Sushi - Easier Than You Think

     Sushi can be ridiculously expensive when you eat out, even at the cheap little sushi-go-round places that are becoming more popular these days. To combat this dilemma but still get our sushi fix, I’ve been making it at home for probably 5 or 6 years now. When talking to friends or family about dinner options and I mention sushi, they often wonder if I’m being serious about making it at home or if just referring to ordering take out.

     It seems when you mention making sushi, people often conjure up images of a serious-faced man behind the counter in a white ensemble with a ridiculously sharp knife and decades of experience. While I do not dispute this is probably a badass sushi spot to imagine, the reality of making it at home is super easy and much less intimidating than this imagery.

     Just to be clear, we still go out for sushi every great once in a while. We usually go out so I can enjoy the salmon or tuna rolls and Thomas can enjoy some tempura vegetables. Saki is usually a given, as well. Being pregnant, however, the raw fish and Saki is off limits to me for a while, so we pick another fare to grub on.

     Making sushi at home requires only one essential tool: a very sharp knife. We find that using a serrated bread knife, not a steak knife or serrated utility knife, is the magic trick for us. We use the Victorinox 10-1/4-Inch Fibrox Wavy Bread Knife . Thomas does the cutting and I do the rolling, but the handle on this knife is made of Fibrox, a great material to keep your hand from slipping around if it is wet or has some grease on it. Our go to kitchen set of knives all feature this handle and we love them.

     Beyond the sharp knife, you need to know how to cook some sushi rice. No brainer here, you can search around for some tips and tricks, or if you have a rice cooker, it is super easy for you. Otherwise, I’ll give you my sushi rice cooking rundown. Water to rice ratio should be 2:1, so 2 cups of water for 1 cup of dry rice. We just make one cup of rice for the two of us and usually get about 5 or 6 rolls. Bring your water to a boil, dump in your rice, stir it well and turn it way down to low-medium and put a lid on it. I have an electric stove with a 1-10 dial system and I put it around 2.5. Don’t peak at your rice. Don’t do it. You might have a little bubble over or some spitting from around the lid, but this is normal. If it’s pouring out, I’d turn it down even more. Low and slow is the key here. It takes about 10 minutes or so, give or take a couple to finish the rice. Turn the heat off when it has finished.

     If you want to season your rice, do it when the cooking has finished. For one cup of rice, I use 1 tablespoon each of rice vinegar, tamari (gluten free soy sauce), and sugar. Swirl this around in a bowl or cup to help dissolve the sugar then dump into the rice and fluff with a fork. Let the rice sit with a lid on it while you finish up the rest of the prep work.

     Rolling the sushi seems to be what intimidates folks the most. I use a cutting board or my counter. No fancy bamboo mats or paddles, just my hands and a clean, dry flat surface. Get out a sheet of your nori (the seaweed wrap for the sushi) and lay it down on the working surface. It usually comes as a rectangle, and you’ll want a short side toward you. I use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop rice out for consistency. Spread your rice around to almost the edges with a fork, leaving about a 1” – 1.5” space at the side closest to you for placing your fillings.



     Once you have your filling in place, place your fingers near the top of your fillings and scoop up the edge of the nori with your thumbs. Now that you’ve got the roll started, just use your fingers and thumbs to walk the roll up the rice covered nori, tucking in any loose filling that shoot out the ends. Transfer seam side down to a plate or another cutting board for cutting.







     Filling options are fairly open-ended here and where your creativity (and random leftover veggies) comes into play! We’ve used cream cheese (vegan or regular), match-stick sliced carrots, cucumbers, pickles, green onions, red onions, avocado, sesame seeds sprinkled on the rice, lettuce, spinach, kale, hot mustard smeared on the nori under the fillings, and radishes just to name what I can think of right now. It really is open to whatever you want to put in there.

Generic Sushi
Serves 2

Ingredients
Toasted nori - look for this in the International food isle or in a specialty store if you have one nearby. Amazon also has good options.

For the rice:
1 cup dry sushi rice
2 cups water
1 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs tamari

For the filling:
(Filling options are endless, but here are some suggestions based on my favorite fillings)
Cream cheese
Green onions
Avocado
Red onions
Cucumbers
Pickles
Carrots
Sesame seeds
Lettuce
Spinach
Kale
Radishes

Method
First... Boil water, add rice, stir, reduce heat down to low and cover. Cook for around 10 minutes. Mix the tamari, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl before adding to rice after cooking is done. Fluff with fork and let sit for a few more minutes while you finish prep work.

Then... Prep your filling choices, cutting them into match-stick shaped pieces. They don't have to be uniform or pretty, just a general shape so they roll easier.

Finally... Place a sheet of nori onto your working surface, place 1/3 cup of rice in the middle, and smooth out to near the edges, leaving around 1" - 1.5" at the bottom end to place your ingredients. Roll the sushi, using your fingers to stabilize the filling and your thumbs to flip the end up, and walk the roll to the top of the nori. Transfer seam side down to a plate for cutting.

     One of the things I didn’t mention here is how great of a couple’s activity making sushi is. There is a good bit of prep work involved with all the cutting and various little things to do. It is something that I look forward to making a couple times each month with my spouse, even though we almost always make dinner together. We both really enjoy the meal, thinking of new filling ideas, or just noshing on sushi and Saki while we watch a movie together.

