Super-Healthy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipe

Ah yes, that wonderful gluten-free squash (or gourd) that many of us love to make into Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Rolls, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Custard, and so many other delicious pumpkin-themed treats (not to mention pumpkin soup, and toasted pumpkin seeds). Pictured above is a small pumpkin of the variety usually sold as "pumpkin pie pumpkins" - which measure only between 5 and 6 inches in diameter, and weigh (while intact) about 2 pounds each (or, 1 kilogram). They have a much thinner and more tender skin than the large jack-o-lantern / Halloween carving-type pumpkins, and are very simple to work with and prepare.

Who would have guessed you could also use this incredible gluten-free vegetable for something so healthy and simple as a main-course or vegetable side-dish? And, better yet, a dish that takes nearly zero effort to prepare (certainly very little work compared to those pumpkin desserts and other recipes). The pumpkin is not just for Halloween or Thanksgiving holidays - instead, it can introduce a nice change of culinary scenery to your everyday lunch or dinner.

The Baked-Pumpkin (or Cooked/Microwaved Pumpkin) Recipe
Well, quite simply, this is about as healthy of a gluten-free food you can find. It has an incredibly low glycemic-index (or, another useful blood-sugar-impact analysis method, glycemic load), is full of essential vitamins, protein, and nutrients, plus it delivers a nice dose of your daily fiber requirements - all with a mild taste that is easily accented (as it is in pumpkin pie and other dishes). To top this off, my "recipe" is going to further attempt to positively affect your health by reducing your blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides with cinnamon, and I'll explain that effect too a bit later in this post.

Directions:

• Simply take your pumpkin-pie pumpkin and split it vertically in half (from the stem at the top, to the center point at the bottom.
• Scoop out all the seeds and loose fibers in the middle of each pumpkin half
• In an oven-safe pan or pyrex dish an inch or two deep and large enough to hold the two halves of the pumpkin, place 1/2" of warm tap water.
• Now, invert the pumpkin halves in the water (i.e., center of pumpkin facing down in pan)
• Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes - when ready, a fork or knife should easily slide through the pumpkin.
• Remove from oven.
• Carefully (remember, this pumpkin is hot!) use a spoon to scrape the fleshy inside of the pumpkin away from the very thin rind, and place this onto serving plates or into a bowl for serving.
• Suggested topping: upon serving, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon over each portion served, and perhaps a bit of granulated Splenda (or sugar / brown-sugar if you don't mind the calories or don't watch your sugar intake).
  

Nutrition:
With the baked pumpkin being so mild on its own, the slight accent of cinnamon and a sweetener should remind you just a bit of a pumpkin pie. And, when it comes to health, you can't get much better than the nutrition of cooked pumpkin (check out that link - it is a really useful nutritional analysis site), which for every half-pound of cooked / baked pumpkin yields:

• only 50 calories per 1/4 Kilogram (half-pound) serving - the entire prepared pumpkin likely won't exceed 150 calories, and it is quite filling
  
• nearly 250% of your RDA of Vitamin-A, much of that as Beta-Carotene
• nearly 3 grams of fiber
• essentially zero sodium
• roughly 20% of RDA of Vitamin-C
• a bit of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acides
• about 8% of your Iron, and 4% of your daily Calcium recommendations
• A super-low glycemic-Load of only 4 (in a range that goes up to 75 or 80)!
  

Hopefully you'll enjoy the pumpkin for both its taste and it's health benefits! I know I sure like these little pumpkins prepared as I detailed above, and I am so glad they are safe for Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free people too. I plan to experiment with a few other spice combinations, perhaps adding a bit of clove, nutmeg, ginger, etc to my dish - much like a pumpkin pie or pumpkin roll would use. I keep meaning to try this, but never get around to it, perhaps just because I enjoy the Cinnamon by itself so much. And, speaking of Cinnamon again...


Health Benefits of Cinnamon in Recipes and your Diet
If you already own my Gluten-Free Desserts recipe book, you have probably noticed that we use Cinnamon quite regularly in recipes (many times as "optional" ingredient if you don't care for cinnamon). We do this for a few reasons:

1. we love the taste of cinnamon and the accent it provides to certain recipes
2. Cinnamon can essentially be a gluten-free "flour" of sorts, as it is a powdered, ground form of the bark of a cinnamon tree with a super-high fiber-to-total-carbohydrates ratio (nearly 80% of the carbs are in the form of fiber), and a 1/4 ounce (about 1 Tablespoon) has 4 grams of dietary fiber.
   
3. and, because scientific-evidence demonstrates Cinnamon's ability to lower fasting blood-glucose levels, triglyceride levels, and cholesterol levels - which is a very nice side-effect for such a versatile and delicious ingredient. *(see NOTES below before going TOO crazy with cinnamon).
   

If, in addition to consuming Cinnamon via our dessert recipes, you find additional ways to incorporate it into your daily life elsewhere (e.g., I love adding it to my pancakes, coffee, milk, tea, and many other things), hopefully you will get the full health benefit that was demonstrated in this 2003 study entitled: Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes.


NOTES and DISCUSSION REGARDING CINNAMON:
There have been some concerns with long-term high-level dietary intake of cinnamon, though I personally wonder how much has to do with pharmaceutical companies wanting you to take their Diabetes medicines instead of using cinnamon as a first-line attempt at combating the disease. One reason I am a bit skeptical about the true presumed toxicity threat from cinnamon consumption comes from the fact that a particular cinnamon health-risk discussion paper went so far as to implicate cinnamon with pseudo-science repeatedly, pointing the finger at cinnamon for all sorts of things that can not be proven, like this:

"At least one case report points to carcinoma formation after the consumption of up to five packs of cinnamon chewing gum a day in a 24-year-old non-smoker"

The fundamental flaws in that type of statement come from 1) the incredibly small sample population - i.e., "at least one case"; and 2) the inability to rule out any other causes of the carcinoma aside from smoking - like, how about whether the gum used artificial red dyes or food colorings, like nearly all such gum does, or perhaps artificial sweeteners if applicable. This type of "proof" of cinnamon toxicity is bunk and a serious stretch to say the least. As such, it makes me question the motives behind that entire discussion paper, as the paper takes many different angles of attack on cinnamon to dissuade its use. You decide for yourself what to make of it though.

Now, on to the real science of potential cinnamon toxicity...


NOTES: Types of "Cinnamon" and Toxicity Potential Discussion
Basically, there are two primary types of Cinnamon available to consumers - the less common Ceylon Cinnamon ("true cinnamon") and the common mainstream "Cinnamon" (Cassia, or "Bastard Cinnamon") that is sold as powdered cinnamon throughout the USA. The cinnamon we all most likely use regularly is the latter type - Cassia - and is the type reported in the media and studies to have a beneficial effect on blood glucose (blood sugar), cholesterol, and triglycerides levels.

But, Cassia also contains higher levels of a toxic component called coumarin than does Ceylon Cinnamon (which contains very little - but also contains little of the chemical in Cassia that purportedly helped blood sugar and such). Cassia ("cinnamon") contains somewhere between 2 and 4 milligrams of coumarin per gram (mg/g) on average. The European Food Safety Authority has set the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of coumarin at .1mg/Kilogram body-weight per day as being safe and of no threat to health (see here for further discussion and the .1mg/Kg/day reference).

What does this mean? Well, if you weigh 154 pounds (70 Kilograms) for example, the acceptable TDI for you is 7 milligrams of coumarin from Cassia "Cinnamon" or other sources (70 Kilograms x .1mg/Kilogram = 7 milligrams ). So, using the upper end of coumarin-level estimates (4mg/g) in cinnamon, consuming ~2grams of Cinnamon per day at 4mg/g coumarin concentration every single day for life would put you at the TDI threshold (i.e., between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon every day).


