Photo by: Taste Guru Member, Matthew Osier
One thing I love in life is Mexican food (my one bridezilla moment involved sending members of the wedding party on a 3 am expedition to find tacos, which they did, bless them). Luckily, most Mexican food is easily adaptable to meet the needs of gluten free diets. Because I have a love for Mexican food, I often have a modge podge of ingredients needed to make Mexican dishes and often experiment with said ingredients, sometimes with disastrous results. However, the dish below was created on such an occasion and is incredibly tasty as well as healthy. This dish could also be easily customized to meet the needs of vegan or non-dairy diets by simply removing the cheese. It’s also pretty darn easy to put together as well as freeze for later use (just thaw and throw in the oven at 400 degrees when your ready). Welcome to my world of yum. Enjoy!
Black Bean and Yam Enchiladas
Ingredients:
Directions:
What are your favorite easy, ethnic-inspired meals?
Caitrin Blake is a writer currently living in the Denver metro area. She went gluten free after an elimination diet revealed gluten as a source of many ailments.
Looking for the perfect dessert that has expert chef results without needing expert chef skills? This pudding looks so fancy your guests won't believe it's homemade, and you won't believe how easy it is to make. It's a great alternative to cakes and cookies, and for this summertime dessert, you don't even have to heat the oven.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
1. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add in milk and whisk thoroughly.
3. Pour mixture into a 2 qt. saucepan and set the heat at medium.
4. Let the mixture bubble slightly around the edges but do not boil it. Stir continuously.
5. Add in vanilla and butter.
6. Continue to stir until you reach your desired pudding consistency.
7. Turn off heat and refrigerate for one hour.
Once your pudding is chilled you can prepare the bananas in about 10 minutes for a delicious topper to your tasty treat.
Sautéed bananas:
Ingredients:
4 large bananas
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
Directions:
1. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Cut bananas into 1/4 inch slices and toss them in the mix.
3. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat.
4. When the butter is bubbly, add in the bananas.
5. Let the slices caramelize in the butter for about 10 seconds, and then flip them. You can do this by holding the handle of the sauté pan and gently (carefully!) tossing the bananas in the air, or for those of us who are not auditioning for a chef competition and are deathly afraid of flinging hot banana slices everywhere, you can simply turn them over with a spatula. Continue to flip the pieces every 10 seconds for 2-3 minutes.
6. Now pour your chilled pudding into small dishes and add the hot bananas on top.
Serves 4-5.
Your dessert will have all the luxury of creme brûlée without the hassles of purchasing a blowtorch!
What's your favorite gluten-free dessert? Do you make treats for company or save them for your late night snack? Do you have any dessert secrets to share with our gluten-free community?
Briana Cushing is a Denver writer with a degree in psychology and an equally lucrative Masters in Literature. She is new to the gluten-free scene and is loving the community; when she's not busy whipping up fantastic recipes, she's hand making her own line of steampunk jewelry and accessories.
I started running back in high school, and I fondly remember team pasta dinners on the night before big track meets. Sadly, such a carbohydrate cornucopia is out of the question these days. True, I could eat gluten-free pasta, but it’s not quite the same (close though it may be).
When I started competing again, I was concerned about how well I would compete sans gluten. But the truth is, if your body feels good, it’s a lot easier to work out and have the energy to compete in endurance events. Prior to eliminating gluten from my diet, I struggled when completing any sort of endurance event. However, one of the many positives to my new lifestyle has been my ability to perform athletically. Over the last year, I have successfully competed in half a dozen races, two of which were half marathons. And though was a bit concerned about energy, electrolytes, and general body health when I started training, I learned that, much like all my other gluten free endeavors, endurance competitions are possible through making a few simple changes.
Practice Makes Perfect
Endurance races typically take place in the early morning hours, which means that eating in the morning is always a bit tricky and you have to be hyper aware of what you eat the day before. Many of us are consistently careful in our everyday lives to make sure we don’t cross-contaminate, but you need to be especially careful in the days leading up to your event. Competing in the throws of gluten contamination is not fun, though such discomfort might make you run faster (which may or may not come from my own experience). So, in order to make your event easier, more comfortable, and actually possible, be sure to practice eating the foods you will eat before your event prior to some of your longer training sessions. This will allow you to make sure that you’re providing yourself with enough energy and to make sure your body, well, agrees with what you’ve eaten.
