This is for all of the gluten sensitive, gluten intolerant, celiac, paleo dieters, and folks who enjoy breakfast.
According to Niall McCarthy, contributing writer at Forbes.com, “The number of Americans going gluten-free has tripled since 2009.”
“Today, some 3.1 million people across the United States follow a gluten-free diet,” McCarthy reports in his article published Jan. 17. “Seventy-two percent of them are classified as ‘PWAGs’ – people without celiac disease avoiding gluten.”
I’m a “PWAG” – person without celiac disease avoiding gluten – and I know I’m not alone. I haven’t had an official blood test done to determine my exact food sensitivities but I know how I feel when I avoid gluten. I have more energy and my skin is clear. Any stomach (read more)
Kellee Mayfield – Delta Moxie
In 2007, my family and I moved to Lake Village, Arkansas in Chicot County (I refer to it as LA…lower Arkansas) smack dab on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River.
It’s rural. To give you bigger city folks a frame of reference…there is no Starbucks within a 90-mile radius.
I am an artist, traveler, real-food-eating, sensible-shoe-wearing mother, wife and former sales representative for a medical device company.
Join me as I paint, admire art, and share the experiences that enrich our lives through travel.
And I’ll share my home base in very southeast Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta. All with a southern drawl.
For fifteen years I lived a dairy-free life and a gluten-free life for five of those years. Those were challenging years, to say the least. Those were the days where you had to travel to large cities and specialty shops to find pre-packaged goodies and staples. Oftentimes it was a crapshoot on whether that $6.00 teeny tiny bag of pasta was actually going to taste anything like pasta… or disintegrate in the boiling water.
While I am no longer gluten-free or dairy free (read the story on nwafoodie) , ninety percent of the time I still gravitate towards gluten-free dishes. All those years proved to me that eating with limitations has merit. You learn to cook, for instance, because no longer can you mindlessly dial the pizza delivery guy or make something quick, easy, and simple as sandwiches or reach for the pint of ice cream if you had a sweet craving.
For those of you who are still living a gluten-free or dairy-free lifestyle or have a loved one who is, this recipe is for you. Actually, scratch that. This recipe is for all of us, including myself. It’s delicious and deliciousness knows no boundaries.
½ cup So Delicious dairy free coconut milk creamer
¼ cup Toffuti milk free Better Than Cream Cheese imitation cream cheese
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 ounces gluten-free spaghetti or fettuccini
Instructions
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, creamer, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir approximately five minutes until bubbles appear and turn off heat. Cover.
In a large pot, cook the pasta according to directions in boiling water for approximately twenty minutes until cooked al dente and turn off heat.
Reheat alfredo sauce and add one tablespoon of the pasta water and stir.
Using tongs, remove pasta from water and add to the alfredo sauce and mix until pasta is thoroughly coated with sauce.
Arkansas Women Blogger member Lyndi Fultz writes about living and eating well from her life in beautiful Northwest Arkansas at nwafoodie. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place, which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey. Read more related to cooking, entertaining, gadget suggestions, ingredient explorations, local finds, local restaurant treasures, kitchen tour spotlights, and always with a healthy and simplistic approach.
A couple of years ago, my mom went gluten free. She isn’t allergic to gluten, but she found that gluten aggravated some of her pre-existing medical conditions, so she cut it out. Gluten is typically found in most baked goods, as flour contains gluten. While there are gluten free flours, they behave differently when cooking. So for the first year or so, we had difficulty replacing some of mom’s favorite foods with gluten free alternatives. We struggled to adjust to the gluten free lifestyle, especially when it came to holiday cooking.
Thankfully, over the years we have discovered some delicious gluten free dishes to add to our holiday table. We have found a cornbread mix that makes great cornbread stuffing. And our local health food carries a wonderful gluten free baguette that pairs wonderfully with our cranberry cheese dip. And we’ve adjusted our chicken and wild rice casserole recipe to be gluten free. But one dish was the thorn in my holiday baking side: pie.
My mom loves pecan pie, and we hadn’t found a gluten free pie crust either ready-made or homemade that was perfect for pecan pie. Either the crust turned out too fluffy like a puffed pastry, or it was more of a graham cracker crust. Nothing seemed right for the pecan pie. I wanted so badly to recreate the pecan pie flavor for mom.
I ditched the pie idea and went for something that hit the right flavor notes instead. These gluten free pecan pie bites hit the spot! They are sweet, have the traditional flavors of pecan pie, and are actually pretty healthy! You won’t feel guilty indulging in them all holiday season long!
