Gluten Free Foodies
Celebrate the foods that you can eat!
Organic Strawberry, Purple Basil Gazpacho with Arvum Sherry Vinegar
August 12th, 2012 at 2:00 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
Want the perfect
Amuse Bouche
to cool off on a hot Summery day?
What is an
Amuse Bouche?
Literally translated ...
HAPPY MOUTH
is served before the meal to whet the appetite for the meal to be served.
Organic Strawberry, Purple Basil Gazpacho with Arvum Sherry Vinegar
serves 2-3 people, shot size servings
1 cup Organic Strawberries
1 pinch Flor de Sal - Sea Salt
4 medium size leaves Organic Purple Basil - set 3 aside for garnish
Place all ingredients in a mini food processor.
Pulse to chop the ingredients to a smooth texture.
Pour the mixture into a container with a lid and chill for at least 30 prior to serving.
As the Gazpacho chills the flavors will meld into a sweet and savory perfection!
Please be patient ...
Serve in small shot glasses for just enough of a tantalizing tease to the taste buds.
I love to serve this as a brunch amuse bouche in the Summertime!
Salud!
Lisa
GLUTEN FREE FOODIES for event and lifestyle info!
Organic Tomato and Avocado Summer Salad
August 10th, 2012 at 10:11 am by Lisa - Gluten Free FoodieIt must be Summer!
Tomato time is finally here!
This is one of my favorite salads to make and take to a potluck picnic.
I buy my tomatoes from a local farmer on Bainbridge Island.
They are at their peak of freshness right now!
I love the small Organic varieties of tomatoes to get the
tart, sweet and super sweet flavors for this salad.
This recipe is about a few simple ingredients
with major flavor!
Organic Tomato and Avocado Summer Salad
serves approximately 6-8 people
4 cups Organic Tomato variety - grape, cherry, golden etc.
1/4 cup Organic Extra Virgin Spanish Olive Oil - buttery
2-3 ripe Avocados - sliced
2-3 generous pinches Flor de Sal - Sea Salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh chives - optional
Wash and cut the tomatoes in half.
Place the tomatoes in a bowl.
Sprinkle 1 generous pinch of sea salt on top.
Toss gently.
Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Slice the avocados and place on a platter.
Sprinkle the tomatoes on top.
Drizzle some olive oil on top ...
add 2 generous pinches of sea salt, fresh ground black pepper
and fresh cut chives if you desire.
Quick tips and thoughts ...
Chill the avocado to make clean slices and a tad bit easier peeling of the rind.
Wait to cut the avocado until just before serving to keep the avocado fresh and green.
Chilling the variety tomatoes with the olive oil allows time for the flavors to meld
and for the olive oil to do its magic!
Did you know that you absorb more of the tomatoes nutrients - Vitamin C, lycopene and antioxidants when eating tomatoes with olive oil and good fats such as avocado?
It's true!
Salud!
Lisa
GLUTEN FREE FOODIES for event and lifestyle info!
Farm Fresh Zucchini and Onion Frittata Topped With Chilled Organic Tomatoes
August 3rd, 2012 at 9:31 am by Lisa - Gluten Free FoodieBy now you know my love for ...
everything locally grown and farm fresh!
Frittatas too!
Frittatas are the easiest way for me to make all of my favorites from
my Persephone Farm CSA.
It is also my favorite way to start my day off completely and blissfully satisfied!
Actually a frittata is the perfect meal anytime of the day or night!
I love making them because they are so easy.
I think they are easier than an omelet or scramble.
Do you want to know the secret?
The trick is the frittata pan, it actually does all the work for you.
Frittatas are light and fluffy and cooked to perfection!
Stuffing them with all of my farm fresh favorites just makes me want them all the time!
Farm Fresh Zucchini, Onion Frittata Topped With Chilled Organic Tomatoes
serves 2 ... or 1 very hungry person
4 Farm fresh eggs
1/2 half Zucchini, chopped into cubes
1/2 half white onion
a few pinches of sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
fresh thyme
2 Tbs olive oil + a little more
chilled Organic tomatoes - heirloom, sugar and grape - sliced
Heat your frittata pan with the oil, zucchini and onions.