Day Before:
While the traditional pasta dinner is sadly out, you can still eat a great dinner that fits within your gluten-free lifestyle. There is, of course, gluten free pasta that you can cook, and if you are out of town for the event and eating at a restaurant, there are a number of chains that work hard to make sure this is safe (though I’m still personally a bit wary of it). However, there has been a lot of research that says that sushi is actually a really great pre-race dinner due to the carbohydrates (rice), lean protein (fish), and electrolytes (soy sauce). Additionally, this is also a great meal that you can customize and make gluten free (just be sure to bring your own soy sauce) or if you are on a vegetarian or vegan diet. Again, be sure to try this before one of your long training days so that you are sure that it works well for you.
Day Of:
During your training, be sure to do some research into the race website and learn what they will be serving in terms of drinks and electrolytes during the race. Most race websites list this information as many endurance athletes prefer to train with the same substances they will be consuming on race day. This is especially important for those in the gluten free community so that they can determine whether or not the substances provided is a “safe” product to consume. If not, find a safe alternative you enjoy and carry a few with you during your race (which you might want to do anyway as sometimes they run out or the flavor is something wretched). But again, you want to be sure to train with what you will consume so your body is used to the substances. I’ve enjoyed GU chomps, gels, and electrolyte beverages because all their products are gluten free.
My Sample Regimen: In an effort to be safe and eat healthy, I typically favor foods that are naturally gluten free. Below, I have a list of what I typically eat around an endurance race.
Day before:
Day of Event:
Competing as a gluten-free athlete is not only possible, but you will probably be stronger and more capable than you remember. Just be careful and find a bar for after because there probably won’t be any cider after that finish line!
What are your favorite pre-and-post race foods? What kind of races do you run? Leave us a comment!
Caitrin Blake is a writer currently living in the Denver metro area. She went gluten free after an elimination diet revealed gluten as a source of many ailments.
Here at Taste Guru, we've already covered how to advocate for your gluten-free diet, but it's important to us to cover all the bases. Here's our next installment in our advocacy series, a piece just for friends and family.
So you have a loved one with Celiac Disease . . .
Was someone close to you recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease? Are you a Celiac and are looking for some quick information to share with family and friends? Never fear, Taste Guru has some basic tips for the Celiac friendly.
Be understanding and affirm the diagnosis.
The road to diagnosis is long and tedious. Your loved one has gone through pain, confusion, and doubt, and then after extensive testing a doctor has finally given a name to the cause: Celiac. While receiving a diagnosis can be shocking and hard to process, it can also be a relief because now there is a name for these symptoms and a plan to get rid of them, even if that plan is daunting. Many people who are just hearing about Celiac might confuse medically necessary gluten-free diets with Hollywood fads or bogus trends. Celiac is a disease. It is real, and your loved one needs your help in believing that.
Educate yourself.
Education and awareness is truly as simple as a quick Internet search to familiarize yourself with Celiac Disease, and its causes and consequences.
If you have questions, try to answer them first through these sources: celiac.com, a gluten-free blog, or even Wikipedia. It can be overwhelming for a newly diagnosed Celiac (and a bit tiring for a seasoned Celiac) to get hounded with multiple questions every time they mention their condition. Which brings us to . . .
What not to say:
It’s not easy to know what to say to someone going through a medical issue, but there are some things you can avoid:
How intended support can go awry:
A common response to finding out someone close to you has Celiac Disease is to cook them something that is gluten-free, but keep in mind that cross-contamination can lead to unintentional glutening.
Most Celiacs are so sensitive to gluten that even preparing cookies on your regular cookie tray can mean a night of suffering for them. Unless you are prepared to go out and buy new kitchenware, we recommend buying a certified gluten-free product, such as Udi’s Chocolate Chip Cookies. But comfort food isn’t the only way to show support, and you don’t have to make a purchase to make your loved one feel better. In fact, the best thing you can do is . . .
Listen.
