Chomp Zone

First off, I have to apologize for the hiatus. It was unintentional but I do have a fairly decent reason - I was completing my first ever 30-day bikram yoga challenge. What’s this? Oh I just go to bikram yoga once a day, every day for 30 days. For those of you who don’t know, bikram is a hot torture chamber. The room is a minimum of 105 degrees (but we’re looking at usually 112 - 120) with at least 40% humidity. It’s hot.

As I’ve mentioned before, there are a few food items that I desperately miss. One is Joanne Chang’s homemade oreos. If you’ve never had the pleasure of going to Flour bakery, do so immediately. I decided to attempt a gluten free version, and I was not disappointed! Here’s is the original recipe and here’s what you need for mine: 

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour (you may need additional flour if doing gluten free - I used about 2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp xantham gum (omit if you arent using gluten free flours)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

My first recommendation is to measure out ALL ingredients ahead of time. Then proceed.

Melt the butter (microwave works fine) and whisk in the sugar until combined. Melt the chocolate chips (again microwave works fine here, but I prefer to melt chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water). Add chocolate chips and vanilla extract to butter and stir to combine. Add in the egg and whisk until well incorporated.

In another bowl, combine the flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill), xantham gum, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Incorporate into the butter/chocolate mixture and beat with a wooden spoon. The dough should begin to resemble play-dough. If your dough is still very sticky (like mine was with only 1 1/2 cups of flour), continue to add a few tbsp of flour at a time until you get the desired consistency. Let the dough sit at room temperature to firm up.

Transfer the dough to the fridge and let chill for an hour. Preheat the oven for 325 F and line cooking sheets with parchment paper. Roll approximately 1/2 tbsp of dough in the palms of your hand and flatten. Arrange cookies 1 1/2 inches away from each other. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly on the cookie sheets, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. If you are using gluten free flours, these cookies are super fragile until they cool entirely.

While cooling, prepare the filling. You need -

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk
• pinch of salt

Beat the butter on medium speed using a hand mixer or a KitchenAid mixer. Add in the powdered sugar and continue to beat until combined. Meanwhile, add in the vanilla, milk and salt. Transfer into a large piping bag, or if you prefer, you can use a butter knife to spread.

Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost the bottom of one, and place another on top.

One of the things I miss most being gluten free is PIZZA. Luckily, we no longer live in close vicinity to good pizza, but this doesn’t change the fact that I crave cheesey goodness. Yes you can order a GF pie, but first you have to find a restaurant that actually does this. And since that is no where near my residence, I either have to eat it there or bring it back and risk it getting cold.

As I mentioned, I have found a wealth of recipes on Pinterest. Recipes that I could certainly Google but sometimes I don’t even know they exist. Like a gluten free deep dish pizza. This recipe was adapted by Gluten Free on a Shoestring (which is an amazing blog! The blogger gives you a recipe to make GF cinnamon toast crunch!!) from a recipe from Uno’s pizza. So my gluten friends, click here to learn more about the crust making process.

Here’s what you need for the crust:

• 2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill all purpose GF flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Xantham gum
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 tbsp instant yeast (I only had 1/2 tbsp and it worked out fine)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp canola oil
• 3/4 cup warm water (100 F)
• 1 - 2 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
• 8 or 9” cake pan

In a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients. Measure out your warm water and add the canola oil. In a steady stream, slowly add to the dry ingredients while the food processor is on. NOTE - you may not need all of the oil/water mixture. I used about 3/4 of it. The dough will form into a ball. If it’s too sticky, add more flour.

Place dough ball into another bowl and drizzle olive oil on it. Place somewhere warm and let rise for 60 minutes. It should double its size (mine did not - and it was fine!).

Preheat your oven to 425. Place dough on a piece of waxed paper and flatten a bit. Cover with another piece of waxed paper and pop in the freezer for 5 - 10 minutes until firm. Roll out into a circle to fit your cake pan. Grease cake pan with canola oil and gently flip the dough into it. Press down into the bottom and work your way up the sides. You may need to tear pieces to repair holes or build up the crust. This is okay - the crust is pretty sturdy.

To actually assemble the pizza, you can use any array of toppings. I bought fresh mozzarella which I cut into 1/4” slabs, fresh basil, homemade meat sauce and frozen peppers.

Start by laying down the cheese, then layer in your “toppings” (in my case the basil and peppers). Finish by spreading sauce over the top. I then grated some Asiago cheese on top. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tip foil and bake for another 10. Let cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

It’s been three months since I cracked down hardcore on my gluten consumption. First of all, my knees feel amazing. The swelling went away, and whether this is a direct result of my diet or a milder winter, I’ll take it. Secondly, I FEEL better. I have to be more creative, really think about what I want to eat, and my friends have been really great in supporting my crazy food finding habits (who knew that Not Your Average Joe’s has a GF menu! So does Meyers & Chang, and a slew of other restaurants).

