Gluten Free Naturally

Arepa Pizza One positive about being in lockdown is the opportunity to become more creative. Yesterday, I was mulling over what to have for dinner. PIZZA! Totally out of the question, since there are no pizzerias lakeside and I don’t have an oven. PIZZA! It kept screaming at me. I tried to think of other things - a nice Thai curry? PIZZA! It replied. How about a burger on an arepa? PIZZA! It insisted. So I had pizza...Continue reading

I used to think cookies were for kids. Well I now have full grown adult children and to this day, nothing can beat amazing chocolate chip cookies. Crispy exterior, gooey interior, just a hint of sweet with the chocolate providing a velvet texture and the walnuts delivering crunch. Is there anything better? What do you like? Tomorrow I am making pie for a party - four types: apple, pumpkin, lemon meringue, and coconut cream...all the while I dream of chocolate chip cookies.

It's Fall. It's a wee bit chilly and I need something warming, delicious and also low calorie, because at the moment I am trying to shed a few pounds. Thanks to Myrna Campbell. Your suggestion resulted in developing my all time favourite soup. I hope it hits the spot for you, and everyone likes it as much as I do. Butternut Squash (265 calories p. cup) 8 c. Chicken Stock (400 c.) 1 large butternut squash (160 c.) ... 1/2 c. Lentils (340 c) 1/4 c. Quinoa (15 c) 1 large Macintosh apple, chopped (116 c.) 2 c. Chicken (600 c.) 1 c. Almond milk (30 c.) 1 c. Plain yoghurt (154 c.) 1 large onion (60 c.) 4 garlic cloves (20 c.) 2 T oil (250 c.) 2 T black pepper 1/2 t. Cinnamon 1 t salt 1/2 thyme Roast the butternut squash and garlic at 350 for one hour Meanwhile in a large pot, heat oil and add chopped onions. Add the chicken stock and set to boil. Add the chicken, chopped apple, lentils and quinoa and cook until they are soft Peel, dice and remove the seeds and stringy insides of the butternut squash. Add the garlic and squash to the pot. Add the spices and allow the mixture to reach a boil. Simmer for half hour to allow the flavours to blend. A couple of minutes before removing from the heat, add the milk and yoghurt and blend in. Remove from heat and blend the mixture for a minute or until smooth. The soup has silky texture. Bon appetit

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who live in Canada! Today marks a first for me. No cooking for a special dinner! My neighbour invited me to join her and her family of four children. They all have celiac so everything is gluten free! I am very grateful to be a part of her family's celebration and am beyond excited to have a gluten free meal cooked with love.... For those of you looking for a little gluten free yumminess today, try this easy recipe that everyone can enjoy. It can be made vegetarian by replacing the crab with king oyster mushrooms. Crab Appetizer 2- 5 oz cans of crab meat 1/4 c. Cream cheese, softened 1/4 c. Whipped salad dressing 1/4 c. Fresh grated parmesan 1 t Worchestershire sauce 2 crushed garlic cloves 1 t fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper Preheat the oven to 350 F. Mix everything except the crab together. Once the cream cheese has blended with all the other ingredients, fold in the crab meat. Place mixture into a small oven proof pot and cook for 15-20 minutes. It should be bubbling away when you pull it out. Serve immediately with gluten free crackers or carrot sticks and celery. Enjoy!

