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

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!

I love roasted vegetables. Pretty much any vegetable tastes great when roasted in the oven, so when thinking about something to contribute to this month’s Gluten-Free Progressive Dinner Party, I thought I’d try turning some yummy roasted winter veggies into a soup.

Cauliflower is one of the cruciferous vegetables, along with broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, kale and others, that is known for cancer-fighting properties. Cauliflower is an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, and folate, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, manganese and omega-3 fatty acids. (For more nutritional information about cauliflower, including its cancer-reducing ability, visit The World’s Healthiest Foods.)

Cauliflower is a winter vegetable, which means it is as its best during the winter months. Look for a cauliflower that is white with no spots on it and stay away from bags of pre-cut cauliflower! Cauliflower is low in fat and a great soup ingredient in place of the starchy potato.

The bottom line is… it’s good for you! And I think you’ll like the taste too…

Use the soup recipe below as is, or add in any of your own favorite spices (cumin, curry, cayenne) or garnishes (a swirl of creme fraiche, chopped fresh parsley).

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Gluten-Free Croutons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into chunks (green stem and leaves discarded)
• 3 carrots, cut into chunks (peeled or not — doesn’t matter!)
• 1 medium to large red onion, cut into chunks (definitely peel this one!)
• olive oil
• salt
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or more if you like a thinner soup (see which chicken broth is gluten-free)
• 2-3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, or other vinegar, or lemon juice
• gluten-free croutons, or 3 slices of any gluten-free bread

DIRECTIONS

1. Throw chunks of cauliflower, carrots and onion in a roasting pan or on a cookie sheet with sides.
2. Drizzle olive oil over all of the veggies and sprinkle with a little salt. (I use a salt grinder and do a quick grind over everything. Less is better, because you can always add salt to the soup later.) Mix the veggies around a little to evenly distribute the olive oil and salt.
3. Cook veggies in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.
4. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a pot on the stove and add the broth.
5. Bring pot to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes. Carrots should be soft when pierced with a fork — if not, simmer until they are.
6. Puree* the vegetables and broth to desired texture. Add more broth if a thinner consistency is desired.
7. Taste and adjust seasonings. Does it need more salt? Add pepper and other spices as you wish, or leave it with just salt. Add in the vinegar or lemon juice to give it a little extra flavor.
8. Garnish with croutons**, chopped herbs, a swirl of creme fraiche — whatever you like!

*To puree soup:
I prefer to use an immersion hand blender. Frankly, I probably wouldn’t even make soup if I didn’t own one of these! You stick it into the pot, push the button and it magically turns anything into soup. (I also use it to foam milk for cafe au laits in the morning!)
If you don’t have one, let the contents of the pot cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a blender or food processor and puree in batches. Be careful you don’t splatter yourself with hot soup! Transfer the pureed soup back into the pot.

**To make gluten-free croutons:
This is so easy, but sometimes I forget that croutons are a nice addition to a soup or salad. To make croutons, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then,

1. Cut the slices of gluten-free bread into cubes.
2. Coat with olive oil.
   You can do this many ways:

• lay bread cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss them around
• use a pastry brush and brush the oil on while they are in the pan
• spray the cubes with oil
• put cubes in a bowl and toss with olive oil

1. Season with salt and pepper. Other seasoning options are garlic salt, fresh or dried herbs such as basil, rosemary or thyme.
2. Bake in oven on a baking pan until crunchy, about 10-15 minutes. Toss the croutons with a spatula part way through for even browning.
3. Or you could totally cheat, like I did in the picture, and just toast the cubes in your toaster oven! As long as they’re crunchy, they qualify as croutons in my opinion!

This recipe is the first stop of the Gluten Free “Light Winter Warmers” Progressive Dinner Party!