Cinnamon Health Benefits in relation to toxicity concerns
By comparison, the health-benefits-from-cinnamon study showed substantial and significant benefit from cinnamon when consumed at between 1 and 6 grams per day (i.e., a maximum of a quarter ounce / day). And, even the lowest-dose level (1 gram/day) produced substantial reductions (in blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides) in this study, with such dosing levels being well within the TDI threshold discussed above.

Though it was only one study on cinnamon's health benefits, the study appeared scientifically valid and placebo-controlled and everything, and it showed the following results (after just 40 days in the 6g/day group, and with nearly the same findings in the 1g/day group):

• Between 18-29% lower fasting glucose levels
• approximately 25% lower cholesterol levels
• approximately 25-30% lower triglyceride levels

Those are some rather impressive figures to say the least! I'm looking forward to additional, larger, follow up studies that can further validate these results. They sure look encouraging, and are substantial enough to provoke persons like myself to include cinnamon in their diet. As with any dietary alteration, it is probably best to consult with your doctor or physician to make sure you don't cause any unplanned drug-interactions and the like (especially if you are using Diabetes medications already). And, I only put this information here for you to evaluate and make personal decisions on, as I am not a doctor. You may want to read other sources like this one on Cinnamon Health Benefits for similar information and further research.

In the mean time, using a bit of cinnamon on your freshly prepared baked pumpkin, or in and on some of your favorite desserts, is certainly a delicious way to enhance your gluten-free foods while potentially improving your health along the way. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Blog featured in Wall Street Journal Online

The Gluten-Free Blog Review in the WSJ

This week, I kept wondering why my Gluten-Free Blog traffic was 3-4 times what it was just a week earlier. My hopeful side was thinking that perhaps someone wrote a nice review of my Gluten-Free Recipes Book and caught the attention of prospective readers, but I was convinced the blog readership had to do more with the latest series of topics I posted with regard to controlling blood-sugar and controlling diabetes with exercise.

Well, thankfully David Marc Fischer over at Gluten-Free NYC set me straight and clued me in. Turns out the Wall Street Journal Online (WSJ) had recently written a Review of my Gluten-Free Blog where they were so kind to help others find this resource I have built, and provided the following summary to describe my Blog:

"The Gluten Free Blog
Gluten-Free-Blog.blogspot.com

This blog by Cleveland-based Mike Eberhart addresses the needs of those who suffer from the digestive disorder called celiac disease and others who just want to maintain a gluten-free diet. Many common foods contain gluten, so those who need to avoid it face many of the same challenges as allergy sufferers. 

There are lots of recipes here for gluten-free foods, as well as reviews of gluten-free products and frequent updates on the latest medical news. Mr. Eberhart also encourages readers to share their personal stories and information on products on the blog."

Though I don't know the author of the WSJ Online article (a Becky Bright), I surely am glad she found my blog noteworthy and took time to include it in her roundup. I was absolutely thrilled to see that I am making an impact and helping others as I intended. And, if the extra media coverage and exposure helps others locate the Gluten-Free Blog, great! I hope I can live up to reader expectations in the coming months and years and provide more great gluten-free recipes, science news, and related discussion.

Thank you Wall Street Journal!

Perhaps some day a similarly large-readership publication will review my GF desserts cookbook, since I am still sort of caught in that "you can't reach people until you reach people" phase (aka, a Catch-22), as I have chosen not to sell my book on Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles, or Borders Books (since their margin-requirements would leave me with nothing). As such, only those people who find my book directly on our website (at my Gluten-Free Desserts site or via this blog), or purchase a copy at one of the several food / diet / and nutrition product retailers around the country that inventory it, will ever have a chance to find out what they are missing. [UPDATE: in 2017, our recipes will simply be migrated onto a website of gluten-free recipes for everyone to enjoy there, for free. The printed book is long sold out.]

Now, on to other delicious topics...

UK Yeo Valley Yogurt Review

Where does time go? I have planned to review some of the wonderful Gluten-Free food items I found while in Britain a couple months ago.  In particular, I wanted to mention this wonderful Yeo Valley gluten-free organic yogurts I was eating (by the pint!) for breakfast while in the UK. It had to be the best yogurt I've ever had, which explains why I ate it nearly every day for two weeks (I luckily discovered it on only my second day in the country).

Sure, yogurts should be Gluten Free, but you just never know because of added flavorings, colorings, and the like. That's why it is so nice to have a clearly indicated "Gluten-Free" label on the package, as the Yeo Valley yogurts have. Not only is this yogurt incredibly creamy and flavorful and smooth, but it is also:

• Organic and GMO-free (no genetically modified ingredients)
• Full of bio-live cultures, including Lactobacillus, Acidophilus, and Bifidobacterium probiotics - wonderfully delicious bacteria from what I can tell!
• Gluten-Free and suitable for Celiacs / Coeliacs (of course)
• Suitable for all vegetarians, though obviously not vegan

I've included a picture of the label (above) that demonstrates how "Gluten-Free" and other important classifications are clearly indicated. Plus, you'll be able to quickly recognize the brand should you ever have the chance to purchase some. The bummer for us here in the USA is that Yeo Valley does not export, nor has any current plans to export, their fabulous yogurts - arghh!

More Diabetes and Blood-Sugar Control Methods

Here on the Gluten-Free Blog, I recently published an entry entitled "Controlling Blood-Sugar / Diabetes", that focused on the results of a recent study showing that through exercise alone, you could remarkably impact and improve your blood-glucose levels. Given the spike in readership here on the Gluten-Free Blog after posting that information, it seems I have touched on an area of interest. So, I plan to today continue the discussion about reducing blood sugar, and present a few other proven methods for significantly improving this important indicator of health.

Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid (aka Folate treatment)

Some studies have shown that Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid can improve insulin resistance, which in turn will improve blood sugar values. In one study on insulin resistance improving after folate and B12 therapy, subjects were given 500mcg B-12 and 5mg Folic Acid daily for a period of a couple months and compared to a placebo / control group. The results were quite encouraging, and the study found:

• ...prolonged folate treatment decreased not only homocysteine levels but also reduced insulin levels, improving insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome.
• Insulin levels dropped by over 25% in the Folate-Treatment group.
• as a bonus: fasting glucose levels dropped, triglycerides dropped, plus a slight but significant decrease in systolic blood pressure was also demonstrated.

Note: If you suffer any B12 absorption issues, whether from Celiac Disease or Pernicious Anemia, you may wish to read another previous and popular blog I recently wrote entitled "Medical Secrets Revealed : Vitamin B12 Administration", where I discussed the efficacy of taking Vitamin B-12 sublingually (i.e., B12 dissolved under the tongue).

Calorie Restriction (CR)

I know, this proven method of improving blood sugar, pre-diabetes, and/or diabetes doesn't exactly sound "fun" as soon as you see those words calorie restriction on the page. CR is definitely something that takes a bit more work than popping some Folic-Acid/B12 pills. In fact, I'd go as far as to say this method of controlling insulin levels and blood glucose is probably going to be the most difficult (even more so than a consistent exercise program) for most people to successfully implement - myself included. I love food, especially delicious carbohydrate-rich breads, pizzas, desserts, etc., and just the thought of reducing my consumption of such treats causes anxiety.

But, it all comes down to which is more important: eating everything you want, or taking (challenging) steps to reduce your food consumption to live healthier and longer (I say "longer" here because CR is shown in various non-human mammalian studies to increase longevity; human results are expected to be the same, but our already long lifespans make studies quite difficult to implement). Harvard Medical School, just last week, published more information about how Calorie Restriction can lead to long healthy lives. CR induces a glucose-lowering and insulin-lowering response in the body, and in addition it alters the GH/IGF-1 (growth hormones) axis. The end result in studies is that by cutting calories substantially (by as much as 50-60%), huge gains in longevity (and reduced incident of age-related disease) are achieved.

