gluten-free birthday party - let them eat cake!

My super talented cousin Moya made this cake for her birthday earlier this month. She's clearly an ace with the fondant icing, and sent it to me because Hello Kitty always makes her think of me. When I found out it was gluten-free, I had to ask why.

Neither Moya nor anyone in her immediate family needs to avoid gluten, but recently she's hosted some of the most celebrated kiddie parties in Ottawa. What she learned is that a very high ratio of her boys' friends are not eating gluten. Thirty percent to be exact.

Given these stats, she had contacted me looking for cookie recipes. Apparently, parents offered to send their child to the party with their own treats (typically a good defense)... but Moya was determined to make her kids' parties inclusive. The cake would be gf too.

At Seth's 5th birthday, the theme was Star Wars. The cake - a very manly looking Millenium Falcon. She tells me that the cake was such a hit (not just cool - but tasty too) that she decide to make her own cake (see the much girlier version at the top of this post) with the same gluten-free recipe. You can find that recipe by clicking HERE.

When you are a little kid (or a big one for that matter), not being able to participate in ceremonial food is even harder than avoiding the day to day stuff. Ceremonial food - like birthday cake is a very emotional time (complete with fire and wish-making no less!). Watching, but not partaking, particularly as a kid can feel very alienating within the tribal atmosphere. Kudos to my cousin Moya who has always been as sensitive to the hearts of those around her - as she is to their stomachs. 

Cause marketing campaign supports advocacy for safe food.

The Right to Safe Food is a program involving the Canadian Celiac Association to make sure that everyone with a medical need for gluten-free food can get it. The program was born of reports from many members who were not able to get safe, gluten-free food when they were being fed by various institutions, including senior’s residences, nursing homes, hospitals, day care centers, school and business cafeterias, and university and college residences. You can read more on the Canadian Celiac Association site HERE.  

May is Celiac Disease Awareness month in Canada. Turtle Jack’s 14 participating restaurants and the Canadian Celiac Association will jointly host a fundraiser to raise money for the Right to Safe Food Program.

Each Monday this May, people will be encouraged to dine at participating Turtle Jack’s restaurants to support this important work. Customers will use coupons to indicate their support of the fundraiser and the restaurant will donate 25% of each bill to the Right to Safe Food Program. 

Turtle Jack’s restaurants have worked with members of the Canadian Celiac Association to implement procedures to educate their staff and managers on the intricacies of preparing and serving gluten-free food. A new gluten-free menu has been launched. These efforts have created a safe place to dine for those with celiac disease.

Visit the Celiac Association website HERE to download the coupon and find other links related to this campaign. 

We are seeing a lot more gluten-free options on menus - and certainly on store shelves. I particularly like this program because they've taken the time to learn more about what it really means to be gluten free for someone who must adhere to the diet for medical reasons.

I am also promoting this program because I believe that we vote with our wallets. Celiac groups around the world can benefit from this type of cause related marketing program. Good for business.... and good for us!

www.claudinecrangle.com

The French word for bread is PAIN.

Buckwheat crackers from euro-nat

Carol brought these Pain des fleurs Organic Buckwheat Crispbread crackers over to our place last weekend. Their arrival brought a huge smile to my face. The first time I'd tried this line of products was in Paris a few years ago. I'd found them in a health food shop around the corner from the apartment we rented. Perhaps they weren't as appetizing to look at as the baguettes displayed in baskets everywhere... but they did the job and made an excellent accompaniment to all of the phenomenal cheese I gorged on.

Upon my return, I did see this product line now and again on store shelves here in Canada, but could never pull the trigger. It have a hard time wrapping my mind around almost $7 for a box of crackers when I'm not on vacation.

2 pks of 12 crackers per box

Boy am I glad Carol is not as frugal as I am! I'd forgotten how delicious they are - AND they have one ingredient: organic buckwheat. That's it. They have a quiet toasted, nutty flavour that would go with lots of things. Added bonus: all of 20 calories per piece - and they are the size of a slice of gluten-free bread!

