Gluten Free Cinnamon Streusel Muffin Mix - #MakeThatGlutenFree

Hey everyone, earlier this month I asked people to share what popular food item they'd like to see converted gluten free via using the hashtag #MakeThatGlutenFree.

This month I was talking with Stacy Rushton and we came up with the idea for a gluten free muffin mix. I really love the idea because I enjoy making my own flour blends, but it can be time consuming to measure 3-5 different ingredients to substitute for wheat flour. This is a great way of spending a little bit of time to mix dry ingredients and store them for later use. This recipe is also a really great gift for anyone who is gluten free.

Once the mix is made, I like to store it in glass jars and use them within 1-2 months. This recipe for the mix allows for 3 dozen muffins.

One tip whenever you're transferring dry ingredients from a large container to a smaller one (i.e. bowl to mason jar), use a folded piece of printer paper as a guard to prevent missing the smaller container.

Muffin Mix RecipePrep Time: 15-20 minutes

Makes: Approximately 3 cups of mix

Muffin Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cup sweet rice flour

3/4 cup almond flour

3/4 cup tapioca flour

1 1/2 tsp xantham gum

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp all spice

3 tsp baking powder

Topping Dry Ingredients
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup and 2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Steps
In a medium bowl, mix the muffin dry ingredients until it looks like a homogeneous blend. Transfer the mix to a mason jar and seal. In a small bowl, blend the topping dry ingredients and place in a small jar.

Muffin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes
Bake Time 18 minutes
Serves 6 muffins

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp muffix mix (see above)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3 tbsp melted butter room temperature

1/4 cup and 3 tbsp topping mix (see above)
1 1/2 tbsp soft butter, cubed

Steps
Preheat an oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with baking cups. In a medium bowl, mix the muffin mix, milk, vanilla, and egg together. Once well combined, add the butter and stir until a batter has formed, some lumps are acceptable. Distribute the muffin batter into the tins.

In a food processor pulse the topping mix and butter together until a crumble forms. Crumble on top of the muffin batter, and place in the oven. Bake for 18 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Gluten Free Focaccia de Recco - Global Street Food #SundaySupper

Hey everyone! This week we're doing a theme set on global street food! I wanted to take an Italian recipe called Focaccia de Recco and make it gluten free. For those who don't know, focaccia is a type of thin bread traditionally found in Italy. The variation on this one is that it is filled with soft cow's milk cheese. Traditionally a Stracchino cheese is used, but I find that any soft cow's milk cheese will work in the recipe.

Check out all of the recipes this week from around the world! And be sure to join us Sunday at 7pm EST for the twitter chat! Just search #SundaySupper to join!

Bread on the Boulevard

• Bavarian Soft Pretzels from The Foodie Army Wife
• Pao de Queijo from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Gluten Free Focaccia di recco from No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Martabak (stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread) from The Urban Mrs
• Socca from Curious Cuisiniere

Hand-Held Savory Eats

• Carnitas Tortas from Cookin' Mimi
• Schnitzelwecken {Schnitzel on a bun} from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Tortas de Milanesa (Pork Cutlet Sandwiches) from Juanita's Cocina
• Waffle Cone Fried Chicken from Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Feta Chicken Kabobs from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Beef Taquitos from Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Chorizo, Chimichurri and Salsa Sandwiches from Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Falafel Pita Sandwich from Mama's Blissful Bites
• Croque Monsieur from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Chicken and Chorizo Street Tacos from I Run For Wine
• Tandoori Chicken Wrap from Foxes Love Lemons
• SoCal Rolled Tacos from Webicurean
• Samosas from Soni's Food
• Beef and Pork Empanadas from Magnolia Days

To-Go Containers

• NicaMales (Nicaraguan Street Food) from The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Currywurst mit Pommes from girlichef
• Arancinis from My cute bride
• Poutine from Noshing with the Nolands
• Tokyo University Potatoes from NinjaBaking.com
• Tacos de Carne Asada from Family Foodie

Sweets on the Streets

• Nutella Crepes from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Easy Apple Churros with Dulce de Leche from Daily Dish Recipes
• Kettle Corn from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Hotteok from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Funnel Cake 3 Ways from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Sweet Corn Tamale (Tamal Asado) from Basic N Delicious
• Pisang Goreng (Deep Fried Bananas) from Food Lust People Love
• Banana Nutella Swirl Gelato from Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Grab a Thermos 

• Wine Pairing Recommendations For Global Street Food #SundaySupper from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Gluten Free Focaccia de Recco

Prep Time 15 minutes

Bake Time 12 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup sweet rice flour

1/4 cup tapoica starch

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 tsp xantham gum

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup and 3 tbsp water

1/2 lb soft cow's milk cheese

Steps

Preheat the oven to 550F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and oil it.

