Strawberry Milk Jelly

Milk Jelly is dessert with interesting origins. While Milk Jelly is a traditional Japanese dessert; variations of it can be found around the world. The most famous is, Blancmange, from France & The UK. Dating back from the middle ages; this milk jelly dish contains an addition of corn/arrowroot starch, cream, almond flavoring, and sometimes wine. This jelly is delicious whether it's plain or made with fruit. We'd thought we'd kick things up a notch and add some sliced strawberries.

Strawberry Milk Jelly:

Ingredients:

1.5 TBSP's of agar or 1 packet of Knox's unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup of water

2 TBSP of honey or 1/4 cup of sugar

1 cup of milk

4 TBSP of maple syrup (optional)

1/4 cup of sliced strawberries

Directions:

1) For Agar: soak agar on cold water for 20 min then bring to a boil.

For Gelatin: Bring water to a boil and add gelatin and stir until dissolved.

2)Add honey and milk and stir.

3)Line the bowl with the sliced strawberries.

4)Pour the liquid mixture in the bowl. Then cool in the fridge for a few hours, until the jelly becomes firm.

5)Slice the Milk Jelly.

6)Place the jelly into bowls/plates. [If desired, pour about 1 TBSP of maple syrup.]

Serve Cold.

Want to kick things up a notch? Add Coco powder, or Green Tea (Matcha) or fresh fruit; to create: Milk-chocolate Jelly, Green tea Jelly or Strawberry/Mango Jelly.

5 6 7 8 : GO J-Curry! It's Friday Night!

Japanese Curry is a favorite comfort food. Unlike it's Indian cousin it has a mild sweet/spicy taste. We added a Gluten-Free twist, plus a few surprises to this favorite home-cooked dish.

Traditionally Japanese Curry uses a roux. Since this is a vegetarian dish, we decided to make this optional.

Roux:
1/4 grape-seed oil
1/4 white or brown rice flour

To learn more about how to prepare a roux, check out our previous recipe: Bottom Swamp Gumbo
-------------------------
Want meat? In another pan saute your favorite meat until brown, and add to step 5 of curry.
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Ingredients:

2-3 Rutabaga( Rutabaga's are a great alternative if your allergic to potatoes)
1-2 medium Turnips
1/2 red onion
2 green onions
1 Asian Pear or Honey Crisp Apple
3-4 large carrots
a dash of lemon juice
2-3 cups of water
2 cans of tomato paste
1 TBSP S&B curry powder*
1 cup of cooked brown or white rice

Directions:

Part 1:

1) Chop and prep vegetables.

2) Steam Rutabaga and Turnips until soft. This can be done either conventionally for 25 mins or in the microwave for 10 mins give or take. [These vegetables are normally tough, it's best to soften them ahead of time before making your curry.]

Part 2:

In a large pot on low medium heat:

3) Warm up 2 TBSP of grape-seed oil. Then add red& green onions and sweat them. Add tomato paste + lemon juice, and cook until warm.

4) Add one cup of water, then add rutabaga, and stir.

5) Add the rest of the vegetables and 2 cups of water until veggies are covered.

6) Add 1 TSBP of S&B curry powder, and let the mixture simmer, and switch to low-heat.

7) Let the curry simmer for 35 minutes. Curry should be done when the vegetables are nice and soft.

8) In a plate add rice and cover with curry ^^



*Feeling Adventurous and want to make your own curry powder, then take a look at Just Hungry formula

Easy Anko (Red Bean Paste)

Anko (Red Bean Paste) is the staple of Asian sweets. It's used in bread, pastry fillings, sweet soups, pancakes, and ice cream. Made from azuki beans, a type of red sweet beans; Anko comes in either a chunky style (tsubushi-an) or smooth (koshi-an). Traditionally when preparing Anko, one would have to buy dried azuki beans and soak them for 24 hours. We've discovered an interesting short cut. We took a can of Red Beans and boiled them in lemon water this drastically reduce cooking time making our Anko paste easily within reach ^^


Ingredients:

1-15 oz can of Organic Red Beans ( we recommend Westbrae Natural. Organic Red Beans. Don't buy red kidney beans!)

1/3 cup of sugar

1/2 of lemon water ( this trick will get rid of the salty can taste)

1/4 of water


Chunky (tsubushi-an) Anko

1) Open the can of red bean and rise thoroughly.

