Tag Archives: Food

Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest

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I’ve been attending this gluten free food sampling Mecca since it started in Indy. In fact, when it started, it was not owned by Gluten free & more magazine. It was a local creation.

After the initiation years and public build-up, the magazine purchased the show and took over. However, things have changed.

While I still love the accessibility to new gluten free products, sampling before buying and the ability to take my kids somewhere they can eat, there are things that I miss about the old show.

1-The old show gave me the opportunity to sample gluten free alcohol and learn about some of the options on the market that were safe.

2-There were nearly three times the amount of vendors available to sample.

3-The old show didn’t have such a highly represented number of unrelated, non-food vendors.

On the up side, this show does encourage participation from companies that produce products that are free from additional allergens, in addition to gluten.

Perhaps there is a way they can strike a balance to keep numbers up? Did you attend? What are your thoughts?

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Grandmas Cherry Torte, Gluten free

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Through the years, grandmas cherry torte was a constant at holiday meals. For years we have tried to immolate it and somehow it just doesn’t taste the same. Maybe it’s just the love she put into making them for the enjoyment of the family that made them better. That was a lot of love.

This Christmas we made some adjustments to the recipe to avoid gluten and ended up with a delightful replacement that is allergy friendly. I believe grandmas would have been proud.

Crust:

1 stick of butter
1 package Schar GF graham crackers
1C pecans

Grind them together in food processor or magic bullet and pat into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (this should make it lightly browned) and set aside to cool completely before adding filling.

Filling:

8oz package Cream cheese (room temperature)
1C Sugar
1box dream whip (large box has two packets-this is what you need)

Mix both packages of dream whip according to directions in large mixer (I used Kitchen Aid). In another bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar. Then add this mix to the dream whip mix in the large mixer. Pour the combined mixture over the cooled crust.

Let mixture chill for one hour and spoon 2 cans of cherry pie filling on top. We used Duncan Hines Wilderness Simply Cherry. It is made with no artificial ingredients, food color or HFCS.

Let chill and it serves about 12 per pan. We usually make at least 2 pans. The longer it refrigerates, the better it tastes. At least let chill overnight before serving.

Enjoy!

 

Allergy friendly snack list

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As a serial room mom and having kids with allergies, I am constantly trying to figure out the parameters of the approved snack list at school. After chatting with the school nurse I found that each school does their own thing. So, in an effort to assist all parents with ideas for providing snacks for school parties, I put together this list (which I will update as I find new options).

Some are more affordable than others and some can even be found at Costco or on amazon in bulk. I will note these options where I can to make it easier and more affordable when buying snacks for 20-30 kids.

The options I am listing are gluten, dairy, egg yolk and peanut free. They also happen to be dye free and missing high fructose corn syrup (since those are personal no-no’s for us). Please always double check packaging as manufacturers change ingredients, factories and processes on a regular basis.

Aldi’s has a liveGfree line that includes:
Snickerdoodle soft baked cookies
Double chocolate brownie soft baked cookies
Gluten free pretzel sticks
Chewy bars in: berry, cocoa and caramel apple
Vanilla and chocolate stuffed cookies (look like oreos)

Boxed Raisins
Boxed Craisins
Mini marshmallows
Enjoy life chocolate chips
(Dr.) Lucy’s cookies (all flavors except peanut butter)
Fruit by the Foot (Costco)
Ruby Rockets (non) yogurt blend
Boom chika pop (Costco)
Deep river chips
Cave Man bars (Costco)
Home free cookies (all varieties except peanut butter)
Kirkland organic applesauce (Costco)
Jack Links beef sticks (Costco)
Veggie Sticks
Lovey Candy Co Licorice (Costco)
Trader Joe’s Fruit Bars
Joe Joe’s gluten free chocolate/vanilla cremes (Trader Joe’s)
Joe Joe’s gluten free peppermint cremes (Trader Joe’s) ~ Seasonal
Yum earth organics flavored lollipops
Trader Joe’s Organic Pops Suckers

Fresh fruit
Fresh Vegetables
Tostitos tortilla chips & salsa
Corn chex
Cheerios (original, cinnamon, apple)

This is a list that is sure to grow. These are great lunch box items also.
Enjoy! And allergy on.

Gluten Free Hamburger Hash

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Some nights I start with one ingredient and then build a recipe from there. I honestly don’t spend time in the grocery each week building each recipe by ingredient. I simply don’t have time or patience.

This week I started with a bag of hash brown potatoes… fortunately, the rest just seemed to fall into place.

1 bag gf hash brown potatoes
1 large onion diced
2LB ground chuck (we buy local and split a cow)
1 bag frozen corn

Start with aluminum foil squares and spray with non-stick cooking oil. Add potatoes, onion, raw ground beef crumbled, and frozen corn. Then cover with a tablespoon of oil (your choice), a tablespoon of water and sprinkle with rancher steak rub. Place in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes.

When they are taken from the oven, sprinkle with cheese (or daiya, non dairy cheese).

 

GF/DF/EF/RF Brookies

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I often share cool recipes I come up with using Brooke’s Naturals Mixes. This is one of my absolute favorite mixes, since my allergies served as inspiration for her mixes. If you haven’t tried these mixes, check them out at brookescandyco.com and buy a case. They are amazing!

Once I found out my son had dairy and egg allergies, I had to change the stock recipe on the back of the package to include alternatives. I try something different each time and I think I have found a great texture in this one below.

1 package Brooke’s Naturals Chocolate Chip Cookies
5T Coconut oil (melted)
1T GF Vanilla (I use kirklands)
1/2 C Applesauce
2T Almond Milk

Mix completely and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.
I use the pampered chef mini muffin pan because I don’t like my cookies to ooze to flat. This creates a nice caramelized type cookie-muffin hybrid that holds it’s shape.

Happy Baking!
The mixes are gluten and rice free, the alternatives make it dairy and egg free.

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Apple Chicken

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Crock pot meals are my go-to this time of year. They are ready when you need them and dump-n-run prep. Earlier this week I quickly perused the shelf in my pantry for something that I could add to chicken and settled on the items below. Yes, it was easy. Yes, it was yummy. My kids even asked for seconds!

8 frozen chicken breasts
4T oil (i used sunflower, but that is up to you)
Cover with 2 cans sweet potatoes
Cover with 1 can apple pie filling

Set on low for 5-6 hours in the crock pot.
Protein, veggie and dessert all in one.

GF/DF Quinoa Tabouleh

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I love(d) tabouleh. I didn’t find out I had celiac until I was 26 so I was used to eating it. I literally grew up on it. So, when I had the opportunity to recreate it gluten free, I jumped at it. This is a fresh, healthy, natural salad that can serve as a meal too.

The quinoa to “all other ingredients” ratio is really personal taste. If you find there is too much, cut back. If you like more of the protein so it can stand alone as a meal, add more.

2C Quinoa (cooked, cool rinsed and drained)
2 scallions chopped
2 cucumbers peeled and chopped (could also be de-seeded, if you choose)
2C Chopped fresh mushrooms
16oz can sliced black olives
1 pint grape tomatoes halved
1/2bunch parsley (chopped)
1/4C mint leaves (chopped)
1C lemon juice
1/3C oil (olive, avocado, flavored) I like blood orange flavor from the Olive Branch
1/2C lime juice
Salt/pepper to taste