Gluten Free Gigi

Everyone at my house raved about this velvety gluten free soup!

It’s soup weather and Staple Recipe #2, Homemade Stock (click here for the recipe), continues to come in handy at my house. My latest “souper” recipe using homemade stock is Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.

It’s naturally gluten free, super-simple to make, and an absolute hit with my entire family, although they accuse me of using it as a trick to get them to eat squash. Moi??

How could I know they would help themselves to the satisfying, healthy (nameless) concoction I left simmering in the slow cooker while I delivered last week’s weight loss webinar? (Never mind the bowls, spoons, ladle, and note I left beside the slow cooker...)

A Side of Science: More reNEWal and A Muffin That is Not Good 01/19/2012

I made my own chocolate chunks (yes, I made them and I've got the recipe for you here)...

Homemade Chocolate Chunks ~ it's as simple as opening a bag of the store-bought kind!

...to add to these muffins so I'd have a terrific muffin recipe for you. To me, a terrific muffin recipe is a Staple Recipe!

Good as Gold Gluten Free Vegan reNEWal Muffins

Here's the catch, though. You see, I planned to tell you these gluten free muffins are "incredibly good".

But, before I used the word "good", I decided to look up the definition. I do this often, especially when I feel I'm about to use an over-used word. I've found over-use can skew a word's meaning.

Turns out "good" is not an accurate description of my muffins at all. "Good" is really just "OK".

{good ~ of a favorable character or tendency; suitable; fit; adequate; satisfactory}

These muffins are so much MORE than "incredibly OK"!

From the way they came to be (my desire to create a healthy, easy muffin recipe for YOU that fits our reNEWal theme) to the nutrition packed into each one (high protein, high fiber, low fat), to the way they satisfy hunger and taste... these muffins are not good.

Perusing Merriam Webster, I discovered these muffins are "GOOD AS GOLD"!

{good as gold ~ of the highest worth or reliability}

That sums it up. A valuable recipe full of healthy, natural ingredients that can be made easily time and time again to help us renew truly is good as gold!

And that's what I want to be to you... good as gold... reliably providing you with valuable information and insights about living gluten free. I want to be your go to resource... what you think of first.

Each and every day I want you to be able to use what you find here at GlutenFreeGigi.com to improve and enhance your gluten free life. I want you to come back often and be a part of the gluten free community we are creating here. Yes. Good as Gold. That is exactly what I want GlutenFreeGigi.com to be for you!

Now, how about those good as gold muffins?

A Gluten Free Gigi How-To: Make Your Own Chocolate Chunks (Allergen-Free) 01/19/2012

Homemade Chocolate Chunks are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free, vegan, and delish!

These chocolate chunks are made with Valrhona dark cocoa. Use any cocoa (or raw cacao, if you prefer) to make your own chocolate chunks.

You will find these chunks are terrific on their own or in a snack mix; however, they do melt more than "traditional" store-bought chunks or chocolate chips. These contain only 4 ingredients and do not use an emulsifier like soy lecithin (read about soy lecithin here). You could add one if you like.

To show you how these look in a baked product, here's a picture of muffins I made with these chunks. When the muffins are still hot, the chunks are near liquid. Allowing the muffins (or cookies or other baked goods where you use these chunks) to cool completely will result in a solidified bit of chocolate again.

I love the natural flavor of these chocolate chunks and knowing exactly what is in them. It's also nice to know you'll never run out of chocolate pieces when you get the desire to make your favorite baked treat!

Enjoy!

Homemade Chocolate Chunks
Gluten Free, Vegan, Soy Free, Nut Free

6 Tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tablespoons coconut oil that has been gently melted (melt just until it is liquid)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup or other sweetener of your choice*

*Note on sweeteners:
You can use liquid or solid sugars here, such as palm sugar, cane sugar (brown or white), molasses, honey, etc.

I have not tried stevia (it burns my tongue!), but I feel sure it would work. If you are able to use stevia and try it in this recipe, please share your results in the comments below so everyone can benefit.