In short, if you are looking for something to break up the monotony of rice crackers, or avoid the high fat content and not so healthy ingredients found in most other gf cracker options - I'd break the bank and treat yourself to a box of Le Pain des fleurs. Despite the name, they bring no pain - and if you eat an entire box, no harm done to your waistline or your health. These crispbreads are also available in quinoa or chestnut. All gluten-free and organic. You can find their website HERE.

Life Without Bread

Two weeks without bread - hardly a feat. For years I gave up on the staple altogether. In part because gluten-free bread was quite hard to find. When you did, it tasted AWFUL and frankly, I couldn't afford $5 a loaf when I moved out on my own over 20 years ago.

Today, the bread is greatly improved, and because of the insane market growth - you can find it everywhere, for little more than we paid in 1989. Over time it has crept back into my diet.

My two week bread break came as a result of a road trip through western Texas in our VW camper van. Dust and cowboy country. Some days we drove for hours without seeing anything but dirt hills and tumbleweeds. Our cooler was stocked with our regular road trip fare. I don't take gf bread, because it's fussy and usually dreadful without a toaster. You can read what we normally cart on the road HERE. 

While bread is a convenient base for any meal, these road trips remind me to look beyond the little beige squares as a starting point. Rice cakes, corn cakes, lettuce wraps all make fine replacements if a "sandwich" scenario is what you need. Otherwise check out the link above for simple ideas on how to bypass the sandwich mentality all together. Those sandwich bags are good for carting lot of other healthier, cheaper and convenient edibles!

Don't get me wrong. I couldn't be happier that we have excellent bread options to choose from these days. In fact I'd like to give a special shout out to a couple of excellent breads I've recently tried. Glutino Genius is surreal. You can certainly eat it straight from the bag (although it's delicate texture makes it prone to falling apart when you do). Udi's also makes a growing selection of satisfying breads. I think it's worth noting that what helps makes these breads mimic "regular" bread won't hurt you, but isn't that great for you either. I've grown accustomed to keeping my bread intake to a minimum. Mostly in the form of toast for breakfast when I'm in a rush. I still haven't packed a sandwich for lunch in over 30 years... actually, not since my Mum did what she could for me with gluten-free bread in the 1970's before we knew of ingredients like guar, xanthum or cellulose.

I'll save my calories for cookies :). For more on decent gluten-free breads click HERE.

Italian gluten-free pasta - good enough for Italians :)

I've written here about the time I spent living in Italy but I've never written about the gluten-free PASTA. We cooked a lot of it and it was constantly fed to house loads of Italian guests. 

If you've ever eaten with an Italian in Italy, then you know that there are lots of opinions about the pasta. You don't mess with it. Finding a gluten-free pasta that would satisfy these discerning palates was quite a feat.

The pasta that met approval was Le Veneziane. It's made in Italy and distributed widely, but not found in most large retail chains in Canada - when I come across it I snatch it up. My mom seems to find it more often and buys it too. 

This is a corn based pasta, which makes a nice change from our typical brown rice. It also comes in a variety of shapes that you don't often find - like nests of capellini or these tiny little anellini, shown below. 

Italians serve tiny pasta shapes to babies. I like integrating them into soup. Usually a broth, but I recently cooked some up and added it to my lentil soup - which really beefed it up. 

The pasta, which is made of corn flour looks very yellow in the box, but you can see that it cooks up to look exactly the same colour as wheat pasta.

You can contact Le Veneziane via their website HERE to learn where to find their products near you. As always, this is not a paid endorsement. Just sharing my favorite finds. 

You can read more about the small town where I spent a year in Italy HERE along with a post about making polenta :)

convenient gluten free

Convenience is defined as the state of being able to proceed with something with little effort or difficulty. Not a word that most people would associate with following a gluten-free diet. 

Times have changed a great deal, and today you can probably find gf pizza available for delivery in your neighbourhood, along with a selection of restaurants that identify menu selections that are safe for you. We're all very happy to see them. However, there aren't many fast food options available when you're in a dash.