Everyone has different needs, and will handle the news in unique ways. Some will want a dialogue, and others will need to monologue a bit, and that’s ok. It might be tempting to launch into your own personal anecdote, but maybe the other person simply needs to vent, and your most supportive action is the role of sounding board. If everything comes exploding out of them and they don’t shut up for ten solid minutes, that probably means they’ve been keeping this in and it’s extremely helpful that you’ve provided an outlet for them to release what’s inside.
For others, sharing is difficult and it’s easier when both people make themselves vulnerable. If this is your loved one, try the “I share, you share” tactic. Think of a time you felt helpless or frustrated with a situation that was out of your control, and show them that they are not alone. Finally, if they don’t want to talk about it at all, that’s normal too. Find a fun way to distract them – give them an opportunity to laugh or escape into another topic.
Cut yourself some slack if your loved one gets frustrated or angry. It’s a process for everyone involved, and you’ll have better days.
Keep up the good work. Your support is important.
What is your favorite way to comfort a friend? If you have Celiac disease, what are the best reactions you’ve had from others? How have friends and family made this adjustment easier for you?
Briana Cushing is a Denver writer with a degree in psychology and an equally lucrative Masters in Literature. She is new to the gluten-free scene and is loving the community; when she's not busy whipping up fantastic recipes, she's hand making her own line of steampunk jewelry and accessories.
If you’re anything like me, you can handle your gluten free lifestyle up to a certain point. For me, it’s when I walk through a grocery store and smell fresh bread baking. It’s pure torture to me, and up until recently, I hadn’t found gluten free bread that even remotely tasted like real bread and satisfied this craving. Enter, Against the Grain.
Against the Grain is a gluten free company based in the small town of Brattleboro, Vermont that makes bagels, baguettes, rolls, and pizza. The primary ingredients in their breads include tapioca starch, mozzarella, milk, eggs, canola oil, and salt.
For those looking for bread that actually tastes like "real" bread, Against the Grain is a wonderful option. The baguette is moist and soft on the inside but still crispy when baked on the outside. It’s honestly the best thing I’ve had since the sliced bread I can’t eat. It’s good with butter, it’s good with cheese, and it’s great baked in the oven topped with bruschetta toppings. While I can’t say for certain the bread tastes like bread for those who can eat gluten (it has been that long), I do know that it does taste good and even my gluten loving husband enjoys the bread almost as much as I do.
The good thing about this bread is that you can also make a multitude of recipes with it. Here are some of our favorites:
The one drawback is for those who are still struggling to process dairy as they might not be able to process the bread very well given the amount of dairy used in making the bread. In addition, while it is incredibly tasty, it is in no way good for you in terms of calories or fat content. However, when you’re looking for a little splurge or feeling like you just can’t resist the smell of freshly baked bread wafting at you from the bakery, look no further than Against the Grain.
Caitrin Blake is a writer currently living in the Denver metro area. She went gluten free after an elimination diet revealed gluten as a source of many ailments.
Eating while travelling in a foreign country can be difficult at the best of times; however, when you’re a traveller with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, travelling can present even more of a challenge. Food is an important part of any culture, and partaking in the cuisine of any given country is one way in which we come to engage in that culture; it would be a shame to miss out on this part of travel. While it does take a good amount of planning, doing your legwork ahead of time can make your travel experience enjoyable and allow you to truly take part in the culture without missing out.
About six months ago, I took my first trip to a foreign country since going gluten-free. While I feared that I would spend a bulk of my two-week trip sick, by following the advice below I was able to have an enjoyable trip without getting sick.
1. Do some research
Before leaving, do some research into the cuisine and commonly served meals. Determine what items are likely to be gluten free, including sauces, common marinades, and other dishes. This will allow you to have a good idea of what you might be able to order or customize before even looking at a menu. While you cannot rely on dishes to be consistently gluten free, you can at least have an idea of where to start looking on the menu.
2. Learn how to describe your needs in the host language
Memorize the phrase to explain your food needs in their language and be sure to apologize for any inconvenience. The notion that the customer is always right may be the case in most US restaurants, but this belief does not necessarily carry over to other countries. Be polite and do your best to explain your needs, but also consider printing out a travel card that explains your condition and what it means so that you can hand that to servers. You easily can find these for free online and keep them on your iPhone. Print out a few so that you can hand them those preparing your food. Allergen descriptions can be found here: http://www.celiactravel.com/cards/.