Each day this week you’ll find new gluten free dishes being “served” by other bloggers. This month’s offerings will warm you up during these winter months. On the lighter side, these should work with your New Year’s resolutions! 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 (I will fill in with links to the posts each day so please check back):

Monday January 18th:
Me at Sure Foods Living
“Creamy” Potato Leek Soup from Karen at Cook4Seasons

Tuesday January 19th:
Winter Fire Roasted Tomato Basil Soup w/ Prosciutto topping from Diane at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

Wednesday January 20th:
Mexican Seafood Soup from Diane at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang
Vegan Un-Chicken Roasted Vegetable Soup from SeaMaiden at Book of Yum

Thursday January 21st:
Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard from Amy at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free
Wassail (hot spiced punch) from Shirley at gluten free easily

Friday January 22nd:
Moroccan Chickpea and Potato Soup from Ali at The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen

So, I’ve been a little out of touch these past couple of weeks. I even missed Thanksgiving. No turkey, no stuffing, no pie. Don’t feel sorry for me though — my family decided to check out this year and spend the holiday in Mexico! I must say that it was really nice to not have to deal with the whole gluten-free food planning and making. And although traditional Thanksgiving meals were being offered in many Mexican restaurants, we opted for a traditional Mexican meal instead.

With the evening breezes blowing, we dined on Chicken Pozole, a Mexican stew that dates to pre-Columbian times.

Naturally gluten-free, pozole is a soup usually made with pork or chicken. The key ingredient is hominy, which is dried corn that is then soaked and its hull  removed. You can find canned hominy in grocery stores or specialty markets.

What also makes this soup special are the garnishes included. Here, I was offered cubed queso fresco (Mexican cheese), diced onions and jalapenos, dried oregano and chili peppers, and fresh lime, all served on a crisp corn tortilla which can be broken into pieces and added.

Also served on the plate are chicharrones, or fried pork rinds. You would never catch me eating fried pork rinds out of a bag, but these house-made ones somehow make it into my belly every time!

Mmmm, now that I have returned to winter, this stew sounds even more appealing. Delicioso!

Here are a couple pozole recipes that sound like the one I enjoyed above:

• Chicken Pozole from Simply Recipes
• Chicken Posole from Real Simple magazine
• Slow-Cooker Chicken Posole from Woman’s Day magazine

People often come to this website looking for easy gluten-free to-go lunch ideas. I have given suggestions and more suggestions. And now, I’m going to tell you about a to-go lunch and snack idea that I think is pretty cool. In fact, I read about it on the website Cool Mom Picks. So there you go!

You know those boxes of snacks that are now sometimes offered on planes? GoPicnic ready-to-eat meals are just like those, except they have entirely GLUTEN-FREE ones! Plus, they are much healthier than the usual “lunchables”-type meal. (Actually, I think GoPicnic is being sold on Alaska Airlines, but not gluten-free.) These meals need no refrigeration, so they would be great in the car, on a plane or to take to camp!

There are many gluten-free choices such as Zesty Break, Go Trek, Sports Munch, Explore Munch, Safari Munch (also casein-free), and Anywhere Break. Another cool thing: 5% of sales of gluten-free products goes to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research!

I was never much of a cake-lover, so when I got married I decided to do something different. The wedding location was my family’s vacation spot where I grew up sitting around the bonfire at night, and of course, making S’mores. So that was it — we had S’mores at our wedding! My husband and I even ceremoniously roasted the marshmallows and fed each other the S’mores as if it were cake. Kind of corny (pretty sure husband was thoroughly embarrassed), but memorable (and so was the smoke!)

When I was diagnosed with celiac disease 3 months later, I said goodbye to gluten and to S’mores. I have continued to roast marshmallows over the years (they are gluten-free) and have even tried to make a sandwich using gluten-free cookies, but none really reminded me of the real thing. I even tried making mock graham crackers from scratch, but that is a lot of work and requires planning ahead.

So you can see why I would be excited about a new product called S’moreables Graham Style Crackers, made by Kinnikinnick! And let me tell you, my girls are excited too. S’mores can also be dairy-free if you use dark chocolate. (Although there are no egg or nut ingredients, the box of S’moreables states that they may contain traces of eggs and tree nuts.)

