Facebook, contests, and gluten-free goodies

Using Facebook is an amazing way to learn about gluten-free products, recipes, blogs.  It is also a way to meet others who are interested in the topic.  But, lately, it has also been a way for me to go a little crazy and enter into a bunch of contests for free bread, cookbooks and more.  I haven't won anything yet, but hope springs eternal!

new bread to try

I had to work today, so I went to the Co-op on the way home to pick up some things for this week.  While there, I saw a new type of gluten-free bread in the bread section (rather than the freezer section), so I decided to try it out.  I believe this company had some samples at the Gluten Free Fair that I went to in Salem in September.

Anyway, I got the Gluten Free Multigrain Bread from Tarte Desserts & Bakery in Eugene.   I had it for dinner (toasted and with a bit of butter) with some chicken and rice soup that Geoff made.  It is good, and I like the poppy and other seeds they have used in it.  As is expected, it is a bit on the expensive side.

Local gf bread

Here's a picture of it to show you what I'm talking about. (I'm also making use of my cool new birthday present from my sweeties!).

Cinnamon rolls for breakfast - Udi's-style

Udi's gluten-free cinnamon rolls were on sale at the Co-op, so I bought some.  Wow are they good!  Heated for about 20 seconds in the microwave, they are scrumptious!  They are not too sweet and have a great texture.  You can actually peel them apart just like the gluten-filled kind.

I didn't like their frosting very much, so I have been eating them "plain" (though they hardly taste plain with all that good cinnamon sugary stuff on the insides).  However, Geoff made me some delicious frosting for them to use this morning.  It was a great breakfast. :)

Spanish gluten free and other blogs

I just found a blogger after my own heart...someone who writes about gluten-free Catalan and Spanish food at The Sensitive Epicure. I haven't gone through all of her blog, but was enticed by her opening line in a post entitled A Sampling of Spanish Tapas where she writes "Yes, I miss Spain" and then goes on to talk about Barcelona and Catalunya, and some of the typical delicious dishes there (but made gluten-free!).  Apparently, there is even a Catalan Celiac Association.   I'll have to keep that in mind for my next trip (whenever that may be!)

It's amazing how fast you can go down the "rabbit hole" on the internet.  I was looking on Gluten Freeville's website because I clicked a link from their Facebook page yesterday about a Pesto Veggie Pizza.  Anyway, once I was on their website, I thought I'd check their recipe page for a quiche recipe, as I was in the mood to make a quiche, and there in the Appetizers section it listed a recipe for Tortilla Española with Spicy Aioli (gluten free, vegetarian) that had been posted by Erin Swing. That sounded even better, and I know how to make a tortilla espanola (thanks to my friend, Lucia), but wanted to check out her recipe and the spicy aioli part!  Hence, this is how I ended up on the Erin Swing's blog called The Sensitive Epicure.

I have really been enjoying emails and posts regarding savory, rather than sweet, gluten-free foods.  Last week, I got an email from Jules GF about Broccoli-Cauliflower Soup, which sounded good, too.  I got the ingredients and hope to make it tonight or early this week. Perhaps it is because it is Fall, or perhaps it is because I just started Weight Watchers at work, but I am more interested in the main courses rather than desserts right now.   Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a good gluten free dessert (especially with my birthday coming up), but it is not what I want to focus energy on right now.

Rudi's to the rescue!

So, as most of you know, I've been wheat-free for 8 1/2 years.  During that time, I discovered Rudi's spelt bread, which to my taste was the best, most delicious, "closest-to-real-bread" I found.  When I started going completely gluten-free this February, I realized that the hardest thing to create without gluten is actually bread. Imagine my excitement, then, when I learned that Rudi's started making a gluten-free line of breads in July.  I got some last weekend, and it is great!!  Great texture, flavor and it holds together well.   I'm soooooo happy!  And, they sell it here in Corvallis at the Co-op (and perhaps some other places).

Also, last Saturday I went to the Gluten Free Food Fair at a store called LifeSource Natural Foods in Salem.  I had some super great onion rings made with a mix called The Celiac Maniac Batter Mix.  It is so new that he didn't even have it in the store yet, but did sell me a bag he had with him.  I went with Cynthia, a friend from work, and her roommate, Sarah.  It was fun to see all these locally-made gluten-free products, and to get to taste them, too.  I heard about this store and fair as I was searching online to see where to get Authentic Foods flours, which had been recommended in a cookbook. They sell this flour in bulk, which is super, so I'll try it out and let you know.

Even the best laid plans...

So, I'm wondering if my container labeled "gluten-free" oats is actually not correctly labeled.  The muffins taste delicious, but something I ate yesterday is irritating my intestines.  Isn't it great to have such instant feedback?

At my parent's house yesterday, we realized that Goddess dressing has wheat!  Ugh.  I never thought to check that, so that could also be the culprit.

In any case, I'll take a break from the muffins and see if that helps.  Alexander can keep eating them, which was one of the main goals for making them in the first place.  I've discovered that it is really nice to have something easy and ready to go in the mornings for our breakfast.   Muffins freeze well, so I can make up a bunch and then unfreeze them as needed.  And, they are also great for travel and camping.

Banana muffins

Hi!

I'm back to blogging.  I guess I just took the summer off.  It has been a very busy few months, so I haven't had a chance to do any posts.  But, I made some wonderful gf banana muffins today and wanted to let you know.

I wanted to make sure they were 100 % gluten free, so I took the recipe at http://half-bakedbaker.blogspot.com/2009/01/guilt-and-gulten-free-oatmeal-banana.html and used 1 c. brown rice flour and 1/2 c. Bob's Red Mills' Mighty Tasty Hot cereal instead of oat flour and added 1 Tbls. of applesauce. I used Agave syrup instead of brown sugar and I also added about two tablespoons of flax seeds and my now "signature" few tablespoons of applesauce.

They turned out great!  And, Alexander LOVES them.  He's already had part of three of them today.

Hopefully, I'll be back soon.