Add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
Sauté them until you see some browning.
Beat the eggs in a bowl.
Add the eggs to the the frittata pan.
Sprinkle the freshly cut thyme.
Cover with the other frittata pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Carefully turn the locked frittata pans over.
Cook for 2 minutes.
The frittata is ready when it inflates!
Remove from heat and use a silicone spatula to divide in two.
Plate the frittatas and top with the chilled, sliced tomato variety.
Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and drizzle a little olive oil on top of the tomatoes!
The olive oil helps you absorb the nutrients from the tomatoes better by at least 50% than without it!
Salud!
Lisa
GLUTEN FREE FOODIES for event and lifestyle info!
Aji Marinaded Grilled Shrimp with Smokey Mesquite Honey-Moscatel Sherry Vinaigrette Salad
July 24th, 2012 at 6:58 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free FoodieThis is a very simple summer salad. Slightly sweet, slightly spicy grilled shrimp atop crisp Romaine greens. The salad is finely chopped and tossed about in a
Smokey Mesquite Honey - Moscatel Sherry Vinaigrette.
Serve as an appetizer or for an entree with your favorite chilled white wine!
Marinade for Shrimp
approximately 1 dozen medium size shrimp, cleaned - tail on3 Tbs Spanish Olive Oil
1 large garlic clove chopped
1 tsp Matiz Smoked Sea Salt1/4 tsp Aji Panca dried (heat level 2)
1/4 tsp Aji Amarillo dried (heat level 6)
Mix the ingredients. Add the peeled and cleaned shrimp.
Add all of the ingredients to a self sealing bag or container with a lid.
Place into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before grilling.
Place some olive oil on your grill pan for indoor cooking. Brush the oil all over to make sure the shrimp does not stick. Cook the shrimp on medium-high heat, approximate 2-3 minutes on each side. You can also grill the shrimp on an outdoor grill.
Look for the shrimp to turn completely white and pink. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before placing on top of your salad.
Smokey Mesquite Honey - Moscatel Sherry Vinaigrette
1 Tbs Arvum Moscatel Sherry Vinegar
3 Tbs Spanish Olive Oil
2 pinches Matiz Smoked Sea Salt
4 cups Romaine lettuce, finely chopped
Add honey, vinegar, olive oil and sea salt to a bowl. Use a whisk to mix ingredients. Add the finely chopped Romaine lettuce and toss the dressing and the salad to make sure it is well coated. Add to a plate and top with Aji Marinated and Grilled Shrimp.
Salud!
Lisa
Gluten Free Pizza and Burgers at Pyramid Alehouse!!!
July 20th, 2012 at 6:33 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free FoodieA really good friend was in town last weekend. We are big baseball fans so of course we had to go to the Mariner's game. We decided to stop into Pyramid for a bite and a brew.
I used to go to Pyramid Brewery when it first opened, pre-GF days and always had such a great time and really good food!
So of course I thought this is the best place to go to before the game ...
91 South Royal Brougham Way
Seattle, WA
206.682.8322
Pyramid was lively and packed with the best Mariner fans.
Luckily we found some seats in the bar so my friend could have a front view screens.
The servers were awesome because when we were ordering I let the server know I was Gluten Free.
The server said ...
"Did you know we have Gluten Free pizza crust and burger buns from Wheatless in Seattle?!"
I had no idea!
What a lovely surprise!
We ordered a
Gluten Free Magherita Pizza
It was a cornmeal style crust, brushed with olive oil,
topped with marinated tomatoes,
roasted garlic,
fresh basil,
fontina and parmesan cheese!
It was ...
Awesome!
Pyramid does not make Gluten Free beer but they do offer other beverages.
Be sure to talk to your server about the GF menu options.
A big shout out
and
Thank you to the servers at Pyramid Brewery
for taking such good care of us!
Go Mariners!
Yay! Pyramid!
Lisa
Looking for something tall, cool and tingly to refresh your kisser?
Might I suggest my favorite...