Enjoy!
- Patricia

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Artichoke & Lemon Pasta

     There isn’t too much more that I love than a simple bowl of pasta dressed up just slightly with a little something special. It is the ultimate in comfort foods for me and I could eat pasta almost every day for lunch at work with no regrets. I would make it more often at home, but the spouse isn’t the biggest pasta fan and tires on it rather quickly, so I try for maybe twice a month or so.

     This pasta dish is a quick throw together lunch for one, or you could easily double or triple it for dinner for the family or for several lunches during the week. It comes together so quickly, that I’ll sometimes make it in the morning while I’m scurrying around the house getting ready for work. I try to heat up my lunch and store it in a thermos so I can avoid the lines at the microwave in the break room and the awkward conversations that brings. It is also super convenient to just grab my thermos and walk over to a local park and eat lunch outside – it makes for a great change of scenery.

Artichoke & Lemon Pasta
Serves 1 hungry person

Ingredients
1/3 – 1/2 Jar of marinated artichoke hearts
1/4 bag Trader Joes Brown Rice Pasta
1/2 Fresh lemon

Optional Toppings
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can zest a bit of the lemon into the pasta
For a creamier pasta dish, add a bit of non-dairy salad dressing. I like Drew's All-Natural Salad Dressing and 10 Minute Marinade, Roasted Garlic & Peppercorn, 12-Ounce Bottle

Method
First... Boil your pasta according to bag instructions, drain, and return to pan. If you want this to be a cold dish, which is equally delicious, rinse your pasta in cold water for a minute or two.

Then... Remove the artichoke hearts from the jar and cut into quarters. Separate the layers and add to pasta. Squeeze the lemon, being careful to avoid seeds, into the pasta.

Finally... Stir well, adding any optional toppings you want, before serving immediately or packing away for lunch.

- Patricia

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Perfect Pizza.

     Ladies and gentlemen, I have done it.

     After months of tweaking various recipes I've found all over the internet and trying pre-made mixes, I have settled on a pizza dough recipe that we both enjoy. I have made dozens of pizzas with this recipe. There are air pockets in the dough, it takes plenty of toppings without getting soggy, and is crispy on the bottom. It's good.

     During this experience I have truly seen the light when it comes to baking by weight. Because two flours weigh differently (sometimes drastically different), using ½ cup of a 'similar' flour or starch interchangeably will result in a different end product. It can really screw things up – prevent your crust from browning, make the crumb too doughy, or cause too little moisture for a dry dough that is hard to work with.

     This recipe is heavily based on the trial and error of both myself and others. I studied recipes, poured through books that explained the fundamentals of baking with gluten free flours and starches, and started with a dough recipe that was already highly rated by others in the gluten free world. Because Thomas and I are pretty picky about what we eat, I modified the recipe quite a bit to get it to our preferences. Feel free to do the same. Experiment until it tastes good. You'll still have pizza in the end, and pizza is good. Homemade pizza is ten times better.

Perfect Pizza
Serves 1 or (2)

Ingredients
For the crust:
15 g dry yeast
40 g melted vegan butter
1 3/4 Cups mildly hot water, around 110*F

120 g potato starch
120 g tapioca starch
120 g millet flour
120 g corn flour
dash salt

Optional crust add- ins: crushed red pepper, herbs, basil, sun-dried tomatoes

Pesto or tomato sauce

Toppings: spinach, artichoke, cheese, onion, mushroom, basil, tomato, pineapple, olives

Method
First... Prepare ingredients by melting butter over low heat, weighing out flours and starches into a large mixing bowl along with salt and crust add-ins, and preheating the oven to around 200*F.

Then... Mix 1 cup hot water into the melted butter, sprinkle yeast over the mixture, stir to remove any lumps, and set aside for 5 to 7 minutes.

Then... Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring well to incorporate. Sprinkle the remaining water into the dough as needed to obtain the proper consistency.
***You want dough that holds together, but is slack like warm silly putty. You won't be able to make a ball that holds a smooth shape with it, but it's not watery and does not stick to your hands. The mixing bowl shouldn't have anything in it but some oil residue at this point.

Then... Let dough sit in middle of mixing bowl for one hour, draped with a towel, near the cracked oven door.

Then... After rising, increase the oven temperature to 425*F, remove the dough from the bowl and place it onto one sheet of parchment with another on top before rolling or patting flat. Slowly peel back the top layer of parchment in the opposite direction. Leave the crust on the bottom parchment paper and transfer this to a heavy baking sheet or a pizza pan.

Finally... Add toppings and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

     During the tweaking of this recipe I discovered several nuances about it. Too much sauce can keep the crust from crisping on the bottom, so roll it out a bit thicker than normal to keep the sauce from making the dough soggy. Using foil is a bad idea. You'll be picking foil chunks out of the underside of the pizza for several minutes before eating. However, if you don't have parchment, you can roll the dough on foil, just transfer it to a lightly floured pan. The flour might burn in the oven with the high heat, so keep the vent hood on if you have to do this. If we use a baking pan that is not heavy bottomed, the crust does not crisp as well.

