Quinoa Bargain at Costco : Gluten-Free Super-Grain Dirt-Cheap

Quinoa: Gluten-Free Super-Grain, now at CostCo

Quinoa is a wonderful gluten-free grain that I enjoy as often as possible, and a grain that has recently grown in popularity (not just among Celiacs) in the culinary world -- and with that growth in demand has come increasing prices. I witnessed small 12oz or 1-pound boxes of quinoa doubling in price at the grocery store over just the past year, and have read many a blog about other people seeing the same thing.

Well, we were out at CostCo the other day, and I was delighted to come across this very large (4 POUND) bag of Organic Quinoa for only $7.99 (i.e., $2.00/pound), which is incredibly price-competitive and the cheapest I have seen quinoa grain in a long time.

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Update (2011-August): I have added a new Costco Gluten-Free Bargains for 2011 (link) blog that extends upon this blog with updated pricing information for quinoa and a list of other gluten-free products Costco offers currently. Of course, the gluten-free recipes using quinoa (discussed below) are still very much available and useful.

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Some Gluten-Free Recipes featuring Quinoa

If you are new to quinoa, you may want to check out a few different recipes we have posted here on the Gluten-Free Blog as well as on our Gluten-Free Recipes page, including those linked to in the following paragraphs. Quinoa is generally rather simple to prepare (hardly any more difficult than cooking rice), but brings much more flavor and nutrition to the table for the same effort.

Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Garlic, Pepper, and Herb Quinoa Recipe (picture below):

Gluten-Free Quinoa with Herbs

And there there is always the Gluten-Free Quinoa Meatloaf recipe (picture below), which I also blogged about last year with an entry talking about some of the other health-merits of quinoa in recipes like this...

Quinoa Meatloaf - Gluten-Free

There are certainly many more ways to enjoy this wonderful gluten-free grain. Sometimes we simply cook it up and use a bit of wheat-free/gluten-free tamari (soy sauce) over it. We have used it where rice would otherwise be used for various dishes as well. Fact is, quinoa is quite versatile, vegan (our meatloaf withstanding. heh), wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, high-protein, high-fiber, and all those other great things! And, as long as CostCo has cheap Quinoa available, it will be an affordable option too!

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.

Gluten-Free Equals Variety (of Flours)

We have been showing our house to prospective buyers recently, and quite often when we reach the basement portion of the house-tour, the stacks of Gluten-Free Dessert Recipe books on the large commercial-duty shelving gets attention. This leads to a quick discussion along the lines of "what gluten-free is" and so on.

One major misconception that people have about gluten-free / Celiac disease diets is that it is just "flour" (i.e., white wheat flour) that must be avoided. So, I quickly enumerate the wheat, barley, and rye, as well as any derivation thereof. Then comes a discussion along the lines of "what can you eat then?" and so on.

Yesterday, a couple of nice ladies that were really interested in the house for the kitchen (fellow cooking aficionados it seems!) commented something to the effect that I must be limited to just baking with rice flour due to the Celiac Disease, at which point I started listing a whole host of additional gluten-free grains/flours and the like that we bake with (both in our cookbook recipes, and in our day-to-day cooking and baking). After browsing through our Gluten-Free Desserts cookbook, I think they got the idea, and quickly noticed that we (gluten-free types) have all sorts of variety and can bake and consume everything from cookies to cakes to cheesecakes and pies, and so on.

After presenting a "gluten-free grains quick list" to a various people over the past couple weeks, it struck me how much more VARIETY we Celiac and gluten-free diet types have when it comes to our daily flours and grains as compared to the "normal" (i.e., wheat-eating) population. The typical American diet is rather narrowly focused around processed white flour (wheat-based), and some occasional whole-wheat flour, and some corn starch perhaps.

But, here is what we Celiac Disease and gluten-free consumers have at our disposal and use regularly (or, can use regularly if we choose) for our flours of choice:

• Rice
• Corn
• Potato
• Teff
• Sorghum
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Millet
• Chia Seed
  
• Various bean-flours
• Squash flours (e.g., pumpkin)
• Cinnamon, Cocoa, and other spices (that I use in large quantities like flour when desired)
  
• and many more...

In addition, it seems that we are more likely (as a group of bakers / dieters) to know about other alternatives like Agave Nectar for sweetener, and whey-protein for binders, and so on.

So, whenever I encounter the theme of "living without" (with regards to living without gluten), I can not help thinking that perhaps it is the rest of the population that is living without -- without the variety of grains, flours, and ingredients that one may otherwise never encounter or experience unless essentially "forced" (by Celiac Disease, gluten-intolerance, autism, what have you...) to try all these great alternatives to "normal" flour.

Happy variety-filled baking everyone! (and, Happy Fourth-of-July too!)

Gluten-Free Breakfast : Teff Grain + Sucanat

Ever since going gluten-free thanks to Celiac Disease, I have been a huge fan of Teff grain for breakfast. This is what takes the place of the old pre-gluten-free days morning cereals (like Cream Of Wheat, e.g.). In fact, though my memory of Cream of Wheat is rather dated now, I would swear that the tiny little Teff grain, once cooked, has a very similar consistency to Cream of Wheat, but with considerable added flavor and the advantage of being Gluten-Free (plus high-fiber too!).

I absolutely love teff for a morning meal - filling, nutritious, and delicous!

I simply use Bob's Red Mill Teff Grain and cook it on the stovetop. Sometimes I will add some molasses into the mix, and/or cinammon, but another more recent variation for me has been the addition of Sucanat to the equation. To borrow from Wikipedia the definition of Sucanat:

Sucanat (a contraction of "Sugar Cane Natural") is non-refined cane sugar. Unlike refined and processed white sugar, Sucanat retains its molasses content; it is essentially pure dried sugar cane juice. The juice is extracted by mechanical processes, heated and cooled at which point the small brown grainy crystals are formed.

I was lucky enough to find Sucanat for the quite-reasonable price of $1.30 per pound at a county store near our new house.