Iced Mint Green Tea
Brew 1 pot of freshly filtered water.
Add
1bag Pure Mint Tea
1 bag Pure Green Tea
Let steep for 15 minutes.
I like to brew mine a little longer because
when I add the ice it tends to dilute it just a tad.
Add ice to your favorite glass.
I like to use my 12 oz. quilted canning jar by Ball with the new
The combination of the quilted grip of the jar and the lid that keeps those pesky flies out makes for the most pleasurable iced tea experience on a warm summer day.
I love my iced tea in a glass so if I am planning an outing - a picnic or going to a concert on the beach I just put the canning jar lids on and tightly seal the jar. When I get to my event I unscrew the top, insert my fancy new Straw-Tek lid and insert a fun, favorite straw!
No waste and it stays cool!
I can't say hot summer day this year in the Pacific Northwest because so far ...
as of today
we have had
50 minutes of 80 degree weather this Summer of 2012!
Oh well ... drinking iced tea makes it feel like summer... right?
I like to use a combination of safe Gluten Free tea bags or looseleaf tea to make my tea.
Not all tea bags are Gluten Free!
Some safe GF brands -
Bigelow
Smith Tea
Stash
Tazo
Tetly
Twinings
FYI - some tea bags are sealed with a wheat paste to make the tea stay in the bag during the brewing process. Please be sure to read the label of the product or contact the manufacturer to make sure there haven't been any changes.
Happy Iced Mint Green Tea sipping!
Salud!
Lisa
GLUTEN FREE FOODIES for event and lifestyle info!
Rebecca’s Turnip, Snap Pea Salad with a Twist!
July 10th, 2012 at 12:31 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
1-2 cups cut snap peas
1 cup chopped turnips
1-2 cloves fresh garlic
1 cup sliced baby carrots
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1-2 generous pinches sea salt
freshly cut dill
Walnut Oil - key ingredient to bring out the flavor in the ingredients -
almost creamy and of course, nutty flavor!
Use enough Walnut Oil to coat all of the ingredients.
Mix all of the ingredients and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.
Rebecca is a farmer and one of the owners of Persephone Farm.
When I went to pick up my CSA last week she told me about this salad she made and
gave me a taste of it. She made it for a 4th of July party that she was attending.
gave me a taste of it. She made it for a 4th of July party that she was attending.
I couldn't believe how delicious it was.
I told her I wanted to eat the entire bowl!
I asked her what was in it, she said ...
Turnips,
Snap Peas and spices.
Luckily, I took a picture!
I immediately went home to make a salad as close to hers as I could.
So I call this ...
Rebecca's Turnip, Snap Pea Salad with a Twist!
The twist - I added garlic, baby carrots and sunflower seeds.
You can never have too much sweet, savory and crunch!
Salud!
Lisa
Summer is finally here
and I can't think of a better way to kick off the sunny season.
I love this smoothie because it is
Gluten Free
Non-Dairy
Loaded with Omega 3 and Fiber
and best of all ...
Berrylicious!
Summer Berrylicious Smoothies
makes 2 - 10 oz or 4 - 5 oz smoothies
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries - strawberry, blueberry, blackberry
1 frozen medium banana
1 Tbs Spectrum Chia Seed
1 Tbs local raspberry honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk - Turtle Mountain SoDelicious
A few tips and thoughts -
Not all Chia Seeds are just chia seeds, some brands have
other ingredients and are produced on shared equipment, not Gluten Free.
Spectrum Essentials is the best Gluten Free Chia Seed that I have founds so far.
Be sure to keep the handy self zip bag in the refrigerator to maintain freshness.
Chia Seeds are loaded with antioxidants, Omega 3, easily digestible and high in fiber.
I like to use local honey to help with my allergies.
I also add Quercitin, not listed in the ingredients, to naturally help my allergies and inflammation.
Contact your local Naturopath for more information.
As you know, I am a big fan of cinnamon because it helps to level out blood sugar when you are consuming sugar especially from fruit.
The cinnamon enhances the fruit flavors too!
