Archives for “GAHIGF”

Fried Calamari with Pico and Avocado Dressing Plus Pina Coladas

February 28, 2010 · Filed Under GAHIGF, appetizer, beverage, bread, dairy free, easy, entree, gluten free, recipe, salad, seafood, vegetarian ·21 Comments

When Bean over at Without Adornment announced her theme for this month’s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! carnival, I was completely on board. Tropical Vacation meal … oh, yeah. We had plenty of snow at the time and our Key West vacation seemed long ago. One of our favorite appetizers that often turns into a meal is Fried Calamari. We’ve eaten calamari all over in our travels from our favorite waterside restaurant “down the road”—Dockside—to much more exotic, tropical spots. Going gluten free meant giving that pleasure up. Oh, sure, I’ve heard of some restaurants that serve gluten-free calamari, but we just haven’t had the good fortune to find and visit one. So making calamari has been in the back of my mind for some time.

My goal has been to make calamari as good as what is served as that favorite local restaurant. And, it’s not just calamari. It’s delicious calamari served on a bed of shredded lettuce topped with a sweet pico de gallo and a special dressing. Here’s a photo of Dockside’s calamari.

I’ve mentioned that our grocery store is pretty basic. While I was happily surprised to find squid in the freezer case recently, I was less pleased to find out that it was a package of whole squid. Opening the package, the squid didn’t look too intimidating, but once I thawed them out, many soulful eyes stared back at me. Maybe I was having flashbacks to images of the giant squid in The Beast, starring William Petersen (before his rise to fame as Gil Grissom on C.S.I.). (Mr. GFE and Son had watched and recorded that movie and we’d watched it more than once.) In the end, I just couldn’t deal with those squid. They plain ”weirded” me out. However, I still wanted to make calamari.

So we made a trip into town to the upscale Wegmans and headed to their seafood counter. And, there they were … beautiful, headless squid bodies and tentacles. Not an eye in sight—thank goodness. The folks at the seafood counter were happy to slice the squid into rings for me while we chatted. The staff member who assisted me shared that her mom had been recently diagnosed with gluten intolerance. She added that she was also trying to eat gluten free, but she expressed frustration over the high cost of gluten free products. Of course, I shared my gfe approach. Seems like I was meant to go to that seafood counter.

Once home, it was easy to prepare the squid. I used the breading mix that I used recently for the chicken tenders and fried oysters. Sometimes if you find something that works with one application, it makes sense to try it with others. There is no need to reinvent the wheel all the time. I breaded the squid exactly the same way I had done the chicken tenders … with no egg wash. The result was very lightly breaded, melt-in-your-mouth calamari. I served them over romaine leaves cut into smaller pieces topped with pico de gallo (pico is easy to make; here’s one recipe I use) and a thick, creamy, and slightly tangy avocado dressing. It’s a great dish. But, truthfully, it’s different than our favorite calamari from Dockside. Not bad different—this calamari dish is really very good—but it is different. I will make the remaining calamari in two batches. For one I’ll use this breading, but also do the egg wash like I did for the fried oysters. I’ll also do a batch to test some gluten-free breading that I purchased a while ago. I’ll keep you updated on both.

Fried Calamari
(Click here for a printable version of this and the following recipes.)

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup gluten-free flour*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
cooking oil (I used a mixture of grapeseed and olive oil)
2 lbs fresh, raw squid—rings and tentacles

Mix cornmeal, gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl (or paper/ziploc bag for shaking).

Dredge squid through cornmeal breading (or shake in bag). Fry in hot oil (about an inch deep on medium-high, about 375 degrees if using an electric skillet). The calamari will only take a minute or two, at most. Flip pieces when brown on one side. Remove once browned on both sides. To prevent tough calamari, do not overcook.

*I can’t tolerate many of the healthier, gluten-free flours; e.g., sorghum, buckwheat. Therefore, my gluten-free flour mix is 3 parts Asian white rice flour and 2 parts cornstarch. I gently mix three one-lb bags of the Asian white rice flour and two one-lb boxes of cornstarch in a very large bowl and then store the mix in several airtight containers (like large glass jars). It’s a very economical mix that works well in most recipes. No refrigeration is needed. If you’re interested in a complete tutorial on gluten-free flours, please read Amy’s (Simpy Sugar & Gluten-Free) post here. As always, if you are not gluten free, you can substitute all-purpose (wheat) flour instead of gluten-free flour.