In my youth I ate a lot of fries at fast-food places, convinced that they were a good choice for me (oh, did I mention that I also smoked and thought that a chocolate bar was an excellent meal replacement?). Alas, almost all of the big burger places fry things that we shouldn't eat in the same fryer. I'd avoid, or at the very least seriously limit indulging in those fries today. I've gone into more detail on fries HERE. If you're curious about what is available at the large fast food chains - check out THIS site, which has loads of helpful links.

It comes down to being prepared. We can pack gf energy bars, but also a good old apple or a banana.  My long time favourite has been two rice cakes slathered with almond butter with their faces stuck together so that they can travel in a sandwich bag. You can read more on rice cake sustenance HERE.   

When I've got nothing on me, I'll find yogurt in a convenience store (no spoons? Grab one in the coffee shop next door!). Better than a bag of chips for lunch.You'll find more ideas in a past post on the topic HERE.

I've been thinking about how our cultures idea of "convenience" is unbelievably limited and almost entirely attached to making everybody unhealthy. This is hardly a new thought. Ironically, when we're older we may find that we're healthiest people in the retirement complex simply because we've eaten a lot less mass produced commercial foods full of chemicals and fillers.  


Perhaps fact that I don't leave the house for the day without trail mix in my bag is another gluten-free gift, and frankly, it's pretty darned convenient.

www.claudinecrangle.com  

rice paper spring rolls - refreshingly gluten free!

We've been eating a lot of cooked veggies these days - and I have been craving something fresh. Normally, I'd make spring rolls for a party or a pot luck as they appeal to lots of people and work with many dietary restrictions. Today I made them just for us, to be carted off for lunches on the road over the next few days. They are light, travel well, don't require warming up and keep for a few days tightly wrapped in the fridge. They are easy, but do require a good deal of assembly. Put on some good tunes, get well organized, and it's actually a pretty enjoyable way to spend an hour.

What you need: rice paper wraps (approx 10" diameter).

Salted hot water in a large bowl for soaking. As for the rest of the ingredients, they can be few or they can be many. 

Used in the wraps pictured are lettuce leaves (Boston is my preference - but anything "soft" vs crunchy will do), grated carrot, thinly sliced red and yellow pepper, green onion and LOTS of fresh cilantro (coriander)

Other ideas/variations I've tried include grilled tofu, salted peanuts, basil leaves and or mint leaves  and many Thai recipes include cooked shrimp or chicken.

Prepare your ingredients and put on a plate so that you can easily access everything like an assembly line. Lay a clean dry tea towel on your counter. 

1) Place enough boiled salted water in a bowl big enough to soak the rice paper disks. Place a disk in the water and wait until it softens (seconds). Pull out and gently lay flat on the tea towel. 

2) Put ingredients in middle, being careful not to over stuff. I put the lettuce on the bottom because I find that it helps support the delicate rice paper and keeps sharper items from poking out. 

3) To roll, simple fold up the bottom quarter of the disk. Then fold in the left side corner towards the centre. Tuck in the ingredients tightly (but gently as the paper may rip). Fold the top quarter down. Finish rolling towards the right side. Place seam side down on a platter. Don't be disheartened if your first couple are a bit wonky. I find that it takes me about two before I get the hang of it and make them tight enough. 

Once you are done, place a clean damp cloth, or wet paper towel over the top to keep them moist (not wet). Wrap in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. When ready to serve, slice them in half. They can be eaten plain, or served with a dipping sauce. I tend to whip something up based on what's in the fridge... you can also purchase ready made plum sauce in the Asian food aisle of your grocery store that is gluten free. Watch for store bought sauces that contain soy sauce as that is very often NOT gf.

