Spice(s) of Life: Part I

For those of us who have been eating GF for more than a week, I think I can honestly say that food can get, shall we say...

Dull.

Boring.

Bland.

And generally uninspired.

And that especially goes for GF foods that have more thought put into the packaging design than the product within. 

This made me frustrated. And it still does. But there are some simple things that can be done to create foods that have a bit more LIFE to them. And they're really quite easy. (I'm all about easy in the kitchen!) 

Let me introduce you to my good friend Spice Cupboard. I think you'll be friends.

Note: The only downside to this is the up-front cost...dried spices cost money. Serious money, depending on where you buy. Don't purchase at the major supermarkets, especially if you are creating your spice closet for the first time, unless you want to pay top-dollar. And for that matter, forgo the cute glass jars, too. Your dinner isn't going to taste very (possibly any) different if your spice came out of a bulk container or artistically-inspired packaging. Choosing the less asthetically-pleasing jar often translates to a savings of $2-3 dollars per jar, and can often mean you get more spice for the lower price. So shop around.

Any food (but especially gluten-free, in my opinion) can always use a little extra flavor, be in savory or sweet or spicy...however you like it. Below are several lists to build upon in creating your own flavor haven.

Basic spice cupboard list:

Sea salt

Black pepper (Grinders are good for both salt and pepper, as it gives a wider grain and more flavor to your food!)

Paprika

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Chili powder

Garlic powder

Basil

Rosemary

Thyme

Celery salt

Others that you may want to add (to diversify your combinations):

Dried citrus (orange peel, lemon peel, etc.)

Turmeric

Cumin

Cilantro leaves

White pepper

Dill Weed

Sage

Dried mustard

Spice blends can sometimes be gluten-free, too. Check the labels on these:**

Chinese Five-spice blend

Lemon-Pepper blend

Italian seasoning blend

Mexican blends (Taco or chili seasoning)

Garam masala (Indian blend)

**Note: Spice blends (most often sold in bottles) are simply spices and preservatives, and will be noted in the ingredient list as such. Any of the seasoning packets (not bottled) very often DO contain gluten. Please use caution!

Z.u.c.c.h.i.n.i.B.r.e.a.d.

We just made this moist, delicious summer bread yesterday morning. 

Our Mama has a huge garden, overflowing with exploding zucchini plants. 

We decided to make good use of her bounty...and it was definitely a good choice!

Serve this bread warm out of the oven with butter or coconut spread...

...or serve it room temperature with Neufchatel cheese. 

Bon Apetit!

Zucchini Bread

3 cups Jules "Nearly Normal" Gluten-Free Flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking powder

3 eggs (you may substitute 4 oz. applesauce for 1 of the eggs)

2 cups white or raw cane sugar

3 tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups grated zucchini

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease two 8-inch loaf pans.

[Editor's Note: Make sure you remove all the pans from the oven because I always forget this step, and that's why all my pans are burned and warped.] :)

In a medium bowl, whisk together Jules flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add sugar, vanilla, and vegetable oil, mixing well. Add the zucchini and mix until combined.

Add in the dry ingredients gradually, mixing well. Fold in nuts. Pour into prepared pans. 

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until cake tester inserted in bread comes out clean.

Enjoy. :) 

First things First (and all that jazz...)

Before you begin your delicious (we promise it will be delicious) gluten-free lifestyle, you will have to purchase some necessary ingredients.

We recommend that you try to stock your pantry with the following "staples" for gluten-free eating:

• Jules "Nearly Normal" Gluten Free Flour. You can purchase it from Jules Shepard's website here. This is a must have! This flour is a miracle, plain and simple. You will not regret buying it. [If you don't want to buy the flour, you can always make your own. Find the recipe and a how-to tutorial for the Jules "Nearly Normal" flour here.] This flour can be substituted into nearly any regular recipe and the results will be spectacular. There are always exceptions to the rule, of course - but we have had excellent results every time we have made something thus far.And we have baked a LOT!
• Pamela's Products. Our two favorite products from Pamela's are the Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix and the Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix. Pamela's mixes are fantastic for muffins, scones, pancakes, and quick breads...so easy and they come out so moist.
• RICE. White rice, Jasmine rice, brown rice, Arborio rice, long grain, short grain...we could go on. You will be eating a lot of rice - and that is a good thing! A quick scan of the rice aisle at the grocery store will reveal more types of rice than you thought existed. You'll be surprised and delighted by the range of flavors and textures available.

Once you have these 3 key ingredients in your cupboards, you'll be golden...let the baking, cooking, and finally the eating begin. :)

xoxo

The Celiac Sisters

Welcome!

If you have found your way to our blog, we are going to assume that you are in one of the following situations:

1. You have been diagnosed with Celiac and you think you will never eat again. (You may or may not have cried all by yourself over the loss of pizza and those late-night raw cookie dough binges...this is an embarrassing but necessary step. Embrace it.)
2. Your child has been diagnosed with Celiac, and you have no idea what you're going to feed your little one. You have nightmares about them accidentally consuming gluten...again, normal.
3. Gluten-intolerance has robbed you of your energy and vigor for too long...and it's time to do something.

Now, before we go any further...let us address these 3 situations:

1. Don't cry. You WILL eat again. That's why we're here. We're right there with you. Celiacs UNITE!
2. Don't panic! Your child has so many options opening up for him - more options every day, in fact. No, it's not easy at first - but truly, Celiac is simply a bump in the road. We promise!
3. Gluten Intolerance is a difficult and sometimes painful affliction. We feel for you - it's not easy! So, these recipes, hints and tips are for you just as much as the Celiacs! We will post information on gluten and wheat-free beauty and home products whenever we hear of something up-and-coming!

With that said - we are excited to be joining the ranks with other awesome gluten-free blogs.

Please follow us and check out our Link Love page to see more awesome gluten-free blogs that inspire us, and are sure to inspire you too.

Here's to eating well after Celiac and GI. :) We're all in this together!

xoxo

The Celiac Sisters