2) Put in in a small sauce pot on a medium flame, and 1/2 of cup of lemon water (water + some lemon juice or chopped lemons)

3) Cook for 15 minutes. Then drain bean from water.

4) Put bean in pot, add 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar, cook on high medium heat.

5) The mixture will start to bubble, let it boil for about 15 minutes. Make sure to stir so the bottom doesn't burn.

6) Switch to a low medium flame, the sugar and the beans should start to thicken looking like chunky cranberry sauce.

7) Turn off heat and let the paste cool.


Smooth (koshi-an) Anko

1) Open the can of red bean and rise thoroughly.

2) Put in in a small sauce pot on a medium flame, and 1/2 of cup of lemon water (water + some lemon juice or chopped lemons)

3) Cook for 15 minutes. Then drain bean from water.

4) Place beans in either an blender or food processor. Puree beans.

5) Place purred beans in pot. Add 1/3 cup of sugar, and stir of low-medium heat

6) The mixture will start to become a dark red. Stir for about 5- 10 mins until sugar dissolves.

7) When sugar is dissolves, turn off heat and let the paste cool.

Refrigerate paste- It last for 2-4 days.


To Learn How to prepare Traditional Anko.

Check out this video from, What the Food!

Good Stuff Special: Foy Sauce- Our Original Soy Sauce Substitute

In Asian cuisine Soy-Sauce is King. For those who have a soy allergy, it's a nightmare. We searched high and low, and worked long and hard to create a good soy substitute. The first recipe to kick off, our segment in Anime & Cooking, is, our original recipe, Foy Sauce.
[ The F stands for fake `.^]

Foy Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 of apple cider vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2.5 TBSP of molasses

1/2 tsp of agave syrup

a dash of mace

Directions:

1) Chop 3 cloves of garlic and set aside.

2) In a small pot, heat 1/2 cups of apple cider vinegar. (If your not allergic to corn you may us distilled vinegar)

3) Let cool for 2-3 mins and pour vinegar in a glass jar. The add the chopped garlic to vinegar.

4) Place the jar in the fridge and leave over night.

5) The next day you might notice that the garlic has turned blue/green. The garlic is still safe to eat. It's just chemistry at work, the blue/green color is caused by sulfur & copper compound reacting to one another.

6) Remove the garlic.

7) Then add the molasses, agave syrup and mace. Stir content until they're mixed well.

8) Taste the Foy Sauce! This sauce is bit sharper than Soy Sauce. To soften the taste add more agave syrup till it's to your liking.

Refrigerate Foy Sauce- lasts for 2 weeks; after the taste will become stronger.

Enjoy ^^

Rockin' Vegan Coconut Whip Cream

Looking for an alternative to whipped-cream? Look no further! Vegan Coconut Whipped Cream is easy to make and it's simple delicious. This recipe is so good that it rocks \m/

Ingredients:
1) Can of coconut milk (full fat) [If you use 1/3 fat cans you'll need two]
2) 2 TBSP of corn-free confectioner's sugar
3) 1/4 tsp of Vanilla

Rockin' Vegan Coconut Whip Cream:

1) Place can on coconut milk in the fridge and leave it over night. [This is used to separate the fat from the liquid]

2) Open can, scope out fat, it should be solid and place in a mixing bowl.

3) Add 2TBSP of corn -free confectioners sugar + 1/4 tsp of vanilla

4) Blend with either a hand mixer or in a Cuisine Art until the mixture becomes fluffy.


photo: LunchBoxBunch

How to make Home-made Red Food Coloring

Ever wondered how to make your own food coloring? It's a lot easier than one might think.

Home-made Red Food Coloring

Conventional Method-

1/2 cup of raspberries frozen or fresh

2/3 of a cup of water

Directions:

1) Add 2/3 of a cup of water in a pot and boil on medium heat.

2) When water is boiling, add raspberries.

3) Boil for about 20 minutes or until water is a deep red colored.

4) Turn off and cool.

5) Then separate water from raspberries.

Microwave Method-

A handful of frozen raspberries & water

Directions:

1) Place raspberries in a deep bowl, then water and make sure the raspberries are slightly covered.

2) Place in microwave, and heat for 60 seconds to 1 min depending on your microwave wattage.

3) Then separate water for raspberries.

