A Gluten Free Guide

Celebrate Love with a Gluten-Free Cupcake

Valentine’s day is the perfect opportunity to flex your gluten free baking muscles and create some sweet treats.Cupcakes have been the trendy baked good of choice in Manhattan ever since the Magnolia Bakery introduced us all to the delight of vanilla buttercream frosting. When I moved to NYC, it didn’t take long before my cousin brought me to the West Village to experience Magnolia’s famous cupcakes. When I found out that they had a cookbook I started experimenting with their recipes on my own. I discovered that it wasn’t that difficult to make the frosting and that a yellow cake mix tasted just as good as the much more labor intensive cupcake recipe. I started bringing my “Magnolia Style” cupcakes to dinner parties, birthday parties, and any celebration in need of such an indulgence.

Once gluten was banned from my life, I went in search of a gluten free cake recipe that rivaled my previous concoctions. I spent hours on the weekend trying every vanilla and yellow cake mix and recipe I could find. I made my roommates try all of the results.

“Too grainy.”
“Tastes like cornbread”
“Ummm, not good”

They would look at me with sad eyes, knowing how much I needed to find a recipe that could bring back some sense of normalcy to my new gluten free lifestyle. After trying upwards of 15 recipes and mixes, I started to give up hope that I could make cupcakes that rivaled my old glory.

The Really Great Food Company yellow cake mix is pretty good and the Dowd and Rogers Dark Vanilla cake mix with chestnut flower is delicious in it’s own right, but it’s not the same as a simple yellow cake. While I have embraced many of the new flavors and textures that gluten free cooking has brought into my life, I needed that small yellow cupcake. Thankfully, shortly after I had given up hope, someone on the Delphi forums posted a surprisingly simple technique for yellow cake that she claimed had ‘never-failed’ her. I decided to give it one more shot but didn’t get my hopes up. I mean, orange juice in a cupcake recipe? How could that be any good? Wouldn’t it taste like oranges? Well, it worked and it worked really well. It’s moist and delicious and just as good if not better than any ‘gluten’ cupcake. The hint of orange is only detectable when you know it’s there.

Celebratory Cupcakes

Yellow Gluten Free Cupcakes (adapted from the Celiac Disease Delphi Forums)
1 package Gluten Free Pantry Old Fashioned cake mix*

1 package Jello vanilla instant pudding

1/2 cup sugar

4 extra large eggs room temperature

1/2 cup canola oil

3/4 C orange juice

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons good vanilla extract*Do not follow the directions on the package

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and beat on high speed for two minutes.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill liners 2/3 to ¾ of the way full.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If making a cake, grease the pan first, pour in the mix and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (adapted from Domino Sugar)
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
1 stick (8T) of good unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
¼ cup of milk

Combine half of the sugar with the butter and beat on low speed. Add the wet ingredients and beat. Slowly add the rest of the sugar while mixing until combined. Beat on medium-high speed for at least two minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy. If you want the frosting to be a little bit stiffer (better for decorating) add powdered sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time. Frost cupcakes with icing at room temperature.

Tip – I find if I am going to a party that cupcakes are difficult to transport already frosted. Instead I keep the cupcakes and frosting in separate Ziploc bags or Tupperware containers and then frost them quickly upon arrival. They may not be pretty but they will taste good. This recipe stood up against cupcakes made by a professional working at Martha Stewart! Making homemade frosting is key – it doesn’t take that much extra effort on your part but it will take your baked goods to the next level.

I Heart Valentine’s Day

Peter’s Gourmet Diner

Peter’s Gourmet Diner and Restaurant is yet another gluten free dining wonderland located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The location on First Ave is not as convenient as some other restaurants in the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP), but the menu offerings more than make up for it.

Peter’s is a cute diner; the menu and walls are adorned with photos of famous Peter’s real and fictional, from “Peter Sellers to Peter Parker and Peter Pan.” After enjoying the entertainment on the outside of the menu, the gluten free patron will feel a wave of joy as they see a little red star indicating the few items on the menu that CAN’T be prepared gluten free. That’s right the rest of the 8+ pages of choices can all be made for you! This includes toast (they use Sterk’s gluten free bread from Canada), salads, main dishes and dessert. Where else can you enjoy real gluten free eggs benedict!?!?

Even though I was eating dinner at Peter’s this visit, there is something about eating at a diner that elicits cravings for breakfast fare. I selected the egg white frittata with turkey and broccoli – I also requested that they add avocado. The creaminess of the avocado was the perfect accompaniment to the turkey and broccoli.

The gluten free toast tasted great. I’ve never had Sterk’s bread un-toasted, but as toast I would definitely recommend it.
I also ordered a side of steamed veggies. (If you are a regular reader, you may be noticing a pattern in my eating habits…)

My friend Melanie, ordered a chicken pesto salad. Luckily it was also gluten free so I got to taste it. I have never had a pesto salad before that wasn’t pasta based. I have to say, it was quite scrumptious. It definitely made me think about some other ways I could integrate pesto into my home cooking. I may have to order this on my next trip.