     Like I said before, I've made dozens of pizzas with this recipe. I've really made it mine and we are both happy with it every time I make it. We don't change the toppings much from one pizza to the next, but we do change the cheese and sauce which gives us just enough variety. Onions, spinach, artichoke hearts, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and cheese are our standbys.

     Pizza was my last gluten meal. I had a Papa Johns on the way to the house when I found out I had Celiac. I cried, ate the pizza, and got over it. That day I really thought I was giving up all bread, beer, and pasta forever. It was the very first day for me and I had no clue that sorghum flour or millet flour existed, much less what sorghum or millet was to begin with. I've come so far since then. This January is four years gluten free and I've never felt better. The first couple of years of baking were difficult for me, but with patience and persistence I've really been able to conquer gluten free baking.

     If your first pizza is a flop, don't give up! Just make notes, put the bad experience behind you, and keep tweaking and adjusting until you find what works for you. There are books and websites devoted to help you and guide you, take their advice and build on it.

- Patricia

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Traveling and the Importance of Easy Meals

     One of the only downsides about biking everywhere is the lack of long distance transportation. I can easily ride 10 miles on my bike to go somewhere, but that is about the upper limits of my abilities when time is taken into consideration. It's not too convenient beyond that. 

     The end of this past week and the beginning of the weekend were spent mostly in San Antonio with my lovely niece I had not seen in three years. She was able to catch up with her boyfriend and his family while Thomas and I were able to take in the sights of San Antonio. It truly is a beautiful city with a bit of old world charm. Because we had to be in town so early we were able to see it as few people get to, nearly empty.

     By the time we got home, we were all exhausted and wanted to do nothing more than go straight to bed. Dinner, however, needed to be dealt with. Two bags of 10oz frozen corn and a couple of potatoes to the rescue!

Corn Chowder with Roasted Potatoes
Serves 3

Ingredients
For the chowder:
2 - 10oz bags of frozen sweet corn
Handful of cilantro, washed, stemmed, and chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
Olive oil for frying
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp chili powder
2-3 cups water
1/4 - 1/2 cup soy milk
Salt, to taste

For the roasted potatoes:
2 or 3 small to medium potatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
Olive oil for coating
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne

Optional Toppings:
Shredded cheese
Diced green onions
Sour cream
Diced cilantro

Method
First... Preheat your oven to 350*F while you prep the potatoes by washing them well, then dicing into bite sized pieces. Nothing fancy here, just keep them a uniform size. Toss together in a bowl with the diced onion, coat with the olive oil, then add the salt and cayenne before mixing well. Toss the potatoes in the oven on a foiled or parchment-lined baking sheet for around 25 minutes or until fork tender.

Then... While the potatoes are baking, you'll make the corn chowder. Start by heating oil in a soup pot and adding the onions to fry for around 5-6 minutes. Add the salt and other dry seasonings and mix well. Add the frozen corn and enough water to cover before bringing to a simmer. Carefully transfer around 1/2 of soup contents to a blender and blend, using the remaining water for easy blending. Return contents of blender to soup pot, add cilantro, and continue simmering. After 10 minutes of additional simmering, add the milk and turn heat off.

Finally... Remove the potatoes from oven. Ladle soup into bowls, top with roasted potatoes and any optional toppings desired.

     Because this recipe is so basic, there are many ways that you could make it your own. Try adding some salsa or chili garlic paste to the blender for a spicier touch, a can of chopped tomatoes with green peppers, or use a can of black beans instead of the second bag of corn for a slightly different soup. Make it yours!
- Patricia

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Casein Free Milk and Butter - Part II