Thick and Creamy Avocado Dressing

one half of an avocado, mashed
2 – 3 tbsp of Greek yogurt (to taste)
one garlic clove (I used ½ tsp minced garlic)
2 – 3 tbsp olive oil (to taste and/or consistency)
1 tsp honey

Add all to blender and blend on high a minute or two until well blended. Dollop over salad mixture and calamari as desired.

Shirley’s Notes: This dressing has more of the thickness of mayonnaise or a spread versus a true dressing. If you want a true dressing consistency, you’ll want to add more liquid: olive oil, milk, lemon juice, water, etc.—your preference.

As Bean shared on her Tropical Pork Pineapple Kabobs post, a tropical vacation meal requires a tropical drink. My faves are margaritas and pina coladas. This time I went with a pina colada. This one is gluten free and dairy free, and uses no processed mixes either. I basically took the idea of a Southern Living recipe that I’d enjoyed years ago and just revised it to use whole food ingredients, including coconut milk. Easy and luscious!

Luscious Pina Coladas

1 cup coconut milk
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup rum
4 tbsp sugar (or other sweetener)
1 banana
1/4 cup shredded coconut
8 or more ice cubes
additional shredded coconut, if desired

Blend coconut milk, pineapple juice, rum, sugar, banana, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, and ice cubes to desired consistency. Top with additional shredded coconut, if desired.

Inspired by Southern Living

Shirley’s Notes: I like to use a frozen banana (I always have frozen baking bananas on hand), which provides a nice, thick consistency—the luscious factor in this pina colada.

If you want to stay in the tropical vacation mindset a little longer, be sure to check back at Without Adornment for the complete roundup of recipes. Thinking sunshine, turquoise blue water, warm breezes, bare legs, and wonderful tropical fare … so nice. Special thanks to Bean for hosting this month as well as ongoing thanks to Naomi (Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried) for originating the always fun and helpful Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! carnival.

By the way, be sure to visit my Out and About page to find out who won the recent giveaway. And, we’re now into the final week before the Academy Awards presentation, more fondly known as the Oscars. Be sure to check out the complete roundup–either recipes inspired by Oscar nominees or others just right for throwing your own viewing celebration. They are definitely all award-winning caliber! My own contributions were Veronica’s Pumpkin Soup and the already mentioned Southern Fried Oysters. You can the listing of all the Gluten-Free Progressive Dinner Party recipes at our gracious hostess, Diane’s, blog events page at The. W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

Enjoy!

Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!

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Tags: bananas, beverage, bread, calamari, coconut, dairy free, easy, GFE, gluten free, recipe, seafood

Polynesian Sweet and Sour Sausage Stew (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

January 28, 2010 · Filed Under GAHIGF, dairy free, gluten free, recipe ·15 Comments

I’ve been participating in the Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! (GAHIGF) carnival since February of last year. Sweet and super creative Kelly from The Spunky Coconut hosted my “inaugural” month. GAHIGF is the clever creation of the wonderful Naomi of Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried. Each month it’s hosted by a different blogger who gets to choose the theme. It’s a fun event with amazing recipes. I always like to imagine all of us who participate getting together in person to sample each other’s dishes, as I did when I hosted last July with the “Make Me A Happy Camper” theme. Laura of Mouthgasmic is this month’s host. She selected “Stews from Around the World.”

I wanted to make something different than your typical beef stew or, say, my jambalaya. So I took a look in the pantry and refrigerator to see what I had on hand. (I find that doing that often makes me more creative than if I looked at a recipe and then purchased all the ingredients to make it.) Smoked sausage, coconut milk, pineapple, stir-fry “baby” corn, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms all made me think Polynesian. Hmmm. A chilly, thick pina colada also came to mind. We used to have a Polynesian restaurant in our area (before I was gluten free). Oh, it was a chain restaurant and the food was not much different than Chinese food really, but for many years, it was a very enjoyable place to eat equally enjoyable food. Plus, the service was always excellent; the décor was a bit over the top with gold statues, fountains, and such (in a way that was not tacky, but made you feel oddly special); the plush deep-set booths made for a great date setting (or fun tête a tête with a girlfriend); and their pina coladas were “to die for” (they weren’t even made in a blender; they were just shaken, but they were truly fabulous). However, I digress.

