Tag Archives: Gluten Free

Bulgur Veggie Burgers

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Ok, so maybe I’m a bit late on Meatless Monday this week. I could say that it happened, and I’m just posting now, but why fib? The truth is, Monday was a stressful day, and 1/2 off mussels and beer was just too tempting. So, to make up for my crime, we did Meatless Wednesday instead, and we did it in a big way.

Veggie burgers. The best veggie burgers ever. I’ve been told that these burgers are so good that meat lovers would order them instead of beef at a restaurant, just because. That’s a serious win in my opinion.

Ingredients

1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
3 stalks celery
1 large carrot
1 small zucchini
1 egg + 2 egg whites (or just 2 eggs, but I use the carton of egg whites)
1/4 cup crushed sunflower seeds
olive oil
cumin
coriander
curry powder
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the bulgur according to package instructions. It usually has to sit for around 20 min to soften, so it’s good to do this first.
2. Finely chop onion, celery, and garlic and saute in  a bit of olive oil, about 5 min.
3. Grate the zucchini and carrot and add to the
onion mixture, reduce heat to medium.
4. Add cumin, coriander, curry powder, salt,
pepper, and red pepper flakes, continue to cook until carrot is soft.
5. Beat eggs and add crushed sunflower seeds.
6. In a large bowl mix vegetables, egg, and bulgur together.
7. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then form into
patties with your hands (this will be a messy process). They will stay on their own, but it works a little better if you have some sort of mold to keep them in one piece. I have these little metal rounds with handles that work perfectly (I honestly have
no idea what they were originally for, if you know, please tell me!).8. Fry the patties in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes on each side. You can cook them through this way, or just enough that they hold together, and then finish on the grill. Once formed you can refrigerate for a few days or freeze for as long as you like.

*Note* If you want to make this a vegan recipe, just substitute the eggs for a chia slurry to hold the patties together. You can also substitute quinoa for the bulgur to make them gluten free.
 

Gluten-Free “Everything But the Kitchen Sink” Granola Bars

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I made these during my gluten-free stint when I was craving some convenient grab-and-go snack foods. They are definitely not low-cal, but they are delicious, and hold up well in your bag for the day.

I might even suggest storing them in the freezer, as they were such a hit that they barely lasted two days! So much for convenient snack food…

Ingredients

3 cups oats
1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (or regular flour)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp  vanilla

2-3 cups of “stuff”,you can make these your own here. I like everything, so I used everything, but the combinations are really endless. If you want less “stuff” add more oats to round out the bars.

Options
- raisins
- dried cranberries
- shredded coconut
- slivered almonds
- sunflower seeds
- chia seeds
- flax seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- miniature chocolate chips
- peanut butter
- whatever else you can think of (let me know, I love having more options)

Instructions

1. Mix everything together. Really, it is that simple. If you want to you can melt/mix the butter, sugar & honey together in a saucepan, and then mix with the dry ingredients.

2. Then, decide that you haven’t added quite enough ingredients and dump in some chocolate chips, for good measure :)

3. On a greased pan shape the mixture into a brick, you’ll be cutting this into your bars, so you can decide how big you would like it.

4. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

5. Let the bars cool for a few minutes, and then slice them very carefully (they tend to be crumbly while they are still warm) BUT you have to slice them while they are warm. Let them cool a bit more before packaging. These are best to eat at room temperature, but as  I’ve learned from experience, might do better in the freezer, only so you don’t eat them all right away!

Switch it Up Ideas

- Roll the mix into ping-pong size balls and bake
- Roll the mix into marble-sized balls, bake, and coat with melted chocolate (dark chocolate is super yummy)
- Drizzle some melted chocolate on top of your bars, sprinkle some coconut on top
- Add a little more oats and some peanut butter, bake the mixture and then crumble it. Makes delicious breakfast granola.

 

Gluten Free: Days 11-14 & 15 (The Dark Day)

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Bacon Frittata

I was doing really good, scouts honor. Salads, frittatas, corn pasta. I was a gluten free role model for goodness sakes.

Then it happened. I cheated on gluten-free, and I liked it.

It all started out with an innocent little chocolate-zucchini muffin that I baked at work. I had to know what it tasted like.

And just like that, I started down the slippery slope that was yesterday’s eating.

Peanut-Butter & Banana Sandwich? Check
Pasta? Check
Cereal? Check

I should have had a beer while I was at it…

 

Chicken and Beet Salad

I could just “get back in the salad-saddle” as they say, but the truth is, I cannot sustain a gluten-free lifestyle.

In all honesty, I didn’t have much of an issue with it.

I usually cook at home & I don’t eat a lot of processed foods.

As an “experiment” in my “controlled environment kitchen” it’s pretty easy to remove something from my diet.