(Only Use this method for small amounts of food coloring)

Remember to refrigerate food coloring, and use ASAP!


Here are some other foods that you can use to create your own food coloring:

Brown:coca or coffee powder

Green:kale, parsley, spinach, romaine, cucumber, bell pepper, watercress.

Pink or Red: (depending how much of the fruits of vegetables you use):beets, berries, cranberries, tomatoes, rhubarb, strawberries, pomegranate.

Purple and Blue: (depending how much of the fruits of vegetables you use):cabbage (can be juiced or boiled), blueberries, blackberries, grapes (black or purple ones)

Yellow/Orange: curry and/or turmeric powder, or yellow beets.

Anime & Cooking

Welcome to Anime and Cooking! For the next few weeks we'll be preparing some delicious Gluten/Allergy-free versions of your favorite Japanese dishes. We got a great line-up including: Traditional Onigiri, Anko, Japanese Curry, Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza); and that's just the beginning! Stay tuned, at the end, we'll be serving up a special surprise just in time for the holidays ^^







top photo courtesy of:Cutest Food

bottom photo is from the manga Mixed Vegetables

Hot Habanero Oil

All good things must come to end, but wondering what to do with those extra habanero's? We have one final recipe up our sleeve.......

Hot Habanero Oil!

Ingredients:

1-3 habanero's

2/3 cup of olive oil or grape-seed oil

1 glass jar

Directions:

1) Clean and chop habanero's

[Remember to wear gloves and goggles ^^]

2) Heat oil in pan on medium heat until hot.

3) When oil is nice and hot pour in a clean glass jar. [Be careful when pouring to avoid burns]

4) Then add habanero's and pour the rest of the oil.

5) Let it cool for 5 minutes, then seal jar. (Don't worry if the habanero piece start to fry in the oil.)

6) Store the oil in a cool dry place and away from light. (Light and heat will destroy the volatile compounds that provide the habanero oil's flavor and heat)

The oil will last for 2 months.

Habanero Chocolate Chip Cookies *Original Recipe*

Now it's time for desert. Hankering for a sweet and spicy treat? These cookies are the perfect cross between crunchy and chew. Just take one bit and experience the heat!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 banana's

3/4 cup of sugar

1-2 chopped habanero's ( Want it super hot? Just add more habanero's)

3 TBSP of water

1 cup of brown rice flour

3/4 cup of Teff flour

1/4 cup of tapioca flour

1 egg white

a dash of lemon & orange juice

2 TBSP of honey

1/2 cup of Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Directions:

Step 1: Chop Habanero pepper, and set aside [ Remember to wear gloves and googles ^^]

Step 2: Chop banana place in a bowl with 1 TBSP of water and microwave for 1.5 minutes or until soft.

Step 3: Place microwaved banana in mixing bowl and blend using a Cuisine-Art or handmixer.

Step 4: Add sugar and mix together (add 3 TBSP of water if mixure is dry)

Step 5: Add flour and mix (if dry then add water)

Step 6: Add egg white, lemon and orange juice, then honey, habanero's and chocolate chips; and mix.

Step 7: Then using an ice cream scope place on a cookie sheet. Make sure there space in-between.

Step 8: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Step 9: Place cookies in the oven and bake for 20- 30 mins. Cookies are done when the bottoms are medium brown.

Step 10: Let Cookies cool and don't forget the milk ^^

Dirty Habanero Rice-Balls *Original Recipe*

Today was inspirational. What started out as a simple habanero rice recipe, evolved into a hot rocking original recipe. It's like they say, "When you have rice, make Rice-Balls!"

[CAUTION: Remember to ALWAYS wear latex or vinyl gloves and protective goggles. The oil from the peppers can burn your skin. Don't touch hands, nose, face when handling peppers.]

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of short grain brown rice

1/3 cup of calrose rice or sushi rice

1 habanero pepper diced

1/2 tsp of salt (optional)

2 cups of water

1/4 cup of fresh chopped cilantro

2 scallions, diced

2 tbsp of fresh lime juice

Directions:

1) Chop and dice habanero, cilantro and scallions. [ Remember to wear gloves & goggles ^^]

2) Rise rice. Then place in rice cooker with water; and turn the switch on. (conventional method can also be used to cook rice)

3) When the rice is boiling, add the diced habanero pepper, and 1/2 tsp of salt (optional).

