Seattle Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Flourless)

Oatmeal Cookies 

Let's talk oatmeal. There is a little controversy about gluten free and oatmeal. The thing about regular oatmeals are that they are processed in factories that process and chop wheat. So there is a chance that your oatmeal will be touching machines that have touched flour and the chaff that flies from the cut wheat may float over to and enter the oatmeal. Your risk is that of cross contamination and possible miniature incremental amounts of  wheat particle. Many don't notice anything with consumption of non gluten free oatmeal, but for the most sensitive and those whose doctors have stressed the importance of staying away from any contamination of gluten, you can buy gluten free oats. The problem is, they are usually old fashioned style oats and many cookie recipes call for quick cooking oats. The difference results in different cooking times and different textures. Old fashioned oats should be mixed into cookie dough and then refrigerated for 20 minutes before baking for a less. They do result in chewier instead of flakier texture, so there's another bonus. The negative is the extra time and cost of gluten free oats, but they will be chewier and safer for some diets. The use of almond meal replaces flour and adds a hearty texture, which is perfect for oatmeal cookies. Use this in many recipes as a partial flour substitute.

This recipe was adapted by one submitted by my friend, Jenn Unocic in Seattle. Enjoy!

Seattle Oatmeal Cookies (Flourless)

3/4c butter

1 c brown sugar

1c white sugar

2 eggs (substitute egg replacer or flaxmeal mix)

1tsp vanilla

2c almond meal

2 c rolled oats (quick cooking)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 bag chocolate chips

1/2 bag butterscotch chips

1/2c chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In mixing bowl, add butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Cream together. In another bowl, mix almond meal, oats. baking powder, baking soda, and pinch of salt. Add this mixture to the ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix together and add chips and nuts, until just mixed. Squeeze into tight balls and sit them a couple of inches apart on your baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, cool, and enjoy!

Ratatouille

Ratatouille, the Perfect Gluten-Free Side Dish

What is ratatouille and why should gluten free eaters be interested?  More than a cartoon name, this vegetable based dish is a healthy, simple, and delicious option to add to any meal. As a happy meat eater, I am constantly looking for new sides to add to my meals. And to my veggie loving friends, the eggplant and hearty squash make for a great centerpiece for a Vegan meal.

I discovered ratatouille after watching the cartoon, and knew I had to make it as soon as I got home from the theater. It turns out it's the easiest and most versatile vegetable dish. However, it's always about the same basic ingredients. This recipe is more of a general guide to how I start, leaving you plenty of room to be creative.

Most important thing to remember? Use fresh, firm vegetables!

Basic ingredients: Zucchini, Eggplant, Yellow Squash, Onion, Garlic, and Tomatoes/Sauce.

Basic directions: Chop or slice vegetables to any size or shape that you prefer. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, then add veggies and cook until soft. A pat of butter or margarine will add a delicious flavor at this point. Next add tomatoes and/or sauce, then add spices to your desired flavor. I use basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt...which gives it an italian flavor. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally and serve alone, over polenta or on the side of your main dish. Have fun!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies...G-Free, Egg Free with the real taste!

There are so many Gluten Free recipes for cookies and many are specific to a certain brand of flour or are full of multiple expensive ingredients and too many steps. I decided to use my favorite cookie recipe with slight modifications to prove that you can make anything you love to eat with small changes.

There are other modifications you can make to suit your needs, such as removal of eggs or changing to vegan butter or chips. And you'll notice that my special ingredient to delicious cookies include the addition of butterscotch chips to add extra dimension and sweetness. They really help these cookies taste just like the real thing!

Charlese's Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free)

MAKES 16 COOKIES

1 and 1/4c Gluten Free Flour of choice

1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/8 tsp salt

1/2c sugar

1/2c brown sugar

1/2c butter (or vegan oil substitute)

1 egg (*or substitute)

2 tsp vanilla

1/2c - 1c Chocolate Chips (I use milk chocolate)

1/4c - 1/2c Butterscotch Chips

Optional:

1/2c chopped nuts

*Egg substitutes: Use Egg Replacer from the box and mix as stated OR use ground Flaxmeal, 3Tbs water to 1Tbs Flaxmeal for each egg.

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Set oven to preheat at 300 degrees.

In a medium bowl mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. 

Use electric mixer to combine the sugars and butter, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add egg and vanilla, but to not overmix.

Stir in chips and nuts.

Form into 16 balls and bake 22-28 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Can you do Fondue?

The short answer is YES! Fondue is amazing and delicious and old school comfort food that you share with your favorite friends. Go out for a night of fondue or make it at home...

