Andrea McCarthy (Rockin Gluten Free) and Heidi Kelly (Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom) at the Gluten-Free and Allergen-Free Expo
This month I decided to adopt one of my dearest gluten-free blogging friends, Heidi Kelly, of Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom for the monthly Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event. Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger is a longstanding monthly blog carnival created by the lovely Sea of The Book of Yum. The intent of the event is to build community among gluten-free bloggers. It’s always a great opportunity to share a favorite blogger and try out one or more of his/her recipes. This month the event is hosted by sweet and talented Zoe of Z’s Cup of Tea. (By the way, I adopted Zoe a few months back.) Thanks for hosting, Zoe!
Now back to my adopted one … I am a huge fan of Heidi’s (understatement), and I know with certainty that all of her readers, Facebook friends/fans, and Twitter followers are right there with me! I was a fan of Heidi’s even before we met at the International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC) last year in Seattle. Heidi has a very big heart and she believes in sharing much and often. Not only does she create sensational “knockoff” recipes and re-create challenging gluten-full recipes as gluten free on her blog, but she also is an avid and relentless researcher on topics associated with celiac disease and gluten issues. She always shares what she learns, and she also shares her and her family’s health journey, as well as the “lessons learned” along the way. Sometimes—when she hasn’t yet reached the actual lesson part—she asks questions of readers and online friends, initiating some very lively discussions. As Wendy (Celiacs in the House) has said in the past, Heidi has the most engaged followers who contribute to interesting, thought-provoking discussions you won’t want to miss.
Did you know that Heidi had an article published in The Journal of Gluten Sensitivity last year? The article addressed atypical symptoms of celiac disease. Those are the types of symptoms that Heidi and many in her family have experienced. The article is only available by subscription to this publication (under the purview of Scott Adams and his celiac.com site), but if you’re a reader of Heidi’s blog, you’ve already read some of this info on her blog earlier. More recently, Heidi shared her complete personal story. I strongly encourage you to read Heidi’s story and even share it with others. She includes data points in her chronological medical history to show the connection between gluten and her symptoms. Her story has inspired many of her readers to take action; e.g., pursuing celiac and gluten intolerance testing, going gluten free. Even Heidi’s own sisters have decided to go gluten free after reading her post. Connecting all the dots can make the picture—and the road forward—pretty clear.
First, let me tell you about some of Heidi’s recipes that I didn’t make (but that you may want to). Son is now 23 and Mr. GFE (aka Carnivore Man) likes mostly manly food so I didn’t make Heidi’s very popular recipes like Goldfish Crackers, Lunchables (including Pizza Lunchables), Spaghetti O’s, and Pop Tarts. Heidi’s mom readers love these recipes because they can help make the transition to gluten free easier for their children. If the gluten-full versions of these products are what kids were eating before going gluten free, they are not too eager to eat naturally gluten-free foods or homemade gluten-free lunches. They simply may not be ready to be different from their friends. These recipes of Heidi’s can help “bridge the gap.” But Heidi also shares mom-tested tips on how to eventually get kids on board with whole foods. Another reason I didn’t opt to try any of these particular recipes is that I didn’t want to make anything substantial before I head off tomorrow with my girlfriends to Asheville, NC. (There will be a return trip to gluten-free Posana Café—woohoo!) I won’t be back until the middle of next week and when I’m gone Mr. GFE eats out. Period. So there’s no reason to fill the fridge or freezer to keep him adequately fed. (The restaurant across the street from us loves it when I’m away!)
Heidi also makes the adults in the family extremely happy with recipes like Crescent Cinnamon Rolls and Sopaipillas. And everyone will cheer for Ravioli—or Ravioli in its “super hero form”—Pizza Rolls! Note that many of these recipes that I’ve mentioned are even dairy free and egg free as well as gluten free. That makes them accessible to so many in the food intolerance community, another reason that we all cheer for and are so grateful to Heidi.
