A New Direction

I have to laugh at myself--I haven't updated since July, and I didn't even know how long it has been?
The thing is, I've started another blog, a creative journal. I love our family blog, but don't want to clog it up with All Things Meg, so for that, I started 3 Red Balloons. There I will talk about beautiful things, and writing, and design, and food (naturally). If you are at all interested, please visit 3redballoons.blogspot.com. I also have plans early this year to post recipes online somewhere--I will post that here as well, when it happens (hopefully soon!).
Happy New Year!

Now for Something Completely Different

Recipes! On a cooking blog!
Looking back on my recent posts it is apparent that:
1: I am learning enough about food to be dangerous, but not enough to feel authorized to really write a food blog
2: Not everyone reads cookbooks for fun.
3: I like baking and making dessert more than making dinner (I'm not sure that's apparent from my posts, but it's true)
4: I still make dinner, and enjoy it, and I would like to share more recipes here. I think that's the most helpful thing I can do.
5: This is helpful especially when I have so many recipes that are naturally gluten-free.

Without further ado:

Recipes. Randomly selected and highly enjoyable.

Random Recipe 1:
Chicken Fajita-Tostadas, from Everyday Food
Summer is the best time for Mexican food--tomatoes are at their best, avocados are ripe, and something about all the sun makes me think salsa.

* 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
* 2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
* 1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
* 1 cup prepared fresh salsa
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
* 4 corn tortillas (6-inch)
* 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
* Cilantro-Lime Rice, for serving (optional, see recipe below)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On foil, combine onions, bell peppers, corn, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add chicken, stir to combine, and continue to roast until warmed through, 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken and vegetable mixture to a serving bowl, discarding foil (reserve sheet).
3. Arrange tortillas on sheet. Dividing evenly, brush with remaining tablespoon oil; top with cheese. Bake until edges are golden and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Dividing evenly, top tortillas with chicken-vegetable mixture and remaining 3/4 cup salsa. Serve with cilantro-lime rice, if desired.

Cilantro-Lime Rice, if desired
a la Everyday Food

* 1 cup long-grain white rice
* Coarse salt
* 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 garlic clove
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Stir into cooked rice, and fluff with a fork.

When I made this, it was too strong on its own. It went well with other food, especially Refried Beans.
Have you ever made your own refried beans? You should.
You can be super fancy and cook the beans yourself. The recipe is also a great use for leftover cooked beans.
Or you can open a can of black or pinto (any kind, really) and start the refrying there.
Why are they called refried? I don't know. Even Rick Bayless doesn't really know--their name has been improperly translated from their native tongue. But refried we call them.
Refried beans are tasty with everything, and are especially good on tostadas. Mmmm.

Refried Beans, the Lazy Version*
*meaning I don't want to get up to look up the recipe in the Joy of Cooking, so here's a riff)

1-14.5 ounce makes approx. 4 servings.
Cook over medium-low heat:
olive oil (about 1 Tablespoon--enough to coat the pot, more if you like)
diced onion, to taste
1-2 cloves minced garlic, to taste
jalapeno or up to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, if spiciness is desired

Keeping beans in their liquid (if using canned), add a bit at a time, crushing with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Keep stiring and mashing and cooking until the beans are a little wetter than you want--they will get thicker as they cool.
The strong, garlicky beans are great with the fresh, zesty rice.

How to Eat

We have spent the past two months on vacation and seeing family. I finally saw my where my husband grew up. It's a little town in the Eastern Sierra. We stayed at the home of a childhood friend (they were off on their own adventure in Europe). It was lovely. One of my favorite parts of the trip: eating at the local bakery. I ate almost an entire loaf of sheepherder's bread by myself, sliced thick and spread with Nutella. We wanted to spend our time outside or touring the sights, so our meals were simple. Boiled corn on the cob and fresh burgers. Boiled artichokes and pain au chocolat. Fruit with yogurt or cheese. It was delicious and simple.
The trip coupled with all the food planning that precedes and follows any big vacation, coupled with reading a book about French culture and their approach to food, has sent me deep into thought about the way we eat. The depths continued as we enjoyed a visit from B's sister and her dear family. She is a fellow celiac and foodie who has traveled a lot. Together we tried a gelato place in Fremont; ate the best ice cream of our lives on Bainbridge Island (they even have gluten-free cones); and made ensalada caprese. Walking through Pike Place and the return of our own Farmer's Market have added to my new goals and resolve.
When it comes down to it, I sound like a broken record. My goals haven't changed--eat lots of fruits and vegetables, eat fresh, have leftovers, bake something, enjoy food. But as I've learned more my approach to these goals is changing. As I've sought these goals, I have seen changes in myself. It's a slow process. Right now I'm just enjoying that I'm in a moment of clarity where I can see how far I've come--and feel excited about the road ahead.
To that question--How to eat? The part I want to focus on at the moment is how to prepare to eat. Too many times I find myself scrounging up food, hurrying to prepare dinner when everone in our house is already too hungry. For that, a few solutions:

