What do we really Knead?

If someone brought in cupcakes to the work place 3 years ago, I would have been 1st in line. Like most, I lack the willpower to turn down anything with sugar in it. Today I was presented with this scenario, I didn't even flinch. Impulse eating isn't really even on my radar anymore. After 2 years of being gluten-free, I've lost the urges I once had.

When I was in South Africa last week, I was awakened by a new bread. A gluten-free bread so delicious I had to check about 5 times that it really was indeed free of gluten. It was freshly made, soft, spongy and melted in my mouth. A pure, unadulterated piece of delicious bread. Needless to say I had it at least every other day I was there.

Turns out I don't need cupcakes, I just need Knead.

Homemade Granola

A couple of weeks ago I was shuffling through the cupboards when I found a half full bag of Bob's Red Mill gluten free rolled oats. I felt a twinge of guilt as the weather is starting to turn warmer and oatmeal season will soon be long gone. Then I was hit by a bit of inspiration...granola!

I found that not only did I have the rolled oats but I also had the remainder of the ingredients to make granola: raisins, nuts, maple syrup, etc. A couple years back my Dad started to make his own granola and taught me how to do it. He followed a very simple Bittman recipe, see below:

Ingredients:
6 cups rolled oats
2 cups mixed nuts & seeds (not salted)
1 cup dried unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash salt
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Place a large baking pan over the stove top on medium to low heat.
3. Pour in oats and stir for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant.
4. Add in nuts and stir for another 2 minutes.
5. Add in coconut and stir for 2 minutes.
6. Add in cinnamon, salt and maple syrup and final stir before placing in the oven for 20 minutes.
7. Stir every 5 minutes to avoid burning.
8. Once you take it out of the oven and stir in the raisins and let cool.
9. Store in a plastic container in the fridge for lasting freshness.

The recipe makes a decent amount, my favorite things do do with it is sprinkle over cereal or mix with fresh fruit & yogurt.

Sweet Ali's Gluten-free Dinner Rolls

Sweet Jesus these rolls are good. I've had Sweet Ali's products in the past, specifically their blueberry muffins and brownies in which they sold through Kramer Foods (a grocer in Hinsdale). Recently, they opened up a retail store in the town of Hinsdale...very exciting. On Christmas Eve, my mom and I popped into the store to find a flurry of gluten-free goodies. I bought almost everything: cookies, a crumb coffee cake, muffins, a frozen pizza, ready-to-bake frozen cookies and most importantly the ready-to-bake frozen dinner rolls.

I wasn't expecting much. I try not to keep my hopes up, specifically when it comes to bread. It is just one of the toughest things to get right. I had my first go at the dinner rolls the day after Christmas. We had had Beef Tenderloin on Christmas day, and I thought that the left over meat would make an excellent sandwich. After 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven, my dinner roll was good to go. I placed a little mayo and the meat on top and took a bite. OMG. I hate to be too crazy about these rolls, but honestly I felt like I had just eaten the best bite of food in my life. Since then I've eaten a roll at least every other day (with eggs pictured left). If only I could bring an oven to work, I'd bake up a fresh roll every time I ate lunch.

Thank you sweet Sweet Ali's.

Rolled Oats

This being my second gluten-free winter, I still find myself missing my instant Quaker Oats Oatmeal. There is something special about those oats. They are fast, they are warm and they are tasty. I have yet to find an instant gluten-free oatmeal that I like...so I purchased the plain Bob's Red Mill Rolled Oats. They are pretty easy to make (not quite as easy as instant, but what can you do).


Oatmeal:
1. In a medium/large pot, boil 2 cups of water with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
2. Add in the rolled oats, stir and reduce the heat.
3. Stir occasionally for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Take off heat, and stir in a little milk and honey.