In my recipe, I used corn syrup to bump up the traditional pecan pie taste. Every pecan pie I’ve ever made used corn syrup, so that’s what I used here. If you want an alternative, you could try another liquid sweetener like maple syrup, molasses, or honey. The point here is for the liquid to be a sweetener and binder. The mixture needs to be sticky enough to hold together in a ball.
Even if you aren’t gluten free, these are an easy treat to make that your family and friends will love. They make great snacks or party food! For a twist, you could drizzle them with chocolate to mimic the flavors in a chocolate pecan pie. They are beautiful stacked in a bowl or spread them out on a platter with fun party picks. Or eat them right off the pan. That’s what I do!
My mom’s porcupine meatballs. Mom didn’t home cook a lot (and these DO have rice-a-roni and jarred gravy in them, so it’s not exactly home cooking) but it always felt like a meal she put a lot of love into. And it was delish! http://www.razorbackbritt.com/favorite-meal-moms-porcupine-meatballs/
What is your favorite international cuisine?
Mexican! I could eat salsa by the jar. I like the spicy, creamy, smoky flavors together. I also like that I can lighten up the restaurant versions at home with lighter ingredients.
What is always in your refrigerator at home?
Liquid egg whites. Easy and healthy to whip up for any meal. I usually do mine with cheese and a little green onion.
What is your go-to ingredients that you use time and time again? The Cafe 1217 Cookbook from Cafe 1217 in Hot Springs. I cook the gingerbread muffins several times a year.
Do you have a favorite food indulgence? Queso with chorizo. As if queso isn’t indulgent enough, let’s add some sausage and dip it with fried tortillas.
What is your most used cookbook?
The Cafe 1217 Cookbook from Cafe 1217 in Hot Springs. I cook the gingerbread muffins several times a year.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
My slow cooker! I use it at least twice a week. I make soups, stews, roasts, and just about anything in the crock pot. What is your favorite food meal to cook at home?
I love to cook steaks and potatoes. A nice steak with some garlic, and top it with blue cheese at the very end of the broil. A side of potatoes roasted with some garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese.
What is your favorite go-to ingredients you use time and time again?
Canned fire-roasted tomatoes. An easy way to add to the depth of flavor in my crock pot recipes.
What is a cooking tip that you would like to share with beginning cooks?
Learn what you don’t know! Don’t be too scared. We all start somewhere. Watch the Food Network, watch Youtube videos, read blogs. Learn about common flavor combinations and kitchen skills. My mom wasn’t a cook, but I learned by watching the Food Network a lot as a teen. I would watch, print out the recipe, and play with it. I would add this, take out that (especially for spices or ingredients we didn’t have or I’d never heard of)…and figure it out. Don’t know how to cook an artichoke? Watch a Youtube video and buy an artichoke. Give it a try!
When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes?
I enjoy Zumba, walking my dogs, and reading. I try to stay active so I can enjoy treats in moderation.
What else would you like us to know about you?
I’m a foodie who loves to try new things. If it’s funky and on the menu, I’m ordering it. Hamburger with peanut butter? Delish. Pizza with pears. Awesome. I’m not afraid to try most anything once. Except rocky mountain oysters. I have no interest in trying those!
Brittney is a native Arkansan with a love for bright lights and big city. She often escapes her 20-acre home in a small town to shop, eat and catch a concert in the big city nearby. She blogs about her life, her faith, her adventures, her dogs and her country home at Razorback Britt.
For anyone living a gluten free lifestyle, pizza is more than likely missing from their food options. Traditional pizza was omitted from my diet until Robin DeVore of Riceland Foods recently divulged such a thing as a rice based pizza crust.
This recipe is easy, healthy and inexpensive to prepare and will have you thinking outside of the pizza box using rice. And September happens to be National Rice Month so let’s celebrate one of America’s favorite foods.
Preheat the oven to 400?F.
Gluten Free Rice Pizza Crust
2 cups of uncooked rice (long grain or short grain rice or brown rice) Cook as directed in a medium saucepan and tight lid* and set aside to slightly cool.
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon cayenne hot sauce or sriracha (add more or less depending on your taste preference)
In a mixing bowl, combine and mix well the cooked rice, beaten eggs and mozzarella cheese and cayenne pepper sauce or sriracha.
Transfer the rice mixture to a lightly greased 12-18-inch pizza pan ensuring to cover the bottoms and the sides.
Bake crust in a preheated 400?F oven for 10-12 minutes or until set and slightly golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool before adding toppings.