Kraft Dinner Anyone? Gluten Free, Naturally I grew up with KD and, I have to say, as an adult I still crave it from time to time. It is noodly, creamy comfort food. To make a healthier version, try it over riced cauliflower. It is every bit as satisfying. 1/4 c. butter... 1 T each arrowroot flour, rice flour and cornstarch 1/2 t. each of salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, dry mustard 3 drops sriracha sauce 2 c. milk 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine the butter with the dry ingredients to form a a roux. Turn the heat down to low and add in the milk and cheese. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens. Add a few dashes of sriracha to give it colour and a little zing. Mix in cooked macaroni noodles or riced cauliflower and serve immediately. See more

It is a beautiful sunny fall day in the Okanagan Valley and the barbeque is beckoning. This BBQ sauce recipe is one of my favourites. It works well with chicken and ribs. Brush it on as the meat cooks and save some for dipping. BBQ Sauce 1/2 c water 1/2 c. Ketchup... 1/4 c apple cider vinegar 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce 1 T oil 1 T dry mustard 1 T chopped onion 2 cloves of chopped garlic 3/4 t salt 1 t sugar 1 t chili powder Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse. Allow to sit in the fridge at least 24 hours so the flavours blend. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Happy Hump Day! I am in sunny Vancouver enjoying all this city has to offer. The gluten free options have been diverse, delicious and endless. Gluten free personal pizza at Panne Rizo Gluten Free Bakery near Kitsilano beach; sausage rolls from The Gluten Free Epicurean; and, miso soup, seaweed salad, and bar none the best sushi at Iki Japanese Bistro (2756 W. Broadway). Their Dynamite Roll is appropriately named: prawn tempura, avocado, cucumber and yam with brown rice are d...ynamite. Only one thing would make it better - more! I also visited Lemonade bakery, which could very well be the best bakery on the planet. They make a large variety of elegant desserts and a fresh quinoa baguette that is akin to gluten baguette. Moist and chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It was so good I went back for more. Whilst there I also sampled a couple of their desserts. Upon the recommendation of the baker, I tried a campfire chocolate cupcake and a cinnamon danish, and I took home a chocolate croissant (it looked more like a danish, but it was good). All these foods reasserted to me that amazing food can be gluten free and reasonably priced. My sushi lunch was under $15 with the tip and the baguette is $3.75. If you have a chance to visit Vancouver, be sure to check these places out. Another discovery on this trip is my new favourite snack. Dried seaweed with sesame oil. Kind of like potato chips for salty crunchy, but each pack contain tons of healthy nutrients into 30 calories. Happy gluten freaking day!

Yucca Fries When visiting Ecuador this winter, my all time favourite food was yucca fries served with mayonnaise. They are crispy crunchy on the outside and smooth like silk on the inside. I decided to make some while staying on Floreana island, but almost gave up when I came face to face with my very first yucca. It is a very large tuber with rough dark skin that is similar to that of a coconut. As I stood in my little Airbnb kitchen, the other Airbnber happened to walk in ...and saw me staring down at it wondering how to remove the skin to get inside to the yummy food. He grabbed a long kitchen knife, and whacked it with the sharp blade lengthwise. The skin popped open and from there on it was a breeze to peel. If you are in the least bit put off by its appearance, I can assure you it is easier to peel than a potato and the taste is out of this world. Go grab a big old scruffy yucca, and make the best fries ever. Ingredients: 1 Large Yucca tuber 1 in. of canola oil Salt for seasoning Your favourite dipping sauce 1. Crack open and peel the yucca root 2. Cut into steak fries and remove the centre fibrous core 3. Place in salted boiling water and cook until they are tender 4. Pat the yucca dry 5. Heat up one inch of canola oil in a deep pan 6. Fry the yucca fries until golden brown 7. Scoop out of oil and place on paper towels to absorb oil 8. Serve immediately with your favourite dipping sauce. Note: You can transform these fries into poutine or any other favourite dish that uses fries as its base. Enjoy!

I'm on my final of four islands, San Cristobal. You know what they say, you save the best for last. Yesterday I walked to the malecon to El Faro restaurant, which specializes in traditional Ecuadorian food. I ordered a smoothie, a green plantain tortilla and a yuca tortilla. On the mainland this order would be a normal amount of food. Well everything on this island is ginormous. First my blackberry smoothie arrived in a large lightbulb. It was enough for a meal by itself. It... was made from fresh organic blackberries and yogurt and perhaps a little too much sugar and it was smooth and creamy and oh so good. Five minutes later husband and wife each presented me with a tortilla. They are the fluffiest, tastiest of all the tortillas to date. I have asked her for her recipe but she is keeping it a secret. Let's hope when I return to my kitchen I can duplicate and share with you. So for now, here are a few photos to entice your taste buds, along with an adorable baby sea lion I saw on Playa Mann a couple of days ago.