Also, don’t forget to take time to learn the words for common gluten ingredients (e.g., flour) so that you can locate those words under ingredient descriptions.
3. Carry food with you
Most of us probably do this all the time while at home, but make sure you pack some gluten-free protein bars and snacks to carry with you in your suitcase and carry on. While you don’t want to miss out on engaging with the culture via culinary experiences, there might be times when you simply cannot locate gluten-free food (e.g., airports, train stations, etc.). Having snacks and food with you will provide you with enough sustenance so that you can take time to find better food and avoid making unwise decisions out of hunger.
4.Visit grocery stores
While eating out can provide an opportunity for you to have a cultural experience, grocery stores often provide a similar and often cheaper way to discover new foods. Shopping at grocery stores allows you to see full ingredient lists and take time to really make good decisions. By shopping at markets, you can try new foods and interesting cuisine on your own terms and often save some money in the process.
5.Trust your instincts
If something doesn’t look gluten free or you have a feeling that it isn’t, trust your instincts. Dealing with the results of gluten exposure is not something you want to manage in an airport, train station, or sightseeing in a strange city. Even if someone swears to you that an item is safe, if you suspect that an item is contaminated, trust yourself just as you would at home. A foreign city is not a good place to test your limits.
As travel is one of life’s greatest pleasures, we shouldn’t be afraid to experience new cultures or take on new adventures based on food limitations. Just be prepared to do a little bit of research and planning in order to make it a safe and enjoyable experience.
How do you travel on a gluten-free diet? What are your tips and tricks? We love to hear them, so share them with us in the comments!
Caitrin Blake is a writer currently living in the Denver metro area. She went gluten free after an elimination diet revealed gluten as a source of many ailments.
Although traditional pasta is often seen as the enemy of gluten-free eaters, gluten-free pasta is widely available and widely delicious. Here at Taste Guru, we’ve tried plenty of pastas in all different shapes and sizes. Here’s a list of our favorite brands.
Spaghetti
Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti is an old gluten-free favorite. This pasta, available at Whole Foods and many regular grocery stores, is relatively inexpensive and holds together well in a number of dishes. Serve it with a hearty sauce or a light glaze of pesto and you’ve got the base for a perfect meal.
Macaroni
Also knows as elbows, macaroni noodles aren’t just for macaroni and cheese these days. Ancient Harvest makes a delicious, healthy gluten-free macaroni noodle that is perfect for eating and decorating popsicle stick picture frames. If you’ve got gluten-free kids, these elbows are inexpensive enough to use with noodle necklaces and other crafts, making it easy to throw a party or craft day.
Fusilli
If you’re into something more fancy than macaroni, fusilli is a perfect option. These pasta spirals are also perfect for all different types of dishes. Rustichella D’Abruzzo makes a 100% organic corn fusilli that is so good, you won’t even know it’s not made of flour. Perhaps this is because it’s imported from Italy or perhaps it’s because the noodles are formed out of gently kneaded dough, but either way, you can top these with anything from alfredo sauce to marinara and you’ll still please the pickiest eaters you know.
What would good gluten-free pasta be without a good sauce? Over at Taste Guru, we know how hard it can be to find the perfect sauces. Here are some that you can buy right at the grocery store or your local specialty shop.
Classico Sauces
While you may not associate Classico with a fancy Italian entrée, this sauce is available relatively everywhere and is certifiably gluten free. It’s nice to know that a huge variety of options—from white to red sauces—is available right in your own grocery store.
Amy’s Organic Pasta Sauce
Amy’s has its own place in the gluten-free food world, and we’re a huge fan of the of their organic pasta sauce. With a nice bite, a wholesome list of ingredients, and a perfect consistency, this red sauce can’t be beat.
Simply Organic Alfredo Sauce Mix
Simply Organic makes a wide variety of certified gluten-free products, but their powdered alfredo sauce mix is fantastic. It’s creamy, cheesy, and flavorful—everything you wouldn’t expect from a powder. It also travels well, so it works for easy shipping to your gluten-free family and friends.