4) After the rice is done, let it cool for 2-4 mins. Then scoop rice into a bowl.

5) Add cilantro and scallions, lime juice and mix with rice.

*To prepare Rice-Balls*

(At this point the rice should be very sticky.)

1) Set aside a bowl of water.

2) Dip hands in water, then take about 3/4 of a hand full of rice.

3) Form the rice into a ball, similar to how you would form a snowball.

4) To form the famous Rice-Ball triangle shape: Place ball in-between hands and slightly flatten, then flatten the bottom. Then form the 2 remaining sides of the triangle.

Repeat until there's no more rice!

This recipe should make around 7-8 Rice-Balls.

Feel free to garnish with seaweed....we used yellow peppers.

Easy Apple Butter

Traditionally, Apple Butter is made in a slow cooker and take about 12 hours to prepare. Thanks this techniques from Simple Recipes we found an alternative method that quick, easy and it cuts the time to roughly 2 hours. Here's our recipe for Easy Apple Butter.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups of apples chopped

1/2 of an Asian pear chopped (optional)

1/4 cup of cider vinegar

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

1/8 tsp of ground cloves

1/8 tsp of mace

1 juice of a lemon + grated rind

Prepartion:

1) Chop apples and asian pear

Cooking Stage 1

1) In a large pot, add chooped fruit, water and vinegar, and cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook apples until they're soft or for 20 mins. Then turn off heat.

2) Then transfer cooked apples to a blender. Blend, then add spices and blend again. Make sure everything is pureed.

Cooking Stage 2

1) Pour blender contents into a large pot. Leave the pot uncovered.

2) Cook pureed apples on low meduim heat. Stir constantly to prevents burning. Cook until it is thick and smooth, this should take about 1-2 hours.

3) Turn off heat and let it cool. The transfer contents into a glass jar, and refrigerate.

Viola! Quick and Easy Apple Butter ^^

- makes a 13oz jar

[ This recipe can be used for canning- to learn more click here ]

Fig-Habanero BBQ Sauce

It's fig season, time to make Fig-Habanero BBQ Sauce. This sauce will add that special something to any grilling event. The original recipe can be found at The Beer Store. As they say beer makes everything better ~.^

[CAUTION: Remember to ALWAYS wear latex or vinyl gloves and protective goggles. The oil from the peppers can burn your skin. Don't touch hands, nose, face when handling peppers.]

Ingredients:

1 TBSP of olive oil

1/2 medium onion coarsely chopped

1 small habanero pepper ( to reduce heat use 1/2 habanero pepper)

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup molasses or honey or brown sugar (we used brown sugar)

2 cups fresh figs chopped and stemmed

1 bottle (12 ounces each) of gluten-free beer (we used RedBridge)

* optional * Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Prep figs, onion and habanero pepper [ Remember to wear gloves & goggles ^^]

2) Warm 1 TBSP of grapeseed oil over med-high heat in large saucepan.

3) Add onion and habanero pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes.

4) Add vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the figs while stirring.

5) Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

6) Cook for 10 minutes. Add the beer, and bring to a boil.

7) Then simmer for 15 minutes. *optional* Season with salt and pepper.

8) Puree the mixture using a handheld blender, standing blender, or food processor.

* To adjust the consistency by adding a little water or boiling to reduce the mixture
** To adjust the flavor to your liking- add salt, pepper, habanero peppers, vinegar, or brown sugar.

Now, fire up that grill! Get ready to use your Fig Habanero BBQ sauce! Tailgating season is just around the corner ^^

This post is dedicated to Nina Paley.

Classic Habanero Salsa

    It wouldn't be Habanero Week without salsa! This recipe is from Lisa Fain, author of the Homesick Texan. Lisa wasn't kidding; this salsa is fierce! It's very versatile; use it to turn up heat on your other dishes ^^

[CAUTION: Remember to ALWAYS wear latex or vinyl gloves and protective goggles. The oil from the peppers can burn your skin. Don't touch hands, nose, face when handling peppers.]

