Whole 30 Me? Why?!

For those of you who have never heard of it, the Whole 30 is an elimination diet that lasts 30 days, with a staged re-introdction period afterwards. People usually try elimination diets when they suspect some food group is giving them problems, but don't know which it is.

Folks who know me know how much I enjoy eating, especially eating a wide variety of produce, meats, grains, dairy products, and fruits. They've also heard me carry on a bit over how much better I feel when I stay as gluten-free as possible (no wheat, barley or rye, including what gets snuck into packaged foods and condiments). But when they heard recently that I planned to try this experiment in eating with no added sugars, no dairy, no grains, and no legumes, responses ranged from 'call me when you're done' to 'you're going to starve.'

To be honest, the prospect of dropping that many ingredients from my normal repetoire really scared me. But I had been wondering a couple things over the last year or two:

1. How could I control or eliminate my rosacea (burny, bumpy splotchy face) without drugs?
2. If cutting way back on gluten helped so much, what other keys to my health might be hiding in my everyday food choices?

So I looked at how attached I was to certain food habits - milk in my tea, gluten-free toast for a bedtime snack, peanut butter on my afternoon apple, a breakfast Clif bar at the office, and of course rice, potatoes, and corn with practically everything. I took a few steps that couldn't possibly hurt, without actually committing to them. Skipped the little bit of alcohol I was drinking (half a beer is a lot for me), tried my tea sans milk, etc. But going whole hog still seemed very daunting. What would I eat, and could my reduced ingredient list possibly keep me happy?

While waiting for It Starts with Food to become available to me (thank you, Seattle Public Library!) I researched recipes. Lots and lots of dishes sounded yummy. Especially if you put them over rice - oops.  Finding and testing a grain-free bread recipe helped boost my confidence greatly, because it turned out better, easier and cheaper than any gluten-free bread we've bought or made at home, so far. So, OK, I could make enough meals with enough variety to keep from getting hungry, cranky and inclined to quit before finding the answers I wanted out of this investment of 30 days of my food-loving life.

The book, written by the couple who created the Whole 30 and run the Whole9 website, explains their research and opinions about why some foods are worth eating, some not, and some just likely to be problematic for many people. Not looking to be 100% convinced, I was more impressed than I expected. It's well explained and documented, and all the propositions are plausible. It was more than enough to keep me from my fall-back plan of taking some suggestions and leaving the rest to the believers. Nope. For 30 days, I would try my best to go the whole nine yards.

So that's the why.  I'll be writing more soon on the how, and whatever ups and downs this ride may entail. Will try to include photos with those posts. Stay tuned!

PB Chocolate Chip Cookies, Take 2

Batch 2 in front of Batch 1

Batch 2 of the garbanzo bean-based peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies came out really well! This time we followed Texanerin's recipe, but with three modifications.

First, we upped the peanut butter to almost half a cup.
Second, we used a little gluten-free flour (1/8 cup coconut flour and 1/4 cup almond flour) to make them a little more cakey and a little less doughy. Even that small amount stiffened the batter up enough that the food processor strained to mix it.
So we added a 1/4 cup of water, which took care of that issue.

Overall, I preferred the flavor and texture of this batch to the first. (As a side benefit, the dough was also less sticky, easy to scoop and drop onto the cookie sheet.) My co-conspirator and fellow taster, however, preferred the first batch.

Next time, we'll skip the coconut flour and halve the water. But for now, I'm delighted.

Gluten-free PB and Chocolate Cookies, Take 1

Cookies make with a garbanzo bean base, and no flour?

My first batch - not so pretty, but just as tasty

Once again, Pinterest proves the power of the picture. If I hadn't seen the luscious-looking photo of gluten-free peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies there, I wouldn't have given the recipe a fair chance.  But I tracked back to the source, Texanerin Baking, and found not just instructions but also her notes and more yummy photos.