The taste of these cookies is like a graham cracker, the texture crispier. One thing I noticed is that after the box had been opened for a few days, the cookies got softer and became more like a traditional graham cracker. Another thing to note is that the cookies have a line to show you where to break them, but it is totally impossible to actually break them on that line — my recommendation is not to break them and  just make a double S’more instead!

Now for the giveaway. How to enter:

Leave a comment about S’mores — making them, eating them, favorite memory of. Anything! For example, I’ll let you in on my S’mores trick: stick the chocolate into the middle of the melty marshmallow instead of between the cracker and marshmallow. That way the chocolate melts too! Now your turn…

The randomly chosen winner will receive 4 different varieties of cookies from Kinnikinnick! You have until Sunday, July 19th at 5pm PST to comment (only one comment per person please). I will announce the winner on Monday so check back!

Getting ready for a gluten-free 4th of July? Need to be allergy-free this Independence Day? Here are the answers to your questions about avoiding gluten, dairy or other allergens this holiday…

Does barbecue sauce contain gluten?

Barbecue sauce may contain gluten, which is why it is so important to check the label or the recipe before eating it. Here are some ingredients to watch out for:

• Some barbecue sauces contain gluten from barley in the form of beer or malt.
• Some barbecue sauces contain soy sauce, which contains wheat.
• Many barbecue sauces contain Worcestershire Sauce, which could contain gluten. Lea and Perrins brand Worcestershire Sauce is gluten-free, while Annie’s Naturals Worcestershire Sauce is not.
• Some sauces contain mustard, which could contain gluten. Some mustards contain beer or wheat flour, so be sure to check the brand of mustard being used. (Mustard flour is gluten-free.)
• Most sauces contain ketchup, which should not be a problem because the major brands of ketchup are gluten-free.

Which brands of barbecue sauce are gluten-free (dairy-free, soy-free)?

The number of barbecue sauces on the shelves is overwhelming but here is some information to guide you:

• Daddy Sam’s is gluten-free and free of all top allergens. It is spicy and delicious!
• Bone Suckin’ Sauce is gluten-free and free of all top allergens. It’s got a sweetness along with a spiciness that is so good.
• Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauces are both gluten-free and dairy-free. I haven’t tried them yet, but I have read good things!
• Annie’s Naturals barbecue sauces are gluten-free and dairy-free. Sweet & Spicy Barbecue Sauce is also soy-free.
• Any Kraft and Nabisco products will list ingredients that contain gluten (in addition to the required top 8 allergens) on the ingredient statement. These items will be listed using commonly known terms such as Wheat, Barley, Oats or Rye. This includes Bull’s Eye Barbecue Sauce and Kraft brand barbecue sauces.
• Avoid KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauces unless you can be sure from the ingredient list that they are gluten-free. They must legally list wheat on the label but they do not have a policy about listing other gluten-containing ingredients.

Can I make my own barbecue sauce?

Yes, of course! It’s really pretty easy. Go ahead and search the web for barbecue sauce recipes and you will find a whole bunch. Or, you can try Elana’s recipe for gluten-free dairy-free bbq sauce.

Do hot dogs contain gluten and/or dairy?

Hot dogs and sausages could contain gluten and dairy. See my list of gluten-free and dairy-free hot dogs and sausages!

What do I do about buns?

Some specialty gluten-free bakeries like Mariposa Baking Company, The Sensitive Baker, and The Grainless Baker make buns, but generally gluten-free hot dog buns and hamburger buns aren’t easy to find. Some stores are now carrying Kinnikinnick brand hamburger and hot dog buns, which are gluten-free and dairy-free. But my favorite buns are the ones I make myself… and you can too!

You can use any gluten-free bread mix to make hamburger or hot dog buns. You just need molds to shape them. For hamburger buns, English Muffin rings work really well and are easy to use. If you don’t have them, you can form your own molds out of aluminum foil. I did this using Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix. You can see exactly how to do this and the results in my article: A gluten-free hamburger bun = happiness.