     In my previous post on casein free milk and butter I cleared up exactly what casein was, why so many folks with Celiac also react to casein, and suggested a few casein free alternatives to traditional animal products. If you haven’t checked that out yet, be sure to pop over there before you leave!
     I still get asked plenty of questions about what exactly is casein free in the dairy isle and I want to address some of those more common ones here today. Many of the questions that come in regarding casein are wondering if their favorite diary product has casein in it. Does butter have casein? Does being dairy free really mean no casein? Is there casein in soy products? What about skim milk or reduced fat milk? Does sheep or goats milk have casein? What cheeses are casein free or have low casein amounts?
     To give a brief run down on casein, it is one of the proteins that make up all animal milk usually contributing around 80% of the total proteins. Casein is often used in protein powders and meal supplement bars to help boost nutrition and give the consumer a full feeling thanks to the wonderful coagulation properties of the protein which allow for long-term digestion and absorption of the protein.
     This sticky coagulation property is one of the reasons folks with Celiac will have a problem digesting it – the protein is strikingly similar to the gluten molecule and the body will react very similarly to it.
     Now for a brief run down on what is and what is not safe in your dairy isle…
     All animal milk is off limits. I have yet to find one that says “casein free” on the label. There are plenty of lactose free milks available, but lactose is not casein, it is another protein entirely so be sure not to confuse these two. Skim milk has a higher concentration of protein - including casein - than full fat milk does, so don’t make this mistake either. The higher protein in skim milk is caused from taking the milk, spinning off the fat and using the remaining liquid as the final product. So this has the same protein content as before, with a smaller overall volume, thus the higher protein concentration. Boiling or heating milk does not remove the casein, either.
     Rice, soy, hemp, cashew, almond, and coconut are all popular replacement milks for those of us who find animal based milks off limits. You might find that you prefer one over the other or even one brand over another, so shop around and see what you like and what works best for your kitchen. Everyone’s preferences are going to be different.
     Just as all animal milk is off limits, so is all animal based cheeses. Remember how casein is a great coagulator and kind of sticky? Sadly, this is how cheeses come out so deliciously solid making it off limits for us, as well.
     There are many cheese alternatives available on the market today, but a good bit of them still contain casein, so this is where label reading skills come in especially important (you are reading those labels, right?). Some good brands that I look for include Daiya, HeidiHo, and Tofutti. They all look, act, and taste like the real thing. I’ve been away from cheese for a good bit now, but the spouse, who is a devoted dairy consumer, seems to enjoy them all the same. I’ve also heard good things about Follow Your Heart, and Teese Vegan Cheese. Check around your local grocers and see what they have. If you can’t find something for you, ask the manager to order a product for you. Chances are if you want it, someone else does too.
     Butter also falls into the same off-limit category as the above animal-based milks and cheeses. Anything that is made with animal milk needs to be avoided 100% to be sure of a fully casein free diet.
     There are several alternatives on the market that are very tasty and act just the same for cooking and baking. I’ve enjoyed using Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks and Spread for several years now and haven’t had any issues with it. I enjoy the flavor and the fact that I can bake and cook with it. Coconut oil is another popular alternative that many folks turn to. I’m not a huge fan because of the smell, but it’s wildly popular nonetheless. Country Crock might work for you, but it does contain whey and lactic acid in some of their varieties, so proceed with caution here. Check around your dairy isle and see what products they have for you.
     Ghee is the last category that I want to cover. Ghee is tricky. In theory, it should be safe for those of us with a casein allergy. Ghee, or clarified butter as it is sometimes referred to, is made by simmering pure butter until it separates into layers. The top layer is whey and becomes foamy and is removed during cooking with a spoon or other method. The very bottom layer is the milk solids where the casein resides. The middle section is the ghee. The ghee is very carefully poured off the solids and usually strained through a sieve or cheesecloth to ensure all solids are removed from the ghee. This process should leave the end result with no casein, but there is a high chance of cross contamination and left over solids, so this is where caution comes in. I still indulge in Indian food and most of the time I do not have any issues. Use your own judgment on this one.
     I hope this clears up any questions you might have regarding a casein free diet. Feel free to comment below or email me any additional questions you might have or issues you would like me to address.
- Patricia

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Pad-Thai Knockoff Power Lunch

...or dinner.

      I abhor thinking about what to make for a meal. I like to plan things out before hand so that I know what I'm making in advance giving me plenty of time to prepare anything in advance that needs it or make a quick run to the store for something I forgot to buy. It makes things go so much smoother for me.

      I planned out a quick meal a few days ago, but wasn't sure when it would get made. I ended up making it for lunch today and am bringing the leftovers for dinner tonight at work. It took 30 minutes from the time I got the ingredients out of the refrigerator until I was eating it. Perfect for when you're in a rush and need something more filling than soup or a sandwich – high protein, low sodium and even your vegan friends will approve this one! Give it a try for a surprisingly easy nutrient packed meal.


Pad-Thai Knockoff Power Lunch

1/2 Block firm tofu, drained and cut into bite size pieces
1 Green onion, chopped
2 c Boiled pasta of choice
Spoonful of peanut butter
Pinch of cayenne
Chili powder
Ground pepper
Garlic powder
Olive oil for frying tofu

      Fry tofu in oil over medium heat with pepper, chili and garlic powder until crispy on the outside. While tofu is frying, boil pasta to desired tenderness. Drain pasta, return to pot and add tofu, peanut butter, cayenne and green onion. Mix well and serve.

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As Vegan As I'll Ever Be

      I'm about as close (if not too close for comfort) to being a vegan as I will ever be. I consider myself a strict vegetarian when I talk about my diet, but I find it easier to just say vegan when I am in a restaurant. The only animal products I consume, read ingest, are eggs and honey. Milk is out due to severe symptoms of Celiac's or else I would eat cheese like there was no tomorrow. I did for quite sometime until I realized the loves of my life, cheese and ice cream, were making me sick.

      Getting over cheese took several months for me. I realized it was the milk around April and gave it up for close to two months, but I went back until early October when I finally walked away for good. Now, even getting a single shred of cheese in my burrito bowl at Chipotle will leave me feeling like I just got punched in the stomach. Drinking a bottle of Vitamin Water containing magnesium lactate and calcium lactate left me with a hot, swollen face and hives down both legs.* It sometimes takes incidents like that to make me appreciate the effort it took to give cheese up.

      Getting over ice cream, now that's a different story all together.

      If anyone knows Texas or knows anyone from Texas, you know Blue Bell. When I was fairly young my mother took me to the Blue Bell creamery in Brenham and I can still remember the excitement of getting to taste what seemed like dozens of flavors. My family grew up with Blue Bell and moving away from Texas found me missing it with a passion.

