Carol Fenster's Blog, page 7

Pumpkin-Chocolate Marbled Loaf with Orange Glaze

Years ago, I was a faithful watcher of the Lynette Jennings Design Show on the Home and Garden Network. As its title suggests, it was about home decorating. But the thing I remember most was— after Lynette made or showed us something that was wonderful in itself—then she make it even better with a decadent, over-the-top addition. She called it “gilding the lily.”

Pumpkin-Chocolate Marbled Loaf with Orange Glaze

Apply “Gild the Lily” to Food
I like to take that “gilding the lily” concept and apply it to food. So, I took a plain pumpkin loaf (which is lovely in itself) and jazzed it up beyond the traditional pumpkin spices. It is a prettily marbled pumpkin loaf with additional flavors of grated orange peel and chocolate, including chocolate chips…topped off with an orange glaze. Let’s be honest: all of the gilding makes this recipe more of a dessert … be forewarned and enjoy!

Pumpkin-Chocolate Marbled Loaf with Orange Glaze
By ©Carol Fenster
This loaf makes a decadent, yet delightful addition to a Sunday Brunch or a special family meal … or anytime you want to serve something memorable.

Makes 12 slices
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 50 to 60 minutes

2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup milk of choice, at room temperature
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
3/4 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch)
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (I use Hersheys)
2 tablespoons gluten-free chocolate chips
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (plus extra for garnish)
2 tablespoons chopped raw pumpkin seeds, for garnish

ORANGE GLAZE
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange juice, or more as needed to create a glaze

[1] Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375⁰F. Generously grease a 5×9-inch nonstick (gray, not black) loaf pan.

[2] In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, milk, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until thoroughly blended. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour blend, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until blended. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat until the batter slightly thickens, about 30 seconds. You will have about 4 cups of batter. Transfer 2 cups of the batter to a small mixing bowl, leaving the remaining 2 cups in its original bowl. With the electric mixer, beat the cocoa powder and chocolate syrup into the other bowl on low speed until thoroughly blended to create the chocolate batter. Stir 1 tablespoon of the grated orange zest into the remaining bowl of pumpkin batter.

[3] Spread 1 cup of the chocolate batter evenly in the pan and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips. Spread 1 cup of the pumpkin batter on top of the chocolate batter. Repeat the layers, by spreading 1 cup of the chocolate batter, sprinkled with the remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips. Then, spread the final layer of pumpkin batter. Draw a knife through the batter back-and-forth, lengthwise through the pan, to create a slight marbling effect. Sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds, coat lightly with cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little sugar.

[4] Bake until the top is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 55to 60 minutes. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the bread and cool completely on the wire rack.

[5] When ready to serve, mix the orange juice into the powdered sugar adding more juice as needed to reach a soft consistency that can be drizzled. Using a fork, drizzle the frosting back and forth across the top of the bread to create a decorative effect and sprinkle with the remaining grated orange zest. With a serrated knife or an electric knife, cut into slices and serve. Keep leftovers tightly covered.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 ½ cups sorghum flour or brown rice flour
1 ½ cups potato starch (not potato flour)
1 cup tapioca flour/starch
Whisk ingredients together thoroughly and store, tightly covered, in a dark, dry place.

Per slice: 290 calories; 3g protein; 12 g total fat; 2g fiber; 45g carbohydrates; 32 mg cholesterol; 316mgs sodium

 

Easy Gluten-Free Holiday Gift: Festive Layer-Bar Mix

Need a last-minute gift? This festive layer-bar is perfect with its chocolate crust and decadent layers. Assemble this easy mix in 3-cup glass jars and store in a dark, dry place until gift-giving time. You can also include a can of sweetened condensed milk, but for your dairy-intolerant recipients you might include a jar of your homemade sweetened condensed milk (see recipe below) or a can of Let’s Do…Organic brand sweetened condensed milk that is made from coconut milk.

Layer Bar Mix for Holiday Gift-Giving

And be sure to include the instructions—printed on a festive recipe card and tied to the jar—so the lucky recipient knows how to prepare this decadent treat. In fact, why not make one for yourself while you’re at it! My version is for Christmas (e.g., candy canes) but you can tailor this to suit the occasion. For a non-Christmas version, I would try butterscotch or peanut butter chips in place of the candy canes.

