Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookies

This yummy, naturally gluten-free cookie was created by French pastry chef François Payard. He's got a bakery on Houston street!

What you need:

• 2 3/4 cups walnut halves
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spread the walnut halves on a large-rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 9 minutes, until they are golden and fragrant.

2. Let cool slightly, then transfer the walnut halves to a work surface and coarsely chop them. Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and lower temperature to 320. Line two large-rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. In a large bowl, whisk (or combine in an electric mixer on low speed) the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa powder and salt followed by the chopped walnuts. While whisking (or once you change the speed to medium), add the egg whites and vanilla extract and beat just until the batter is moistened (do not overbeat or it will stiffen). **

4. Spoon the batter onto the baking sheets in 12 evenly spaced mounds, and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the tops are glossy and lightly cracked; shift the pans from front to back and top to bottom halfway through to ensure even baking. Slide the parchment paper (with the cookies) onto 2 wire racks. Let cookies cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

**I like to add in a bunch of semi-sweet chocolate chips - about a cup or so. Also, depending on your preference, you may want to use less walnuts than the recipe calls for. Maybe no walnuts at all and just chocolate chips for gooey chocolate blobs of heaven with no nutritional value whatsoever!

:) The Celiac Seal

Tacos

Ok, yes, this is kind of a cop-out because tacos are usually a gluten-free food. Just a reminder that Old El Paso taco shells and taco seasoning are Celiac-friendly! Go make some of these and whip up a pitcher of margaritas!

:) The Celiac Seal

Pesto

This is an easy and delicious pasta sauce, especially wonderful in the summer when my Dad uses our homegrown basil. Since it is not even remotely close to summer, we can just make ourselves some pesto and pretend we are in the sunny and warm place the basil came from that is so NOT HERE.

So, here's what you need:

• 2 cups of cleaned basil leaves
• 1 clove of garlic
• about 1/8 tsp salt (to taste)
• about 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 or a bit more grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  

In a food processor or blender, layer the ingredients: garlic, nuts, some basil, some oil, salt, more basil, oil, cheese. It doesn't hurt to dice up the garlic before hand and tear up the basil leaves a bit to give the processor/blender an easier time. I never measure out the olive oil, I just put it in as necessary to sauce-ify the basil and co. Push the button and watch it go! Serve with some not-too-hot pasta and ENJOY!

:) The Celiac Seal

Alfredo Sauce

This recipe is courtesy of Gourmet. It is absolutely delicious and easy-peasy to make.

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I like to use Pecorino Romano)

Throw 8-9 ounces of pasta in a pot and cook it up, save 1/2 cup of pasta water for the sauce.

Meanwhile, bring cream and butter to a simmer in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, adding 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Add 8-9 ounces of pasta, 1/4 cup reserved water, and cheese to sauce and toss. Add more cooking water if necessary.

Enjoy this not-so-low-fat but SOOOO delicious bowl (or two) of pasta!

:) The Celiac Seal

Mozzarella and Parsley Risotto

I have made this for many a dinner party and it is always a hit! Naturally gluten-free (and DELICIOUS), this is a great dish for the gluten-free and the gluten-full. This is very similar to the Spinach, Butternut Squash and Ricotta Risotto that I posted earlier.

What you need:

• about 5 cups of chicken broth
• a significant amount of white wine (1/2 cup, according to the recipe)
  
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1.5 cups arborio rice
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes (Polly-O works the best. Fresh mozzarella doesn't quite work with this recipe)
  
• another tbsp. of butter
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan. In another large saucepan, heat the butter and oil. When melted, saute the onion for a few minutes until it is soft (NOT brown). Add the rice and coat in the oil/butter/onion mixture. Add about 1/2 cup of white wine and stir until completely absorbed. Continue to add the chicken broth and wine in 1/2 cup increments until the rice is soft (about 40 minutes or so). It's up to you to decide how much wine vs. chicken broth to use. I tend to drink wine while cooking with it, so I end up adding more than the 1/2 cup to the risotto as my hand gets heavier ;)
When the rice is tender (finally) add the mozzarella, tablespoon of butter, parsley and parmesan.. Stir to combine. Bellissimo!
:) The Celiac Seal

Peppermint Meringues

This is a variation of Nana's Forgotten Cookies, so revert to that post for the full recipe. This version was kind of a mess, but the meringues ended up yummy and festive so I am sharing. Instead of the teaspoon of vanilla, use a teaspoon of peppermint extract and hold the mini chocolate chips. Line up some regular sized semi-sweet chocolate chips on a wax paper lined baking sheet and put a bit of the peppermint batter over each chip. Swirl in some red food coloring with a toothpick if that strikes your fancy. Cook in the oven as usual, for 30 seconds in 350 degrees and then overnight in the turned-off oven.

Now, the trouble is, peppermint oil (which I think is in just about every version of peppermint extract) makes the meringue batter thin out, so it's quite a disaster trying to get it to behave and not drip all over the place. Apparently, though, it is possible, and I'm excited to serve them at our Christmukkah party this weekend!
:) The Celiac Seal

Salmon!

