Namaste Muffin Mix: Cranberry and Cinnamon-Pear Muffins

I've been craving baked goods lately but there is no way I will pay $3 for a tasty treat if I have time to make my own at home.

I found Namaste Foods Muffin Mix at Winners the other day. Winners actually has a wide selection of gluten-free products. Although Winners is known for being where higher end products have their last-ditch chance in the retail world, their food products were nowhere near the "best before date". Also, I am aware that Winners/ Homesense has retail rights to Better Batter gluten-free flour and mixes in Canada.

The Namaste Foods Muffin Mix is free of: gluten, wheat, soy, corn, potato, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and casein. It is also kosher and free of carageenan.

I followed the package instructions (add 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of oil, 1 cup water to mix) and incorporated some of my own flavours (as recommended on the package).

I made some 5 muffins with dried cranberries and 10 muffins with fresh rosamarie pear chunks and cinnamon with a brown sugar top. 15 muffins for $6.99 in muffin mix + about $2 in other ingredients comes to about 60 cents/ muffin. Not only do I save some cash, I also know exactly what is in my food!

The cinnamon-pear muffins were tasty and approved by my roommate and my boyfriend (neither of whom have dietary restrictions). I have yet to try the cranberry muffins- those seem more portable so they will be for breakfasts/ snacks on the way to school.

Article: "Dilemmas of a gluten-free convert"

I read this article on Salon.com a while back. I think the author really nailed it on how to deal with eating gluten-free when sharing a meal often means much more than satisfying hunger. The article gives a great perspective on how to navigate the social and cultural waters of a gluten-free lifestyle.

http://www.salon.com/2012/03/06/dilemmas_of_a_gluten_free_convert/singleton/

Gluten-free cereals

Lately gluten-free foods have received a lot of media attention. In particular, I'm referring to the TV commercials for Rice Krispies Gluten-Free with Brown Rice and Gluten-free Chex.

I was never a fan of Chex but I ran to the grocery store almost immediately after seeing the Rice Krispies Commercial. Kudos to you Kellogg's! Thank you for bringing back one of my favourite treats- Rice Krispie treats! I've made them 3 times this week- just follow the recipe on the box.

The only other cereal I've bought since going g-free is the President's Choice Organic's Crunchy Corn Cereal. The package says "wheat-free" and according to "Strawberries are Gluten Free" blog, this is a "use at your own risk item". The author at "Strawberries at Gluten Free" actually went through the run-around of calling the manufacturer to ask about facilities and potential contamination. I'm still okay eating products like this because I know I don't have celiac disease, but if you have celiac, you know what's best for you.

I'm glad that Kellogg's and General Mills are recognizing that many consumers are gluten-intolerant. I wish that restaurants were more aware (even though most are). Even though I have a lot of choices out there, they are still expensive and I feel like I'm treated with kid gloves at restaurants. It is worse when I enter a restaurant I would love to eat at (usually an ethnic one) and there is nothing on the menu I can eat! This is tough for someone who loves food as much as I do. Any other allergy sufferers out there who can commiserate with me?

Nevertheless, I'll take what I can get. And for now, that's my Rice Krispie treats!

Tuna Melt and Fresh City Farms Delivery

Ever since I discovered daiya vegan cheese, I've been looking forward to making tuna melts. They are easy to make, nutritious and filling.

A while ago, I got a tuna melt tip from one of my favourite cooking shows: The Chew. Use cooked sweet potato instead of bread! Not only are sweet potatoes naturally gluten-free, they are cheaper than gluten-free bread and more nutritious.

I roasted the sweet potato at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1.5 hours, until the insides were soft but the sweet potato was still intact. Then, I mushed up the inside of the sweet potato a bit before filling with my tuna mix and topping with "cheese".

Tuna mix: 1 can of tuna, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 large pickle, fresh ground black pepper to taste. (makes enough for 2 sweet potatoes, or 4 open-face tuna melt "sandwiches")

You can skip the pickle but I like how it adds crunch, tang and saltiness. No need for the salt shaker.

I was just as excited about my first delivery from Fresh City Farms. I had local, organic produce delivered to my door! I also got some local, free-range eggs.

A small box of fruits and veggies is about $30, half a dozen eggs were $3.25, and delivery is $3. If you prefer to pick up from several locations in the GTA, there is no delivery fee.

I'm estimating that the fruits and veggies are enough produce for me (and the occasional dinner guest) for a couple weeks, as long as I subsidize with frozen peas and a few things here and there from my local market.

Best of all, you can skip weeks of delivery and set up a "do not send" list. I put onions and garlic on my "do not send" but did not remember their close cousin the shallot. It is now on my "do not send" list after a quick email to the Fresh City people.