Tasty Simple Pizza Sauce
My grandmother always stressed simplicity in recipes to enjoy all the flavors mother nature offers. She taught me this recipe more than 40 years ago and it pairs nicely with this rice pizza crust.
1 can (32-ounce) of whole or diced tomatoes (I used a can of fire-roasted whole tomatoes)
6-8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Combine the entire can of tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, a dash of salt, some pepper and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend the ingredients until the sauce is pureed. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. This sauce is ready as is. Cooking is not necessary.
Assemble Your Pizza
Gather your favorite vegetables, herbs and pizza toppings such as kale, mushrooms, onions, olives, red pepper, basil, parsley, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Be as creative and use what is on hand.
Spread half of the prepared pizza sauce onto your cooled-to-the-touch pizza crust. Layer 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese and 1/2 a cup of parmesan cheese onto the sauce. Begin adding your coarsely chopped toppings.
Bake the assembled pizza 20 to 30 minutes until the pizza edges are golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and serve.
*Are your attempts to cook rice inconsistent or unsuccessful? Check your lid for a steam hole at the top or on the sides. Locking the steam into the cooking process ensures properly cooked rice. Robin shared this tip with me, and my rice has been perfect every time.
Are you or anyone you know gluten free? Do you have substitutes for some of your favorite foods? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
In 2007, Arkansas Women Blogger member Kellee Mayfield and her family moved to Lake Village. Kellee was quickly given the nicknamed “Kelly Jo” and the name stuck. As an Oklahoma native, Kelly Jo writes about living in very southeast Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta which has been penned the most Southern place on earth. She also shares her art as well as the art of resourcefulness as being the key to really small town living. Kellee is a mother, wife and is in sales representative and clinical specialist for a medical device company. And she has a Southern drawl. Catch up with Kellee Jo at Delta Moxie, Instagram, Twitter and Periscope.
About a year ago, I was having some friends over that eat mostly gluten-free. It was my job to make a dessert for everyone. I scoured the internet looking for a gluten-free brownie recipe that seemed like it had a good texture. From the ingredients, it looked like they would be pretty tasty as well. I found the recipe on this great blog, Easy Peasy. She has a lot of Paleo recipes on her site she.
¾ cup bittersweet cocoa powder (do not use dark chocolate, it overpowers the nut taste)
1 cup of almond butter (If you’re not avoiding peanuts, I have had great results with using Peanut Butter & Co.’s White Chocolate Wonderful Peanut Butter,)
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
1 egg
¼ cup of chocolate chips (I prefer semi sweet.)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Combine maple syrup and cocoa in a sauce pan.
Cook over low heat until it looks smooth. Don’t walk away from it because cocoa will burn quickly.
I use my hand mixer with 1 blade to get a more smooth texture.
Remove the pan from heat and fold in the rest of the ingredients.
Finally, add the chocolate chips!
Pour batter into an 8x8 pan. I lined mine with parchment paper for easier removal.
I added a few more chocolate chips on top before I put them in the oven.
Cook them at 325 degrees for 55 minutes. As ovens vary, do check the brownies during the last 15 minutes.
Notes
TIP: These are better on day 2!
By Jacqueline Presley - Creative Outpour
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
Getting to Know Your ARWB Foodies
What food reminds you of childhood? Anything Italian. My father’s family is Italian and my mom learned to cook many of the things my Dad grew up eating. My grandma’s spaghetti sauce was amazing, my mom learned to make it & she taught me. What is your favorite international cuisine? Aside from Italina, probably Indian. I love the exotic spice; they make everything taste extraordinary. What is always in your refrigerator at home? Cheeses, nuts, veggies and Ezekiel bread. What is your most used cookbook? America’s Test Kitchen. I have a set of them and they taught me to cook; they are still teaching me. What is your favorite kitchen gadget? My Kitchen Aid mixer. It was a Christmas gift from Spencer and it makes me want to bake. Do you have a favorite food indulgence? French pastries: Macarons and anything with almonds or cream. What is your go-to ingredient that you use time and time again? Real butter. Oats. What is your favorite food meal to cook at home?. Italian dishes: spaghetti with Italian sausage, Fettuccini Alfredo, etc. What is a cooking tip that you would like to share with beginning cooks? Yogurt is what makes muffins above average and heavy whipping cream is what makes scones extraordinary. When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes? Mommying, sewing, yard-saleing/thrifting, creative anything, spending time with people over coffee and good food. What else would you like us to know about you I have been married to my husband Spencer for 11 years and we have 2 children. Katie is 5 ½ and Jackson is 3 ½. I am Social Media Manager for Oh Baby Foods which I am able to do mostly from home. I would not have that job if it wasn’t for the influence and connections through Arkansas Women Bloggers.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins {Foodie Friday} Written by Kelly Peterson of Kelly’s Pink Bicycle.