I really wanted to try the gluten free cheesecake but I was too full and Melanie was unwilling to help me eat it! If you’ve tried it, let me know what you think.

PS – The waiter at Peter’s recognizes me by now, but it was the first time I had taken photos of all of my food. Everyone is so nice at Peter’s; he came over and offered to take a picture of me with the food. When I declined, he seemed a little confused about why I would be taking photos of just my food. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my family and friends for being so patient with me. Not only do they come to the restaurants I can safely eat at, but then they sit back and smile as I have a photo shoot before they are allowed to eat…

Peter’s Gourmet Diner and Bar 1606 1st Ave, New York 10021 Btwn 83rd & 84th St Phone: 212-734-9600

A new product discovery – Herb Roasted Turkey.

I discovered this herb roasted turkey breast from Applegate Farms at Trader Joe’s one week as I was waiting the incredibly long line that wraps around the store in Manhattan. I’m not a big turkey fan but the herbs piqued my interest. After picking up the package and seeing “GLUTEN FREE” right on the label, I knew it was at least worth a try. (I like to support companies who use a gluten free label even if it is a food or product that is naturally gluten free.) To my delight, the herbs added a beautiful flavor to the turkey without any of the sugars in other honey roasted and smoked turkey breasts.

Every so often in my travels, I stumble upon something that makes it just a little bit easier to travel gluten free. (Of course there is the constant adjustment of rules and regulations from the TSA to deal with as well.) This time it happened as a result of my cleaning out my fridge before I went home over the holidays. I wasn’t going to be able to use a package of the herb roasted turkey before its “use or freeze by” date. Well, I threw it in the freezer and off I went.

Upon my return, when I was packing for my next business trip it hit me. If I take the frozen turkey in the “cold bag” with my other refrigerated items, it would keep everything cool and be defrosted and edible by the time I needed to eat lunch. If I wasn’t ready to eat it at that point, at least it would survive the trip until I had access to a refrigerator. And presto, now I have more protein options when I’m traveling. (Fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates and fats tend to have more items that are conducive to travel without refrigeration. You can read more of my travel tips here and here.)

A lot of my strategies now just seem like second nature and should have been obvious from the beginning. But sometimes it just takes that “AHA!” moment of something small like reading a “freeze by” date for it to actually sink in…

Gluten-Free at PF Chang’s – Finally GF Chinese!

Did you know that there are a few mainstream restaurants that have gluten free menus? That doesn’t mean you can completely relax when you dine at these establishments, but it does make navigating a bit easier. During a recent trip to Los Angeles for work, my Mom drove to the West side so that we could get dinner before I took the redeye back to NYC.

My Mom and Victor were so excited to eat at PF Chang’s that Victor skipped lunch in anticipation of our meal. Because Chinese food is one of the more difficult cuisines to adapt to gluten free, I am unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to eat at PF Chang’s. The first time I ate there was more than a year after my diagnosis, and I was practically in tears I was so happy to be eating Chinese fare.

I find the easiest way to dine family-style with a willing group is to have everyone start with the gluten free menu. That way you don’t even see the other gluten options on the menu. We were more than pleased with our selections.

We started with the Chang’s Chicken Lettuce wraps. This is my favorite thing on the menu. Just make sure the server brings you the gluten free soy sauce and that the other sauces haven’t been contaminated by the regular soy sauce.

The Cantonese Shrimp sautéed with garlic and snow peas was great. It’s a little bit lighter than the other menu options.

The Chang’s Spicy chicken is dusted with cornstarch. It’s so rich you won’t believe that it’s gluten free.

The Singapore Street Noodles are rice noodles stir-fried with chicken and shrimp and topped with fried scallions.

The healthiest item on the menu is Bamboo’s Feast – a dish of steamed assorted vegetables. Luckily my Mom doesn’t “do” vegetables so there were plenty for me.

You have your choice of white or brown rice to accompany your meal.

They also offer a flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Too bad I don’t like chocolate! I’m sure you gluten free chocolate lovers would enjoy this treat.

You must specify that you want the gluten free version of each menu item. I also always double check with the person delivering the item that it is the gluten free version. Stay vigilant when eating out, and then enjoy all of the mouth-watering choices!

Festive Frittata!

I had my first frittata when I was in Sicily, after graduating from college. The family I was staying with made a delicious version with ham and parmesan cheese as a main course for dinner.I didn’t make my own version until this year. I started experimenting with frittatas as a brunch dish after a Saturday workout. With the eggs as the basis you can create any version just by playing with the other ingredients. You can serve it with your favorite salsa or gluten free toast. Let your imagination (or your leftovers) inspire you!

Festive Gluten Free Frittata
Serves 4

8 eggs beaten lightly or 2 cups egg whites/egg substitute
2 roasted red peppers, broken into pieces
3/4 cup cauliflower, broken into small florets
3/4 cup broccoli, broken into small florets
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
½ shredded cheddar and mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Lightly spray oil in a large frying pan with an oven-safe handle. Par-cook the vegetables by sautéing them for 2-3 minutes on med-high heat. Add the eggs or egg substitute to the pan and reduce heat to low. Stir and add the salt and freshly ground pepper. Keep cooking until the eggs are set but the bottom and edges are not too brown.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with cheese and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the oven, let sit for 2 minutes, cut and serve.