That is a picture of the same cooked gluten-free teff cereal with a bit of sucanat on top. And, Teff is not the only receiving-dish for sucanat in my household... I love the stuff on baked Acorn Squash, Pumkin, and more. Sucanat is quite handy and versatile. I consider it much like molasses or brown sugar, but with the advantage of being able to shake it onto my foods easier and more accurately, and with a different texture.

Moving (in progress)...
Not only is that cooked teff cereal great tasting, it is simple to prepare, and has been saving me a ton of time in the morning lately. I find Teff filling enough to keep me going for many hours, which has been necessary with all the long days of putting fresh paint on the rooms in our house as we prepare for our move which is to commence shortly if all stays on schedule.

Been busy packing, and since I never did come up with any super idea for how to unload my current gluten-free recipes cookbooks inventory in a hurry, I still have to move those. I donated a few cases of books to various charities and Celiac-Disease organizations around the country that promised to donate the proceeds of any sales to charity too, so that helped some... but, the rest of my current Gluten-Free Desserts books are soon going by way of truck to the new house and office [note: I am not looking forward to moving those things! eek!]

Spring has sprung...
In the meantime, I hope all my Gluten-Free Blog readers are enjoying Spring. I snapped some pictures (in our current yard) showing my favorite season at its best. Here's one thing I will miss at the new house: a yard of beautiful large trees - in this case, a large Locust tree - but, trees make gardening on a larger scale a bit rough, so a change is required.


And, our current side flower-garden is starting to take shape for the year...


Now, this next picture may freak out all you spider-haters out there...
My wife discovered this little ball of life huddling together under a lily leaf... it is a mass of baby garden spiders (those yellow and black type that get HUGE when they grow up)...

They sure are neat looking, are they not?! And, just lightly blowing on them causes them to temporarily disperse, and then contract back together again shortly after. Quite a sight to see.

Well, back to packing and preparations for moving. Just figured I'd quickly share some pictures and my love of gluten-free teff (and sucanat) while I had a spare moment during a Spring rain downpour that started a few minutes ago and seems to be concluding already. enjoy!

Gluten-Free Beer : Sprecher Shakparo Review

This Sprecher Shakparo gluten-free beer was a new discovery for me, having just come across it at our local Heinen's supermarket here in the Cleveland area. I only drink been occasionally, but when I do, I like to try out any new gluten-free beers I encounter to see how they compare to my memories of "real beer" (from the pre-gluten-free days).

I must say, I rather enjoyed this Specher Brewery's creation - it goes a bit further than the standard sorghum-only varieties of gluten-free beer I have tried in the past, as the Sprecher beer ingredients (or beer recipe) makes use of both sorghum and millet. Many of the sorghum-only beers are just a bit too sweet for me and rather unremarkable. This beer has a bit more character and depth, and did not strike me as being as sweet as something like AB Redbridge.

Here is a quoted description of this wonderful gluten-free beer from the Sprecher Brewery web site:

"Sprecher's gluten free Shakparo Ale is a West African Shakparo-style beer brewed from sorghum and millet. An unfiltered, light, crisp ale with a cider or fruit profile and a dry vinous aftertaste, it is best characterized as an easy-drinking or session beer perfect for summer gatherings. This beer pairs nicely with lighter fare such as sandwiches, salads, chicken, fish, and spicier foods. [Mike's comments: we have also used this beer when baking some really nice beer-marinated Chipotle chicken and other recipes, and it works quite well, adding a nice flavor to the final product!]

Originally conceived of in an effort to provide a traditional African style beer for Milwaukee's African World Festival, our Mbege and Shakparo have won the hearts of people here at the brewery and have been promoted to year round beer status.

Because barley and wheat are not grown in large quantities in sub-Saharan Africa, traditional Mbeges and Shakparos are brewed with sorghum and millet and are therefore able to be brewed gluten-free since neither sorghum nor millet contain gluten. Being gluten-free make Shakparo and Mbege excellent alternatives for those suffering from celiac disease, a genetic disorder that inhibits the digestion of gluten. Our Shakparo and Mbege offerings have been brewed with celiacs in mind and are carefully crafted to ensure they remain gluten-free.

Beer Facts

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Alcohol by Volume: 5.7%
Degrees Plato (Initial Gravity): 14P
Weeks Aged: 5
Bitterness Units: 9 IBU
Year First Brewed: 2006
Recommended Serving Temperature: 50°
Sizes: 16oz Bottles"

That is some rather detailed description -- especially this "bitterness units" and such, since I have no idea what it means, but it sure sounds technically impressive :)

They have another variety of gluten-free beer on the market according to the Sprecher Brewery's web site, but I have yet to find it at a grocery near me -- it is called "Mbege" and adds bananas to the recipe also! That sounds quite intriguing - so long as it is subtle addition.

I need to update my Gluten-Free Beer Comparison blog from back in September 2006 to reflect this new and welcome addition. This Sprecher Shakparo beer compares quite favorably and brings with it a welcome new option for those moments I find myself wanting a beer (which, lately, with all the massive house-painting efforts, has been more frequent than usual. heh).

I am still awaiting a more creative, darker, more robust beer though... please, someone out there, bring forth a gluten-free dark beer or gluten-free stout that uses some gluten-free oats, teff, or a mix of other darker gluten-free grains that could bring new life to GF Beers. In the mean time, this beer will tide me over.

Gluten-Free Indian Cuisine - fast and simple

I recently decided to try some Gluten-Free Indian Cuisine that is about as fast and simple as it gets : it comes in a can, just like Campbell's Soup or Progresso, or any other mainstream soup, and can be cooked (stovetop or microwave) on a whim. I generally avoid canned soups and the like, but this Jyoti Natural Foods Madras Sambar (Lentils with Fresh Vegetables) was quite pleasing and clearly labeled Gluten-Free.


I may not be an "expert" on Indian Food, but I really thought the product tasted like what good Indian lentils and vegetables should, and I really enjoyed the flavors from the onion, bell pepper, eggplant, carrots, tomato, tamarind, coconut, and spices that Jyoti has blended with the lentils. I found it to be a robust flavor, but not overpowering, and just spicy enough to not be overwhelming either. The soup was as good as some I have had served at some Indian restaurants, and for a much lower price.

