I’m Back! (Sort of)

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Hi everyone

I know I haven’t been posting nearly enough and I do apologize.

Here’s the thing.

When I was first diagnosed, I was afraid to try anything too complex until I learned to cook and bake with gluten free ingredients.  So I started with things like corn bread and other breads.

Since then, I have learned that some of these ingredients are as harmful, or more harmful than gluten!

Corn, for instance.  Unless you buy non-GMO corn, you are ingesting an insecticide that is built into the corn itself! Thanks to Monsanto. Look at this article http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_26111.cfm

Soy is bad enough with the roundup built in but when it is processed, it becomes more toxic with the introduction of hexane.  Check out this link http://www.naturalnews.com/027880_soy_products_milk.html

You can, however purchase safe soy, as explained in the above article.

Processed sugar is really bad for you.  I have now started using palm sugar.

Check this link http://www.puregoodness.net/health/146-reasons-why-sugar-is-ruining-your-health/

Splenda, equal, and all those other artificial sweeteners are bad too as you will see when you read this article http://www.peertrainer.com/health/complete-guide-to-sweeteners.aspx

So, over the next few months, I will be revising many of my recipes.  I will be replacing the bad products with good and posting warnings with the recipes to encourage people to use organic non-GMO ingredients.

“Organic is expensive” you might say.  Poor health is more expensive.

This blog was designed to help those who need to be gluten free to have access to healthy, safe recipes (with a little junk food thrown in for fun) I want you all to look at the information I have given you, then do your own research and make a conscious effort to feed yourselves and your loved ones healthy (real) food.

Let’s not support Monsanto in their quest to thin out the population by poisoning us.

Please feel free to express your views on this subject too!  I welcome all comments.

With love,

Aunt Jayne

Planning for a Disaster

With all the bombings, threats, nuclear accidents, pandemic scares, crazy weather etc., I think it is wise to have a disaster plan in place.

You will need enough potable water (for drinking and making food) to last at least 72 hours, but you will also want enough water to flush the toilet, wash dishes, wash yourselves etc. (If you live near a lake or river, you might be able to get water there – but not in the case of flooding! When there is flooding, there is the chance of raw sewage going where it normally wouldn’t)

You will also need light. Candles are dangerous, especially around children or pets, so go with battery powered light.  You can buy flashlights that wind up to charge them and lanterns that run on battery power.  Be sure to have plenty of batteries on hand too.  Also, stock up on things like toilet tissue and feminine products.

You should also have a first aid kit on hand.  Plenty of  gauze pads, tape, bandages, cloth to make a sling, rubbing alcohol, a splint or two, Polysporin, an eye patch, scissors, baby aspirin (in case of chest pains), and pain relievers such as Tylenol.

If you have the space to keep one, a generator could keep your furnace running for warmth in winter months or your refrigerator in hot weather.Don’t forget to safely store some fuel for the generator.

Food is probably the most important thing you will need.

My friend Teri of Teri’s Gluten Free can help with this.

Simply go to http://www.glutenfreeemergencykits.com/

Teri’s Gluten Free offers several emergency kits;

24 hour – for 6 people

72 hour – for 6 people

30 day – for 6 people  and

1 year – for 6 people.

The shelf life on these items is 10 years!

Each item is vacuum sealed and the kits don’t take up a lot of space.

What about taste you ask?  I was lucky enough to sample several items.  The soups are just like home-made.  I took the banana bread and one of the soups to the fire hall I work at and they loved them! There are even scrumptious desserts! Teri is gluten free herself, so you know that all of the foods in these kits is safe and delicious.  Aunt Jayne’s Favourite?  The Gluten Free South Western Soup.

Teri’s Gluten Free also has mixes you can purchase for everyday use.  They are wonderful!  This is a great way to see how good the emergency kit foods are.

You might also want to keep some canned meats on hand.  Although, if your freezer stops working you may have plenty of meat that will need to be cooked.

Now you might be asking yourself, how will I cook these things if there is no electricity?  Do you own a BBQ? Even if you don’t have a lot of space for a BBQ, you can get a propane camp stove.  Don’t forget to keep extra bottles of propane on hand too.  Never use your BBQ or camp stove indoors!! The carbon monoxide will kill you.

Last and least, you will want to have things to do as a family to help pass the long hours with no electricity.  I suggest playing cards, books and board games.  You can also make up your own games.  tossing balled up paper into a waste basket etc.

Let me know if you think of any other ideas and stay safe.

Love Aunt Jayne

Gluten Free PB&O Brownies

Gluten Free PB&O Brownies

My daughter made this recipe with real Oreos and they were such a hit, I decided to make a gluten free version.

These are best served warm

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg. K-Toos

Approximately ½ cup peanut butter

1 recipe of brownies http://wp.me/prAld-i3

 

DIRECTIONS

Make the brownie recipe in a large bowl and set aside.

Grease or line muffin tins.

Place a spoonful of brownie mixture in the bottom of each muffin tin.

Spread a generous amount of peanut butter on one side of each cookie and place in the muffin tin. (peanut butter side up)

Pour brownie mixture over top of each cookie to about ¾ full.

Bake at 350ºF for about 10 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the centre will come out clean) DO NOT OVER-COOK!

Planet Rice – My New Favourite Rice

I recently acquired several bags of Planet Rice lightly milled sprouted brown rice.

You might say that brown rice is brown rice. I beg to differ!

