I have a good recipe post coming as soon as I get a picture, but in the meantime, catching up, a few random thoughts:

1) McDonald’s has now disclosed that their fries have wheat. That leaves zero major fast-food chains in this area where we can get fries. This doesn’t seem like much, but sometimes we’re out and about longer than expected and need a little treat. So I’m starting to learn all the places where they cut their own fries, don’t coat them, and fry nothing but potatoes.  That’s GF enough for me.

2) Subway restaurants are using the entire state of Oregon as their test market for their gluten-free menu. I hope it’s selling well and gets up here soon.

3) Living Social keeps running deals for glutenfreely.com. In my first order, I got a few mixes. I’ve only tried one, a yellow cake mix from Better Batter, but it wasn’t as good as the cupcakes I’ll tell you about tomorrow. Seems like a lot of those mixes use too much xanthan gum.

4) I failed to tell you about these cookies, but they weren’t that good. However, the dudes absolutely loved the gingerbread house.

Coming up this week: easy, awesome vanilla cupcakes and banana caramel cake. For real.

I'll share these vanilla cupcakes with blueberry frosting as soon as I'm sure they're good.

It’s not surprising that my kids aren’t the only ones in their preschool who have food sensitivities. We’ve been asked not to send peanut butter any more. There are kids who are allergic to eggs and dairy, and another whose family is vegan. So when my dudes’ birthday came a couple of weeks ago, I was determined to bring in a treat that all the kids could enjoy. I suppose I could have cut watermelon into cutesy shapes, but really? sometimes you just want some junk food. Cupcakes, say. With my Babycakes book in one hand and the internet in the other, I dove in.

I didn’t think that first round of cupcakes were that great–the cake itself was just passable, and the frosting was weird. Plus, they weren’t particularly pretty. But the kids liked them and the teachers were impressed. They passed my name on to the family of one of the other food allergy kids, someone whose birthday is this week. And that mom asked me to make the cupcakes for her kid’s birthday. You know, for pay, like I fantasize about doing when the politics of public education are dragging me down. Whee! My latest round of gluten-free, vegan cupcakes was much better. I didn’t make enough vanilla to try a whole one myself, but I’ll try again soon. On principle I don’t want to bake without butter if I don’t have a reason to, but if I can figure out how to make a really satisfactory vegan GF cupcake then a few more experiments will be well worth the time.

Here’s the chocolate cupcake recipe:

• 1 2/3 cups gluten free flour blend (my current round of all-purpose blend has more soy than is probably ideal; next time I’ll use more millet)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup gluten free cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon vinegar (any mild flavor is fine)
• 1 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (or grease and flour and grumble about the non-existence of a GF baking spray).
2. Wisk together dry ingredients, being sure to get rid of any lumps of cocoa powder.  Stir in wet ingredients and beat until smooth.  Batter will be fairly thin.
3.  Fill baking cups about 3/4 of the way.  You may have enough for a couple of extra cupcakes.  Bake 26-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then on rack/plate. 
5. Frost cupcakes after they have cooled completely.

Frosting:

1. Using wisk attachments to a mixer, beat together 1/2 C vegetable shortening (butter would be better) and 1/4 C cocoa powder until shortening is fluffy and no lumps remain in cocoa powder
2. Beat in 2 C powdered sugar, again until no lumps remain; the mixture will be stiff
3. Thin to desired consistency with soy milk–I needed about 1 T.

So I’ve decided that one of my summer projects is to make gluten-free versions of all the gluteny ice creams that my boys can’t have.  It’s a project that’s fun, easy, and good for them to “help” with.  We started yesterday with a gluten-free chocolate fudge brownie ice cream.  I probably thought too hard about what kind of  brownies to make.  Anything too buttery might lose its flavor in the cold; anything too cakey would get soggy in the batter.  Right?  Surely I’m not the first person to contemplate this important issue, but Google was surprisingly unhelpful.  I decided on a middle-of-the-road approach.  I made the brownies the day before the ice cream so they could cool and get a little stale.  Fortunately?  Unfortuanately? They were so good that we ate 3/4 of the pan that night, no ice cream required.  That meant the brownie ice cream wasn’t quite brownie-y enough; next time I’ll know to be more vigilant.

Then I made chocolate ice cream base (I won’t share that part until I get it right), froze it in the KitchenAid attachment, and had the boys throw in the chunks of brownie at the very end.  It was pretty good.

Anyway, here’s the brownie recipe, adapted from Cooks Illustrated:*

Pre-heat the oven to 325.  Prepare an 8-by-8 inch square pan by greasing and lining with parchment.

