GF Flours & Grains

When I first went gluten-free, I didn’t bake.  For months.  This from someone who loved to bake.  Who would volunteer to make dessert for get togethers.

First off, I had no clue what to do.  If you’re new to the gluten-free and feel the same, you are not the first.  We have all been there.  I had made Chocolate Chinchilla for some parties I hosted knowing a friend with Celiac would be attending.  It is flourless, so knowledge of gluten-free flours was not required.  How to make Grandma Brown’s beloved cookies?  I didn’t know.  Gluten-free pancakes?  Nothing.  I was at a complete loss.

I remember seeing pictures friends would post on Facebook of cupcakes and other baked goods.  I would try to refrain from commenting about missing it.  It was Murphy’s Law that as soon as I said something about missing something with gluten, someone who had never eaten gluten-free before would say something like, “They make mixes for that.  I saw it in the store the other day.”  Or, “I saw a bunch of gluten-free crackers.”  Yes, I knew they made that stuff.  I didn’t want to buy that stuff.  I wasn’t fond of mixes before going gluten-free and I once made the mistake of buying gluten-free crackers for a party that my friend with Celiac was going to be at, too, and I wanted him to be able to enjoy cheese and crackers with the rest of us.  The mistake was not trying the crackers before taking them.  Cardboard.  I was horrified.  I was so horrified, I set out to eat as many of those crappy crackers with Grand Camembert and Fig preserves so others did not have to suffer them.  So, every time someone would say, “Well, they make that gluten-free now” I have flashbacks to those crackers.  I still see those things on the shelves and I can’t believe it.  I know flavor of gluten-free processed foods has improved, but I still stay away from them as much as possible.

It can be daunting looking at recipes online or in cookbooks with lists of flours required to make a cake, cookies, brownies, etc.  It can be a little time-consuming, too, if you are not properly prepared.

Something finally clicked and reminded me of something I read when I started making my own personal care products.  Stick with tried and true recipes.

That was when I threw caution to the wind and started buying gluten-free flours and trying recipes from blogs here and there.  Then, I started baking more as I started doing recipe testing for fellow blogging friends working on cookbooks.

I keep my gluten-free flours and grains in glass containers.  I keep the containers above my cabinets because while I was unpacking, I discovered just how small my pantry is.  I’ve read in many places and heard from many people who gluten-free flours need to be kept in the freezer or refrigerator.  I never have.  Again, space is the issue.  Pssst…I don’t keep my flax seed or flax meal in the fridge either.  It’s up there with the flours.  The containers give me easier access and I don’t have to dig through the bin of baking supplies for them, so prep time is faster, too.  I use the glass containers for staple pantry items like dried beans, coffee, and tea.

Grandma Brown's cookies... gluten-free!

The more I’ve used tried and true recipes, the more I’ve become comfortable with figuring out how to convert some of my favorite recipes from my gluten filled days.  I also have started leaning towards using more of the unrefined gluten-free flours when I bake to keep supporting my thyroid function.  It is because of my thyroid and needing to keep it supported by making sure I am doing the most I can to make my food drive my metabolism correctly that I try not to bake a lot.  It also keeps me from wondering where all the baked goods are when they are gone.  Seriously.  Sometimes I’m testing for friends while working on my own recipes.  I can have up to 3 different types of baked goods waiting to be eaten.  Once they are gone, my brain thinks I should still be eating baked goods.

Don’t want to buy all those different flours?  Gluten-free all-purpose flours work just as well.  It is what I used (Bob’s Red Mill brand) for my first attempt at converting Grandma Brown’s cookies.

The choice is up to you whether to bake or not.  Bake your heart out.  Bake a little cake once a week.  Or just bake now and then when the mood strikes.  The more experienced you get with baking gluten-free the better you’ll be able to figure out converting old recipes and swapping out the more processed flours for the healthier flours.

I am still tweaking some conversions but here are some of my favorite recipes of mine:

• Amaretto Bread
• Flourless Pumpkin Pie Cookies
• Gluten-free Coconut Pie Crust
• Raw Lavender Blueberry Bars
• Raw Peppermint Mocha Truffle Cake

Homemade lotion

One of the things I never thought about when doing my gluten-free trial or when I first went gluten-free was the gluten that hides in personal care products.  It wasn’t until I read Living Gluten-free for Dummies by Danna Korn and skimmed through sections of The G-free Diet by Elizabeth Hasselbeck that I gave it any thought.  It was interesting that both women have somewhat opposite views on gluten in personal care products.  I fall in the middle.