I looked online to see if my ingredients came close to those in traditional Polynesian stews. Well, the meat ingredient in several recipes I found ranged from beef, to pork, to chicken. My smoked sausage was close enough, I thought. It would provide more depth for flavor and because it was precooked, it would also allow my stew to be ready more quickly. (Quick is important when you haven’t had the foresight to pull out your slow cooker before heading to work.)

One appealing idea I saw when reviewing Polynesian recipes online was adding spinach to the stew at the end of cooking. That recipe was called Polynesian Chicken Fafa. It called for both spinach and shredded coconut. I didn’t opt for the shredded coconut in the stew (although I did use it in my pina colada!), but I did add spinach to my own plate of stew. I used fresh baby spinach leaves instead of frozen spinach as was suggested in that recipe, so it was easy to add just as much as I wanted. I was hoping for a wilted spinach effect, but as you can see from the photo, I didn’t quite achieve that. I think I let my dish cool too much before I added the spinach. Having the spinach at room temperature beforehand would have helped as well. I could have stirred the spinach into my stew, but I liked the look of it on top and really it made the stew much better. (I added even more spinach after I took the photo.)

This stew was a very good dish. I would recommend a few changes, which I’ve noted in the recipe. I added a small amount of brown rice to the mixture while it was cooking and, frankly, it was still a bit crunchy when we ate. We both agreed that serving the stew over cooked rice next time would work better. (Rice can be cooked separately at the same time you make the stew. White rice will be finished in 20 minutes; brown rice about 30 minutes.) The flavor is a classic “sweet and sour” one, which is often a little strong for us. I thought the coconut milk would lessen that effect, but it didn’t actually. Next time, I’ll most likely reduce both the vinegar and honey amounts to suit our taste buds. However, Mr. GFE had seconds and if you’re going for a classic sweet and sour taste, this recipe will serve you well.

Polynesian-Style Sweet and Sour Sausage Stew (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
(Click here for a print version of this recipe.)

½ to 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced or diced (as desired; I sliced and then halved mine—I don’t like big chunks of meat; more sausage can be added if you wish)
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other oil, if needed)
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup coconut milk
1 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits, packed in its own juice (drained, with juice reserved)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey (or brown sugar, or similar; I actually ended up using part honey and part dark brown sugar—both to equal 1/3 cup)
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp Soul Seasoning (or your favorite seasoning—even sea salt—for adding a little zing to your dishes; optional)
1 can stir fry “baby” corn, drained
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
2 handfuls of raw spinach or one 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Saute sausage slices/chunks in deep dish skillet over medium-low to medium heat until slightly browned—about 5 minutes. Add onions and sauté in very small amount of sausage drippings (add oil if needed) until translucent—about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook another 30 seconds.

Add coconut milk and pineapple tidbits to sausage mixture.

Stir in vinegar and honey. Whisk cornstarch into reserved pineapple juice. Stir into stew. Mix well and add seasoning.

Bring to a boil. Stir in remaining vegetables. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir the spinach into the skillet (or individual bowls). Stir and let steam cook spinach through before eating—about 2 minutes.

Serve over cooked white or brown rice. Add gluten-free soy sauce to taste, if needed.

Shirley’s Notes: The smoked sausage may be omitted and more vegetables (carrots, bok choy, green pepper, red pepper, more greens, etc.) may be added for a vegan version of this stew. Of course, you can use your remaining cup of coconut milk to make pina coladas. I promise to share that recipe with you soon.

Remember to check back over at Laura’s at Mouthgasmic for the final GAHIGF roundup next week.

Gotta run … that remaining half pitcher of pina coladas is calling my name!

Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!

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Tags: brown sugar, dairy free, GFE, gluten free, honey

Flourless Oatmeal Cookies

January 27, 2010 · Filed Under Friday Foodie Fix, GAHIGF, Slightly Indulgent, What can I eat ..., easy, flourless, gluten free, recipe, treats ·33 Comments

I’ve been waiting to make oatmeal cookies for a while now. I use a Washington Post recipe that I found online a few years back. I’ve adapted the directions to meet my needs for gfe and added a few ingredients from time to time. Finally, my certified gluten-free oats arrived! (I buy my Gifts of Nature certified gluten-free rolled oats through the large Gluten Intolerance Group I belong to. The large group order means a discount price with free shipping.) Let’s talk about certified gluten-free oats, and what that means exactly, for a moment.

You’ll see lots of discussions on oats and their safety for those on a gluten-free diet on the web, with, of course, some wonderful recipes. In fact, Ellen, of I Am Gluten Free, recently had a great post (including a video) on making gluten-free granola. She talked about using gluten-free oats and the discussion continued in her comments section.