Frozen bananas?! I buy a bunch, peel them and slip them into a freezer bag.
Notice ... no ice used only true flavors and nothing is watered down!
I love the antioxidant properties from all the rich, dark colored berries.
The flavors together just say ...
Summer!
I love love love my
Summer Berrylicous Smoothie!
Happy Summer!
Salud!
Lisa
GLUTEN FREE FOODIES for event and lifestyle info!
Ask About Everything When Dining Out! IHOP Adds Pancake Batter In Omelets NOT GF
June 29th, 2012 at 11:33 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
I cringe just thinking about this ...
A family traveling with at least 2 people that have Celiac Disease. They walk into an IHOP and order an omelet not realizing that they add pancake batter to it. The vacation is ruined for those two family members with Celiac Disease. I worry about this because when you are busy and traveling sometimes it is so easy to miss a step or two when ordering if the restaurant is busy and everyone is hungry.
I just saw this commercial this morning, not sure how long it has been running but I don't watch a ton of TV. I thought I would share it with you.
If you can not see this video please click on this YouTube-link for IHOP Pancake Batter in Omelets
Just a friendly reminder to ask ... Is this Gluten Free?
#IsThisGlutenFree
Happy Gluten Free dining and travels this summer. It is best to call ahead if you are dining out to see if the restaurant has a Gluten Free menu. The front desk at your hotel is also a good source of local information too.
Too good health ... Salud!
Lisa
GLUTEN FREE FOODIES for event and lifestyle info!
Gluten Free Almond, Hazelnut, Chocolate Cakes! Happy Birthday to me!
June 26th, 2012 at 11:40 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
So moist and light!
The perfect amount of sweetness and so flavorful!
I was inspired by a recipe from
Caludia Roden's book "The Food of Spain".
The original recipe was passed on to her from a traditional Spanish family that she met while writing her book. It was a favorite for all sorts of celebrations!
I love love love the little changes that I made.
A little cinnamon and instant espresso to enhance the chocolate.
The cinnamon is always a good idea when I am using nuts and any sugar
because it helps to balance the effect out and keep your blood sugar from spiking.
Please note that the original recipe calls for refined white sugar.
I prefer to use light brown sugar in this recipe for better flavor and less processed.
I also love to mix Almond and Hazelnut flour in baking because
the flavors compliment each others so well.
The Hazelnuts are packed full of protein, fiber and
make eating cake a little less guilty.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dark chocolate
1 1/3 sticks of butter, cubed
3 Tbs water, room temp
1/4 tsp instant espresso
3/4 cup GF Almond flour
1/4 cup GF Hazelnut flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, no clumps!
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp GF baking powder
1/4 cup Bacardi Select - good quality rum
4 eggs, separatedTopping
1/2 cup good quality dark chocolate - Callebaut Bittersweet
2 Tbs butter
1-2 Tbs dark rum, optional
Directions
Pre heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Melt the chocolate, water and butter in a double boiler.
Stir and when it is melted, take it off the heat.
Set aside to cool.
Use a whisk to break up any clumps and incorporate the Almond and Hazelnut flour,
cinnamon, baking powder,
in a medium mixing bowl.
Add the rum and cooled chocolate mixture.
Mix well.
Add the egg yolks.
Mix well.
Use a hand mixer to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks in a medium mixing bowl.
Fold in the egg whites to the chocolate cake batter.
Once all of the ingredients are incorporated, pour into lined cupcake tins
or a round cake pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake the cupcakes approximately 25-30 minutes.
Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes.
This cake also bakes well in ramekins.
Please note that they will deflate slightly when cooled but
the chocolate will help make it all pretty!
Topping
Melt approximately 1/2 - 3/4 cup of good quality dark chocolate
with 2 Tbs of butter in a double boiler.
Add 1-2 Tbs of rum, optional.
Stir while melting.
Add to the top of the little cakes or the big cake.
Serve with your favorite beverage and enjoy with your family and friends!
I had a wonderful Birthday! Thank you for all of the kind words and wishes.
Salud!
Lisa
GLUTEN FREE FOODIES for event and lifestyle info!