Today I combined some gluten-free tamari sauce with some rice vinegar, grated ginger, a spoon of sugar, sprinkle of salt and a good dose of hot pepper sauce.  Another classic is to combine peanut butter, gluten-free soy sauce, lime and water, melting it on the stove to form a dip. I hate shopping for ingredients just for one little dish. I would experiment with what you have on hand.  Essentially you want something sweet/sour/savoury with a hit of spice. When I'm eating these rolls for lunches I just eat them plain - they are like a garden of goodness and they leave me feeling very virtuous... which is justification for a treat later!

invited to dinner - gluten-free preparations

Ian is someone I worked with briefly a few years ago - and we had just recently connected to learn more about what the other was doing on the work front. 

I share this to position the situation aptly. We are not friends. We like what we know about each other, but that isn't a lot. We have a good vibe, and I guess that was enough for Ian's generous invitation to dinner at his home. 

This invitation came by way of email. This means I had a minute to breathe before responding. How would Ian and his new wife (who had never met us) feel about being put to the test in the gluten department? Only one way to find out. 

I wrote back that we would be delighted to join them, but "understood that they may not be up to the gluten-free challenge". I wanted to give them an easy out. Some people don't even like to cook, let alone contend with someone's dietary restrictions. 

Ian graciously responded "gluten-free? No problem!"... He was confident that they could pull it off adding that "they would be careful." How nice is that?

We arrived at their beautiful home, and were greeted by Ian, his gorgeous wife Neri and their uber friendly dog Mozart. Nothing breaks the ice between a group of strangers like an exuberant dog who believes that everyone has come to visit him.

Each dish was gluten-free, and was announced as such in the name of putting me at ease right away. There were gluten-free crackers. A warm baguette on the table... so good that it drew suspicion, leading Ian to show me the bag. Next there was borscht, scallops on a beautifully arranged salad, baked trout topped with peaches and thyme, quinoa salad with plums and fresh green beans. I could hardly move - when a chocolate cake was presented. Gluten free. 

As Ian was plating the cake, Neri returned to the table with a little container of cookies. "Not gluten-free" she says, "These are for me." It turns out that the shop had one gluten-free cake and it was chocolate. Neri, who contends with her own food intolerance, can not eat chocolate. Here I am in her home, eating a cake that she can not eat - so that I can. A strange reversal of roles.

I'm sharing this dining experience, because I think it really touches on the type of celiac situation that can bring some high anxiety - for both the guest - AND the host. I'd say that in this case it all went swimmingly. We learned a lot more about each other, everyone tried new things, we ate very well and are forming a friendship that is based not only on common interests, but more importantly, empathy and trust. I send my thanks to our new friends for this amazing gluten-free gift.

frozen gluten-free cookie and brownie dough

When I shared my recent post with Sweets from the Earth - they offered to supply me with some of their new frozen cookie dough to try. How could I resist? Even more importantly, how could I resist eating all of the cookies in one go? Solution: invite my friend Angela over for a gluten-free bake-a-thon.

Truth be told, these were extremely easy to make - so it wasn't assistance I was looking for in the baking department. I wanted a buddy to eat cookies with... and someone who could provide additional feedback on the goodies - and who would take half of the highly caloric treats home with her.

The chocolate chip cookies were delicious. I am glad that I baked them in two batches, however, because as their packaging says; every oven is different. My first batch worked out well - but took longer than the suggested 8-10 minutes. Sadly, I turned up the oven from 350 to 375 and the second batch just melted into lacy puddles. The winners are photographed above. While the lacy puddles were not super photogenic - don't worry... they did not go to waste :)

Next, we tried the brownies. I did not have mini muffin trays, or the recommended 6" square pan. My pan was 8" making the brownies rather shallow and difficult to remove from the dish. I would recommend using parchment paper so that they could be easily lifted out and then cut. Format aside - these were also a winner. Both Bill and Angela's husband Bennett gave them 2 thumbs up. Both the cookies and the brownies would certainly satisfy a craving for sweets.

What I like most about this dough is the convenience. You can keep them on hand for when you need them and whip up cookies in no time, with no mess. You can also bake as much or as little as you need at a time. You can find a recent post about this companies products HERE. My favourite still has to be the cashew cookies...dangerously good! Check out their site for more info.

simple soup - fast & healthy food for frosty days

chard, like kale, comes in many varieties

Sometimes a good dose of veggies is really in order. In winter, decent fresh veggies can be a little harder to come by.