I’m not a gluten-free expert. In fact, if there was a level below novice, I’d be in that category. But we have recently found that my husband appears to be somewhat gluten-intolerant, and since I love him very much I am learning to cook with his needs in mind.
However, gluten-free baking is INTIMIDATING. I didn’t realize how many different types of flours existed until I began scanning through gluten-free recipes for bread, donuts, pastries, and cakes. I’ve been sticking to lots of rice and vegetable dishes because they’re healthy and easy to make, but this past weekend I decided to venture outside my comfort zone and bake.
I decided to start small with my version of gluten-free chocolate chip muffins, adapted from a recipe from Arrowhead Mills. You could easily make them bigger (they’re pretty small) by filling the muffin tins all the way to the top, and lengthening the oven time to 25 minutes or so. You could also do all kinds of fillings – I used chocolate chips and dried cranberries, but I bet they’d be amazing with blueberries, chopped apples, shredded coconut, or even crunchy peanut butter!
My husband gave them a thumbs up, and he’s a pretty picky eater. I hope you like them!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins (makes 15)
Ingredients
2 cups gluten-free baking mix (I used Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xantham gum
3 Tbsp milled flax seed
1 egg
¼ cup honey
¾ cup water
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup gluten-free chocolate chips
¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients.
In a small bowl, mix together all wet ingredients (egg, honey, water, applesauce, and vanilla)
Pour liquid mixture into bowl with dry ingredients and mix only until lumps are gone.
Mix in the chocolate chips and cranberries (don’t over mix!).
Fill oiled muffin tins ¾ full with muffin mixture. The mixture will be thick.
Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Kelly is in love with her husband, her cookbooks, and her bread machine. When she’s not reading The Hunger Games or trying to sprout her own lentils, she can typically be found spending way too much time on Facebook and Twitter. You can read more at Kelly’s Pink Bicycle.
My name is Dana, and I am the author and creator of Gluten Freedom. I am a student at the University of Arkansas, a substitute teacher, a wife, a blogger, and will soon be a certified early childhood educator. I live in Fayetteville, and you can find me calling the hogs at football, basketball, and baseball games! PIG SOOIE!
As I think back to this time last year, when 2011 was fresh and new, I realize how much my life has changed. I have lost thirty pounds. I have started a new blog. And I have been diagnosed with celiac disease. So bring it on, 2012! I am ready for anything!
For those of you not familiar with celiac disease, I will give you the basics:
Celiac disease – an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. What does this mean? Essentially the body is attacking itself every time a person with celiac consumes gluten (National Foundation for Celiac Awareness)
Cooking, eating out, traveling, and holiday get-togethers are just a few of the things that I used to love doing and have had to completely overhaul. I was diagnosed two days before Thanksgiving, and with no time to learn or prepare, I found myself eating only turkey, turkey, and more turkey. I even had to check the label on the bird!
Here are some of the symptoms of celiac disease, but please be aware that the symptoms are a mile long, and this is just a list of some of the common complaints:
abdominal pain and bloating
diarrhea
anemia
gastric ulcers
Crohns disease
skin rash
muscle cramps
osteoperosis
depression
malabsorption
bruising
I also have some great resources for you to check out if you have, or think you might have, celiac disease!
I have found, through blogging, that there are people everywhere facing this, and although it can be frustrating, resources, friends, and supporters are around every corner! If you or someone you know is going through life changes due to celiac disease, or a gluten or wheat allergy, come by and visit me in my gluten free world! In the meantime, here is a recipe that I have embraced in my gluten free lifestyle!
GLUTEN FREE HAM AND CHEESE QUICHES
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces shredded cheese
1 tbsp minced dry onion
1/4 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cups diced ham
*AS ALWAYS, CHECK INDIVIDUAL PRODUCT LABELS TO ENSURE EACH INGREDIENT IS GLUTEN FREE*
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin tin with non-stick canola oil spray.
2) Combine all ingredients besides ham.
3) Spoon 1-2 tablespoons into each muffin cup.
4) Sprinkle ham evenly on top of each muffin cup of mixture.
5) Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean.
6) Broil for 2-4 minutes to brown tops of quiches.
7) Serve and enjoy!
New Year, New You is the Arkansas Women Bloggers topic of the month for January 2012. If you have a story to share with our readers please check out our Guest Post Guidelines and contact julie@arkansaswomenbloggers.com.
