Monday's Challenge

      Happy Monday! It's a dark and rainy morning, but the weather report promises that the week will transform into sunny and decent.

     Which reminds me that we are still in a season of nice walking weather. My days get busy with kids and commitments, and there never seems to be enough time to exercise. Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise to do.

     Whether you park your car a little further from the store, do a couple of extra flights of stairs or take walks in your neighborhood, I challenge you to fit a little extra simple exercise into your week. Feel good.

Friday's Quote to Ponder

"Start by doing what is necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."   -St. Francis of Assisi
                                                                                                                   
     I consider myself an optimistic person, but I have to admit that some days life's challenges feel overwhelming - like I can't accomplish them. That's when I step back and say to myself what do I really need to accomplish today, and focus on smaller parts of the end goal. Just like the quote says, before I know it I'm getting more pieces done and then what didn't look feasible has been accomplished.
     When I first tried to figure out how I was going to be able to provide a gluten-free, dairy-free diet for my family, it felt impossible. But, over a year later it feels much different. I'm actually having fun with it and we are thriving because of it.
     So, whether you are trying to adapt to food sensitivities/allergies, trying to loose weight or trying to be healthier and it just doesn't seem possible, set smaller goals and before you know it, you'll be doing what you thought you couldn't.

Cherry Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

     As the days become shorter and cooler, the garden is becoming empty. Though the garden isn't completely harvested, zucchini season is over here. I finished using my last zucchini I had stored in the refrigerator this week. 
     As I pull one my of my zucchini muffins out of the freezer, I am reminded of warm summer days and bountiful harvests.This recipe is my favorite one from last summer. It's light and moist with a wonderful blend of flavors.

Cherry Chocolate Zucchini Muffins  
print recipe

3 eggs
1/14 c. sugar
3/4 c. oil
1 1/2 t. vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini (unpeeled)
1/14 c. brown rice flour
1/2 c. potato starch
1/4 c. tapioca starch
1 1/4 t. zanthan gum
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
6 T. cocoa, sifted
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. coarsely chopped dried cherries

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or place papers in 2-12 count muffin pans.
     Mix flours, zanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa well in a small bowl.
     Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until blended. Whisk in sugar, then oil and vanilla until well blended. Stir in zucchini. Combine flour mixture together with egg mixture just until blended. Fold in chips and cherries.
     Fill the 24 muffin cups about 2/3 way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
     Keeps well in refrigerator for 1-2 days or in freezer for 3 months in an airtight container.

Tips: 
     Mix chopped cherries with 1 t. of the rice flour before putting them in the batter so they don't stick together.
     If desired, save the chocolate chips until after batter is in muffin pan. Place 5-6 chips in the center of each unbaked muffin. Then, push chips into center of batter using your finger or end of wooden spoon. You will have a chocolaty center when your muffin is warm.

     Have fun and enjoy!

Too Many Flours

     I remember getting started with gluten-free baking. I've always loved baking, but gluten-free baking was a bit overwhelming. Not only did the dough not hold together the same, there seemed to be a  lot of choices for flour. I was concerned with both nutrition and getting my kids to eat it.

     After trying different flours and mixes and reading labels, I found that rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch are common flours used and produce a taste and texture close to that of wheat flour products increasing the chances of it being accepted by those who need to change their diet. A flour blend of 3 parts grain (like rice) and 2 parts starch is a general rule that seems to work in creating flour blends. The Bette Hagman's flour mix requires 2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato starch and 1/3 tapioca starch. I have substituted this flour for wheat flour at a 1:1 ratio in some of my favorite recipes with good success. Remember the xanthan gum-see below.

     This is a good place to start, trying new flours a little at a time. There are many flours to choose from with many nutritional benefits. A bean flour combined with rice flour makes a complete protein.

      I like to use brown rice flour for increased protein and fiber compared to white rice flour. White rice flour does work nicely for treats like a lighter cake or sugar cookies. I also try to reduce the starch when I can since it does not have any protein or fiber in it.

      Of course there are flour blends and baking mixes already prepared for you, but it is usually cheaper to make them yourself. It is very easy to make the Bette Hagman or other flour blends ahead of time so you are ready to go. Your favorite baked goods can easily be prepared ahead of time by getting the dry ingredients ready.