LAYER BAR MIX IN A JAR
1/4 cup chopped candy canes
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup crushed GF cookies (such as Pamela’s Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Cookies or Pamela’s Honey Graham Crackers)

INGREDIENTS TO BE ADDED BY GIFT-RECIPIENT
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or buttery spread, melted
7 ounces (half of 14-ounce can) sweetened condensed milk (see homemade recipe below)

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GIFT-GIVER
In 3-cup glass jar with screw-top lid (a 24-ounce Classico pasta sauce jar works perfectly), layer ingredients, starting with candy canes and then chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, and white chocolate chips. Spoon crushed cracker crumbs into small plastic bag and place on top of layers. Screw on lid, cover the lid with 6-inch circle of colorful wrapping paper or cloth, tie a festive bow over the paper-covered lid, and affix the recipe card to bow with more ribbon. Store in dark, dry place away from sunlight (so chips don’t melt).

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GIFT-RECIPIENT
Preheat oven to 350⁰F and coat 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Remove cookie crumbs from jar and combine with melted butter. Press evenly into bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mix ingredients over crumb mixture. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly on top. Bake until chips are melted, about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 16 small bars.

Dairy-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
Reprinted with permission from 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Fenster (Avery/Penguin Group, 2011)
Quite often, gluten-free folks are also dairy-sensitive and until recently there was no store-bought version of sweetened condensed milk that is dairy-free. Now, there is Let’s Do…Organic made with coconut milk. If you can’t find it, make this easy version at home. It makes the equivalent of a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, about 1 ¼ cups.

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons sweet rice flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk of choice (I like So Delicious coconut milk or Living Harvest hemp milk)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or buttery spread
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

[1] In a small, heavy saucepan whisk together the sugar, sweet rice flour, and salt until thoroughly blended. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then add the butter and heat the mixture on medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes.

[2] Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Cool to room temperature to thicken a bit more. It is best used at room temperature; can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks but bring to room temperature again before using. Be sure to keep refrigerated until gift-giving time and tell the lucky recipient that it must be refrigerated.

Half of the Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe: 420 calories; 6g protein; 13g total fat; .5g fiber; 72g carbohydrates; 36mgs cholesterol; 197mgs sodium

Cranberry Shortbread Bars

They’re back! Every holiday season, I walk into Starbucks and crave the cranberry bars in the display case. They contain a set of ingredients that I absolutely love.

Gluten-free Cranberry Shortbread Bars

Since I can’t even try them (they are definitely not gluten-free!), I rely on descriptions from family and friends to guide me in the kitchen. These bars call out to me every year, so I just had to develop my own version and it appears in my book 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes. I named them “Cranberry Shortbread Bars” since they’re based on a shortbread crust. Enjoy!

CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD BARS
Adapted with permission from 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008)

These bars contain all the flavors I love: cranberries, ginger, white chocolate, and orange, so it’s no secret that I covet them every year when I see them at Starbucks.  For each dairy-laden ingredient, I offer a substitute so these bars are GF and DF. Make a pan and share with a friend!

CRUST
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter or buttery spread (Earth Balance)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup Carol’s Flour Blend (see below)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon very finely chopped candied ginger
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped
¼ cup GF white chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate chunks (King David brand is lactose-free)

FROSTING
1 small package (3 ounces) low-calorie cream cheese or cream cheese alternative (Tofutti or Daiya), room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped dried sweetened cranberries

DRIZZLE
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon canola oil and enough water to form thin frosting

Per bar: 140 calories; 1g protein; 6g total fat; 1g fiber; 4g saturated fat; 21g carbohydrates; 25 mgs cholesterol; 101 mgs sodium

[1] Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease 9-inch nonstick pan (gray, not black).

[2] Make the crust: In food processor, combine butter, brown sugar, orange zest, and vanilla and process until smooth. Add flour blend, xanthan gum, ginger, salt, and yolk and process until well blended. Scrape down sides with spatula. Add cranberries and white chocolate chips and process until blended again. With wet spatula, press batter evenly into pan.

[3] Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or just until edges start to brown. Cool bars 10 minutes in pan on wire rack.