This "soup" is actually designed to serve dual purposes: you can add just 1/2 can of water for a thicker, somewhat Indian-dal style dish, or add a full can of water for a nice flavorful gluten-free Indian lentil soup. You can definitely serve this over rice if you want, as it will make for an easy more filling extension if you want to add some carbs :)

My photo is not the best, but I was putting the soup to good use for a quick lunch the other day, and the photo was a last minute item. I think the picture at least shows what the soup-version looks like when mixed up and microwaved in just a couple minutes total. There are a few other varieties available that are also wheat-free and gluten-free (and vegan / meat-free / dairy-free too), and now that this one has passed my taste-test, I plan to try some others. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Chex Cereals coming June 1st, 2009

Gluten-Free Chex Cereals! 

The Gluten-Free Chex Cereals Lineup (as of early 2017)

NOTE: This blog has led to a followup blog: Chex Cereal Gluten-Free Controversy.

For all you fans of the famous General Mills Chex cereals products that have not been able to eat these cereals since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance, it appears we will soon (June 1st supposedly - though I presume inventory will take some time to get into the distribution channel and hit shelves everywhere) have the fortune of newly reformulated Gluten-Free Chex varieties including:

• Gluten-Free Corn Chex,
• Gluten-Free Cinnamon Chex,
• Gluten-Free Strawberry Chex, [this one seems to have gone away over time]
• Gluten-Free Honey Nut Chex
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chex
• Gluten-Free Vanilla Chex

Perhaps you have noticed that, for a while now, Rice Chex has been gluten-free (look for the clearly "Gluten-Free" label on front of boxes). Here is General Mills' statement about their existing Gluten-Free Rice Chex, at the time of this writing, or their Chex Product Page:

Without changing the crunchy, oven-toasted flavor of Rice Chex, General Mills has replaced barley malt with molasses resulting in a Gluten Free Cereal. General Mills has taken the requisite steps to prevent cross contamination and has tested the formula based on the proposed FDA standards. Questions & comments are welcome at 1-800-328-1144.

I expect that General Mills has taken similar re-formulation steps for these other Chex varieties. And, they are to label any Gluten-Free Chex cereals clearly on the front of the box (just like Rice Chex are now) once the new formulas are out... so keep your eyes open for those labels.

I definitely applaud General Mills' action in making these cereals gluten-free, and I sure hope other breakfast cereals produced by them, and by Kellogg's Cereals and other cereal manufacturers, are reformulated to be gluten-free when such formulation seems so simple (to those of us that do gluten-free baking and food creation). I always find myself in the store looking longingly at those cereals that *should* be gluten-free, but for some reason always feel the need to add barley-malt for flavoring, or some other traces of wheat or gluten.

Now, I understand that the cereal makers are incuring additional cost and/or steps to prevent cross-contamination in their production facilities in addition to just altering a recipe a little bit... and I am guessing that is the larger issue for them. But, as more cereal recipes are engineered to be gluten-free, it would seem that the likelihood of cross-contamination will drop considerably also, and make it easier to produce even more Celiac-friendly breakfast cereals.

On a side note: I also find myself always looking at boxed cereals that, aside from OATS, would be gluten-free... but, "aside" is the wrong word perhaps, since all it would take is using CERTIFIED GLUTEN-FREE OATS in place of just run of the mill OATS to make the cereals gluten-free (in theory). But, given the price of such "certified gluten-free oats", I doubt we will see a wholesale shift to gluten-free mainstream oat-containing cereals any time soon, unless large commercial oat producers start doing a much better job at crop-segregation (farms, processing plants, trucks, etc. etc). But, I can dream :)

For now, I eagerly await the tast of some Gluten-Free Corn Chex come June of 2009. It has been so long...

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.

Best Cheese Puffs Ever : Gluten-Free too!

I just have to rave about how awesome these Michael Season's brand Baked Cheese Curls taste: they are simply AWESOME. I am in cheese-puff heaven :)

Note: these are not your ordinary cheese-curls, but instead are "Hot Chili Pepper baked cheese curls", and if you like HEAT, and like nice crunchy and crispy cheesy poofs, you are going to be joining me in my cheese puff Shangri-la. When Michael Season's labels them "Hot Chili Pepper", they mean it... these things have some warmth to them. Awesome!

(if you click on the above at the top of this Gluten-Free Blog entry, you should see a larger, very detailed view that will make the chili pepper powder quite visible on the cheese curls).



Examining the gluten-free ingredients label reveals the secret to their heat and robust flavor... ingredients including: Chili Peppers (including Habanero peppers!), extractives of capsicum (i.e., pepper extracts!), turmeric, paprika, onion, garlic, and cheddar cheese. It all adds up to one incredibly tasty and tangy cheese puff treat. Oh, if not obvious, they are corn-based puffs, like most cheese puffs.

These are definitely my current favorite snack food of choice. And, because they are baked, they are much lower fat than other varieties. They have no preservatives, no MSF, nothing artificial. And, because they are HOT, they make a great "diet cheesepuff" since you can only eat so many before your tongue is burning to the point your brain tells you to stop, even though they taste so good :)

I found these at Whole Foods Market recently. I tried their regular variety too (which was quite nice, but minus the heat), but I am most certainly drawn first to these hot chili type cheese puffs since I really like nice spicy foods, and this is a great way to get some zip in a readily available snack.

And, these cheese curls are by far and away the best I have had, even compared to mainstream brands like Dan-Dee (i.e., Troyer Farms - big in the MidWest), or Cheetos (from Frito Lay brand), and a few others which, I have not eaten any of lately unless marked gluten-free or indicated on their web sites as such.

Another quick note: they call the crispier type "curls" and the more poofy cheese-snacks "puffs". I prefer the "curls" that are crispier and crunchier than puffs. So, my review should have been titled: "Best cheese CURLS ever, and gluten-free too!" to be 100% correct. Whether you are gluten-free / wheat-free / Celiac or just part of the population at large that enjoys cheese curls, and likes heat, these are simply wonderful. Time to go... I have some cheese curls to eat (can't let those ones I pictured above go to waste).

