If you have ever been in a social situation and can’t have the food around the buffet table, whether it’s related to allergies, religion or weight loss, it can be quite difficult.
What if it was the other way around? Imagine arriving and being able to eat everything! I thought it would be useful to create some ideas for gluten-free occasions (after getting some great advice from Amy Sherman of Cooking with Amy). So here is my first holiday list: Halloween.
Maybe you are the host and you are getting ready for a ghoulish party. If you need to plan it around one or more gluten-free eaters, you might need some ideas beyond hummus and rice crackers or tortilla chips with guacamole.
Gluten free pumpkin muffin with pumpkin cream cheese frosting
When you are doing your planning, think about the items that you can’t eat when you are gluten-free: bread, crackers, pretzels, pizza, cookies, cakes and cupcakes, doughnuts. Today, there are many options for all of these items. Of course, if you are the one hosting, you will have much more control. That’s my plan this year; delegation! And, even if you aren’t gluten-free, you can use the ideas below to plan your own party.
If you are the host and not the one with the sensitivity, make sure you understand the needs of your guests. Someone with Celiac disease looks at gluten as seriously as someone with a peanut allergy. Gluten can be in ketchup and bbq sauce and is almost always in (more…)
Homemade caramel corn is buttery, crunchy, sweet and best of all it’s naturally gluten free. And it’s so buttery fresh, a quality hard to find in a can or bag! If you like, use organic popcorn, butter, sugar and agave syrup for an extra special treat.
Fall is here and that means pumpkins are starting to appear on your neighbor’s door step and in grocery stores, which is the universal signal to start carving and cooking pumpkin. Why is it most of us tend to cook with pumpkin only around Halloween and Thanksgiving? Pumpkin is loaded with vitamin A, fiber and it is low in calories, so we should find ways to work it into our diet throughout the year.
Pumpkin is very versatile to cook with, so it can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. This Examiner did a little research for gluten-free pumpkin recipes and was amazed at all of the drool-worthy recipes we found. Listed below are just a fraction of the gluten-free pumpkin recipes available online.
Halloween is quickly approaching and it is important to take time to decorate the house, buy a costume, find gluten-free recipes to bake, and determine which candies are gluten free. We tend to give out gluten-free candies at our house because there are so many great ones from which to choose. More and more companies are labeling their candy gluten free, but remember it is important to read the labels on all of the candy bags as ingredients do tend to change.
If you are in doubt of a specific candy’s status, go to the company’s website and check their gluten-free list, or you can call their 800 number for further clarification. Remember not all of these gluten-free candies are made in a dedicated facility, so be sure to read the disclaimer located on the package and make the choice that is right for your child.
Listed below are the gluten-free Halloween lists we found online. (more…)
It's fun to make pancakes into the shape of pumpkins! Photo: A. Fothergill
If you live in the Bay area, you know pumpkins are in great abundance in the fall. Even if you don’t roast them yourself, pumpkin-themed recipes are as ubitquous to the bay area as clam chowder is to New England. To figuratively put the frosting on the cake, if you are eating gluten-free, don’t worry, this recipe is easy and delicious. Get out the cinnamon and the cloves…it’s time to make pancakes!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes
Mix dry ingredients first. Use any spices you like. Photo: A. Fothergill
1 ¾ cups milk (you can substitute soy or rice)
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 egg
3 tablespoons natural cane sugar or sucanat (more…)
It’s been awhile since there has been a gluten-free item of the week but the Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter is just too good to go unnoticed.
October and November are known for many delicious pumpkin treats: pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin cookies which all normally contain wheat gluten. But thanks to Trader Joe’s, you can get into the festive spirit by spreading a little pumpkin butter on your favorite gluten-free items – from gluten-free (more…)
In the fall, it’s easy to get fresh, local carrots in the San Franciso area from the grocery store and farmer’s markets. There seems to be something very comforting about muffins and breads flavored with cinnamon. But on a gluten free diet, one is often denied these flavors.
GF Carrot Muffins, by A. Fothergill
Try this recipe which gives you the full flavor and texture of a traditional carrot muffin. Once cooled, top it with a little cream cheese frosting. As a muffin or dessert, this little wonder is sure to please. (more…)
Halloween is quickly approaching and it is important to take the time to determine which candies are gluten free. We tend to give out gluten-free candies at our house as there are so many great ones from which to choose. My favorite gluten-free candy has always been Reese peanut butter cups, so we always offer those to our trick-or-treaters. We couldn’t have been happier to learn that Nature’s Path created a treat-sized version of their Lemur Peanut Choco Drizzle bars and we will be purchasing some to mix in with the more recognizable candies. (more…)
Don’t let dried out gluten-free sugar cookie dough ruin your Halloween. Here is a easy and delicious recipe for rolled sugar cookies. You don’t even need to refrigerate the dough and the cookies freeze very well.
Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cane or beet sugar
1 cup shortening
1 egg
2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract
potato starch, for kneading
In the bowl of a mixer, cream together sugar and shortening. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add all dry ingredients and combine until the dough forms a ball. (more…)
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