I realized that I truly do have a problem with gluten in personal care products about 6 months after going gluten-free.  I had some lotion in my bathroom cabinet that I stored until I was done using another bottle.  I stored it before the change in diet.  For 3 days I felt sick – fatigued, bowel issues.  I kept thinking to myself that I felt like I was glutened, but I knew I didn’t ingest any food with gluten in it.  So I was baffled.  I started thinking, what changed 3 days ago?  Oh, right.  The lotion.  I checked the ingredients against those listed in The G-free Diet for personal care products.  Yup.  Gluten in my lotion.  Jergen’s.

I tossed it out and went back to making it myself again.

I did a trial without the Wen Cleansing Conditioner I was using because it had hydrolyzed wheat protein in it.  As soon as I used it again, I was sick, no matter how careful I was to not let it get near my mouth.  It made me a bit more sad than all food I can never eat again.  It was the only hair cleansing and conditioning product that prevented the static I get in the Winter and kept hair from falling out as much as it normally does with other shampoos and conditioners.  This is hair loss unrelated to my hypothyroidism. I still have the unused bottle for guests to use who do not have issues with gluten.  Someone might as well enjoy it if I can’t!

I know some people seem to be so sensitive to gluten that any contact with it on the skin causes problems.   My problem is with anything that does or could potentially come into contact with my mouth.  This means any lotion, soap, facial scrubs, face masks, makeup, shampoo, and conditioner.  I could be missing something.

I make my own:

• Lotion – I started this back in 2003, but stopped doing it for a while
• Sugar scrub and face mask to exfoliate.
• Soap – I start back in 2004 and haven’t stopped
• Bubble bath
• Facial toner/astringent
• Hair wash and rinse – baking soda to wash and apple cider vinegar to rinse

I use:

• Bare Minerals makeup
• Aloe vera gel for scalp moisturizer and as a styling product (when my hair will cooperate)
• If I have to use shampoo and conditioner, I use Aveda
• Kiss My Face shaving lotion

My homemade list is a little longer than my store-bought list.  Most of the items take only a few minutes to make with items you already have in your pantry and can save you money.  I like using lavender water for my toner.  It is a by-product when extracting the oils for lavender essential oil.  You can make it yourself by using dried lavender in water and letting it sit for about 2 weeks, then straining out the lavender.  Or you can use witch hazel.

Lauren-Lucille Vasser, aka The Celiac Diva, has several lists of gluten-free products on her FAQ page.  Check them out and her videos.  She really is as spunky in person as she is in her videos.  A cutie patootie to boot, too!  The G-free Diet has a list of gluten containing ingredients used in personal care products as well as listings of some products that are gluten-free.

If you are eating gluten-free and still feeling sick, check your personal care products!

Christmas 2008, just weeks before being diagnosed with Hypothyroidism

I think many of us forget this important relationship.  How often do we see our pharmacist?  Once a month?  Maybe more if we’re sick.  There was a time in my life when I joked about being a walking pharmacy.  I had so many prescriptions, many of them PRNs (as needed medication) that I needed to keep with me.  More than half my purse used to be dedicated to prescription bottles.  People not in the know probably thought I was carrying around baby rattles.  

There was also a time in my life when I did not know the men and women filling these prescriptions and putting their names on my bottles.  Other than the mom & pop pharmacy I loved so much back home.  I was stuck with those chain pharmacies and grocery store pharmacies.  The kind with several pharmacists and assistants who really don’t want to be bothered when you walk up with your prescription in the first place.  Provide education on the medication when I give it to you filled?  Hah.  You must mistake me for someone who cares.  

And that’s how I felt about these people for years.  

Then I got fed up.  

There was a little mom & pop place down the street from us in Louisville.  Wish’s Drugs.   The first time I went in with my prescription, the pharmacist took it.  And introduced himself to me.  ”My name is Frank.  I’ll be filling this for you.”  Holy Hell in a hand basket!  The most I got from those pharmacists in the grocery stores and chains was some Tim Allen grunting.  I was kicking myself for not going to him as soon as we moved into the area. 

Every time I went in, even if Frank didn’t take my script or get my meds off the shelf for me to pay for, he would say, “Hi, Debi!”  He always made conversation.  Not just with me, but with every one else that came in there.  If I had something new, he made sure to have his techs get him when I picked them up so he could tell me about them or a potential interaction with something else I take.  This wasn’t that sheet you sign at those big places declining medication education or saying yes, you received it as requested.  I don’t even think most people knew they are required to do just what Frank was doing.  He took his job and responsibility seriously.  His techs knew everyone, too.   They struck up conversations with us just like he did.  I felt good going in there and getting my meds knowing I was not just getting meds.  I was getting real service.  Real care.  