Kettle Cuisine - Gluten-Free Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles

My review verdict: Kettle Cuisine has produced a Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle soup that tastes like the "real thing", and with the convenience of a product that you can keep handy in your freezer. It has nice chunks of chicken meat coupled with some pretty good rice noodles (they are not "just like" real noodles, but are rather good nonetheless - you should find them plenty satisfying). The savory broth and veggie pieces round out an overall pleasing soup.

This is a Gluten-free and Dairy-Free chicken noodle soup with only 140 calories and 3 grams of fat, no MSG, no artificial colors or flavors. And, being frozen, there is no need for preservatives either. The sodium level is a bit higher than I would like, at 560mg for this single bowl, but for gluten-free chicken noodle soup in a hurry, this Kettle Cuisine brand frozen soup is worth a little extra salt in my diet.

The product comes in a 10-oz frozen container that you are to simply microwave for 3-4 minutes (my microwave took 5 minutes); no thawing is required... you just take it from your freezer (where it has a nice, long shelf-life of nearly a year), place it in the microwave, and heat. It comes in a little black plastic recyclable bowl that has a plastic-seal over it (a bowl which I am sure you could eat the soup out of if you wanted, though I chose to pour the cooked soup into a "real" bowl for the picture I took below). So, preparation does not get any easier than this: buy, freeze, place in microwave when you crave soup, done.


Kettle Cuisine has some other really interesting flavors of frozen gluten-free soups too, including New England Clam Chowder, Chicken Chili with White Beans, and Organic Mushroom & Potato Soup with Cream. I have a few more of their soup varieties here waiting for me in the freezer, and I hope to review those as well over the coming months. But, given the high quality of this chicken noodle variety from Kettle Cuisine, I suspect the other flavors / varieties will be quite nice also, and I am looking forward to them.

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.

Buckwheat Chocolate-Chip Cookies Recipe : Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies (link to recipe). The age old classic cookie - chocolate chip cookies - with a focus on gluten-free buckwheat flour as a core ingredient, producing a crispy, crunchy, tasty treat! These are dairy-free cookies as well (though, easy variations exist that use butter if you like).

My mother created these cookies for a simple-to-make gluten-free version of the classic "Tollhouse" chocolate chip cookies. They were delightful, and had plenty of crunchy appeal, reminding me of the traditional Toll House chocolate chip cookie they were meant to mimic.

She used a lighter variety of buckwheat in these, which keeps the flavor of the buckwheat from becoming too overpowering. If you absolutely do not care for buckwheat, this probably is not the recipe for you -- the flavor is mild, but still discernible.

We all use the certified gluten-free buckwheat flour from Birkett Mills (link to their site), which is of a very nice quality. I actually find Birkett's web site a bit hard to navigate (it is not intuitively organized), so I pulled the following product description from Birkett's web site.

Pocono Buckwheat Flour
100% pure stone ground buckwheat flour. USDA Certified Organic. All natural, no additives or preservatives. Total weight: 2 lbs. ea. Shipping: UPS Ground; Cost: $4.95 + S/H [as of when I posted this -- 2/15/2018]

The cookies I had a chance to consume (that my mother baked) were also using a mix of Splenda (brand sweetener) and regular sugars for a slight reduction in carbs, and they were just fine. As simple as they are to make, these gluten-free cookies will come in handy when you need a crunchy cookie without a long wait.

Mom was quite happy to share her recipe with others, and I thank her for yet another contribution to the gluten-free recipes library (see desserts section for this particular recipe). I hope others enjoy the cookies as much as I did - they really hit the spot for me.

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Recipe: Banana-Walnut Waffles

I always have enjoyed homemade waffles, even before Celiac Disease hit. But, for whatever reason, after going gluten-free I enjoy waffles more than ever — perhaps just because they are one of those comfort foods that can be baked gluten-free and taste just like the "real" thing, with very similar texture and taste.

I have posted a few Gluten-Free waffle variations over on our free recipes library before, but I think this is the first dairy-free one I have posted. My wife came up with this latest variation when working on a few dairy-free formulas (she has others - a chocolate chocolate-chip one I really like too!). But, for today, the recipe is a banana walnut variation:

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Banana Walnut Waffles Recipe (link to recipe)

Gluten-Free Banana Walnut Waffles

Now, I must admit, for full-disclosure purposes, I consumed all of the waffles before realizing I had not taken a picture of them this time! So, I borrowed this picture (above) from the buttermilk/flax waffles recipe (also in our gluten-free recipes library), since they look the same essentially. All the more reason the chocolate-chocolate-chip version is not here today either... forgot to take pictures!

These waffles use a few gluten-free grains in the ingredient list, to make them a bit more healthy (fiber / proteins / even some Omega-3's) with Buckwheat Flour, Teff Flour, and Flaxseed Meal. And, in place of the typical dairy ingredients, my wife has chosen to use Silken Tofu, which also adds a nice bit of soy protein while providing much of the texture-enhancement that dairy would otherwise add.

The result is a wonderfully light and fluffy waffle equal to any real ones — banana/nut too! Mild flavored and light bodied (wow, sounds like I am describing a beer or wine), they are delicious, and have that wonderful flavor combination of bananas and walnuts! Sure to be a hit with children as well as adults. You will need a waffle maker to make these, but it is worth the investment and you will be happy you bought one if you do not already own one (especially if you crave gluten-free waffles all the time like I do).

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.

Gluten-Free Organic Beef Jerky from Jerky Direct

Beef Jerky is something I do not eat often these days for two reasons: 1) many commercial brands use soy sauce that contain wheat (and thus gluten), and 2) after spending over 7 years of my life as a vegetarian back in the late 1990's, I just do not eat that much meat even now (I really struggle with the fact that eating meat implies killing animals).

But, that aside, I do appreciate good beef jerky on occasion if I can find a gluten-free jerky that I like. I recently came across some Gluten-Free Organic Beef Jerky from Jerky Direct (in particular their "Sweet n' Spicey" variety) that I was quite pleased with. You will see the somewhat prominent label of "Gluten-Free" that is requirement #1 for me to even try such a product:



I found this jerky rather enjoyable. The flavor, a combination of sweet and spicy just like the label indicates, was nice; not overpowering, not too sweet, not too spicy, but just right in my opinion. The jerky texture was also just right, meaty, but tender too (some types of jerky I have tried are either too soft, or too dried out).