The key is to restrict one's calories while not restricting one's nutrition; meaning you have to make very healthy choices about what you consume in order to get nutrient-dense calories. Essentially, this means less of the mainstream carbohydrate options (remove those refined carbs and sugars), and more of the fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meat. Seems like that's always what a good diet, CR or not, boils down to: eating healthy and eating things in moderation.

With this plan, I could certainly still find a way to eat my favorite gluten-free cakes, cookies, biscotti, and the like, but just much less in one sitting. I'm certainly glad the cakes freeze nicely, as I have learned to cut them up and freeze pieces for future days. Desserts are nearly all bound to be high-carbohydrate items, so moderation is always recommended, whether you are on a CR diet or not, since it is just better for you overall. So, do what you must to keep your eating under control.

Resveratrol

This compound present in grapes, peanuts, and a few other fruits and veggies, has shown great promise in laboratory studies in controlling insulin and blood sugar levels. In fact, it essentially provides the benefits of CR (calorie restriction) in normal higher caloric diets. At least one pharmaceutical firm, Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, is currently in clinical trials with drugs based on this compound as potential treatments for Type 2 diabetes [Update: in 2013, well after the GSK buyout of this firm, development was ongoing on new variations of this approach].

Sure sounds great to me - just eat a lot of grapes and get the effect of CR! Oh, wait,... not so fast... it isn't that simple. It takes a lot of this substance to get the desired effect; more so than you could get by eating foods that naturally contain Resveratrol. And, although there are (expensive) supplements on the market, there are lots of questions regarding the efficacy, shelf-life (due to oxidation), and required dosing levels in humans,... and in addition there is even a study entitled "high absorption but very low bioavailability of oral resveratrol" that suggests Resveratrol use in humans will be unable (even with supplementation) to get the desired effect due to how it is metabolized. So, Resveratrol one sounds like a "wait and see" item, with hopes that someone perfects a mechanism for delivery of the compound into our bodies while also making it affordable. I for one would sure like the CR-benefits while eating everything I normally like to chow on!

Some other noteworthy diabetes related items...

Recently, high-fructose corn sweetener (HFCS) has been in the news a lot for it's apparent correlation with Type II diabetes incidence. The fact is, this ingredient is in many commercially produced items these days, whether it is the pop/soda you are drinking, or the bread you are eating, or perhaps even the brand of tomato paste you put on your homemade pizza today. Search the Internet and you'll find plenty of information - like this article about sugary soda and diabetes [update: I had a link here, but over the years, the MedLinePlus article disappeared. Right now, I find that the best way to avoid this ingredient is to cook and bake my own foods, which is already commonplace for me given the gluten-free diet.

I also came across a presentation which documents that eating a high carb meal for breakfast results in an unacceptably high blood sugar swing - much higher than any other blood sugar rise seen throughout the day - even when compared to the same amount of carbohydrate eaten at a meal other than breakfast. The implication was that the body can not optimally process carbohydrates first thing in the morning, and if you are going to eat a meal higher in carbs, you should do so at lunch or dinner. Got me. But, that's what was shown.

I also have read about going to a completely low-fat vegan diet to control blood sugar. To me, that sounds like a lot of work and giving up a lot of foods I really like. In fact, I'd personally find that one easily as difficult as going on a CR (Calorie-Restricted) diet. And, this is coming from someone that was a totally meat-free vegetarian for over 7 years (I still consumed dairy and egg-products, since they are in most things I like). Even with my (prior) history of vegetarianism, I just can't imagine dropping my milk products or eggs - they come in so handy for baking (whether gluten-free baking or otherwise).

That's it for my roundup of other diabetes-control possibilities for now. I need to get back to posting some more Celiac-Disease and gluten-free specific topics in the coming days and weeks, especially some recipes and other things to coincide with the upcoming holiday events (yes, Thanksgiving and Christmas are still a bit away, but they tend to sneak up on me!)

UPDATE/NOTE: Please do not leave comments with links to your purported "cure-all" diabetes remedy-selling sites and tell me stories of how such and such supposedly did all sorts of remarkable things for someone you know. I will not let such comments through, UNLESS you can also provide links to placebo-controlled true scientific research that validates your remedy claims in an unbiased fashion. My goal is to provide people with proven ways to combat diabetes and high blood sugar, not to get their hopes up over products that make such claims with obscure, indirect, little, or no science behind them. Thanks.

Controlling Blood-Sugar / Diabetes

Exercise and Blood Sugar Impact

I was just reading the results of a new 6-month study showing the impact of exercise on blood-glucose levels, and in particular how the combination of weightlifting (i.e., resistance training) and aerobic exercise yield a rather impressive reduction in Glycosolated Hemoglobin (aka HbA1c) readings. Given recent news of near-epidemic proportions of Americans that have, or will develop, type 2 diabetes (non insulin-dependent diabetes) in their lifetimes (nearly one in three persons!), it sure seems like there needs to be an overall wakeup call issued to stress the importance of exercise and how it can prevent this insidious condition.

For those of you new to HbA1c plasma-glucose-concentration test readings, they are represented as a percentage — and in healthy persons with normal blood-sugar, the reading will be roughly between 4% and 5.9%, and readings above 6.5% (or 7% depending on source) are considered indicative of Type 2 diabetes. And, "controls" in a study are like placebos — in this study they represent sedentary individuals.

With that in mind, here are some of the details (quite impressive for just 6-months of exercise) which include:

• A 0.51 percentage point HbA1c reduction in the aerobic exercise group versus controls
• A 0.38 percentage point HbA1c reduction in the resistance training [with weights] group compared with controls
• An additional 0.46 percentage point HbA1c reduction in the combined exercise group compared with aerobic training alone
• An additional 0.59 percentage point HbA1c reduction in the combined exercise group compared with resistance training alone
• I.e., patients who did both aerobic and resistance regimens more than doubled the benefit with a drop in HbA1c of 0.9 percentage points!

So, what does .9% change in your HbA1c percentage value mean? Well, let's say you currently have a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 6.0 currently (i.e., essentially "pre-diabetic" status), which equates to an average blood-sugar of 120mg/dL, and you were able to drop to a 5.0% reading, you would now have an average blood-sugar of around 80 — meaning, a 1% drop in average blood-glucose from exercise could move you from being on the fringe of diabetes to being squarely within normal / healthy numbers.

Start Exercising Now and Reduce your Blood Sugar Levels

It's time to make exercise a part of your life if it isn't already. If you are living on a gluten-free diet already, you have demonstrated your ability to adhere to a lifestyle change that takes work and perseverance. You obviously have the resolve to take up and maintain a healthy exercise program — in fact, this should be rather easy compared to completely removing gluten from your diet! This study achieved its results through 45-minute/day exercise, with aerobic activity performed 3 times per week and weights/resistance-training another 3 days (for the combined maximum benefit to reduced blood sugar levels). It sounds like a lot, but it sure sounds better than a future filled with the risks and complications associated with high blood sugar (including heart disease, hypertension, vision loss, kidney damage, depression, and much more).

This study on exercise and blood-sugar control is particular to persons with Type 2 diabetes. When talking about Type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent), the exercise portion of the equation gets more difficult, as it can cause substantial swings in blood sugar that can be difficult to manage. Although Type 2 diabetes is no more prevalent among persons with Celiac Disease than the normal population, Type 1 diabetes risk is strongly correlated with Coeliac / Celiac Disease (aka Gluten Allergy, Gluten enteropathy, gluten-intolerance, etc) among adolescents — the risk is extremely high in fact, and another study [which was on Medscape at the time of this writing but whose link was no longer valid] concluded that: Celiac Disease Triples the risk of Type 1 diabetes in children.

