Gluten Blog

Please join us at GlutenWiki.com !  Many resources exist for gluten-free food information, but the problem with a lot of search engines are forums is that search results are biased toward out of date results.

With grain prices constantly fluctuating and ingredients constantly changing, its important that our gluten-free information is completely up to date.  Just a few crumbs of that junk could leave me sick for days, and I know you probably don’t enjoy the side-effects of old ingredients data either!

I hadn’t tried anything new since the last post, but I *am* currently working on my third pan of gluten-free walnut brownies.  These things are great!  I’ve tried the mix with butter and oil, and I think I definitely prefer the butter’s flavor.

After Christmas, my newest experiment was gluten-free rice pasta.  Fettucini Alfredo is one of my favorites and one of the meals I have missed the most, so it became my aim.  I readied my new Christmas gifts, some pots and a steamer, and I set out too steam broccoli, boil pasta, and bake some chicken.   The broccoli was lightly coated in butter and a few dashes of garlic pepper, the chicken was prepared in the same way.

Other than the baking time on the chicken (ya always gotta cook the chicken right!), the meal takes about 10-15 minutes of active work.  Most of that is walking to and from the kitchen to set the next phase or stir the pasta.  Once the pasta is cooked, I added the broccoli and the alfredo sauce and set it covered on a low simmer.

Then you can basically walk away again until the chicken is done and add that to the mix!

Who said a  gluten-free diet meant going without the starchy foods you love?  Just be careful when you’re picking out the substitute product and remember that “wheat-free” is not always the same thing as “gluten-free.”

I made some chocolate walnut brownies with the mix from Bob’s Red Mill. Its a really straight-forward recipe, just add: one egg, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 sticks of butter and 3/4 cup warm water. I like the recommended ingredients too, so I added 3/4 cup of walnuts (Wish I had added more, or even put another layer of walnuts on the top).  The brownies are definitely not cheap!  At $6 for the mix, $1.50 for the butter, and $2.50 for the walnuts, its about $10 for the result.  This will keep me snaking all week and I’ll probably have a few to share as well.

Between brownies and the rice pasta I’ve been cooking, that’s most of what I’ve eaten in the last few days. I hope this doesn’t have a correlation to the sinus infection I could feel starting today. I don’t think it was anything in the pasta, because I’m starting to feel better after a few days of extra sleep and rest without changing my diet.  The rice pasta with creamy alfredo sauce, chicken, and broccoli sure sits like a full meal, and I get 3-4 servings out of a $7 input.  The problem is that its quite intensive on the cooking time.  Everything might end up mixed in the same bowl, but it needs to be cooked separately first.

My goal is to gain 10 pounds and keep it steady there.  I’m slightly underweight right now, so I have to balance my budgetary limits with enough calories to put me at my target weight.

I’m enjoying a de-caffeinated green tea with a hint of lemon.  The company is Bigelow and they have a good gluten-free FAQ.  Everything seems so slow and so calm.

I have been eating a lot of soup and sticking to a tight budget.  With gluten-free foods its tough to eat well without spending a ton of money.  Hopefully, before the holidays are over I can make some fried chicken or walnut brownies.

2012 Update:

Unfortunately, the Progresso Onion Soup is no longer gluten free. Fortunately, they do have some gluten free options available, like the Manhatten Clam Chowder, Chicken and Cheese Enchilada, and Split Pea soup flavors.

I have to say that the Split Pea is my favorite of the gluten free Progresso soups, but after six years on this diet I’m really starting to lose my taste for any kind of processed foods. Fresh just tastes better, but if you’re looking for some help in that transition there are definitely some canned soups available these days!

———-

Original Post:
Here’s a gluten-free variation of an old favorite of mine that I just enjoyed for dinner:

1 Can Progresso French Onion Soup ($1.50)
2 1/4 lb Great Value Hamburgers ($1.00)
3 Slices Provolone Cheese ($.75)

Simmer soup and fry burgers, allowing fat and grease to drain. Pat down burgers with paper towel and then cut into small pieces. Add burger to soup, and lay the cheese on top of the soup. A few moments in the microwave and the cheese will melt across the top, or you can just dunk the cheese to the bottom of the bowl and spoon out small pieces with each bite.