If you like your cookies to stay malleable and more 'doughy' when they've cooled, this recipe may meet all your needs. For me, next time I plan to up the peanut butter slightly, and add a little brown rice flour, to compensate for  the increased oil and also give them a slightly more 'cakey' feel.

But don't take my propensity to tinker as criticism - these are tasty treats that seem pretty healthy. (When I report on Take 2, I'll add my estimates for calories, fat, protein, sugar, and carbs.) Try 'em!

Polenta Indoors or Out

Polenta, which many Americans know as cornmeal mush, makes a quick and easy alternative to rice or mashed potatoes. It makes a nice side dish (especially with herbs and cheese added), or a base for a savory dish like ratatouille.

Ingredients and Amounts
Most stovetop recipes call for a 1 to 3 or 4 ratio, such as 1 cup coarse cornmeal to 3 or 4 cups water. Salt varies according to taste, additions, and the entrée planned.
The recipe for solar cooking found in Cooking with Sunshine calls for 1.5 to 3.5; but I liked it with more water for a softer consistency.

In the Solar Oven:

• Measure cornmeal and place in a mixing bowl
• Add salt
• Pour water into bowl and stir
• Place in solar cooker for 1 – 2 hours
• Stir occasionally, and check to make sure it does not dry out

Stovetop Method:

• Measure cornmeal and place in a mixing bowl
• Add salt
• Pour 1 cup water into bowl and stir
• Heat rest of water in a saucepan to boiling, then pour wet mix in and stir well
• Bring to boil, then stir and reduce heat to low
• Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally (10 -15 minutes)

Variations

• In place of water, vegetable or chicken stock can be used (watch the salt!).
• For a richer, creamier version, replace some water with milk and add a little butter.
• For savory flair, add sautéed onions, roasted garlic or red peppers, cheese, fresh basil, or other herbs.

Serving
The easiest way is to place on a plate or bowl while still soft and hot.
As a gourmet alternative, spoon the hot mix into a pan, smooth out and chill. Then bake or top and heat to serve.
Baked polenta can be used as a gluten-free alternative to pasta, for instance layering with sauce and cheese in a variation on lasagna.

Homemade Hummus Among Us

If you usually buy hummus at the grocery store, you may be surprised to find how easy and inexpensive this healthy snack can be to make yourself.

This Mediterranean food can be found in Greece, Turkey, and throughout the Middle East. I first tried it from the original Moosewood - the vegetarian cooking Bible at that time. More recently, it's become popular as a convenience food, and can be found or made in a wide variety of flavor combinations.

Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can (425 g) of garbanzo beans (or chickpeas)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup tahini (pureed sesame seeds)
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh if possible - use more if Meyer lemon)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic (fresh if possible, or the equivalent amount from a jar or freezer cube)
• 1/2 parsley, chopped
• A pinch of cumin
• Salt to taste
• Options for twists on flavoring (see below)

Preparation

1. Drain the beans, peel the garlic, and roughly chop the parsley.
2. Throw all the ingredients together into a food processor (a blender will do, in a pinch).
3. Blend until creamy. This may require stopping to scrape mix off the bowl sides a few times.

Makes about half a quart.

Variations for the Adventurous
Add any one (maybe two) of these to a batch, to acheive a new taste sensation:

• Black olives (pitted, of course) or tapenade
• Roasted red peppers
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Fresh basil or a dab of pesto

Served As a Dip:
Place in a bowl, with a large plate underneath.
Surround the bowl with cut vegetables - carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper slices, jicama.
You can also offer pita bread sliced into wedges on a side plate.

Hummus as a Sandwich Spread:
Spread onto a slice of good bread, and top with an heirloom tomato layer, cucumbers, or sprouts.
Eat open-faced.

Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie Crust

Pumpkin pie with pecan crust

When the days shorten, I start to crave orange foods. Roasted butternut squash, baked sweet potatoes, pumpkins in Thai curry . . . and pumpkin pie. Or pies.