*Decide early in the day what's for dinner. Decide by lunchtime, and note how long it will take to make.
*Start with a clean kitchen. For me, this means at least one counter space and an emptied dishwasher so I can load as I go. Your kitchen does not have to be perfectly clean.
*Try mise en place. this professional approach means you prepare all your ingredients before you begin cooking. I love doing this with any dish that requires a lot of spices or many chopped ingredients. Setting up this way also means you read through the recipe several times and get a better sense of it.
*Set the table. With two adults and two kids we tend to do buffet style, serving ourselves in the kitchen. Now that we have a bigger table we have room to put our food on the table. I cannot say enough about eating at least dinner at the table together--sans media, of course. Whatever your family situation taking your time to eat a meal at your table helps to set it apart from the rest of your day. Meals are nourishing and can nourish us beyond our caloric needs.
*Serve meals in courses and stick to small portions. This is tres French, but it is also a suggestion from Jessica Seinfeld in Deceptively Delicous. Starting with a vegetable can get the hard part out of the way. Next the main course--grain and protein, then finishing with dessert, maybe some nice fruit. A more French approach: bread is set on the table throughout the meal and the meal might finish with a rich dessert or simply some fruit with a bit of cheese or dark chocolate.
Serving small portions--sometimes even smaller than normal--gives children the satisfaction of finishing and asking for more.
*Bring everyone in on the dinner prep. J is becoming quite adept at mixing and stirring. Dinner doesn't usually offer as many opportunies for helping as baking does, but she is very keen on setting the table for everyone.
*Try new fruits and vegetables. This is especially important for children, but also for celiacs. Trying new fruits and vegetables is the best way to expand the palette. Not up for trying a whole new fruit? Try organic or locally grown berries or nectarines and see what you think. For some things, it's worth the extra money.
*Find a bread recipe and make it regularly. Bread or muffins, even simply pancakes or waffles. There are tasty options out in the gluten-free world, but there is something magical about homemade bread. It can be time consuming--all in all the bread below takes 1.5 to 2 hours--but most of that is hands-free, just being home to make sure it doesn't burn. Muffins can be done in about 30 minutes total. Nothing rounds out a meal better than a nice slice of bread or a muffin with some fresh fruit, nutella, or fruit preserves. Recipes for bread and muffins follow.
We have to figure out what works in our own families. For me, a major goal in raising my children is introducing them to every fruit and vegetable that I can. I want eating fresh produce to be an innate part of their lives. My other major goal: find and develop good gluten-free meals. Because eating shouldn't feel like a chore for anyone, no matter their dietary restrictions.
What would you add to the list above? What makes your eating experiences more nourishing spiritually as well as physically?


Homemade Gluten-free Bread
developed by Susan Singley
You prepare this bread like a quick bread, but it includes yeast so it rises. It works just as well with all rice flour--using sorghum gives it a little more nutty flavor and umph.

3 cups rice flour OR 1½ cups rice flour, 1½ cups sorghum flour
¼ cup sugar
1 package or 1 Tablespoon dry active yeast
3½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1½ teaspoons salt
2 cups lukewarm water
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs

1. Combine flour(s), sugar, yeast, xanthan gum, and salt in mixing bowl. Blend well.
2. Add the lukewarm water (water that is too warm will kill the yeast) and the vegetable oil. Blend well.
3. Add the eggs. Mix at highest speed of mixer for 2 minutes.
4. Bread dough should be wetter than cookie dough and stiffer than cake dough.
5. Add water till correct consistency. Usually only needs ¼ more at the most.
6. Pour dough into greased bread pan. Let rise until slightly above pans.
7. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Makes one loaf.

Betty Hagman's Easy Gluten-free muffins*
This basic lends itself to all kinds of variety--a few ideas are listed below.

1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons shortening or butter
2 eggs
1 cup rice flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk or nondairy liquid (orange juice comes out crispier--mmm.)
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Grease 8 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin cups.
In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and shortening.
Beat in the eggs.
Sift together the flour, salt, xanthan gum, and baking powder and add to the egg mixture alternately with the milk. Don’t overbeat. Stir in the vanilla.
Pour into muffin cups. Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Variations
Blueberry Muffins: add 1 to 1½ Tablespoons fresh or frozen blueberries
Cranberry Muffins: add 1 to 1½ Tablespoons fresh or frozen cranberries
Raspberry Muffins: add 1 to 1½ Tablespoons fresh or frozen raspberries
Lemon Poppy seed Muffins: 1 Tablespoon lemon zest and 1½ Tablespoons poppy seeds

Four Recommendations

I'm still working on the huge entry that will appear below this entry, but wanted to write a quicker note. If you only try four gluten-free products, these are what I recommend:

Tinkyada pasta. A lifesaver, especially if your family eats a lot of pasta. You can simply cook two pots (one wheat, one Tinkyada) and make the same sauce for everyone.
An all-purpose mix--Pamela's or Bob's Red Mill. They have recipes on the back and can be used for muffins, pancakes, waffles, bread, and I think even cookies. Baking from scratch can be very daunting, especially if you have to buy all the flours, so a mix is a perfect way to get baking.
Rice Chex, Corn Chex. Gluten-free cereal that is easy to find and cheaper.
MiDel Gluten-free cookies. Because everyone should get to open a bag and eat a cookie sometimes.

Places of Note:
Whole Foods. If there is a Whole Foods near you and they have a gluten-free bakehouse, it is worth splurging on any of their products. This is not something we do very often due to the price, but their cookies and muffins are so good. Try this if you're feeling discouraged about gluten-freedom.
Wild Oats. They also have some tasty chocolate chip cookies, if they still do. I have been away from Wild Oats for nearly two years, but they have had some tasty options in the past.

A Day of Meals--Extended Version

My husband has celiac disease; our two children and I do not. I try to make gluten-free eating simpler by finding recipes and foods that are naturally gluten-free. Here is a typical day around our table.