     If you are going to try converting a recipe over to gluten-free, don't forget the zanthan gun. Zanthan gum is a dry powder that replaces the gluten or "glue" that holds wheat flour together in the finished product. Check for guidelines for usage on the package. Some recipes don't need zanthan gum. For example, banana or pumpkin can provide the "stickiness" in a recipe if there is enough of it.

     Look in health food stores or health food sections in grocery stores for gluten-free flours and blends and for zanthan gum.

Tomato Basil Soup

     The tomato season has peaked where I live in the Midwest, although I still have a number of tomatoes in the garden. As I stared at a large box of tomatoes last week wondering what to do with them, I was stumped. I am the main tomato eater in the family and I still had some in the freezer from last year. I don't really like to can. Why we planted so many tomatoes is another story. Then my husband had a great idea. Tomato soup. I hadn't found a gluten-free version in the store yet. So, I researched for ideas and created the following recipe. My son and I ate most of it and he even requested it for his lunch bag for school.

Tomato Basil Soup                 print recipe

4 c. chopped fresh tomatoes
1 small onion
1/1/2 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 T. ghee or  2 T. dairy-free margarine
3 T. potato flour (not starch) or rice flour
1/2 T. dried basil
4 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. lemon juice

     Combine tomatoes, onion and chicken broth in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and work tomato mixture through a food mill or mesh strainer to remove seeds and skin. In empty saucepan, melt ghee or margarine, stir in flour and cook 1 minute on low, stirring. Whisk 1/2 c. tomato mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Whisk in the remaining tomato. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Add more sugar or salt to taste if needed.

     I ended up making several batches of soup and freezing it. I hope to get a couple more done before the end of the season. Soup is such a perfect food for the upcoming chilly weather. Warms the heart and soul!

Note: Tried brown sugar instead of white sugar - delicious! (added 9/26)

This recipe can be dairy-free if you use dairy-free margarine. If you are just concerned about casein or lactose and are not familar with ghee see link for ghee. (added 11/3/11)

The Complexity of Health

     On the first day of school this year, my daughter and I spotted little spider webs in the grass walking to the playground where the students lined up to go in. The webs were sparkly with the morning dew. She though they were so cool and wanted me to take a picture of them. I happened to have my camera in the car and attempted to capture natures beauty in a picture.

     You have to look close, but you can see the delicate web weaving in the blades of the grass. It reminded me of how intricate our own health is.

    There are many areas to address when dealing with our health. This blog focuses on diet. And dealing with allergies or sensitivities, weight concerns or just trying to eat healthy  in today's world can feel all consuming.

     But I still challenge you this week to consider other areas of your life that affect your health and how you feel. How will you handle them as you build your web of health?

Crazy For Quinoa

quinoa seeds

One of my favorite new foods I've learned about since being introduced to a gluten-free diet is quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah). Though grain-like in appearance quinoa is actually a seed from a relative of the spinach plant. This ancient "grain" was valued historically by the Incas for improving the endurance of their warriors and is cultivated in the Andes Mountains.
I love its creamy/crunchy texture and slightly nutty flavor. Most of all, I love the fact that quinoa is a complete protein since I'm not a big meat eater. It not only has all of the essential amino acids but is high in the amino acid lysine, which we need for tissue growth and repair. This superfood contains many other nutrients including iron, fiber and B vitamins.

The bitter coating, saponin, is usually removed before we buy quinoa in this country. Rinsing it well is still recommended before cooking it to remove any residue. Remember to use a fine strainer.



Cooked quinoa

 
It's really easy to cook quinoa. Just bring 2 parts liquid and 1 part quinoa to boiling with a little salt, then simmer 15 minutes covered. The seed will enlarge and the germ will spiral out to form a tail. Remove from heat and let steam for 5 minutes. Fluff and serve with seasoning as desired. The seeds can be toasted in a dry pan for 5 minutes before boiling if you desire a roasted flavor.

Make a simple pilaf. Saute 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chopped veggies of your choice (celery, carrots, onion, pepper, garlic) in1 T. olive oil. Add 2 cups broth and 1 cup quinoa and cook as above.

Quinoa can be expensive but expands a lot with cooking. Look around for a good deal at health food stores and large supermarkets. I found quinoa at a Costco store at a very economical price. I do have to buy a 4 pound bag, but it stores well in a dry, cool place and it's easy to use. It can be substituted for most grains but especially for rice and couscous in many recipes. Make a big batch and store in the refrigerator to use as needed. Have fun trying something new and healthy.

What creative uses for quinoa have you found?