They are so good at what they do and strive to provide people with the lowest cost for those paying out-of-pocket, that people from across town would drive over half an hour just for their medication.  You can’t say that about most pharmacies, their pharmacists, and their technicians.  

I haven’t required a prescription in a year.  My doctor took me off the prescription Vitamin D and put me on over-the-counter (OTC) Vitamin D3 of the same dose.  50,000IU slow release that I take once a week.  I get this in her office.  While I don’t have need for a pharmacist right now, I do have a good relationship with our pharmacist at work.  I know without a doubt that I could ask him any questions I have about the medication I am getting.  

• So, what should you look for in a pharmacist & pharmacy technicians? 
• They look you in the eye when you drop off or pick up prescriptions.
• They know your name and know who you are.  You shouldn’t be hearing, “Have you filled a prescription here before?” on your 10th visit. 
• They provide verbal education on your medications when you pick it up.  
• They offer options if you have to pay out-of-pocket in order for you to get the lowest price possible. 
• Other people recommending not just the pharmacy, but the pharmacist themselves. 
• People waiting for their prescriptions to be filled are saying good things about the pharmacist and the techs.  
• If possible, look for a mom & pop pharmacy.  They are more likely to give better service than a pharmacy part of a major corporation.  (Except my pharmacist at work. hehe)

Remember, these are the people providing the medications that your doctor prescribed.  If you trust your doctor to take what he says you should take, you should trust the pharmacist that fills the prescription, too.  

Lastly, if you live in Louisville, consider taking that drive to the Lyndon area and getting your prescriptions filled at Wish’s Drugs.  Tell Frank that Debi Smith sent you.  

With some of my favorite people on Earth because I pushed my previous doctor and self-advocated.

I want to continue where I left off in my last post.  After I mention one symptom I forgot.  Vertigo.  Other than one incident last year thanks to a nasty sinus infection, I have not had vertigo in almost 2 years.  This particular symptom plagued me since college.  I never knew when or where it would hit.  One moment I’m doing something totally inane and the next the entire world around me is spinning and I’m fighting to focus.  Thankfully, I never passed out from it.

Someone asked me about testing.  I’m not well versed on all the tests but I know there are different blood, stool and genetic testing for Celiac and gluten sensitivity.  These tests look for specific antibodies that are present when gluten is wreaking havoc in our bodies.  There are also biopsies of the small intestines.  These look for the damage done to the vili from the gluten.  Some doctors still consider the biopsy the gold standard and will not give a diagnosis if it is negative.  There are many progressive doctors who specialize in Celiac and gluten sensitivity that want to see this change.   There are gene tests, too, that check for the proteins HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8.

Since I was gluten-free for so long, all tests except the gene testing will be negative for me because there is no gluten in my system and my body has been healing.  My previous doctor and my current doctor were fine with leaving things as they are.  I think all doctors should be okay with that.  That is not the case.  Some doctors out there want you to go back on gluten in order to test you.  Not only that, there seems to be disagreement on how long you should be back on gluten in order for tests to be accurate.  Can you say malpractice?  This is nothing more than human experimentation.  Only we know the results before the doctors do.  I find it inexcusable for any doctor to think this is an option.  My current doctor knows there is no way in this world that I will willingly consume gluten for an undetermined amount of time just for a test result.  We should not accept doctors that force us into do anything harmful to our bodies just for the sake of a test result.  Here’s your test result. I’m 23 months gluten-free and I feel better than I have my entire life.

Doctors serve at our pleasure, not the other way around.  We resign ourselves to mediocre care because we grew up thinking the doctor knows best.  The truth is, doctors don’t know everything.  Yes, they have the medical degree and the training.  However, no one knows our bodies better than ourselves.  We know when something is wrong despite what doctors say the test results say.  My previous doctor was very open about saying, “I don’t know” when he really didn’t know rather than try to make something up.  He was also a good listener.  He would listen to me and what I was saying rather than try to formulate all the questions he was going to ask while I was talking.  He paid attention to my chart and remembered things.  He understood that when I sat on the chair and told him I want answers, that I meant it.  My thyroid levels were all within normal limits (WNL), yet I knew something was still off and the continued elevated ANA (anti-nuclear antibodies) levels worried me.  He calmly ordered more tests and sent me to specialists rather than tell me it was all in my head.  It is exactly why he was my doctor for so long.