You may want to add more sweetener to your chocolate chunks; I didn't want mine too sweet. Adding a bit more sweetener, up to 4 Tablespoons of maple syrup did not change my final results.

Combine all ingredients in a glass dish, such as a glass loaf dish. I use one that is 8x4-inches. Stir until everything is mixed well, then chill for about 30-40 minutes, or until the chocolate is solid.

Use a knife to cut into desired size chunks. Scoop out the chunks with a spoon. I start on one corner of the dish and run the tip of my spoon down the side of the dish, all the way around, then scoop out the chunks. You will have some small bits flake away, but mostly the chunks will come out whole. (See my picture above again... I scooped these using this method and put them right on the plate without arranging them at all so you could see exactly what to expect when you make them.)

Store these in a glass jar, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

~g~

For even more quick, easy and super-tasy gluten free recipes I've created for you, why not join me in the kitchen? See how tasty living gluten free can be!

You can even receive every new gluten free recipe right in your inbox each week along with my latest “A Side of Science” articles and exciting special announcements when you SIGN UP for my FREE E-LETTER!

Let's Connect!

Comments about a specific post or recipe?
Share it in the “comments” section below!

Questions?
Check out my ALL NEW FAQs and you might just find your answer!

If not, email me: mailbox (at) glutenfreegigi (dot) com.

I’m always happy to hear from you, but need to ask for your understanding and patience when it comes to responding. I receive lots of email these days, which I love, but it does make it more challenging to respond to each one. I answer as many of your questions as possible in my How-To videos and posts so everyone can benefit. Keep watching my videos and website for my answer to YOUR question!

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These are places I like to go have fun and share what’s going on in the Gluten Free Test Kitchen and in my home kitchen, too!

I love following you, too! Make sure you let me know you’re out there!

~g~

Thank you for taking time to visit! Come back often for my weekly recipe and how-to video posts on Tuesdays and informative "A Side of Science" articles on Thursdays.

Remember, my mission here at GlutenFreeGigi.com is to share my experience and knowledge to help you navigate your gluten free life with ease and confidence because I understand how challenging it can be!

I’m excited to have YOU here!

Thank you for sharing the journey!

xo,

Gluten Free Gigi

A Gluten Free Gigi How-To: A Naturally Gluten Free Winter Meal for ReNEWal 01/17/2012

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January is half over. Life feels busier than ever. December's focus on reducing stress during the holidays has given way to our plan for reNEWal, which has me feeling better and more energized than ever! I hope you are, too!

This week, I have another terrific dish for you that fits right into that plan! It’s a simple, seasonal money-saver, full of nutrition and makes terrific use of a Staple Recipe! It tastes great, too! And when it comes to taste, I show you exactly how I incorporate the Six Taste Groups of Ayurveda into this dish...

Check out my Sauteed Cannellini Beans with Rainbow Chard! You'll love this dish!

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Gluten Free Green Pea Flour Bread ~ Real Bread That Happens to Be Gluten Free 01/16/2012

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The New Year always brings a fresh new perspective. I love that.

I love clearing out the "old" and ringing in the new. I enjoy seeing where that mindset takes me. Here at GlutenFreeGigi.com, we are well into our reNEWal for the New Year... if you haven't yet, please join us!

I also like to see what everyone else is up to. That's why I'm having such fun reading about fresh new ideas over at The Balanced Platter, an all-new site authored by Amy & Maggie.

Fun, Fresh, Full of Great Ideas!

Balance is a primary focus here at GlutenFreeGigi.com, so I feel right at home sharing this recipe with them.

Balance was the idea behind this Green Pea Flour Bread. I was looking to improve the balance of protein and carbohydrates in a soft, slice-able, "real" sandwich-worthy loaf of gluten free bread. A loaf of bread that needs no preamble, no apologies. This is it.

One 9x5 loaf yields 18 half-inch slices like these.

Like I usually do, I "made" the recipe in my brain a few times. When the idea was ready to come alive in the kitchen, I made it "for real". It was exactly how I imagined it. It sliced perfectly, even when it was still very warm (I have trouble waiting for fresh baked bread to cool; don't you??).