In a bowl, mix the flours, gum and oil together until well combined. Add in the water and stir until a dough forms and you can shape it into a ball. Separate the ball in half, and roll each half within 1/8 inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Transfer the sheet to the baking pan. 

Cube the cheese, and place on top of the dough sheet.

Roll out the other half of the dough, making it slightly larger than the previous. Lay it over top the cheese, and press on the edges to seal them. Drizzle more olive oil over top, and bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Cut and serve warm.

Gluten Free Product Review - GimMe Seaweed Snacks

Hi everyone,

I got the opportunity to try out GimMe Seaweed Snacks and wanted to share them with all of you. They're produced by a Californian couple of Annie Chun and Steve Broad. GimMe snacks are healthy, certified organic and non-GMO verified, certified gluten free. Certainly a mouth full.

There's a variety of flavors, cheddar cheese, honey dijon and sesame.They're all low calorie snacks that I tried along and crumbled on salads.

If you're a fan of sushi, you'll definitely be a fan of these snacks. They have the taste you'd expect from seaweed, but are wonderfully hosted, lightly salty, and really deliver the promise of the flavor they're packaged as. If you're a fan of sushi, I definitely recommend you check out their product at www.gimmehealth.com

Almond Citrus Salad - #SundaySupper #Lunchbox

Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you've had a great weekend so far. Sadly though, Sunday brings the beginning of the work/school week, and the day-to-day routine associated with it. One thing I love and appreciate about not eating gluten is my Sunday is filled with a couple hours of getting meals ready for the week. I work roughly 40 hours a week and also learn in a part-time graduate program during the week, so any meals I can have ready for the week make my life tons easier. This is why I was excited to see this week's Sunday Supper theme is lunchbox meals.

This week I'm sharing one of my favorite salads, a vegetarian almond citrus salad. The only component that needs to be made is the dressing, so it's great to prepare a day or two ahead of time. I normally make the dressing on Sunday, and store it in a small jar in the refrigerator. I hope you enjoy this and all the recipes this weekend! Thank you to Liz for hosting!


Sandwiches, Wraps and Entrees:

• Baked Ham and Cheese Rolls from Big Bear's Wife
• Balsamic Butter Beans with Smoked Sausage and Spinach from Eat, Move, Shine
• British Bento Lunch Box from Ninja Baking
• Carrot Cake and Zucchini Bread "Sushi" from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Greek-style Spinach Hand Pies from Kimchi MOM
• Homemade Uncrustables from Treats & Trinkets
• Indian Spiced Chicken Meatball Wraps from Soni's Food
• Madam Wong's Pizza Rolls from Food Lust People Love
• Malibu Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels from Home Cooking Memories
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Rolls from Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Pizzadillas from La Cocina de Leslie
• Popcorn Chicken Bento from The Urban Mrs
• Potato Mushroom and Cheese Focaccia from Family Foodie
• Sausage Roll Ups from The Food Army Wife
• Scotch Eggs from My Cute Bride
• Stawberry and Chicken Pasta Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette from Table for Seven
• Turkey, Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Wraps from La Bella Vita Cucina

Munchies, Salads and Sides:

• Almond Citrus Salad from No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Banana Bread Muffins from Curious Cuisiniere
• Best Basic Hummus from Supper for a Steal
• Blueberries & Cream Granola from The Messy Baker
• Blueberry Egg Bagels from What Smells So Good?
• Cheese Cracker Recipe from Growing Up Gabel
• Creamy Orzo & Peas {Dairyfree} from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Mini Griddle Cakes from Noshing with the Nolands
• Quinoa and Green Bean Salad with Tibetan Dressing from Healthy. Delicious.