We should never accept sub-par treatment from our doctors.  Never.  They have a job because we choose to go to see them.  They are supposed to listen to us and treat us based on what we want, not act like supreme beings that know all and we know nothing.  We can fire them anytime we want.  This is exactly what I did with my doctor before my previous doctor.  When he started to send me for tests that I already went through, I knew it was time to find another doctor.   You have to stand up for yourself.  No one else is going to do it for you.  Calmly tell your doctor what you need/want or about what you disagree with.  Persist in stating what you need/want if they do not listen.  If they refuse to listen or insist on something that you feel is harmful, find a new doctor.   Ask your friends for recommendations.  This is how I found my previous doctor.  Do research.  I found my Naturopath after seeing his business card on a table at a little deli near his office.  I looked him up online before deciding to call.

If you are fed up with your medical care, start asserting yourself and your position in that doctor’s life.  They can either listen to you and help you or they can be one patient lighter.  Advocacy starts with you.

After all the reading I did, I was convinced enough to go on a gluten-free trial.  I should have been tested first, but hindsight is 20/20.

I have been gluten-free for nearly 2 years now.  I have been medication free for 2 1/2 years.  I have not used supplements to help support my thyroid for 1 1/2 years.

My hypothyroid diagnosis led me to make the following changes in order to rid my world of as many thyroid disruptors as possible:

• Go back to making my own personal care products
• Make my own all natural cleaners
• Switch to non-fluoride toothpaste
• Use a water filter (I use Zero)
• Go off the pill
• Change to a whole foods diet

Some of my hypothyroid symptoms that have resolved on a gluten-free diet:

• Migraines (daily at one point in my life)
• IBS
• Heart palpitations/chest pains
• Brain fog/inability to concentrate and focus
• Difficulty remembering anything (former co-worker once told me my memory was like a filing cabinet)
• Wild and unpredictable mood swings (not to mention getting angry way too easily)
• Idiopathic neuropathy
• Fatigue (extreme fatigue and not just being tired after a long day)
• Low body temperature
• Low blood pressure
• Hair loss
• Weight gain/inability to lose weight even with lots of exercise

These are the big ones.  There were others, too.  The only symptom I still have is the intolerance to cold temperatures.  My feet and hands get cold really fast and then the rest of me can’t tolerate the cold like I used to.  To me, it always feels 10 to 20 degrees colder than it really is, especially in the Winter.

When I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and started learning about the symptoms over the first few months, I realized that this was something I had my whole life.  Migraines I chalked up to genetics because my dad has them, too.  I always had stomach issues (I’m pretty sure my mother thought I was just playing sick) and when I moved to Kentucky the stomach issues grew to include my entire intestinal tract.

Now, that I know this is all thanks to gluten, I wonder what my life would have been like had it been discovered earlier.  If you are reading this because you have hypothyroidism, too, but have never been tested or told it could be due to gluten sensitivity/Celiac, start talking to your doctor.  40 % of people with thyroid dysfunction have gluten sensitivity or Celiac.  That’s almost HALF people!

Some other things that can lead you in the direction of being tested other than thyroid dysfunction (and the symptoms I’ve already mentioned):

• Other food allergies/sensitivities
• Diagnosis of Sjogren’s or other autoimmune disorders
• Family history of colon cancer
• Osteoarthritis/rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes
• Gall bladder issues
• Diagnosis of Autism, ADHD/ADD, Depression or Bipolar
• Eczema, Rosacea and other skin disorders
• Osteoporosis
• Anemia/iron deficiency/B vitamins deficiency/vitamin D deficiency

I’m sure I missed some, but my awesome friend, Shirley, has a great tip sheet you can check out on her blog, gluten-free easily.

The sooner a proper diagnosis is made, the better the quality of life.  In the case of children, the better their chances for developing without delays.  I urge anyone who hasn’t gotten to the root of their problems and is still suffering needlessly to get tested if anything listed sounds like you.  If you have thyroid dysfunction and medication isn’t working for you, I urge you to get tested.  I was one of you.  If you went symptom by symptom while I was on Synthroid, some of them seemed resolved.  However, I was feeling worse overall.  The fatigue worsened and it was a struggle to get out of bed for work.

There is hope.  There is life after a diagnosis.  There is quality of life with the right diagnosis and following the right treatment.  For gluten sensitivity and Celiac, the only treatment is a gluten-free diet.  No pills required.  Only enjoying the rest of your life one day at a time.

Chef Michael Symon (image linked from newstalkcleveland.com)

Many of you know the reverence I hold for Chef Michael Symon.  It began when I saw him many years ago on Melting Pot when The Food Network was still young.  He and Wayne always made me laugh for half an hour.  Then, one day it was gone.