      Not a lot can beat a cold bowl of ice cream at night during the summer here. Or the winter, for that matter. That is one of the reasons I was so happy to find these two things at Whip-In:

Nada-Moo:
      Nada-Moo is a great dairy alternative ice cream started right here in Austin when Amy, the founder, working as a pastry chef and baker, decided to make a desert for her sister who suffered from serious food allergies.

      They use coconut milk, brown rice, chicory root and organic flavorings like maple and chocolate (watch out for the barley in the mint chocolate chip!). These natural flavors come together to make the smoothest, creamiest dairy free ice cream I have eaten. I normally have the same complaint from most rice-creams that they're too frozen – too hard to eat and enjoy and not creamy at all. Never have that problem with this brand. My only complaint, if you could even call it a complaint, is that most of the flavors come off a little coconutty, but this is seriously good ice cream. I love their slogan too – “When having a cow is out of the question” - vegan and dairy allergy friendly!

Ciao Bella Gelato:
      This gelato is alarmingly good, albeit a little expensive. With food prices what they are for me being on such an 'alternative' diet, I really didn't blink at the $4.99 price tag. Blood Orange is my favorite flavor I have eaten been able to get my paws on and with only three ingredients and 98 calories per ½ cup, this gelato is a true hit!

      The company started in New York's Little Italy and grew to become a sensation in The City (NYC) having multiple store fronts as well as being served in some of the best restaurants in town. Go to their website and drool over the amazing flavors they have come out with. With another tasting tour coming up later this year, minimalist ingredients, real Italians making real Italian food and flavors like Pomegranate Champagne Sorbetto, what's not to love? The company has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Oprah's Favorite Things and even Rachel Ray has proclaimed her love for the Ciao Bella brand.

      While I realize these brands are not nation wide as of yet, they are available for ordering from their respective websites. The best companies to deal with, I have found, are the small family owned companies that actually care about their individual customers' opinions still. One of the main rules I live by is that if I cannot get a straight answer from the company, or contact them for that matter, then I refuse to do business with them. Shopping at small local grocers can increase your chances of finding little niceties like real Italian gelato. Go explore and see what you find!

* I contacted Glaceau, the company behind Vitamin Water and they informed me that their products are considered vegan and vegetarian and their calcium lactate and magnesium lactate are derived from sources other than milk. I am not arguing with the company over this, but I had a severe reaction while watching UFC 92. I was drinking XXX Vitamin Water and eating Frito Lay honey roasted cashews. I continue to eat the same cashews with no reaction.

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Casein Free Milk and Butter

Casein

     Casein, from Latin caseus meaning cheese, has a pretty interesting history. Since ancient times casein, as an individual milk protein, has been well known among humans, with artists being recorded using casein paints since at least ancient Egypt. Industrial uses for casein are found within the plastic and fiber industries to provide structural support to their products.

      In a more familiar setting, casein is often found in protein supplements such as bars, drinks, and powders. It is known for a slow release of protein due to the clot it forms in the stomach and intestine when ingested in high volumes. 

     Casein is also responsible for coagulation during butter and cheese making, providing structure to the delicious end products. This binding and structural support is the key issue here. The casein molecule is very similar to the gluten molecule in structure – one of the many reasons they work so well together in baked goods.

     This similarity, however, can cause havoc for some individuals with Celiac. Ingesting casein will often cause a reaction similar to ingesting gluten as the body cannot tell the two proteins apart, for a very simple explanation. This is not just for newly diagnosed patients with a healing small intestine either, as many lifelong Celiac patients cannot tolerate casein.

     So now that the why part of the question is out of the way, we can get down to what the hell we’re going to do about eating without casein.

Substitutes and Pinch Hitters
     Dairy products from all animals fall into one of three categories: cheese, milk, and butter, and all dairy products have casein in them including skim milks and 0% milks. Many products that are marketed as “dairy-free” will contain high levels of casein as they put additional quantities in their products to enhance flavor and texture.

     Those of us following a casein-free diet are on the hunt for reliable replacements for these items to make our food tasty and our life easier.

First, let’s talk about casein-free cheese…
     Casein is found in mammal milk, so consequently all cheese – which is made from mammal milk – is out of the question on a casein-free diet. There are a few substitutes available for this dilemma, however. Daiya, a casein-free cheese, is a relative newcomer to the game and seems to have staked out a place to stay in the last five years or so. I’m happy with that as their products are gooey, melty, pure deliciousness. They are also a splurge at upwards of $6.00 per bag of shredded cheese that covers just one family meal.

     Beyond fake cheese products, using other ingredients to mimic the umami flavor that many cheese and dairy products provide is a good way to satisfy any cravings. Nutritional yeast is a traditional substitute for vegans and vegetarians in pseudo-cheese sauces and popcorn toppings. I find it fairly cheap in the bulk section at my local grocery store and use anywhere from a couple tablespoons to cover popcorn to 1/3 cup in soups or stews.

My butter and milk of choice

Casein-free milk options…
     For everyday use I turn to plain, unsweetened soy milk. We use it for coffee in the morning, cooking in the evening, and cookie-dunking before bed. If you are able to purchase good quality soy milk then do so – it will usually taste better than the store brand available.

     Beyond soy, many people use almond or rice milk. Hemp milk also works well in most recipes. Mass marketing has allowed many of these niche markets to develop and no longer will you find the dull, chalky consistency of the 1990s.