Like most jerky, the core flavorings involve soy-sauce, but in the Jerky Direct product, that is wheat-free soy sauce (aka, Tamari); also some salt, paprika, apple vinegar, and presumably some peppers. Everything came together just right in this beef jerky variety. I now need to try some of their other flavors (they have quite a few on their website).


By comparison, I also on occasion have eaten the Whole Foods Organic Beef Jerky (their 365 Organic brand) - especially their "peppered" variety - which is gluten-free, and though it is good, I think I prefer the Jerky Direct Sweet and Spicy Beef Jerky.

Either way, I still will not be eating much jerky, gluten-free or not, but when I do, I have some delicious options to choose from. The things I like most about jerky as a snack is that it is: 1) high protein; 2) stores well and stays fresh (unopened) for a couple year; 3) is highly portable and can be packed in a small area; and 4) low carb diet food is a nice offset to usual high-carb snack foods.

Bottom line: if you are a meat-eater and want a great tasting high-protein portable low-carb snack that fits your gluten-free diet, this may be a nice fit.

Famous Gluten-Free / Celiac - Sarah Vowell

My wife and I quickly met Sarah Vowell, of NPR (National Public Radio) fame, last year when she was in Cleveland doing a book-release tour; November 16th, 2008 to be exact (this demonstrates how far behind I am in my pile of blog topics). Miss Vowell, like many of the readers of the Gluten-Free Blog, suffers from Celiac Sprue and must avoid all gluten. She is an accomplished author, commentator, humorist, journalist, and perhaps what many of the younger crowd will know her as: the voice of Violet in the animated film The Incredibles.

Now, I happened to know that she was one of the more famous Celiac Disease sufferers before we went to her book tour event, and we prepared accordingly. My wife and I took a copy of our book, Gluten-Free & Wheat Free Gourmet Desserts, with us to the event in hopes of having a chance to give it to Miss Vowell - from one gluten-free author to another as it would be. And, we were able to do just that when there was a book-signing period after her reading presentation and Q&A with the audience.

We got in line, and waited our turn to meet her, and then we presented her with a copy of our book, and asked her to sign a copy of her own book "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" in such a way she smiled immediately: "to her gluten-free fans" was our request :)


We were surprised when she took a quick aside from signing books
and spent a moment to leaf through our cookbook and comment on how good some of the desserts looked, and asked us what our own favorites were, and she then proceeded to ask about whether we had any good recipes that featured pumpkin (given the time of the year then, this inquiry was timely and fitting with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and the like - though, I am up for pumpkin *any* time of year).

Since there were other people still in line behind us waiting to get their own Sarah Vowell book copies signed, we tried not to take up too much time, but just enough to quickly exchange a few thoughts with the most famous gluten-free person we have met in person (or, at least as far as we know).

Sarah Vowell contact information (e.g., direct email, phone number, address) was rather difficult to come by (or, impossible as it was), so the only way to meet her was to be sure we crossed paths at one of her book tours. And, because of this, needless to say, I have no way to know whether Sarah Vowell, or her sister / relatives (who also have Celiac Disease), were able to find time to bake any of the desserts, and to hear what she thought of them if they had baked any. And, I didn't have any way to forward her a link to some nice gluten-free recipes featuring pumpkin, as I have featured on this Blog before. Oh well. I can just hope she and her family have gotten use out of the book and enjoyed it, as I enjoyed her book.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be to always find "Safe" (gluten-free) and desirable foods when traveling all over the country doing research for her various books and holding public appearance events everywhere. Most of us only have to locate a few local restaurants or suppliers for our times of eating away from home, but can you imagine always having to scout-out good gluten-free / wheat-free diet places in areas of the country completey unknown to you? I know from some prior vacations, this is a challenge, and my vacations are certainly infrequent compared to the travel of a famed author and journalist.

Gluten-Free Recipe : Polenta Vegetable Lasagna

Gluten-Free Recipe : Polenta Vegetable Lasagna

Looking for a simple way to create a gluten-free lasagna in a hurry? How about using pre-made polenta instead of lasagna noodles? My daughter created this gluten-free lasagna recipe while home for the holidays, and I found it quite enjoyable and delicious.

The recipe reminded me of "normal" (noodle / pasta based) lasagna quite a bit, since it still makes use of those all important lasagna components: cheese and tomato sauce / pasta sauce. But, it was also slightly different thanks to the flavor variation and texture differences from the polenta.

Layers of cheese, polenta, tomato/pasta-sauce, and vegetables come together in a baked lasagna that is simple and easy to prepare, and the number of servings can easily be scaled up as needed by choosing a larger pan and just more of the same ingredients.

The ingredients are somewhat free-form and you can vary them as you see fit in order to meet your tastes. For example, you can certainly use different vegetables if you do not have zucchini available or prefer eggplant instead, etc. This dish is all about simplicity and quick variations, so experiment with the concept and have some fun creating your own gluten-free polenta lasagna.

Here is a link to the recipe on our gluten-free recipe library site:
Gluten-Free Vegetable Polenta Lasagna Recipe

And, though you can certainly make you own polenta from scratch for use in this recipe, we purchased a pre-made gluten-free polenta "roll" (a plastic-enclosed cylinder / tube / roll shape package about 8" long and 3" round). We found a brand at the grocery store that was clearly labeled "gluten free", and chose a basil/garlic variety (there were a few flavors available in gluten-free options). This made preparation VERY simple, as it just was a matter of slicing the polenta roll into thin circles that would be layered into the lasagna dish recipe.

The end result is quite delicious and will remind you of traditional lasagna while also offering a unique variation on the common pasta dish.

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake : Recipe (variation)

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake

What better way to relax than with some delicious gluten-free dairy-free chocolate cake... yum! After the recent car accident, I needed something positive to enjoy, and this latest recipe variation worked well, at least during the time spent consuming it :)

My wife created this new gluten-free diary-free cake recipe by performing a few rather simple alterations to the Gluten-Free Chocolate Ganache Cake recipe from our cook book (recipe spread on pages 20-21), by using Silken Tofu (i.e., Soy Protein) as a replacement for the dairy components (originally some buttermilk and cream cheese were used - now replaced with Tofu).