Chaz and I were in a bookstore about a year or so later and found a book, Soul of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman (one of my favorite writers after reading this book).  It looked interesting, so I picked it up.  A third of the book is about Michael Symon and I didn’t even know it until I got to that part.  I got excited.  I learned so much more about his approach to food.  Real food.  So, as he has gone on to do other shows, I’ve followed.  He never fails to make me laugh.  Never.  Even now that I follow him on Facebook and Twitter.   If you haven’t seen his newest show, The Chew, with Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Daphne Oz and Clinton Kelly, check it out.  

So, yes, I follow him on Facebook and Twitter.  I have a handful of celebrity chefs that I follow on Twitter.  If nothing else, the banter between them cracks me up.  Like this little exchange between Michael Symon and Ming Tsai: 

I was laughing so hard I had to read the exchange aloud to Chaz as he was looking at me funny.  He found it funny, too. 

I do have a point here.  Or rather, a rant, thanks to Chef Symon.  He posted this on Facebook and Twitter yesterday, ”i know ill get some sh** for this..but it makes me bonkers when ppl say they dont have time to cook..it takes like 10 min to set a stock..and 2 minutes 2 strain it..we r all busy..u have 2 make time..cmon peeps u can do it!!” 

I applaud him for taking this stand.  The whole reason for The Food Network and The Cooking Channel is to help us cook more whether or not the chefs say this out loud and take the same stand Chef Symon did.  He was right.  He got shit for it from some people.  He got a lot of support, too.  However, with the people who railed at him for his statement, I noticed a trend.  An absolute refusal to accept the truth of his statement.  A continual need to make excuses why they cannot take the time to really cook.  Sorry people, but if you have time to argue with a celebrity chef on Twitter and Facebook, you have time to cook.  

I know some people won’t agree with me, but that’s my opinion, take it or leave it.  

The revolution of Big Food has most of us brainwashed into believing we need their processed foods for convenience sake.  I admit that before my radical change in diet over 2 years ago that I did use some of those handy meals through the years.  But, I always cooked.  Even when I was working a full-time job 40+ hours per week, on-call 24/7, I cooked.  From scratch.  Even back in my college days, I cooked.  I did have my fair share of meals of saimin or pb&j or rice and tuna.  But, I also cooked.  Stews, curry, pasta sauce.  It was easy to put things like that on my little hot plate and let it simmer while I studied after a day full of work and classes.  

Chef Symon is right, you have to make time to cook.  There are thousands of us out there doing it while holding down jobs and taking care of families.  Re-evaluate what you are doing that you have to do and what you want to do.  There are so many time suckers out there that lull us into thinking, I don’t have time for other things.  If you are watching TV, messing around on social media, talking for hours on the phone, shuttling kids around from one activity to another, you have time to cook.  10 minutes to set a stock is generous, especially if you’re prepared.  I save bones and freeze them.  I save veggie scraps and veggies/herbs that are about to go bad and freeze them.  When it comes time for me to make a stock all I have to do is open the freezer bags and put the contents in my slow cooker, add water, cover and walk away.  3 minutes tops. 

There are those of us with food allergies and sensitivities for whom Big Food’s processed offerings are not an option.  We have to cook despite the numerous allergy friendly offerings that keep popping up.  I don’t cook because of my issues with gluten and dairy.  I was cooking way before my awareness of them.  I cook because it keeps me healthy.  I cook because it is more cost-effective.  I cook because it tastes better than anything that comes out of a box or a can.  I cook because I can waste less.  

There is nothing like making something with your own two hands that brings a smile to someone else’s face.  Nothing.   There is also nothing like teaching the next generation how to do the same thing.  I may not have children of my own, but some of the kids I used to work with had the benefit of working with me in their kitchens.  Side by side learning knife skills, time-saving techniques and how to cook on the fly because you didn’t plan.  Much as I tried, the teens just didn’t want to do meal planning so there was a lot of looking in the pantry, fridge and freezer and figuring things out.  

We owe it to that next generation to teach them how to plan for meals, make time for cooking and giving them the needed kitchen skills that will sustain them throughout their life.  Like it or not, Home Ec starts in the home and it starts with you.  

That said, one of these days I will make it to Cleveland to eat in one of Chef Symon’s restaurants.  

Super Berry Smoothie

Maggie, She Let Them Eat Cake, is hosting this month’s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free event.  I participate in this few and far between since some themes I don’t have time to play with (and wish I did) and some months I miss out on seeing what the theme is completely.  When I read this month’s theme, I knew I didn’t really have to play around in the kitchen.  I was already making something and planning on sharing this recipe anyway.  Score!