I have made hot dog bun molds out of aluminum foil and they also turn out great. My advice is to make the molds skinny — mine turned out a little too big. I followed the bread directions, filled my molds and let them rise. I sprinkled sesame seeds on before baking and baked until they were done (normally the bread I was using takes 60 minutes, so I think I baked them for 30 or 40, but it depends on the size of the buns). The result was a soft, not crumbly, bread-y bun.

Can I eat potato salad?

Potato salad is usually safe for gluten-free people and even dairy-free people, but if you are allergic to eggs or soy, avoid traditional potato salads as they are made with mayonnaise containing eggs and soybean oil. (Mayonnaise does not usually contain dairy even though it is white and creamy!)

If you need a potato salad recipe, Kalyn of the blog Kalyn’s Kitchen, posted a nice summary of potato salad recipes, including ones that don’t contain mayonnaise!

What about dessert??

Here’s the easiest red, white and blue dessert ever: vanilla ice cream (can use non-dairy), topped with strawberries and blueberries.

If you are looking for something a little more creative, make a delicious Peach Crisp or an Apple Pie. Or how about an Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich?

Need easy treats for the kids (or yourself)? Check out the Allergen-Free Summer Treats Guide.

Wishing you a safe holiday!

Do you love or hate the tinny tune of that ice cream truck cruising through your neighborhood or past the local park? At some point you are going to give in to your crying, begging children. It is best to learn which treats are okay for those everybody-else-gets-to-have-one-so-why-can’t-we-have-one-too ice cream truck moments. After all, you don’t want to be the Mean Mom — at least not in public!

Every ice cream truck is going to pack different treats, but fortunately there are always some that are just basically sugar, color and water. Not that I am a big fan of corn syrup or Red Dye #40, but once in a while I let my kids have a snow cone or frozen pop. If your child has an allergy to either of these ingredients, steer clear of commercial popsicles. Hopefully in that case, they can opt for an ice cream bar (be careful of nuts!)

In my fantasy world, an ice cream truck stocks real fruit juice popsicles, organic non-dairy ice cream bars and shaved ice with natural flavorings and colorings. Don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon, but at least you can buy some healthier options at the store, or make your own.

TREATS YOU CAN BUY

• Popsicles
  Many commercial frozen pops are gluten-free and free of the top 8 allergens. (They do however contain corn syrup, which is a problem for individuals allergic to corn, and food coloring, to which some kids are sensitive.) A page of Popsicle brand treats that are free of the top 8 allergens can be found here: Popsicle (always check the ingredients before consuming).
• Fruit Bars
  For a healthier option, look for bars made with fruit juice that contain no corn syrup, like Breyer’s Pure Fruit bars.
• Snowcones
  Most snowcones that you find at fairs and amusement parks are gluten-free and free of the top allergens. Usually they are made with crushed ice and a flavoring syrup (corn syrup). Same with packaged snow-cones.
• Dairy-free ice cream treats
  Most ice cream treats, including Fudgesicles, are off-limits for kids with dairy allergies, but there are some dairy-free options:
  • Soy Dream ice cream sandwich (not gluten-free)
  • Rice Dream ice cream pies and bars (not gluten-free)
  • Rice Divine ice cream bars and sundae cups (gluten-free, contain soy).
  • Turtle Mountain soy ice cream bars and fudge bar and soy ice-cream sandwiches (not gluten-free),  dairy-free and soy-free fudge bar (gluten-free), coconut milk ice cream bars. For a complete list of Turtle Mountain allergens, see Gluten-Free Frozen Products & Allergen Identification Table.
  • Smooze Fruit Ice push-up bars are made with coconut milk and real fruit. My kids love them! Flavors: Mango, Passion Fruit, Guava, Pineapple. I find them in Whole Foods.
• Gluten-free ice cream cones
  Use your favorite ice cream or sorbet to make ice cream cones at home, or take your own gluten-free cones into your local ice cream shop. There are lots of cones to choose from (click to see ingredients):
  • Let’s Do… Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones
  • Barkat Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones
  • Barkat Waffle Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones
  • Goldbaum’s Natural Foods Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones
  • Goldbaum’s Natural Foods Gluten-Free Sugar Ice Cream Cones