Sweet Treats:

• Biscoff White Chocolate Blondies from Cookin' Mimi
• Caramel and Rolo Rice Krispie Treats from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cinnamon Zucchini Brownies from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars from Alida's Kitchen
• Cookie Butter Granola Bites from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• "Free" Brownies from Jane's Adventure in Dinner
• Honey Oat Bars from Magnolia Days
• No Bake Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Cookies from Pies and Plots
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Cookies from Peanut Butter and Peppers

And remember that we have a #SundaySupper chat at 7 PM each on Sunday evening. We tweet throughout the day using the hashtag #SundaySupper, then we all gather to share ideas, recipes and answer questions from 7-8 PM ET. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest Board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Almond Citrus Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 5-6

Ingredients
2 romaine lettuce hearts
1 bag of shredded carrots
3 oz sliced almonds
3 oz dried cranberries
zest of one lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Steps
Chop the lettuce into bite size pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the lettuce, carrots, almonds, cranberries, and zest together. Set aside.

Heat a sautee pan over medium heat, and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the garlic, and sautee the garlic until it becomes soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl, and refrigerate it for 5 minutes.

Once the garlic has cooled, whisk the juice, garlic, butttermilk, 1 tbsp oil, salt, and pepper together. Toss the dressing with the salad and serve!

Gluten Free Pretzel Crusted Chicken

Here's a delicious yet simple recipe for pretzel crusted chicken. I made it with Glutino gluten free pretzels, and it turned out great! The trick to getting crispy chicken on the top and bottom is to use a wire rack with the baking pan to allow the top and bottom to get crispy at the same time. I like to serve with with some slightly caramelized vegetables because it's a great color contrast and goes great with the chicken. I also like to use thinly sliced chicken to speed up the cooking time.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 lb thinly sliced chicken
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup gluten free pretzels
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
half a head of broccoli
half a head of cauliflower
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Steps
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a wire rack over top the baking sheet. In a shallow bowl, mix the mustards and oil together. Dip the chicken in the mustard blend, and set the chicken aside. Crush the pretzels in a food processor, and then combine with the powders, salt, and pepper. Dip both sides of the chicken into the pretzels, and plce on the wire rack. Bake for 18 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, rinse the broccoli and the cauliflower. Cut off the crowns, and split each crown in half. In a sautee pan, add the oil and butter and heat over medium heat. Add the veggies to the pan, and add a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the veggies are slightly brown and tender.

#MakeThatGlutenFree Challenge

Hey everyone! I'd like to announce a new experiment based on challenges I've taken on from friends over the past few years. I entered a challenge with my roommate recently to make gluten free cheese crackers like the kind you can buy pre-made from the store, and that resulted in this post.

I'd like to extend that out to the community, by asking you guys to challenge me to #MakeThatGlutenFree. I'll pick one to do each month, and I'll share it on the blog. I'll also gift something each month to the person who suggests what recipe I experiment with. This month I'll gift a 5lb bag of Jules Gluten Free Flour.

All you gotta do is share your recipe recommendation with the #MakeThatGlutenFree on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. I'll pick one for the month of August and announce the recipe I'm adapting this Friday!

Food Tip of the Week: How to Fry a Sunny Side Up Egg

Happy Saturday everyone! I hope that the picture above is making you as hungry for breakfast by just looking at is as it is for me. This week I wanted to share a few simple tips to help you make the perfect sunny side up egg.

Here's a few quick tips from the video:

1. Put the pan on low heat.
2. Oil or butter the pan to prevent sticking
3. Break the egg into a saucer, and use the saucer to transfer the egg to the pan
4. Cover the pan with a lid to evenly cook the egg.
5. The egg is done once the white is no longer translucent.

Orange Mead Cocktail

I can't believe how fast summer is flying by! Before you know it, it will be Labor and time to say goodbye to summer. Here's a simple mixed drink that's based on mead (i.e. drink of the gods) that's not too sweet, and delicious to sip on a warm summer day.

For 1 Drink:
6 shots of mead (also known as honeywine)
2 shots of Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
2 shots of sweet and sour mix
handful of ice
half a slice of orange

Shake the mead, Triple Sec, mix, and ice. Pour into a wine glass and garnish with the orange slice.

Gluten Free Cheese Crackers with Mead

One of the easiest ways to control gluten intake through food is to make your own. Over the past year my friends and I have learned how to make gluten free beers and wines at home, and I've loved the experience. Despite missteps here and there, there's some satisfying about being able to craft something and share it with friends. This past month my roommate and I bottled a mead we were brewing. Mead is a type of wine made by fermenting honey. We added raspberries and oranges during the fermentation which is where the color comes from.