This smoothie is full of natural anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant based foods.  Blueberry, cranberry, açai, raw local honey and raw cacao powder.  This will help your body fight inflammation and oxidative stress (or oxidative rust, as Dr. Mark Hyman calls it).  This is also full of vitamins and minerals.  I normally make smoothies with some kind of greens included, but this one I’ve left them out.  You can add greens if you’d like.  The darker the better for those polyphenols.  You can also use other dark berries if you don’t have one listed available. And if you don’t like cranberries, you can’t even taste them.  Seriously.

If you have nut allergies, you can use raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead.  I would not recommend Sunbutter as it threw the entire flavor profile off when I tested it.  Or, you can use Maggie’s Oh Mega Mix.

I have a tendency to use raw local honey as much as I can.  Not only is it a natural anti-inflammatory, it helps with allergies.  My last chiropractor tried for years to get me to use raw local honey instead of getting allergy shots.  Finally, one day, I was able to remember to have a tablespoon a day and made the transition.  I stopped getting allergy shots several years ago.  One of the best things about moving to Cincinnati is that my raw local honey is so local, I get it from farm just a mile away from us.

Super Berry Smoothie – 16 ounces

1 banana

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup frozen cranberries

1 tablespoon freeze-dried açai powder (I use Navitas Naturals), or 1/4 cup frozen açai berries

1 – 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (I use Navitas Naturals)

1 tablespoon nut butter

Sweetener of choice (I use 1 tablespoon raw local honey)

1 teaspoon raw maca powder (optional)

Unsweetened dairy-free milk of choice (I use 365 Unsweetened Almond or So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut until I can start making my own)

Add fruit, powders, nut butter and sweetener to your blender.  If you are using a sweetened dairy-free milk, omit or cut back on the added sweetener.  Pour dairy-free milk in just under the 2 cup line.  Blend well.  Serve.

This post is linked to Wellness Weekend at Diet, Dessert and Dogs. 

Gluten-free, dairy-free lefse

One of the best things about Christmas back in Hawai`i is that Auntie Jude (my mother’s middle sister) and her family moved there the same time I moved back.  Uncle Jag (I’m so naming him as he was a JAG lawyer and judge) was fortunate enough to get stationed there after having been stationed in Manila.  This means I got to be around all my cousins.  It also meant Granny, Papa, and Auntie Boogie traveling to Hawai`i every other year for Christmas.  I also got to partake in the Halvorson family traditions.

One of the traditions I enjoyed was Christmas Eve dinner.  Meatballs, lefse, and mashed rutabagas.  Did I mention that Uncle Jag is Norwegian?  My cousins taught me to butter the lefse, sprinkling it with sugar, then roll it up to eat.  I loved it.  And the meatballs.  And the mashed rutabagas.

Granny requested a Thompson family Christmas in 2000.  Chaz and I flew out to Tustin for a week to be with my mother’s side of the family.  Now, Auntie Boogie loves giving gag gifts and Dad is a bit slow in processing jokes.  That year, she gave Uncle Jag a book of Norwegian jokes.  Uncle had to do the flip through and read out some jokes for all of us to enjoy.  One of them was about Oleg seeing a pizza for the first time and saying, “Oy! Who threw up on the lefse?”  We had a great laugh with that one.  Except for Dad.  He didn’t get it.  Until 10 minutes later when the joke book was laid aside and we were back to unwrapping presents.

In the midst of the sound of paper being torn we hear Dad start to laugh and say, “Oy! Who threw up on the lefse?”  He was laughing so hard that he took his glasses off, was pinching his nose and starting to double over in his chair, looking like he was about to fall on the floor.  Yep.  That’s my Dad.  We’re always on to the next thing when he finally gets the joke.  My brother, sisters and I used to tease him relentlessly about his lack of quick wits.  I really don’t know where we got it from.  These days I wonder if his slow processing of jokes has to do with English being his second language.

But I digress.  This post is about lefse.

Auntie Jude gave me the recipe for the lefse and the Christmas Eve meatballs some time ago so I could make them myself.  However, since moving to the South/Mid-West, we’ve always been with Chaz’s family on Christmas Eve and Christmas.  So, I’ve never been able to make them for Christmas Eve dinner.

I started thinking about it last week after my successful conversion of Amaretto Bread.  Along with Grandma Brown’s (Stick’s grandmother) Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I figured why not give it a go?  Worse thing that could happen is they are inedible and I end up quickly fixing another side to go with dinner.  Right?  Right.