Gluten Free eaters can safely eat at fondue restaurants, but have to be aware of the food being served. If you have problems with cross contamination, don't go. The pots they use are covered constantly in beer and other glutens. Recently at a fondue dinner I found out that they coat the cheese in flour for it to melt better with the wine or beer and they serve bread for dipping. To fix this, stress the fact that you cannot ingest glutens of any type and remind them for the cheese base to have no added flour or beer. It took longer to mix with the wine and separated since they prepared it wrong in the first place. Politely reminding your fondue server before mixing will help with this. Also, ask for corn tortilla chips and extra fruit/veggies for dipping.

Make sure all your boiling bases are also free of malt vinegars, beer, and thickeners and that the meat is not coated as well. Finally, when enjoying your chocolate course remember that cookie crumbs and crust flavored chocolate are gluten-ous, so go as plain as possible. Sometimes they light a high proof alcohol for effect, this won't affect most g-free eaters. Use strawberries, bananas, marshmallows and avoid the cakes, brownies, and other flour based desserts they serve for chocolate dipping! Most importantly, enjoy the cheese and chocolate indulgence...it's so tasty!



















At home, you have much more say in what you use. Trader Joe's has a non-beer based swiss cheese made just for fondue melting and chocolate chips for the chocolate that are all labeled Gluten Free. Making your own requires clean up, but way less worry about cross contaminations. And it's fun to invite your pals over for dipping!

Mac n Cheese!

I get a lot of questions about comfort foods and favorites. Many people ask if I miss them. There's very few things you can't make or find in a delicious gluten free version. The ones I can't find I am working on here. For Macaroni and Cheese-the ultimate comfort food, especially on these rainy days you can buy Amy's gluten free Mac and Cheese, frozen and microwaveable...or you can make it your way.

I decided to make it with brown rice pasta for extra heartiness and whole grain health. You have your choice of cheese...but use a melty texture no matter what cheese or cheeses. To make it Vegan or dairy free, head over to Whole Foods or Mother's for tasty vegan cheese. Now decide if you want stovetop or baked style mac and cheese. I decided to do both. 

Mac and Cheese Both Ways

2 c Gluten Free Pasta

6-12oz cheese of choice, grated or cubed for melty-ness

1/4 c milk of choice

2-4oz grated cheese of choice (optional)

Boil the pasta (2 minutes short of the package directions if you are going to make it baked too). Drain and rinse. Add the cheese. (I used Velveeta). Then slowly add your milk and keep stirring until your desired consistency. Either serve as is or...

Fill mac and cheese into 8x8 oven safe glass pan. Top with grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees until crusty and melted. You can also save this step for day 2 to warm up leftovers.

Use as a side dish or add chicken and veggies for a delicious meal!

Cousin's Gluten Free Salmon Pasta

While in Seattle last month my cousin made a special delicious pasta dish. It's easily modified for multiple tastes. I didn't get a chance to take a photo of it...but it was delicious. What is gluten free pasta about? It's usually white or brown rice based, sometimes corn. Use your favorite or mix this recipe up with fried rice or risotto and add or change any veggies you feel like. 

Cousin's G-Free Salmon Pasta

Sauce:

1/4 c olive oil

2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Tbs Red Pepper flakes

1/2 c lemon juice

1/2 pound smoked salmon, peppered

1 red onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1 c mushrooms, chopped

1 c peas

1lb spinach, sauteed

Garnish:

basil

grated parmesan

avocado

1lb pasta of choice

Start by boiling the pasta in salted water, according to package directions. Saute vegetables and start the sauce. To make sauce, add all ingredients from olive oil to red onion in a large bowl and stir well. Add vegetables and pasta, then mix again. Salt and pepper to taste, garnish with basil, cheese, and avocado. Easy! Feeds 6-8.

Again, add to or take away from the vegetables and garnishments in this recipe as desired, but keep the main idea of smoked salmon, veggies, and pasta or rice. The possibilities are endless and lo-cal. 

Adventures in Everyday Cooking-StirFry

A lot of people ask me what gluten is and when they hear that I can't have wheat....they ask, well then what do you eat? And my reply? "Everything else!"

But there are small things that one wouldn't necessarily realize are riddled with gluten in the processing. There is a lot of gum on the market that are dipped in a gluten based preservative, vanilla flavorings, and of course: soy sauce.

I love Chinese food and soy sauce is the perfect condiment for that asian, salty flavor. However, it's made with wheat. So since stir fry is a great low cal, fast way to cook lot's of veggies, with meat and brown rice...all things I love to eat, how do I give it that Chinese flavor? With Tamari sauce, soy sauce's wheat free cousin. It's salty and delicious, just like soy sauce. Today's lunch meal was an easy throw together combination that I stirfried. Organic Tamari, brown rice, broccoli slaw and leftover rotisserie chicken breast were my ingredients, thrown into 1 teaspoon of warm olive oil in my pan. I tossed them in without the Tamari, waiting until each was warmed completely before adding the sauce... and the finished product? Delicious Gluten Free Chinese Chicken Stir-Fry. And for more fun, add MaiFun or SaiFun Rice Noodles instead!

(Only about 300 calories)