Soup is a food that we whip up based on a few essentials and whatever is available and ideally, organic and in season. This time of year that means greens like chard, kale or collard. Squash and root veggies are also a good bet. Oh, and beans. We eat a lot of beans.

So here is a super simple list of ingredients that make up a healthy and hearty soup. Mix up the variables for variety:

Put this selection of items into the pot in this order:
1) good quality extra virgin olive oil to cover bottom of pot
2) chopped onion and or leeks & garlic, sauteed until clear
3) any combination of chili flakes, thyme, rosemary, parsley...
4) beans (garbanzo, white kidney, cannelini, navy, black...)
5) chopped greens (kale, chard, collard, spinach...)
6) organic/healthy/gf bouillon cube(s)
7) boiled water (kettle makes this easy) to cover ingredients.
8) bring to boil and then turn down to simmer for 20 mins. 

beans make veggie soup more substantial

To shake it up further, you could add either a can of diced tomatoes OR juice from a lemon (not both!). We make most of our choices based on what's in the larder. Toss in potatoes, carrots, celery, fennel right after the onions - whatever you have on hand.

this one has chard, white kidney beans and diced tomatoes

If you think you don't have the time or energy to make homemade soup... this takes about 10 minutes to assemble (including washing, chopping etc).. and another 20 minutes to simmer. If you make a big batch (note I didn't include amounts - depends on your need!) you can eat this for lunches throughout the week. You can also put it in single serving size containers and freeze it for another time. Healthy food - ready when you are... and ideal for keeping those new year's resolutions on track!

gluten-free now and then...keeping it healthy

Mum's gluten-free recipe cards held the secrets of my favourite treats growing up

Flashback to the early 1970's. No gluten-free anything in any grocery store. No internet. No computers for that matter. My mother was armed with her little index cards and her typewriter to record her groundbreaking research.

Celia was truly a pioneer in the gluten-free food world. On the days when you are feeling a little blue about having to go without something, it doesn't hurt to recognize that there is no better time to be diagnosed with a condition that requires or benefits from going without gluten. 

I think it's equally important to reflect on the fact that it was very possible to live well, and thrive on this diet before the market was flooded with specialty food products. As a veteran, it's been very interesting to watch the market change so much and see people adopting this diet without their doctor prescribing it to keep them alive.

Gluten-free is not a guarantee that you will be healthier (or thinner for that matter!) Living simply, on fresh, local foods that are not mass produced is still the best option. I love having the gluten-free foods I crave at the ready, but as we all focus on living a little healthier at the start of a new year... I'm going to aim to keep my meals focused around lots of greens, beans and simple gluten-free grains. Ok, and perhaps an occasional (and much appreciated) cookie or two.

Toronto Gluten Free - The Junction

Gluten-free neighborhoods in Toronto are on the agenda for this year. I thought I'd start closest to home.  I live in the Junction - which is north of High Park. The Junction has been "up and coming" for many years now. It looks like we are in the sweet spot where there is lots of creative energy, but we are not gentrifying towards shopping mall mediocrity. Starbucks arrived a couple of years ago, but so far, it's stopped there. We still have a high ratio of used appliances and indy dollar stores gracing the hood.

What's most interesting to me, is that even in this tiny little hipster grotto there is a SELECTION of places where I can get not only a safe gluten-free meal, but some devine treats too. My top 10 Junction spots for a gluten-free fix are: 

The Beet: I cannot say enough about rice wraps at this place (see a past post HERE). Lots of gf options and a staff that just "gets it". In the summer we are regulars on their patio. Super healthy, tasty, affordable and SAFE!

Bunner's Vegan & Gluten free Bakery: When they opened across the street from my  home I could not believe my eyes. They just celebrated their 2nd birthday. Celebrate yours with a custom made red velvet cake - or just pop in for cupcakes or cookies. It's hard to walk by.  

