cookbooks - Strawberries are Gluten Free

The Skinny Bitch – oh my word!

Mar 22

Posted by: Cathy Tibbles Under: lifestyle

The annual review of my kitchen is coming up at the end of the month, and I’ve been reminiscing and writing like a mad woman. Its been cathartic, energizing, and oddly encouraging. I can’t wait to share it with you! However, I may need to share it with you, before I keep on going down my new path…

This time, I’m not going down the weight-loss path (not because I don’ t need to!), I’m working with a therapist on identifying my real stumbling blocks to change, and moving forward in areas that I can, dealing with my reservations, one at a time. It is inspiring to me that I can succeed at the goals that we set. And nothing motivates like success! Anyhow, I’ve been working with my miracle worker therapist on staying motivated, so I’ve been reading. A healthy-living magazine here, and a book from the library there. Its great and fun and relaxing.

But.

Oh.

My.

Word.

I am sick to my stomach. I have been reading – completely by accident – how the mass-production farms work in the states. (And I’m sure we’re no better in Canada.) Inhumane doesn’t begin to cover it. I mean on a daily basis thousands of animals are accidentally boiled alive, because the whole humane part of the process doesn’t work part of the time. And thats the tame stuff, that I feel is okay to post online to unsuspecting eyeballs!

Seriously? I’m horrified that I eat meat. Horrified. And so far I have read about the pork, beef, and chicken industries.

“If we don’t eat meat, in one year we could save 90 animals per person.”

90.

I’m thinking the I-can’t-do-anything-by-myself argument is out the window. Drat. I am, however, going to find another book with a little less opinion and more fact on the matter. Although this book, the Skinny Bitch, (and the language isn’t any better on the inside), has footnotes and scientist quotations scattered through out like part of the paper.

Truly, I’m not sure I could recommend the book – I’m only half way through it myself. First, the language is atrocious. If you don’t want to be called names and told to get off your F*ing Fat Ass, then I would stay away. In its defense, the language does seem natural (so that rules them out as BFFs I would guess), is cleverly placed, and definitely humorous. Either way, you are warned!

However, the next book I read will be more conservative, I’ll probably choose something from the ‘other side’. Because, really? I don’t wanna be a vegan!!! The crazy, granola-eating (but probably without the oats, wheat, and honey), tree-huggin group is not my cup of tea. Speaking of, I wonder if tea is out/in?

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Cookbook Review – great gift for the Celiac!

Dec 16

Posted by: Cathy Tibbles Under: Menus & Item Lists, News Miscellany

So I was asked to review a cookbook – awhile ago. A long while ago. The thing with writing a cookbook review is that I have to follow the recipes – who does that I ask you? And the other thing that gets me all riled up – measuring! Have you any idea how long it took me to FIND my measuring cups & spoons? Ridiculous!

So, with a measure of salt, please, my review on Gluten-Free Every Day cookbook by Robert M. Landolphi.

Educational: The introduction is a great, useful, not too detailed, but detailed enough overview of gluten free flours, grains, and starches.

Easy: The recipes are easy to follow. In fact I really really, really, liked the format of the recipes. The lists of ingredients (handy ones), and instructions are succinct. I just hate the martha version of recipes- where you have to learn the latin version of words, and measure everything. (Yes, of course I measured everything. Hello? Book Review!)

Nice book: If you’re like me, you love a nice looking book. The pages are a bit newsprint-y but in a soft creamy color kind of way. And the print is nice brown & red – I love that. There aren’t a lot of pictures to speak of, – but the recipes speak for themselves – brownies, lemon-coconut bars (maybe not the exact titles but thats what they are!), chicken pot pie. Regular stuff, ya know?

Usable: This is now my go-to cookbook of the gluten free variety. If I’m looking for a bread or dough recipe – this book is the most ‘reasonable’ that I’ve found. By reasonable, I mean the ingredients don’t have to be imported, and the instructions don’t take a degree in latin to read. The cream cheese pie crust recipe is the absolute best pie crust I’ve ever made. And when looking for inspiration for dinner – this book has it! Both quiches, breads, main courses, soups, and a few fancier recipes too. But most of it is your down-to-earth American fare. In fact I’ve given out the “Wow Brownies” recipe to non-gf people because it is that good!