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large carrots, chopped

2 medium-sized red tomatoes, cut into quarters

1/4 of 1 Spanish or Red Onion, cut into strips

2-3 habanero peppers, cut in half [ this salsa is hot hot, if you wish to reduce the "heat reduce the amount of habanero peppers]

3 cloves of garlic, cut in half

Juice of one lime

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar *

Directions:

1) Prep ingredients. [Remember to wear gloves when chopping habanero's]

2) Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the carrots and let them cook for about five minutes. Then add to the skillet the onion, tomatoes, habaneros and garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally.

3) Transfer skillet contents to a blender and add lime juice, cider vinegar and pulse (can add a bit of water, a tablespoon at a time if it’s too thick.

4) Add salt and pepper to taste; if desired.

* The original recipe uses white vinegar, which can come from corn or wheat. We used cider vinegar instead, because it's distilled from apples.*

The Gummy Showdown!

Get ready for the Ultimate Gluten-Free Gummy Showdown! We chose 3 brands: Tasty Baby, and Yummy Earth- the 2 top brands; and the new comer, De-Lish -a Duane Read product. The gummies were reviewed and rated by: Taste, Texture and the Gummy Factor, on a 5/5 scale.

Tasty Baby Organic Fruit Snacks-

If mother nature created fruit gummies, this would be it! The taste and texture are in incredible harmony, there's only word; perfection. Tasty Baby comes in 3 varieties: mixed fruit , superfruit and sports gummies. It's like they say, "Mom knows best" ^^

Taste- 5/5 Texture- 5/5 Gummy Factor- 5/5

Yummy Earth Organic Gummy Bears-

Yummy Earth has an outstanding reputation for top quality products. This is one of the best tasting allergy-free gummies one will come across. Apparently, the texture and gummy-factor are below average. We were very surprised, and some what horrified. It feels like extra soft candy, instead of a gummy bear; but the amazing taste more than makes up for it.

Taste 5/5 Texture- 3/5 Gummy Factor- 2/5

Duane Read's-DeLish Organic Gummy Bears/Gummy Worms [Gluten-Free]-

Why do we love this product? It's economical, and it's one of the first allergy friendly products that's widely available. Given the limited available of allergy-free snacks. The fact,that a person can walk into any Duane Read drugstore to buy allergy-friendly gummy treats, is truly priceless. Love, Sour Gummy Bears? Then this product is for you! The rest of the flavors are also delicious; especially the gummy worms. As for texture and gummy factor, it's slightly above average. The gummy bears are a bit soft, and the gummy worms are the hard kind. Never the less, it a good start.

Taste- 4/5 Texture- 4/5 Gummy Factor- 3.5/5

The Winner : Tasty Baby Fruit Snacks

Habanero-Pineapple Jelly

 Were kicking off Habanero Week with this amazing Habanero-Pineapple Jelly recipe. (courtesy of Finger Licking Foods) This jelly will electrify your taste buds; it's hot & spicy with a sassy side of sweet and tangy. Spread on your morning toast and you'll never look at breakfast the same way again ~.^

[CAUTION: Remember to ALWAYS wear latex or vinyl gloves and protective goggles. The oil from the peppers can burn your skin. Don't touch hands, nose, face when handling peppers.]

Ingredients:

2 habanero's orange peppers (which ever color you like)

1/4 cup chopped orange bell peppers

1 cup of cubed pineapples

1/4 apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup of sugar

*Pectin*- Each Pectin box has there own set of directions. For this recipe we used Pomona's Universal Pectin. According the directions use: 1 1/2 tsp of pectin powder and 2 tsp of calcium water.

Directions:

1) Chop up habanero's and Bell Pepper [ Remember to wear gloves & goggles ^~^ ]

2) In a blender, combine, habanero's, bell pepper, pineapple and cider vingear, and lemon juice. Blend until it looks like smoothy.

3) Pour in a small pot, and bring to a boil on high medium heat. When contents are bubbling then add pectin and calcium water.

4) Stir, the mixture should start to thicken. Once mixture seems thick, switch to medium heat and keep stirring.

5) Once mixture reach jelly like consistency turn off heat and let it cool.

6) When cool transfer jelly to jar and refrigerate.

-Make 12 oz

Habanero Safety Tips

BEFORE we start cooking with Habanero's here are some safety guides

1) How to Stem & Seed Habanero Peppers

2) How to Cut a Habanero Pepper

3) How to Treat Habanero Pepper Skin Burns (Just in case)

*Remember to ALWAYS wear latex or vinyl gloves and protective goggles. The oil from the peppers can burn your skin. Don't touch hands, nose, face when handling peppers.*

courtesy of eHow.com

It's Habanero Week!! Bring on the Heat!