North of Bombay: I'm crazy about Indian food. Go here for the best pakora in town.  Curry Twist: Another Indian restaurant, with tangier butter chicken and slightly more refined offerings. There is typically a line up in this little place - and it's worth waiting for.  Read more about Indian gf food options in general HERE. 

Cantina: New to us as of December 2012. Sophisticated, handmade soft tacos with rice and beans are the gf offering. Be warned, the staff like to make a point of letting you know that they are cooler than you. Yes, even you. Your bill will be higher than what you'd expect to pay for Mexican. The tacos almost make up for this. La Revolucion: Also Mexican, but cheap and cheerful for when you need a fix and want a decent gf meal that isn't posed over.   

Little Fish Bakes Good: A cafe with an excellent brunch which includes an option of white or brown gf rice toast. They sometimes have other goodies like gf brownies too.   

Gabby's: One must recognize a sports bar that puts out an enormous sign that reads "try our gluten-free menu!". This is not a culinary place - you go there to watch a game. I've tried the burger so far, which I was happy to enjoy on a gf bun.

The Sweet Potato: An organic food market with a wide selection of gluten-free staples like bread, crackers and cookies, much of which is produced locally including Organic Works and Gaga for Gluten free.

Crema Coffee: Aside from making excellent coffee... they also carry a selection of gf goodies including cookies from Bunners and treats from Queen B Pastries.   

Finally, we have an organic farmer's market here on Saturday mornings during the summer.  Sounds like a pretty good hood for a celiac eh? If you think I've missed something worth noting - please let me know!

quinoa gluten-free tabbouleh

Quinoa as a gluten-free substitute in tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a classic middle eastern dish made with either bulgar wheat, or couscous (sometimes called semolina - whatever you call it... couscous, semolina and bulgar wheat are NOT gluten free!).  

Quinoa is a lighter grain and makes an excellent substitute for a gluten-free version of tabbouleh. I've linked to an earlier post about quinoa, and how to cook it within the recipe. 

Cook one cup of quinoa (it's easy - click HERE for how)

dice 1 firm plum tomato 

about 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
about 10 finely chopped mint leaves

1/2 an English cucumber diced
2 green onions (or scallions) finely chopped

squeeze juice from one lemon
drizzle on some good quality olive oil

dash of salt & pepper

stir it up & serve!

I typically put some of the plain, cooked quinoa aside for breakfast the next morning (there is plenty for the salad). I love squeezing an extra meal or two out of a pot of cooked grain. 

This dish is great on its own, works well as a side with chicken or fish, and travels well for lunches lasting up to 2 days in the fridge.  

An excellent dish for a healthy start to the new year!

gluten free portion control

this photo almost never happened: note the self control!

My experience with celiac disease has gone through a number of phases. One that I can't seem to shake is a complete lack of control where gluten-free baked goods are concerned. If there is something I CAN eat... I EAT it. Be it an entire box of cookies in less than 24 hours, or an entire cake. I don't exaggerate. I'm confessing. This likely stems from having grown up in a world where I rarely saw a box of cookies that I could eat. Perhaps I'm just making up for lost time :).

Admitting the problem is step one. One of my more recent management techniques, is to get out of the grocery store without buying VOLUME. I'm very frugal by nature, but sometimes, paying more for an individual serving means not feeling lousy about having overindulged. 

One of my latest finds has been this single serving chocolate walnut brownie by Sweets of the Earth. It is so sweeeeeet - that I can actually walk away (for at least half an hour) after eating only a few bites. 

For those of you who have more discipline, I would highly recommend the flourless cashew cookies - I've linked to their website HERE. I had to stop purchasing them as I can't find the strength to put them away before I've finished the box. I've also tried their vegan, gluten-free chocolate cake. I wouldn't dream of bringing home a cake just for me, but I'm very happy to see it turn up again and again at events so that I can enjoy a piece. These treats also work well for those who are unable to eat dairy or eggs.This is not a paid endorsement - I critique gf foods based on what I find, purchase and want to tell you about.