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We interrupt this review for a funny story: my daughter (9 yrs old) decided to make the Wow Brownies with her classmate 2 days ago. They decided that they didn’t need to follow the directions. (I don’t know where she gets it from!) And Mommy, being the genius that I am, decided that we could substitute guar gum & oil for an egg, cause I was missing one egg for the recipe. Naturally, the result is entirely the fault of the former situation. Result? Those brownies were SO hard that it took TWO days of soaking to get the stuff off the pan – TWO DAYS. Oh – and the most priceless thing – the girls cut the brownies while they were warm (and soft-ish) and each took a 2″ x 1″ square to the table. ”Mommy, its chewy!” That’s what I hear. And then 5 minutes, then 10 minutes later- I notice they are ALL still at the table, chewing. Chewing, chewing, chewing. Is that not the funniest thing ever?

Back to your regularly scheduled review….

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Ingredients: Did I say the ingredients are normal, yet? They are. Normal. He does call for xanthum gum instead of guar gum in all his recipes – I’m not sure why. Seems to me that if you are not using yeast, guar gum is a less expensive option. In my testing I used guar gum in place of xanthum and the results were spectacular.

Assortment: Have I said how normal the recipes are? Normal. People, this book suits me. I love it. Oh – and the chicken pot pie – oh YUM – a little sherry & cream to thicken and make yummy. Delice!!

The Chef: So this fellow that wrote the book, is a real live chef. And then his wife (as an adult) was diagnosed celiac. So then he set out on a personal challenge to create recipes that were as good or better than the gluten-filled versions. And we, my friends, are the very lucky recipients of this ambitious guy.

So, its paperback, its not that pricey $11.55, and you can get from my Lists page: http://strawberriesareglutenfree.com/shopping-info/.

Enjoy!

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Sourcing GF Recipes

Oct 14

Posted by: Cathy Tibbles Under: News Miscellany

Honestly? I only have 5 or 6 gluten free cookbooks. Most of the time I modify my own pre-GF recipes. I like them better. I think my Mom must have spoiled us for boring food. We grew up on things like stroganof, ala king, home made caesar salad, and for special occasions Chile Rellenos! YUM. Come to think of it, I ought to post that recipe here – completely gluten free version!!

Only on Mom-doesn’t-feel-like-cooking days did we ever have a roast stuffed in the oven, or plain old roasted chicken. B-O-R-I-N-G. (or perhaps she hid the budget-conscious menu with delicious cooking?)

Anyhow, I’m totally off topic, the point is, that I like my food non-boring. I am completely UNmotivated to cook things that have no savory sauce, or sweet relish. And I’m picky with my recipes. Most recipes that I’ve tried = boring. So I am in LOVE with recipe zaar website. I can select main dishes and sauces from 1,000′s of recipes!

What did we DO before the internet? huh?

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Complete Gluten Free Cookbook

Jan 23

Posted by: Cathy Tibbles Under: Gluten Free Product Reviews, News Miscellany, Special Events

I got a new cookbook for Christmas! Yes, I did. Am the only one who likes to sit down and read through a cookbook front to back? It brings me joy.

One of the ways I like to connect with my girls (I have three) is cooking with them. Since I’m not much into crayons, and they aren’t much into discussing the latest wired discoveries, we have to compromise. And since they’re 3, 4, and 8, we cook. One grabs a stool, one sits on the counter, and well, we only cook with two at a time, because I have the world’s tiniest an ergonomically correct kitchen. So we made the soft peanut butter cookies. Now, I have to warn you: we don’t usually cook with the ‘healthy’ flours – like amaranth, but this recipe called for it, and I happened to have some leftover (from I don’t remember what) sitting in the pantry. You can see where I’m going with this, can’t you?

Moral of the story:

Keep amaranth flour in the fridge (for 2 months), freezer for up to 6 months.

So they were the prettiest cookies EVER, but you don’t get the recipe until I can run to the store, get an un-spoiled bag of Amaranth flour, and try again.

Sorry!

By the way – good cookbook, too many healthy flours though in my opinion. But definitely a plus if you like cookbooks, and have more than one intolerance – many recipes are egg and milk free too.

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