I made roasted butternut squash instead of rutabagas to give the plate a little color

The lefse was a little time-consuming, but I was able to prep the veggies and get them in the oven while I was cooking the lefse.  Since I don’t have a special lefse rolling pin (they have grooves in them) and my marble rolling pin is way too heavy, I used a glass to roll them out.  I noticed that the thinner I got them, the more pliable they were.  They were also better that night than they were the next day since they are best at room temperature.  They were still good the next day, just dry.  And for some reason I was thinking we used cinnamon on it when we added the butter and sugar.  So my first test I buttered it and used just cinnamon.  I hate to admit it, but the sugar makes it.  Thankfully, I used palm sugar, and just a hint to give it a tiny bite of sweetness.  I will be making it again, but just half of this recipe so I don’t have a bunch of lefse leftover.  Best thing, the dough doesn’t stick to your hands like other gluten-free doughs.  You know those doughs I’m talking about.  The kind where half the dough sticks to your hand while trying to get it on the baking pan.

Lefse (gluten-free, dairy-free)

3 cups mashed russet potatoes at room temperature (do not refrigerate or dough will be sticky)

2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons Spectrum palm shortening

1-2 tablespoons So Delicious Coconut Creamer

Earth Balance soy-free butter (optional)

palm sugar (optional)

cinnamon (optional)

Combine ingredients except creamer with your fingers.  Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time.  Just enough to hold the dough together and not make it sticky.  The dough should have the consistency of play dough.  Roll out dough 2 tablespoons at a time between two pieces of parchment paper using a lefse rolling pin, another small rolling pin or a glass.  Bake lightly on a medium hot griddle or flat pan.  You want it lightly browned on each side.  Let cool on a rack lined with paper or cloth towels.  Serve at room temperature with dairy-free butter, palm sugar and cinnamon.

Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free Amaretto Bread

One of the things that speak Christmas to me is Amaretto Bread.  Auntie Boogie used to make it in mini-loaves and give them out to friends and family around Christmas every year.  When I moved out on my own and finally had a place with an oven, she gave me the recipe for her Amaretto Bread.  I then became the Amaretto Bread maker amongst my circle of friends and family, and later on, in Chaz’s circle.

I refrained from making it 2 years ago when I radically changed my diet.  Then, after going gluten-free I really didn’t have a clue about how to bake gluten-free other than following a recipe.  I’m more adept at converting main and side dishes to gluten-free, than I am at converting baked goods.  This year, I’m more clued in.  After following so many other recipes, I feel more comfortable with gluten-free baking.  I mean, I finally made apple pie for Thanksgiving.  That was huge!  At least in my little world.  So, Shirley posted her recipe on Facebook for Perfect Pound Cake.  I instantly thought of Amaretto Bread since I had been thinking about it recently.  The wheels really started turning and I printed off the recipe and placed it next to Auntie Carol’s recipe for Amaretto Bread.  My intention was to use Shirley’s recipe as inspiration and a jumping off point to make Amaretto Bread.  The more I looked at the 2, the more I asked myself, why complicate it with making an entirely new recipe?  Her recipe did serve as inspiration, but I did not use it at all in converting my recipe.  I simply took the original recipe for Amaretto Bread, made a couple of substitutions to make it gluten-free and dairy-free, and also added some xanthan gum. 

While I am not part of the Home for the Holidays series that Shirley started in late November, she did say I could use the little picture for this post since it is a holiday treat and other bloggers are doing the same who could not take part.  If you haven’t seen my links for the posts on Facebook or Twitter, go to the link I provided and check them out.  Everyone has shared spectacular recipes.  Did I mention the giveaways?  There are giveaways galore going on so make sure you enter for the ones that are active.

On to the recipe.  I wasn’t sure about it at first, but the gluten-free, dairy-free Amaretto Bread tastes just like the gluten-full, butter-full version.  It has the same texture, too.  The only thing different is the coloring is darker since I used palm sugar to make it refined sugar-free, too.  This will definitely reappear next year and help make me sane during retail madness.  Just goes to show that converting doesn’t have to be complicated.

Amaretto Bread – makes 6-8 mini-loaves or 2 loaves

8 eggs, separated

3 cups palm sugar

2 cups soy-free Earth Balance butter

3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/2 cup Amaretto

4 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract (I prefer almond)

1 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease loaf pans.  Beat eggs whites until soft peaks form.  Add 1 cup palm sugar gradually and beat until stiff peaks form.  If stiff peaks don’t form, don’t worry, just beat until they are thick and brown.  It should look the same as if they were to form stiff peaks.  Set aside.  Cream butter with remaining sugar.  Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add xanthan gum.  Add flour in thirds, alternating with Amaretto.  Mix well.  Stir in extract and nuts.  Fold in egg whites gently.  Pour batter into pans and bake.  About 1 hour for regular sized loaves, 35 to 45 minutes for mini-loaves.  Toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaves will come out clean when done.

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. 