I figured that gluten free cheese crackers would be an amazing compliment to the mead, and a fun, contemporary take on wine and cheese. The key is to use a sharp cheese that you'd love to eat straight from the block. I like to add some seasonings to the cheese and flour to create a delicious and bold cracker. I use a pastry cutter to create the shapes, but you can use a knife to cut them if you don't have one. These crackers also don't expand, so you can place them fairly close together on the pan while baking them.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Bake Time 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter room temperature
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup gluten free flour blend
1/4 tsp xantham gum
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water

Steps
Preheat an oven to 375F.

In a medium bowl, blend the cheese and the butter together. In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, powder, paprika, flour, gum, and starch together. Mix the dry ingredients into the cheese until fairly well combined. Add the water, and continue to stir until a dough forms.

Lay a sheet of parchment paper over top a cutting board, and roll out the dough to about 1/16-1/8th an inch thick. Cut the dough into 1x1 inch squares, and poke holes in the centers with a toothpick. Transfer the dough to an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Crispy Skin Chicken with Rice Medley - #WeekdaySupper

I always love seeing the Weekday Supper recipes that people share from month to month. I sometimes find it difficult to find time to make dinner during a busy week, so I love seeing all the simple and delicious recipes. Today I'm sharing a simple recipe for crispy skin chicken with rice and vegetables.

Check out all of our Weekday Supper recipes this week:
Tuesday - Sue's Nutrition Buzz - Spiced Up Turkey Shepherd's Pie With A Cauliflower Crust
Wednesday - Shockingly Delicious - Pasta with Black Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade
Thursday - Happy Baking Days - Baked Tomatoes with Mozzarella and Basil
Friday - girlichef - Chicken Parm Sammies


Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts with skin and bones
1 tbsp butter, melted
salt and pepper
1 cup brown rice
2 1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup mixed frozen vegetables

Steps
Preheat an oven to 350F. Line a pan with aluminum foil. Butter the tops of the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 160F. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, rinse the rice in cold water. Add the rice to a medium saucepan with the stock and oil. Bring it to a boil, and then cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the rice for 35 minutes. Place the vegetables in a microwave safe bowl with 2 tbsp water and cook for 3 minutes. Add the butter and vegetables to the rice and enjoy!

Food Tip of the Week: Poaching

Hey everyone! Check out my video above for some tips on how to poach. In the video I poach peaches, but you can poach any food that is tender such as fish or food that dry out easily such as poultry. For fruits I like to use white wine and vanilla, white wine and butter for fish, and stock seasoned with herbs and butter for chicken. (I'll post a separate recipe for chicken later in the month.)

For the poached peaches above, I use about 3-4 ripe peaches. Add a bottle of white wine and tablespoon of vanilla to the pan, and heat it over medium heat. Once the wine is hot, add pitted peaches to the pan, skin side up. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, flip, and cook for another 10.

For a super delicious way of serving the peaches, boil the poaching liquid until its reduced  between 1/2 and 1/4 the original amount, and drizzle it over the peaches and some vanilla ice cream.

Finally, the FDA defines “gluten-free” for food labeling

Press Announcements FDA defines “gluten-free” for food labeling
 Celiacs everywhere are now celebrating and breathing a sigh of relief. I know I am for sure! As a mother of 3 children ( two with celiac disease) and a GF business owner I am all too aware of the risks celiacs take when purchasing a product that states it is GF but there is no outside testing certification that actually deems it truly gluten-free.  Recently, my son Josh had his annual blood work performed.  This always includes a celiac panel just to make sure that we are on the right GF path.  Josh has been GF for almost 11 years now and his levels are always perfect since being GF. Not so this time around.  His antibody levels were elevated and I honestly do not know why!  Josh does not cheat, that I know for sure,  but maybe some products that he is eating, that state they are GF, are truly not GF or safe enough for someone with celiac disease. The FDA labeling law will force manufacturers to test their products that they want to be labeled GF.  
As a GF business owner I have positioned our products specifically for this day. At Just Ask Josh our products are all sampled and ELISA tested to be <10ppm- significantly below the FDA regulations for GF.  I am very proud of our testing and GF certification.  Yes, it does cost to have the products tested but I would not have it any other way!