Breakfast. We are a cereal family, and B has tried it all. For a long time he ate either Envirokidz or Nature's Path corn flakes. Van's Frozen Waffles have been another staple: B likes them okay cooked in the microwave and topped with any syrup. These are not as good as homemade, so if you try these before you try making gluten-free waffles, don't be discouraged.
Currently, we have been thrilled about Rice Chex and yesterday, I brought home a box of Corn Chex. These are the best--they're cheaper and easier to find than the specialty products, and stay crisper longer in milk. I have to say, though, I have never had to go to a health food store to find any of the above products. They have all been available at Smith's, Fred Meyer, and sometimes even Walmart. Ordering products you really like from Amazon.com is another option.
Another happy discovery: gluten-free oats. There are several brands out there, and all seem to be truly safe. Our favorite: Bob's Red Mill. Bob is like one of our best friends, actually--his mixes and flours are wonderful. More on that in a minute. We like Bob's oats because they are more like quick-cooking oats than the tougher steel cut oats, and B is mastering making his own granola. We haven't tried cookies with these oats yet, though I imagine they will be tasty.
Other breakfast ideas: breakfast burrito (scrambled eggs, any veggies, and cheese on a steamed corn tortilla); yogurt and fruit; smoothies; Instant Breakfast (any except malt).

Lunch. I try to send B to work with leftovers from dinner the night before. Lunch and snacks can be a tricky business. B sometimes takes soup or chili. Stagg(Hormel) and Pacific Natural Foods are favorites. We especially love Pacific Natural Foods' Tomato soups and broths. Again these products area widely available. We've also had good luck with Progresso soups. They don't say gluten-free, but if they don't have any gluteny ingredients, they seem to be safe.

Snacks (this might be more helpful for sack lunch ideas). We have tried several snack products, and I seem to like more of them than B. Rice crackers (available at Costco), and rice cakes go great with cheese, meat, spreads, and tuna. In bar form, we have many delicious options: Larabar, Mrs. May's (they have many other tempting gluten-free foods available), and KIND bars. Tiger's Milk bars are another classic option. All of these are available at Amazon.com, and I've seen many at Costco as well. These are kind of expensive to have everyday, but are worth knowing about. Another great option: trail mix. It's easy to make your own mix of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, coconut, chocolate chips...premade mixes are hit or miss, so always check the ingredients list. (The issue tends to be cross-contamination). Deli meat, cheese sticks, and Yoplait or Stonyfield Farm yogurts are favorites.

Dinner. There seems to be a basic formula for the ideal dinner: protein, grain/starch, at least 1 vegetable and hopefully 1 fruit (maybe for dessert). Learning to cook gluten-free has been the perfect excuse to cook from scratch, and because I do this everyday, I try to find simple meals. Following the above formula leaves the door open for plenty of options. We all eat gluten-free for dinner, with the exception of some mixed meals. If we're having spaghetti, for instance, I'll make two pots of pasta--1 GF, 1 wheat, and then serve with the same sauce or toppings.

Protein. every kind of meat is naturally gluten-free. The only thing to look out for is preseasoned or cooked meat. Costco sells labeled gluten-free rotisserie chickens, as do many grocery stores if you're in a hurry. Many marinades and salad dressings are gluten-free as well. We love barbecue chicken or pork, made in the crockpot. (recipe bel0w). We always have to check sauce and dressing ingredients, but we have always found something that works. Brianna's is always a favorite; Kraft also has an excellent selection.

Grain/Starch. Rice. We love medium grain Calrose (it also makes excellent flour); brown has more nutritional value and a nuttier flavor; jasmine and basmati are treats for special occasions (jasmine is what they serve with Thai food; basmati goes with Indian), and are great with anything. Wild rice is delicious (We've fallen for Lundberg, who also make different rice cakes) and also has more nutritional value. Rice noodles go well with stirfries, or as a substitute for pasta noodles. The best gluten-free pasta in the world is Tinkyada. A simple solution for mixed family dinners: make wheat pasta for the wheaties, and cook Tinkyada separately for the gluten-freebies. We have separate colanders to be especially careful. Tinkyada makes all kinds of shapes and sizes, and it never gets mushy. It also doesn't taste as much like rice as regular rice noodles.
Other starch options: baked or mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams; quinoa; polenta; and grains like millet and amaranth. And of course, corn tortillas. Steamed, fried, or baked.

Vegetables & Fruits. Salads with gluten-free dressing. Anything roasted or steamed. Vegetables (and fruits) are one area we can really relax in--they are all gluten-free! I recommend finding out what's in season. It will save money and taste better. Right now great options would be artichokes, asparagus, peas, green beans, carrots, and cabbage, among many others. As mentioned, most salad dressings are fine, but it's always good to read labels. Canned fruit, jams etc, tend to be gluten-free. Strawberries, plums, apricots are a few of the delicious offerings that come in the spring.

A word on Casseroles. There are GF casseroles out there, though I'm not as familiar with them. Basically anything with a rice base will work, just beware of using cream of anything soups--the common ones thicken with flour. If casseroles like this are a staple at your house, you may want to explore more dinner options to save yourself from cooking two meals every night. You may also find it worthwhile to look for gluten-free creamy soups, or to make your own from scratch a la Bette Hagman.

A word on Baking. The biggest hole in a celiac's life is probably baked goods. But bread and cookies and cakes do not have to be completely absent. Our house was established as a gluten-free baking zone, which means I don't bake anything with wheat. Cross-contamination is a concern, and in a mixed kitchen, that will be your biggest enemy. I still think it's possible to pull it off, if you must. There are many mixes on the market. Need a gluten-free chocolate cake or brownies? Bob's Red Mill has mixes for you. I've also heard great things about Pamela's mixes. Both companies also make mixes for cookies, bread, pancakes and waffles. If baking is still too daunting, we recommend products from the gluten-free bakehouse at Whole Foods, MiDel gluten-free cookies, and products from Wild Oats.
Flourless cakes and cookies are another option. There are countless recipes for flourless chocolate cakes, pavlova, macaroons, or these peanut butter cookies:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter

Beat eggs. Mix in sugar and peanut butter. Form into balls and drop onto a cookie sheeet. press with a fork, if desired. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crockpot Barbecue Meat
Pork roast (tenderloin does well) or chicken pieces
Gluten-free BBQ Sauce of choice
1 onion, chopped, if desired

Place meat on top of onion in a crock pot. Drape the sauce over the meat, covering plus a little more. Add a little water, if desired.
Cook on high 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8. Meat should fall apart easily when it's done. Serve with baked or mashed potatoes (or sweet potatoes for more nutrition), gluten-free cornbread (made from Bob's redmill mix or Hodgson mill gluten-free cornmeal+rice flour), roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Word After My Hiatus

In trying to balance many projects in many areas in my life, this blog has fallen by the wayside. It may continue to be there a bit, but I want to keep it going and post at least once a week.
I wanted to find out, are there any recipes you've been searching for? Any questions you have? I have more recipes I can share but would love to address any specifics first.
So stayed tuned for...answers to your questions, delicious Mexican food, fluffy popovers, and seasonal favorites.

Nonfood Allergies & Wacky Cake

J's results came back--as of now, she does not have celiac disease (phew?). We will really be able to celebrate once we have done the genetic test. I am relieved for now, but my eyebrows are raised. A negative test now means she doesn't have it now, but it doesn't mean she won't ever have it. We'll keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.
J's allergy test panel came back as well, revealing that J is allergic to...dust mites. Severely allergic, it turns out. I was so busy preparing myself for my worst case scenario ("J can eat wheat, but nothing with corn, rice, or soy") that I was a little surprised by this result. Then, of course, it makes perfect sense. She coughs more in bed (a haven for dust mites). her wheeze worsened as the week with the humidifier progressed (mites love warm, humid spaces). And she didn't develop the allergy until we moved to a temperate, humid place (as opposed to high desert dryness that makes her itch like crazy).
I am so grateful that she does not have a separate food allergy we'd have to worry about at this time. Just thinking about it made me appreciate more what people with multiple food allergies have to go through everyday. Sure celiac disease is hard, but also subtracting milk products or eggs?
We faced this kind of dilemma for G's first birthday party. A dear friend of ours is allergic to peanuts, eggs, and milk. Her mom sent me this recipe called Wacky cake. It comes from the site kids with food allergies. You can find the site and the original recipe here.
I have not worked with this recipe to make any successful changes, but I'm intrigued by the possibilities of baking without dairy or eggs.

Wacky Cake
1 3/4 cups rice flour, or gluten-free blend
3 Tbsp cocoa powder (optional)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vinegar
5 Tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to combine.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until you get a smooth batter. Do not beat.
Pour into greased and floured pan (8" square or 9" round) or 12 cupcakes. Bake in oven until tests done - about 35 minutes for cake, about 20 minutes for cupcakes.

If dairy is an option, any icing will be great. If not, a basic icing of powdered sugar and water will work beautifully.

Upsides if we find out J has Celiac

The tests are in, the results will be back next week. Does J have celiac disease? If she does, here are the upsides:
1. she might be taller. if she starts the diet now, she will not have her growth stunted.
2. she's old enough to understand, but still young enough not to rebel against the diet.
3. i will bake so much more. i think we might save money and there will be so much more around for brad to eat.
4. i get the oreos to myself. just kidding! we don't buy prepackaged wheaty cookies and rarely splurge gluten-free. there might be more cookies around now, though.

Well, that's all I can think of. I'm not thrilled at the idea that she might have it, but finding out now would be so much easier. I have two best case scenarios in my head.
1: Jane doesn't have Celiac OR the gene for it. This means, as far as I know right now, we never have to worry about her having it. Hooray!
2: Jane has Celiac and the gene for it. Then we know! It would be such a relief to know. It might help answer what's causing her asthma like cough...of the last seven months.

There is the possibility that she has the gene, but does not (yet) have Celiac disease in it's full-out glory. For me, THIS is the bummer diagnosis. I don't know exactly what to do with it. I would rather know right now if she has it.
I will keep you posted. In the meantime, I'm working on previously mentioned dinner recipes, as well as some new sweet desserts in time for spring (lemon layered cake with strawberries and cream, anyone? how about sugar cookie fruit tarts?)
Are you waiting for something this weekend?

The Bakehouse: Gluten-Free Cookies, Muffins, and More Cookies

I have been on a roll with both baking and blogging this week, and thought a great way to finish off would be to share some of the results.



First, we made green sugar cookies for st. patrick's day. I have shared the recipe before, and it is still a winner in our book. Below I will share the Quick Icing we used to decorate the cookies (ok, we dipped the cookies in the frosting while they were still warm.)


Gluten-free honey poppyseed muffins.

I have been experimenting with Bette Hagman's Quick and Easy Muffins this week. I have tried recipes from Bob's Red Mill and Whole Foods, but when we're in a hurry, Bette's muffins can't be beat. This week I've toyed with using honey instead of white sugar. More on that to come.
The best news of the week: I successfully adapted another cookie recipe. Their texture and flavor is addictive, which is the main reason I can't make these again anytime soon.
But I still want to share them with you.
If you are looking for some gluten-free, decadent, chocolatey cookies that hold together, here you go.



Gluten-Free White Chip Chocolate Cookies
Nestle Tollhouse

• 2 1/4 cups rice flour, OR *1 3/4 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup sorghum flour, & 1/4 cup coconut flour (see note below)
  
• 2/3 cup Saco Premium Cocoa (any gluten-free baking cocoa will do)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (gluten-free)
  
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsel (or the chip of your choice)
  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in morsels.
Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Enjoy with a nice glass of milk.