Gluten-free, dairy-free apple pie

I had my first gluten-free Thanksgiving last year.   This year was my first dairy-free Thanksgiving.  A challenge?  A little, yes.  But I think I did a pretty good job.  The menu was similar to last year.  The exceptions were really the pies.  I managed to have 2 days off in a row.  That rarely happens unless I request it.  I used those two days to start my prep for Thanksgiving.

Once I saw Carol’s post on the Perfect Gluten-free Pie CrustI knew I had to go for it finally.  I took my pie crust recipe that I used for years and simply substituted the flours.  I used my food processor to mix it like Carol suggested.  However, I over mixed it so the crust turned out crumbly during the baking process.  Lesson learned.  Do it by hand like I’ve always done next time.  Despite the little crust issue, the pie was just like I remember it.  I wound up eating the whole pie by myself since Chaz hasn’t had a sweet tooth lately.  Good thing I don’t use refined sugar and I used bean flour.

Crustless gluten-free, dairy-free Pumpkin Pie

The night before Thanksgiving, I quickly whipped up Shirley’s Crustless Gluten-free Dairy-free Pumpkin Pie.  Did I mention how easy it was?  I had it ready before the oven was even preheated.  Chaz still didn’t have a sweet tooth so the pie was all mine again.  I used real pumpkin and bean flour.  More vitamins and protein, the better!  The coconut milk helps in that area, too.  I did not puree the pumpkin.  The recipe doesn’t say to if using real pumpkin.  The thought did come to me after I poured the batter in the pie dish.  It always happens after, right?  I was staring at some chunks of pumpkin wondering if I should have used the immersion blender to mix it all together.  I figured if it didn’t turn out, I still had enough pumpkin to whip up another one.  I have to tell you, it was good with the pumpkin chunks.  The spices seeped into them so it wasn’t like a void in the pie.  It just gave the pie more texture.

Dairy-free Party Potatoes

I made sour cream and cashew cream cheese from Go Dairy Free’s book to make my potatoes.  This is where I really missed dairy.  While the sour cream was even better than real sour cream to me and the cream cheese gave me the idea to use port wine for port wine cheese, they did not bind the potatoes well.  The potatoes were still good, but no matter what I did to help the binding process, I didn’t get the creamy texture I’m used to.  I will definitely use the sour cream and cream cheese for other things.  I’ve already made the cream cheese with port wine, and it was as good as I imagined it.

Gluten-free, dairy-free stuffing

I made the same gluten-free stuffing that I created on the spot last year and used Earth Balance soy-free butter to cook the celery and onions.  Not one bit of difference at all.  It was the side that I had most of and it disappeared from the fridge first.  Last year, I used Whole Foods’ gluten-free sandwich bread.  This year, I used a mix of Katz Gluten-free Wholesome bread (my favorite gluten-free bread) and Rudi-s Whole Grain gluten-free bread (my second favorite).

Pan roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon

Last year, I made pan roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon and did so again this year, using my new favorite bacon, Applegate Farms.  They make my favorite hot dogs, too.  It was easy to do some prep on the veggie dishes while this dish cooked.  I never get tired of this dish.  Bacon just makes everything better.

Roasted golden beets and Roasted sliced eggplant

I went simple on the other two veggies.  Roasted sliced eggplant and roasted golden beets.  I was trying to make sure there was a lot of color in the veggies since the rest of the sides and the turkey are the same color.  I used my toaster oven and roasted the golden beets earlier in the day after putting the turkey in the oven so they would have time to cool off enough for me to handle when I trimmed them up and peeled the skin off to slice.  So thankful for toaster ovens!  The eggplant, I simply sliced and drizzled with oil and salt.  Then I put it in the oven after taking the turkey out.

Cranberry Compote

I love making fresh cranberry sauce during the holidays.  I love that I can make it ahead of time, too.  Which is what I always do.  However, this year I changed it up a little.  I used less water and less pure maple syrup.  The result was more of a compote than a sauce.  I’m so glad I bought extra cranberries so I can perfect this before sharing it with you.  I’ve already used the leftovers to make a “milk” shake and to top gluten-free blueberry waffles.

The finicky bird

The one thing that gave me trouble this year was the turkey.  I had it in the oven longer than recommended and the temperatures all checked out when I took it out of the oven.  Once I started to carve into it after letting it rest, I saw the dark meat was still pink and so were the juices.  I was not happy.  Okay, I was starving.  So the idea of having to put it back in made me not happy because I was ready to eat.  I turned up the temp on the oven and put it back in.  Once it was done, it was perfect.

I enjoyed a full plate while Chaz had 2 plates.  We were happily stuffed.