[4] Make frosting: Blend cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange and vanilla extracts, and lemon juice until smooth. With spatula, spread frosting evenly over crust and immediately sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Chill bars at least 2 hours.

[5] Make drizzle: Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, canola oil, and enough water to form thin frosting. Drizzle frosting in thin line back and forth across bars. Chill again 2 hours before serving. Makes 16 small bars.

Carol’s Flour Blend
1 ½ cups sorghum flour or brown rice flour
1 ½ cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour/starch
Whisk together all ingredients thoroughly and store, tightly covered, in a dark, dry place.

The Paleo Diabetes Diet Solution: a new book

Manage Your Blood Sugar with 125 Recipes Plus a 30-Day Meal Plan

by Jill Hillhouse, CNP and Lisa Cantkier, CHN

Lisa Cantkier and Jill Hillhouse are well-known in the gluten-free world, not only in their home country of Canada but also across the U.S. as well. I have worked with Lisa many times through her website at GlutenFreeFind. Lisa and Jill have teamed up to write a new book, The Paleo Diabetes Diet Solution, and Lisa was kind enough to send me a copy.

November is National Diabetes Month, so this book is very timely. I think many of you might be interested in what it has to say.

Paleo Diabetes Diet Solution

Borrowing from the press release, the authors say, “Millions of people are living with diabetes, and many experts believe that the regular consumption of packaged and processed foods is the leading cause of diabetes and other chronic diseases. A paleo diet isn’t a magic bullet, but all the recent research points to the fact that it can effectively manage as well as lower your risk for diabetes.”

The foundation of the paleo diet is fresh, unprocessed grass-fed meat, whole fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts. It’s a nutrient-dense, low-carb, fiber‑rich diet high in vitamins and minerals. These paleo-inspired recipes will give you the tools you need to manage or reverse high blood sugar levels while enjoying delicious food at the same time.”

The recipes in the book range widely from soups such as Mexican Chicken Soup and Detox Vegetable Soup, to hearty and healthy salads like Taco Salad and Rainbow Roots Slaw with Tahini Parsley Dressing, to mains of Skillet-Grilled Flank Steak with Nut-Crusted Portobello Slices, Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Avocado Pesto and Butter Chicken with Cilantro Cauliflower – not to mention sides like Garlicky Roasted Broccoli and Nori Egg Rolls and satisfying “extras” like Almond Flax Crackers and Soft Serve Coconut Banana Freeze. These paleo-inspired recipes give you the tools you need to manage or reverse high blood sugar levels while enjoying delicious foods.

There is also a 30-day meal plan that is very helpful in guiding newcomers to implement a paleo diet for themselves.

Jill Hillhouse is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Toronto. She is a passionate advocate of nutrition education and whole foods eating. Her approach to functional nutrition focuses on each person’s metabolic individuality, which is at the heart of her integrative nutrition and lifestyle coaching. Jill resides in Toronto, ON.

Lisa Cantkier is a passionate Certified Holistic Nutritionist, writer and editor. She is a nutritionist at the Integrative and Functional Medicine Clinic in Toronto, one of the few functional clinics in the city. Lisa resides in Toronto, ON.

Gluten-Free Sailing on the Baltic Sea with Viking

Visiting eight European countries around the Baltic Sea in 14 days is an ambitious goal, but that’s what my husband and I did this summer on a Viking Ocean Cruise.

Viking Ocean Cruise ship

From my earlier blogs, you know that I was very pleased with the two Viking River Cruises I took in 2013 and 2015:

a) Christmas Market Cruise on the Main River in Germany from Frankfurt to Nuremberg

b) the Danube River Cruise from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary

The Viking Ocean Cruises began in 2015 and all of their ships are brand-new, luxurious, and offer many amenities (such as a spa, pool, entertainment, heated bathroom floors, etc) that the smaller river ships (barges) cannot offer.

Why Viking?

In addition to my prior experience with the Viking line, the other reasons I chose this Ocean cruise were:

[1] I previously visited only two of the Baltic countries before (Norway and Germany), so this was a chance to also see Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, and Poland in one single itinerary.

[2] Viking Cruises handles my gluten-free diet superbly, so I knew I would eat well and safely.