This year, I planned to default to simply baking the filling in ramekin dishes. That is yummy, after all. But Basha would not give up on the quest for a crust that would properly complement the filling.  She found a recipe for a pecan pie crust that is not only gluten-free but also low carb and low sugar. And it went really well with the pumpkin and spice flavors.

The only tricky part of making the pecan crust is deciding how small to mince the pecan bits in the food processor. In the end, I had to taste-test two separate pumpkin pies. Both were delicious; but apparently neither was perfect. Before the days begin to lengthen again, I'm going to have to test more attempts. Somehow, I will make it through the season.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse with no cholesterol? Hard to believe it could not only be possible, but also delicious.

Although I first tried it after watching it be made, and thus knew exactly what the ingredients were, if it had been served to me with no disclosure, I would just have thought it was a yummy, rich, dark mousse.

The benefits of making this treat vegan are clear - fewer calories, less sugar, less fat, and none of the cholesterol from the standard recipe's cream and egg yolk. Thanks to the soy, it does have protein, calcium, and iron - practically a health food.

My version:

• Silken (and only silken) tofu - one 12-14 oz block
• 6 to 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• A dash of vanilla, and a sprinkle of salt
• 2 Tbps agave syrup (optional)

1. Blend the tofu well, melt the chips and beat them in, adding final ingredients while mixing.
2. Spoon into serving cups, and chill at least one half hour.

A half cup serving will feel decadent to most people.

Attack of the Giant Zucchini

It's zucchini season! That time of year when renegade squashes appear in mailboxes, on the seats of unlocked cars, and upon doorsteps in the dead of night. Those of you who have ever been blessed with a bumper crop of burgeoning blooms, and the overnight wonders that accompany them, will be shocked to hear that I actually paid money for a giant zucchini this week.  At a roadside stand in the San Joaquin Delta, no  less - where they sell peaches and other ripe fruit.

Cats and zucchini - natural enemies.

But I spotted this humongous squash, as big as my forearm and twice as heavy, and all the other produce faded into the background. That's a lot of loaves of gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread, I thought to myself. Self, I said, how much could it possibly cost? One dollar.  I thought about buying two or three, but there's only so much room in my freezer. And besides, you never know when one might show up on my doorstep.

Blueberry Not-Pancakes

Improvising in the kitchen is good, so long as you are willing to eat the results. Today? Salvaged, but just barely.
It all began when a neighbor borrowed a ladder, which was really our other neighbor's, who didn't mind. Being that sort of community, the borrower gave us a bag of organic blueberries fresh from the farmers market, and we took them next door to give the ladder owner first dibs. Later that evening we enjoyed two bowls of fresh blueberry crumble, and sent some scoops of vanilla ice cream back with the rest of the pan. Following so far?

The crumble was pie-like, and delicious; and it put the idea of baking blueberries into something coffee-cake-ish into my mind.  But I had only saved about a cup from the bagful. So I modified my plan to pancakes. But I hadn't tried making gluten-free pancakes for some time, so I rose early today and asked the internet to teach me what to change from a standard recipe.  A bewilderingly wide range of answers popped up, some as simple as 'buy a bag of gluten-free pancake mix' and some too complex to fit on one page.  So I got the general gist - a fairly standard ratio of egg, milk/liquid, and dry ingredients. And off I went to see what my cupboards held. Kindly bear in mind here that my gluten-free waffles are a smash hit even with wanton wheat-eaters, and they are the result of simple tinkering.

But the combination (I won't tell - you should not attempt to replicate it) did not behave as I hoped. After adjusting here and there, I heated the iron skillet and drop a couple ladlefuls in. Nice flavor, good browning, reasonably light and fluffy on the outer edges - but mushy in the middles. Repeats confirmed that technique was not to blame. What to make of the woeful bowlful of batter, then? Coffee cake!