TO FREEZE: Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and stick in freezer until set, about 15 minutes.
Remove from sheet and place in an airtight freezer container or bag (squeeze all air out of the bag)
Store until ready to bake, then preheat oven to 350, drop dough balls on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake.**

*I am still investigating whether it was this flour mix I used or the cocoa that made the texture of these cookies soft and less ricey. We have always been fine using all rice flour in place of all-purpose flour.
**Frozen cookie dough drops may need an extra minute or two in the oven, but we have successfully frozen cookie dough twice now and found no difference in the taste or texture. The cookie dough is also excellent in ice cream.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quick Cookie Icing
The Joy of Cooking

An easy, quick icing great for cookies or pound cakes. It is naturally gluten-free.

2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, or 3 Tablespoons hot heavy cream

3 to 4 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
food coloring (optional)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In a medium bowl, beat sugar and butter together on medium speed.
Add milk, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth.
Add additional milk or powdered sugar as needed to correct the consistency.
To store, cover the surface of the icing with a sheet of plastic wrap. This keeps for up to 3 days at room temperature, up to 3 weeks refrigerated, or frozen for up to 6 months. Soften and stir or beat until smooth before using.

Celebrating Gluten-Freedom

It's not very fair of me to say any of this since I am not the one who must adhere to a gluten-free diet, but I still wanted to write about the benefits of living in a mostly gluten-free kitchen. I know it's not easy for my husband to get enough calories (we're working on it), but I still want to share the bright side I've found in celiac disease.

1. Fewer processed foods. We still end up with more than I would like, but it is much easier and cheaper to buy whole foods and make things from scratch.

2. Less Junk Food. I do not want to buy a bag of Oreos if I am the only one who will eat them. Simple.

3. Focus on fruits and vegetables. I am far from perfect at this one, but I do think about it a lot more. Being more fresh-food conscious also comes from having children--we want them to love the best foods from the very beginning. All fruits and vegetables are naturally gluten-free, filling our kitchen with a beautiful, limitless sky.

4. I love a (baking) challenge. I have learned so much more about baking than I would have without the alternate ingredients. I've also found that creativity flourishes best with some boundaries.

5. Health food stores and alternative ingredients. Many gluten-free recipes I find use natural sweeteners and whole grain flours (just not the flours we're typically familiar with). Another number of recipes or foods happen to be organic. My education with these ingredients has been a slow process, but would likely be nonexistent without gluten-freedom.

6. A built-in excuse to try new foods. Going gluten-free is hard in the beginning, when you have to learn all the no's and can'ts of the diet. After a while these become second nature and you begin to focus again on all the yeses and can's. And there are so many delicious possibilities out there.
Even just five years ago I would not have pictured myself fixing baked sweet potatoes and quinoa with butter and parmesan. That's what I ate for lunch today, and it just so happens my baby liked it too. I'm grateful that eating gluten-free is so much easier these days and hope we can continue to find delicious options.

A Few Random Food Lists

The more I learn about food and cooking, the more new foods I discover and want to try. I've been inspired by recipes with healthy foods; by French, Asian, and Mexican recipes; and by blogs like this one. I'm especially inspired by fruits and vegetables, and using different sweeteners (I'll let you know about these honey muffins I just made), and gluten-free whole grain baking ingredients.
As a list person with a budget, I've decided to make a list of the ingredients I would like to try (the budget part: I'm making this list instead of buying all these right now). If you have any recommendations for the ingredients I list, please let me know.

A Few Ingredients Tried:
100% pure maple syrup. deliciously sweet but not too sweet. We like grade A, haven't tried B.
Turbinado sugar. works so well with chocolate and great for sprinkling on top of baked goods.
Leeks. I love them. They have made this winter feel fresher and sweeter. They are especially good with wild rice and in soups.
Roasted Nectarines. So good with tapioca pudding.
Tapioca pudding. Delicious from scratch or a mix.
Coconut flour. I've raved before and I'll say it again: tasty.
Dried Apricots. These have been a great addition to fruit purees and pear sauce.
Fingerling potatoes. They had a strong potato flavor and tasted good without any adornment.
Cooking wine. We weren't big fans and tend to use chicken stock or broth instead.
Chicken broth or stock, and vegetable broth. So much better than my bouillion cubes. Now I just need to use up those cubes...

Foods to try:
Carob dust. Out of curiosity.
Currants. I've heard we can get fresh currants in Seattle in the spring. I would love to try fresh and dried and currant jelly. The jelly is especially good with fruit tarts.
Gluten-free fruit tarts. My husband is revising a pie crust recipe that will make these worth trying.
Roasted leeks.
Flaxseed.
Sea salt. I just bought some fine sea salt for baking (instead of the girl with the umbrella kind), and use kosher salt for most of my cooking. I'm feeling ready to expand to the sea.
Vinaigrette and homemade salad dressing.
Sucanat or evaporated cane juice. mostly because I would love to duplicate Bob's Red Mill chocolate cake mix and this is the sweetener they used.
Vanilla bean. I have made the switch to real vanilla (thank you, Costco--better price and gluten-free). For a special occasion I would love to try the beans.
Saffron. A key ingredient in the best Indian food. Someday I will feel daring enough to try this pricey spice.
Prosciutto. I've had it, but I haven't cooked with it.

Vanilla Ice Cream Toppings We love:
Rice Chex (add with a little sugar if desired). they taste like crushed ice cream cone.
Pecans and a drizzle of honey. This got me through January in a sweet way.
Candy or fruit. nothing original here, but always a winner.

Ice Cream Alternatives:
Yoplait Whips (I like to stick them in the freezer, especially any of the chocolate whips)
Frozen blueberries with milk and sugar. the milk freezes around the blueberries in a delightfully icy way.
Instant pudding. This is especially good with fruit.
Strawberry honey smoothie. So delicious. The honey makes all the difference in this yogurt-berry treat.

