Foodie joys
Oatmeal cookies (gluten, dairy, sugar free)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Stick brought to room temperature with 1/2 cup Agave nectar until butter is (mostly) smooth.
Add 2 eggs, beaten.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Add 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats.
Blend in 1 cup gluten-free flour and 1/3 cup potato starch (unless there is potato starch in your blend, then just use the gluten-free flour blend).
Add 1 cup chopped walnuts.
Add more flour if the dough is too moist (unlikely).
Place 1 Tblspn of dough for each cookie, flatten slightly, on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 -12 minutes until slightly brown.
FED2: Second Friday Evening Dinners
Last year, in an effort to do more of what I rarely do, socialize, I combined two things I love — my friends and great food — into Second Friday Evening Dinners. Each month, fifteen of us (less those who can’t make it) bring food or drink to share based on a theme. Sometimes, we decorate. While sending out invites for the next two (we’ve started planning ahead!) it occurred to me that others might enjoy creating their own FED2. Although coming up with the theme is half the fun, here are the ideas we’ve had so far:
- New England cookout: outdoors, flowers on the table, candles for after the sun went down, lemonade in mason jars.
- Hookah, henna, and tapas: hookah, henna painting, and unique dishes passed as many courses.
- Mancave: ate out because the host (man) didn’t feel like cooking.
- Gratitude: food based on the menu at Cafe Gratitude, a gratitude jar holding scraps of paper naming things we are grateful for (read aloud at the end).
- Grilled meat and evil: delicious grilled meats and mushrooms, side dishes, Cards Against Humanity.
- Crepes and Jacques Brel: crepes (gluten free, regular, collard greens for vegans) with fillings, dessert crepes with chocolate sauce, French music and a scarf.
Coming up, there is:
- SMB2: Sunday brunch: brunch food, mimosas, jazz.
- Everybody’s birthday: white elephant gifts (this is a very creative group), favorite foods, party hats, birthday cake.
I’d love to hear more ideas for upcoming Fridays!
* Thanks to Leah Mason for the lovely picture
Gluten and dairy substitutes
Four obstacles that I’m constantly planning around: gluten, dairy, sugar, and fragrance. I can’t tolerate any of those things. When my immune system is strong and I don’t mind a bit of recovery, I occasionally eat dairy products. But I must avoid gluten and fragrance completely.
Sugar’s destructive force, when I eat more than a little from time to time, is still a mystery and second only to gluten. My addiction to it, when I don’t avoid it, is second to none. I don’t drink alcohol anymore because it takes me three days to recover, even though I only drink one or two. I’m grateful to my genes for the fact that I’ve never had to worry (too much) about my weight.
People hear about my diet and say, “Wow, that must be hard, I could never do that.” For me, the transition was a strongly-motivated learning process. I am healthy in ways I never was before. While medical science has yet to fully understand that celiac (and other autoimmune disorders) affect the entire body, I am walking proof that “a belly ache” might be the least of the symptoms. For example, I had chronic sinus infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections. Now, I don’t.
Why would I eat some bread and invite those back?
Gluten free flour blend
Blend:
- 1 cup sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup potato flour
- 1 1/2 cups potato starch
- 1 cup tapioca flour
Store, sealed, in the refrigerator.
My favorite pancakes
Combine 1 1/4 cups gluten-free oats with 1 cup soy or nut milk. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Add 1 Tbsp oil and 2 beaten eggs.
Add 1/4 cup gluten-free flour and 1/4 cup potato starch (unless there is potato starch in your blend, then just use the gluten-free flour blend).
Add 1 – 2 Tbsp of Agave nectar (as desired) and a dollop of real maple syrup.
Add 1 tsp baking power and 1/4 tsp salt.
Add some sliced bananas, blueberries, walnuts, or anything your heart desires.
Cook on an oiled griddle over medium(ish) heat until brown and cooked through.
Adapted from The New Laurel’s Kitchen. A great cookbook but heavy on the whole wheat.