[3] Every cabin on this ship had its own balcony (no port-hole rooms) so they were open and spacious, not claustrophobic. In fact, our cabin was every bit as large as several hotel rooms in the U.S.

The Itinerary

We set sail from Bergen, Norway and continued to Denmark, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Russia, Finland, and Sweden over the two weeks. This was probably one of the most ambitious European trips that we ever did and yes, we were tired. But, we were also excited about seeing a new city in a new country almost every other day. This excitement made it easier to deal with jet-lag, too.

The Food!!

Sightseeing was fun, but eating was even more fun! Cruise ships have an abundance of food, available in multiple restaurants at almost every hour of the day. In fact, if you miss a meal you can always order 24-hour room service to your cabin.

Early on, I met my hero—Restaurant Supervisor Ljupcho Toevksi, a very handsome young man from Macedonia who spoke perfect English. His job was to make sure I ate well. Thanks to his communications with the kitchen staff (over 100 people work in the kitchen to serve 930 passengers) I had delicious whole-grain gluten-free bread (baked daily on-board) at every meal—both sandwich bread and rolls, made from Schar baking mix. 

Gluten-Free Bread on Viking Ocean Cruise

In addition to bread, which could be used as toast or sandwiches, I also ate gluten-free pizza topped with my choice of toppings. It was so good that I ate an entire pizza myself. They used a bread mix from Schar and then modified it.

I also ate gluten-free waffles and pancakes for breakfast and then they turned the sandwich bread into Eggs Benedict—which was so good that I ate it for three mornings straight.

Gluten-free pizza

There were usually at least one or two gluten-free choices for dessert, often a mousse, pudding, and the usual gelato and sorbets. At Manfredi’s restaurant, I had the most divine Dark Chocolate flourless cake. One of my favorite naturally-gluten-free desserts was the chocolate fondue with fresh fruit. One evening we had chocolate mousse in chocolate cups, which was superb.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

The Process

Every evening, Ljupcho would send the next day’s dinner menu to my cabin. I circled my choices (for appetizer, entrée, and dessert) and returned it to the dining room the next morning. When I arrived for dinner, my server already knew what my choices were and made sure I got the right dish. Of course, I could always eat in the World Café (the buffet restaurant) which was really quite good and had two major benefits: it was super-fast because we could simply choose our food on-the-spot from the vast array of choices and it also gave us a chance to taste a wider variety of different dishes. As we progressed from country to country, the kitchen often featured a dish from that country (e.g., German food when we were in Germany; fish chowder when we were in Denmark).

Yet another advantage to the World Café is that it featured an open-kitchen so there were lots of chefs that I could ask about the contents of any dish. They were all very knowledgeable, but they didn’t hesitate to ask a superior about the dish’s ingredients to make sure I was safe. And, I could watch them prepare my food right there on the spot. For example, they prepared my Eggs Benedict right in front of my eyes so I knew it was safe!

My Tips
The one thing I learned about getting what you want on a cruise ship is that you must pre-order the gluten-free baked goods (except for the bread), because they are not baked unless a passenger asks for it. So, unless you ask for it before-hand (e.g., the pizza, waffle, etc.) you might not get it.

Finally, if you are considering a Viking cruise my advice is to go for it! I found it to be a very comfortable, safe way to see Europe.

 

It is Pumpkin Spice Latte Time!

Every fall, one “flavor” gets a ton of attention.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin.

In fact, one sure sign that Fall has arrived is the Pumpkin Spice Latte, which returns to Starbucks with regularity. If you are a coffee fan—as I am— then this is good news since I love that Pumpkin Spice flavor. More about that word “flavor” later.

Pumpkin is Everywhere!
It appears that we are a pumpkin-loving society! That unmistakable pumpkin flavor shows up in pie filling, coffee, yogurt, milk, desserts—even dog food. (Yes, you read that right.) Pumpkin-flavored dog food fetched more than $12 million in 2014. If you would like to see where we spent our dollars on pumpkin-flavored food last year, see this Nielsen data. This might make good cocktail-party conversation, you never know!

History of Pumpkin Spice Latte
Do you know the history of the Pumpkin Spice Latte? When it was developed in 2003 by the Starbucks lab, they weren’t sure it would catch on. But it became an instant hit and by 2006 it was even available as pods (K-cups) for home brewers. By 2007, other coffee chains began offering it and the Twitter handle of #PSL appeared. According to CNN, today the Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte has 85,000 followers on Twitter.

