A Gluten Free Guide

Tofu as a Gluten Free Canvas

My first experience with tofu was not a pleasant one. I found the taste bland and the texture uninviting. Fortunately, I gave tofu a second chance during college and discovered a crispy baked tofu at Whole Foods that stood up to any meat dish. Because I’m not vegetarian, I only eat tofu when the sauce and preparation warrant attention. The beauty of tofu is it’s ability to truly absorb the flavors of whatever sauce you choose.

Recently it seemed I couldn’t escape discussions of tofu recipes and dishes. The final straw was watching an episode of Iron Chef with tofu as focus. I NEEDED to cook some tofu of my own.

I took a recipe that my friend Sean had recommended and adapted it to my own tastes. The final result pays homage to the original with the soy sauce and cilantro, but it’s a new creation. If you were turned-off by your first experience with tofu, you may want to give it a second look.

Oven-roasted Tofu with Gluten-Free Asian Ginger Marinade

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

1 14 oz package firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into one-inch cubes
6 tablespoons gluten-free low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
4 teaspoons creamed honey
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Set aside the cubed tofu pieces and combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive bowl. Pour the sauce over the tofu and let marinate for 15-20 minutes. Spread the tofu cubes and sauce flat in a casserole dish or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees, stirring 2-3 times to get an even crisp on all sides.

I enjoyed this with some sautéed Broccoli Rabe and a mushroom quinoa, but the possibilities are endless. Please share any tofu tips you have with the rest of us.

Bite-Sized Gluten-Free at Krog Bar Atlanta

Krog Bar ATL Cheese Plate, originally uploaded by A Gluten Free Guide.

 

My friend and fellow foodie Jim recently introduced me to Krog Bar in Atlanta. It’s a tapas and wine bar housed in a shed, but the ambiance of the open air patio, delicious food and wine list belie its location.

While much of the menu is not gluten-free friendly, we still found plenty of food that “wouldn’t make me sick” as Jim likes to say. Despite that less than appetizing description, the food was scrumptious.

Jim left the cheese selection to me, even though I had only signed up for my French Cheese class at the time. I selected a hard sheep’s milk pecorino that reminded me of my time in Rome. The hard Mahon Riserva and the creamy and soft robiola rounded out the assortment. The bread was saved for Krog’s other customers, but our cheeses were accompanied by a rich forest honey, sliced apples and a sliver of fig and almond cake. (click through to flickr to see which cheese is which)

Not satisfied with a mere cheese plate, we also ordered the almond and olive trio. The mini arbequina olives are perhaps the “cutest” things I’ve eaten in a while. The mixed Italian olives had the perfect strong but not over-powering flavor. And I have yet to find a Marcona almond that doesn’t please my palate.

Krog Bar is a must visit, even if the weather keeps you off of the patio.

Krog Bar 112 Krog Street Ste 27 Atlanta, GA 30307 Phone Number: 404.524.1618

A Gluten-Free Symphony

Lately it seems like everywhere I turn people are talking about a “symphony of flavors” when discussing food, the high and low notes, the way the food plays on your tongue. I decided to put together a dinner using ingredients I had on hand to see if I could create my own gluten-free symphony.

My friend Havilah and I have been discussing recipes for “fish en papillote” or fish baked in parchment paper. This technique seals in and heightens the flavor of the food, and as an added benefit it is a beautiful way to present your meal.

I had a Chilean Sea Bass filet in my fridge that I had planned on pan-searing but instead used it as the base for my fish en papillote. After pouring through my copy of Culinary Artistry for some flavor inspiration, I mixed low-sodium gluten-free soy sauce, crushed ginger, a touch of honey and a few slices of jalapenos to kick up the spice. I wrapped my filet in parchment and let it marinate in the sauce for 30 minutes before baking.

While the fish was marinating, I was faced with the question of what would best accompany it. I had a box of quinoa left over from this recipe so I prepared a mushroom quinoa pilaf using a marinated mushroom melody from Trader Joe’s. The garlic and bay seasoning in the mushrooms was infused into the quinoa without overpowering it.

The Chilean Sea Bass turned out beautifully. As I opened the parchment paper, the sauce oozed onto the plate to join the quinoa pilaf. The flavors married so well, I am looking forward to making it again. Because Chilean Sea Bass is a tender white fish and its flavor is quite subtle, this sauce was a little too strong. For future iterations I will try different white fish filets.

