REVIEW: Lucy's Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's so great to see more and more products available for gluten-free folks like me, but I have to applaud Lucy's cookies, as they divine! They closely mirror those old favorites of mine and even my non-GF friends enjoy them - a VERY good sign as they are some of the pickiest eaters!

With their crisp crunch, sweet flavoring, and chewy chocolate chips, they surpass most gluten-free cookies on the market.

Lucky for me, I've been able to order these cookies from popular NYC online grocer FreshDirect as part of their new items from their gluten free store.  You can read more about this in my friend's blog about this addition to FreshDirect, where they have over 500 items GF!!

I've also seen these cookies at airports like LGA in NY (Delta terminal) and I always remember to pick up a pack on my way to various places, as it's easy to carry on, and tastes oh so good!! 

In addition to being gluten-free, they are also free from peanuts, tree nuts, milk or eggs, making them a great snack for those who may have other food restrictions. I can't wait to try the other flavors like sugar cookies, oatmeal, cinnamon, chocolate, ginger snap and maple!!

Gluten Free Passover: Almond Flour is the key!

This is one of my favorite holidays now being Gluten-free.  I used to dread this week, where we had to suffer and eat differently, but now many items are kosher for Passover AND gluten-free!  So we have much more variety to choose from!!

I did find the best Matzah at a reasonable price is Yehuda's GF Matzah where it tastes pretty similar and is not extremely pricey.  I've found it at Whole Foods and we've also ordered it online from Amazon.

The best gluten-free Matzah Ball Soup recipe is from Elana's Pantry or can be found in her book The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, which uses almond flour instead of matzah meal.  This flour is great...really flavorful and actually tastes very close to real matzah balls!

I'm also experimenting this weekend to make a Spinach Pita that my family has made for years at the Seder.  Replacing the matzah for gluten-free matzah and the matzah meal with corn meal...we'll see how it goes!  If it's successful, I'll post the recipes and some pics.  Happy holidays!

Gluten free Christmakah: GF Lasagna, GF Potato Latkes and GF Chocolate Pudding Pie

This holiday season I spent the time with husband's family in the Midwest - Milwaukee to be exact.  This has got to be one of the most #glutenfree friendly cities around!  From high end restaurants like Roots to the Bradley Center's gluten-free kiosk, to an abundance of GF options at local grocery stores like Metcalfe's Sentry, Pick-N-Save and Outpost, I had no troubles finding good gluten-free eats.

Our Christmas/Chanukah dinner consisted of gluten-free lasagna and freshly made potato latkes.  However, these recipes take a lot of time...so if you are willing to devote the time, you will have some good rewards!  The potato latkes took about 2 hours from start to plate, but came out really good.

The best part was the dessert.  It was my first time making this pie, with a special recipe from my sister-in-law (recipe coming as soon as she emails it to me!) to make fresh creamy chocolate pudding with Kinninnick gluten-free graham style crumbs.  And I have to say wow - the guests loved it and especially made comments about how good the crust was!  The only thing I would have added would be some whipped cream to top it off.

Hope you enjoy these dishes.

Gluten-free lasagna

 

Gluten-free chocolate pudding pie (recipe coming!):

 
Gluten-free potato latkes

Gluten free ham (we just used one from the store and followed the directions for the glaze):

A total meal, with roasted carrots:

Gluten-Free Holiday Sugar Cookies

If you are looking for an easy way to make Gluten free sugar cookies for the holidays, check out Gluten Free Essentials Vanilla Sugar Cookie Mix.  I found this at The Gluten Free Trading Company in Milwaukee, WI - where my in-laws live - a few years back and I look forward to making these cookies every year!

All you need to make this mix is a stick of butter and 2 eggs.  The trick to doing this right is to chill the dough.  The recipe is on the back of the cookie mix bag.

I usually add a little bit more of GF Vanilla Extract as well to make it just a bit sweeter and to take away any grittiness which sometimes happens with all GF baked goods.