Of course, the one thing I miss terribly is homemade pasta. I just bought a pasta machine and hadn’t truly broken it in. Furthermore, I love, love, love making homemade ravioli. I recently joined Pinterest to see what all the hub-bub was about and let me tell you, if you’re a recipe hoarder, it’s the most amazing tool ever. Of course, please, please, please if you post someone’s recipe give them credit! Link back to their blog! I would hope that the same would be done for me.

So what gem did I find? Oh yes, a gluten free pasta recipe (a few in fact!) and something I could make more immediately - gnocchi. Those pillowy, yummy pieces of pasta and potato. Best day ever. If you want to make a gluten version, just replace the flour. Recipe was adapted from The Whole Gang.

Here’s what you need:

• 4 medium potatoes
• 1/2 cup of gluten free flour mix (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill but I’ve had much success with King Arthur as well)
• 1 tbsp of xantham gum (omit if you’re making these with regular gluten flour)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt

If you have the time, feel free to bake the potatoes in the oven (see Whole Gang recipe for instructions). I however, lack time after work, and popped those bad boys in the microwave. Follow instructions of your microwave. Once baked, remove and let cool so that you can handle. Scoop the innards into a large mixing bowl. I lack a potato ricer, so I used a hand mixer to fluff them up a bit. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix BY HAND gently until incorporated.

Make sure you have a clear work space and sprinkle some gluten free flour down to prevent sticking. I also put a piece of parchment paper down to help. Divide the dough in four and roll each into a long tube. It should measure about 1 1/2 feet when all said and done. Possibly longer if you grabbed more dough. Using a sharp knife, cut 1-inch sections off. Repeat with all the dough. If you wish to get real fancy, you can use a fork to indent the dough. But, I found this to be unnecessary since it doesn’t add to the flavor.

Boil a large pot of water and add in the gnocchi. Cook for approximately 5 minutes. Strain and serve.

I can’t take credit for this one - check out the recipe here - thanks Baby Cakes!

Although I assume, that many beef stews are one pots. Unless you are making Julia Child’s boeuf bourguignon. Which I have a done. And it took five hours. Maybe longer. I cant remember. It was good, but five hours good? I don’t know…

Anyway, we had some leftover steak in the fridge. Not enough to warrant a meal on its own though. So I decided to make beef stew. This recipe is pretty forgivable and you could add or subtract any variety of items.

Here’s what you need -

• 1 - 2 pounds boneless chuck/steak/stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 medium potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cubed
• 3 medium carrots, scrubbed, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp of tapioca flour
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup red wine

Preheat the oven to 325F. Combine all of the ingredients together in a 3.5 quart (or larger) dutch oven minus the wine. Toss the tapioca and spices to evenly coat the meat and vegetables. Pop into the oven, stirring every hour for three hours. Pour the red wine in at the second stirring (two hours in) and stir to combine.

My mom’s favorite cake in the whole wide world (or one of them at least) is Alton Brown’s carrot cake (recipe here). So I know you aren’t supposed to alter Alton’s recipes. They are perfected. They are science. But we’ve changed things out due to allergies and diets. Spelt flour for wheat flour. Egg replacers for eggs. You get the picture. Given my new experiment, I needed a lower gluten flour then spelt, and I will be honest, I was a bit nervous. 

But this cake is hands down, one of the best things I have ever made - with or without gluten. Again, recipe below will tell you how to make both versions, and I encourage you to try one of them out!

I also apologize, but I didn’t take a picture before we hacked into the cake. That said, please enjoy a view of what it looked like after four adults and a child were set upon it after dinner.

Here’s what you need -

• 12 ounces of grated carrots
• 2 1/2 cups of flour (I used King Arthur’s gluten free all purpose flour + 1 tsp of xantham gum)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 6 ounces vanilla or plain yogurt
• 6 ounces of canola oil

If you have a food processor, this cake is a breeze. If not, take into consideration that grating carrots can take a long time. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Using the grater attachment for the food processor, finely grate your carrots. Toss the carrots in the bowl with flour and mix to coat.

Add the sugar, eggs and yogurt into the food processor and blend until smooth. With the food processor still running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Combine the sugar mixture with the flour mixture. Pour into a greased 9” inch round cake pan. I cut out a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom given that gluten free baking can be fickle, but this might save you from stress with a gluten cake as well.

Pop your cake into the oven for 45 minutes on 350. Lower the temperature to 325 and bake for an additional 20 - 25 minutes. (Mine took 30)

Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes then flip out onto a wire rack and cool the rest of the way (approximately 90 minutes).

Top with cream cheese frosting. (Oh you want to know how I made that to? Sorry Alton, but this version is mine).

• 4 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 4 cups of powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extra

Beat the cream cheese and butter for a few minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer / stand mixer. Add the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar in four batches and continue to beat until fluffy.

Happy birthday, Mom!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Bon Appetit’s December issue was filled with recipes for delicious holiday cookies. One recipe in particular, the cardamom crescents, had been calling my name. A cookie that could be perfectly paired with tea. Dusted lightly with powdered sugar. Oh, divine!

Original recipe is located here. I halved mine and made gluten free, but the instructions below are adaptable to both methods.

