Gluten-Free & Tasty: Bars

We are always on the lookout for tasty, nutritious, gluten-free "granola" bars for Brad to take on the go. So far, these are our favorites. I think they're a delicious treat, though due to cost I usually come back to Kashi TLC Granola Bars (they have good nutrients but not too much sugar). Note: all of these bars contain nuts.


image from gliving.tv

Larabar. These raw-food wonders come in an array of flavors--I'm especially drawn to the chocolate variety, especially the Jocolat bars, but I've enjoyed every one I've tried (mmm, pistachio...). They are tangy and filling and pretty widely available--our Costco has them, or you can find them at any health food store, or in the health food aisles at your grocery store, or on amazon.com, where they are consistently the best deal (for a case). You will likely find the most flavors at a health food store or online.

Mrs. May's Trio Bars. These bars also feature a very short ingredient list. Read: Cashew, Almonds, Pistachios, Cranberries, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower S. No wonder eating them feels like immediate health boost! These are also available at our Costco, or online.

Tiger's Milk Bar. The original gluten-free snack bar, these are more candy than granola. They offer sweet taste and a nice boost of protein. They're better than a peanut butter cup, but with a similar flavor. They're available at health food stores, and most grocery stores.

Some others to look for:
Organic Food Bars (I'm not sure if all flavors are gf, so check the label to be sure)
Think Thin Bars (Again, I'm not sure if all flavors are gf, so check the label to be sure)

Gluten-free or wheaty, what's YOUR favorite snack bar?

To Quinoa or Not to Quinoa

photo from organicjar.com

Thanks to Kalli for inspiring the quinoa entry idea--her ideas sound so good I think I'll have to get more information on how she prepares them (do you cook the quinoa in milk or use leftover that's already cooked and mix it with milk and strawberries? And isn't it exciting that strawberries are coming into season again very very soon?)
I first bought quinoa when I saw it at our supermarket here in Seattle; I bought it again after reading Gluten-Free Girl, the book by the famous gf blogger. I always feel a little exhilarated when I try a new recipe or buy a new food or ingredient, so any opportunity to do both at once--I can't pass that up.
Quinoa has kind of a nutty flavor, and a soft texture. It's like little pearls of slightly bitter nuttiness, if you will. "Tiny rice" we call it with Jane. Supposedly you have to rinse it well to get rid of any bitterness. I do not notice the bitterness much, but Brad does, so you should probably rinse it better than I have--until the water runs clear, they say. I will too.
Quinoa is a great gluten-free alternative to rice or potatoes or corn, our main gluten-free staples. In some ways it's better because it is such a complete food nutritionally.
I found this recipe on marthastewart.com and thought it was pretty tasty. I also tried to make this hot pot from 101cookbooks.com with quinoa instead of bulgur with great success. Whether you are gluten-free or not, quinoa has a lot to offer, including the rush of trying a new food. Enjoy!

Spicy Lemon Quinoa

2 cups quinoa
Coarse salt
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Transfer to a medium saucepan, add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is completely absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl along with pine nuts, lemon zest, parsley, cumin, cayenne; drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss until well combined. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chickpea Hot Pot

1 large yellow onion, chopped
a splash of olive oil
a couple pinches of salt
2/3 cup uncooked bulgur (or cooked quinoa; uncooked may also work...)
1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cup cauliflower, trimmed into small trees
2 cup kale or chard, destemmed and cut into thin ribbons
olive oil for finishing drizzle
red onion, chopped for garnish

In a large pot over medium-high heat saute the onion in the olive oil along with the salt - for a minute or until the onion begins to soften a bit. Stir in the bulgur. Stir in the chickpeas and the stock. Bring the ingredients to a simmer. Cook for another few minutes, it should start to thicken. Taste to see if the bulgur is cooked through, if so add the orange juice. If not, simmer for a couple more minutes before adding the juice. Stir in the cauliflower and the kale as well - simmer another few minutes, until the cauliflower is just tender. If the stew is on the thick side, thin with a bit more water or stock. Taste, and add salt if necessary. Serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and red onions.