This new exercise study is fantastic information, and further validates how important an exercise regimen is to controlling blood-sugar and avoiding Type II diabetes (not to mention the other health benefits). And, whether you have Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, or have normal blood sugar readings, everyone should consider some sort of exercise to make sure they don't allow their blood sugar to increase further over time. I do as I say, and I regularly exercise in an attempt to ensure optimal long-term health — now with even more scientific reinforcement of my actions. I'm hoping others can benefit from this as well.

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 Chocolate Cake - Recipe Variation (Flax)

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake — Flaxmeal Variation

Chocolate Cake, a perennial favorite

One of my favorite gluten-free desserts is chocolate cake. I especially love a rich, dense, and moist cake, like the Chocolate Ganache Cake on page 20 of our Gluten-Free Gourmet Desserts cookbook — a recipe my wife created especially for my Birthday one year. Since then, she knows my gluten-free birthday cake request without even asking, and this year she also made this cake for her mother's birthday after experimenting with a slight variation on the original recipe.

It has always been my intent to share any such (successful) variations to our gluten-free dessert recipes with those who have purchased our book, and it has just been a matter of time to get to such things. Thankfully, I finally had some free time this morning to post the variations to the Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe on our book sales site (at that link), as well as here on the Gluten-Free Blog.

The Recipe Variation : a bit healthier, thanks to Flax

Essentially, this variation just altered the ingredients equation by splitting the buttermilk component into half buttermilk and half whole-milk, while adding a ¼ Cup of Flax-meal (ground flax seed) to the mix. My wife also baked this version in a single standard 9" x 13" x 2" cake pan, whereas the original (in the gluten-free cookbook) was baked using three 9" round pans and layered with Ganache between each of the cakes. 

The results of this variation are wonderful! The cake, as expected, retains all of its richness and deep chocolate essence, while also having abundant moistness and a just-right somewhat dense texture that is so rewarding to eat. Plus, with that bit of flax meal in there, it just has to be a bit more "healthy", right? (if ever so slightly)

So, if you are planning a gluten-free birthday cake for yourself or another Celiac Disease sufferer among your family members or friends, keep this recipe in mind. Certainly you could bake it for any other event where GF cake is a must — be it a party at work, at your child's school, or wherever else a great chocolate cake would be a hit.

I have a few other variations to various dessert recipes sitting here in a queue waiting to be typed up and uploaded to the web. Some are as simple as trying out existing recipes in new formats (i.e., different sized pans), while others are drastically different ingredient experiments like dairy-free and/or sugar-free gluten-free dessert recipes.

UPDATE: here's a link to the dairy-free gluten-free chocolate ganache cake recipe now.

Now it's time to go eat some of the leftover chocolate cake.

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.

Medical Secrets Revealed : Vitamin B12 administration

Better Vitamin B12 Absorption 

Today's Gluten-Free Blog title may sound a bit like marketing hype, eh? Well, I borrowed (or paraphrased) a headline I saw in one of these pamphlets/booklets about secrets the "medical establishment" won't let you know, after coming across an article (essentially nothing more than a sales pitch) within the pamphlet about Vitamin B-12 (Cyanocobalamin) and this supposedly top-secret method of administration.

Of course, the goal of the marketing hype, which went on for a few pages about this hidden and classified way of taking Vitamin B12, was to have you order a "special report" whereby you could learn of this undisclosed method - for only $12.95 or so. I'm going to save you all $12.95, and save you the wasted time of reading such a "report", and just disclose the supposed secret about Vitamin B12 administration, and gee, I haven't even ordered the report myself!

"Secret B12 Administration Method"

Here's the deal: take Vitamin B12 sublingually! (i.e., absorbed under the tongue) That's the supposed "secret".

This is rather common knowledge among medical professionals, though I have noticed that rarely do any doctors even mention this to people, unless they are dealing with patients that have a Vitamin B12 deficiency and/or anemia, like e.g., Pernicious Anemia, which is one of the worst manifestations of a Vitamin B-12 deficiency resulting from impaired gastrointestinal absorption. In addition, as people age, they produce less gastric juices (intrinsic factor in particular) needed to absorb Vitamin B12. Celiac Disease (i.e., Coeliac) certainly raises the risk of vitamin and mineral absorption among us gluten-free types anyhow, so I won't be surprised to learn that a few of you readers have some experience with Vitamin B12 deficiency and/or treatment.

You may hear about people getting Vitamin B12 shots, which is what makes the whole oral-absorption-path sound rather appealing. I know I surely prefer letting a vitamin dissolve under my tongue a lot more than I like to get poked with a needle!

As for efficacy as a treatment, there have been a fair number of studies comparing methods of correcting Vitamin-B12 deficiency, including standard oral dosing (swallowing a vitamin), intramuscular B12 shots, and sublingual administration. I have read quite a few medical publications on the matter, including studies like this one entitled: "Oral vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency.", which concludes:

The evidence derived from these limited studies suggests that 2000 mcg doses of oral vitamin B12 daily and 1000 mcg doses initially daily and thereafter weekly and then monthly may be as effective as intramuscular administration in obtaining short term haematological and neurological responses in vitamin B12 deficient patients.

Or, from this study titled "Replacement therapy for vitamin B12 deficiency: comparison between the sublingual and oral route.", which concluded:

A dose of 500 micro g[rams] of cobalamin given either sublingually or orally is effective in correcting cobalamin [B12] deficiency.

What this all means is that if you have impaired B12 absorption, you have another option as to how to potentially treat your condition. Most drugstores and corner pharmacies will carry versions of Vitamin B12 specifically tailored to sublingual ingestion, though, in my personal experience, they are more expensive than "regular" B12 tablets, and may provide little advantage for the price.

Fact is, even the "regular" B12 tablets will (typically) dissolve under your tongue in a matter of a few minutes and achieve similar results, but just lack the added flavors and colors put into the sublingual variety (apparently to improve the oral experience even though B12 has very little flavor to begin with, and dissolves readily in your mouth).

Last, B12 is considered safe and with very little side-effect possibility at even mega-doses, and if need be, I can certainly cite studies that demonstrate this.

I hope everyone finds this information useful, and if so, I'll try to expose more of those supposed medical secrets that it seems some people try to sell instead of just coming right out and disclosing what the "secret" is.

I actually would like to discuss some of my own B12 experiences in more detail later - including some of the rather remarkable improvements it made to certain blood-test results (not just B12 blood-numbers either). But, that's another story, and it'll have to wait.

Note: I am not a doctor, and if you want to confirm any of the information I provided, just ask your doctor and/or do online research.

Gluten potential in "Fake Coffee"

Gluten in Fake Coffee

I was just perusing the Internet today reading some of the latest science news floating around. I came across this article entitled "Fingerprinting Fake Coffee" that got my attention at first because of the strange headline, but furthermore, upon reading, for its rather concerning content.

In a nutshell, here's what's going on:

Basically since gourmet coffee prices are hitting astronomical levels, the temptation or incentive for producers to "cheat" rises — and, in this case cheating means cutting the pure coffee (which is a naturally gluten-free product) down with other things that could surely jeopardize the Celiac-safe nature of coffee. Because certain (cheating) producers are using potentially unsafe (i.e., perhaps gluten-containing) dilution ingredients to cheat coffee consumers, the coffee may not be gluten-free after all. And, it's not like the producers are going to put anything on the ingredient list to indicate that they've jeopardized the purity of the coffee, since, after all, their entire strategy is based upon deception in hopes of increased profits.

The particular study cited above examined the widespread adulteration of Brazilian coffee, where tests showed that one brand of coffee contained 9% corn in it of all things! Sure, corn is gluten-free in it's pure form, and corn was the most common cutting-agent detected, but the following quote is what concerned me:

"Gulab Jham and colleagues point out that such adulteration of Brazilian coffee is among the most serious problems affecting coffee quality — with cereal grains, coffee twigs, and brown sugar sometimes mixed into the genuine article. Their research focuses on detecting corn, probably the most widely used adulterant."