 

Spicy Fish en Papillote

2 6-8oz fish filets, skin removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup low-sodium gluten-free soy sauce
1 tablespoon crushed ginger
2 teaspoons honey
10 slices of jalapeños

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

After removing the skin from your fish filets, salt and pepper all sides of the filet. Combine the other ingredients in a separate bowl. Set two separate pieces of parchment paper on a baking sheet and place the filets on each. Pour the sauce on each filet and seal the paper (some recipes call for an egg wash to do this, I was able to fold it closed without the wash). Let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove from oven, let the paper deflate a bit and transfer to your serving plate. Be careful of the steam that will escape when tearing open the parchment paper.

I will be trying some of Havilah’s recipes soon, so stay tuned. Let me know if you have any tips using this technique.

Savoring Time with Friends

Today is my friend Molly’s birthday. She is my most loyal reader (other than my Dad) and she has accompanied me on more gluten free adventures than anyone.

One of the reasons a Celiac diagnosis can be so disruptive is the immediate affect it has on your social life. Dinner parties and restaurants require upfront research and “ingredient transparency” that isn’t always easy to obtain. As frustrating as that can be, I have been touched by the kindness and understanding shown by my friends.

Tomorrow we are celebrating Molly’s birthday at a restaurant in NY called Rice. It’s HER birthday and she made sure to choose a restaurant where I could eat comfortably. And it’s not just Molly who has shown me such compassion. My cousin Lisa arranged her goodbye dinner according to where I could eat. Keely adjusted the menu for a dinner party so that I could eat with the group. Amber made sure the waiter didn’t bring any bread to the table even though she surely would have enjoyed it. There have been determined waiters and chefs who made sure that I could eat more than plain lettuce and a dry chicken breast. These are just a few examples of the kind of thoughtfulness and consideration I’ve been the recipient of in the past two years. I am so grateful for my network of support.

Rice has become a regular haunt for my group dinners. Here are a few of the things my friends and I ordered on a recent trip and we will surely be nibbling on tomorrow.

Hot tea served with four different kinds of honey

Steamed Edamame

Mesclun Salad with a Tropical Garnish – avocado, hearts of palm, and red pepper served with a choice of gluten free dressings

Mexican Chicken Soup with avocado, tomato, corn, rice, cilantro and lime (one of my favorites)

Butternut Squash Chowder – squash bisque with basmati, thyme and nutmeg

Sweet Corn Arepa with queso fresco

Thai Coconut Curry – white meat chicken, shrimp or tofu stir fried with broccoli, red peppers, red onions and carrots in a coconut curry bath

Rice also has an amazing brunch deal on the weekends (though not everything offered is gluten free). As you can see, Rice on Lex is a great location for group dinners, just warn everyone in advance that it’s cash only.

Happy Birthday Molly!

Rice, 115 Lexington Ave, New York 10016At 28th St Phone: 212-686-5400
81 Washington St, Brooklyn 11201 Btwn York & Front St Phone: 718-222-9880
166 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn 11217 At Cumberland St Phone: 718-858-2700

Trails of Memories and New Experiences

 

It’s weird the things that are emblazoned in our memories. I remember very clearly the first time I saw cut up jicama at a Whole Foods in San Francisco. Why is that memory so vivid and rich when I sometimes can’t remember things I did a few days ago? Perhaps it’s the tactile nature of eating and the multiple senses it engages that leaves such vivid images in my mind. That’s probably why there can be thousands of food blogs and we don’t get tired of reading, looking at pictures and enjoying other people’s experiences with food. Ok, back to San Francisco.
I saw a container of unidentifiable white cubes amongst the fresh cut fruits and veggies. The label said jicama and there was a lime sitting on top. The whole container cost less than $3 so I decided it was worth a try. When I got back to my computer I looked it up jicama on the Internet (have to find out that nutrition information to dose my insulin). FreshDirect’s web site has become my de facto source for food information and nutrition facts. Their description is great: “Jicama is all about crunch. Its flavor is slightly nutty and fruity, almost like an apple, but its real virtue is its light, juicy crispness. It resembles water chestnuts (for which it can substitute easily). You can boil jicama like a potato, but we prefer it raw. In Mexico, chilled jicama slices seasoned with chili powder, salt, and lime juice are a favorite cocktail snack.”