The results were fantastic! The cake's taste and texture were excellent, and I never would have guessed it was dairy-free (or gluten-free for that matter). If you can eat Soy, this is a great dairy-free cake option. It maintains exceptional chocolate flavor and a great bouncy, spongy cake texture just like a "real" cake would have.

Instead of frosting the cake, I just sprinkled a bit of powdered sugar on top, and then proceeded to eat a piece... or two... or three. I love great chocolate cakes, and I found it rather difficult to control my desire to eat more than I should. Such is the down side of baking. he he he.

I posted the simple VARIATION to the Chocolate Ganache Cake recipe that appears on Page 20 in our Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free Gourmet Desserts book on our gluten-free recipes page. Here is a link to the Variation text:

• Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe variation

All dairy products have been removed for those who wish to avoid casein as well as gluten. Great for vegan diets and celiacs alike. And, we baked this variation in a standard 9" x 13" x 2" cake pan, whereas the original (in the gluten-free cookbook) was baked using three 9" round pans and layering the cakes.

If you have a birthday or other event coming up soon (or, just want to eat cake!), I highly recommend giving this one a try. It is rather simple to bake, fits your gluten-free diet (and/or dairy-free diet), while adding a bit of soy protein too (which, must mean it is good for you, right?!)

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.

American Made Holiday Gifts for the Kitchen

I always try to purchase American-made products whenever possible, and the current state of the economy makes me try even harder to locate USA manufactured goods for my Gluten-Free kitchen and home - all in hopes that I help keep people employed here in the United States. I have located some items for my holiday shopping "wish list" this year that will meet my objective, and enhance my baking and culinary capabilities.



I will start by discussing an item I already own from a past holiday purchase... one of my favorite kitchen tools ever! I can hardly describe how much time and effort that LamsonSharp 6" Turner has saved me. It works wonders for flipping my gluten-free pancakes (especially the full pan-sized pancakes I make)! And, all those gluten-free cakes and cheesecakes you see in my book: this "turner" makes a great "cake lifter" too, especially when moving a full 8 to 10" round cake.

We use this large turner utensil to transport an entire cheesecake off of the baking-parchment (that we line a spring-form pan with) and onto a fancier plate, platter, or other cake holder. The leading-edge of the LamsonSharp turner is tapered nicely and slides under gluten-free cakes, pancakes, pizza, etc quite easily. Wonderful product!

Which, leads me to my wish list items from LamsonSharp for this year...

I was looking at the various USA-made kitchen and baking products from LamsonSharp, and noticed they actually make nice knife sets here in the United States yet. I have been looking for a good set of kitchen knives for years now, but keep avoiding all the imported (mostly Chinese, or Chinese components) knife sets that are EVERYWHERE these days. I have looked at higher-end retailers too, and for whatever reason, they bulk of what everyone carries is foreign made.

So, this year I have my eyes on a set of knives from Lamson & Goodnow (i.e., their LamsonSharp line). They sell both stamped knives and forged knives, with the stamped ones being made completely here, and the forged ones incorporating German-made tempered steel. I really do not know if I care whether my blades are forged or stamped; whatever they are, they must be nicer than the knives I currently own.

I also am eyeing up a few of their other kitchen necessities; other specialty items I can see helping me with my gluten-free desserts and baking in general - like that lovely 6" flipper shown above. I bought that one on a whim a couple years ago thinking that it would be nice for pancakes; only to later discover it is handy for so many of my recipe baking and post-baking tasks.

The prices do not look TOO bad, and even if they are a bit more than the cheap Chinese imports, I do not care. I would rather spend a bit extra to get a quality product that, with luck, also helps keep someone in the United States in their job. Saving money on cheap imports does not accomplish much in the long run if nobody in here has a job in the end, right?

This brings me to another favorite bunch of USA-made products...

I have always been a fan of the Lodge Brand Cast Iron products, especially the pre-seasoned cookware (which, if you do not have time to season an unseasoned pan yourself by coating lightly with oil and placing in an oven for a few hours, makes a great solution for just a few bucks more than the unseasoned version). I wrote about using Lodge Cast Iron products for your gluten-free cooking (link) in a prior blog, where I discuss them in more depth.

Lodge cast iron pans are quite reasonably priced too. And, they do not wear out (like inferior Teflon-coated pans). You can scrub these products clean with steel wool if you need to, or nearly anything else (i.e., you are not going to scratch them in any way that will hurt them). Worst case is that you may want to re-season a pan if you end up needing to scrub some of the black patina off. I have a nice collection of them: fry pans, flat griddles, Dutch ovens, etc... the are ALL wonderful. You can find these pans at WalMart and quite a few other places. These pans are highly recommended products - and, made right here in the good old USA in a South Pittsburg, TN foundry.

Although we have a fairly nice collection of these cast-iron pans, there are still a couple most specialized ones that I hope to acquire this year. And, with luck, it helps keep some people in Tennessee employed too!

There are actually still a few products manufactured in the United States. And, some really high-quality and useful products too. I would love to see more products made here, and perhaps this latest economic crisis will reinforce the need for domestic manufacturing... so that when we consumers "consume", we are actually consuming something will result in domestic employment too. Employed persons can then return the favor and purchase other domestically produced items, and perhaps the future of the US economy will start looking brighter.

Well, those are a couple ideas for gluten-free / wheat-free kitchen items this year - all made in the USA. If you have some USA-made ideas that fit this them, feel free to share them in comments. Thanks!

Gluten-Free Recipes for Thanksgiving

Gluten-Free Recipes for Thanksgiving are definitely popular right now, whether it is gluten-free stuffing, gluten-free pumpkin roll, gluten-free breads, or a variety of other gluten-free diet foods. I have noticed a surge in web-traffic on my Gluten-Free Recipes Library website the past few days, and I can see what keywords people have used to find the site... nearly all are phrases related to Thanksgiving recipe favorites.