Foods that make me excited for Spring:
Asparagus. Roasted with a little olive oil and salt and pepper is so good.
Artichokes. I want to try them steamed like my good friend did.
Rhubarb. I will attempt another gluten-free strawberry-rhubarb crumble.
Fava beans.
Figs. I want to try these again, dipped in chocolate or wrapped in prosciutto.
Strawberries. Not the overgrown kind we get at the grocery store. The homegrown kind--smaller and sweeter.

Delicous Food Combinations:
bacon and asparagus (prosciutto would be good too)
strawberry and honey
honey and pecan
turbinado or brown sugar (any sweetener with more molasses) and chocolate
potatoes and leeks
leeks and mushrooms
salmon and leeks
crepes and fruit
pudding and fruit
citrus and vanilla
citrus and berries
citrus and chocolate
butternut squash and ginger
soy and ginger
chocolate and zucchini
lime and cilantro

That's all I can think of for now. What about you? Anything on my lists you want to try, or have tried?

When the Sweet Tooth Aches (GF Crepes)

That's how my sweet cravings feel, sometimes--this longing, aching for sweet and chocolatey and delicious.
So what's a person to do in the face of such cravings?
I heard once that eating a piece of fruit and drinking water can help satisfy the sweet famishment (also I wanted to use the word famishment).
I've found pairing something sweet with something whole grain (and thus more filling) helps.
Fruit desserts are always winners.
Jell-O Instant pudding, especially with fruit.
And here's a new one for the list:
Crepes.

Gluten-free crepes are so simple, every time I make them I wonder why we don't make them more often. If you haven't tried them, you should! They're delicious and fat free and very versatile--great with everything from fresh fruit and yogurt to pudding or cool whip and bananas. And that's just the sweet stuff.
Crepes. Try some today. Here's how.

Gluten-Free Crepes
(I don't know where the recipe originated, but it wasn't with me. Thank you, whoever you are.)

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rice flour
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Beat the eggs just until blended. Add the salt, milk and flour. Whisk until smooth.
2. Cover the batter and let rest 15 minutes. The batter should be thin. (Just enough to coat a spoon dipped in it.) Add more milk if the batter is too thick.
3. Heat a frying pan with butter or vegetable oil to grease the pan.
4. Working quickly, pour 1/4 cup of batter for a small crepe, or 1/3 cup batter for a larger crepe, into the hot pan. Tilt the pan so that the batter spreads out evenly. Cook on one side (it cooks quickly), turn with a spatula and cook the other side.
5. Pile the cooked crepes on a plate. Refrigerate if not using immediately. These may be prepared up to a day ahead of time.

Ideas for filling:
It works best to use a combination of creamy, fruity, and if you choose, a garnish.

Creamy
sweetened sour cream (start with 2 Tablespoons sour cream per serving; add brown or white sugar to taste. The cream will become runnier as you add more sugar.)
cool whip (a low-fat, low calorie option. Not exactly health food, but mmm. Especially with bananas)
yogurt

Fruity
berries
berry syrup
jam or fruit preserves
poached fruit, such as pears or peaches
bananas
fruit salad mix--diced berries, mango, kiwi
even canned fruit--mandarin oranges, pineapple, peaches, pears...

Garnish
citrus zest (lemon and orange are tasty with berries)
chocolate sauce
shaved chocolate
a drizzle of poaching syrup
fruit juice
whipped cream or cool whip
toasted nuts or coconut
drizzle of caramel sauce

There's no way I have all the options here--what do you or would you add?

Putting it Together: Spicy Turkey Sausage and Wild Rice Pilaf

As I've learned some recipes and cooking techniques and thought more about what types of foods work well together, I have felt more comfortable putting together meals. I don't always do it--too often we are missing a green vegetable at dinner. When I do trust my instincts, it's always a learning experience (and often delicious).
I found some turkey sausage on sale at the grocery store last week--the use/freeze by date was coming up so it was half off. It made a delicious meal paired with wild rice pilaf (recipe below). All we were missing: some kind of green, either a salad or roasted asparagus or green beans. The rice was perfect with the spicy sausage, especially with the addition of sauteed mushrooms and leeks. All together it was spicy and buttery and delicious. It was also incredibly easy--cook the sausage (already in links). Cook the rice. Boom. About 40 minutes.

Wild Rice Pilaf

Cook the wild rice according to the directions on the package. Be sure to use salt, whether instructed to or not.
Meanwhile, melt butter or heat olive oil (to taste) in a frying pan or skillet, over medium heat. Add leeks, onions, or shallots (your choice, sliced or chopped) and cook until a little softer. Add mushrooms and cook all until soft and fragrant.
Add sauteed vegetables to wild rice and serve.
Other excellent additions: chopped fresh parsley; finely chopped garlic; toasted sliced almonds.

Today I used some of the leftover wild rice to make a salmon salad. Also easy.

Wild Rice Salmon Green Salad

Leftover wild rice, reheated if desired
Leafy greens of choice (I chose romaine from a salad bag, even faster)
Cooked salmon (mine was canned) (leftover chicken would be excellent too, or sausage or whatever kind of meat or protein you have on hand)
Lemon juice, to taste (I used this instead of salad dressing)
Fresh grated parmesan (or romano), if desired

This was a winner too--satisfying and tasty. I'm trying to change my mindset about salad, and this type of meal definitely helped.
What kind of meals do you throw together for lunch or dinner?

