Blueberries and Cream GF Oatmeal

Mixing the Blueberries into the Oatmeal

So, as I decided to write my blog about the morning breakfast I cooked my daughter, I realized that I needed more information.  Of course I decided to go straight to the source . . . I called the GF Havest Company from whom I purchase my wonderful GF oats that don’t make me sick!  I had this wonderful talk with Seaton Smith, the owner of this small, Celiac-family run company.  I learned so much about the processing of oats and the scrutiny his oats go through to make sure there is no cross-contamination.  I wanted to share what I learned and why I’m in love with GF Harvest:

1. Owner & Operated by Celiac Family:  The GF Harvest company began when Forrest Smith, (son of Seaton Smith), as a teenager, became determined to develop uncontaminated gluten-free oat for him and his three generations of family diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  His desire led to an FFA entrepreneur project which became Gluten Free Oats, LLC.

2. Goes through Intense and Thorough Screening for Cross-Contamination: Seaton Smith, the owner and president, makes sure that there is mandatory family activity in the growing fields.  Since the fields rotate crops, all fields must lie fallow of any gluten grains for 2 full years before use.  Once the oats are grown, every field is walked by the GF Harvest inspection team, in addition to a QC (quality control) inspection by the University of Wyoming Seed Certification Service. By doing an inspection of the whole field it is not like some of the other GF oat milling companies that just test a small sample (2-3 pounds) from each field that can be from 100 to 1000 acre and statistically call it GF. Depending on the growing conditions, a 1000 acre field could produce over 5 million pounds of grain, so this is not a very good statistical sample of the field.  GF Harvest tests a much larger percentage of their oats in comparison.  After the field passes inspection by the University, the product can then only come in contact with grain bins, augers, and combines that are certified by the University to prevent cross-contamination as well.  When it is time to harvest the grain, the farm trucks harvest the raw oats, and each truck batch is tested before it is allowed to unload at the mill.  (Farm trucks are smaller than industrial size trucks, carrying only 16-25 thousand pounds of grain, which means a larger percentage of their grain is tested compared to larger operations).  Once the oats are rolled, they are tested again in GF Harvest’s own lab in addition to a preset regiment of 3^rd party inspections by the University of Nebraska and GFCO (which is the GF certifying organization under the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG)).  Needless to say, these oats are the safest you can find out on the market, and the highest quality!!

3.  A Quick Cook: Their oats are super fast to cook over the stove-top, which amounts to about 2 minutes.

What are Oats?

Oats are a type of grain grown in fields.  The oat seeds are harvested from the field and then chaffed to pull of the hull (an undigestible part of the grain).  Once the hull is off of the oat seed, it is now called a raw groat.  Raw groats are then processed in some way (read below to learn more), which are then made into the oats we buy on the shelves today.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal vs. Instant Oatmeal

Instant Oatmeal is oats that are cut super fine, then pre-soaked and dried (according to Wikipedia).  Quaker Oats instant oatmeal, a typical example of instant oatmeal, has been “enhanced” with: SUGAR, NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, GUAR GUM, OAT FLOUR, CARAMEL COLOR, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.  Because the grain is smaller, the body digests it quicker, adding to glycemic (how quickly carbs convert to sugar) index.  To cook, all you do is add boiling water.

Old-Fashioned Oats fall into 2 categories: rolled oats and steel-cut oats, both of which have a lower glycemic index level than instant oats, because the grain isn’t cut as small.

Rolled Oats are raw groats that are steamed to stabilize* their shelf-life and then rolled (according to GF Harvest).  These just take all of 2-5 minutes to cook over the stove top.

Steel-Cut Oats are raw groats cut into 2-3 pieces and then steamed in the steam chest to stabilize.  They can take 20-30 minutes to cook.

*NOTE: If the raw groats are NOT steamed/stabilized, then they will go rancid within the week.

Benefits of Oatmeal

1. Reducing Cholesterol: According to the Mayo Clinic, Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad,” cholesterol. . . Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber.

2. Reducing Risk of Heart Disease: By adding fiber from sources rich in beta-glucan, once can reduce the risk of heart disease (Effect of beta-glucan from oats and yeast on serum lipids. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1999 Mar;39(2):189-202.)

In a research study published in Nutrition Journal in 2007 (6:6 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-6-6) found that ” . . . a practical dose of β-glucan can significantly lower serum lipids in a high-risk population and may improve colon health.”