That "cereal grains" statement really got my attention. Basically, because this entire "fake coffee" thing is about increasing profit by substituting other cheaper ingredients for coffee, it seems only likely that if wheat or other gluten-containing ingredients are cheaper than corn or coffee-twigs or what have you, that's what the perpetrators will use next, and there goes the safety of one of my favorite beverages! (and, some people are surely allergic to corn out there that expect coffee to be corn-allergy safe as well)

It's bad enough that greed drives people to dilute products and mislead consumers, but it's a whole other story when such scams could seriously impact the health and safety of unsuspecting buyers and coffee drinkers. This is something neither I, nor anyone else with gluten-intolerance or other food allergies, wants to worry about. Worse, the article made me thing about how if this type of behavior could affect coffee, it also may exist with other food products, especially anywhere that there is more money to be made through diluting an otherwise pure product -- what's next?... perhaps cocoa or chocolate will be next, or tea, or....

Let's all hope this isn't a widespread practice in the food industry!

Gluten-Free Great Britain - my experience

OK, I admit it, I've been slacking off the past couple weeks and enjoying a family vacation in the United Kingdom (England in particular). This was the first family vacation in many years, and the first ever that was more than a week long. We all decided to finally give in and take a nice long break, especially before our daughter heads off to grad-school to begin her English PhD in a couple weeks.

A key consideration for me whenever considering travel is how I can safely eat gluten-free while away from home. I didn't know what British gluten-free food availability would be compared to here in the USA, and I was a bit hesitant about making the trip because of this. Luckily, any fears of gluten-free food option shortages was without merit.

I did receive some helpful pre-trip advice from Dianne (who authors the UK Celiac and Gluten-Free blog called "Gluten Free Journey"). In addition to her wonderful blogs about eating gluten-free in the United Kingdom, she also provided some great advice regarding what to see and do in the country. She has some great restaurant reviews posted on her site too, which were quite nice when planning where to eat during a couple days of our adventure.

I also packed a couple boxes of Jigsaw Bars to make sure I had some good, safe, gluten-free snack food along to fill in any gaps between "safe" food finds, and they worked out wonderfully. Luckily, Jigsaw Health had a buy-one-get-one-free sale going (and still do actually), so I was able to really load up on these handy and healthy gluten-free bars. I went through 24 bars in 16 days, and that was just about right for filler-foods when out and about (especially when walking 5-10 miles/day in London).

The Trip
I had never been to Britain before, and quite honestly, it was nothing like I had imagined it or like others had described it to me.

One thing was exactly I as I expected: the flight. Oh my god is that a long flight. Sure, it's shorter than flying to the complete far side of the world, but at 7 hours to get there, and 8 hours back, it was a bit rough. The jet-lag going there was horrendous, as our flight departed Cleveland at around 8:30PM local time and arrived in London around 8:30AM their local time. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well (nearly zero in fact) on the flight.

So, right off the plane we picked up our rental car, and I got my first fast-track hands-on learning experience with driving on the "wrong" (i.e., Left) side of the road. That wasn't too difficult to become accustomed to actually. But, then came the infamous "roundabouts". Forget stop-signs: they don't exist in the UK from my experience (though, there are occasional "give way" signs that provide for rolling-stops of sorts). But, the roundabout replaces stop-lights and the old familiar USA "X" intersections nearly everywhere. Luckily, even with sleep-deprivation, I managed to make my way from London Gatwick airport to Winchester (our first sight-seeing stop), and on to our hotel in Portsmouth the first day...

Meeting Dianne from Gluten-Free Journey
...and, thank god, Dianne and her husband (yep, the same Dianne from that famous United Kingdom gluten-free blog) offered to meet my wife, daughter and I in Portsmouth, UK and drive us from the hotel out to dinner at Bombay Bay (Indian food - a place which she has reviewed on her web site). I can not express in words our gratitude for the attention Dianne and her husband bestowed upon up, and for saving me from an otherwise certain fate of getting lost in Portsmouth while trying to find the restaurant we were to meet at!

Dianne's husband made those (never-ending) roundabouts seem like child's play as he whisked us through the English traffic (which I was still finding daunting given my inexperience) on our way to dinner. They also took time to take the scenic-route, and showed us quite a few of the more notable landmarks and attractions in the Portsmouth, UK region en route to the restaurant.

By now, it was around 7PM and we three American tourists were running on fumes as sleep deprivation was causing some serious brain-fog, but our hosts did a wonderful job of keeping us going through thoughtful discussion and superb cuisine. Did I mention how absolutely awesome Dianne and her husband are? They are two of the nicest people you could imagine, and both are quite intelligent and great conversationalists. What a great way to get an introduction to British culture and meet a fellow gluten-free blogger from a new country!

We exchanged some "local" gluten-free specialties and gifts. Dianne introduced me to Thornton's Chocolates - in particular, clotted-cream chocolate-covered vanilla fudge, and oh my god are they good! And, they have clearly labeled gluten-free products. She also gave us some books on traditional British cuisine and the local geography and sites. What a fantastic and thoughtful thing to do! We took her some Tinkyada pasta that she had otherwise been unable to find in the UK, and some other gluten-free treats like Cinnamon-Raisin Peanut Butter from Peanut Butter & Co., which I have since heard Dianne really loves. It sure seems to me there is an opportunity for some cross export-import of some of these wonderful items between the USA and England, but that's another story altogether.

Well, needless to say, the evening went by in a flash, and though we had time to discuss our various gluten-free experiences and living with Celiac (Coeliac per UK spelling), there is never really enough time in one evening to cover everything you'd like. We certainly learned things about the other we otherwise didn't know, including how Dianne's husband has the same camera I used to photograph the GF Desserts book, and how Dianne is quite the expert in understanding blood tests (this will be handy in my coming blogs, as I hope to collaborate a bit with her on my more science-oriented health topic discussions).

So, the evening ended and finally we enjoyed a night of much needed sleep. And, the next day began with us moving on to see all sorts of varied English landscapes, sites, attractions, buildings, and towns.

Gluten-Free in England / Great Britain
I will go into much more detail about some of the wonderful gluten-free foods, treats, restaurants, desserts, candies, drinks, and more that I found while in the UK at a later time, and for now start with a summary of the experience (in particular, how things compare to the United States).

First of all, they (the UK) have much better product labeling than we do in most cases. I spent quite a bit of time checking out products in grocery stores and specialty shops while in England, and I was utterly impressed by how clear their gluten-free labeling is (and, allergen-labeling in general). There are exceptions of course, but primarily I found it much easier to quickly determine if a product was safe for me to consume or not. I'll be posting a list of some of my favorite UK Gluten-Free products soon - I saved the labels from things so I could remember them and comment on them!

And, restaurants tend to be ahead of the United States in their awareness of Coeliac Disease and consumer limitations. In fact, we ate at a few small, single-site restaurants that presented menus clearly indicating which items were gluten-free, vegetarian, and so forth. One little street-corner French restaurant called Bistro Deja-vu in the Cumbria (Lake District) city of Kendal could set a standard for simplicity and clarity. Just check out their online menu and you'll see that nice little "gf" symbol beside everything safe. Fantastic! Sure, there were places that didn't have a clue about gluten-free living and eating, but in general, most knew what it was and didn't have a problem determining what menu items were safe and which were not.

The bottom-line regarding gluten-free eating in England: generally simple and many excellent products and restaurants are available. Stay tuned for specifics.