Since my first foray into the world of jicama in San Francisco I have been pleased to find it in dishes at Candle Café. Recently I decided to make a jicama appetizer for a dinner party. Because my local Whole Foods doesn’t have it pre-cut I had to find out what the root looks like and how to peel and chop the rather unwieldy thing. The first time around was definitely not easy. My Knife Skills 1 class at ICE did not prepare me for this. I’ve since become more adept, though I did have a small accident involving a dull chef’s knife, a jicama root and my fingernail. (It hasn’t kept me from integrating jicama into my diet on a much more regular basis.) I’ve had some trouble finding jicama at my “regular” grocery stores so you may need to go to a produce market or Whole Foods if your local market doesn’t stock it.

 

Give these spicy chips a try, but unless you are knife skills master allow some time and extra jicama for practice.

Spicy Jicama Chips (from Donna Klein’s Gluten Free Vegetarian Kitchen)

1 large jicama (about 12 oz), peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
Juice of 2 limes (about 1/3 cup)
½ tablespoon gluten-free chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the jicama slices in a shallow nonreactive dish and add the lime juice; toss well to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, tossing a few times. To serve, drain the jicama chips and transfer to a serving platter; sprinkle with the chili powder, salt and pepper.

I have also tried these with just a dash of cayenne. For you spice lovers, it really ratchets up the heat.

Gluten Free Thai in Atlanta – Nan Fine Dining

I recently had two wonderful meals at an elegant Thai restaurant in Atlanta. Nan – Thai Fine Dining, is an upscale restaurant with a focus on fresh cuisine. I discovered that Chef Nan was amenable to accommodating gluten free diners on the Atlanta Celiac Meet Up board. The members of this group keep an updated spreadsheet of restaurants in Atlanta with gluten free menus and chefs that gladly adapt their offerings to your needs.

While Thai is a cuisine that lends itself to safe gluten free dining, you still need to be vigilent. Because many of the better Thai restaurants employ native speaking chefs, I highly recommend the Thai dining card from Triumph.

On my first trip to Nan, I discovered that they were not as familiar with “gluten-free” as I expected. However, armed with my Thai restaurant card and with the help of a wonderful manager, I was able to enjoy a delicious meal rich with flavor. One of the toughest things about eating out gluten free is that many of the “safe” options are rather bland. At Nan I was able to satiate my taste for all things spicy.

I started with a not so spicy Satay Kai, grilled chicken on bamboo skewers with a lightly curried peanut sauce. While some peanut sauces can be too heavy or sweet, this sauce highlighted the curry flavor without weighing down the dish.

As usual, I ordered steamed vegetables. They advised me to avoid the sauce that normally coats the dish, which was perfectly fine with me. I prefer my veggies fresh and crisp rather than as a “sauce delivery vehicle.”

For my main course I selected the Gang Panang Talay, shrimp, mussels and scallops in a panang curry sauce. Curry sauces with coconut sauce can also get heavy and almost syrupy, but this red curry has a nice spicy tang without being sugary.

On my second trip to Nan, I was going to try something new, but the chef and manager recommended that I stay with the Gang Panang Talay because they were unsure about the ingredients in a sauce in the other dish that looked interesting to me. I always appreciate it when a restaurant is honest about an ingredient of which they can’t make a full account.

While I’ve heard some complaints that Nan is overpriced, you are paying for more than just the food. The environment is open, airy and beautiful. The food is prepared fresh, the tables are truly elegant, they have an amazing display (and use) of spices, the service is top-notch and the bathrooms alone are worth a visit!

Nan Thai 1350 Spring Street NW Atlanta, GA 30309 Telephone: (404) 870-9933

It’s All About The Cheese

 

As anyone who knows me or has been reading this blog for a while knows, I love cheese. I love tasting new cheeses, planning a cheese “course” for a party or picking cheeses for an appetizer or dessert at a restaurant.

