TBP’s Friday Favs: Cookbooks!
I love cookbooks. New, used, vintage, classic, vegan, vegetarian, bread, dessert. There is nothing I’d rather do at the end of the day then curl up with a good cookbook and read through the recipes, one ingredient after another, one method after another, discovering how the author used each part to create one magnificent dish.
My mind reels with possibilities each time. I think about taking a regular old cake and making it with bean flours and coconut palm sugar. I look at a traditional white sugar frosting and think about how to make it refined sugar-free. I wonder about taking the flavors in one recipe and marrying them with a gluten-free cake I’ve already perfected. I happen across a dish I haven’t had in years and one by one, in my mind, I go over each component and remake it gluten-free.
Inspiration fills my heart and soul. I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen and play.
Keep reading for a list of my favorite cookbooks.
Focaccia Quick Bread (grain-free, starch-free, egg-free)
A couple weeks ago I made an ooey gooey butter cake without eggs or grains. It got me thinking that a variation of the cake would also make a great quick bread that the kids could make all by themselves. So we modified the recipe and turned it into a yummy little focaccia. Now the girls can say that they make their own bread—which they think is pretty cool 
We love adding kalamata olives and oregano to this quick bread, but ask your kids what they would like to add. It’s amazing how much more likely my kids are to eat something if they 1) made it themselves, and 2) got to choose some of the ingredients.
This bread would also be nice with sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, pepperoni, or green onions. We haven’t tried it yet, but I think it could become a sweet bread with cinnamon, raisins and nuts.
Keep reading for Kelly’s easy Focaccia Quick Bread recipe
Easy Healthy Puddings Your Kids Can Make in Minutes and 5 Minute Key Lime Mousse Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Chilli Mousse
Anyone can make a healthy pudding or mousse in minutes by throwing a variety of dairy free milks, juices, fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and seeds, with some sweetener and thickener in the blender. Not only are they a fantastic last minute lifesaver for those unexpected dinner guests, they are a fantastic way to get your kid’s excited about cooking. They can exercise their creativity and gain confidence in the kitchen with endless possibilities.
Here are some tips, tricks, and easy recipes to get you started:
Start with a creamy base:
I will often use avocado, silken tofu, fresh raw coconut, raw cashews, or a mixture of two of these things as a nice neutral base in most of my puddings.
All of these ingredients will create a beautiful thick, creamy texture, but are also able to take on any flavors you add in. You can use banana to thicken puddings but the taste can be overpowering, unless you are aiming for a banana flavor. In small amounts, however, bananas can be wonderful.
Alternatively,
Start with vegan milks or fruit juices as a base and thicken:
Use pureed fruit, fruit juices, vegan milks such as almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, hazelnut milk and oat milk or a mixture or several of these options, and then thicken them with chia seeds, agar flakes or powder, kuzu root, or Irish Moss. I love making vegan panna cotta by mixing different milks and fruits and thickening them with agar. But chia seeds would have to be the easiest and healthiest way to thicken puddings and boost their nutritional content.
Chia seeds are a super food rich in protein, minerals and fiber. The contain about 500 percent more calcium than dairy milk and a huge amount omega 3. Chia seeds can absorb about 12 times their weight. As a general rule, use 3 tablespoons of chia seeds per cup of liquid. Then chill in the fridge and allow to thicken and set.
Learn how Tess makes quick, healthy puddings!
TBP’s Friday Favs: Celiac Awareness Month and Cupcakes!
This guest post is from Beth Hilson, the President of American Celiac Disease Alliance and the author of Gluten-Free Makeovers.
May is Celiac Awareness Month
I am Celebrating with Cupcakes
Last year I was part of the team that built the world’s tallest gluten-free cake in Washington DC. The purpose was to bring attention to the need for gluten-free labeling regulations and standards. The FDA replied and we now await the regulations that should be out by the end of September.
This year, in place of a huge cake, we (the American Celiac Disease Alliance) invite everyone to make cupcakes to honor the personal impact this rule-making will have on each of us.
Make your cupcakes, take a picture, and share it with the community by posting to the ACDA’s Facebook page. Vote for your favorite cupcake by “liking” the photos. Prizes will be awarded in categories like best presentation; most unique decorations; most years being gluten-free; and kids categories. The winners will receive products and coupons from gluten-free companies.
Get out those whisks and mixing bowls. The more “likes” we receive, the more voices will be heard from our virtual community. Go to 1in133 for guidelines.
Let’s Eat Cupcakes Last weekend, I made 56 chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting; 36 for me (see photo above) and 19 for my son, Jeremy. That’s a lot of cupcakes. Let me tell you. But, I’ve seen, firsthand, the power of community. When a standard for gluten-free on food packaging comes out, I can say I had a hand in making it happen. I can say that I did something that will make my son’s life better. I hope you’ll join me in that effort. It feels good. And, besides, you get to eat cupcakes!
Who’s Making Cupcakes?
For starters, you are. More than 100 people have already posted photos on the ACDA Facebook page, or they are busy frosting their cupcakes and they will soon be up. And there are 20 days left – - plenty of time to get baking. So please join us in a Cupcake Party for a Good Cause.
More Things You Can Do
Labeling of Gluten in Drugs
Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan and New York Congresswoman Nita Lowey have introduced legislation that will require drug manufacturers to label the source of drugs’ inactive ingredients. This is huge! All five of the national celiac organizations are united in support of this legislation. We need our congressional members to have that same shared voice and put forward a bipartisan message:
The safety of our constituents matters; and gluten in medicine must be labeled so individuals and their healthcare providers can make an informed, safe choice.
You can write to your member of Congress and ask them to support the bill, HR4972, by going to the Take Action page on the Alliance web site.
More than 6200 people have already sent letters to Congress. Congratulations! But we are continuing to look for co-sponsors. Don’t stop writing.
ACDA Asks USDA For Commitment on GF Labeling
The celiac community has spent years pressing the FDA for a gluten-free labeling standard. Last year, FDA leaders gave us a commitment to have a standard by the end of 2012. This year, we’re focusing on the need for labeling at USDA on meats and cold cuts. Learn more here.
Most importantly, take action! Make cupcakes and send letters to your congress person. Together we can make a difference!
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