Casein-free butter…
     Normal butter derived from cow’s milk is also chalk full of casein, making it another ingredient we need a substitute for. I know what folks say about margarine and hydrogenated oils, so when I was no longer able to use my beloved butter I was a bit heartbroken.

     Olive oil is the natural choice we can turn to here. It’s a great substitute in cakes and brownies, but not so great for pie crusts or biscuits. When I really want a flaky crust or want to give my potato soup a more satisfying, home-cooking flavor I opt for Earth Balance Original Spread. It has no hydrogenated oils, it is vegan, gluten free, and has no casein. I use it all the time and enjoy it on pancakes, in pie crusts, biscuits, and toasted sandwiches.

A Glimmer of Hope?
     There is one true dairy product I know of that is, in theory, casein-free. However, this comes with a huge warning about cross contamination, so proceed with caution.

     Ghee is going to be the only true dairy product those following a casein-free diet will be able to tolerate. However, even this comes with a risk of containing casein as ghee is made by removing the solidified milk proteins and residual proteins is a possibility for the finished product.

     I hope this has cleared up a few questions you might have had. I know I was pretty disappointed when I finally realized the full extent of the casein in the average diet. It gets easier, as all things do, with time, so keep up the dedication and browse around here for some casein-free recipes and meal ideas.

- Patricia

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Trial Run

      This will be my first major holiday being gluten-free, so I wanted to practice a dish or two before hand so I fudge as little as possible when it comes down to the line. I want to avoid any last minute scrambles if at all possible. Our grocery stores here are always crowded and busy no matter what time of the day. It is one of the only 24 hour grocery stores in the area so shopping at night is fun and much less busy, but it also increases the chances of getting hit by a car on the bike. I got side swiped in a parking lot just yesterday in broad daylight by someone not paying attention – I was on my way to the grocery store, too.

      Last night I decided to try my hand at gluten-free green bean casserole and it came out pretty good. I was quite intimidated at first that I was not able to use any pre-made ingredients, but it was so easy that I might throw it into the normal rotation of random meals we eat.

      Here's the best part: it's vegan without being weird. Some dishes that you make with milk or butter can turn gross when you try to make them vegan, but this just happened to come out vegan and taste awesome!

Tasty Vegan Green Bean Casserole

1 lb green beans
½ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 or 3 white button mushrooms
1 ½ C soy milk
2 tbs butter
Dried basil and dill
Salt & pepper
2 heaping tsp gluten free flour blend
½ C water
Olive oil

      Wash green beans, cut both ends off and cut to bite size pieces. Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove most of the dirt and grime, remove center stalk (unless you like that part) and cut into small pieces.

      Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil and onions when hot. Cook until browned and softened and add garlic, mushrooms, green beans and spices to taste. Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes mixing well. Add milk and butter and bring to a slow simmer. Place flour blend in a cup and add water, stir until dissolved. While green beans are simmering, pour the flour mix into pan and turn off heat. Stir well and add water or milk if you need to thin things out. Pour into a pie plate and bake at 350 for about 30-45 minutes or so. This will result in the green beans being still crunchy so if you want them soft, boil them for a while before you add them to the pan or just used canned.

      I served this on the side last night with quinoa stuffed herbed tomatoes. The tomatoes were a no-brainer and were done, start to finish, while the casseroles were in the oven. I hollowed out the tomatoes and sprinkled olive oil, salt, basil and pepper on each and stuck them under the broiler for about 10 minutes before I pulled them out. Added the quinoa and served! Tasty, yum and fast.

      This whole meal came together so fast and easy – I enjoy cooking so much when things just work like that. The goat is always in and out of the kitchen checking in on things and offering to help chop or peel something. Cooking is more than just making something for dinner. It's a process of love that you have to want. Many pregnant women talk about the joys and feelings of sustaining life within them and how much of a miracle the whole process is. I do not have kids and they are not in my foreseen future, but I can relate to this same intimate level when I cook. I sustain not only my life, but the life of those I share the final resulting meal. Each cut of the knife and stir of the pan gives way to warm lingering smells that make their way into each meal that I share with those near and dear to me.

      The miracle of vegetables, grains, fruits and fungus coming together to make a life sustaining experience is a miracle in itself. Sharing it with someone else is like no other feeling in the world.

      How do you share you meals?

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The Agony of Breakfast

      I love breakfast! I love everything about it. Cooking breakfast in the morning with pajamas and bare feet on the cool kitchen floor. Smells of biscuits and gravy, eggs, coffee and waffles filling the house. Warm oatmeal with blackberries and honey. Eating breakfast on the back porch, listening to the birds singing the sun out of bed and hearing the rustle of squirrels burring treasures for the coming winter and spring. The crunch of granola in icy-cold milk followed by warm coffee. Everything about that time of day is warming to the soul and such a wonderful way to start the day. Breakfast is truly my favorite time of my day.

      Unfortunately, back in reality-land, I have a little less than an hour to share with The Goat before he heads off to work in the morning and he is really not as big on breakfast as I am. On the weekends we have sleepy mornings together - padding back and forth from the bedroom to the kitchen checking on the stove and getting refills on coffee. I love those weekend mornings.