So, I have also been busy getting some new recipes online for people to enjoy. I added this new Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms with Prosciutto Recipe today, and for our dessert cookbook owners out there, I added a wonderful variation to the Gluten-Free Banana Bread - using Chia Seed Slurry and Isolated Whey Protein. My wife also created a fabulous dairy-free variation of the chocolate ganache-cake in our book, which I hope to add the recipe variation instructions for soon too.

The new Stuffed Mushrooms

Gluten-Free Stuffed Mushrooms

This recipe is a flavorful and easy to prepare appetizer featuring Baby Portabella mushrooms and Prosciutto, and has a combination of flavors and textures that is bound to satisfy. Slightly sweet, a bit spicy and tangy, and even a slight bit salty from the Prosciutto, these stuffed baby portabella mushroom caps feature a variety of textures to match the complex flavor -- crunchiness of water chestnuts to the meatiness of the mushroom cap.


The Banana Bread Variation

Gluten-Free Banana Bread (chia / whey-protein)

Perhaps this is a bold statement, but I think you would be hard pressed to find ANY banana bread that is better, whether with or without wheat or gluten. The amazing qualities that Chia Seed and Whey Protein bring to this recipe leads to a bread that is nothing short of incredible, and even somewhat "healthy" thanks to the added fiber, Omega 3's, and protein.

I will not go so far as to call it a "diet bread", but it is certainly more nutritious than the original recipe now that I focused on bumping up the fiber, lowering the glycemic index (trying to make it more diabetes / diabetic friendly for those watching their sugar), and increasing vitamins and minerals too. And, with all that healthful-change work, I find it preferable to the original gluten-free banana bread recipe, though it does take a bit more work (and a few more ingredients) to produce this variation.


Some Popular Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes
The top two searches this week on my gluten-free recipes site have been for the following items:

Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Dairy-Free
Cornbread Stuffing / Dressing Recipe

Gluten-Free Cornbread Stuffing / Dressing Recipe

and,...

Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free
Pumpkin Roll Recipe

Gluten-Free Pumpkin-Roll Recipe : Amazing!

But, there are plenty of other recipes people are searching for and viewing lately, like:

• Gluten-Free Fried Chicken
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Gluten-Free Dill and Spinach Dip

I guess quite a few people consider Fried Chicken a nice alternative to turkey? Works for me! The other two make immediate sense to me, for dessert and appetizer items.

And then there are the breads. Most of the gluten-free bread recipes have been seeing a lot of activity lately, and I guess that means that quite a few gluten-free and Celiac diet persons will be enjoying fresh-baked bread for the holidays:

• Gluten-Free Wheat Bread
• Gluten-Free Holiday Panettone Bread - Citrus Accents
• Gluten-Free Focaccia Bread & Croutons
• Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpernickel Bread
• Gluten-Free Artisan-Style Multi-Grain Bread
• Gluten-Free Dairy Free Buckwheat Bread
• Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Brown Honey Bread
• Gluten-Free Herb French Bread / Baguettes / Bread sticks
• Gluten-Free Egg Bread
• Gluten-Free High-Fiber Multi-Grain Bread
• Gluten-Free Orange-Nut White-Chocolate Chip Bread

I hope everyone enjoys all those recipes! I know people are viewing them, and I can even tell when certain ones are downloaded, so the recipes are going to be tested out on a large scale it seems.

Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and I hope you enjoy the holiday.

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information.

Dairy-Free Diet-Milkshake Recipe : Chocolate Pumpkin Spice and Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free / Dairy-Free Diet-Milkshake Recipe : Chocolate Pumpkin Spice

In my prior blog about Using Chia-Seed Slurry in Gluten-Free Recipes, I mentioned some of the applications of this wheat-free / gluten-free food creation technique including the above-pictured Dairy-Free Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Diet-Milkshake Recipe (this recipe uses a FROZEN chia slurry, in ice-cube form).

A "Diet Milkshake?"
Sure, why not? Healthy Desserts and snacks do exist. This recipe features all sorts of healthful ingredients, and essentially eliminates any less healthy ingredients. The result is an especially low-calorie, low-bad-fat / high-good-fat, diabetes / diabetic-friendly dairy-free "milkshake" that features a wonderful and flavorful blend of chocolate, pumpkin, and pumpkin-pie spices in a frozen treat that will pass the taste and texture test of most people (even children). Even though my target audience is persons with Celiac Disease and/or gluten-free diets or wheat-free diets, this recipe will also fit dairy-free / vegan diets and low-carb diets too.

The milkshake maintains a rather low glycemic index while introducing healthful Omega-3's (specifically the α-linolenic acid (ALA) via the Chia Seed, aka Salvia hispanica), fiber, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins! The pumpkin adds all sorts of nutrition too: fiber, vitamin-A, and more. Cocoa powder brings a pile of antioxidants and fiber into the mix too. And, using Agave Nectar, the glycemic index remains rather low.

This recipe makes use of our Gluten-Free Chia Slurry Recipe (and ice-cubes) featured on our Gluten-Free Foods Recipe Library to make the "chia ice cubes".

Ingredients

7 or 8 Frozen Chia Cubes
(see instructions-link above, or prior blog for how to make)
3/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Vanilla Soymilk or Almond Milk

TO TASTE:
1-2 Tsp Cinammon
Pinch of Clove
1/4 - 1/2 Tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
1 Tsp Vanilla
1-2 Tsp Cocoa
1-2 TBSP Agave Nectar

NOTE: All main ingredients (cubes, pumpkin, and soymilk) were *COLD* when I prepared this to make sure I had the optimal low-temp milkshake for thickest results :)

Directions

It does not get too much easier than this... simply combine all ingredients in your Blender / VitaMixer. Grind and blend until chia cubes are fully disintegrated and resulting mixture is smooth and creamy texture as you would expect from any milkshake.

The result is a Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Diet-Milkshake that is a dairy-free, creamy smooth "diet milkshake" using healthy chia seed and other diet-friendly ingredients.
Hope you enjoy it. I really wish I had posted this recipe while the weather was a bit warmer, but I don't mind a good milkshake ANY time of year. And, milkshakes need not be just for dessert!