Lighter Sesame Chicken

Martha Stewart and the folks at Everyday Food give us this Chinese food classic lightened up--and made gluten-free in the process.
I think this is a recipe-in-progress. I'm encouraged by the batter, though my husband wasn't sure about it. We both think the sauce needs a little tweaking--a little sweeter, maybe more spice. It does make me feel like we could make Chang's Spicy chicken here at home, so I'll keep you posted on that front. In the meantime, if you're craving take-out and looking for a lighter or gluten-free version (for less bucks than PF Chang's), give this a whirl.
A side note: PF Chang's, as well as their faster-food counterpart Pei Wei, both offer delicious gluten-free menus. Click here and here.


photo from original recipe site.

Lighter Sesame Chicken

Everday FOOD

Serves 4

• 3/4 cup brown rice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and fill with 1 inch water; set aside for broccoli. Cook rice according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.
4. Meanwhile, place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve sesame chicken with broccoli and rice.

What's for Dinner: A Month of (Gluten-Free) Meals

Hands down the best advice I have ever gotten about making dinner for my family: Plan a whole month ahead. The first time I heard it, I was astounded. A whole month? It was beyond me. Looking back, it probably would have been depressing/hilarious to see five or six meals repeated through the course of the month. I couldn't handle it yet, but I thought it sounded like a nice goal to aspire to.
I have since planned menus for a whole month and I have to say, it's amazing. It saves money, time, and means plenty of options if the ascribed meal for the night doesn't sound good. I've done a horrible job of meal planning in 2009, but I'm trying to get back on top of it and thought I would share our dinners with you.
Meal-planning is a personal endeavor. In trying to save money, this is mostly based on what we have in the pantry, trying to buy as few ingredients as possible. I hope you find some meals that will help you too. Stay tuned this month for reviews, as well as more gluten-free ideas and recipes. I will also work to post the recipes that are not already linked on this entry.
I have to admit, I'm a little surprised at the Martha Stewart theme I've got going. We'll see how her recipes measure up this month.
And, as always, these meals are gluten-free. Many of them are naturally gluten-free, meaning they need no adaptations.

A month's worth of meals, allowing a few gaps for leftovers and life in general:
Lighter Sesame Chicken*
Apricot-Glazed Pork Tenderloin* (notes on this recipe to come)
Spaghetti Carbonara*
Burgers, Honey-glazed baked beans, salad
Rice Choccoli
Black Beans and Rice
Honey-Soy Glazed Chicken
Crockpot Chicken makhani, dal, and gluten-free naan (this one's going to be good...)
Breakfast casserole, salad, crepes and fruit
Chicken with Ginger
Corned Beef and Cabbage OR Salmon Cabbage Rolls (St. Patrick's Day Meals)
Chicken Corn Chowder
Calzones or Pizza, salad
Tuna Patties or Tuna Caesar Salad
Rolled Flank Steak*
Chinese-Style Chicken Soup*
Green Chicken Curry
Southwestern Eggs
Pancakes, Eggs, Hasselback potatoes
Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Roasted Asparagus
Tuna-Black bean tacos
Roasted Chicken, sweet potatoes, and green beans
"Cajun-Style" Chicken Breat with Chili Bean Maque Choux
Thai Peanut
Chicken with Poblano Cream Sauce
Orange Beef stir-fry

*=new recipes I'm trying this month

Any questions? Suggestions? Let me know in the comments.

Feeding Others

When I think about cooking for others, whether I'm taking food to them or inviting them to dine here, I get major stage fright. Now why would that be? I love cooking, and I love people. I love feeding my family, and making food for my parents or my in-laws has never been quite so intimidating. Of course I always want the meals I make to taste good, but I take it to a whole new level when I'm cooking for others: I don't even know what to make.
My anxiety over this has made me think about my kitchen, my staples. Everyone has staple pantry items, whether they are conscious of it or not. Part of my dilemma came when I realized I cannot use two of my staples in this particular instance. And that I cannot go to the store. I didn't really realize before how much I depend on citrus (especially lemons), tomatoes, and general spiciness in my cooking. Many of our dinners include all three, but most contain at least one of those key elements. Add a concern for type of cuisine and you've got one frozen chef. Looks like it's time to broaden my horizons a bit.
Of course some of the best meals to take to people are the ones I would overlook. I feel pretty confident about most of my soups. Crockpot barbecue chicken or pork is a standby classic. I sometimes forget that making dinner for someone else doesn't mean you have to put in a lot of work--using my crockpot is certainly not cheating. Is it simply pride on my part, wanting others to wish I would cook for them every night? I'm afraid this cooking blog may attest all well to that possibility.
My anxiety also brings to my attention my commitment issues. I have been making efforts to learn to make all kinds of food with all kinds of techniques. Maybe now it's time to specialize a little more, focus on a specific type of food until I can cook it really well. Like Pancakes. =)
I know what I'm going to make for our neighbors tonight--chicken tagine. I really hope they like it, but if not, that's okay too. So no more worrying about me. This has made me wonder, though, when you make dinner for other people, what do you make? What is your favorite take-away and your favorite dinner party fare?

Gluten-Free Blueberry Pancakes

It's official: coconut flour is here to stay. It improves the texture without the starchiness. Today's Sunday Pancake Special: Blueberry Pancakes.
I got the base for this recipe from my mother-in-law, and they have been quite tasty. For a lower-fat version, you can substitute yogurt or applesauce for the oil. I was out of oil, so I tried yogurt. I'm glad to know that works in a pinch, but next time I don't think I'll worry about the 1 teaspoon of oil. You can also make these with all rice flour.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Pancakes
½ cup regular rice flour minus 1 Tablespoon
1 Tablespoon coconut flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons sugar

1 egg
1 teaspoon corn oil
¾ cup buttermilk

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup blueberries.