For everyone who deals with gluten-intolerance in a real-life way, don’t worry, I realize it’s not quite that simple.

So, why am I giving up?

 

Five Reasons

1. I wanted to learn how to cook and bake gluten-free so that I could offer something for everyone when (fingers crossed) I open my cafe. The reality is, most of my customers probably wont be eating gluten-free. I still need to bake other things, and I HAVE to be able to taste what I make. Others may say it’s wonderful, but I am my most honest (and often harshest) critic.

2. Gluten-free is not cheap. I paid almost $20 for a small bag of flour from Bulk Barn the other day. And this was the bulk stuff (see, I wasn’t even being hardcore and worrying about contamination). It’s just not sustainable for my lifestyle. I bake everyday! When I have a working oven of course…
I’ve heard that if you are actually diagnosed with a gluten intolerance/allergy you can claim the difference in cost between gluten-free and regular products, but I don’t know for sure, so don’t hold me to that.

3. It’s not doing anything for me. Physically, mentally, emotionally, I feel the same.

4. Fletcher REALLY wants to make challah bread. I won’t let him do it while I’m GF.

5. As I’ve learned more about what gluten-free is really about, I’ve started to question whether it would even be worth it to offer gluten-free products in a cafe that is not entirely gluten-free. Everything would be contaminated, and that kind of defeats the point, doesn’t it?

So there, call it a cop out if you will. I think it was a really great food experiment.

I learned a lot about baking that I had never considered before, and I really feel like I have a better understanding of what each ingredient brings to my recipes now.

There are certain things that I might continue doing anyway, like corn pasta. I like it, and the price is about the same. I think it’s a great staple to have around because it’s friendly for everyone, so no matter who you invite to dinner, you know you can offer something delicious.

There are also some recipes I will definitely use again, whether or not I’m worrying about gluten, like the Pumpkin Cookies, the Berry Crumble and the Granola Bars (still have to post a couple of those recipes!). Oh yes…and I can’t forget the incredible Plum Cake!

I’ll probably still continue experimenting with gluten-free recipes from time to time, especially since I still have to make Arrowroot Cookies!

As always, please let me know if there is a food issue that you would like me to experiment with. I recently made some wonderful Chocolate-Free Chocolate Brownies for a friend with a chocolate allergy, and quite possibly changed the minds of some carob naysayers in the process.

Happy Baking!

 

Gluten Free Bakery in Paris

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Helmut Newcake Facebook

Going gluten-free in your home is one thing.

Going gluten free in Paris is another.

Croissants, pastries, tarts & cakes? I’m almost certain I couldn’t give up on the idea of sitting at a cafe with an espresso and a pastry.

Well, it turns out, I don’t have to, and if you happen to be going gluten-free in Paris, neither do you!

Check out the Helmut Newcake Bakery

36, rue Bichat (10th)
Tél: 09 82 59 00 39
(Open Tue-Sat noon to 9pm, Sun 10am-6pm)

 

 

Yeah, I could hang out here.

 

For a full review of the bakery, check out this post from David Lebovitz (living the sweet life in Paris, no I’m not jealous at all).

 

Gluten Free: Days 8,9&10

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I tortured myself by making brownies. FULL OF GLUTEN. All for a worthwhile cause. Click photo to learn more!

Is it cheating to put three days together? I’ll let you be the judge of that.

I could write them separately, but it would get pretty repetitive. My meals for the past three days have been pretty standard. I guess that’s a sign that I’m settling into this gluten-free business.

Lazy night, chili for dinner. Fortunately it was homemade (by me) and gluten-free

We got invited out for sushi the other night, and I got really excited. Fish + Rice = gluten free right? Then I remembered the soy sauce….a crucial ingredient. Is there gluten-free soy sauce? I could just bring my own! And then there’s the tempura. I’m not sure what it’s made of…but it sure seems like something that would involve wheat (Wikipedia confirms my suspicions).

Fortunately I was busy, and couldn’t make it, but it got me thinking. Is sushi safe for people with gluten intolerance? If you avoided the soy sauce and the tempura would the possibility for contamination still make it too dangerous?

This is what you end up with when you are babysitting and spaghetti is for dinner.

Note: As I am writing this the TV is on in the background and they are playing House Hunters International, moving to Japan and eating lots of sushi!

If you have experience with this dilemma please let me know.

It could be time to find my bamboo mat and practice my sushi making skills. I can’t live without sushi forever!

Today I will get back on the bread bandwagon. I’ve purchased a HUGE bag of gluten-free all-purpose flour and some brand new yeast. Fletcher has also requested that I try to make pizza, so we are going to experiement for dinner tonight.

I am also going to try making granola bars, so look forward to some exciting new recipes coming soon :)

 

The Breakfast Montage