Power Truffles Before Freezing
But remember, I needed a simple recipe with no leftovers to speak of, ideally something that I could take on my road trip with the girls tomorrow morning. So I checked out Heidi’s Recipes index and found her super easy Power Sticks. Designed to be breakfast bars in cylindrical form, this very easy recipe required only a few ingredients: peanut butter, honey, crushed gluten-free corn flakes (I used GFCO-certified Erewhon Corn Flakes, which are also organic, vegan, and soy free), and powdered milk. In place of the latter, I used coconut flour as I did not have a dairy-free powdered milk. Coconut flour is known for “power,” too, specifically its powers of absorption of liquid. The only liquid in this recipe is honey, but apparently honey is too viscous to be dramatically absorbed by coconut flour. Still I used a lesser amount of the coconut flour than Heidi used of the non-fat dry milk powder. The coconut flour adds more protein and overall nutrition than the dry milk powder and is an easy way to make Heidi’s recipe dairy free. And finally, I decided on making two-bite power “truffles” versus sticks. These truffles were very tasty as soon as I made them, but after I froze them, they were incredible. It took great restraint not to eat more than one after sampling. However, I wanted to save some of these truffles for breakfast this morning and the road trip tomorrow, so I had to tell myself, “Put down the Power Truffle!” Whimper. Imagine the delicious taste of peanut butter with the slight sweetness of honey and coconut flour. Add in the crunch of crushed corn flakes and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Well, sort of. I honestly believe these have to be sampled to be fully appreciated. Don’t be misled by the mild-mannered appearance of these truffles. They are somewhat like my Crustless Fudge Pie—Clark Kent in looks, but Superman in taste. If you’re vegan, substitute agave nectar for the honey and you’re good to go! I like that the kids can help make this “treat,” too. What kid doesn’t like crushing corn flakes with a rolling pin? (Or even a stressed adult for that matter. Rolling pin therapy is extremely effective.) I think using Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice cereal instead of cornflakes would make a tasty treat, too. I have a friend who makes Buckeyes (similar to Heidi’s stunning Dairy-Free Buckeyes) and adds crispy rice cereal; they’re delightful. My adaptation of Heidi’s recipe makes a dozen truffles, but how long they’ll keep in the freezer is entirely up to you!
Power Truffles Right Out of the Freezer
Last summer I made Heidi’s Amazing Cole Slaw for Mr. GFE. He is a huge cole slaw fan … if it’s good! He thinks good coleslaw is the signature of any great casual restaurant. For me to make cole slaw for him at home is a very special treat indeed. You see there’s a story from long ago on this subject. I overheard Mr. GFE tell someone that I made “okay cole slaw.” Well, you can guess where this is going … I didn’t make cole slaw for him for over 20 years. Until I decided to try Heidi’s recipe. But in fairness to Mr. GFE, I guess I should give you a little more history. I was not a cole slaw fan myself so I just bought the bottled cole slaw dressing. In retrospect, I can understand why he wasn’t thrilled. I was all about homemade baked goods then, but not so much when it came to recipes I didn’t personally care for. Anyway, fast forward to modern times where I tweaked Heidi’s recipe a tiny bit by adding a few tablespoons of mayonnaise because Mr. GFE’s preferences run to creamier cole slaw. He proclaimed the results as “good.” I’ll take good when he says it with that certain bright inflection in his voice, which lets me know that he really means what he’s saying … but I’m not at all keen on an okay assessment. Heidi’s Amazing Cole Slaw is very easy to make, especially when you start with bagged cole slaw mix. Sorry, I couldn’t find my photo of her great cole slaw, but you can see Heidi’s recipe and photo here.
Heidi’s motto is “Where there is a will, there is a way!” She demonstrates that every day over at Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom. If you’d like to get to know Heidi better (and you really should), please check out her About page while you’re checking out her blog. Also, take a look at her recent Food Rock Star interview with Diane (The W.H.O.L.E. Gang). Heidi is indeed a food rock star and much more to those of us in the gluten-free community!
AndreAnna says
Heidi is hands down one of my most favorite people I’ve met on this gluten-free journey. Her sincerity carries into every relationship she enters and I am so grateful to have met her. She is one of the genuine souls on this earth.
I love her recipes and I can’t wait to try this one!!!
Shirley says
Hi AndreAnna–Thanks for sharing the Heidi love so eloquently! I totally agree with everything you’ve said. 🙂
Shirley
Heidi @adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com says
Shirley!!!! Oh my goodness, I don’t know what to say, other than thank you for such a nice write up about me and my quirky little blog! 😀 I was at a baseball game when I first read this and I must have looked a little silly staring at my phone and wiping away the tears, LOL!
And thank you for mentioning my readers and Facebook/Twitter friends…they are absolutely wonderful, and I so enjoy the lively conversations we get going. I think they are extremely helpful because inevitably, someone will think of something that had never occurred to me before.