Make Your Own Pumpkin Spice Latte
If you want to make your own Pumpkin Spice Latte or PSL, we can thank the Food Network for this recipe. One of the things I like about making my own PSL is controlling the sugar, since I find the Starbucks version too sweet for my tastes.

Make Ahead and Keep on Hand
Using the recipe from the Food Network as a base, you can modify your homemade latte as you like. Certainly less sugar for me! And, while I love nutmeg, I prefer less than this recipe uses so I cut it in half. You may have other preferences, so try the recipe and see how you like it. Of course, your homemade version will be gluten-free because you control what goes into it.

Another great thing about making your own is that you can make a base (all the ingredients except the coffee and milk) and store it in the refrigerator. Then heat the milk and coffee (or, steam the milk if you’re lucky enough to have an espresso machine that also froths milk) and stir in as much of the base as you like. Using whipped cream on top is up to you (I don’t usually do that, except as an occasional treat). And, a final dusting of grated fresh nutmeg (or cinnamon) is the perfect touch. And, of course, your homemade version will be much cheaper.

Pumpkin Flavor without the Pumpkin?
Notice that the Food Network’s recipe contains real pumpkin. It may surprise you to learn that many “pumpkin-flavored” items don’t have any pumpkin in them at all. Of course, foods such as Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Bread contain real pumpkin, but most commercial coffee drinks do not. Have you ever tasted pumpkin by itself? It is actually quite bland and not necessarily that inviting. In fact, it’s awful. However, when blended with all those wonderful spices it is absolutely divine.

Wondering what to do with the leftover pumpkin? If you make a lot of lattes, you will use up a 14-ounce can in a few days. Store any leftover pumpkin, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to a week and use it to bake gluten-free Pumpkin Bread.

Happy Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Cloud Bread

If you are gluten-free, grain-free and on a low-carb diet, you may have heard of Cloud Bread which is making the rounds on the Internet. I first saw it on the Dr. Oz TV show where it was demonstrated by famed chef Rocco DiSpirito and immediately realized that this recipe could fill an important void for some people.

Cloud Bread

What is Cloud Bread?

It is an extremely light, airy flatbread…hence the name Cloud Bread. It is as light as a cloud (if one could eat a cloud, that is!). If you are a fan of heavy, dense whole-grain breads like I am then this one might not excite you.  But this bread is super-easy and only uses 4 ingredients, so it may be a life-saver for some families.

But if you are grain-free and gluten-free (and also dairy-free), then it might be a suitable substitute for traditional breads. It bakes up in 10 light rounds. If you put two of the rounds together, they resemble flat hamburger buns so you could make a sandwich with them. Or, you can eat them as flatbread as an accompaniment to a meal.

Find the recipe for Cloud Bread here  

Nutrients per each round of bread: 37 calories, 3g fat; 2g protein, 1g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 61mg cholesterol, 30mg sodium

Carol’s Tips for Cloud Bread

Since I didn’t invent the recipe, I can’t reprint it here. But I can give you some tips for making it better:

[1] I followed the recipe exactly as printed online. Be sure to bring the cream cheese to room temperature, or it won’t blend into the eggs.

[2] The breads are not that flavorful, so you could toss in finely chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or basil into the batter. Or, sprinkle them with poppy seeds or sesame seeds…or whatever you like to make them more interesting. But if you like plain bread, then don’t add anything.

[3] If you are also lactose-free, use Green Valley cream cheese which has the lactose removed.  It behaves the same as regular cream cheese in baking and measures the same.

[4] Some other recipes for Cloud Bread call for 1 teaspoon baking powder, which I haven’t tried.  I would blend it in with the eggs, cream cheese, and sugar. It will probably make the bread rise higher, but I don’t think the breads need it.

 

 

Three Fabulous (Gluten-Free) Days in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Antigua Inn

Imagine a beautiful 100-year-old adobe house—conveniently located near the famous Santa Fe square—that has been remodeled to preserve its heritage, but with every modern convenience imaginable. Then add in a chef who understands gluten-free cooking and offers the most fabulous breakfasts, and you have the perfect Bed & Breakfast. That’s how I spent 3 days last week in the Land of Enchantment, otherwise known as New Mexico.