These options are just some of the many options that you can find on the market. Keep an eye on our Pinterest page for more recipes and meal ideas. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to Taste Guru for a chance to try some of the delicious pasta and sauce meals that we listed today!
What is your favorite gluten-free pasta? What should we include in our next box?
Kait McNamee is a Denver-based writer who reluctantly went gluten free after being diagnosed with celiac disease. She hosts a DIY, recipe, wellness, and all around ridiculous blog called Life Without Buns; she also expresses the many emotions of being gluten free at the surprisingly popular How It Feels to Be Gluten Free tumblr.
Whether you’re going out for a meal or eating a home cooked dinner with your extended family, eating gluten-free outside of your normal kitchen habitat can be stressful and frustrating. From a well-meaning but misunderstanding family member who thinks “just a bit” of flour means gluten free, or a chef that accidentally puts salad dressing on the salad instead of the side, it seems that almost nothing is safe. While there may never be a way to avoid worrying, there are so many ways a gluten-free eater can advocate for him or herself. Here at Taste Guru, we are all about awareness (it is celiac awareness month after all) and advocacy, so here are our tricks and tips for advocating for yourself or other gluten-free people.
Awareness
While some of us may fly our celiac flag high, it can sometimes be hard to disclose an illness or allergy, especially one which restricts your diet so greatly. Sometimes it depends on the situation: it can differ from situation to situation.
Family and Friends:
So, you’ve been diagnosed with celiac or a gluten-intolerance. How do you tell your family? You can raise awareness by doing a few things. Educating someone on gluten-related illnesses can help them understand how they can help you better. It may be as simple as linking them to a few of the common celiac resources or blogs, like Celiac.com, The Gluten Dude, or even Wikipedia for a basic rundown. If you’re more into scientific reasoning, you can direct them to Dr. Fasano’s research on celiac, where they can read more about the intricacies of the disease.
Be sure to explain very clearly to your family that no flour or gluten is acceptable, especially in large gatherings or on holidays like Thanksgiving or Passover. You don’t have to announce it to the entire table—call your host a few weeks beforehand, explain the situation, and make them aware. It doesn’t have to be aggressive. Also, be sure to bring a side dish as a peace offering, or offer to make a dessert.
Everyone Else:
Dealing with family may be awkward, but what if you’re at a large company lunch and no one knows that you can’t eat gluten? In this case, it’s up to you to decide how much you want them to know. The “should I tell my boss I have celiac?” question can only be answered by you. If you do, then you may get a tasty gluten-free meal. You also may get a funny look and a shrug, depending on how close you are to your supervisor or boss. If you hate to disclose it on a large scale, you can always tell a few co-workers that you’re close to. You’d be surprise how much people want to help you out.
Advocacy
Although raising awareness is the first part of the process, advocating for yourself is also important. Often times, servers at restaurants aren’t aware of the gluten-free basics. A good way to get around this is to prepare a tiny, not-that-annoying speech to give to your server. Something along the lines of, “I can’t eat gluten, which is anything in your kitchen containing bread or flour. I get very sick from it, so I would really appreciate it if you could ask the chef to make sure that no bread or flour touches my food. I appreciate it tremendously!” A little bit of friendliness and a generous tip will help you also.
Preparing yourself is one thing, but sometimes, you have to stand up for yourself. Advocating for your lifestyle is not against the rules. Don’t be afraid to ask your server if something is actually gluten-free. If your “gluten-free” toast looks suspicious, take a minute and kindly ask if it is. If you’ve got croutons on your salad when you asked for no croutons, don’t be afraid to send it back. You deserve food that you can safely eat. By being cautious, you also raise the server and chef’s awareness of gluten-free eating habits, making it just a bit easier for the next gluten-free person that comes through.
Say you’re not gluten free, but your significant other or mother or brother is. You can still help out and make the world a little bit easier for your gluten-free relative. If you’ve got a shy gluten-free friend, you can help them out by making the server aware, or by asking if the toast is actually gluten free. With your help, they can live a little more comfortably. It doesn’t take much to help someone out.