Ok, yes, salmon is naturally gluten-free so this technically is not a GF revelation - or is it? This recipe is super easy, delicious, and, of course, Celiac friendly! Thanks to Margaux Guyonneau, who made this for us when she came to visit the city. So, here it is:
Preheat the oven to 375. Make a little basket out of tin foil and put a nice fresh salmon steak in there. Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt and pour in some olive oil and white wine. Put a few thin slices of butter on top of the fish, then chop up some onion and parsley and throw that on in. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice. Add whatever strikes your fancy! Maybe rosemary instead of parsley, maybe hold the butter (obviously that is never the route I choose to go...). You can also use different types of fish but will have to adjust the oven heat and cooking time accordingly. Pop your fishy basket in the oven and after 30 minutes check to make sure it is cooked through. That's it!

This is delicious over rice. I made some good ol' Carolina rice cooked in chicken broth instead of water and added some chopped parsley to the cooked rice for an easy rice pilaf. Enjoy!!

:) The Celiac Seal

Nana's Forgotten Cookies (aka chocolate chip meringues)

My Nana always had tricks up her sleeve to make us smile, and she continues to do so even though she is no longer physically here. My mom and I stumbled across this easy, sweet gluten-free recipe the night before Thanksgiving and had to make a batch. MAKE THESE OVERNIGHT. This is key for Nana's version of the meringue. What you need:

• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 6 oz. package of chocolate chips
• a pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the salt and egg whites until stiff. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until VERY stiff. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop the batter in small amounts onto wax paper lined cookie sheets. Put the sheets in the oven, close the door, and slowly count to 30 (yes, really. This was pretty funny, Patty and I standing in front of the oven: "oooonnnnneee....tttwwwwoooooo...."), then TURN OFF THE OVEN. Leave the cookies in there overnight and do not even think about opening the oven door (Nana's actual words are "DO NOT OPEN DOOR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE." This is serious, under no circumstance may you open that oven door!). Don't forget about your treats in the oven the next morning!! You can do a lot with this recipe - add fruity flavors, add food dye to make little kids (or big kids, for that matter) excited....Go crazy!

Enjoy. Thanks Nana-a-lan.

:) The Celiac Seal

Spinach, Butternut Squash & Ricotta Risotto

Finally, risotto. This is a versatile staple of my gluten-free diet. There's nothing like a nice large pot of hot risotto to cure a case of the winter blues. This is a version of the basic Risotto alla Ricotta recipe in my FANTASTIC risotto book by Judith Barrett and Norma Wasserman (thanks mom). What you need:

• about 5 cups of chicken broth
• a significant amount of white wine
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1.5 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup washed and finely chopped spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup cooked butternut squash
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan. In another large saucepan, heat the butter and oil. When melted, saute the onion for a few minutes until it is soft (NOT brown). Add the rice and coat in the oil/butter/onion mixture. Add about 1/2 cup of white wine and stir until completely absorbed. Continue to add the chicken broth and wine in 1/2 cup increments until the rice is soft (about 40 minutes or so). It's up to you to decide how much wine vs. chicken broth to use. When I made this batch I was drinking the wine while cooking, so I ended up putting quite a bit into the risotto (it was deeeelicious!). Anyways, while your hand is about to fall off from all of the stirring, boil the butternut squash until it is soft (10 minutes or so), then cut it up a bit so it is ready to go into the risotto. When the rice is tender (finally) add the ricotta, spinach, squash and parmesan. Stir to combine. Bellissimo!
:) The Celiac Seal

GF Cornbread

I am posting this extraordinarily late, considering Thanksgiving is obviously The Cornbread Holiday and it happened over a week ago. I think it's safe to say that cornbread is delicious throughout the seasons, so here it is! I used The Cravings Place's mix, which I got from The Gluten Free Mall . I made the sweet version with organic honey. The consistency is decent, although it is a little bit grainy (I almost got away with convincing my 14 year old sister it was in fact not gluten-free, but she called my bluff. The other gluten-full members of my family didn't have any complaints, though). Go break some (corn)bread!
:) The Celiac Seal

Gluten-Free Pantry: Muffins!

It's been a bit of a rough week (I will spare details). The solution? GF chocolate chip muffins, of course. I used Gluten-Free Pantry's muffin and scone mix, purchased at Mrs. Green's. You should be able to find it in your local health food store. Here's what you're looking for:

I mixed in some dark chocolate chips and sprinkled the tops with sugar in the raw (a la Starbucks). They were super easy to make and delicious fresh out of the oven. They lose their moisture within a few hours of making them (they are gluten-free, after all), but if eaten immediately they are excellent GF muffins. The more mix-ins, the better the slight GF aftertaste is disguised. I will be on the lookout for other mixes to try!