Before each week's delivery, you get an email with the box's expected contents. If you don't like the "surprise box" idea, you can customize your box online. For those who can enjoy bread and cheese, the online store also sells these locally produced products and some bulk grains, honey, and organic wine.

Just because I'm so excited, I'll list what I had delivered this week:

Half a dozen eggs

1 bag of carrots

Living tatsoi

Living parsley

1.5 lbs of red beets

6 shalltos

4 Valencia oranges

5 Spartan apples

4 Anjou pears

2 orange bell peppers

1 bunch of spinach

That's a pretty good deal for about $35, considering it is organic and locally grown- and I didn't have to spend time going to the grocery store to pick things out.

I also got a $15 discount for my first order! (they really know how to draw you in)

For now, I will stick to getting twice a week deliveries. I feel like this is a great service in terms of my time and health- and it gets me excited about food!

Now... if I can get fresh-baked gluten-free bread delivered to my door... THAT would be heavenly.

First "cheese"burger in 6 months

Today I had my first cheeseburger in 6 months! It was so delicious!

Yesterday night I made chicken burritos, with cheese!

My favourite new gluten-free, dairy-free food is daiya vegan cheese. And unlike many other non-dairy products, it doesn't contain carageenan!

Best of all, it is sold at Loblaws (where I usually get my groceries), for just $4.99! (not much more expensive than conventional shredded cheese).

I got their cheddar-style shreds but I'm looking forward to trying the mozzerella-style shreds on some gluten-free pizza dough!

The daiya website has a recipe search where you can customize by: "cheese" type, food allergies, and meal type. Check it out here: http://www.daiyafoods.com/recipes_new/index.aspx

This is definitely a product I'll continue to buy because it: meets my food-intolerance requirements, melts and stretches like REAL CHEESE, and is budget-friendly! I'm hoping restaurants in the GTA catch on soon!

Gluten-Free Fish and Chips in Vancouver!

Happy Holidays!

I was recently in Vancouver for the holidays and was finally able to try Mr. Pickwick's Fish and Chips. Everything on their menu can be done gluten-free. I went on a Friday and had the 2 piece cod and chip special for $6.95 and split a deep-fried mars bar with my friend. Delish!

They ran out of deep fried pickles that day but I'm looking forward to trying them the next time I'm back in Vancouver.

Unfortunately I was so hungry that I didn't snap any pictures for this blog- but I assure you everything is fried to order and extremely fresh. Even the tartar sauce is house-made. The decor is a little lacking- there are only 2 small tables in the shop (with two more outside on the patio for summer). Everything is plastic, but clean.

If you're in the Marpole area (Granville and 70th), try this place out! I would say it is also worth a drive in the summer to pick up some good picnic eats. It is hard to find gluten-free battered-and-fried foods and this place does it well.

http://www.mrpickwicksbc.ca/

I've heard about a fish and chip place on the Danforth in Toronto that serves gluten-free items. I'll let you know when I check it out.

Clam Chowder

So I haven't updated this blog in a while... it comes with the territory of being a grad student and having to submit proposals and mark assignments at the same time. Once I am "on holidays" in December, I promise to update the blog with some other goodies I've cooked up recently.

Anyhow- to get through this blustery weekend in Toronto (I saw snow yesterday...) I decided to make a clam chowder. The 2 cans of clans for $3 deal at Shoppers Drug Mart didn't hurt either.

I made my own chicken stock to start using some chicken bones I've saved and a couple bay leaves. You can use canned/ boxed chicken stock instead.

I used some paprika to sautee the celery. Paprika is "peppery" but not "hot"- my tummy seems to be okay with it too.

At first I was going to use almond milk in this recipe, but other dairy-free recipes on the internet recommended coconut milk. The coconut flavour is barely perceptible- it just gives the chowder a creamy sweetness.

Ingredients:

5 stalks of celery

1 can of creamed corn

2 cans of clams

2 large russet potatoes

1 can coconut milk

chicken stock

1 tsp. paprika

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

What you need:

Sautee pan

Slow Cooker

Wooden spoon/ chopsticks/ ladle to stir with

Can opener

Directions:

1) Dice celery stalks thinly and sautee in olive oil with paprika. Celery is ready for the slow cooker when slightly browned.

2) Peel and dice potatoes into bite-sized pieces.

3) Just throw everything in the slow cooker and let it work its magic! (I would add the chicken stock last- I made too much and it wouldn't fit in the slow cooker!)

4) Liberally add salt and pepper before serving.

Enjoy!