TREATS YOU CAN MAKE

• Frozen juice pops
  Put any kind of fruit juice into fun pop molds - use white grape juice or apple juice if you don’t want to stain their shirts! Mix juices to create a new flavor. This is a great option for kids who can’t have corn syrup or food dyes.
• Frozen fruit pops
  If you want a chunkier, thicker pop, put frozen fruit in your blender, add liquid and freeze. The liquid could be juice, milk, coconut or other non-dairy milk.
• Smoothie pops
  Make a fruit and spinach smoothie and put it into the pop molds. Yes, your kids will eat frozen spinach!
• Snowcones and slushes
  Make your own snow cones with snow cone supplies! Otherwise, you can make a “slush” or “slushie” in your blender by blending ice with juice. Serve it in a fun cup with a straw or spoon.
• Dairy-free ice cream treats
  • Take your favorite non-dairy ice cream, let it soften a little, put it in a mold and refreeze to make an ice cream bar
  • Try this recipe for Strawberry-Vanilla Swirled Frozen Pops - could be made with any fruit and a non-dairy ice cream
  • Make an ice cream sandwich using your favorite gluten-free cookies or try this gluten-free dairy-free egg-free ice cream cookie sandwich.

Any more summer treat ideas or products? Let me know!

Before I tell you the winner of the gluten-free cereal giveaway, I want to thank Erewhon for their generosity, not just with this contest, but because they send me boxes of cereal to give out whenever I do a talk or have a GIRG meeting.

And now for the winner…

But wait! I want to share with you some of interesting (and not so interesting) ways that people eat cereal, as shared in the comments on the contest post. Here are some ideas, but read the comments for more recipes and details!

How to eat gluten-free cereal:

• with milk — cow, rice, almond, soy, coconut, hemp!
• in yogurt
• dry, out of a ziploc bag or straight out of the box (in a car, on a bus!)
• mixed with other cereal to make a new kind of cereal — get really daring and mix 3 or even 4!
• in homemade trail mix or granola or “snack balls”
• in crispy marshmallow treats — variations include: adding peanut butter, chocolate in or drizzled on top, died red & green for the holidays, cut into different shapes, with brown rice syrup instead of marshmallow, and more!
• used in a topping for a fruit crisp or crumble
• with stuff dipped into it — banana, spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter, anything sticky
• in cookie bars
• on top of an ice cream sundae
• made into a bar for the top and bottom of an ice cream sandwich treat
• used in a cookie pie crust
• as a coating when baking — chicken, chicken nuggets
• as a coating when frying — more chicken!
• share it with your cat!
• give it to your dog!

Okay, noooowww I can tell you that the randomly selected winner is…

Alison! Wow, does she have a great name! And with 3 kids, it sounds like she could really use 3 free boxes of cereal. Congratulations Alison and thanks to everyone who participated. Be sure to sign up (in upper right) to get updates on new articles and more giveaways!

As promised, here is your list of gluten-free and dairy-free hot dogs and sausages. Fire up your grills and enjoy!

Note: This post was written on 5/14/09. Ingredients can change, so always read the label.

Aidells Sausages

Aidells Sausages has many sausages that are gluten-free and dairy-free. They also make a line of organic sausages. Gluten-free products are clearly labeled.

All products are gluten-free EXCEPT: Spicy Mango & Jalapeno Sausage, Teriyaki Meatballs, Spicy Bacon & Bleu Cheese Char-Broilers and Bacon & Cheddar Char-Broilers (these contain soy sauce).

All products are dairy-free EXCEPT: Pesto Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomato & Mozzarella Sausage, Spinach & Feta Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomato & Parmesan Cheese Meatballs, Spicy Bacon & Bleu Cheese Char-Broilers and Bacon & Cheddar Char-Broilers.

Applegate Farms

All of Applegate Farms beef, chicken and turkey hot dogs are gluten-free and dairy-free. All sausages are gluten-free, all are dairy-free except Spinach & Feta flavor.