The recipe calls for the melted stick of butter to be mixed with 2 beaten eggs.  Then you add in the dry mix (I do this slowly and with a hand mixer) until it is all incorporated.  I then add the little bit more of Vanilla extract.

At this point, you can refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, but it can go longer if you need to.

Then, pre-heat the oven to what it says on the package (I think it's about 375).  On a non-stick cookie sheet, lightly grease the pan and roll the dough into balls.  Place the dough on the cookie sheet, allowing room in between each for them to expand.  Cook for about 10-12 minutes.

When they come out of the oven, allow them to sit for about a minute.  Then gently use a spatula to lift them off the cookie sheet to a drying rack.  They will get a bit more brown during this time.

The mix should yield about 18-20 cookies. Let them cool completely before frosting with your favorite GF frosting!  I used Betty Crocker's vanilla (and it says Gluten Free on the label!!) with red and green sanding sugar.  Very festive and delicious!!

Braised Chicken with Mushrooms in a White Wine Sauce

I had an idea to make something with chicken drumsticks and thighs, and came across a braised chicken recipe in the Healthy Family Cookbook, that I modified for gluten-free.  It came out amazing...thanks to a bit of help from some Greek wine (from my honeymoon) and a little help from my husband!

You can cook this in a Dutch oven which makes cooking and clean up easy since it's all in one pot.  

I made this along with some spinach and re-heated the gluten-free stuffing we had leftover from Thanksgiving - the sauce was amazing with it!!  

GF Braised Chicken with Mushrooms in a White Wine Sauce

1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken drumsticks and thighs, skin on.

         Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, minced

1 cup mushrooms sliced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

2 tablespoons corn starch or GF flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth or one package of Herb Ox chicken bouillon (make as directed on package)

1/2 cup dry white wine (or - in this case - Greek Muscat!)

2 bay leaves

1. Adjust the oven rack in the lower - middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 7-10 minutes.  If your chicken doesn't all fit in one round, do this in batches.  Transfer the chicken to a plate.

2. Pour off some of the oil and fat until about 2 teaspoons is left and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, thyme, herbes de Provence, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the corn starch, a small bit of water and whisk for about 30 seconds.  Whisk in the broth and wine, scraping the bottom for any browned bits.

3. Stir in the bay leaves and add the chicken back to the pot, along with any chicken juices that may have accumulated.  Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven for about 30 minutes.  Check on the chicken, rotate in the pot and continue cooking until the chicken is falling off the bone, about another 15 minutes.  

4. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and tent with foil.  Finish off the sauce (if needed) by letting it rest for about 5 minutes, skimming off any fat, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

5. Take off the heat, discard the bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over the chicken and enjoy!

Snoopy, turkey, stuffing - perfect holiday!

I know it's a bit late to post this but I think I just got out of my food coma that ensued after the amazing gluten free Thanksgiving I had with my husband!

Our menu included Brined Turkey using the kit from Bed Bath & Beyond, Mashed Potato Casserole, Aleia's GF Stuffing (savory), Pumpkin Pie with GF crust from Jillian's, Sauteed Green Beans and Honey Glazed Carrots with Almonds.  We also made GF Turkey Gravy.  I have to say that the pie crust for the pumpkin pie was not as good as years past.  We tried to brown it by brushing a layer of oil on it.  NOT Recommended - it tasted like fried chicken!

The mashed potatoes came out great but I think the asiago cheese was a bit  too strong for this meal.  I think I should have kept it as mashed potatoes to keep the flavors of the meal more consistent.  The bold taste of this dish was overwhelming when eaten with the rich and heavy turkey with gravy.

The stuffing was a bit more crumbly this year than in the past, and I think that had to do with excess of chicken stock I used to make it.  Instead of the stuffing getting more flavorful, it just fell apart.  I'd keep it pretty consistent to what the recipe calls for.