Welcome to Habanero week! Starting today, were celebrating the spiciest ingredient: the chill pepper. Stay tuned, because these recipes are HOT, HOT, HOT!

Quick Habanero Facts:

- Experts think it originated in Cuba, "Habanero", means "from Havana".

- The Hanbanro is grown, in Costa Rica, Mexico, Texas, California.

- The Scoville Scale is used to measure "heat" in peppers. Habanero range from 300,000- 500,000 Units. It's 30-50 times hotter than Jalepenos.

- Contrary to popular belief, the seed are not the hottest part of the pepper. Capsaicin, the substance that produces heat, is located near the skin or inner walls of the chill pepper.

- Capsaicin is also an ingredient used in over counter cream to ease arthritis, and joint pain.

(sources: Mojave Farm & The Doctor Oz Show)

- The hottest peppers on record are: Bhut Jolokia, Naga Viper Chili, Infinity Chili, and the hottest of them all: Trinidad Scorpion Butch T from Australia.

(source: Wikipedia)

Chocolate Lemon Muffins- A Tribute!

Chocolate Lemon Muffins is a tribute to an amazing gaming blog/podcast, Chocolate Lemon. It's true what they say inspiration can come from anywhere. This recipe, just like the site, is unique in every way.

Chocolate Lemon Muffins

Ingredients:

1 package of Namaste Foods Muffin Mix
2 egg whites
1/4 cup of sweet potato purree (or sweet potato baby food can be used)
3/4 cup of water
1/4 of a cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

1)Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, and grease muffin pan.

2) In a bowl combine: egg whites, water and lemon juice, and sweet potato puree.

3) Add Namaste Muffin Mix to wet ingredients and mix well.

4) Then add chocolate chips & mix again.

5) Pour mix in muffin pan. Bake for approximately 20 mins or until tops turn golden brown.

Makes 12 muffins.


Chocolate Lemon: Main & Facebook

Spotlight: Whole Food's 365 Organic Ketchup

    For anyone who has a corn allergy, knows it's a daunting task. Foods such as: breads, pastas, yogurts, soft drinks, ice cream... Yes,..the list goes on,(including G-free foods).... all contain corn syrup or some derivative of corn such as: fructose or maltodextrin. Even the humble condiment, ketchup is made with corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup.

    Thanks to the anti-HFCS(High Fructose Corn Syrup) movement, there are lots of organic or corn-free ketchup's on the market. I've even discovered a brand made with agave syrup.

    Out of all the choices there's one that stays tried and true; Whole Food's 365 Organic Tomato Ketchup. Why? In addition to its superb taste, the best part is, it's economical. For under $2 a person can enjoy great tasting corn-free ketchup. Let's face it, purchasing allergy-free groceries is expensive. But, finding a bargain, now that's good stuff ^^

Good Stuff Rating: 5/5

-This post is dedicated to Emily-

New Logo in Progress!

Hey Everyone, we figured it's about time we got ourselves a new logo. Check out our work in progress. Let us know what your think ^^

Spotlight: Namaste Foods Chocolate Cake Mix

I've been a big fan of Namaste Food Mixes. They're one of the few mixes on the market that are: gluten, wheat, corn , soy, potato, dairy, tree nut and casein free. Namaste Foods Mixes are known for their high quality ingredients, and work well with all substitution.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake:

1 Package of Namaste Foods Chocolate Cake Mix

3 Eggs

1 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini

1/2 cup of applesauce

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

Our Version:

[note:the measurements are for 1/2 the package]

1/2 Package of Namaste Foods Chocolate Cake Mix

1.5 egg whites

2/3 cups of shredded zucchini

1/4 applesauce or sweet potatoe puree

1/8 cup water

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

*To replace eggs combine banana with applesauce or sweet potato purre*

Follow directions on the bag

The high quality dutch coco make this a luscious treat. Thanks to the substitutions, it's also healthy one. The texture is unbelievable, it's moist and fluffy, you'd swear it was made with regular cake flour. This cake is a slice of heaven!