Ball Park

No statement from Ball Park’s parent company, Sara Lee. You have to read the label. I did notice that they use soy protein, corn starch and MSG in a lot of their franks. Also, if you think you are getting  a turkey dog, watch out — there is beef in it! Basically, stay away from these hot dogs and go for a more natural brand!

Casper’s

This brand of hot dog can be found in northern California. The parent company’s website, Spar Sausage Co., says of their dogs, “SPAR Sausage Company® does not add MSG (monosodium glutamate), fillers, or artificial colors, flavors or ingredients. Our products are also gluten-free.” On the phone they told me that Casper’s hot dogs do contain dairy.

Coleman Natural

Coleman Natural Beef Hot Dogs, Beef-Pork Franks and Bratwurst are gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free

Diestel

All sausage from the Diestel Turkey Ranch are gluten-free and dairy-free except Spinach and Feta with Pine Nuts flavor.

Dietz and Watson

Dietz and Watson’s New York Brand Deli Beef Franks, Regular Franks and Regular Weiners and Bratwurst are gluten-free. Fat Free Beef Franks, Gourmet Lite Franks, and Gourmet Lite Beef Franks are NOT gluten-free — one contains hydrolyzed oat flour (weird!) Regular Franks do contain nonfat dry milk and isolated soy protein.

Freybe

A couple of readers let me know that they love Freybe, located in Canada with some products available in the U.S. According to the Freybe website, “With the exception of our British Bangers, all Freybe meat products are free of glutens.” Regarding dairy: “Cheese Smokies and Parmesano Salami aside, all Freybe products are made without any milk ingredients, making them perfectly suitable for those allergic to milk or milk products.”

Hans

Hans All Natural Sausages have many gluten-free and dairy-free varieties of sausage: Chipotle Pepper Chicken Sausage, Mild Italian Chicken Sausage, Organic Breakfast Links Chicken Sausage, Skinless Chicken Breakfast Links, Spicy Andouille Chicken Sausage, Spicy Chorizo Chicken Sausage, Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Chicken Sausage, and Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage. There are some varieties that contain dairy.

Hebrew National

Hebrew National franks are gluten-free and dairy-free except for Franks in a Blanket. They all contain hydrolyzed soy protein.

Hillshire Farms

Just like Ball Park, no statement from Hillshire Farms‘ parent company, Sara Lee. You have to read the label. These use soy protein, corn syrup and MSG in their products.

Jennie-O

Jennie-O Turkey Franks and Jumbo Turkey Franks are gluten-free.

Jones Dairy Farm

All of the sausage at Jones Dairy Farm is gluten-free EXCEPT for Scrapple. And even though there is “Dairy” in the company’s name, their products do not contain dairy! More information: Jones Dairy Farms list of gluten-free products.

For the corn-allergic: Some of the packages are coated with a grain-based talc (corn) as a processing aid.

Niman Ranch

Niman Ranch franks and sausages are gluten-free. (confirmed via phone) Hot dogs contain dairy.

Oscar Mayer

Oscar Mayer’s parent company is Kraft, which has a “policy for all Kraft and Nabisco products to list ingredients that contain gluten on the ingredient statement. These items will be listed using commonly known terms such as Wheat, Barley, Oats or Rye. For other ingredients that contain gluten, the grain source will be declared in parenthesis after the ingredient name. For example, if the ingredient “natural flavor” contains a gluten source, the label would read: natural flavor (contains rye). Other ingredients that contain gluten are: Triticale, Spelt, Kamut, Mir or Farina (also known as Far or Farro).”

So, you need to read the labels. Judging from the ingredient lists of the Oscar Mayer hot dogs I looked at, they are gluten-free and dairy-free with the exception of the ones that are filled with cheese. Of course, be sure to always check.

For the corn-allergic: All of their products contain either corn syrup or corn starch.

Rocky Dogs

Rocky Dogs are chicken hot dogs that are gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free.