I took a Cheese 101 class at the Artisanal cheese center in Manhattan two years ago with my friends Erica and Sumita. After that class I bought “The Cheese Plate” by Max McCalman, who led our course. He is the rock star fromager for all of the Terrance Brennan restaurants, including Artisanal. After our class was over, Erica was able to get us an exclusive tour of the cheese “caves” where the fromagers care for and age the famous artisanal offerings.

 

Last week, my friend Susan joined me for a French cheese class at Artisanal lead by Fromager Daphne Zepos. We were served a selection of French cheeses and given background information about each of the cheeses as she led the tasting. Even with my knowledge of cheese, the class was enlightening and delicious.

For example, did you know that while wine was always aristocratic fare, cheese was once considered a humble food? It began as a way to preserve the milk so that farmers could survive in the lean winter months (necessity is the mother of invention after all). The aristocracy and landowners would collect the more “ephemeral” cream and butter products and leave the cheese for the farmers. I also learned that women traditionally made goat’s milk cheese. Goats were considered of “the devil” and men didn’t have the patience to deal with the temperamental beasts. It therefore became the chore of the wife to take care of the goats. The residual effects of this can be seen in the small and delicate forms many goat cheeses take. It’s a woman’s imagination that ties little packages with such care.

When looking to pair cheese with food or beverages, ideally you find pairings that elevate the taste of each. Apparently sommeliers tend to recommend cheeses that will elevate the wine and some fromagers recommend wines that elevate the cheese. There are combinations however that can elevate both. For the yogis and others that avoid alcohol, you don’t have to feel left out; here is an article on how to use juices to the same effect.

While most cheeses are gluten free, I was concerned when I discovered that one of the cheeses on our plate was dusted with breadcrumbs. (Click on the photo to go through to Flickr and see which cheese is which.) I of course avoided the breadbasket placed on each table, but was pleased to learn that fromagers consider bread merely a palate cleanser. According to Daphne, bread hinders your ability to really taste the cheese and therefore should only be eaten between each cheese. So I was perfectly happy to use water as my palate cleanser and have an expert fromager give me an additional reason for banishing bread from my cheese services.

Cheese plates are a fun way to get creative with your palate with no actual cooking time. Let me know if you find some new favorites. (and Amber, we are going to find a Sheep’s milk cheese for you!)

A Gluten Free Celebration at Candle 79 in NYC

I graduated from my professional yoga teacher training program last week. After more than 500 hours of training over the last year and a half, a few of us decided to celebrate with a fancy dinner at Candle 79. The upscale sister of Candle Café, the ambiance and food at Candle 79 provide an organic vegan dining experience that will please even the pickiest meat eater’s palate.

Rachel was my partner in gluten free over-indulgence but the equally beautiful Jessica and Naomi helped us sample the gluten free desserts.

I first learned about Candle 79 when the CeliacChicks wrote this glowing review. I’ve since shared this gluten free restaurant find with family and friends and have yet to find anyone who was disappointed with their meal. The gluten free menu at Candle 79 is coordinated with the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program so I have an extra level of confidence when dining there, even though eating out is always risky.

The chef’s “taste” for the evening was a grilled asparagus with pine nuts and a balsamic reduction. Because their grill is not gluten free they brought out a version with steamed asparagus for me.

Rachel and I started with the Guacamole Timbale. This new version for spring combines avocado with chipotle black beans, plantains and tomato salsa fresca. The gluten free sesame flax crackers add a beautiful crunch to the dish.

In addition to the timbale, we split the Wild Mushroom Salad. The mushrooms are warm and make a delicious base to a salad of arugula, tomatoes, cippolini onions with a creamy horseradish dressing.

We decided to split our main courses as well to maximize our dining experience. Both dishes we selected are new to the spring menu. The Morel Crusted Tempeh is served with lemon quinoa, sautéed shallots, asparagus, grean peas, blue foot mushrooms, and a savory fava bean puree.

The Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Cake is served with spring vegetables, red pepper-coconut curry and a sweet apricot-date chutney, topped with toasted almonds. The chef brilliantly balanced the sweet and savory notes of the dish.

Because Naomi and Jessica joined us a little late, Rachel and I didn’t want them to feel left out when they were eating so we decided to get another side and shared the “creamed” spinach.