The honey glazed carrots were new this year.  I first dry roasted the almonds in a 12" skillet to give it more of a smoky flavor.  It really enhanced the dish.  The recipe is from the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook and is listed below.

Honey Glazed Carrots with Almonds

This string bean dish has become a new staple in my house.  So easy to make and very flavorful! You simply need to buy about one pound of fresh green beans, wash them and cut off the ends of each bean strand.  Then you heat up a little bit of oil in a 12" skillet and add the beans.  Saute them until they begin to get a little brown and then in the center of the pan, add a tablespoon or so of more oil with minced garlic.  Let this cook about 30 seconds until it becomes kind of like a paste.  Once that is ready, mix it all together and cook for about another minute or two.  Remove from the heat and top it off with a bit of lemon juice.

Sauteed Green Beans

Honey Glazed Carrots with Almonds
1 1/2 pounds carrots (about 9), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch think on the bias (slanted)
1/2   cup chicken broth
        salt and pepper
2      tablespoons honey
1      tablespoon unsalted butter
2      teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2      tablespoons sliced almonds

1. Add the almonds to a 12" skillet to dry roast them.  Stir them around until they turn light brown in color, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Bring the carrots, broth, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat.  Cover and reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the carrots are almost tender, about 5 minutes.

3. Uncover, increase the heat to high, and simmer rapidly until the liquid measures about 2 tablespoons, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the honey, butter and almonds and continue to cook, stirring often, until the carrots are completely tender and the sauce has reduced to a light golden glaze, about 4 minutes.

4. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Thanksgiving - Gluten-free style

This may be one of my favorite weeks of the year - and my husband's favorite holiday, where cook together, go to the parade on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and watch football (Go Green Bay!) 

I am so thankful to have a great partner in life who will do a 100% Gluten Free Thanksgiving for me, including gluten-free stuffing, mashed potato casserole, and pumpkin pie in a gluten-free crust.  I have many recipes already on my blog from year's past but here is a quick re-cap with links to all my favorites made gluten-free:

Gluten-free pumpkin pie

Gluten-free stuffing

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows

Citrus-glazed carrots

Mashed potato casserole

Gluten-free string bean casserole

Gluten-free brined turkey

Gluten-free apple pie

What are you making this year? 

Gluten-free Burgers, Fries AND Onion Rings - Oh My!

On a recent work trip to Atlanta, my team and I went out to lunch at Yeah! Burger, and I have to say it should be named OH YEAH! Burger because it was just so great to feel "normal" at a Burger joint. 

The burger comes however you want it and on Gluten free bread - pretty good too as it wasn't too flaky or rubbery.  And you can get a ton of delicious fried foods - normally off limits to us - and they even combine together the fries and onion rings into the "50/50."  

Yum all around...great place to take your family and friends.  They have indoor and outdoor seating.

Check it out online at Yeah! Burger's website.

Green with Envy: Guacamole and Chips

Each year after Cinco de Mayo, as the weather warms up in NYC, I love to eat guacamole and chips.  Last night I had some friends over for dinner and we made homemade guacamole, which came out delicious!

This simple recipe can be modified to you own tastes, by adding beans, or cumin, or more jalapeños - it's all up to you.  Best part..it's naturally Gluten-free!

Ingredients:
2 small avocados or 1 large avocado
½ red onion, diced
½ jalapeño, diced
¼ tbsp. cilantro
Kosher salt
Lime juice (from fresh lime)

Cut the avocados in half and scoop out middle into a large bowl, discarding the pit.  Mash until large chunks are gone.  Add onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and lime juice.  Mix all ingredients together.  If taste is a bit bland, add more salt.  Serve with chips.

* A trick to getting more juice out of your lime, microwave it for about 30 seconds before cutting it open.  You will get a ton more juice out of it that way!

**When cutting the jalapeño, you may want to use a glove or cover your hands, as the seeds may make your hands sting from the acids in the pepper.