Blueberries and Cream GF Oatmeal

Blueberries and Cream Ingredients

Ingredients:

1 cup GF Harvest Oats
2 cups water
1/4 cup of cream, milk, or dairy substitute
1-2 TBSP Maple Syrup
1/8 – 1/4 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients except the maple syrup in the pot.  While constantly stirring, bring to a boil over medium/high heat. (I also smashed the blueberries as they warmed up).
2. As it begins to thicken up, add in your maple syrup to taste.
3. When it is the thickness of your liking, remove from heat and serve.

Voila! – oatmeal is served

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Stellar Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Hamantashan

Baked Hamantashan

So, when I picked up my daughter from school yesterday, they informed me that they would be eating Hamantashan.  I rushed home to see if I could replicate what I haven’t had in years.  I made gluten-free, dairy-free hamantashan and they were AMAZING!!  I got rave reviews.

Just as a note, lots of hamantashan are made with a citrus zest.  I really like mine just plain and simple, so I did not use any of that.

Stellar Hamantashan (GF/DF)

This recipe is adapted from the The Shiksa Blog:

Ingredients:

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla (I make my own, but the safest GF variety without alcohol is Frontier Vanilla Flavor)

• 281.25 grams of GF multipurpose flour or about 9.92 oz (the real recipe called for 2 1/4 cup flours, which would be too much for this recipe.  If doing cups, I’d try about 2 cups for starters and you can always add as you go)
• scant 1 tsp of Xanthan Gum
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 to 5 tsp water (if needed) – I did not need this
• Any kind filling: jam, nutella, chocolate chips, poppy seed, etc.

You will also need

• 1 baking sheets, 2 mixing bowls, wooden spoon, whisk,  parchment paper

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

Servings: About 16 cookies

Kosher Key: Pareve (depending on filling)

Directions:

1.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Weigh your flour and then add baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla.

4.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.

Adding Dry Ingredients

Note:  this never formed the hard pastry dough I was thinking it would.  It was quite sticky.  I contemplated adding more flour, but decided it would be better to refrigerate.

Mixed Wet and Dry

6. Refrigerate dough for about 20 minutes.

7.  On a sheet of parchment paper, break dough off and roll into about 1″ balls.  I completed each Hamantashan at a time, because the dough was a bit sticky and I didn’t want it to sit and get too warm.  Flatten them out, put a dollop of jam in the middle, then pinch corners together to make a triangle.

Making the Hamantashan

8.  Place formed dough in a 350* oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes until edges just begin to brown.

Finished Hamantashan

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Catch-All Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe (GF)

Roasted Root Vegetables

Food Energetics:

I like to eat what’s in season, believing that I derive lots of needed nutrients from the seasonal plants.  Remembering that winter is a time of hibernation, and the sun, too is hibernating we often times  feel seasonal depression from the shorter days or just a waning of energy.  Many root vegetables live in the ground, and though they can have stems and flowers, most of these stems and flowers have died off and also gone into hibernation, returning their energy back into the ground.  Therefore the plant’s energy has shifted from creating flowers into its root by storing nutrients and minerals.  So, if we eat the roots of these plants during the winter, we are eating them at their fullest energy potential to help us energize through the darkness days.  Check out this link if you want to read more about the health benefits of root vegetables.

_______________

This dish is one of the most simple dishes that I make, and other than chopping, there’s little prep work involved.  I usually use whatever I have on hand in my fridge especially when I’m trying to clean my fridge out.  Since I tend to use whatever I have on hand, the technical term for the vegetables is root crops, because as you’ll soon read, they are not all roots.

I am obsessed with researching and learning, which brought me to learn exactly what types of food are really going into this dish.  I will go into more detail below, but if you do not have the same passion that I am possessed by, no worries!  Just skip down to ingredients below.

Definitions:

A root crop is any edible, underground plant structure, thereby defining

The rest of the foods are all under the category geophytes, requiring a dormant period, and are a storage unit for the plant:

Root (carrot)

Roots – are the organs of the plant that absorbs water and nutrients, anchors the plant to the ground, and stores food and nutrients for the plant.

Bulb (onion)

Bulbs – consists of layers that grow underground and store food for the developing plant.

Corm (Gladiola)

Corms – resemble bulbs, but have a solid mass of tissue instead of layers that grow vertically underground.