I invited a friend with a discerning palate who doesn't mind telling the truth about the food I make to come over for a sample.

He said, "This is damn good. This is real bread, Gigi."

I made it twice more, just to be sure everything was correct so I could share it with you.

It slices warm, and stays fresh up to 5 days without refrigeration.

Both times, it was damn good.

I should mention, it's pretty healthy, too. And very filling due to the protein and fiber in the green pea flour. The bread slices thin with no problem, and I recommend that's how you serve it... in thin slices.

There isn't a bean-y flavor, either. Green pea flour is the only bean flour I use because it is so mild in baked goods and doesn't need to be masked like chickpea or other bean flours do.

Enjoy my Green Pea Flour Bread, and enjoy balance in your wonderful New Year!

Gluten Free Gigi's Green Pea Flour Bread
(For the brands I use of flours and other ingredients, please visit my FAQ page.)

1 cup Green Pea Flour
1/2 cup warm water (105F)
1 cup coconut milk
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 Tablespoons liquid sweetener like honey, maple syrup, coconut nectar, agave
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch
3 teaspoons guar gum
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 eggs (I have tested the bread with real eggs and with pasteurized egg substitute, but not egg replacer, chia, or flax... that's coming!)
2 Tablespoons olive oil (or oil of your choice)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
sesame seeds and red pepper flakes (or any herb/spice of your choice), optional

You will need:
Stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer
small saucepan
large mixing bowl
wire whisk
Greased 9x5-inch loaf pan (I use glass.)
Clear wrap

First, moisten the green pea flour:
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine green pea flour and 1/2 cup warm water. Turn mixer on "stir" and blend until mixture is thick and smooth.

Next, proof the yeast:
In a small saucepan, warm the coconut milk between 105-110F. Remove from heat, add yeast and sweetener of choice. Allow to proof for 5 minutes.

While yeast proofs, combine flours, starches, gum, and salt. Whisk to blend and break up any lumps.

Next, pour proofed yeast mixture into mixer with green pea flour mixture.

Add eggs, oil, and vinegar. to mixer. Blend, first on "stir", then increase mixer speed to 1 or 2. Blend for 1 minute.

Add flour all at once to mixer. Blend on "stir" for 30-45 seconds. Increase mixer speed to 1 for 1 minute, then to 2 for an additional minute. Stop mixing, stir batter, scraping bottom of mixing bowl to make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Mix for 1 minute more at low speed (1).

Turn on your oven to preheat, then spoon the bread dough into the prepared loaf pan. Using a wet spoon, spread top of dough smooth. Sprinkle sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or herb or your choice on top of bread dough. Lightly mist top of dough with oil (or cooking spray), then cover lightly with plastic wrap.

Allow bread to rise for 35 minutes. I place my loaf pan of dough on top of my oven and have great success with rising. You may use a proofing box, proofing basket, whatever you like that works for you.

Bake the bread for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about half an hour before slicing.

To store, I cool the bread completely at room temperature uncovered, then wrap it in wax paper and store it in a gallon zipper bag or Tupperware bread keeper. The bread keeps well this way for up to 5 days. You may refrigerate the bread if you like. To freeze, I pre-slice the bread in 1/2-inch slices, place wax paper between slices and stack them, then wrap in clear wrap and/or foil.

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A Side of Science: Forget the "Food Groups"... Let's Talk About "Taste Groups" and Ayurveda! 01/12/2012

A Simple Recipe for reNEWal!

Last week, we set out to redefine “comforting” when it comes to foods we eat. We broadened the spectrum to include experiences and associations we have with food in addition to taste.

Of course, TASTE is what keeps us coming back for more!

Did you know incorporating different tastes in the foods we eat can...
· Make sticking to our gluten free diet easier?
· Insure we get vital nutrients we need each day?

It’s true!

Enjoying a wide variety of tastes keeps food exciting and keeps us from becoming bored with our gluten free diet. That makes it easier to follow! A variety of tastes also insures we eat different types of foods, which means we consume a wide range of nutrients.