A Taste of Greece - Gluten-free Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes

My honeymoon in Greece was so amazing and the food was just spectacular!  Best part...most of the food was Gluten-Free!! 

A recently bought a Greece cookbook to learn how to make these amazing dishes at home.  My first attempt...stuffed peppers and tomatoes.  The recipe below serves 6, so feel free to adjust for less people.

I found dry roasting the pine nuts was utterly amazing and I plan to do this for most of my other dishes too, including salads.  Very fragrant and earthy.

Ingredients

6 very ripe tomatoes 6 large green bell peppers 1 cup pine nuts 3/4 cup chopped almonds 1 onion, chopped 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup brown rice 1 cup golden raisins 2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 1/2 ounces scallions 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup tomato juice 3/4 ounce fresh mint 1 tbsp sugar 1 ounce flat-leaf parsley

1. Wash the tomatoes and peppers. Cut a small slice off the base so they can sit flat in the pot and cut off small "lids" on top. Use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the tomatoes and reserve the flesh in a separate bowl. Then remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers.

2. Dry-fry the pine nuts in a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Remove, then do the same to the chopped almonds. In another skillet, add 3 1/2 tbsp. oil and add the chopped onion. Fry for 3 minutes until softened and then add the rice. The amount of rice will depend on how big your peppers/tomatoes are. Stir the rice in rapidly, then add the raisins, chopped garlic, chopped scallions, cinnamon, pine nuts and almonds.

3. Add the reserved tomato flesh and stir. Pour in just enough water and diluted tomato juice to cover the mixture. You can also substitute water for chicken broth if desired. Leave to cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.

4. Chop the mint and add to the rice when it is tender and the juices have been absorbed. Season to taste and give the mixture a final stir.

5. Arrange the tomatoes and peppers in an ovenproof dish. Smear the insides with a little sugar, then fill them with the rice stuffing.

6. Put the "lids" back on the stuffed peppers and tomatoes. Pour a generous amount of olive oil over each one. Place in a 375 degrees pre-heated oven for 50-60 minutes, basting regularly with the oil and cooking juices. Serve hot or cold scattered with chopped parsley.

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas: Naturally Gluten-Free

For the holidays this year my husband bought me the best cookbook, America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.  It is so informative and has great ways to cook healthier.  I look for recipes that I would be easy to modify to make it gluten-free.  Lucky for me, this green chili chicken enchilada recipe was naturally gluten-free and seriously delicious!!

I modified it slightly since I couldn't find fresh tomatillos at the grocery stores in Manhattan so I bought Chi-Chi's brand green chili salsa from which had all the same ingredients such as jalapeños, tomatillos, onion and garlic.

Here is what it looked like before I put it in the oven.

I had a lot of leftover chicken filling so it was great to have tacos with it the rest of the week.
And here is the final product...delish!

Ingredients

1	package chicken thighs
2 1/2	cups green enchilada sauce (salsa)
2	tsp. vegetable or corn oil
1/2	cup fresh cilantro leaves
2	cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
1-2	hot Jamaican peppers (or any other hot pepper)
2	cans Chi-Chi's green chilis, diced
10	corn tortillas (six inch)
	Salt and pepper
1	lime

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Combine the chicken and the enchilada sauce (green salsa) in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer oven medium-low heat, 10 to 15 minutes. When the sauce is simmering, flip the chicken over, cover and continue to cook until the chicken registers 160-165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10-15 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to a plate and shred into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle. Combine the chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, cheese, chiles, and cilantro in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cover to keep warm while heating the tortillas.

4. Lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with vegetable cooking spray or oil. Place tortillas onto a baking sheet and bake until the tortillas are pliable, 2-4 minutes.

5. Working quickly, while the tortillas are still warm and pliable, spread them out over the clean counter. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mix evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly wrap roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them, seam-side down, into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

6. Pour 1 cup more of the sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes longer. Use a large spatula to remove each tortilla and squirt the lime juice over the plate when serving.