Gluten-Free Recipes using Chia Seed Slurry

Gluten-Free Chia Seed : Recipe Techniques

Using using Chia Seed "gel" and "slurry" and ice-cubes in GF Creations

Finally, I have gotten back to my blog and writing more about Chia Seed in Gluten-Free / Wheat-Free recipes! I love the Fall season, though I have been distracted lately by things that come with it: like raking.  This is a long-planned followup discussion on Chia Recipes...

In June, I wrote a Gluten-Free Blog entry entitled Gluten-Free Chia Seeds : SuperFood Status (follow that link for prior discussion and where to acquire the product). Last time I introduced Chia Seed basics - like nutritional / diet information, and the texture and look and feel that should be expected. I also mentioned in my previous blog that Chia Seed is an amazing gluten-free recipe addition / ingredient, and I have used the Chia Seed to create some wheat-free / gluten-free baked goods and other food products that are convincingly like the "real" thing, if not better. Pancakes with such alterations are one of my regular favorites, but I have also gone much further with Chia in gluten-free recipes through a new approach I developed for incorporating the Chia with great success.

I have found that the results I can achieve through a particular use of Chia Seed in gluten-free recipes is nothing short of spectacular, and I want to share the approach with others here, hoping that perhaps it can make your gluten-free baking even better. I am not guaranteeing it will make *everything* better, but it has really helped quite a few of my recipes - even recipes that were already quite good - rise to an extraordinary level on the texture / mouth-feel scale, and on the health-scale too. It has worked wonders in gluten-free breads, gluten-free desserts, and all sorts of things.

Get ready to use a "chia slurry" in recipes...

Chia Slurry Formulation

Creating a "chia slurry" is the key to using chia as an easy addition / substitution / alteration / modification ingredient in many recipes. This slurry will end up providing a gluten-like (i.e., "glue like") binding power to recipes while introducing additional moisture and "bounce", elasticity, sponginess, and the like, that you would otherwise associate with Gluten-containing products.

A slurry is quite simply a highly fluid mixture of water and finely divided material - in this case, that material is chia.

Pre-Hydrate the Chia Seed
We start by pre-hydrating our Chia Seed. I simply use between 1.5 and 2 TBSP (Tablespoons) Chia Seed per cup of water. The concentration can be varied, and will alter the recipe outcomes accordingly. Sometimes I want a thicker mixture, other times thinner. The amount of slurry I prepare depends on what I am baking, but for now, let's just say I have a few cups of water, and the corresponding proportion of Chia I mentioned...

Place the chia seed in a bowl, add water, and stir constantly for a while to make sure all seeds submerge in the water. Then, stir every few minutes for a while to make sure the seeds are evenly absorbing water as they expand like little pearl tapioca balls. Within 15-30 minutes, this hydration process is complete, resulting in the following:



Or, a bit closer look at the resulting hydrated Chia Seed mixture:


Now, place this hydrated Chia in a blender. I have my trusty VitaMixer for this task, which does a fine job of creating a slurry from the seeds. Here is the before and after look:



...yielding...

That is pretty much it! You have just created the Chia Slurry to be used in gluten-free recipes where you would otherwise use water, milk, or other liquids (note: some dry-ingredient amount-adjustments may be necessary to achieve optimal substitution and outcome results).

I process (i.e., grind / chop / pulverize) the hydrated Chia into a slurry immediately before I am going to use it in a recipe. I have found this keeps the suspension of particles most consistent, and also it tends to add another important baking element: a bit of air volume (quite useful in breads for example).

You can allow the pre-hydrated Chia Seed to sit around for hours, or days, if you desire, but wait until you are ready to use it in a recipe before mixing it into a slurry. In fact, if you use a lot of Chia in baking your gluten-free recipes, it is a good idea to keep a container of pre-hydrated chia seed in the fridge all ready to go (saves on hydration time later).

My next Gluten-Free Blog postings will discuss some particular recipe alterations using this Chia Slurry. If you can't wait, feel free to go for it and experiment with some recipe alterations yourself.

In the mean time, here's another use for the Chia Slurry that may inspire some inventive recipe creations too...

Frozen Chia Seed / Slurry Ice Cubes!

Another use I have for my slurry concoction that I created on a whim is chia-seed-ice-cubes. Just take that freshly-blended Chia-Seed Slurry and pour it into ice cube trays and immediately freeze.

These frozen chia-mix cubes have proven incredible in making smoother, creamier, dairy-free "shakes" or "smoothies" or slushies, or whatever. They add an amazing texture-smoothing / gelling quality that thickens up a drink without adding anything unhealthy to the recipe; giving frozen drinks some "creaminess" without any cream.

The reason I make the chia ice cubes (instead of just adding regular water-only ice cubes to a blender with pre-hydrated chia seed) is a simple one: achieving optimal coldness and lowest temperature for best shakes, smoothies, and frozen drinks. If you don't freeze the chia like this first, do not expect the same results :)

Have you ever heard of a "diet milkshake"?


Well, get ready for one..., and here is a preview picture of it, my Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Dairy-Free "Diet Milkshake", that I will also post the very simple recipe for quite soon. The funny thing was that, although this recipe seemed timely just a few days ago (when it was 70-degrees out!), it is now near freezing outdoors. Well, either way, I still enjoy my frozen drinks year round :)

I do not mean to tease people by not posting additional recipes this time with the above slurry-making-recipe and discussion, but rather I wanted to keep the baked-goods and frozen-products recipes cleanly apart from the slurry-recipe for organization purposes here on my Gluten-Free Blog (as I will be referencing this blog again for sure).

GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES USING CHIA SEED

Here are links to a couple recipes using this chia gel / slurry and ice-cubes to get you started:

• Dairy-Free Diet-Milkshake Recipe : Chocolate Pumpkin Spice and Gluten-Free
• Gluten-Free Banana Bread - using Chia Seed Slurry and Isolated Whey Protein - variation to the recipe in our cookbook.

Also, check out my prior blog about Gluten-Free Chia Seed for some background information on this ingredient and where to acquire it if you do not already have a supplier.

Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.