Sabrett

Sabrett Frankfurters are gluten-free. From the label it looks as though they are dairy-free also.

Thumann’s

Thumann’s All Natural products, which includes All Natural Pork and Beef Frankfurters, are gluten-free and casein-free. They also state that they have no nitrates or nitrites, no artificial, flavors, colors or preservatives, no fillers, and no MSG.

Trader Joe’s

On Trader Joe’s gluten-free product list, all sausage is listed as gluten-free. Some flavors do contain dairy because they contain cheese.

Wellshire Farms

Wellshire Farms products display a Smart Chart so you can easily see if it is gluten-free and dairy free. The Chicken Franks, Turkey Franks and Beef Franks are all gluten and dairy-free. You can do a search for all products by allergy, including gluten, casein/dairy, lactose, nuts, corn, soy, pepper, garlic, and mustard.

Related article:
Lunch meat: gluten-free and dairy-free list

I know many of you are searching for a way to make a gingerbread house that is gluten-free. Well, I have to admit I have never done it, mainly because my kids haven’t been old enough to make it worth all the effort. But this year, I may actually attempt it.

I am thrilled that Pamela (she always comes through!) has created a way to use her bread mix to make the house. Not only is it gluten-free, but it is dairy-free, soy-free (you can use palm shortening) and can be made without eggs too, using egg replacer. (The only challenge will be the icing if you can’t have eggs. I am still researching how to do this. If anyone can help, please let me know!)

So, without further ado, here is the recipe:

Pamela’s Best Gingerbread House

Ingredients:
1 bag Pamela’s Wheat Free Bread Mix (Do not use enclosed yeast packet)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/3 cup unsalted shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg (or egg replacer for 1 egg, prepared)
1/2 cup mild or light molasses for lighter cookies or dark molasses for darker cookies
1 to 2 Tablespoons water

Use heavy duty stand mixer, dough is heavy.

In a medium bowl, combine Pamela’s Wheat Free Bread Mix with salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger. Whisk together thoroughly. Do not use the yeast packet in this recipe.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream shortening with sugar. Add egg, mix to incorporate. Add molasses, mix to incorporate. Add dry ingredients, mix to incorporate. Add water. Continue mixing gently together until dough comes together. If needed, add an additional tablespoon of water. (Dough prepared with egg replacer may require more or less water.)

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before rolling out.

Use template (see below) to cut out house pieces. Roll dough out at 1/4 inch. Cut out one house piece at a time on parchment using template. Leave the cookie on parchment and pull away excess dough from around cookie. Trim excess paper around cookie to about 1-inch, then transfer cookie on parchment to baking sheet. Multiple pieces can fit on one baking sheet. Remove templates from cookies before baking.

Bake cookies twice to dry enough for building a house. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Then turn off oven leaving cookies inside with door shut. Leave them to cool completely in the heat of the oven (3 to 4 hours). When cool, remove cookies from oven, preheat oven again to 350°, then bake for an another 10 minutes. Turn off oven with cookies inside with door shut, leave until cool. Construct the house using Pamela’s Royal Icing (see recipe below) made with Pamela’s Vanilla Frosting Mix. Decorate using candies stuck into the icing.

Pamela’s Gingerbread House Template (You need Adobe Acrobat to read these, for a free download of Adobe Acrobat Reader click here.)
Gingerbread House Front & Back
Gingerbread House Roof
Gingerbread House Sides

Pamela’s Royal Icing

Mix one bag Pamela’s Vanilla Frosting Mix with 1 teaspoon Cream of Tarter and two egg whites. For salmonella concerns, substitute equivalent of 2 eggs with dried egg white powder* or meringue powder* prepared. Mix on high until icing thickens and stiff peaks form. Icing will harden when dry. Great for gingerbread houses!  Terrific for using to stick candies* on cookies! For the truly creative, try adding food color* for colored icing.

*Consumers concerned about gluten should check that all flavorings and additional ingredients added to recipes are gluten-free.

Is a house too hard? How about gingerbread men instead?

Thank you Pamela!!