Serves 4 - 6.

Mmmmm...Homemade Pudding

I love Everyday Food. It's a magazine and also a show on PBS. And once a week, it's a little newsletter in my email. This week one of the recipes was chocolate or vanilla pudding, and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I thought I would give it a shot.
Homemade chocolate pudding is very good, it turns out. Though Brad and I agreed, if you have a box of instant pudding, it will does just fine; homemade requires some planning since it has to chill for 3 hours, plus the thirty minutes it took to cook it. It was better than instant though, and there's something magical about making food from scratch. Plus, it's worth checking out what you can make if you make this pudding. And oh yeah, it uses corn starch and is naturally gluten-free.
Here's the recipe for all to enjoy. It really is simple if you're vigilant, patient, and ready for pudding...in about three hours.

From Everyday FOOD

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if making chocolate pudding)
2 1/2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. If making chocolate pudding, add cocoa powder. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
2. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.
3. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes.

Meg Cooks. Or, she doesn't.

I have a good excuse for barely cooking these last couple weeks--have I cooked anything? I'm not sure. I also have a good excuse for that, right?
New baby or not, sometimes I get into ruts with cooking. Especially in winter. So I'm wondering: what do you make for dinner when you don't feel like cooking and eating out isn't an option?

The Thai Request

Is it lame to post a semi-lame post? Probably, but i'm tired of seeing that nagging date back in January of my last post. Elsha, this one is especially for you.
I would love to say I make amazing Thai food from scratch, on my own. Well, not yet. And I can't really speak to authenticity either. However, I do know good food when I eat it, and that's Thai Kitchen. Their rice noodle soups, noodle carts, and rice noodle stir fries are staples in our pantry. If you feel like making something a little more culinary (and spicy), try making a curry with one of their curry pastes. We have tried both red and green and like them both. This recipe comes from the Thai Kitchen website; you can also find it, or a similar recipe, on their curry paste bottles. There's nothing like spicy food when it's cold and drab outside.
Another perk? They are great about marking whether their products are gluten-free: they will actually say Gluten-Free. So if you or someone you know is looking for quick and easy meals, check out their selection.

Green Curry with Basil

Smooth and rich with a delicate hint of basil.

1 (14 oz.) can Thai Kitchen Pure Coconut Milk (Regular or Lite)
1-4 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste
1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2-3 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1⁄4 cup chopped basil leaves
1 1⁄2 cups assorted vegetables, cut into 1” pieces (try red bell pepper, zucchini, peas, or your favorite combination)
12 oz. chicken breast, cut into 1” pieces
Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice

Mix the coconut milk, green curry paste, stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and basil in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the vegetables and chicken and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over cooked Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice. Serves 4.

An Apple a Day

I found these perfect little gala apples at the store the other day, and couldn't resist. Apples are one of Jane's favorite fruits: she loves to eat them whole, peeled, right to the seeds in the center. What kind of blessed time and place is this that we can eat good, fresh apples in the middle of winter? It's nice that even when it's cold and dark, we can reach to warmer months through taste.

Cooking Therapy

My inner-50's-diva helps me take control of life through the kitchen.

Sometimes when I'm grappling with Jane's new napless/late nap schedule, the endless parade of papers and laundry, the evening settling in at 4:30 at night, withdrawals from "The Office" and "30 Rock," and my inability to see my toes, I find one refuge: The Kitchen. I cook dinner. The fresher, the better. If it's something new and it comes out well, that's the best.
I roasted my second chicken ever this week, on a night like that one. It came out juicy and browned and salty--just what we needed on a damp, cold Tuesday. Nothing magical happened with that dinner--it took hours longer than it should have, to the point of splitting it into the side dish course and the meat course--but there was something profound about watching Brad bite into that chicken, long anticipated, highly acclaimed. And it was so nice to hear someone else say they wish we weren't out of Brussels sprouts, they were so rich and flavorful. Okay, perhaps it was magical: for once, I didn't burn the rice. Or undercook it. Or add too much water.
Nothing makes this woman feel more in control than ruling every corner of my kitchen.