We are all part of the gluten-free community for different reasons, but creating awareness together and advocating for a safer meal, both in private and in public, can change the way we live.
How do you approach the subject of gluten in your daily life? How do you answer the questions? Do you ever have to send your food back?
Kait McNamee is a Denver-based writer who reluctantly went gluten free after being diagnosed with celiac disease. She hosts a DIY, recipe, wellness, and all around ridiculous blog called Life Without Buns; she also expresses the many emotions of being gluten free at the surprisingly popular How It Feels to Be Gluten Free tumblr.
Whether you eat dairy-free because you have to or want to, you will find there are different substitutes out there based on what you are making. I cook and bake gluten and dairy-free for my 7 year old daughter. I refer to the substitutions as dairy-free but really, these are casein-free. Casein is the protein found in milk that many people cannot tolerate. Here are my top tips for how to get through it.
Drinking Milk
Please don’t believe the Dairy Board. We don’t need milk; we need calcium. Yes, milk has a lot of protein but there are other sources for that as well. There would not be so many dairy intolerances/allergies if our bodies needed milk. My personal feeling is that we are probably drinking too much which is why now, many of us can’t tolerate it. But, I am neither a scientist nor a dietitian. This is my opinion.
So, if you can’t drink milk, what is there? Today there are many options:
Did I miss any? That is a pretty comprehensive list. Many of these milks come in different varieties like vanilla and chocolate. Many of these milks also have added sugar. Sure it tastes better but you might not need the extra calories. My daughter’s favorite is unsweetened vanilla flavored almond milk. She uses it for her cereal. Hopefully you can find a substitute that you like.
Be careful because some soy milks can contain gluten (from a barley extract) so check the label.
Cooking with Milk Substitutes
Drinking sweetened milk can be tasty but you don’t want to cook with it! Make sure to check the label and look for plain, unsweetened milk for cooking with 1 or less grams of sugar. If soy is not a problem for you, it’s one of the best substitutes for milk in things like soups and creamy stews. Coconut is a close second as well. I have started making my own almond milk occasionally and recently tried it in a creamy mushroom sauce. You could not tell it was not dairy! Rice milk is very thin so you might need some extra fat or some extra thickening. You can thicken it by either cooking it down a bit or by adding a slurry (equal parts of a starch like corn and water). There are also many creative milk substitutes like cashew cream and avocadoes. It all depends upon what you are making. Try experimenting with some different ingredients.
Baking with Milk Substitutes
For baking, if you use sweetened alternative milk, you might need to reduce the sugar in the recipe by 2-3 tablespoons. If you find the finished product sweet in anyway, it’s acceptable to reduce the sugar. As far as type of milk, I prefer to use milk substitutes with some fat in them so the baked good is not too dry. This is why I prefer coconut or almond milk. For things like pancakes and waffles, almost any milk will do.
Dairy-Free Substitutions for Desserts
Many traditional dessert recipes use butter so finding a good alternative is important.
Here are common substitutions:
Dairy Substitutions for Cooking
For cooking, use olive or another vegetable oil instead. For something with more mouth, use coconut oil. The virgin coconut has a coconut flavor. If you don’t like that flavor, use the non-virgin.
The Upside
Going dairy-free, whether by choice or necessity, isn't easy. Add that to other allergens like gluten and/or eggs and you will probably be doing a lot of cooking for yourself. However, if the upside is that you feel better and that you end up eating more whole foods, maybe it's not that bad. The other advantage you have is that you are not in it alone. There are many people just like you. You can do this and eat food that tastes delicious. It will be your new normal.
Chef Amy Fothergill teaches cooking classes, provides consultations and presentations, writes a cooking blog and gluten-free column, and is an author of a soon-to-be published gluten-free cookbook. She lives n the San Francisco bay area with her husband and two children.
We’ve all found a delicious looking recipe, preheated the oven, and put on our aprons, only to find out we were missing one of the recipe's ingredients. At that point, baking momentum is lost and you retire from the kitchen for the night.
Well, we found a product that eliminates the, “I don’t have that ingredient in the pantry” problem. Maggie’s Magnificent Cakes offers a gluten-free bundt cake-in-a-box. All you have to do is take off the lid of the box and you have all of the ingredients you need! The directions are printed right on the box as well, making this one of the easiest gluten-free cake recipes you'll ever use.