Here’s what you’ll need -

• 1 1/4 cup flour (if using a gluten free blend, add 1 tsp of xantham gum)
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar + additional for dusting
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 stick of butter, room temp
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the first four (five including xantham gum if gluten free) in a medium bowl and set aside. In the food processor, combine the pecans and powdered sugar until a coarse meal forms.

In a separate bowl, beat butter and vanilla together. Add the pecan mixture, then the dry ingredients. Dough may be a little crumbly. Dump out and knead lightly four times.

Form 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll into a log about 1 1/2 inches long. Bend into a crescent and taper the ends. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, turning the tray once. The bottoms should be golden brown.

Let cool slightly. Meanwhile, sift 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into a bowl. Drop cookies and cover. Set on a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re going the gluten free route, simply sift powdered sugar over the cookies on the tray. They’re very fragile and will explode otherwise (I may have lost a few while experimenting). Dust with additional powdered sugar before serving.

Day one of being back to gluten free and I would say it’s been a success thus far. I had a burst of creative energy in the kitchen (something that vanished over the holiday season) and spent hours concocting recipes - gluten free crescent cookies (yum), gluten free bread, gluten free ice cream. You name it.

Tonight we went back to the basics - stir fry. I made a lot of stir fries back in the day, although most were bland tasting because I had not discovered spices yet. Unable to nosh on soy sauce, I couldn’t rely on my go to Szechuan sauce. It could have been tragic. But thanks to many gluten free bloggers and Epicurious I was inspired to make a peanut based sauce. Here’s what you’ll need -

• 6 - 8 tbsp dry roasted peanuts
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup Knorr vegetable bouillon
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp lime juice (or one whole lime, juiced)
• 1 clove of garlic

In a food processor, blend peanuts until a coarse meal forms. Add the sesame oil and pulse until smooth. It should look something like this:

Add the remaining ingredients and continue to pulse until smooth. If you prefer more spice, add more red pepper flakes. If the sauce isn’t thick enough for you, add more peanuts (you can do this after the fact, just make sure to blend well). Makes about 2 cups.

For the stir fry you will need -

• 3/4 lb of shrimp, deveined and shelled
• 1/2 cup Knorr vegetable bouillon
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium orange pepper, sliced
• 1 small zucchini, chopped into 1/4 - 1/2” pieces
• handful of sugar snap peas

In a large pan, boil the vegetable broth and sesame oil. Add the shrimp and cook until pink (about 3 - 4 minutes). Turn in the middle of cooking. Add the vegetables and cover. Stir occasionally and cook for another 5 - 6 minutes until vegetables are soft and heated through. Remove from heat and strain any liquid left in the pan. Add 1 cup of the peanut sauce as prepared above. Heat for an additional minute.

Serve on top of rice. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds and cilantro.

We are approaching the end of the year, which to many means making a resolution or compiling a list of activities to complete by the year’s end. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - I can’t stand resolutions. I am not against them. I don’t despise them. But I am not very good at following through on them. Too much pressure. However, this year, I am using the new year as a launch point to start something. It’s not a resolution. It may not happen for the entire year, but we’re going to give it a go.

For almost a decade, I lived a fairly gluten free life. College happened, moving into an apartment, and well, it was easier (and cheaper) to “cheat.” Flash forward and my knees started to hurt. Then my teeth rebelled on me. Things were not right. So January 1, 2012, we are cracking down again. Why? To see if the swelling in my knees stops (yes, gluten can cause this) and to see if the pH in my mouth balances out (because this is also a side effect of gluten).

I am sharing this because this is a blog about food. If you look through my recipes, most are gluten free anyway. But I don’t have any intentions of making things that you can’t mimic in your own kitchen with regular good old flour.

Here’s to a new project starting in 2012.

Happy Mother’s Day! I’m sure everyone says this about their mom, but mine is truly the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. She’s my best friend, my rock, my support. I wouldn’t be half the person I am today without her guidance. She’s coming up to spend the day with me (and to go to the circus!), so I decided to do a “Mother’s Day Tea” in her honor.

What better food to serve during tea than scones? I’ve never made scones before, and the first time would be gluten free. Ah, probably not my wisest idea, but dedication here!

If you don’t want gluten free scones, just substitute with all purpose flour. Here’s what you’ll need -

• 2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Flour + some for dusting
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4” cubes
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) Greek yogurt
• 2 squares of Ghirardelli dark chocolate, roughly chopped (or fruit, or nuts or whatever you fancy)

Preheat your oven to 425. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a fork or a pastry blender until you have a rough crumble.

Stir in your chocolate then the yogurt. I used Chobani dark cherry for mine. If your dough looks a little crumbly and isn’t holding together (because lets face it, we’re using gluten free flour here), add a tsp or two of water.

Knead the dough two or three times and form a circle about 9 - 10 inches in diameter. Cut into 8 pieces.

Pop in your oven for 12 - 15 minutes (should ever so slightly start to golden around the edges and on the bottom). For super easy clean, use a Silplat or parchment paper.

Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!