Here are the facts as I see them. There are six companies whose oats are certified gluten free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). (In gathering data for this post, I found two more that I didn’t know about.) They are Gifts of Nature, Only Oats, Gluten-Free Oats, Cream Hill Estates, Montana Gluten-Free Processors, and Montana Monster Munchies (Legacy Valley Oats). The GFCO, which is a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group, has rigorous testing and standards, certifying to less than 10 ppm gluten. You can read more here in their FAQs. You might be wondering about the 10 ppm requirement. Isn’t that less than 20 ppm, the accepted level? you might ask. Well, less than 20 ppm is the level that the FDA has talked about establishing as the threshold for a “gluten-free” label, but this requirement has not actually been established. In fact, the FDA announced a few months ago that they are gathering more data through a survey before making this decision. You can read more about the basis for their additional fact gathering in a post by Amy Ratner at the Gluten-Free Living blog, if you are interested. It’s the best write-up I’ve seen about what seems to be going on regarding establishing the definition of ”gluten free” at the moment.

I am extremely sensitive to gluten. The mainstream cereal and baking mix products that have recently entered the market as gluten free have made me sick. Repeatedly. I do not plan to try them again. Apparently, less than 20 ppm is not a safe level for me. (I’ve heard the same reported by many others on blogs and forums. Some who are eating these products, with no noticeable issues, have stated that folks may be reacting to preservatives versus in these products. However, I don’t see how a dermatitis herpetiformis reaction—that many have experienced—can be tied to a preservative. However, that’s a discussion worthy of another post.) Therefore, personally, the very few gluten-free specialty products that I do consume will contain less than 10 ppm of gluten; i.e, those certified by the GFCO.

If you eat gluten free, but have continued to eat mainstream oats like Quaker or McCann’s and say “they don’t bother me,” please seriously consider the following.

Tricia Thompson, MS RD (who is also known as The Gluten-Free Dietitian), did a study on the amount of gluten in oats in 2004. Not only have the results of Tricia’s study been widely reported on numerous sites and in Gluten-Free Living magazine, but she spoke to my support group last year about a safe, healthy gluten-free diet. Therefore, we had an opportunity to hear her speak on her study at length. Specifically, her study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed high amounts of gluten in Quaker, McCann’s, and Country Choice oats. Sure, there were some samples that contained less than 20 ppm, but, and this is a big BUT, others contained varying levels from 23 ppm to 1807 ppm. If you continue to eat these mainstream oats, one might say that you are playing the oats version of Russian Roulette with your health. Remember … not all reactions and symptoms of gluten exposure and damage are readily apparent. In fact, there was a Q & A in this month’s issue of Gluten-Free Living that applies directly here. The reader inquired about the impact of cheating occasionally. Ivor Hill, MD, responded as follows:

“Continued or repeated cheating on the diet will lead to progressive damage, and we know that in some cases, this can be fairly extensive for some years before clinical signs develop.”

Whatever the threshold that you have decided not to surpass in your own gluten-free eating, less than 10 ppm or less than 20 ppm, anything over that amount would be cheating. So, again please consider Tricia Thompson’s study and Dr. Hill’s warning. You don’t want the first sign of a problem with mainstream oats to be the development of a much more serious condition (caused by continued gluten ingestion) a few years down the road.

To further confuse things, not everyone who eats gluten free can tolerate even GFCO-certified gluten-free oats. While studies have shown that certified gluten-free oats are largely safe for those with celiac disease, a small percentage of those with celiac cannot tolerate the gluten-free oats. These issues almost certainly extend to those who have non-celiac gluten issues as well, but apparently no studies on the effects of gluten-free oats on these individuals have been conducted. In our support group, there are a handful of us (myself included) that either cannot eat gluten-free oats at all or can only tolerate small amounts from time to time. For me, that means a few cookies occasionally. I cannot eat oats on a daily basis, even the 1/4- to 3/4-cup that is often considered safe for adults who have been gluten free for some time, and introduced gradually. Gluten-Free Living has a comprehensive article, All About Oats, in this month’s issue if you’d like to read more.