We baked our WiseCake the other day and were impressed at how easy it was to make and how tasty it turned out. The box contained each ingredient labeled and packaged nicely for your use. The instructions on the side of the box are easy to follow, allowing you to bake a delicious gluten-free cake with ease.
The prep time needed for the WiseCakes gluten-free carrot cake is just a few minutes, as you simply combine a handful of ingredients before mixing them together for the bundt pan. The cake itself bakes for 25-30 minutes, and then you of course let it cool before flipping it out of the pan.
A glazing mixture comes in the box, too. All you do is add a bit of water and voila, the glaze is ready to spread on the cake.
After the cake is glazed, you place it into the fridge for a few minutes until it sets. After that, it’s ready to eat!
We definitely recommend trying Maggie’s Magnificent Cakes! We love the box concept (wonder why?) and we think that it can make gluten-free baking less intimidating for those of us that aren’t pros yet!
Would you be interested in trying a gluten-free cake from a box? What flavor of cake would be your favorite?
As Memorial Day fast approaches, barbecues and summertime parties are on people’s minds. For gluten free folks, the thought of a party might be anxiety inducing. Pleasing a crowd and feeding them all gluten-free food might be tricky, but it’s not impossible. So without further ado, here’s our gluten-free summer barbecue guide.
Main Courses
We’ve already covered buns in an earlier article, but let’s get to the good stuff: meat and veggies.
Hot dogs and hamburgers are standard barbecue fare, but the ingredients of hot dogs are often a mystery. Here’s a list of many gluten free brands, but let’s do a rundown of our favorites.
Applegate Farms is known for their gluten-free friendly chicken nuggets and corndogs, but they also produce a tasty and awesome organic frankfurter that is 100% casein, gluten, and dairy free. Made from grass fed beef, this hot dog is sure to please even the most picky palates.
Sabrett hotdogs, a staple on New York City streetcorners, are also allergen friendly and gluten-free. These typical dirty water dogs are available up and down the east coast—sadly, there are none in Taste Guru’s home state of Colorado—and are perfect for those who love ballpark franks.
Hamburgers are fairly easy to whip up on your own, but some brands that make delicious premade hamburgers are Jennie-O and Bubba Burgers. Jennie-O makes turkey burgers and other turkey products, so they are diet friendly too.
Barbecue Sauce
A real barbecue calls for some barbecue sauce. Most gluten-free eaters are used to avoiding sauces and dressings out of fear, but there are quite a few barbecue sauces that are gluten-free. Heinz Chicken and Rib Barbecue Sauce is listed as gluten-free, as is their Original and Honey Garlic barbecue sauce.
Annie’s, makers of gluten-free mac & cheese and other organic products, also makes an organic gluten-free barbecue sauce. Slather your ribs or pulled pork with it and make yourself a delicious meal.
Sides
Luckily, many traditional barbecue sides can be made gluten free. Potato salad, coleslaw, and corn on the cob are all usually gluten free anyway. Ruffles potato chips are labeled gluten free, as are many tortilla chips. Bush’s baked beans are also gluten free.
You can also try to make some non-traditional sides, like mac & cheese, gluten-free hushpuppies, and some grilled veggies.
Here’s what our perfect gluten-free barbecue menu looks like:
Main Courses
Sides
Desserts
We know that putting together a gluten-free barbecue can be hard, but with some creative planning, you can throw a great gluten-free party without anyone even knowing. Be sure to try out different sides and different recipes before your party so you can make sure everything is just right.
How do you plan a gluten-free get together? Do you have any gluten-free barbecue ideas? Share them with us in the comments!
Kait McNamee is a Denver-based writer who reluctantly went gluten free after being diagnosed with celiac disease. She hosts a DIY, recipe, wellness, and all around ridiculous blog called Life Without Buns; she also expresses the many emotions of being gluten free at the surprisingly popular How It Feels to Be Gluten Free tumblr.
"Gluten-Free Foodies" is a collection of amazing, informative, and innovative gluten-free blogs and websites handpicked by Taste Guru for your reading pleasure!