We all shared the Kahlua Flan and Live Nut Crumble desserts. If you are a flan fan, this dessert with not disappoint, with a caramel sauce and chocolate covered coffee beans it is actually a rather light way to finish your meal.

By far though, my favorite dessert is the live nut crumble. It is served with orange cashew cream, gluten free nut granola and a sour cherry-port reduction. It’s such a luxury and worth every last gluten free calorie.

I can’t believe I finally graduated, my yoga training was such a great (and time intensive) experience. Candle 79 provided the perfect venue for our celebratory dinner. They put “Congratulations Yoginis!” on our check and dessert was on the house. This loving, organic restaurant never sacrifices on flavor but is also pushing towards becoming more and more “green.” It’s a pleasure to support restaurants that give back to the environment and give Celiac customers a “safe” place to eat.

Gluten Free Whole Grains

 

While most foods marketed as “whole grain” include a gluten-containing grain, there are a few whole grains that are delicious and safe for the Celiac diet. Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) is one of my post-celiac discoveries. It is an ancient South American grain that also happens to be a great source of plant protein. It is available at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and other well-stocked supermarkets.

I love the quinoa salad at Candle Café, but this was my first attempt at making it at home. During my gluten free cookbook test dinner, I chose this Santa Fe style salad and couldn’t have been happier with the results. The cumin marries well with the rest of the flavors and the textures and colors are just as appealing.

Make sure to rinse the uncooked grains well under cold running water to wash away the bitter-tasting resin.

Santa Fe-Style Quinoa Salad (adapted from Donna Klein’s Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen)

1 ½ cups water
½ cup mild or medium picante sauce
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well under cold running water
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen yellow corn, cooked, drained, and cooled (or canned, rinsed and drained)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and finely chopped

(The original recipe calls for 4 scallions and 1 tablespoon canola oil)

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, picante sauce, quinoa, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and toss with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
While still warm, add the remaining ingredients to the quinoa mixture, tossing well to combine. Add salt and pepper to season as desired. Serve slightly warm or let cool to room temperature.

Gluten Free Ravioli – Do my eyes deceive me?

 

I am a creature of habit. This has been true for as long as I can remember. When I was in grammar and junior high school my family would go to a local Italian restaurant called “Carmine’s.” I always ordered the cheese ravioli served with butter, parmesan cheese and garnished with Italian parsley. The ricotta filling and delicious pasta never disappointed.

As I have traveled around the world and moved across the country, I have become much more adventurous with my food choices. (Celiac disease has even facilitated my experimentation.) But sometimes I still miss the “comfort food” of my childhood. I had written off ravioli as a food I would never enjoy again with my gluten free lifestyle. Sure, there were gluten free ravioli recipes that looked amazing, but I lacked the ambition to attempt such a project when there were so many other recipes to try.

Lucky for me, Everybody Eats, the bakery in Brooklyn who created the canvas for my garlic cheese spread, also makes gluten free ravioli! (And not just cheese, but chicken and beef ravioli too.) I decided to try the spinach-ricotta filling in order to hearken back to the Carmine’s ravioli I savored as a child.

Unlike most gluten free pastas that have a slightly different flavor or texture (not necessarily bad just distinctive), Everybody Eats’ ravioli is indistinguishable from “regular” pasta. It is expensive, but for those special occasions when you just need to feel normal, it’s a worthy splurge. You can top the pasta to your tastes, but the sauce below flattered the flavors perfectly.

(I also used this sauce on some brown rice spaghetti from Trader Joe’s. I wanted to make sure my guests had plenty to eat in case I devoured all of the ravioli by myself. The brown rice pasta was good. Some of the strands stuck together and had to be thrown out but all in all it is a great option for a low price.)

Kalamata Butter Sauce for Gluten Free Pasta (serves about 4)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic sliced
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped italian flat-leaf parsley
½ cup diced kalamata olives
1 cup roasted red peppers, torn into bite-sized pizza

Heat a skillet with the olive oil and add the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor. Add the butter, parsley, olives and red peppers. Cook until the butter melts and the olives and peppers are warm. Toss the sauce with your pasta and top with a good grated parmesan or romano cheese.

These amounts are approximate. Play with the ingredients and amounts to fit your tastes. It’s not low fat, and I certainly couldn’t eat such rich buttery goodness everyday, but I enjoyed every last bite!