With a little orange zest, a drizzle of agave syrup, and the berries stirred in, the whole messed plopped goopily into a buttered baking dish. Then a bit of lemon curd was swirled in/over it, and a bit of turbinado sugar to caramelize the top.  I pulled it out and tested with toothpicks twice. Both times it seemed done; but the first time I disbelieved the results, remembering how difficult it was to cook the griddle cakes through. The second time the edges were too brown to leave in any longer; so even if it wasn't done, it was done.

Indeed, the outer inch all the way around came out perfectly. The middle? May get cooked on its own, one last time - or it may be time to throw in the tea towel.

Rapture on a Plate

Gluten-free Rapture

All this talk of the rapture got me jones-ing for the lovely confection Flourchylde bakery makes and sells at the farmers market in San Carlos.

Fortunately, Hot Harvest Nights started its season earlier this month. My personal-size cake didn't make it until midnight tonight - but it's the 21st on the East Coast, already. So let the Rapture begin!
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Goofy Galettes

Growing up, crepes were a big breakfast treat. Being Americans, we made them with white flour, eggs, milk, and a touch of vanilla. Better suited for fruit fillings or a smear of jam than the savory variety a creperie will serve for lunch or dinner. Also, we used a skillet rather than a crepe griddle; so they were fairly small by comparison to the ones served singly as an entree.

After going gluten-free, we learned about the galette, a traditional Breton crepe made with buckwheat flour.  The nutty flavor provides an excellent foundation for a wide range of savory fillings, and a decent contrast to fruit fillings.

The first time I tried cooking them, they came out very respectable, and tasty. But I set the recipe aside to re-try and touch up before posting. This time around (Easter Brunch), I couldn't find the workable recipe, and grabbed one quickly off the internet.  The tricky part? Properly converting the grams of buckwheat to an American measure. Tricky mainly because each source we checked provided a somewhat different answer. As a result, they started too thin, then became too thick when I over-adjusted for the flour, then approached right after adding more milk. All the fiddling threw the delicate egg-flour-liquid (calls for both warm water and milk, plus melted butter), and required extra whisking, without proper resting time before cooking.  As a result, they came out of the skillet a bit thick and a touch dry, with a tendency to crack at the fold lines after filling. So the next time, I plan to start with a pre-translated and tested recipe in all-American measures, and try it one more time before posting.

On the up-side, the overall taste with the fillings (broiled asparagus, caramelized onions, sauteed chard, sausages, a fresh apple compote, lemon curd, and sauteed mushrooms - plus hollandaise) was quite pleasing.  Once the skillet tempered properly, not a one was wasted.

Lemon Meringue Pie

When friends give you lemons, make pie.

More specifically, make a decadent, sweet-tart lemon custard topped by fluffy, browned-to-caramel in spots meringue, all held together by a gluten-free, coconut macaroon shell pie.

Oscars v. Superbowl

Every year, the Academy Awards follow the Superbowl by a few weeks. In the lead-up to the big ball game, print and TV ads are saturated with snacks heavy on saturated fats.  And while not all of them are tempting, the cumulatively they make me want my own occasion to gather around the TV, eating dips with beer, rooting for my favorites.  In sweats (as Ani di Franco says, "I don't wear anything I can't wipe my hands on.") Not your typical Oscars night party, where folks usually emulate red carpet attire and Wolfgang Puck's style of cuisine.

Nonetheless, that's what I want. Jalapeno pepper poppers, seven-layer dip, potato chips, beer, vegetarian chili, and gluten-free cornbread. No cakes in the shape of a football - maybe chocolates in shiny wrappers, instead, with a champagne toast. Making sure to share those deep-fried peppers stuffed with cream cheese among the whole crowd, and overall our intake will stay pretty healthy.  But it will feel decadent enough to honor a night where the players uniforms are tuxes and gowns.

Gluten-free Bakery

As well as we've been getting along baking our own bread, making our own pizza dough, and using rice pastas from Trader Joes, the relief I felt to discover a gluten-free bakery near home surprised me.  Much of what Zest bakes in its San Carlos kitchen doesn't tempt me - cookies, muffins, sweet loaves, and mini cheesecakes I can live happily without.