The British Heritage Pass
The picture at the beginning of this blog shows our Great British Heritage Passes. I highly recommend this if you plan to see some of the popular attractions. The pass gets you into 580 different and magnificent properties around the country, and can be a real money-saver compared to purchasing individual entry into different sites. And, it is definitely a time-saver as well, as you don't have to worry about having additional cash available as you stop by each site on your trip.

We created our own travel plan to make a big loop around most of the United Kingdom during our two weeks, starting near London, working Westward towards Weymouth, North through Bath to Preston and Cumbria (the Lake District National Park), Southeast through the Peak District and South into London. We stopped for most any historic building, castle, ruin, park, garden, and other attraction along the way that was on our pass, and the sights were spectacular! I'll go into more detail in future posts, including some pictures of the various regions, when I get time to organize all of the digital photos we took (over 1100 of them).

Sorry about not being very active with the Gluten-Free Blog recently because of our adventure, but I plan to redeem myself with all sorts of upcoming blogs over the coming months :)

Survey Results: Blood Tests and Urine Tests Comprehension and Interest

Survey Results: Understand Blood Tests and Urine Tests

Last week I posted a survey regarding how well everyone understands blood-test results, and how interested people would be in having me write about the details of blood-tests and other lab tests.

The results of the survey were as follows:

Survey Results: Understanding Blood and Urine Tests

It sure looks like enough people are interested in me writing about health-science topics in the future to merit attention. I'm looking forward to it, and plan to draw from my technical background a bit to explain as best I can some of the science behind test results and their pertinence to Celiac Disease and living Gluten-Free.

As time allows, I will try to spend it researching and writing a series of gluten-free blog articles in the future that address this demand for health-science topics. I want to provide proper references for all the information I'll post (i.e., I don't plan to post opinions, but rather I want to post scientific fact) wherever possible. I have started collecting online reference links I can use, and this is going to take me some time to assemble into anything coherent.

I may forget to always come back to this entry and make links to any science and medical news I post here, so please use the quick-search labels at the side of the blog.  Here are some articles that quickly emerged after this survey:

• Vitamin B12 anemia and treating B12 anemia with sublingual (under-the-tongue) vitamin B12 (vs. vitamin B12 shots)
• Diabetes and increased blood-glucose readings and how to control blood-sugar issues that may correlate with Celiac Disease
• Search this blog for more Gluten-Free / Celiac Disease Science and Medical articles.

I'm looking forward to eventually posting all sorts of useful health-science blogs and articles in the future.

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.

Survey - Do you understand blood test results and the like?

Gluten-Free and Deciphering Blood Tests / Urine Tests 

I have created a couple mini-survey questions related to this gluten-free blog discussion (see the two survey questions at right [NOTE: Survey is Compete, image below shows the results]), that I'd appreciate getting your feedback on. Thank you!

Understanding Blood Test and Urine Test Results Survey

Here's what inspires these questions....

So, you have been to your doctor and you have have been provided with a printout of your latest blood test results (like a CBC), and/or urine test results (a complete metabolic panel perhaps), and so forth. Now, can you makes sense of all the various acronyms and reference-ranges and such on these reports?

Note: if you don't have a copy of your blood test results (or urine test results), I suggest always having the doctor print a copy of these test-results for your records, and I'll get into "why" a bit later.

If you are like most people, you may just take your doctor's word that "everything is fine" and not look further into the test numbers. Or, maybe you quickly scan the list of numbers/results on the report and see if any have been flagged as being outside the reference-ranges. Or, perhaps if you are the really inquisitive and/or diligent type, you always look closely at the numbers and question why the results are what they are, and even research the science behind each line-item. Finally, it is even possible that maybe you just don't care.

Well, I am interested in learning what the distribution of attitudes towards understanding lab-test results (blood, urine, etc.) is among my readers. The reason I ask, is that I am planning to eventually write a series of blog entries to discuss some of the human physiology aspects of Celiac Disease and why living Gluten-Free is so important to us, and discuss how Celiac can manifest itself on these blood tests and such (and, I don't mean on just antibody tests, but rather on things like your red blood-cell counts, corpuscular volumes, and much more). In addition, I plan to explain not just the tests, but some of the terminolgy surrounding the medical aspects of such tests - like reference ranges, differential diagnoses, contraindications, and more.

If there is sufficient interest, I'm going to begin by providing some "top-down" education about what all the test results mean, and then dive rather deep into the science behind individual tests as it may relate to things like iron-deficiency anemia, vitamin B12 anemia (even how to treat B12 anemia with sublingual vitamin B12, rather a miracle considering may be as effective as vitamin B-12 shots), controlling blood-sugar issues that may arise with Celiac Disease, and other conditions that we Celiacs are more prone to (because of nutrient absorption issues and so on).

Deciphering Blood Test Results, especially how they potentially relate to Celiac / Gluten-Free living, is an important thing to me, but I really want to understand what it means to the rest of you. So, please offer your input by voting on the two items at the right. Be honest - if you have no interest, just say so, and likewise if you find this intruiging and want to learn more, let me know.

I have also been prototyping some software to help people with simplified home blood test and lab-test result analysis, and help spot trends over time. I'm also trying to make it simple to identify correlations between multiple test results. My objective is simple: help people become more aware of what is, and is not, "normal" for them, and to identify potential problems at an early enough stage that any long-term negative effects can be averted. The software will be the last stage in my public-education and assistance series, if the demand warrants it, and if time permits me to create this.  I have competed a working sample using Google's spreadsheets and data-tables and charting components, which I can perhaps make public.

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 Recipe: Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Gluten-Free Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Refreshing Vegetarian Recipe with a Southwestern Style

This is a simple gluten-free recipe that I find quite refreshing in the Summer. Certainly you could eat this all year round, but it is at its finest when the tomatoes, corn, onion, and lemon are in season. I have found this recipe goes well with everything from Mexican-inspired dishes to just about anything else where the flavors of lemon and cumin make for a nice accent.

So, be creative and I'm sure you'll find plenty of other dishes to serve this with. And, it is actually quite good on crispy corn tortilla chips. By it's very nature, all the ingredients are (or surely should be) gluten-free and Celiac safe — just be sure to check the labels on your cans of black beans and other ingredients just to confirm. An added bonus is that this should be a very healthy salad option, and perhaps help you diversify a bit when it comes to your daily vegetable selections.

The Gluten-Free Recipe

15-ounce can of Black Beans (rinsed)
1 Pint of Cherry Tomatoes
10-ounces white corn - fresh, or drained canned, or thawed frozen corn
½ Cup Chopped Onion
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Teaspoon Cumin
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

As for directions, it doesn't get too much simpler than this: just throw all the ingredients together in a bowl, and mix them up well. Let stand a bit before serving (either at room temperature or in fridge), and mix well right before distributing to individual bowls/plates (to cover ingredients well with the seasonings).

Chill any leftovers. I have eaten this salad for a couple days after making it fresh, and it has been fine. I prefer it the day it is first made, or the day after though , as I prefer most any dish with fresh tomatoes for that amount of time simply because tomatoes are best and most flavorful when eaten as close to fresh as possible.

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.

Celiac Gene Test Curiosity for Gluten-Sensitivity

Enterolab Gluten/Antigenic Food Sensitivity Stool/Gene Panel Test

Last week when I had a routine appointment with my general practitioner Doctor, I asked him if he could run an HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigens) DQ2 and DQ8 haplotypes genetic test, just out of curiosity. I wondered which of these genetic markers I carry for a predisposition to Celiac Disease and gluten-sensitivity. This was mainly for curiosity sake, and I figured that since I had health insurance, I might as well try to get the test performed under a plan I already pay for.