      During the week, I'm not up for making breakfast for one (it's not the same) or I'm rushing around trying to write or do something or going to work. Before being diagnosed at the beginning of this year I would happily munch on cereal or stick something in the toaster for a quick breakfast, but now I find myself extremely limited on breakfast choices.


      There are plenty of standard breakfast foods available like eggs, pancakes, waffles, muffins, cornbread and cereals, but I find them either inconvenient or unpalatable after a while. I have desperately tried to keep my love affair with granola alive and well despite our differences, but I cannot find a good gluten-free alternative. I tried Enjoy Life's Very Berry Crunch Granola to teeth breaking disappointment. It is nut and gluten free so I could understand if you are allergic to both and really really really wanted a granola, but stay away otherwise. It had a funky chalky after taste to it that went along well with the gritty, sand-paper like texture.

      On the other hand, I have found EnviroKidz Organic Peanut Butter Panda Puffs to be wonderful. They don't get soggy in milk and taste like regular peanut butter cereal. Also, The Silly Yak Bakery has gluten-free toaster pastries if you need that fix. They also ship directly to your door step or offer a pick up if you live close to them. The Silly Yak has all kinds of gluten-free goodies to stock up on. I cannot go to their site very often or I find myself filling the shopping cart...

      So what is an average breakfast for me? This morning I had Central Market's Blueberry Buckwheat waffles - very tasty - gluten AND casein free. Buckwheat is a favorite of mine from childhood. My step-dad would get food gifts quite often from his kids and buckwheat pancake mix was one of the regulars. It was so good that I fell in love for life. The waffles are great in the toaster, but I've put some frozen berries on them and popped them in the oven for a while, too. I eat a lot of bars when I have the money to spend on them. I realize they are generally between $1 and $2 each, but they pack so much into a bar that it truly is a great way to start the day with a bottle of juice to accompany. Toast with hot tea is popular for me in the mornings, as well.

      With a new day and another sun rise, I feel the urge to fill my day with life and what better way to do so than with a great (quick!) meal to start your day? Plenty of energy, better metabolism, spring in your step and no grumpy attitude over being hungry and dissatisfied. Breakfast really helps get you going in the morning - what is your typical breakfast during the week or weekend?

      I also wanted to quickly share with you a little tid-bit about the picture at the top of this post. The picture is of Lake Whitney, Texas where I was raised. The first professional bass fishing tournament ever was held here in the 1950's. I learned to fish on this lake, we had camp outs here ( I lived less than 1/2 mile from the lake ), I went cliff jumping for my sister's high school graduation and learned how to swim here. It will forever hold a piece of my heart.

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About Those Cookies...

      Whole Foods has a great way of setting up their pre-baked, ready to eat gluten-free cookie section. They have the regular brands that we are all familiar with on their gluten-free isle and a few mixed in with the regular cookies, but if you ever wander beyond their chocolate kiosk and glutenous bakery displays you will find a small shelf of various gluten-free goodies calling your name. I was looking for a good lemon cookie when I found these and I am not one to pass up bittersweet chocolate covered anything, much less vanilla sandwich cookies.

      The best part? They're gluten AND casein free, so I can eat them with no guilt or reactions to breaking my diet for a cookie. I've had many friends excitedly bring me a gluten-free brownie or cookie they found at a local coffee shop only to find milk in it.


      When I bought these I did not realize they were sandwich cookies, I was just glad to find some awesome looking cookies to munch on. The top is drizzled with dark chocolate and the icing in the middle reminds me of classic royal icing - only without the headache it gives me from the flavor. The cookies are very tasty - they do not crumble excessively but do go very well with some milk, but then again don't all cookies go good with milk?

      Jo-Sef Glutin Fre-ee sells these cookies as Fancy Vanilla Cookies from www.josefsglutenfree.com for $5.39 or you could pick them up at one of their retailers. I think I paid around $4.69 for these at Whole Foods so you might be able to find them cheeper in your area than they are online.

      Overall, I am extreemly happy with these cookies! They will become a regular purchase for me at the grocery store and I will share them with friends just to show them that gluten-free can really taste great!

      Touching back on the last post about the soy cheese I tried - I have done some more experimenting with it and have the results:

      In the Grilled Cheese 500, Vegan Gourmet came out dead last. I really wanted this one to work - it should have worked. The gluten-free bread I use takes forever to brown in a pan and being one that likes a near burned grilled cheese, I figured there would be plenty of time for the cheese to 'melt'.

      Oh, how wrong I was.

      The slices that I cut were thin, but just not thin enough to melt or do anything close to that. I left the sandwich in the pan for a good ten minutes and nothing but warm soy cheese slices. Just as good as it sounds. I added some mustard to the sandwich to keep the texture bearable. I really do not care for the texture of this cheese when it's solid. Enough of that.

      In the Mac&Cheese Derby, Vegan Gourmet turned heads with an astonishing third place victory. Melted the cheese by itself for a while, but added the milk and butter anyway just to bulk it up a little. I really enjoyed this meal. Added some smoked salt and black pepper to the top and I got a great bowl of mac and cheese out of the deal. I still have my complaint that it gets grainy or gritty when it starts to cool down. I think it would be good for fondues or other continuously hot dishes. Still want to try the mozzarella flavor before I write this one off though.