The Good Stuff Verdict- 5/5

The Pocky Campaign

Pocky is a delicious Japanese snack. It is made of gluten/wheat, corn, soy lecithin, and nuts. For those who are allergic to one or more of these ingredients, we've had to give up our favorite treat. We want change, we want an alternative! We want Gluten/Allergy-Free Pocky! Join the campaign's Facebook Page, and help us bring about positive change, one like at a time.

You know you have Celiac Disease/Gluten-Allergy if ……

1. Your bread looks like a moon rock and tastes like dried out.....PLAY DOH!

2. You have written "CONTAMINATED" on jars of jam.

3. At least once a day you fake a smile and say,......... “Sorry I can’t eat that!”

4. You call a dream about eating pizza and chocolate cake .......... “A NIGHTMARE”

5. You eat.........Before....... you go out to eat.

6. You bring your own GF soy-sauce to the sushi restaurant.

7. You think the words "Are you sure it’s not all in your head” are grounds for murder.

(Especially when they come from your Doctor!)

8. You've considered strangling friends / relatives who suggest ......

"It can't hurt if you eat just a little bit, will it?"

9. You can’t remember ......... What crackers are supposed to taste like.

10. You actually have nightmares about reading labels.

11. You compare all of your food to......... "normal - people - food."

12. You call relatives if you get sick and say........

“It MUST have been Cross-Contamination at YOUR place"

13. You know that Xantham Gum is NOT for chewing.

14. You know that spelt is a distant cousin of wheat, but buckwheat Is not related to wheat at all.

15. The builders working on the house next door can EASILY substitute.........

Your Bread for one of their bricks.

16. You actually KNOW what an anti-TTG and an IGA blood test are.

17. You can find "hidden gluten" in food labels in the blink of an eye,

and your family couldn't find it even if they had.......

A MAGNIFYING GLASS, DICTIONARY, and PH.D.

18. You've had to give a Doctor a crash course in Coeliac Disease.

19. A 7 Course Meal is a 1 Course Meal for you…................ Lettuce.

20. You've installed floor-to-ceiling bookcases in your bathroom.

21. It takes you 4 hours to do your grocery shopping and ........YOUR EYESIGHT IS RUINED.

22. You Hyper-Ventilate when passing by the bakery counter.

23. You've ever deliberately rammed your trolley into a Shredded Wheat display in a fit of rage.

24. You've ever had to take out a Loan to pay the grocery bill.

25. The centrepiece on your dining room table is a bread machine......with memorial candles..

26. Your financial portfolio consists of stock in ............ Two Major Toilet Paper Companies.

27. You are up late at night trying to develop a recipe for pizza without ........

Flour, Cheese, Yeast, Tomatoes, Beef, Garlic and Oregano.

28. You can spell Transglutaminase and Dermatitis Herpetiformis.

29. You just discovered how to make flour out of………........... TURNIPS.

30. Having a Solid Poo!.... is the highlight of your day.

31. You've mastered saying "I actually enjoy MY food" without your face…........‘Twitching’

32. You know all about xanthan gum and its uses.

33. You hide the gluten-free cookies when friends come over, ...... so they don’t eat them.

34. You see someone buying rice flour and you just have to ask them .........

if they are gluten intolerant too!

35. Your friend want’s to make you a gluten free birthday cake, but you plead with them not to go to that trouble,

because you're secretly terrified it will be Cross Contaminated.

36. All your ‘Favourite’ sites are coeliac related.

37. You've mastered the art of lying when people ask you........ “aren’t you hungry”.

38. You long to look at the contents of people's fridges and press’s......

just to see if you can eat anything

39. Someone complains of IBS, and you tell them to Quit eating Gluten!

40. You burst into tears of relief at the sight of the words “Gluten Free”stamped on the corner of a product.

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+ another taken from another forum I post on.

.

When you walk down the breakfast ceral aisle 'The theme tune from JAWS keeps running through your head.

It's a change of pace, but I hope you enjoyed the jokes ^^

Passover Spotlight: Gefen-Frosted Chocolate Cake Mix- GF

    While grocery shopping for passover goodies, a red box immediately caught my eye. It said, Gefen Frosted Chocolate Cake Mix- Gluten Free. This is the first time I'd ever seen a Gluten-Free version of a Passover cake mix. I bought it and quickly rushed home to test it out. The mixes ingredients are: sugar, potato starch, salt, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and vanilla.

