS

1. Put salmon in food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth.
2. Add cream cheese and process. Add more or less depending on your preference.
3. Squeeze some lemon and add dill and a little salt, gradually until you like the taste.
4. Serve in a bowl and let guests spread on the gluten-free toasts.

This recipe is one of the stops of the Gluten Free Progressive Oscar Dinner Party!
Each day this week you’ll find new gluten free dishes being “served” by other bloggers. This month’s offerings will help make your Oscar party award-winning! Follow the schedule as you would a map through a neighborhood. Stop by, leave a comment, pass on the information to your friends and have a wonderful time!

Here is the schedule:

Monday February 22nd:
Veronica’s Pumpkin Soup from Shirley at gluten free easily

Tuesday February 23rd:
Avatar-Inspired Millet Eggplant Croquettes and Chips from Sea at Book of Yum

Wednesday February 24th:
Kale Chips from Karen at Cook4Seasons
Gluten and Dairy-free Whipped Cream from Diane at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang
Southern Fried Oysters by Shirley at gluten free easily

Thursday February 25th:
Simple Salmon Spread by me

Friday February 26th:
Ellen at I am Gluten Free

Past Progressive Dinner Parties:
Light Winter Warmers
Dessert

Valentine’s Day is about love. And who doesn’t LOVE pizza? Better yet, gluten-free pizza?

Decorating cookies is fun, but decorating a heart-shaped pizza is another great activity to do with kids. Bonus: you have dinner made!

To make heart-shaped gluten-free pizzas, I make the pizza dough using the Chewy Pizza Crust recipe on the bag of  Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix. I add some salt to the dough while mixing because it cuts the sweetness a bit which I like better for a pizza crust. This pizza is also dairy-free, soy-free and egg-free!

You can do the following for any pizza dough recipe:

1. Grease baking sheets or pizza pans or heat a pizza stone.
2. Divide the dough into as many pizzas as you want. You can make the pizzas as thick or thin as you want, or as big or little.
3. Pour some olive oil on a little plate and press your palm into it.
4. Use only your palm to spread the dough. Don’t get your fingers in the dough because they will get sticky! If you get dough stuck on your hands, wipe it off and start again with a clean palm in the olive oil. Kids can try spreading the dough themselves!
5. Shape the dough into a heart and let rise as directed. After dough rises, reshape the heart if needed.
6. Partially bake as directed.
7. Put out different toppings and let the kids decorate their pizza. Sliced olives and salami (not spicy like pepperoni) are a favorite. We make some without cheese since my kids don’t eat dairy. You could go for an all red pizza — sauce, tomatoes, red peppers, pepperoni.



8. Bake as directed. The longer you bake, the crunchier it will get. Also, judge the baking time based on how thick or thin you made the dough.
9. Say “I love you” and/or “I love pizza” as you bite into your delicious  gluten-free Valentine pizza!