Mix together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
Mix together the egg, corn oil, and buttermilk. Add the baking soda.
Add the dry ingredients and mix together.
Fold in the blueberries, if using.
Grease heated pan and pour batter onto hot pan by ladles full.
Serve with maple syrup, honey, or other syrup of choice. Or not. Mmmm.

Coconut Flour and Blitztorte! (gluten-free lemon cupcakes)

I always feel that German titles should end with an exclamation point, especially when the title happens to mean "quick lemon cake!" Oh, so this one gets an exclamation point in English too.
Week two of the pancake themed-tradition and I'm already changing the subject. Cupcakes aren't exactly the health food I have been trying to feed my family either. But in the name of culinary science, I carry on.
The original recipe comes from The Joy of Cooking, and chances are, it's fantastic. The thing is, this is my first time making this cake, and I've already strayed from the recipe quite a bit. Here's what I've done. I'll let you know how it works once they've cooled. They're out of the oven, they're lemon scented (as promised), but also with a hint of coconut. And they did not rise above the top of the pans...
Coconut flour. I happened upon its existence on a website the other day. The writer glorified coconut flour as a gluten-free sweet savior of sorts, so off the PCC I went. I am excited to see all the different kinds of flour Bob's Red Mill produces (and labels so clearly): almond, hazelnut, carob. I've known about tapioca and potato (hello delicious pizza and scones), but green pea and black bean? Intriguing. Anyway, in my new-food excitement, I bought some coconut flour. Because I would love to make a light, fluffy chocolate cake for my son's first birthday next month.

Gluten-Free Blitztorte Cupcakes
3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about one lemon; you'll have left over zest)

1/3 cup chopped or sliced natural (unblanched) almonds or other nuts (optional, for topping)
1 heaping Tablespoon sugar (optional, for topping)

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour one 8x2" round pan or line the bottom with wax or parchment paper, or prepare cupcake pan
Whisk together the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds.
Gradually add the sugar and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 3 to 5 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Beat in the zest and lemon juice.
Stir in the flour mixture just until smooth. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread evenly. If desired, sprinkle the top of the mixture with 1/3 cup chopped or sliced natural almonds or other nuts and 1 heaping Tablespoon of sugar.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle, about 30 to 35 minutes, about 20 minutes for cupcakes. For a real treat, try baking cupcakes in ice cream cones (bake for about 25 minutes). Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The verdict: When they were warm, they were a little too soft and moist, but the flavor was delicious. As promised, the coconut flavor was not too noticeable. The next day Brad told me the cupcakes were delicious and worth making again. Next time I'll try the topping or a different icing (not cream cheese, it's too heavy) and mixing sorghum in instead of some of the rice flour.
Overall, delicious and easy. And I think coconut flour is here to stay.

A New Sunday Tradition

Pancakes. For this month anyway. Every year our church schedule changes, and for 2009, we meet in the morning. This means long, leisurely Sunday afternoons. I have decided this is prime time to try some new baking and bread-like recipes. There may be a name for the compulsion I feel to go through The Joy of Cooking edition I own and, by category, try every recipe I possibly can. Of course I only have gluten-free flours in the house, so hopefully that won't add too much drama.
Today's treat: Silver Dollar Hots.


image from here.

The most delightful part of these tasty little pancakes: their size. It's satisfying to see about 40 miniature treats cooling on the plate.
These actually worked quite well gluten-free, too. I served mine with honey, but next time I will make sure I have some pure maple syrup to try them with.

Silver Dollar Hots, Gluten-Free
adapted from The Joy of Cooking

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream
1/4 rice flour (or all-purpose)
1-1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pure maple syrup, fresh fruit, honey, or fresh fruit jam, for serving
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whisk in the remaining ingredients.
Spoon 1 Tablespoon of the batter onto the hot griddle or pan for each pancake, nudging the batter into 2-1/2 inch rounds. Cook until the top of ea h pancake is speckled with bubles and some bubbles have popped, then turn over and cook until the underside is lightly browned.
Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Resolute

Holidays + a trip home = maximum indulgence conditions. Chocolate. Ice cream. Indian food. Candy. Cheese. I probably could use more self control this time of year, but honestly I find it so much easier to cut back on sweets after taking a vacation from self-restraint. So for a couple weeks I let myself eat a banana split and then finish off a Hershey's Cookies and Cream bar and then maybe drink some hot cocoa. During the holidays, my sweet tooth knows no bounds.
We're back in our own place now, and ready to settle into some healthier habits. After a sweet vacation, my mind clears and I focus more on what I want my normal life to be like. Can there be chocolate? Maybe a little hot cocoa now and then. Can there be Indian food? If you allow me to call what I prepare from my best recipes Indian food, then yes, that will be in my new reality as well. For me, though, there are only two realities--the sweet vacation and the healthy home life. I have yet to find that in-between place where chocolate bars disappear in small increments and the first signs of stress do not lead to a disappeared bag of chocolate chips. Perhaps my food journey will lead me there someday, a balanced and golden place in my opinion, a place where you can have your cake and eat it (slowly!) too. For now I'll stick to my all-or-nothing approach. Which brings me to my new year's resolutions.
As I've thought about what I want my life to be like starting in 2009, one of the strongest visions that materializes is all about food. More fruits and vegetables, home-baked (gluten-free) breads, and a clean kitchen are part of the picture. I also want to continue my cooking and baking education. I have learned so much and we have tried so many new foods, but I still have foundation to lay. I hope to share my successes here, and learn from the recipes that fall apart.
So in 2009, I resolve to nourish my family with healthy, fresh food and to write all about it. I want to make this my healthiest year ever and to find or create better gluten-free foods for my husband. If that's not enough, I'm sure I'll find something else to do too.
What do you resolve to do with 2009?