The past few weeks I have had the pleasure of spending time in the Galapagos islands. It turns out gluten free is pretty easy. Right now I am in between boats in Puerto Ayora having an empanada de verde. It is made from green plantain and is stuffed with cheese. Gluten free and delicious! This is from the cafeteria on the top floor of the mercado. They also have two gf desserts, almond muffins and a brownie.

Christmas is less than a week away so let's talk turkey (and ham). Did you know many of the packaged turkeys and hams are basted with wheat flour? Sad, but true. In the past years, I avoided ham altogether, then last year a friend introduced me to Costco's spiral ham. It is naturally smoked and 100% gluten free. Oh and delicious. It comes with little packets of glaze, which are also gluten free and it was a real joy to partake in the main course without fear of being glutene...d. For turkeys, there are now several products in the freezer aisle, including most Butterballs. Do read to make sure they aren't pre-stuffed as they contain loads of gluten filled bread. I have usually bought a utility bird and basted it with a butter over the course of its cooking time. To hold in its moisture, either tent it with aluminum foil or drench cheese cloth with the butter and apply it directly. In the last half hour of cooking, remove the covering and let it brown. The result is every bit as delicious as any store bought turkey. If you are attending turkey dinner with friends or family, you might want to prepare some meals in advance to take with you. I like to make up a turkey in advance with all my favourites. This way the host has no concerns about what they are cooking and I can eat safely and enjoy without fear. I usually bring a special menu item as well, like home made turtles or lemon meringue cheesecake. I wish you a very Merry Christmas surrounded with those you love and who love you. There is no better gift.

While wandering around Cuenca, Ecuador, today I found a super dessert place. Everything is gluten free. He also has dairy free ice cream and two types of gluten free bread, one made with yucca and the other with rice. Pretty sure I will be having a piece of cheesecake tonight! Giko Benigno Malo 6-54 and Presidente Córdova 099-559-1277... For more information: Facebook.com/Gikogurt

Llapinganchos are potato patties that are traditionally served for breakfast with a fried egg, avocado, and sausage or another kind of meat. One of the joys of slow travel is having the chance to try out different people's version of the dish. This morning was my favourite thus far. The woman who prepared them, made them crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside, and they had a very pleasant light taste. Most people add cheese to their recipe, however, she made... hers without The plate served was very generous. I walked away stuffed, yet wanting more. Pretty sure I will visit one more time before I leave Banos de Agua Santa. Ingredients 5-6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into medium pieces 1/2 c. finely chopped white onion 1/4 c. milk 2 tablespoons of oil 2 teaspoons achiote (found in the Mexican section) Salt to taste Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. In a frying pan, heat the oil to a medium heat and fry the onions with the achiote, Continue until the onions are soft, about five minutes. Mash the potatoes with the milk and some salt. Add the onion to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Form into 3 inch patties that are app. 1/2 inch thick. Cook them on a flat grill for about 8-10 minutes, flipping half way. The outside should be light, golden and crispy. Serve hot with mildly hot sauce.

QUIQUIRIMICHI (ECUADORAN HOT SAUCE) This sauce is frequently found in restaurants in Ecuador. It is mild in comparison to many of the Mexican salsas I use, but has a nice flavour. Ingredients 3 tablespoons of olive oil ... 1 finely diced red pepper 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon hot chili flakes Salt and pepper to taste Instructions 1. Gently sauté pepper and onion for 5 minutes until softened. 2. Mix the remaining ingredients together 3. Allow to cool & serve.