So, my generalist tells me that he doesn't run any type of genetic tests, and refers me to a doctor in the GI (Gastro-Intestinal) department to see if they will run such a test. I received a call from the GI doctor today, and when I mentioned wanting the test, he said they don't run genetic tests because they are "so expensive" to run. I asked him what "so expensive" was, and where he got that opinion from. He said he heard from other practitioners that the tests were "really expensive", although he had no first-hand experience with them. I had him quantify what he thought "really expensive" was, and he said "a couple thousand dollars or so".

Well, at this point I pretty much knew he was uninformed and tried to clue him in on the fact that such tests really are not nearly that expensive. I already knew that Enterolab offers a gluten-sensitivity gene test for $149.00 [UPDATE: I originally wrote this blog in June 2007 when the price was $149, and now it is STILL $149 as of January 2017.  Somewhat Impressive.  Enterolabs also offers more detailed analysis and genetic testing options too, at the link I provided] and told the doctor this. His first question was "is that a reputable firm?". Well, I sure hope so, as I have heard about it from a lot of people on the forums and elsewhere. Seems like it's not a very complicated test to take a swab from inside your mouth, and analyze the DNA for a couple genetic markers. These days, this should be rather straight-forward.

So, even though my health-provider (and health-insurance) won't cover the Celiac-Disease predisposition / gluten-sensitivity predisposition gene-test, a doctor in the GI department at my provider has at least now heard that the tests are lower priced than he thought they were. Who knows if that'll ever make a difference as to whether my insurer will ever offer or cover such a test in the future, or whether the information went in one ear and out the other, but I tried to get him to at least consider the idea.

Also, to be clear, I understand that a gene-test of this type is not a "front-line" test for Celiac. The reason this is the case is that even though you have one or both genetic markers, that does not necessarily mean you'll have Celiac Disease. But, what it can be quite useful for is to eliminate Celiac as a possibility when you have neither marker (the lack of both the DQ2 and DQ8 markers means with 99% probability that you'll not have a gluten problem / Celiac).

I think I'll go ahead and order the Enterolab test sometime in the coming weeks just to satisfy my curiosity. I figure, for $149, it'd be interesting to find out what genetic analysis has to say about my likelihood of having this condition. There are so many people in my extended family with the problem, I figure at least one of the markers must be present in the gene-pool somewhere.

What will knowing the details do for me?... not much, aside from satisfying a bit of curiosity, and giving me a bit more hands-on experience with some testing procedures.

Summer Treat: Watermelon

Though I don't look forward to the steamy hot days of summer, I definitely wait with eager anticipation for Watermelon to be in season. Throughout the off-season, I have seen a few watermelons in various markets, but I avoid them because of price (sometimes $10 or more for a small one), and because (from experience) they just aren't as good as the late-Spring and Summer Watermelon crops.

Recently prices have been falling, and I've been enjoying one of nature's most perfect gluten-free desserts every chance I get. When I was a child, I actually preferred watermelon to desserts like cake, and my mother still tells stories of how I'd ask for a watermelon for my birthday instead of a birthday cake. I'm not quite that fanatical about this fruit now, but I certainly look forward to a perfectly ripe, sweet, and juicy watermelon (preferably served chilled, but fine even at room temperature).

Not only are these fruits wonderful tasting, they are actually quite healthful with their high levels of Vitamin-C and fairly high levels of potassium and fiber and even some B-Vitamins (there's a detailed watermelon-nutritional info chart on this wiki page).

Seedless varieties are certainly handy and make for perhaps a bit more refined eating experience (avoiding the seed-spitting otherwise likely), and have come quite a ways from some early varieties. I used to think the "normal" or traditional seed-filled varieties had superior taste, texture, and juiciness, but any more that is not necessarily the case. We've had a few wonderful seedless ones (like the one pictured above) that were as good as any seeded varieties I have ever encountered.

As for how to best choose the "perfect" melon, well, we have perhaps all heard about knocking on the melon and listening for a deep hollow sound. That seems to be as good as any method perhaps, but my wife and I were recently advised of another way to select the best ripe melon when we had a chance encounter with a Russian fellow that had picked watermelon for years (500 per day he claimed). His advice was simply to choose the largest one, and look for a stem that appeared to be relatively newly picked (i.e., not all dried up and brown, and certainly not rotten). So, we took his advice on the last few melons, and I'll be darned if everyone has not been just perfect! I don't know if this is foolproof, or if all watermelons lately have just been fantastic regardless. But, one way or the other, it has worked and I hope it continues too.

I have another seedless watermelon waiting for me in the kitchen now - certainly bound to become my gluten-free dessert of choice next week when the hot, steamy temperatures are forecast to return. At least I will have a nice sweet thirst-quenching treat to cool down with when that heat hits again.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Ice Cream

Homemade Gluten-Free Chocolate Hazelnut/Cinnamon Ice Cream (Ice Milk)

My Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Ice Cream (Ice Milk) Recipe

I came up with this gluten-free recipe (or pseudo-recipe) yesterday on a whim, as a way to beat the summer heat (though, officially it is only Spring time). I just decided to mix a few of my favorite flavors together into a sweet frozen concoction I'll call Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Ice Cream.

More accurately, this gluten-free dessert is Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Ice Milk - a much lower fat version of ice-cream. I'm not sure how many of you readers are familiar with the history of Ice Milk as a dessert - it has essentially disappeared from the US market over the past 30 years, and the wikipedia entry about ice-milk mentions how in 1994 when labeling laws allowed manufacturers to call Ice Milk "low fat ice cream", "Ice Milk" basically disappeared from grocery stores in an instant.

I remember consuming Ice Milk as a child, and enjoying the fact that it was lighter and more cooling and refreshing than Ice Cream. Sure, I love Ice Cream and it's creamy richness, but I also like frozen desserts containing no fat at all but plenty of flavor (like Sorbets). Ice Milk is somewhere in the middle for me, and can certainly satisfy a craving for ice cream with a bit less dietary guilt.

Though I didn't use a formal recipe to create my dessert of the moment, it is definitely not difficult to reproduce. I'm used to a bit of experimentation in the kitchen, and I have found that some of the best treats arrive as a result of my improvisational "formulas" - a bit like a mad scientist at times. This particular experiment was all about how to put the ice cream maker to use for a quick cool down (note: I keep the ice-cream maker's "bowl" in the freezer for emergencies, since it takes a good 8 hours or so to freeze it otherwise, and waiting for that ruins my spontaneous creation moods).

So, I started with the obvious components: milk and sugar. Then, a bit of vanilla. Next, some cocoa and cinnamon. And finally, for just that perfect subtle nutty flavor, a bit of hazelnut syrup. I know how much milk and sugar I used, and approximately what amount of each remaining component I tossed into the mix...

The Recipe

3 cups milk - I used 2%, just because it's what was in the fridge
¾ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Cocoa
3 or 4 Tablespoons Cinnamon (yes, this ice milk had flavor!)
2 Tablespoons Hazelnut Syrup
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

I just placed all these ingredients into my mixer's bowl, and mixed on low speed until the sugar dissolved and the cocoa and cinnamon were distributed nicely (feel free to alter the blance of cocoa and cinnamon to your liking). I then pulled the frozen ice-cream maker's bowl from the freezer, placed it in the machine, and filled the bowl with my mixed ingredients and turned the machine on for 20 minutes.

Now, this is where a decision must be made. Do you want "soft serve" ice-cream that is a bit like a thick milk shake or perhaps a Wendy's (brand) "Frosty", or do you want hard-packed ice cream. If you choose the former, pour that freshly frozen mixture into a glass (as shown) and enjoy immediately! Otherwise, place the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze it solid for a couple hours. I like it either way, but I really prefer the soft-serve approach for many reasons: instant gratification, awesome cool-down treat, and less cleanup (no freezer container - though, if there are leftovers, you'll still want to freeze that which you do not immediately consume).

So, there you have it. "Low-fat Ice Cream", or "Ice Milk" from days past,... whatever you call it, it makes for a delicious flavorful and satisfying summer treat - gluten-free.

