Chocolate Piping

I made shapes of hearts and ovals but really any shape can be made.  These gluten-free, soy-free chocolate “designs” can be used on tops of cupcakes, cakes, served with a cup of cappuccino or with a small bowl of fruit for a classy dessert.

Make sure you make the piping thick enough.

INGREDIENTS and SUPPLIES

1. ½ package (5 oz.) of Enjoy Life Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

2. Parchment triangles

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chocolate in pan on low heat and stir with a wooden spoon constantly or place in a Pyrex cup in microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir at each break.
2. Take a piece of waxed or parchment paper and tape it to your cookie sheet (or counter top like I did) – draw the shapes you desire.
3. Roll your triangles into cone shapes.
4. Once melted you’re ready to fill your parchment paper triangles but make sure the tip is very small, allowing a little chocolate out.  Roll over the top of the parchment and gently squeeze.
5. Place in refrigerator or freezer.  Peel off gently.  Enjoy.

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

The celiac community has seen a surge of helpful resources in the form of eBooks, including Gluten Toxicity: The Mysterious Symptoms of Celiac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetaformis, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance by Shelly Stuart, R.N., B.Sc.N. The book contains 248 pages and 30 chapters of clearly laid-out answers and advice for those with celiac disease, DH (dermatitis herpetaformis), and gluten intolerance.

The eBook offers extensive descriptions of symptoms, breaking them down into numerous categories, and diagnosis and the gluten-free diet are dealt with in detail. What sets the book apart from others is an assortment of topics that Shelly takes up in the latter part. Some chapter titles awaiting you are “Thirty Lifestyle Tips To Help Ease The Transition,” “What If The Gluten-Free Diet Doesn’t Work?”, “Could A Grain-Free, Specific Carbohydrate, Paleolithic, Or Elimination Diet Be Helpful?”, and even “Is A Gluten-Free Or A Grain-Free Diet Healthier For Dogs And Cats?” Shelly even shares not one, not five, but twelve theories of why the prevalence of celiac disease has increased. She even shares a list of “Global GF Bloggers,” listing my website, http://glutenfreehelp.info, under this category.

Shelly suffered the effects of gluten toxicity for many years before she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease. After she was diagnosed, she had her relatives screened, and her mother and one of her three daughters were also diagnosed celiac. Her mission now is to increase celiac awareness. She has created an exemplary eBook as part of this mission, and I highly recommend you avail yourself of it.
http://celiacnurse.com/products-page/e-book/gluten-toxicity-ebook-pdf/

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

Now that you’re gluten-free, you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite recipes. If you have tons of family recipes that have been handed down to you, this can be very good news!

The conversion process is simple: just use gluten-free flour blend (which you can make yourself using my gluten-free flour blend recipe—or buy it prepackaged) one-for-one. This applies to cookies, pancakes, and muffins.

Does your recipe require cake flour? You can make your own by combining 1 ¼ cups of your gluten-free flour blend with ¼ cup of tapioca starch or flour or ¼ cup of corn starch.

The one-for-one substitution doesn’t apply to all recipes, though, such as with Danish sweet rolls and yeast breads.

Miranda Jade
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

The gluten-free version of this classic topping is easy and delicious. Top your favorite desserts with it for a new, scrumptious twist!

INGREDIENTS

½ c firmly packed brown sugar

½ c quick-cooking GF oats

1/3 c GF flour mix

6 tbsp butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, and flour.

2. Stir in melted butter.

Miranda Jade

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Clan Thompson’s Celiac SmartLists—a food SmartList and a drug SmartList—are a series of programs which provide information regarding gluten for thousands of products, including a “Comments” section for people to provide additional information.

These SmartLists are available for Windows, Macs, SmartPhones, Palms, Pocket PCs and Blackberries.

Tina Turbin

http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

The spirit of the giving season, I want to bring your attention to a fundraiser I’m helping promote this week for a great gluten-free cause. This week only, giving just $2 of your hard-earned money will go toward providing scholarships for children to attend a gluten-free summer camp hosted by the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) next summer in Southern California.

But this week, donating $2 doesn’t mean you’re just donating $2…This week through Sunday, December 25, Gluten-Free Saver has partnered with Van’s Natural Foods to raise money to send children to next summer’s CDF-sponsored summer camp, and Van’s is matching all donations up to $1,000! The goal is to raise $2,000 – and when you donate $2, you’re really contributing $4. You can read more about the fundraiser here: www.glutenfreesaver.com.

The summer camp will be held in San Bernardino in Southern California from July 30 to August 3, 2012, and it’s open to all 7-15 year old gluten intolerant and gluten-sensitive children – not just those diagnosed with celiac disease.

Sure, receiving gifts this time of year is always fun, but the feeling of knowing that your generous donation of just $2 can bring a tremendous amount of joy to a young child… well, now that’s priceless.

