Girl Scout cookie season

SO the Girl Scout cookies I ordered arrived yesterday.  They were ordered the week before I went gluten free and I was a bit bummed that I could have any (and wouldn't!  I feel SO much better off wheat, thankyouverymuch) and my daughter rapturously enjoying them last night was a bit rough. This morning's FB contributions yielded a link to GF Samoas.  Yeah!  While I am trying to manage sugar and carbs, I do want to offer some GF options to my girlie as she is moving toward gluten free eating as well.  So my morning research has resulted in GF Do-Si-Dos (yum) and (drumroll please) Thin Mints!

Lastly I hit the mother lode of recipes over here.  Now to slowly work through and see which ones work best. :D

Gluten Free Ras el Hanout Lamb Meatballs Stuffed with Chèvre

Not knowing what else to call these bites of nirvana and present without photo (they were just so good!).

On our way home from my daughter's monthly oncology appointment we stopped at a local place up near the hospital for some lamb, her favorite meat.  We had watched Worst Cook in America earlier this week and one of the challenges was meatballs.  Someone made a lamb meatball stuffed with goat cheese which perked our ears and fired our tastebuds.  So today as a treat to my brave girl I got goat cheese and ground lamb and came home pondering how to prepare them. I searched online for a bit and really was not impressed with the recipes I found.  It seems there is one Moroccan lamb meatball recipe that is copied heavily and I think is passed off as several writer's own recipe.  Disappointing when people cannot give credit where credit is due. :(

So, I wandered the kitchen waiting for a burst of inspiration.  My daughter and I love well-spiced foods and I have been craving North African and Middle Eastern fare for ages now.  I poked through my files of spice blend recipes and settled on Ras el hanout, a luxuriously spiced blend from Morocco.  I used to keep a rady-made jar of this but haven't gotten around to making a new batch, so the measurements below are only for this one recipe. Not having watched the above-mentioned show that closely I had no idea how the meatballs were assembled.  I took bits of the ground meat mixture, flattened them and in the centre of the circle added about a teaspoon or so of goat cheese before sealing it into the meatball.  The outcome was absolutely divine, however I think next time I'll allow the meat mixture to sit in the refrigerator for an hour to let the flavors really develop.  We also needed a sauce of some sort but lacked the patience and ingredients for a yogurt-based mint and cucumber concoction we agreed would go well with these bites of heaven. 

1lb ground lamb
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
2 TB brown rice flour
1/2tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 ts ground cayenne
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8tsp ground anise
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Mix all above ingredients in a large bowl until well blended.  

about 8oz goat cheese
1-2 TB olive oil

Scoop about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture, flatten into a circle and add 1-2 tsp of goat cheese to center, seal up and roll into a ball. 

In a large fry pan over medium high heat heat olive oil and place meatballs in (don't crowd) and cook until golden brown, turning several times gently, about 5 min each side or until done.

Quest for best gluten free bread-Attempt 1

While perusing a new blog I found myself at yet another new blog.  There I found a bread recipe that seemed to have a tremendous response to. I had all but one ingredient, teff, I've never heard of it but I'm sure as I familiarize myself with the GF baking world I'll become quite intimate with it.

So today I gave it my first attempt, because there has to be something more palatable than $7 GF storebought bread that tastes hideous. So still no speaking the gluten free flours language yet,  I bravely took on the recipe for Whole Grain Gluten Free Bread over at Wheatless Foodie.  I decided to sub the teff with sorghum flour and hoped that it wouldn't be an egregious error.  Well, I tossed together what I thought was the list of ingredients.  I am baffled by the need for six egg whites so my mind went off wondering what I was going to do with all the dang egg yolks I am accumulating. From there it pondered the necessity for egg whites in GF bread baking, I made a mental note to do some research because I hate waste and if I can use whole egg I full intend to.

I mixed my arm off, telling myself that my grandmother didn't have mixers once upon a time and she did just fine, plus I could use the exercise.  I left it in the bowl to rise and instead took my knitting out and listened to the beautiful birdsong with my girlie and we were treated to a beautiful male cardinal wooing a lovely female cardinal from across the yard. When I returned and was  sorting it to bread pan and parchment lined baking pan for rolls I remembered that I forgot the apple cider vinegar (gasp!), as I was pulling the rolls out of the over I remembered I forgot the baking powder too! (gasp!gasp!) and as I type and review the recipe I see I also forgot the flax seed.  oh bother.

Well, the bread turned out beautifully despite my brain cramps. I am finding my brain isn't fully functioning this week, I think it's lack of fuel as I find without gluten in my diet my blood sugar isn't see-sawing and I don't get hungry in the least.  My brain gets dumb and I find I am getting cold easily, so I am making an effort to keep up the meals as I feel better after eating. Anyway, back to the bread....

We were quite pleased with the outcome, it looked like regular bread and smelled divine.  The loaf cooked up to about half the height of a standard loaf, still respectable considering my screw ups.  We found it chewier and had a rather cooked corn taste to it, not displeasing to us.  All in all a successful first attempt.  I'll be giving it a second go either tomorrow or Thursday morning.

Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken

I have a bag of Meyer lemons which smell so incredibly delicious that it had me craving lemon curd.  Being mindful once again of sugars in my diet I had to go with a different plan of attack-wooing my tastebuds with buttery lemony garlic goodness.  I don't know why I got away from chicken breasts (skin on, bone in), perhaps it was the "low fat" wave of the 90's  I've recently re-discovered the flavorful goodness of the full on chicken breast, not to mention how much more affordable it is!!  As I buy the hormone and antibiotic free chicken when I cannot get free-range or organic, boneless breast is insanely priced.

Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken

2 chicken breasts
juice of three lemons, grated peel of one
1/2c water, chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB butter, melted
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
pepper and sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400* Mix above ingredients and pour into baking pan, dip in chicken breasts to coat all over and then lay in the liquid.  Cover with foil (I poked a few tiny holes) and bake for 30 min, remove foil carefully (steam), turn breasts and return to oven for another 20-30 min or until done.

gluten-free speed bump?

After eating the bread made from Bob's Red Mill mix I have been experiencing some oddness after.  I felt a bit of a headache last night, then again this morning after eating it.  It was after a third piece with my poached egg that I know experience this raspy, raw, *off*ness to my throat.  Something I have experienced with my shellfish allergy. Damn.

so now I have to figure out what I am reacting to, as I made pizza crust yesterday and had no troubles with it that weeds out chickpea flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum.  What is left are two ingredients I don't have much experience, if any, in eating-fava bean flour and guar gum.  I also have to look at possible reactions with my beta blocker, which could be the fava bean flour.  That wouldn't be causing the throat reaction but could explain the headaches.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust experiment, round 1

I love pizza, it is my favorite food and having been a carb-cutter for years it saddens me to have to forgo it. Of course I have spent years when I have said "eff it" and ate it anyway.  So my girlie Pixie and I decided we were in the mood for pizza, we had tried Bob's Red Mill GF pizza crust mix and the parts that were cooked to crispy were good but the chewier parts were like eating old sponge.  yuck.

After gathering ingredients for our two choices of pizza this week, hawaiian and pepperoni, we headed home and I realized I didn't have the crust portion thought out.  oops.  So I googled my heart out, looked over various recipes at various GF blogs.  Studying the photos and perusing the list of ingredients I finally found one that looked appetizing, pizza crust-ish and contained the ingredients I already had. (hooray!)

So I headed over to Epicurious.com and found their GF Pizza Crust recipe.  I didn't feel like wrestling my kitchenaid out so I used a hand mixer and beat until it was smooth.  As a seasoned bread maker I love the moment when the bread sighs, when you know that everything is copacetic in the dough and the gluten is doing it's thing. Well, looks as though I have to relearn this skill for gluten free bread because mixing for a set amount of time as opposed to when the dough is ready is a difficult concept for me.

This recipe mixed up like a dream, I subbed almond milk for the whole milk called for, didn't seem to make a difference as far as I could tell.  Unlike the Bob's Red Mill mix it didn't look lumpy and *curd-y*.  It mixed to a smooth, lovely dough.  Appearances are deceiving though because it is still sticky as can be.  I have found that greasing parchment paper with a tiny bit of olive oil and blopping the dough into that I spread and smooth it out with dampened fingers (cold water smooths it and makes pressing it out easier as the dough sticks less to my fingers.  After pressing it out on the parchment I slid it onto the hot pizza stone and let it bake for a few minutes to dry it out some.  I then quickly added sauce, prosciutto (ick, no hot capicola today so we went with this option. the taste was off but Pixie liked it), pineapple and cheese and slid it back in to cook.  I lost track of time and it over-cooked a bit but the crust was crispy and Pixie loved it, as did I.  There was no telling that the crust was gluten free.  Next pizza will be turkey pepperoni, I'll mind the cooking time and see how a less crispy crust comes out.

until then.

Reviewing Bob's Red Mill GF Bread Mix

The photo does not do the loaf justice, it's not as dense as it looks, though it is a bit dense and rather chewy, but I like bread substantial enough to sink my teeth into.

After our shopping foray yesterday (we have an Ocean State Job Lot here a few towns away and I remember from a few months back that they have a great selection of BRM products.  So to check the selection and price them out to compare to our local grocer we took a trip down.  All in all it depends on the product, this bread mix was a dollar cheaper at OSJL so worth the trip when I lack time or supplies.

So I started this loaf earlier today, the yeast in the packet was bloody useless so I had to dump a second packet from my own stash in.  It calls for one egg plus enough egg whites to make 3/4 cup. WTF? I didn't have that many eggs so I put in two eggs and two whites and maybe got 1/2 cup.  Mixed it up left it to rise for an hour, despite the directions to immediately put it into a greased bread pan to rise.  I gave this two risings, it's the baker in me, I can't neglect the risings.  I will warn you the dough smells atrocious however after baking for an hour and cooling for an hour the end result was delicious and as good as any gluten bread I have made.

Smoothies

My biggest downfall is impatience when it comes to being hungry.  My blood sugar tanks fast and if I do not get fed I get irrational. I had a doctor tell me that the low blood sugar response in some people isn't any different than insulin overload in diabetics, we get combative, irrational, just plain nuts.