Rhizome (ginger)

Rhizomes – a shallow stem that grow horizontally underground. Off of rhizomes grow roots, and part of the plant can appear above ground.

Tuber (potato)

Tubers – have leathery skin and eyes.  They are underground stems that grow thick instead of long.

Catch-All Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe

Ingredient (here’s a sample of what you throw in there, but keep reading for step-by-step instructions):

Tubers: sweet potatos, white potatos, beets, celeriac, rutabega, etc.
Winter Squash: hubbard, butternut, acorn, etc.
Roots: Parsnip, carrots, horseradish
Bulbs: onions, garlic, fennel
Corms: Celeriac
Rhizome: ginger
Herbs: thyme, rosemary, chives, parsley
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Glass Baking Dish

If you DON’T want to be creative, continue reading for step-by-step guidance below: 

If you DO want to be creative, mix and match anything from the list above and skip to the directions below:

Ingredients:

1 winter squash – peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 onion – peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic – peeled and roughly chopped
1 celeriac – peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 fennel – rinsed/dried, top part removed and bulb roughly quartered
2 sweet potatoes (or white) – scrubbed/dried and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1-2 parsnips depending on size – scrubbed/dried and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1-2 carrots depending on size – scrubbed/dried and cubed into 1 inch pieces
about 2 tbsp of fresh thyme (dried will do, but start with half the amount)
about 2 tbsp of rosemary (dried will do, but start with half the amount)
about 2 tsp of salt
about 2 tsp of pepper
extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup)

You’ll want to have a glass baking dish about 9×12 on hand.

Serving size: about 6-8 portions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Throw all ingredients above (minus the olive oil) and toss in a glass baking dish.  Drizzle olive oil over vegetables and toss again.

3. Put vegetables in the oven, tossing them every 20 minutes for about an hour.  I like mine a bit crispier, so if you like them a little al dente, then check them after about 50 minutes or so.

4. Serve hot!  It makes for great leftovers, too.

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Husband’s Surprise 35th Gluten-Free Birthday Party (on a budget): Running Themed

My Little Family

I had been planning this day for many, many months. As my husband, a non-athlete, took up running almost 2 years ago, I never thought he would stick with it, and as it turns out, he just completed the Philly Marathon less than a week ago. I am so incredibly proud of him and honored to know him, that I had to come up with a way to support his dedication and honor his perseverance . . . A surprise 35th (gluten-free) birthday party with a running theme!
If there’s anything to know about me, it’s that I LOVE surprises, and I LOVE themes. So, with my dad’s help, it all began.
The theme: a 3.5 mile run for my husband’s 35th birthday. His last name starting with a K, the race was titled:

The BEN K 3.5 mile Run

1. We sent out Evites

Invitation

2. We began designing our race shirts. We first designed them with photoshop and then ironed on each one. I ordered iron-on transfers in bulk from amazon.com (18 for around $18) and the shirts from http://www.shirtsupplier.com (around $2/shirt). Since my husband is from Atlanta, I was able to create the old GA license tag with his birth county on the bottom,  the year he was born, and the year it is now on either side of the tag. All the “sponsors” were places that held importance in my husband’s life, whether it was the brand of shoe he wore (or had worn – my mistake!), his favorite breakfast place, or his alma matter.

3. It was time to think about ordering the bibs from Athlete Race Number:

Of course Ben got the # 35 bib!

ben’s race number

(The bibs we got were a bit pricier, because my dad agreed to get those if we put him as a sponsor. We got 100 bibs for $45.52, but you can just order 100 plain numbers for $22.43)

4. We then drove around to map out the race course that started and ended at my parents’ house. We made maps of the course. We decided to have a 1.1 mile option as well for walkers and kids.

Benk 3.5 mile loop map

5. I ordered the 2 gluten-free cakes from Sally’s Gluten-Free Bakery in Atlanta, Ga. A 13″x9″ sheet cake came to $35. I also ordered a half-sized cake that came in the round. They iced the cake, but couldn’t decorate it. So, I called on my mother-in-law for her cake-decorating help! (By the way, the cakes are amazing!!! None of the guests knew the difference! And my MIL is amazing!!)