No Wrong Way to Make Chili

If you like chili, this is the recipe for you.  The best part?  It's so easy to add/change any of the ingredients to your liking.  Add more spicy peppers or enhance with some fresh corn.  Add beans.  Change up the spices.  This was a creation that I made with my husband this weekend in our 6 quart Dutch oven on the stove top.  You can also use a slow cooker (a.k.a. crock pot) but it will just increase the cooking time by a few hours.

The chorizo added a nice smoky flavor, but we may have added too many hot peppers!  Our fingers were numb for hours after cutting them into small pieces (note to self: use gloves next time!) I usually eat this with GF spaghetti, but you can also serve this with corn chips or GF corn bread.

Ingredients:

2	lbs. ground beef
1	package chorizo (about 12 oz.)
1	yellow onion, chopped fine
4	garlic cloves, diced fine
1	yellow pepper, chopped medium
2	green peppers, chopped medium
3-4	Jamaican hot peppers, diced
2	cans diced tomatoes
1-2	chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2	cups GF beef broth
1/4	tbsp. chili powder
1/4	tbsp. cumin
1/4	tbsp. cayenne pepper
1/2	jar tomato sauce
2	tbsp. tomato paste
1/2	cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a large Dutch oven, brown beef over medium heat by breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.

2. Remove when brown and reserve for later use. Cut chorizo into bite size pieces and add to pot. Brown for about 2-4 minutes.

3. Remove chorizo and drain grease.

4. Add onion until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Add in green and yellow peppers, and cook for a few minutes, then add in the hot peppers, cook for about 2-3 minutes.

6. Add in 1 cup beef broth, spices, and cover cooking until softened about another 4-5 minutes.

7. Add the beef and chorizo back to the pot and stir. Add in the crushed/diced tomatoes, stir and cover. Reduce heat to medium/low.

8. In separate saucepan, add in the tomato sauce and paste, stir until combined.

9. Heat until smooth and add to Dutch oven with other cup of beef broth.

10. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

11. Add in chipotle peppers and 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce.

12. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.

13. When you are ready to eat, prepare the GF spaghetti following the directions on the box. Add into the bowl with chili and add shredded cheddar cheese on top before serving.

Lick the Plate Good: Gluten-free Pot Roast

I absolutely LOVE my Mario Batali Dutch Oven.  It is so easy to make hearty Gluten-free recipes. I made this pot roast last weekend and it came out so good, I literally licked the plate clean!! 

I used Herb Ox bouillon packets to make the beef broth and Pacific chicken broth.  I also added potatoes to the pot when I put the meat back in, and let it cook for about 4-5 hours in the oven.  The meat was so tender it just fell apart on the plate. Serve with gluten-free biscuits or bread and it's a meal to warm you up this winter!

Ingredients

1	chuck-eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds), boneless
2	tablespoon vegetable oil
1	medium onion, chopped medium
1	small carrot, chopped medium
1	small rib celery, chopped medium
2	medium cloves garlic, minced
2	teaspoons granulated sugar
1	cup low-sodium GF chicken broth
1	cup low-sodium GF beef broth
1	sprig fresh thyme
1 1/2	cups water
1/4	cup dry red wine

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Thoroughly pat roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
   
2. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer roast to large plate; set aside. Reduce heat to medium; add onion, carrot, and celery to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and beef broths and thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; add enough water to come halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to simmer over medium heat, then place large piece of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid; transfer pot to oven. Cook, turning roast every 30 minutes, until fully tender and meat fork or sharp knife easily slips in and out of meat, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
   
3. Transfer roast to carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow liquid in pot to settle about 5 minutes, then use wide spoon to skim fat off surface; discard thyme sprig. Boil over high heat until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Add red wine and reduce again to 1 1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
4. Using chef’s or carving knife, cut meat against the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices, or pull apart into large pieces; transfer meat to warmed serving platter and pour about 1/2 cup sauce over meat. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.