For me, the ravioli and loaves of sandwich bread are much more critical to the savory pleasures of everyday life; and the occasional cupcake or brownie will please my sweet tooth.  And knowing I can walk in and order a basic sandwich, the one lunch item that all the great salads, SE Asian (Chinese, Thai and Indian) rice-using dishes, and soups or stews simply can't replace, is deeply comforting.

While I focus more on the abundance of good food choices that don't slam my joints and muddle my brain than on the few conveniences I should do without, some days being scrupulously prudent wears on the soul.  To walk into a shop brimming with good fresh-made offerings (and they are all good, based on taste tests so far) feels liberating.  Anything that appeals is available. I'd forgotten what that feels like.

Vegetarian Chili

In return for letting me share her amazing gluten-free cornbread recipe, Basha asked that I post my vegetarian chili recipe.  Which I'd be happy to do, if I had one. Like many good dishes, it started with a recipe (in this case the original Moosewood's) but then devolved to a rough formula kept in my head.  So for now, here's a rough cut:

Ingredients

• Beans (approx 2 cans, preferably kidney, but cannelini and/or black beans work, too)
• 1 Onion (medium to large, chopped)
• Green pepper (chopped - substitute a sweet red, if necessary)
• 1 Carrot (chopped or sliced with a mandolin)
• Chili powder 
• Cumin 
• Cayenne
• Garlic
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Beer (approx one cup)
• V8 or tomato juice (water if necessary)
• Steel cut oats (approx quarter cup - can sub. wheat berries or barley, if gluten doesn't bother you)
• A touch of honey or other sweetener (agave, orange juice, etc)

Steps

• In a large, heavy saucepan, saute the onions. 
• Add the garlic and the beans (drained).
• Add the green pepper and carrot bits.
• When all these are seasoned and starting to stick to the pan, add a half bottle of beer.
• Left the beer cook off slightly, then heat the V8 and soak the grain in it.
• Add the softened grain and V8 to the pot, and simmer.
• Taste and add more spices or the honey, if needed.  (if too salty, dice some potato and throw it in).

Serve over baked potatoes, or with cornbread.  Top with grated cheese, sour cream, nothing, or ?

Skillet Cornbread

Having tried a plethora of cornbreads, I can objectively attest that Basha's is the best.
The fact that it doesn't use any wheat is a nice bonus; and her willingness to share it a total score.
Here are her exact instructions:

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cornmeal 
• 2 cups buttermilk, warmed 
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 
• 4 T butter 
• 1 t baking powder 
• 1 t baking soda 
• 3/4 t salt 
• 2 large eggs 

Steps

• First, place your 10” or 12” cast iron skillet in a 400º oven to heat, with the vegetable oil. 
• Spread the cornmeal on a baking tray and toast in the oven until it begins to turn more golden. This will set the smoke alarms off, even if you don’t let it burn (Small price to pay). 
• Mix the hot cornmeal with the warm buttermilk and let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes. 
• Meanwhile, melt the butter, and set a Tbsp aside.  Add the rest of the butter to the cornmeal.  Swirl the 1/4 cup of oil around the hot skillet, and add it to the cornmeal too. Add the eggs and salt and mix slightly (don’t overbeat).   
• Add the baking powder and baking soda, and mix just a little bit more - don’t overbeat (I add about a cup of roasted corn, or other optional tidbits, noted below, at this point too). Pop it into the 400º oven until it develops cracks on top – no longer, if you want it to stay nice and moist. 
• Take it out of the oven, but let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes to develop a nice crisp crust.  Then invert on a cooling rack, and turn it over on a cutting board. 

Optional Items:

 8 oz. creamed corn, 3 oz cream cheese, 3 oz grated 

cheddar, and 2 oz diced jalepenos or ancho chilis, or any combination of the above.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Decadent, addictive - yet full of veggies.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium or 3 small zukes, grated, then nuked 2 minutes (do not discard liquid)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup gluten-free baking mix, or rice flour *
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar.
• Separate eggs.
• Add yolks and vanilla to butter mixture, beat and set aside.
• Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then beat into butter mixture.
• Fold in zucchinis, then stir in chips.
• Finally, beat egg whites until fluffy (just shy of peaking) and fold them in.