Which brings me to smoothies.  I love through all sorts of things into the blender and see what comes out.  I love almond milk, I love kefir...Today's smoothie features almond milk because I am trying to stay off dairy for awhile, or at least minimize it.  I've been taking part in a PCOS jumpstart program and the recipes provided call for ingredients far beyond my budget!  So I tinkered, worked with what I had in the house and added almond milk, (2cups as I made smoothies for myself and the girl-child), about a cup of chopped organic kale, two spoons of brown rice protein powder, two spoons of ground flax (no seeds here), some whole almonds, frozen organic cranberries, mixed frozen berries and what leftover blueberries I had left in the freezer.  All in all it was pretty good.  I could've added a bit of honey or maple syrup but I don't like things too sweet so I was happy as it was.  It's a bit grainy and gritty,  from the almonds and flax meal but still manageable and a great meal or snack. 

I struggle with eating enough, I can easily do two meals a day which is no good for my snail-paced metabolism. So getting in a smoothie or two not only gives me some nutritive goodness I also get more fruits and veg too!

and I'll admit I am feeling damn healthy having had that fresh kale in there (and not tasting it!)

Creamy Lentil Soup with Basil Pesto

Not the prettiest photo, my cellphone camera is lousy. Also, bear with me, I didn't keep track of measurements.  I'm fighting a cold and felt miserable last night. Just wanted food in my belly!

I have to watch my sodium intake, so I use low sodium everything as much as possible and use a "no salt" salt substitute.

Creamy Lentil Soup

1 1/2 cups dried red lentils (rinsed and picked over, tiny rocks hurt!)
3-4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2-1 cup carrots, finely chopped
1/2 of one large onion, finely chopped
2-inch *thumb* of fresh ginger, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced (adjust to taste, I like a lot of garlic)
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1-2 TB ground Indian curry blend (I use Frontier brand as it's organic and salt free)
1-2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used leftover roasted garlic pasta sauce)
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Over medium heat, saute carrots, celery and onions until they start to soften, add ginger and garlic and continue to saute over medium low heat with half the curry blend until onions are soft and translucent.  Take one cup of broth and add to pan to de-glaze. Bring remaining broth to a boil in a large pot and add lentils, return to a boil and allow to cook for 5-10 min. Add tomatoes, remaining spices and sauteed veggies, reduce heat to low/medium-low and allow to simmer for an additional 10-15 min, minimum.  (I turn it to low and let simmer 30 min or so)

Remove from heat and let cool (unless you have an immersion blender, then just blend in the pot) and pour 1/2 to 2/3rds of the soup into a blender.  Please be careful, this is hot stuff and blenders can be tricky.  I have a large blender which fit the contents nicely. I set it on low and pulsed it cautiously while holding the cover on with a towel to protect me from any unexpected eruptions.  Blend the soup until creamy and then add back into the pot, stirring to combine.  Serve with a dollop of basil pesto.

Basil Pesto

2 cups basil leaves (or 1/2 and 1/2 using parsley)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup parmesan, grated (I can manage some cheeses thankfully!)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil (about 1/4c or so)
salt, to taste

In a food processor add the above ingredients and process until paste forms, add olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate in air tight container.

well, how did I get here?

I have lived with a PCOS diagnosis for fifteen years, lived with the disease for twenty-eight.  Apart from "low carb!" being the biggest catchphrase, I have had a never ending battle with weight and symptoms . This past week I learned that removing gluten and dairy from my diet might go a long way to relieve the PCOS symptoms.  Dairy is easy, I've been lactose-intolerant for a long time and with the exception of kefir, yogurt and certain cheeses my dairy intake is low.  I subbed soy, then rice and now coconut and almond for my dairy needs.

Wheat and gluten is the big hurdle now.  My struggles to remain on a low glycemic diet while schooling, working and raising my 12 yr old solo left my needs kicked aside.  I am limited on space for food storage while we live with family leaves me with less options than I once had.  I used to cook, bake, garden, can, preserve.  Meals were planned endlessly, celebrated and enjoyed. My daughter and I are foodies, we love well made meals with quality ingredients. We just lack the space and finances to work our magic in the kitchen as we once did.

Now I stare down life with no gluten and wonder if this is only the first of many items that will be purged from my diet. I already eat as organic as I can afford, I don't bake like I once did so with the transition to making more of my own and not going for convenience perhaps this way of eating will become easier and more affordable.  Hence, this blog.

I will be trying out new recipes, finding what works, what doesn't.  Locating other gluten-free foodies writing out there. I am a photographer, writer, gardener and culinary Magellan, this is my adventure in eating I hope to share with others.  I'm not looking for fame, fortune or the most blog hits, just a sharing of ideas and recipes.  I rarely use recipes, instead throwing together dishes, so the challenge lies in capturing the measurements, ingredients, etc. I throw into a creation.  I am hoping my sous chef daughter will work as my assistant and write it all down so that I may write it down here after.

for now, I post this and move on to recall all the culinary magic that went into my first recipe made last night-Creamy Lentil soup with Basil Pesto

until then,

bon appetit!