:) The Celiac Seal

GF Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I made this for myself Sunday morning, mainly to avoid reading Ulysses, and I am blogging about it now, mainly to avoid writing a paper (ok, thinking about writing a paper) about Ulysses. Also - and more importantly - because I love myself a nice GF breakfast treat!

I bought the mix, made by The Cravings Place, from The Gluten-Free Mall - this is a FANTASTIC resource. You order things online and within a few days gluten-free goodness is delivered to your door. This mix had a lot of good reviews so I decided to go for it. It's pretty yummy! The cake itself is a bit dry and gummy (it is gluten-free after all) but the crumble topping covers that right up. I added an extra tablespoon of butter and about 1/3 cup of brown sugar to the crumble topping recipe - there was no way that wasn't going to taste good. It was nice and easy to make and I've already eaten half of it by myself! It's best fresh out of the oven.

:) The Celiac Seal

Betty Crocker GF Brownie Mix

Gluten-free is going commercial! I found this Betty Crocker GF Brownie Mix at the grocery store down the block and of course had to try it. They were easy to make and delicious! I threw in some dark and white chocolate chips to encourage the moisture and add a little more to them. My roommate and I have been eating them all week!

:) The Celiac Seal

GF Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

THESE ARE THE BEST. They taste like peanut butter cups in cookie form (I am so, so sorry if you are allergic to peanuts). This is thanks to my mom's friend Eileen Riccardi, who brightened up a rainy June morning in Connecticut with a batch of these naturally gluten-free and delicious cookies.

What you need:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter (the consistency is best if you use a commercial peanut butter - I use Jiffy natural creamy. If you want to go organic, they will still be good but not quite as ooey gooey and delectable.)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Easiest recipe ever, right? Just mix everything up in a bowl, then roll into balls and line up on a cookie sheet (I like to put a piece of parchment paper down, makes for very easy clean up). Cook them at 350 for about 10 minutes, then let them cool and viola! This will make about a dozen cookies. I usually double this recipe, and if it's going to be a rough week, I quadruple it. Enjoy! These are my favorite!

:) The Celiac Seal

GF Quesadillas

This is such an easy and delicious gluten-free meal! Food for Life brown rice tortillas are FANTASTIC. My gluten-full family members actually prefer these to normal tortillas. You can find them in the frozen section of most health food stores - I typically get them from either Whole Foods or Mrs. Green's.

There is no right way to make these guys. I like to get a rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods, tear some off and put it on a tortilla along with cheddar cheese and some onions or peppers (or both if I'm getting fancy). Put whatever you want on one side of the tortilla, then fold it over and cook it up. When possible, using a panini maker is great - otherwise you can make them in a plain old frying pan. Be creative, there are so many options! See? Being gluten-free doesn't mean being helplessly option-less!:) The Celiac Seal

GF White Chocolate & Peanut Butter Popcorn

Popcorn is a staple of my gluten-free snacking diet. This sweet version is wonderful for parties - or, if you're like me, for you and your roommate to devour by yourselves the day after a party. It is super, super easy to make. This is thanks to my fantastic Aunt Dory.

What you need:

• 1 bag microwaveable popcorn (Pop Secret Homestyle is my absolute favorite. I would recommend using something light on the butter - you won't need it, trust me.)
• 1 bag white chocolate chips (I haven't tried it with milk or dark chocolate chips, but I imagine both of those would also be delicious.)
• 3 tbs peanut butter
• 1 cup GF plain rice Chex, crushed

Pop the popcorn (duh). Put it in a bowl and add the crushed Chex, mix it up. Melt white chocolate chips and peanut butter over low heat in a non-stick pan. It will still be pretty thick once melted, but have no fear, it will work out just fine (I had fear). When melted, add it in increments to the popcorn/Chex mixture and toss (use some utensils to do this, the chocolate/peanut butter will be H-O-T! I learned that the hard way...). Viola! That's it! Let it sit for a little so you don't burn your fingers trying to eat it, and when it hardens use a knife to break it up into chunks. Yum! This picture does not do it justice, but here it is:

:) The Celiac Seal

GF Rice Krispies Treats

You wouldn't think this treat would be trouble for us, but alas, it is. The Rice Krispies cereal that gave birth to the Rice Krispies Treat is in fact not gluten-free (malt, ugh). But no worries! Gluten-free rice Chex will do the trick, and these will be loved by the gluten-free AND the gluten-full!

What you need:

• 6 cups GF plain rice Chex
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package mini marshmallows
• 1 tsp vanilla
• mix-ins if you want to get fancy (I used some candy corn for Halloween and white/dark chocolate chips for a dinner party)

Crunch up the Chex a bit, so they are closer in size to a piece of rice krispy cereal. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add marshmallows, melt. Stir in vanilla. Add the cereal gradually. I put in all six cups and they didn't come out quite as mushy and mallow-y as I would have liked, so I would say to use just under six cups. Get the cereal nice and coated and throw in some mix-ins if you so desire. Spread into a greased 9x13" pan. Let sit to cool, then cut and enjoy!

:) The Celiac Seal