Flavorganics Hazelnut Syrup

Ingredients note: The hazelnut syrup I used is clearly marked "gluten-free" on the back. I found this "Flavorganics" brand of certified organic syrups at Whole Foods recently. And, they have a nice selection of additional syrup flavors that I still need to try out in some gluten-free desserts.

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.

Enjoying Mango Perfection

Mangos are one of my all time favorite fruits - and, being the number one consumed fruit in the world, I am certainly not alone in my appreciation of mangos. I just love this juicy aromatic yellow fruit, whether fresh (best and preferred) or frozen (also quite nice, convenient, and more affordable). Of course, mango is a gluten-free fruit, and one more wonderful dietary safe-item to keep around in the Celiac household.

There are a few different varieties as well, and my favorite are the "Champagne" ones, which are a smaller golden yellow fruit (part of one pictured in the foreground above that has not fully ripened), that from my personal experience have been most consistently wonderful and nearly perfect in flavor and smooth texture. This variety is free from the fibers that appear in some of the flesh of other mango varieties too, which is a definite plus. Once ripe (their skin will actually be very slightly wrinkled and deep yellow), the texture of a Champagne mango is incredibly smooth and the flavor is very sweet. They are mango perfection! (I meant to take a picture of a ripe fruit I had, but I was in a mango mood and just didn't want to wait)

The larger mangos (like the one pictured in the background) are quite nice too, but I have seen more variation in them and have found some that have been very good, and others that have been less than acceptable. The larger variety has a much larger "hairy" seed in it than the smaller "Champagne" variety, but you'll still probably get more fruit off of a large standard mango than a smaller Champagne mango. And, the closer you get to consuming the flesh near the seed, the more fibrous your fruit will become.

I don't particulary mind the fibers near the middle, but it takes a bit of getting used to. And, if you ever see a mango pit that has been cleaned off and let stand outside for a few days, it darn near looks like a mouse because it is so "hairy" with fibers. My wife and I have joked around about how we should collect the pits, let them sit outdoors til they get this "mouse look", and then glue some fake eyeballs and a tail onto them and sell them as silly prank "mice". :)

Though quite a bit different from anything you're probably used to, Mango is also quite interesting in its preserved or pickled form - especially the way Indian varieties of pickled Mango are done with a hot and spicy pickle/sauce (you can get it in a jar at Indian groceries). There is quite a bit of variation in flavor between brands, and it may take a few tries to get one you like - I have had ones that were great, and others that were too strong on the Lime or some other spice or flavor. I used to eat such Indian picked-mango over rice, and loved it - though, I have not had it in years (since going gluten-free) since I have yet to encounter a brand that is clearly labeled gluten-free or does not make me wonder what else is in it that may not be identified on the ingredient list, since it is nearly all sourced from overseas (India region) where ingredient disclosure seems a bit laxed (much like imported Asian foods, where I can clearly see ingredients in a food product that are not even on the ingredient-list).

If you have not tried a mango in a while, or tried one in the past and didn't care for it (which I did many years ago), give it another chance. I am so glad I "re-discovered" mango after going gluten-free, especially those Champagne ones - I definitely would recommend trying one of those first, and if you don't like them, chance are you won't appreciate any mangos. And, if you already like mango,... well, you know what to do!

Brew your own Gluten-Free Beer

Gluten-Free Beer : Brew Your Own at Home

I'm not sure how many readers of the Gluten Free Blog are home-brewing aficionados (especially given how most beer-brewing would require glutenous ingredients like Barley Malt, Wheat, and the like), but in case any of you Celiac Disease sufferers are beer brewers of past, you may be interested in knowing you can purchase gluten-free beer brewing supplies now.

Gluten-Free Beer Ingredients and Brewing Supplies / Equipment

A friend of mine, who happens to make some really great homemade beers (a lager he produced years back prior to my gluten-free days was a favorite of mine), pointed me to some information about gluten-free sorghum syrup and related brewing supplies that he recently encountered in a brewers newsletter (at the time of this writing, Williams Brewing is selling the GF sorghum syrup). And, from the information (currently) at their link, I found all sorts of detail about the product(s), including the following which I have quoted here:

From Briess Malting - Gluten-Free Brewing Supplies, this gluten free malt extract substitute syrup is made from white sorghum, and is ideal when formulating gluten free or low gluten beers. It has the same fermentability as malt extract, which means if you use 6 pounds in 5 gallons, you will typically get a starting gravity of 1.040 and a finishing gravity of 1.018 to 1.012 depending on yeast used and other factors.

It has a lighter body and drier flavor than malt extract, and makes a thin and crisp beer on its own. Or add sugar or honey to enhance the character to your liking. Keep in mind that liquid yeast is grown on malt extract, so dry yeast (grown on molasses) is your best choice for a very low gluten or gluten free beer. See this manufacturers pdf  for more information. This is Briesweet White Sorghum 45 DE High Maltose Syrup.

All this talk of specific-gravity and such... It sounds rather like a chemistry experiment! But, I'm sure it could be an experiment worth giving a try if you have the talent, equipment, or desire to try to be the next great gluten-free beer producer!

I presume this it the same type of Sorghum syrup Anheuser Busch (AB) uses in their "RedBridge" beer (which, is actually quite good for gluten-free beer). And, that's what most GF beers like Bard's Tale, New Grist, and others probably use as well. Thus, it seems quite possible that producing a wonderful home brewed gluten free beer is within reach now.

Now if I am really lucky, maybe I can coax my friend into giving it a try. He definitely has the skill to produce a great artisan specialty brew using normal (gluten-containing ingredients), and I'll bet he could do the same with gluten free ingredients as well. At worst case, I'm sure I could get his help/advice on how to do it myself if needed. Actually, the true "worst case" scenario is that I simply go to the nearest store that carries AB RedBridge and pick up a 6-pack.

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Gluten-Free Beer Topics

Some related links to other Gluten-Free beer discussions here on the Gluten-Free Blog:

• Give me a ‘B’ for Bard’s Beer! (Gluten-Free Beer Review)
• AB Redbridge Gluten-Free Beer Review
• Sprecher Shakparo Gluten-Free Beer Review 2
• Sprecher Shakparo Gluten-Free Beer Review 1
• Gluten Free Beer comparison

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Happy GF brewing to anyone that chooses to gives it a try!

Zucchini with Pesto, Tomato, and Gouda Recipe

Here's a simple to make, and delicious gluten-free recipe that we tend to make somewhat frequently during the summer months, when the ingredients are in-season. It is Zucchini with Pesto, Tomato, and Gouda (or Parmesan, or any other favorite cheese).

All the ingredients are gluten-free of course, and this dish does not take long to prepare. It makes for a good gluten-free main course, or gluten-free side dish, just by varying the portions served with a meal. I find it plenty satisfying as a main dish in a meal. And, it should be rather healthy in its vegetarian state.

Basically, start out with some young fresh zucchinis. Smaller ones work best, since they are tender and the seeds are not too developed, plus their size is just right for splitting lengthwise in half (as the one in the picture was done) while not producing overly thick pieces.

Place the zucchini on a baking sheet that has been covered with foil and cooking spray. If the zucchini want to roll over, just trip a bit off the rounded side to make a flat spot to prevent rolling. Then, spread a bit of pesto (we used garlic and walnut with sun-dried tomato pesto) over the surface of each zucchini. Add some thinly sliced tomato over that, and then some thinly sliced cheese (in our case, Gouda).

Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes (will vary based on the size of zucchini, etc - if thick zucchini, you'll probably want to lower oven temperature and bake longer so as not to burn cheese). Remove and serve warm. This is bound to be a recipe you will like, especially if you are a fan of zucchini and/or pesto.