Bake in a greased, floured loaf pan at 350 for up to 1 hour (check earlier).

* If you aren't trying to bake without gluten, the same amount of regular wheat flour works fine.

Susan's Pao de Quiejo

A friend shared this recipe for Pao de Quiejo, aka Brazilian Cheese Bread.  Her notes:

Makes 2 dozen appetizer-sized balls (or 1 dozen balls and 3-4 single-serving pizza crusts)

Preheat oven to 400 DEG;. Boil the following until white foam appears (on stove or in microwave):

½ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk

Add this hot mixture to 2 cups tapioca starch. Mix well with wooden spoon
and let rest for about 15 minutes. You will get white ball. Mix in 2 eggs
and about 6 ounces grated hard cheese* (e.g., parmesan). You will get a
gooey, sticky mass.

To form balls, cover hands with grease, use a teaspoon and quickly roll
into ball shape as best you can (they will smooth out during baking).
Better yet, use a miniature ice-cream scoop. Each ball should be about 1-
½ inch in diameter. Bake on lightly greased sheet or on parchment paper or silicone (Matfer) sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on size, until tops begin to brown.

For pizza, put about half the dough aside in a plastic bag in the refrigerator to use later. Take out the chilled dough and roll it into single-serving size pizzas directly on parchment or a silicone sheet. Prick it all over with a fork, to keep it from forming large blisters, and pre-bake it about 10-12 minutes. Take it out, top it and return to oven to finish baking.

*I like to use half grated, half shredded parmesan or other similar hard cheese.

Gluten-free Recipes

By popular demand, I have created a gluten-free page on the Bite-Size-Green site.

The recipe section is fairly small at the moment, but will continue to grow as I test and adapt more dishes.
On the plus side, a few of them already have demo videos.

At the same time, excellent chefs and accomplished writers, such as the duo behind the Gluten-free Girl blog, have been creating marvelous recipes for years before I reached the scene.  I seek them out for inspiration, and frequently recommend them.

And other credible sites, run by folks with Celiac, already exist as well.  So I've made sure to include resource links, and would encourage readers who want to understand the medical and logistical details of living gluten-free as a disciplined practice to dig in to those.

The main thing to remember while delving into  the serious world of 'living without' is that a world of excellent, naturally gluten-free foods and ingredients exists.  A speciality grocery aisle is not your only source of nutrition and nurture. The more you learn to cook from scratch, the easier and more enjoyable the adventure becomes.

Gluten-free Pizza

Since dropping 80+% of the wheat I used to eat out of my diet, pizza has become a rare treat.  So rare that I never bother with bad pizza any more. Which, until recently meant saving up all my 'wheat points' for the occasional splurge at a really good local spot, like Rainbow Pizza (semi-deep dish) or Applewood (not deep, but not thin crust, either).

Then I stumbled into an Amici's Pizza, a nice local chain. All I wanted was a sense of whether their 'East Coast style' translated to a pie good enough to indulge in. To my amazement, the first item I spied in the heavenly smelling pizzeria was a gluten-free menu.  The real deal - ingredients and prep space kept separate, so that folks with celiac (or otherwise more strict than I) have more assurance of their safety.

But the real test came this weekend, when I returned as a party of three (OK, with 2 guests, not with a giant appetite).  We ordered drinks (soft drinks and gluten-free beer available), no salad or other sides, and two pizzas.  All the gluten-frees are 12-inch, which may help the kitchen keep them segregated from the 4 sizes available on the standard menu.  Were they pricey? Yes. Were they worth it? Oh, yes.

I still won't be eating pizza as casually as I used to, but now I can really enjoy it without worrying about the  side effects.  And I will, soon.  There's a whole menu to work through.