GF B-Day Cake from Sally’s GF Bakery

MIL Decorating Cake

6. Ordering the Food – ALWAYS LOOK FOR COUPON CODES!! I learned the hard way, that there are cheaper ways to do things. I decided to have bagels, veggies & dip, fruit, and water. Since I didn’t have enough time to chop the veggies myself due to the fact I was flying in for this, I called Publix (the grocery) who makes wonderful GF platters. (However, if I’d know, you could pick up platters in the grocery store that weren’t part of the catering for half the price. They didn’t look as nice though.) We got both GF bagels and gluten bagels, because they were cheaper and there was no need for everyone to eat GF.

– Publix Fruit Platter (M) feeding 16-20 people = $36.99
– Publix Veggie Platter (M) feeding 16-20 people = $29.99
– Udi’s GF Bagels – 4 bagels for at least $6
– Einstein’s Bagels (with 20% whole order coupon) – 13 dozen with 2 containers of spread for $14.50 (pre-coupon)

7. Making the Medals – I made witty race medals for everyone, but the birthday boy. Ben got a 1st place medal from TrophyPartner.com.

The other medals I made using an exacto knife and cardboard. Then I printed up labels with the race date info, slapped them on the back, punched holes with a hole puncher, threaded ribbon from the dollar store through it, and wrote on the front, i.e., from my architect friend I wrote “Fastest Leed Runner”

labeled benk medal

8. The Dollar Store Run – table clothes, platters, cups, napkins, cutlery, bubbles, candles, chalk

9. Creating the Silly Liability Running Waivers for all the many lawyers in the bunch, and whoever signed “agreed” that if they did not cross the finish line, they would pay for our daughter’s education (among other things). That was my dad’s cute idea.

brother-in-law (lawyer) carefully reading the liability waiver with dad

10. Chalking the Race Course – We chalked the whole race the morning of so people wouldn’t get lost.

Dad Chalking Start

11. The Surprise – Priceless!!

Surprised Husband

So, you want to know how I pulled it off? 

I told him that I was going to let him sleep late, and I’d take care of our daughter.  He had no problems with that.  We got up extra early, did everything we needed.  I had the guests arrive in the front to wait in the patio area.  Once they had all assembled, I woke Ben up and had him put on some clothes.  I told him I had made him breakfast and we were going to eat it on the patio outside.  So, this is his face when he made it outside .  .  .

12. The Start of the Race

At the Starting Line

13. The Award Ceremony – At the end of the race, each guest received their special medal and their t-shirt.

14. Ben K Trivia – Food and dessert were complemented by funny trivia all about my husband. We had door prizes to give out with my dad’s logo on them for the winners. One of the questions asked how tall Ben was. We measured him, and the winner got the tape measure!

It was truly an amazing morning! I found this the most fun, because it gave people a reason to be social and get to know one another (and all with-in budget).

Happy Birthday to the most Beautiful Man that I know!

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Gluten-Free Traveling Trail Mix – GF, SF, DF, Nut-Free

Traveling Trail Mix

If you’re about to travel for any of the upcoming holidays, this is an easy traveling snack to through together.

In any kind of container, mix a hand full of the following ingredients.  Feel free to tell me other foods you like in your trail mix!
– Nature’s Path GF Whole O’s
– Corn Chex
– Eden Organic or Ocean Spray Cranberries
– Raisins
– Happy Baby Green Puffs
– Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
– Snyder’s GF pretzels
– Optional: Nuts of any kind

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Athena/Seth GF Winter Squash Molasses Muffins (DF, SF)

Adapated from the Oxmoor House

Athena Winter Squash Muffin with Molasses

So, here I was, home again with my daughter, and instead of Hurricane Sandy, it’s Nor’Easter Athena.  Snow was falling in huge flakes at the beginning of November!!  First I decided that these storms should be named after a man instead of a woman.  I did a little research on names and came up with Seth, because according to mythology, he was an ancient evil god of Chaos, storms, and the desert, who slew Osiris.  That sounded perfect!

Then, I heard sounds of my daughter who slept all of an hour, got up to go to the bathroom, and never went back to sleep.  Great!  I had a whole L-O-N-G afternoon to entertain her.  First we decided to do a holiday craft project for her grandparents, and then we needed a new storm project.  I looked in the fridge and noticed that I had all this hubbard squash in there, so what better thing to make than pumpkin/squash muffins.  When I started looking for recipes, I saw some that had added molasses.  And, since my latest obsession is with molasses, (see Frankenstorm Chocolate Chip and Molasses Brittle Cookies), this seemed perfect.  So, I aptly named the muffins after our storm Athena, a.k.a. Seth.