      Briefly, here is a few things on my agenda for this month: updating the website to my own designs, figuring out Thanksgiving dinner, writing articles for the site and here, apartment and job hunting. What's on your agenda for the month?

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Gluten & Casein Free Cheese

     Went for a ride to the grocery store downtown yesterday evening and came home with a few new gluten and casein free products to try out. It was a nice ride there - about 75 outside and early enough into the Friday night activities downtown that we missed most of the traffic. The ride home was nice as well, we actually stopped at the park on the way home to try some new cookies out I - well worth it, might I add. More about those later, for the moment I want to focus on this discovery:

      Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative. I was actually a little intimidated to try this. I really had a hard time getting over the fake thing. Fake ice cream is good and I can really enjoy that, but some imitation products can just be really unappealing. Beer and cheese are two main ones for me. I loved the slightly darker beers so much before I went gluten-free and now the options just are not up to par for me, they all seem to be too light and funny tasting for my preference. Most cheeses have casein or other milk byproducts in the ingredients and so I haven't really worried about buying them.
      Recently, however, I've been having some serious cheese cravings. Mac & cheese, lasagna, cheesy garlic bread, enchiladas, cheese and hummus sandwiches, the list of my favorite cheese dishes goes on. I will admit to eating the real thing at times - the reaction is not as strong as gluten, but the more I eat it the worse it seems to get for me. This has prompted me to dive head first and try the 'fake stuff'.
      So how was it?
      It was good while it was hot. I melted some in small pot like it says and added some milk and margarine to hopefully make it more smooth in the end. I bought some Tinkyada's linguine and had it with that. It was a little hard to get it all to melt but I was not expecting perfection from this, so I was happy with how it was. I will say that as it started to cool off it started to get grainy, but it might stay better if the milk and margarine was not added (maybe made it separate?) or if I had kept it warm.
      Overall, I was pleased with this product. I would not cut it up and eat it on crackers or bread by itself, but I do plan on trying the mozzarella flavor and using this in some future dishes. I want to try some baked mac and cheese or some enchiladas to test this out more.
      The one thing I was really happy about and focused on when I was no longer able to eat gluten, was at least it's not milk. I could still eat all the vanilla ice cream, aged cheddar and parmigiana I could hold. A few months later I found out about the casein sensitivity and all that went down the drain. Since then, even from the beginning, I have gradually adopted vegan alternatives and found some to be really outstanding while others are less than appetizing. One rule of thumb I've found is that it is all about how you use it in a meal - I just try to think of rice and tofu - no one really likes to eat them alone, but they have wonderful flavors in a dish.
      Do you have any tips for using cheese alternatives in recipes? Are there any brands that you care for above others? What are some favorite recipes that you use cheese in? I try to make most of my cooking is pretty modifiable so that I can add cheese or other ingredients for other people and leave it out for my portion, but with products like this I might just be able to get my cheese fix anyway.

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The Gluten-Free Assistant

      My goal here is to help others (and myself!) avoid the frustrations of living gluten-free on a daily basis. I have had Celiac's for most of my life and was finally diagnosed in January of 2008. My Celiac's is severe enough that my body also attacks milk (casein to be specific) the same way that it attacks gluten and causes the same reaction - days and sometimes weeks of itching that cannot be satisfied. During the short time I have been on a gluten and casein free diet, I have dealt with a wide variety of issues that this lifestyle can bring with it; issues with social events, work issues, eating out, vacations and many other situations that scream:
"What am I supposed to eat?!"

     I know that starting a blog is a bit of a commitment for most, including myself - I'm not the best at keeping my nose to the grindstone and making posts on a regular basis, but I will be posting reviews of products I find to be extraordinary in some way or a great place to eat, maybe some helpful hints here and there to make life a little easier. I also have other interests I'll post about most likely - knitting, cooking, my website - www.theglutenfreeassistant.com, and other randomness to keep things interesting and mixed up. Hopefully this will help you answer that question of "What to eat?" when you're out and about or when you don't have a lot to spend on gluten-free groceries. (As a broke college student, I consider myself a pro at eating and shopping on a budget!)

      I'll be adding more content as I go along, so bear with me in these opening weeks. For now, I'll leave you with an awesome recipe for Spinach Dal - very tasty, healthy, and great for fall!

Spinach Dal

Salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp each cumin seeds & turmeric
Handful of chopped cilantro
Dash of mustard seeds (ground mustard can be used, but it's not the same - I used some Boar's Head deli mustard for this actually - tasted fine.)
1 chilie (buy depending on how spicy you like things or leave out)
4 C Spinach (about a full bag of spinach or a whole frozen block)
1Tbs Ginger
Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic
1 C Lentils ( I used green, but any color works. The red or yellow would probably be more eye-appealing.)

      Cook lentils in twice as much water until soft (30-45 min; can be soaked over night to decrease cooking time). While lentils are cooking saute onion, garlic, chilie and ginger until onions are softening up. Add spinach and cover pan to allow spinach to wilt (about 2 or 3 minutes). Stir well and add remaining spices and drained lentils.
      Serve over hot rice or quinoa and Enjoy!

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