It’s been a long journey over the past two years, especially where our family’s diet is concerned, most of the recipes you shared are from back when we were “only” gluten free…seems like a lifetime ago.
I think copycat recipes can be really helpful for people like me (who are/were stuck in denial and depression after their diagnosis). I think it helps cover the gap between the feelings of loss and deprivation until one can adjust to their new gluten free sea legs.
Once I knew I could still have my old favorites (only in a safer, GF way), I was finally able to put that chapter behind me and begin a new journey…one of learning to love naturally gluten free, whole foods. Did I tell you that Sam did not ask for a GF Lunchable for all of 1st grade? I think that once I found a solution to his temporary desire to eat what his friends were eating…the Lunchable lost its’ appeal to him. 😀
I had forgotten about the power sticks recipe (it was a recipe that I got from Weight Watchers several years ago) and I remember how much I loved them (although, they did look a little funny…but truthfully, any which way you shape those suckers, they’re gonna make a gluten sensitive person think of one thing, LOL!). Thanks for the brilliant idea to use coconut flour instead of dry milk powder, dairy-free and much healthier.
LOVED the story about Mr. GFE and the coleslaw, sounds like something I would have done too, LOL!
I hope you have a WONDERFUL and safe trip with your girlfriends to Asheville! You know, I still think about your last post from Ashville (and the experience with the manager at the Biltmore: https://glutenfreeeasily.com/short-sad-story/). I wonder how his celiac wife is doing today?
xoxo,
Heidi
Shirley says
Hey Heidi–Honey, your blog is far from quirky! It is the exact right mix of everything that we all need. 🙂 And the same goes for your fans/friends/readers … they all add so much to the conversation. As far as your recipes, I tried to share a little of everything and hopefully express that you’ve been in a transition. Remember that while those knockoff recipes were part of your journey early on, they really have been helpful to many. And even when they are not used, they inspire others to get in the kitchen and get creative. We’re all evolving on this journey and sharing with each other just makes our lives so much easier.
LOL on the power sticks … yeah, I thought “that,” but, tactfully, didn’t share it. 😉 Can’t resist any type of truffles though. You should see the ones we purchased at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge today. We enjoyed some of them with our tea in our cottage this evening. FABulous!
Thanks for mentioning that post on the importance of eating gluten free, Heidi. It’s a topic that comes up again and again. I’ve just had a person with celiac telling me this week that she’s eating gluten with no ill effects and with her doctor’s permission. My thoughts: 1) there is a river called denial and 2) malpractice. Sad and criminal. But FYI, my previous post was not about the manager’s wife, but about the wife of another customer I met in line.
Keep on keeping on with all your adventures, gluten-free mom! It was my honor to adopt you! xoxo,
Shirley
Jenny says
Awesome post Shirley! Heidi is truly amazing and I love her and her blog. Always has great ideas, recipes and advice.
We make her coleslaw all the time – Bryan hates mayo so when I was looking for a different version she suggested hers and we love it. I made it a few times for family functions and so many people have asked for the recipe! Well done Heidi another fantastic recipe loved by non-gluten-free peeps.
Shirley says
Hi Jenny–Thanks for weighing in with some more Heidi love AND a review of her cole slaw! 🙂
Hugs,
Shirley
Sweets By Vicky says
Those truffles make being indulgent a good thing. Thanks for yet another super informative post! I’m currently in the States and wow I’m so envious of the plethora of gluten-free foods available and it’s great how people here are definitely more switched on about the sensitivity compared to Asia. I’m obviously having a great time here!!
Shirley says
Hi Vicky–Great to see you here again at gfe and welcome back to the states! 🙂 Woohoo on having a wonderful, gluten-free time here … so glad to hear that!
Shirley
Kim (Cook IT Allergy Free) says
WoW! SHirley, you have pegged the awesomeness of Heidi so perfectly and spot on here! She is one of the most inspirational gluten-free advocates. She has done amazing things to change the path of her (and her entire family’s) health. I am so proud of how far she has come, even from the time I met her over a year ago! You did such a beautiful job of conveying how much she is loved in this community!
xo
k
Shirley says
Hi Kim–You’ve mentioned several words that really do aptly describe Heidi—awesome, amazing, and inspirational! 🙂 And you’re so right about Heidi coming so far in such a short time. She inspires me daily and obviously all of us as she has so many devoted fans! We’re all thinking “hey, if Heidi can accomplish “that,” then we can certainly do “this” (which just happens to be so much easier than what Heidi did LOL). We’re very lucky to have her!
xo,
Shirley
Heidi @adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com says
“LIKE”
You summed it up perfectly on what I try to convey Shirley…if I (bold type) can do this, then everyone can do this!!