A Review:

These muffins were super moist, like bread, deep in color from the molasses, not too sweet, and incredibly satisfying.  If wanting a bit more flavor, then I’d recommend ratcheting up the amount of spices.  However, everyone in the house including storm visitors ate more than one!

Athena/Seth GF Winter Squash Molasses Muffins (DF, SF)

Servings:
1 dozen large or 40 mini-muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened – I used Earth’s Balance

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg

2 cups (1 can) of cooked squash or canned squash/pumpkin

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

1 3/4 cups GF flour = 218.75 grams or 7.72 oz

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinammon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

*1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation:

If needing to roast squash ahead of time, see blog post on Hubbard Soup for roasting instructions in #1 & 2 of instructions.

1.  Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy, but you can use a whisk if your butter is room temperature.

2.  Slowly add brown sugar, beating/stirring well.

3.  Add egg, beating/stirring well.

4.  Add squash and molasses, beating/stirring well.
5.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spice.  Whisk together to make sure they’re incorporated.

6.  Slowly add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture  (beating at medium-low just until blended).

7.  Stir in nuts.

8.  Spoon into greased muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.

9.  Bake at 375° for 20 minutes and remove.

Fresh Out of the Oven

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Hubbard Squash Soup with Coconut Milk (GF, DF, SF)

This soup was inspired by my friend, Leah, and it all started like this . . .

My daughter and I were supposed to have a playdate with my friend, Leah, and her son. Leah calls to tell me that her son didn’t nap, her husband’s home early, and they’re going to go out for dinner. So, she was wondering if we could reschedule a playdate for the next day when her husband would be away for the next couple of days. That sounded fine with me. I asked her if she wanted to have dinner with us, too. We made a date for the next day.

The following morning I get a call from Leah saying that her aunt is still in-town, and her aunt and  mom have no plans for the afternoon, so they might come hang out, too. Well, then I start wondering if they were around for dinner, and it turned out that they were. The next thing I know, I was going to have a whole, wonderful table full of guests, BUT what in the world was I going to feed them?  It was now 11 am, and I had to figure it all out fast, get to the grocery store, and start prepping before I picked my daughter up from school by 12:30 pm. Soup, salad, meat, and dessert seemed doable.

I ran out to our neighborhood co-op to pick up some chicken and butternut squash, and what did I learn?  They were out of butternut squash!!!  Whatever was I going to do now?  I politely asked one of the staff members, who directed me to a hubbard squash and some other kinds. He told me that he thought they were waaay better and sweeter than butternut. SOLD!

I ran home to begin roasting the squash to get it ready for the soup. And I was not disappointed. This soup was creamy, smooth, and sweet.  It was so good in fact that I ate it every morning for breakfast for the next week!

Roasted Hubbard Squash Soup with Coconut Milk
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free

Adapted from Sisters Running the Kitchen Blog

Hubbard Squash Soup

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil or butter (I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil – EVOL)
  

  Ingredients

• 1 large winter squash (like butternut), halved or chopped (I used hubbard)
• 1 teaspoon salt (I used Himalayan)
• pepper, to taste
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• handful of thyme leaves pulled off stem
• ~ 1/4 – 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 can of lite/regular coconut milk
• ~2 liberal tablespoons maple syrup, but more if you want it sweeter
• 1 cup of chicken (or vegetable) broth
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut Squash in half and rub with 1 tablespoon of EVOL (or butter) and sprinkle with salt. You can also dice squash and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (butter) and some salt.
3. Roast squash in oven for about an hour.
   

   Squash roasting in oven

4. Remove squash from oven and allow to cool enough for you to handle.
5. While cooling, heat a pot over medium heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of EVOL (or butter) and allow to warm.
6. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon, thyme, salt, & pepper.
7. Saute until onion is soft and translucent.
   

   Sautéing the Vegetables

8. Add wine to de-glaze the pot, and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed.
9. Scoop out the flesh of the squash and add to pot along with the coconut milk, honey, and broth.
   

   Removing Squash Skin

10. Puree soup with a hand immersion blender or transfer to a food processor/blender and blend until smooth.
11. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Soup after being pureéd

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