Okay, let’s get to the fun part—the cookies! I was on Twitter the other night and I decided to get some baking input from my friends there. Here’s an excerpt of the conversation (reprinted with permission from the participants):

@Shirleygfe–My #gfree oats are in. Making flourless oatmeal cookies. Plain? With raisins? or with chocolate chips? What’s your vote?
@jenniferGFinGA–I vote for plain; I don’t care for added stuff in my cookies; mucks up the process
@celiacteen–Everything. Whatever strikes your fancy. I just open my cupboards and hope for the best!
@pilateschik–I prefer oatmeal raisin!! Please & thank you!
@PoeticDreams–why not both, Raisins & Chocolate Chips?
@cook4seasons–How ’bout dried cranberries? btw – is there any texture/flavor difference with #GF oats? (Shirley’s Note: Certified gluten-free oats are grown in dedicated fields and processed on dedicated equipment. Both are constantly inspected and tested to ensure no gluten. Otherwise, these are oats like any other oats, so there are not taste differences between gluten-free rolled oats and mainstream rolled oats.)
@celiacteen–What about all of those together? I would eat it =D
@ErinElberson–I think I have eaten them all together…without waiting to cook!
@Shirleygfe to @celiacteen–Hey that sounds like a cookie version of ur date truffles … sort of. The everything cookie … similar 2 the everything bagel.
@celiacteen–Didn’t think of that, but I like it. I really like it =D.

Finally, Amy weighed in.

@Amys_SSGF–I think you should bring those cookies to my house.

The girl knows how to get to the point, doesn’t she?

In the end, I went with Jennifer’s advice—plain–—for several reasons. First, I discovered that I didn’t have any mini-chocolate chips on hand after all. Second, Mr. GFE is not particularly fond of cranberries. Third, my package of raisins yielded raisins that were too dried up, even though it had not been opened previously. (The package of raisins from which I give our pet chinchilla his daily treat yielded much juicier raisins. However, too many little “feeding” hands had been in that package of late for me to feel comfortable using any of them for my own consumption. I should have just soaked my “new” raisins a bit, but I didn’t think of that until later.)

These cookies are so easy to make and, of course, are gfe worthy because they are also flourless. The middles are delightfully chewy, but the outer edges and bottoms are caramelized and, therefore, crispier. Note that the cookie batter must be chilled for about 30 minutes. That’s not a big deal if you know that ahead of time. I took the opportunity to get a fire going in the wood stove and catch up with my good friend, Rodney Yee. Rodney promises a “smooth transition from sleep to activity.” He and his A.M. Yoga routine always deliver.

By the way, if you’re finding flourless and crustless baking to be your thing, please check out the many flourless recipes here on gfe, like Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (even a variation with Nutella), Coconut Meringues, flourless chocolate cakes (the classic, 3-minute wonders, chocolate banana honey walnut, double-chocolate Clementine), and even Flourless Pizza. Looking for more ideas? My friend, Chaya, of Chaya’s Comfy Cook Blog, is posting a whole month of flourless recipes. Chaya is a cooking and baking fanatic … and I mean that in the very best way! She posted a flourless cashew butter cookies recipe not too long ago that I really want to try soon.

Flourless Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
(Click here for a print version of this recipe.)

1/3 cup unsalted butter (I believe coconut oil will work, but I haven’t tried it yet)
1 1/2 cups certified gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips; finely chopped raisins; finely chopped dried cranberries; 2/3 cup finely chopped nuts; or, combination of all these ingredients that equals no more than 2/3 cup total (optional)

Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly. Place oats in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in both sugars and the salt and blend to break up any lumps.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vanilla extract, and egg. Stir this egg mixture into the oat mixture and add chocolate chips or raisins (if used), mixing with your hands or a large wooden spoon to work in the ingredients. Form into a large ball of dough.

Chill the dough about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.

Chilled dough will still be somewhat soft. Form the dough into 1-inch balls (or lumps; don’t stress) and place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball down very slightly.

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until the edges are nicely browned (but not too brown; mine actually are too brown in these photos) and the tops of the cookies are medium golden in color.

Cool well on the baking sheet (about 10 minutes) before attempting to remove, using a spatula. (I placed mine on my cold screened porch for 10 minutes as they were already sufficiently cooked and I didn’t want them to bake any further on the cookie sheet.)

Recipe makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies.