Paying attention to the tastes in our foods can help us stay satisfied and healthy!

So, right now, let me show you the simple steps to using taste to help us put some delicious nutritional variety in our diet!

For our first step...

A Gluten Free Gigi How-To: Stir Things Up with a Gluten Free Sizzlin’ reNEWal Stir-Fry! 01/10/2012

Renew with this veggie-filled stir-fry!

Saturday morning, the chicken carcass in the freezer caught my eye. It was slow cooker bound, ready for aromatics (onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic), seasonings (a bay leaf and black pepper), and just enough water to endure a 7-hour simmer!

That was enough time for me to run errands and enjoy an unseasonably warm sunshine-filled day outdoors while Staple Recipe #2, Homemade Stock, simmered away inside. Now, if that doesn’t say reNEWal, I don’t know what does!

Of course, I’m only human. No matter how renewed I’m feeling, more outside time usually means less kitchen time. At the end of my full day, a super-quick, ultra-healthy feast was in order! And for my Homemade Stock, I had just the thing! (Have you made your stock yet??)

A Side of Science ~ It’s Time to Take Stock in Our Soup: Simple, Affordable, Healthy Gluten Free Stocks to Warm and Comfort You this Winter! 01/05/2012

Start with Homemade Stock for as many delicious variations as you can dream up!

Are you embracing the New Year and your commitment to healthy living on your gluten free diet? I know I am!

I’m happy to put the sugar-loaded nibbles behind me for a while and feel excited to be back to a more normal schedule and routine. Routine can be comforting.

Food is comforting, too, especially when the temperature drops near (or below!) freezing. That doesn’t have to mean “bad” for us food or dishes that are full of unhealthy fats and additives!

Unfortunately, though, when people talk about “comfort food”, they’re often referring to the heavy, rich, fat- and carbohydrate-laden diet-wreckers most of us are trying to avoid.

Those type dishes don’t fit into our plan for renewal, but not to worry! We will not be left out in the cold this winter when it comes to healthy, comforting, and even healing (yes, healing!) foods that really satisfy!

Let’s redefine “comforting”.

Sure, the food must taste great, and it will! But there’s more to it. Consider what really brings you comfort. It may not be the actual foods, but the experiences and memories associated with those foods.

When I take stock of what really matters, I think of being at my healthy best enjoying my gluten free lifestyle, happy and full of joy in my kitchen with family and friends. The food is almost secondary. As long as it’s tasty, nourishing, and there’s plenty to share with those I love, it’s all good to me. That’s my comfy place.

What’s yours?

A Gluten Free Gigi How-To: Make Your Own Sunbutter and Gluten Free reNEWal Cookies! 01/03/2012

Simple & naturally gluten free~homemade Sunbutter with an Apple: Great reNEWal snack!

What an exciting time of year! Crisp, invigorating air fills our lungs, while the spirit of the holidays lingers to warm us.

Now is when many of us resolve to approach the fresh New Year with a plan for improving our overall well being!

That's why all January long, as promised, each post here at GlutenFreeGigi.com will focus on our 5-week plan of life-balancing reNEWal!

An extreme "whole new you" approach feels a bit overwhelming to me. Instead, I focus on balanced healthy living all year. I know you want to do that, too.

I also understand it can be difficult to stay on track when life gets hectic. Often, just getting started can pose a challenge. I'm here to help and keep it simple!

In coming weeks, I'll show you easy ways we can pay attention to our health, take time to restore our energy, and fire up our metabolism! We will move toward wellness through balance, with a focus on the foods we eat and staying healthy on our gluten free (or other "free") diet.

I've experienced first-hand the positive power food can have on our bodies. Over 4 years ago, by making what turned out to be simple changes in what I was eating, I experienced a transformation of health so phenomenal it completely changed my life! This drastic improvement in my overall well-being due to simply changing my diet is why I started GlutenFreeGigi.com. It is my mission to share with others how simple achieving optimal health through diet can be .

I hope you'll join me here all month long! I can't wait to reNEW with YOU!

Have a look at what I've got for you this week...