Next I need to locate where I can purchase their new gluten-free frozen cookie dough... that way I can make only as many cookies as I should eat in one sitting.

Happy Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year!

www.claudinecrangle.com

gluten-free at the Christmas party

The Party. If we are lucky, we have reasons to celebrate all year. What differentiates holiday parties is often the number we attend and the size of the affairs. I find the bigger the event the more gluten-ous the challenges. I thought I'd address a few of the specifics around large scale events on this post.

For starters, anything being walked around on a tray by a server is likely to include pastry, or something sitting on bread, or a meatball full of crumbs. At the risk of offending, I'll tell you not to ask the server if you're itching to know whether you can eat something he's offering. If possible, go to where the caterers are working and ask if there are any goodies in circulation that are gluten free. I've been a server at many catering affairs in days of yore. We just picked up the trays and moved the goods. We had nothing to do with the food prep and often little knowledge of the ingredients we were presenting. Also note - those trays that now carry something you can eat, were carrying the puffed pastry 5 minutes ago. We all have our own comfort level with contamination risks.

Food is also sitting unattended on tables. Lovely platters heaped with delicious looking goodies. Often no one around who knows what's on the plate either. If it's catered - follow earlier instructions. If this is a pot luck affair... you could get lucky and have someone tell you who brought what - and ask.

Typically - I use my good sense. I eat things that obviously safe (sadly, this is rarely the fresh veggies - I often resent this option, even though it's a smart and virtuous one). I'm not proud to admit, I'm the person who wipes out the cheese platter. I also eat the nuts, potato or corn chips (watching that corn chips are not multigrain, and potato chips are plain to be safe). They make decent substitutes for the crackers. I eat the olives.

Two other very important tips: one, when appropriate, bring something for the potluck that you enjoy eating and that will satisfy your hunger. Tip number two: never show up at a party hungry, even if it means eating trail mix in the parking lot before you arrive. 

I find I'm happier if I don't attend large gatherings with a focus on the food. I go for the conversation. I'm there to catch up and celebrate with friends, and meet some interesting new people. That said, if there is a cheese platter - I meet most of them in its vicinity.

I'll add that these parties are often less about the food and more about the beverages. Those are easier to manage, and I've gone into some detail on the safety of alcohol in a post HERE.

Happy Holidays!!

gluten-free spiced carrot cake

One of my favourite finds on our trip to Copenhagen was the little bakery across the street from our apartment. They made a carrot cake with a distinct cardamon flavour that knocked my socks off and inspired me to try my hand at some renegade baking when I got home. I say renegade, because I'm not a very scientific baker (read more on my technique HERE). I like to play - and assuming the textures feel right as I'm going, I feel pretty sure that the final outcome will be edible. 

I recognize that this is not the comfort zone of most people - so this time, I wrote down what went into the food processor (you could use a mix master - I'm too lazy to pull ours out). The outcome was a springy and delicious cake that we shared with Bennett and Angela. Last weekend I followed my notes and made the cake again in honour of my Mum's birthday. A hit on both occasions. It's a big and hearty cake - best shared.

My flour of choice is chick pea. I mix it with a little brown rice. If you have a favourite flour concoction - feel free to use it. Also, alter the spice quantities to suit your taste. Adding veggies and fruit makes most cake recipes more forgiving - eggs are important too. I don't use xanthan gum any more and don't miss it in cakes, muffins or cookies. I use organic ingredients when I can find them.

Spiced Carrot Cake

1/2 cup oil (safflower, canola, anything of quality with little flavour) you could also use softened butter

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1 cup chick pea flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cardamon
pinch salt

2 large carrots - grated

1/2 cup pitted dates chopped fine

1/4 cup crystalized ginger chopped fine 

1/4 cup walnuts chopped

Add ingredients in order shown into the food processor. Whirl them around on low with the paddle attachment between additions. Before you get to the carrots your mixture should be fairly stiff. Add carrots and turn up the speed so that they integrate well. At the end throw in the last bits and stir enough to blend them into the batter. 

