5/26/14

Things that are Gluten Free

Mercy of mercies, ice cream and chocolate are gluten free.

I made mendiant with cashews, raisins and ground pistachios.  I just can't get over how cute mendiant are.  I tempered 70% Sharffen Berger, piped it with a paper cone and stuck in the fixins.  I cannot recommend this chocolate enough.


Plus, more coffee chip ice cream!

5/24/14

Goodbye to Gluten (For Now)

Much to the chagrin of my family I greatly enjoy food trends, books on food and healthy eating and general food conspiracy theories.  I think it's hard for them to keep up with what I am and am not eating at any given time.  


A few days ago I picked up David Perlmutter's Grain Brain at my local library.  I popped the audio book into the car and OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS!  I AM GOING TO GET HORRIBLE DISEASES AND IT'S ALL GLUTEN'S FAULT!

Seriously though, the book has really made me think about what gluten is doing in my diet and how it could be detrimental to my health.  I can't say I vouch for any or all of the food warnings in this book, but I am just about convinced on the gluten/carbohydrate front.  So, I'm trying out a gluten free diet and to eat fewer carbohydrates.  This is day 1.

I got up this morning and didn't know what to do about my breakfast.  Cereal? No.  Oatmeal? No, Quaker oats aren't gluten free.  Toast?  Ah, nope.  Pancakes, waffles, muffins, french toast, croissant?  All off limits.  Obviously I needed to get to the store.  I settled on a bowl of peanut butter with macadamia nuts, chia seeds, honey and chocolate chips with some farmer's market strawberries and milk.  Not altogether bad.

Hours went by and I ate a Larabar, more fruit, eggs, cheese...and it soon became obvious that even though my body was nourished and I didn't feel hungry, I was craving gluten/carbohydrates.  And I still am.  It's probably safe to say that I'm actually addicted to it.  All the more reason to go without it for a while.  

I'll still be baking with gluten and possibly eating it again in the future.  But, I will try to develop some gluten-free recipes for those who are interested (and so that I can eat something that actually tastes good!!!)  This is not a food fad that I am going to force on other people.  I'll document a bit of this gluten free trial and let you know what good gluten free stuff I've found.

Gluten-Free Foods I've Tried


Decent but reminiscent of cardboard, messy, pricey

Delicious and definitely recommended, pricey




Much like Kit's, great ingredients, slightly better price...


Great taste, but I'm not thrilled about some of the ingredients (oils etc.)
More to come.  I'll be sure to start marking my gluten free recipes.

5/17/14

Coffee Chip Ice Cream with Chocolatey Meringue Rocher

Still loving my ice cream maker over here.  Had coffee ice cream made and in the freezer in under an hour.

I didn't follow a recipe for this ice cream and it ended up a little too sweet for me.  I'll post a recipe once it's perfected.

Rocher means "boulder" in French.  These crunchy outside, soft inside meringue cookies can be dropped onto your baking sheet in a boulder-like fashion.  Basically, the French call anything in pastry that is blob-like "rocher".






Cheddar and Grits


A little (okay, a lot) of Seaside Cheddar on top of seasoned grits.

Easy and delicious!

5/12/14

Ice Cream Adventures

I was given an ice cream maker by a very kind sister from church.  Words cannot describe how grateful and excited I am for such a contraption!

The ice cream machine has lived at my house for a little over a week and has already been put to work 3 times.  I figured I should share my 1st recipe with you!

Chocolate-Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
-2 cups half and half (1c. whole milk, 1 c. cream)
- small bunch chocolate mint
-5 egg yolks
-5 oz. sugar
-3 oz. 60% (bittersweet) chocolate, chopped

1. Heat half and half to a simmer.  Add chocolate mint (or regular mint) and cover.  Let steep until desired flavor is reached.

2. In a bowl, mix yolks and sugar with a whisk.  Slowly add hot half and half while whisking.  Pour mixture back into pot and stir with a wooden spoon over med-low heat until thick.  The mixture should coat the back of a spoon and hold a line when a finger is pulled across it.

3.  Place chopped chocolate in a clean bowl.  Pour hot mixture over.  Let sit 1 minute.  Whisk until emulsified.  Strain.  Chill mixture to 40F or lower and spin per ice cream machine instructions.

Enjoy!






Food Lately

Goodness, it's been a while.  I think I'd better stop promising to do better about writing consistently and just do it!

I figured I better post some pictures of food lately so you know what I've been up to.  Recipes and more coming soon.

Pizza baking

Cut pizza

Pizza for dinner

Alfredo sauce

cookies