Be sure that the handle of the pan you use is oven safe. The other thing to be careful of is to always use a hot pad to hold the handle after pulling the pan out of the oven. (It sounds like a hard mistake to make, but after it’s been sitting on the stove you tend to forget how hot the handle still is.)

Gluten-Free Italian in Westchester

I am a city girl. I love Manhattan and usually stay within my dear borough (though I do have a soft spot for Brooklyn). One of my dearest friends Antenisca lives in Westchester; we’ve been close since we met during my first job in the city. We both have different jobs now, but I am so glad we had that time together. Antenisca is an amazing cook. We have made a few dinners together; I am always eager to get her authentic Italian cooking expertise. However, on my most recent trip up to see her and her family, we decided to take it easy on ourselves and go to a restaurant. (Though I am determined to do a gluten free version of pasta alla carbonara next time I visit.)

Ciao! is family-run Italian restaurant in Eastchester, and lucky for me it is part of the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness program. They serve large portions of well-prepared Italian food with quite a few gluten free options. While the gluten version of their menu is much more extensive, I didn’t feel any lack when making my selection.

All of the entrees are served with a simple green salad – and yes it’s gluten free!

I selected a delicious pair of pork chops served with sautéed mushrooms, peppers and onions. The pepper and onion mixture brought me right back to my time in southern Italy, eating at friends’ homes. (There is no higher praise from me.)

They have rice pasta as an option for most of their gluten pasta dishes. While my eyes are usually bigger than my stomach, I knew I couldn’t possibly eat both on one trip. This was a wise decision, as I ended up way too full for dessert. Though as we were leaving, I was told that their gelato is not gluten free. (This information was from a hostess however; I will confirm next time with a server.)

Ciao! is definitely kid and family friendly – they were great with Antenisca’s son Vito. I’m so greatful to be able to share great food experiences like this with wonderful friends. Take time to stop at Ciao! on your next trip to the suburbs of NYC.

Ciao Restaurant 5-7 John Albanese Place Eastchester, NY 10709 Tel: 914-779-4646

Gluten-Free Bread That Actually Tastes Good

The first week I started eating gluten free I tried at least 10 different gluten free bread mixes. Some would seem promising during the preparation, a nice dough and balanced yeasty flavor. Others failed even before the baking process began. Unfortunately everything I tried gave me a less than desirable final product. Heavy, bricks of gluten free “bread.” (using the term bread very loosely)

I decided to give up on mixes and started trying different recipes from scratch. I finally found a delicious Almond Bread recipe that Mireille from Delphi forums had recommended. I have included that recipe here, but I also have recently discovered a french bread mix that lived up to all of my expectations.

I made Mona’s French Bread mix during my last trip home. I don’t think I have ever enjoyed the beautiful taste of butter melting on a piece of crusty warm bread so thoroughly. My Mom, the bread expert proclaimed “Wow, Cat this is really good, I would have NO idea it was gluten free!”

o don’t give up hope on gluten free bread if you’ve had a few unsuccessful attempts – you have options – it sometimes just takes a little experimentation to get there.

Gluten Free Almond Bread (From Mireille at the Delphi Forums)
1 cup Asian rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour

1 cup almond flour

2 3/4 teaspoons xanthan gum

2 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 teaspoons of sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons gelatin (replace with agar-agar if you can’t use gelatin)

1/2 teaspoon egg replacer (can be found at most health food stores – I use Ener-G Foods)

1/2 cup good quality grated Parmesan cheese

3 extra large eggs room temperature

2 Tablespoons honey

3 Tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon gf cider or reg. vinegar

1/2 teaspoon gf almond extract

1 1/4 cup warm water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

To proof the yeast and make sure it’s active, add the yeast to 1/4 cup warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees F) and stir to dissolve. (Make sure that the water is just barely warm. If it feels uncomfortably hot, it will probably kill the yeast.) Add the two teaspoons of sugar and let the yeast sit for five to ten minutes. When the yeast is foamy and smells like bread, it’s ready to use.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the eggs, honey, oil, vinegar, almond extract and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of the water and the yeast mixture and beat for 1 minute. Continue to add water and mix until the dough is slightly thicker than a cake batter. Pour the mixture into a greased bread pan and let it rise, covered in a warm place. Don’t be tempted to let it “over-rise” – just let it rise ½ inch.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake at 375 for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cover with foil after 20 minutes to keep the top from burning.
Serve warm with butter or preserves. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Yoga!

 Ok, so yoga is always gluten free, but I wanted to take this opportunity to shamelessly self-promote my yoga class. After almost a year of training, I finally start teaching on Monday.

Yoga really helped me maintain my sanity before the doctors figured out I had Celiac. I’ve been doing yoga on an almost daily basis for six years now, and I can’t imagine my life without it.

UPDATE: I finished teaching my class at Yoga Works. New schedule to come.

Diabetes and Celiac