Pour batter into a non-stick pan. Mine is 10" diameter and has a hole in the middle. This type of pan means that the batter never needs to rise across a wide distance. I credit the pan to the success of this. I'm sure you could also make two small non-stick loaf pans or a 10" diameter round pan work, but I cannot commit to the outcome :)

angel food cake pan or a bundt cake pan both seem to help with gluten-free cake success

The oven. I put the rack in the middle and crank it hot (ours is gas). When at least 400F I pop the cake in and turn the temperature down to 350F. Here it will sit permeating your home with a lovely spicy smell for the next hour. 

If you are not sharing - you can carve it up into about 16 healthy sized pieces. Wrap individually and freeze. They make an excellent emergency breakfast - and are handy for a last minute treat with tea at any time of the day!

gluten-free Copenhagen!

Copenhagen was our last stop on the month-long journey. This city had been on my personal wish list for almost 2 decades. In a past life I worked in the contract furniture industry and gained serious respect for Danish design, long before the mid-century modern furniture craze hit the masses. 

So - day one, we needed a bank machine. I don't think I ever fully got the hang of the Kroner...it was hard to wrap your mind around such large numbers and I was doing a lot of bad math in my head for a week. 

designer coffee at Bang & Jensen

 I digress. The point of the bank machine was that this was the impetus for stumbling upon Bang & Jensen - which became our "go to" place for the week. Their (badly translated) site can be found HERE.
I note the translation - because I could not believe how well everyone in this city speaks English. Not second language English either. The owner of this cafe spoke so eloquently, that Bill and I were stunned. We suddenly realized that we'd spent weeks speaking such simplified English in an attempt to be understood.

The other reason I bring up English, is that suddenly, I was not anxious about eating out anymore. I could simply have the conversation I would have in Toronto, asking questions like "is it breaded, dredged or coated in anything?" and know that I my questions were clearly comprehended.

waiting for the bus to ferry us across the river

I must apologize that there are no food photos to share here. Despite the loveliness surrounding me, I didn't take my camera out very much. Instead, I found myself soaking up the sights and just "being" in the moment (vs capturing it all for later). 

While I did not partake in any Danish sandwiches, they are worth noting. Danes eat "open" sandwiches - meaning one slice of bread on the bottom. Many could feasibly be ordered without the bread. Bill ordered a "potato" sandwich which was essentially a substantial potato salad with a thin slice of bread at the bottom of the bowl. Think smoked salmon, for example (hold the bread - and if you're inclined, cart your gf Wasa crackers :). 

One night at Bang & Jensen I asked the staff about the (not so healthy) natchos on the menu. When I showed concern about the chip ingredients - she brought me the bag. Ingredients were listed in more than a dozen languages, which was very reassuring. They were ordered again a few days later :).

Our most memorable meal in Copenhagen was a simple one. It's hard to mess up on a simple steak. We ordered steak frites and a salad at Cafe Oscar. A delightful little restaurant just down the street from the Danish Design Museum. If you are lucky enough to travel here, don't miss either spot. 

Finally - the gluten-free highlight of Copenhagen was directly across from our little apartment. Naturbageriet had fresh gluten-free goodies waiting for me in the window every morning. I apologize profusely for not photographing the rumballs, cardamon carrot cake, the date loaf or the banana muffins. They had "regular" baked goods there too (they write about this on their site - see link) but go to every effort to keep the two worlds from colliding. The people who run the place are very knowledgeable about the ingredients and were most reassuring. I ate their goodies every day, and felt healthy - and VERY happy!!

Copenhagen was everything I hoped it would be. Inspirational eye candy everywhere. Extremely walkable. Areas reminiscent of a modern-day Venice. Style, often understated, but certainly painstakingly considered. Gorgeous, present and welcoming. 

We were extremely enamored with this part of the world and will certainly be making another Scandinavian excursion. Like anything in life, the first time is learning the ropes. Our next trip I'm sure that we'll have more exciting culinary adventures. For now I'm happy to report that we ate well - and I came home feeling good and inspired to transform the experience into new creative endeavours.

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