Antigua Inn kitchen

We visit Santa Fe at least once a year, mostly to enjoy the fabulous food. This year’s visit coincided with our wedding anniversary so we chose a special Bed & Breakfast, the Antigua Inn. It was mentioned in Food & Wine Magazine so I knew it was good. But we were amazed at how special this place is.

Beautifully restored, this lovely house features every modern convenience despite its 100-year old heritage. 

Notice the gorgeous kitchen in the photo.

But it was the warm hospitality and superb, gluten-free food that I want to tell you about.

 

Gluten-Free Breakfasts at Antigua Inn

The first morning we had gluten-free mini-Quiches made with non-dairy ingredients and it was fabulous. Baked in cupcake pans, the quiche had a hint of green chile (a must in New Mexico), accompanied by house-smoked bacon, fried polenta, and a lovely fruit salad. And, the coffee was superb—made from hand-roasted beans you can order at Antigua Coffee Company.  They also offered gluten-free toast, but I already had plenty of food!

Mini-Quiches

The second morning, we ate Blue Corn Pancakes with blueberries and pine nuts (called pinon in New Mexico). Gluten-free and dairy-free, they were some of the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten. They were served with gluten-free sausage and a marvelous yogurt parfait topped with gluten-free granola. I was in heaven!

Blue Corn Pancakes

On the third morning (as if it couldn’t get better!!) we had gluten-free, dairy-free Huevos Rancheros—one of my favorite breakfasts. With bacon and fried polenta, and the usual fruit plate it was absolutely delicious. On top of these marvelous breakfasts, there were gluten-free treats such as Biscochitos (cookies).

Huevos Rancheros Antigua Inn 2016

Other Gluten-Free Dining in Santa Fe

Santa Fe is known for its fabulous food, so finding gluten-free options was easy. One of our favorites is La Boca with chef James Campbell Caruso, an 8-time James Beard Chef of the Southwest nominee. We love his tapas and always have a glass of sherry too since the restaurant’s theme is Spanish. Our favorite dish was Paella. But I also had house-baked gluten-free bread that I used to sop up the delicious liquids from a bowl of Mussels. An incredible meal; in fact, we went to that restaurant for lunch the next day, too.

Radish & Rye was recommended to us by the Antigua Inn and it was our second fabulous dinner. The menu features local, farm-to-table fare and it was upscale and superb. The staff was extremely well trained. I had salmon and a tossed green salad that was incredibly fresh and lovely. I would go to this restaurant again.

Our third dinner was a “dive” compared to the other two restaurants but a fun experience nonetheless. Called Tune-Up Cafe, it was featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri. It features food with an El Salvadore-style touch, such as a Pupusa which was delicious. I also had a Tamale wrapped in a banana leaf. The ambience shouts “dive.” The café is very small, noisy and cramped. But we knew that before we went. The food is not fancy but delicious and I would go there again.

All in all, Santa Fe did not disappoint! I will be back next year!

Egg-Free Mayonnaise from the Liquid in Canned Chickpeas

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month. Eggs Are a Severe Allergen.

Egg allergies can be quite serious. I know from experience: My grandson is allergic to eggs. We carry an Epi-Pen at all times and watch his diet carefully. I prepare his food without eggs, including items like pancakes. But I find baking without eggs very difficult, much harder than baking without wheat.

So, whenever I read about replacements for eggs or egg- based foods, I listen.

Egg-Free Mayonnaise Made from Chickpea Liquid Called Aquafaba

The first time I heard of this idea I couldn’t believe it. It uses the liquid that surrounds a can of chickpeas which is called aquafaba. Really? Mayonnaise from the lowly chickpea (or garbanzo bean)? But then I tried it, and I liked it.

The idea comes from the Serious Eats website and its primary chef, J. Kenji López-Alt. Plus, I have read his book The Food Lab. He has a marvelous way of explaining what happens in a kitchen in a simple, easy-to-understand way. So, I knew that if he liked this egg-free mayonnaise, then I would too.