Just beware of the goldfish. 😉
xoxo,
Heidi
Lynnette says
Do you think quinoa flakes would work in the power truffles, instead of corn flakes?
Shirley says
Hi Lynnette–Nice to see you again! 🙂 I think that quinoa flakes would work just fine. The taste might be a little stronger (I always think quinoa in flake or flour form is stronger) and there won’t be a crunch, but the truffles would still be tasty and nutritious. 😉
Shirley
Debi says
Awesome adoption, Shirley. Heidi certainly is amazing and I was glad to have finally met her in person along with everyone else at the expo. 😀
Shirley says
Hi Debi–Thanks so much, dear! 🙂 It’s nice to have so many of Heidi’s fans taking the time to comment. I remember how wonderful it was to meet Heidi in person, so I’m glad that happened for you at the Expo. Now you can really “hear” her in all her posts and online communications. 😉
Shirley
Maggie says
You are so right about Heidi. Her facebook and blog following amazes me! There is CLEARLY a need for an open discussion about gluten-free living, especially when it comes to supporting other people in our own families. In some cases too, it’s just people who want a chance to share what they’ve been through with people who are on a similar journey. Does that make sense? Heidi’s copycat recipes are awesome! She so gets it! And so do you lovely one. xo
Shirley says
Hi Maggie–I think Heidi is such a giving and supportive person that she inspires the same from others. Plus, I do agree with you that we all need to tell our stories. It helps us and it helps others. 🙂 And yes, I agree, copycat recipes can often make a world of difference in living a joyful gluten-free life! 😉
Thanks so much for the sweet words, my dear friend! xo,
Shirley
Lauren @ As Good As Gluten says
I’ve added these to my list of recipes to make! Thanks for sharing!
Shirley says
Hi Lauren–So good to see you again at gfe! 🙂 Happy to get some of Heidi’s great recipes on your “to make” list. 😉
Shirley
InTolerantChef says
How funny about the coleslaw, I’d do that too! I guess that powdered coconut milk would work as well as coconut flour in the truffle recipe? What do you think?
Shirley says
Hi InTolerant Chef–LOL on the cole slaw. Good to know my “holding a grudge” on this type of thing is not unsual. 😉 I did not know about powdered coconut milk! It sounds like it would work great, but I would have to give it a try to be sure. I’ll have to investigate. I certainly do love the idea of it and having some on hand. Thanks so much for mentioning it!
Shirley
Kay Guest says
Hey Shirley! I just made these Peanut Butter Flavor Bombs before I left for work today and just tasting them before I rolled them out made me want to eat ALL of it straight from the bowl!
(And I don’t even LIKE peanut butter!) Heading over now to Heidi’s blog and show HER some appreciation. THANKS AGAIN! Hey, hope you don’t mind me renaming them…but doggone it, they are GOOD, as you hubby would say. 🙂
Oh! And have fun in N.C.
Your Captain,
Kay
Shirley says
Hey Kay–Love your new name for Heidi’s recipe! They are really good, aren’t they? 🙂 I ate the last of mine this morning .. straight out of the freezer. 😉 Glad you gave Heidi some appreciation … she certainly deserves it! Thank you for that, dear.
Asheville was a lot of fun. So many gf options there and a lovely town to visit. Very good vibes and pretty mtn views.
Hugs,
Shirley
Sea says
I love the Superman-Clark kent analogy. You have made me really, really want to try these truffles. It is so hot anything frozen sounds good right now…. mmm, truffles…
-Sea
Shirley says
Hi Sea–Thanks! These frozen truffles that Heidi created are fantastic. I can’t wait to try them using almond butter and perhaps create a few more variations, too. 😉
Shirley
Alta says
I love Heidi’s blog (and Heidi, though I have yet to meet her in person). She has SUCH innovative skills and persistence. Kudos to her. These power truffles would be hard to put down.
Shirley says
Hi Alta–Thanks for adding to the Heidi love! She’s amazing in all she does, and you will be absolutely delighted when you finally get to meet her. 🙂 Yes, the power truffles are soo good. I need to make them again. Soon!
Shirley