   The recipe it self is pretty simple. I added a few alterations of my own.I pretty much followed the directions, except I replaced the 2 eggs with egg whites and the oil with a large banana. I thought I go for the healthier option, and banana & chocolate is always a winning combination^^

Banana prep:

1) Take one large banana chop it and put it in a bowl

2) Add 1.5 tbsp of water

3) Put banana in the microwave for 1 minute on high

4) Remove, place in mixing bowl and beat on high speed until the texture becomes creamy

5) Then add the egg whites and the rest of the following ingredients.

    The frosting in this recipe is a bit tricky. When adding the 6 tbsp's of hot water the frosting will become very watery, but don't worry if you let the frosting cool for around 1 hr it will become nice and thick. If you want quick frosting, don't the add 6 tbsp at once. Instead, add one tbsp at time until the desired consistency is achieved.

   The cake came out great and was very easy to prepare. The only issue with this mix is, the frosting; the directions just aren't accurate. Regardless, it's a great cake mix. It worked well with our substitutions and is delicious with or without frosting ^^ Until next year Gefen!

The Good Stuff Rating: Cake Mix- 4/5 & Frosting- 1/5

Yehuda's Gluten-Free Matzo- The Short Review

    Last time on The Good Stuff, we showed you a sneak peak of Yehuda's Gluten-Free Matzo. The verdict is in, this Matzo is delicious. It's even better than regular Matzo! So what does it taste like? This Matzo is very crunch, had great texture, it's salty with a hint of sweetness. The taste is similar to Lay's Baked Potato chips. This is a matzo that everyone will enjoy. Wheat Matzo looks like you have some competition. So,go out and buy a box^^

The Good Stuff rating: 5/5

Dayenu!!

    The wait is finally over; Let there be Gluten-Free Matzo! Yehuda's Gluten -free matzo is made of a mix of : Tapioca starch and Potato starch & flour, and Eggs. Best of all it's economically priced between 5-7 dollars a box. Most Gluten-Free Matzo's on the market are made of gluten-free oats,and the prices are expensive. ( see last years passover entry here)

   Stay tuned, as we give this matzo: The Ultimate Good Stuff Taste-Test. (*drum roll*) Get Ready for Gluten-Free Matzo Brei, Pizza, reviews and much more. Happy Passover ^^

Super Bowl Special: Green Bay Packer's Veggie Chili

In Honor of the Green Bay Packers winning Super Bowl 45, & in Good Stuff tradition this year recipe will be named, Green Bay Packers Veggie Chili. For you true sports fans out there, we added lots of green and yellow veggies. Congratulations to the Packers on an amazing game!

Super Bowl Special: Green Bay Packer's Veggie Chili

Ingredients:

4 medium sized zuchinni's chopped

3-4 parsnips chopped

2/3 of a cup of celery chopped

4-5 baby carrots chopped

1 red pepper chopped

1 yellow pepper chopped

1- 24oz can of diced tomatoes

2- 8oz cans of tomatoes paste

1/2 cup of Redbridge Gluten-free beer

2 can of pinto beans

1 can of black beans

1/2 medium red onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic diced

1/2 tablespoon of grape seed oil

Spices:

(This recipe work great with all spices, here's a simple suggestion below)

2 dried chili peppers

1 tablespoon of wholefoods chili powder

Preparation:

1) Wash and chopped all vegetables and garlic.

2) In a large pot, on medium heat, pour 1/2 tablespoon of grape seed oil. When warm add garlic, and let it sweat for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the chopped onion and let it continue to sweat for about 7 minutes.

3) Add the zuchinni and stir, then add parsnips, if there are hard cover the pot with a lid and let them steam until semi-soft.

4) When veggies are semi soft; add the 24 oz can of diced tomatoes including the juice, 1/2 cup of Redbridge Gluten-free beer, and cans of tomatoes, then stir, and lower heat.

5) Then add the 3 cans of beans & spices, and stir, then cover, and let it simmer for about 15 mins

6) Last but not least add, celery, carrots and peppers, continue simmering for another 10 mins.

Go Packers ! Enjoy ^^

Meat-Lovers version:

Substitute the zuchinni's and parsnips with 1/2 a pound of either ground beef or turkey. After step 1 & 2 add ground meat and cook until well done. Then follow the rest of the recipe.