Please help reach the goal of donating $2,000 to the Celiac Disease Foundation this week. Every $2 helps. YES! I want to help send a child to a gluten-free summer camp and donate $2 right now!

P.S. 100% of all donations will go directly to CDF.

P.P.S. If you’re feeling extra generous this holiday season, you aren’t limited to donating just $2 – you can give as much money as your heart desires!

Miranda Jade Turbin

GlutenFreeHelp.info

This was contributed by Brenna Jensen, who writes, “I have made this pie so often; the crust is great as posted in the recipe, but I’ve also used it to make pumpkin and berry pie as well. Enjoy!” Thanks, Brenna!

INGREDIENTS

Pastry Crust

(makes two crusts)

1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mills All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, Avail at Kroger & online)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (Bob’s Red Mills)
8 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
1 tablespoon gluten-free vanilla extract (Available online at the Gluten Free Pantry)

Apple Filling

7 medium apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced. Use mildly sweet to tart very crisp apple (such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, Cortlands)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Crumble Topping

3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup gluten-free flour (See above)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, chilled & cut into small pieces

DIRECTIONS

Pastry Crust

1. In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, xanthan gum and cornstarch.

2. Then add the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla and mix until combined.

3. Remove dough from bowl and knead and fold on a surface dusted with GF flour until well well combined.

4. Divide into two pieces and wrap in plastic wrap, place one in the refrigerator to chill and place the other in the freezer for later use.

5. Go ahead and make Apple Filling while the Pastry Crust is chilling.

6. After approx 20 minutes, remove dough from refrigerator and roll into a ball.

7. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out on a lightly GF floured surface until it is the thickness of a normal pie crust.

8. Place crust in a 9 inch glass pie dish that is lightly sprayed with non stick spray.

9. Using a fork poke a bunch of holes in the sides and bottom of the crust.

Apple Filling Instructions

10. In a large bowl mix apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

11. Set aside and let the juices mix.

Crumble Topping Instructions

12. In a small bowl mix together brown sugar, GF flour and nutmeg.

13. Next mix in the chilled butter and cut it in with a fork or other tool until you have a course crumbly mixture.

Assembling your Pie

14. Preheat oven to 400°F.

15. Spoon apples into your pie crust, mounding in the middle and pouring the sugary juices over top.

16. Sprinkle your Crumble Topping all over the top (use it all).

17. Use tin foil to cover edges of crust as it will burn easily.

18. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, topping will be lightly browned and filling will be bubbly.

19. Let cool for at least an hour before serving.

Yum!

Contributed by Brenna Jensen

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

This recipe is from Glutenfreeda, so she deserves the credit for this. It worked for me without a bread machine, so I know if you follow these simple steps, you will have success too.

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 cups GF flour mix
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 eggs
1 egg yolk

DIRECTIONS

1. Place your GF flour in a food processor.

2. Add the salt, oil and eggs.

3. Pulse processor until mixture resembles dough.

4. Remove from the bowl and place on a just lightly GF floured surface. Be sure not too much flour!

5. Knead your dough, folding over and turning over until the right consistency appears like bread dough. If the dough gets too dry and just add your egg white. It shouldn’t need it. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and cover.

6. Allow the dough to rest for at least 20 minutes and not less. Be patient.

At this point the recipe calls for actions with the pasta machine which I did not use. I know many people want to make pasta that do not have machines, so I tried this and it worked.

7. I rolled out the dough carefully with my rolling pin and then cut it with the ravioli cutter.

8. I changed the recipe again by placing filling in the middle and resting another square or round on top and sealing the edges. Put a touch of water on the edges and seal and use a fork to push down the edges better.

See my fillings:

Spinach

Basil

Sweet Potato

9. Cook the ravioli just a few at a time in boiling, salted water. Cook for about 2 minutes if the inside is not uncooked meat you are using. If you are using uncooked meat in your filling boil is a 4-5 minutes at a low rolling boil. They will start to float.

10. Drain your ravioli  in a colander  if you do not have a slotted spoon.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

You sure won’t miss your old favorite pie crust recipes when you taste this delicious one! I love to mix and match nut flours and these three are three of my favorites, in this ratio. Everyone raves when I use this recipe. Use for fruit pies, hearty quiches, tofu cream pies and even meat pies. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

¾ c hazelnut flour

¾ c cashew flour

2 tbsp coconut oil (melted or soft)

¼ c maple syrup

¼ tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees. Mix ingredients well.

2. Press into your pie dish.

3. Bake 12 minutes in center of oven.

4. Cool completely.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Now there’s a solution online for getting kosher GF products in Israel and worldwide, offering hundreds of items. I have heard great things about their customer service, too!

Check them out today and let me know what you think!

Orders can be placed online (www.glutenfree.co.il/english), by phone (972-3-9191025) and by fax (972-3-9191026).

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info