Kenji explains that aquafaba is the protein-rich liquid surrounding canned chickpeas. As he says, “It’s pretty amazing stuff—you can whip it into stiff peaks like a meringue, use it to leaven pancakes and waffles, or make light sponge cakes, all without any eggs at all.”  This is good news for those of us who cook for people who can’t eat eggs.

I plan to try the meringue later, but I was most intrigued by the fact that aquafaba can also be used to make mayonnaise. So, below is the link to Kenji’s mayonnaise recipe. Enjoy!

Egg-Free Mayonnaise Recipe

You can find the recipe here:

Carol’s Tips
[1] Kenji uses SW brand of chickpeas, which has a milkier, thicker composition (more viscous) than the brand I used which was Simple Truth by Kroeger stores. The next time I make it, I would use SW brand.

[2] Two garlic cloves make this a very garlicky mayonnaise—which really limits its use to savory dishes. I often use mayonnaise in my Waldorf salad, where garlic is inappropriate. In fact, I think this mayonnaise is really closer to aioli, a garlicky Mediterranean sauce that resembles mayonnaise. So, I would either omit the garlic OR use only a portion of a whole garlic clove for a mild, but not overpowering flavor.

[3] Be forewarned, your mayonnaise might not thicken as much without the garlic. The recipe makes a looser, thinner mayonnaise. If that’s OK with you, fine. Or, add 1/8 teaspoon of guar gum to the finished product for a thicker consistency.

[4] Be sure to add the oil only AFTER you have pureed the other ingredients. This is necessary to create a good emulsion so the mayonnaise stays together.

Grain-Free Orange Cake with Chocolate Sauce

Grain-Free Orange Cake with Chocolate Sauce

Special Occasion Cake Without Gluten, Dairy, Grain

There are a number of special occasions in the Spring— Easter, Passover, Seder, Mother’s Day, graduations and so on— at which many of us will either host or be a guest at a meal in which the dessert needs to be grain-free, leavening-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

I have the perfect dessert for this occasion—a flourless cake made with almond meal and sweetened with orange marmalade. This cake turns out moist and flavorful and—when garnished with a drizzle of chocolate sauce—reassures those with food sensitivities or special diets that it is possible to “have your cake and eat it, too!”

Why Grain-Free?

There is a great deal of interest these days in grain-free baking, partly due to the Paleo diet and right now, to the Jewish holidays.  Other people simply feel better when they avoid grains. In this case, almond meal (or other nut meals made from pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts) is perfect for baking. It can also be called almond flour; if you can’t find it, grind 2 cups of blanched almonds in the food processor to make almond meal. If the almonds are whole, the skins will make the cake darker in color and not as pretty so it’s better to use blanched or slivered almonds, which have the skins removed.

How to Serve This Cake

To garnish it, I dust the cake with powdered sugar and eat it plain or garnish it with a drizzle of your favorite store-bought chocolate sauce/syrup, with some pretty raspberries and fresh mint for garnish. It is so moist that it keeps very well on the countertop for a couple of days, although this is dangerous since you will find yourself grabbing a slice throughout the day as you walk by. Trust me….it is irresistible.

Grain-Free Orange Cake with Chocolate Sauce

Adapted from 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster (Wiley, 2008)

This is the perfect dessert for those occasions where guests have a variety of special diets; it’s fail-proof, gorgeous, and delicious. You can even bake it ahead of time, freeze (tightly wrapped) and thaw on the countertop before serving at room temperature.

1 ¼ cups store-bought orange marmalade

2 cups almond meal

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

5 large whole eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

4 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting

Store-bought Chocolate sauce, fresh mint leaves, and fresh raspberries, for garnish

[1] Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350?F. Generously grease an 8-inch nonstick (gray, not black) springform pan and line it with parchment paper. Grease again; set aside.

[2] In a food processor, process the marmalade, almond meal, brown sugar, xanthan gum, eggs, vanilla, and salt (if using) for 30 to 40 seconds. Scrape down the sides with a spatula, and blend again 30 to 40 seconds or until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

[3] Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cover with foil during the last 20 minutes of baking to avoid overbrowning, if necessary. Cool the cake in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Gently run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Remove outer rim. Cool the cake completely on the wire rack. Invert onto a serving plate and remove parchment paper. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar, chocolate sauce, fresh mint, and fresh raspberries.