This rice cooks up light and fluffy every time.  I tried the traditional method of cooking in a saucepan on the stove top as well as in my trusty rice cooker and both methods were immensely successful.

Have you ever had a bag of brown rice with crunchy bits?  I have.

But Planet Rice lightly milled sprouted brown rice had nary a one!  I couldn’t believe it!

This rice works great in recipes too. (You can get recipes on their site)  I tried fried rice and rice pudding.  I tried it in casseroles too.  I also mixed it with wild rice and topped it with pepper sauce. (YUM!)  Next time I make cabbage rolls (soon) I will be using Planet Rice lightly milled sprouted brown rice.

I have been staying away from white rice because of all the media reports of high levels of arsenic and because I prefer the taste of brown rice.   But, as I said earlier – crunchy bits.  I am so happy that I have been introduced to Planet Rice!  I is my new favourite.

Visit Planet Rice today!

 

Gluten Free Samples At Holly’s Sweets and Eats!

I met my sister in town this morning and we treated ourselves to tea at Holly’s Sweets and Eats.

Today we had the Caramel Apple squares and I have to tell you, they were incredibly good.  We also sampled the fresh GF bread that was being made – soft and airy with a lovely flavour.

I must admit, though, that the best thing was the lemon square we sampled.  It tasted like my grandma’s lemon pie!!  I think that will be my new favourite thing from Holly’s (until I try another of their scrumptious creations)

You might remember, I purchased our chocolate cake for girls day out from Holly’s as well.  (There is an addiction!)

Holly’s is having a GF sample day on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving!

I am hoping to be there – hope to see you there as well

Here is where you can find Holly’s Sweets and Eats:

12 Commerce Park Drive,
Unit L, Barrie, Ontario

Phone: 705.735.3366
Fax:  705.735.6509

info@hollyssweetsandeats.com

Convenient Hours of Operation
Mon to Thurs: 8am to 6pm
Friday:             8am to 8pm
Saturday:        8am to 4pm

Aunt Jayne’s Gluten Free Honey BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ tbs olive oil

1 cup ketchup (check the ingredients)

1 cup white vinegar

¼ cup molasses

¾ cup honey

¼ cup GF Worcestershire sauce ( See recipe  http://wp.me/prAld-aJ)

1 medium onion, minced

½ tsp paprika

1 tsp minced garlic

½ tsp dried marjoram

½ tsp cumin.

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, over medium high heat, warm the oil.

Add the minced onion and garlic cook until lightly browned.

Add remaining ingredients, stir well  and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until thickened.

Remove from heat and cool.

Store in the refrigerator in a container with a lid.

Food Colouring Substitutions

Those of you who know me at all, know that I HATE additives, preservatives and artificial colours and flavours.

Anyone who has food allergies or intolerance (Which includes most people with Celiac) should be very careful about things like food colourings. (Store bought Red is made from crushed beetles for example)

I just found a site that gives you the how-to on making your own food colourings.  This site has many other wonderful articles.

I hope you will check them out here:  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/natural-food-coloring.html

 

Gluten Free Too Busy to Cook Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 can diced tomatoes with herbs

2 cups frozen mixed veggies + ¼ cup diced onion

11/2 cups GF vegetable broth

¼ tsp basil

¼ tsp ground rosemary

¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

 

 

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, bring the veggies to a boil in the vegetable broth.

Toss the tomatoes into a blender and liquefy.

Add the tomatoes and spices to the veggies and simmer about 10 minutes.

DONE!

 

Variation:

Add left-over chicken breast cut into cubes.

Use GF chicken broth instead of veggie broth.

 

NOTE:  I don’t normally like to use canned or prepackaged foods but as long as they are organic and GMO free, I will make an exception once in a while.

 

If you have the time, you can make this soup from scratch:

INGREDIENTS

6 large ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, skinned and put through the blender

1 ½ cups GF vegetable broth

½ cup green beans cut into ¼ inch pieces

½ cup fresh diced carrots

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped onion

1 tbs minced garlic

¼ tsp basil

¼ tsp ground rosemary

¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients except the tomatoes.

Bring to a boil and drop heat to low.

Add the tomatoes.

Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Serve while hot

Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 cups NuNaturals More Fiber Stevia Baking Blend

½ cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 ½ cups Cassava Flour

1 cup brown rice flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ cups almond milk

3 droppers full of NuNaturals Pure Liquid Lemon NuStevia

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Lightly grease a bundt pan.

Mix the softened butter and Stevia Baking blend until fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the dry ingredients and almond milk alternately, a little at a time.

Add the Lemon NuStevia and beat well.

Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes.

Test with a toothpick after 40 minutes and again at 45 and 50.

Do not overcook.

Allow to cool about one hour and invert onto a cake plate.

Glaze if desired. (Not recommended for diabetics)

Glaze

1 ½ cups of powdered sugar

¼ cup melted butter

2 to 4 tbs fresh lemon juice.

Beat the butter and sugar together and add the lemon 1 tbs at a time until “spreadable”

Gluten Free, Sugar Free Chocolate Orange Macaroons

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

½ cup NuNaturals More Fiber Stevia Baking Blend

1 tbs cocoa

3 droppers full of NuNaturals Pure Liquid Orange NuStevia

2 cups coconut

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Lightly grease a large cookie sheet.

Beat the eggs.

Add the baking blend and cocoa.

Mix well.

Add the orange NuStevia and beat well.

Add the coconut and mix with a spoon.

Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared pan.

Bake about 6 minutes.

Allow to cool before removing from the pan.