Shirley’s Notes: If you add any of the optional ingredients, it’s very important that the pieces be finely chopped or already small, like mini chocolate chips (which, of course, also melt and hold things together). These cookies come out pretty flat and the dough is not substantial enough to include whole raisins, whole dried cranberries, etc. The original recipe states that the dough can also be brought to room temperature and flattened more when placed on the baking sheet to make a large, crisp and lace-like cookie. I haven’t tried this method yet, but you do get the lace-cookie look and taste from the edges of the cookies made as shown above. I love lace cookies though, so I do plan to try that version, too. Last, if you are not eating gluten free, you can use any brand of rolled oats.

Adapted from The Washington Post

What else is happening?

Today, Wednesday, January 27 (9:00 PM Eastern), is the last day to enter the giveaway of Stephanie O’Dea’s Make It Fast, Cook It Slow cookbook. Visit my Out and About page.

Kim Bouldin at Gluten Free is Life is doing an iHerb giveaway. Be quick; it ends today as well—Wednesday, January 27, at midnight! Kim is a new writer for Celiac-Disease.com. Congrats, Kim! She still writes for The Examiner, as well. She’s running these days for sure, but not just for her gluten-free pursuits. She’s training for a marathon. Do any of us who blog gluten free just mope around? I don’t think so. LOL Kim—You go, girl!

By the way, I won the iHerb giveaway that Amy held this past week at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free and am tickled pink that I’ll get to do some free shopping for products that fit the gfe approach. Thanks to Amy and iHerb! This post is linked to Amy’s weekly roundup, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. Amy is super busy these days … she’s going to culinary school! Woohoo, Amy! She’ll be teaching us more than ever folks.

Speaking of The Examiner, Heather Collins of life, gluten free is also now one of their writers. She is the Boulder Natural Health Examiner. You can check out her first article here. Congratulations on the new gig, Heather. We’ll be looking forward to your articles!

This post is linked to Linda’s weekly Wednesday roundup, What Can I Eat That’s Gluten Free? Next week, the theme will be casseroles. Be sure to note that on your calendar and join in or gather some great new gluten-free casserole recipes.

Tomorrow, Thursday, January 28, is the last day to enter The Gluten-Free Lifestyle blog carnival originated by Kim Hopkins (The Food Allergy Coach). I’m hosting this month. You can submit your entry here. You don’t have to include a new post; an old one that fits the definition of “tips, recipes, health information, and support for people adjusting to life with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity.” will work just fine. Just update your post to include a link to the carnival once it’s up (around February 1).

Tomorrow (Thursday, January 28) is also the final day to enter the Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free (GAHIGF) carnival. You know how fond I am of that fun, monthly event, started by one of my favorites, Naomi (Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried). Laura at Mouthgasmic is this month’s host. Her theme is Stews from Around the World. Many of us have been in stew and soup mode that last month (as demonstrated in the Gluten-Free Progressive Dinner Party held last week), so I’m sure we can find a post that works for GAHIGF. Again, if you use an older post, please remember to update your post to include a link to the carnival. You can submit your entry per Laura’s guidelines shown here. Snow is in our forecast, so I actually have more stews and soups planned for this week … maybe one of each!

Friday is Diane’s Friday Foodie Fix (FFF) over at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang. The “secret” ingredient is beans. If you have a stew that calls for beans, perhaps you can link it up to both GAHIGF and the FFF. For the trifecta, submit your entry to The Gluten-Free Lifestyle carnival, too. Back to the beans, I think this FFF might get as many entries as the previous one featuring chocolate, and of course, there are always cacao beans. I wonder if Diane thought of that!

Next Friday, is Flipping Fast Fridays over at Chelsey’s—The Crazy Kitchen. This event is always held the first Friday of each month. Your entry should be for a recipe that can be made in 30 minutes or less. We all need those types of recipes, right? Incidentally, Chelsey very graciously featured me on her blog this week. If you want to read more about me and the gfe approach, please check it out here.

Please support your wonderful fellow bloggers and readers by sharing great recipes and info via these carnivals/roundups; it’s easy enough to do. Now, once you’re caught up with those events, you’ll want to bake these Flourless Oatmeal Cookies. Okay, maybe you’ll want to make the cookies and enjoy them while you catch up. I had two of these great cookies and some raw almonds as my breakfast. Hey, spread some peanut butter between two and you’ll have your own gluten-free version of the Girl Scout Do-Si-Do cookie—just soooo much better.

Mr. GFE was so happy to see these cookies in the snowman tin when he got home yesterday. Please report back on any variations you make. I’m definitely going to be making that Everything version soon … and the lace cookie version … and one with coconut oil and honey, and another with …

Enjoy!

Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!