Whisk together in a small bowl and set aside:

• 3/4 cups GF flour blend**
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 Heat and stir until just melted (two 20-second shots in the microwave did it for me) :

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Stir into the chocolate mixture:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teapoons vanilla extract

Add flour mixture and stir just until everything is combined.  Spread into prepared pan.  Bake about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with crumbs, not batter.  Cool before cutting.  Try to save some for your ice cream.

* Someday Cooks Illustrated will do a gluten-free cookbook and the world will be a more delicious place.

** My current all-purpose mix is mostly white rice, potato and tapioca, but also contains brown rice, millet, sorghum and amaranth.

I keep not taking pictures of the scones, so here's a gratuitous pie picture. Stay tuned for more on that.

1. sandwiches/burgers
2. pizza
3. chicken nuggets
4. breakfast

Chicken nuggets are too much work to make every week (maybe once school ends, but right now work is kicking my ^&%).  But those other three, we usually have every week–sometimes more often.  You know about the pizza; sandwiches are easy; burgers just get little circles of bread instead of buns because the GF buns we can get aren’t worth the $1,000.  Breakfast consists of a meat–chicken breakfast sausage or bacon– eggs, fruit and waffles, muffins or scones.

Here’s my favorite GF scone recipe:

• 2 cups GF flour mix*
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup cold milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• extra granulated sugar and milk for topping

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment or grease likely.
2. Blend together flour mix, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt
3. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand, with a few larger (pea-sized)pieces
4. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla, then stir into butter/flour mixture.
5. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of dough at a time and place on baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.  Brush tops with milk and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. 
6. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

* I trade off baking by weight and by volume, but I almost always use Gluten Free Girl’s all-purpose flour mix (this link also has a great basic muffin recipe, by the way).  My current mix is more rice than anything else, but also has amaranth, oat, sorghum, millet, tapioca and potato flour.

But then B turned back to me and said, “Good for my tummy means gluten-free.”

“Wow, that’s right, little man,  I didn’t even know you knew the phrase ‘gluten-free.’”

“Why not gluten four?”

This weekend, though, a friend and I took the kids to the West Seattle Farmers Market.  After we’d purchased our tomato plants and cheese and spring greens, we wandered off around the neighborhood.  And in the window of the Great Harvest there, we saw a big sign: GLUTEN-FREE.  We went in.  There were 17 different options for things the boys could eat!  Turns out, the owner of that particular franchise and her daughter both have to eat gluten-free, so they started baking GF products in addition to the world’s best honey whole wheat.  I’m sure I should be a little suspicious since they make the wheaty stuff and the GF stuff in the same facility, but they seem to do pretty well at keeping it segregated.

Plus, they have nice normal, kid-friendly treats like chocolate cupcakes and raspberry scones.

Plus, they’re good.

Plus, they have decent chai for Mama.

Plus, they have an abundant toy box and book bin in the corner.

I can bake all kinds of GF treats, but it sure is nice to have a new place to head on a dreary, rainy Saturday afternoon.

Great Harvest Bread Co.
4709 California Ave. S.W.
Seattle, WA 98116

Finding a toddler-friendly method turned out to be quite a process.

At first I thought I could get away with a baked chicken tenders technique.  I dipped little chunks of chicken breast in egg and then in crushed, seasoned Corn Chex, then baked it.  Rejected.

I baked chicken chunks that hand been dipped in egg and then in seasoned corn meal.  Rejected.

I baked chicken chunks that had been dipped in egg and then in seasoned GF flour, then sprayed with cooking spray.  Considered, but rejected.

I gave up on the baking.  Frying is not my strongest area of cooking expertise, but I tried it.  I fried chicken chunks that had been dipped in egg and then seasoned GF flour.  Considered, nibbled, but rejected.

Finally, I gave in and did something I’d said I wouldn’t do: I put the chicken in the food processor.  And that made all the difference.  It’s gross and messy, but in our house I think it’s worth it.  Plus, really, once you get going it’s not a big deal.  Next time I’ll double the recipe and freeze some for future lunches. [Recipe follows cut]

Little man ate six.

Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets (the toddler-friendly kind)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb chicken breast
• 1.5 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/3 C potato starch
• 1/3 C white rice flour
• 1/3 C brown rice flour
• 1/3 C corn starch
• 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water
• 1 egg
• Oil for frying (I use about 2.5 C of canola oil)

Directions:

1. Start heating the oil so it will be ready when you are.  If you have a deep fryer, feel free; I fill a large cast-iron skillet to a depth of a little less than inch and heat it on medium to medium-high heat. 
2. In a wide, shallow pan (e.g. a pie pan), blend rice flours, corn starch, potato starch and 3/4 tsp salt.  Set aside.
3. In another wide, shallow pan, whisk egg and water until well blended.
4. Put the chicken, spices and remaining 3/4 tsp. salt in a food processor.  Don’t bother removing any stray pieces of fat.  Pulse in until you have an unappetizing chicken paste.  Remind yourself you love your toddlers.
5. Use two teaspoons to scoop out small ovals of the chicken mixture.  Make them smaller than you think you should and flatten them a bit.  Coat each in the flour mixture, then dip in egg, then back in flour.  Rest the un-cooked nuggets on a plate until you have used at least half the chicken.  You can make the rest while the first half cooks.
6. If you’re not adept at frying, you’ll want to do a practice nugget before you load up the pan.  The oil is hot enough if it starts to bubble when you sprinkle a bit of the flour mixture in it.  Depending on how big you’ve made your nuggets and how hot your oil is, it should take less than 2 minutes per side to get them golden brown and cooked through. 
7. Once you’ve cooked one and adjusted the temperature, you can cook several at a time–don’t crowd them too much or the oil may cool more than you want.  While those ones cook, finish making and coating the last of your nuggets.
8. Place on a plate lined with paper towels.  They’ll stay plenty hot while you make the second batch.  Serve with gluten-free dipping sauces, of course.
9. I highly recommend the Cooks Illustrated Oven Fries, but frozen ones are a lot easier when you’re already grinding meat in a food processor.  Or be all healthy and serve with fruit and salad. 

Makes about 35 nuggets/serves 2 adults and 3 hungry toddlers with enough left over for a lunch.

* Plus, by making them myself I can control the quality of the ingredients.  There are no fillers, no preservatives.  I can use organic, local farmers market stuff or I can use the party pack from Safeway.  I’ll probably do both, as time goes on.

At our first visit, the gastroenterologist suggested that we start giving Carnation Instant Breakfast  Breakfast Essentials to pack in some extra calories and protein.  We bought some on the way home from that very appointment.  It’s an understatement to say it was a hit.  They started requesting it several times per day.   We upgraded from the convenient packets to the more economical canister.  We made up new rules and procedures for how their “chocolate milk” would be measured and mixed (anyone who’s ever had a toddler knows exactly what I’m talking about).

Last Thursday, mere hours after our latest weigh-in, I was cleaning up the kitchen and happened to notice that the last ingredient listed on the Instant Breakfast canister … was wheat starch.

Wheat starch!  Could the thing we’re giving them to help one issue be causing others?

I’ve become so used to reading ingredients, even sniffing out the tricky places where gluten can hide: caramel coloring, malt flavoring.  But I’d never even glanced at the list on the Instant Breakfast because it came with the recommendation of the gastroenterologist AND the nutritionist.

To the internet!  As usual, there was no consensus.  Google led me to the Nestle website’s FAQ, which was silent on the issue of gluten.  Various celiac websites wove a story of changing recipes and reminded me that of course the Chocolate Malt flavor would be problematic.  The ready-made stuff was also out.  But nobody seemed to agree on the non-malt powdered mix. 

So I e-mailed the Nestle people about our beloved Carnation Breakfast Essentials Powder Drink Mix (Rich Milk Chocolate flavor).  In the meantime, I started scheming about alternatives.  I had some heavy cream leftover from my birthday baking.  That would take care of the extra calories, but not the protein.  Instant milk never mixes up all that well.  Hot chocolate mix might work for winter, but we’re already halfway through May.  I headed to the co-op and picked out an $18 canister of chocolate-flavored protein powder.

As soon as I got home, here’s the e-mail that popped up:

Thank you for contacting CARNATION® BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS™, an excellent breakfast choice with 21 vitamins and minerals.

Wheat has been present on the CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Powder labels for the past couple of years in the form of an allergen cross-contact statement: “made on equipment that also processes wheat.” CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Regular Powder varieties were recently reformulated with additional Vitamins C and D and now have new labels with wheat starch as the last ingredient. The wheat starch will be removed from the list of ingredients during the next packaging update, however the label will include the allergen cross contamination statement “made on equipment that also processes wheat”. Gluten sensitivity does vary among individuals, so we advise you to consult with your physician before using any product that declares wheat or other gluten-containing ingredients on the label, whether in the ingredient list or in the allergen cross-contact statement.

As a service to our consumers, we chose to disclose all sources of gluten by adding a statement on the label indicating the existence of barley in CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS. The degree of sensitivity to gluten varies among individuals, please discuss with your physician if you have concerns.

The flavorings used in CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Ready to Drink contain barley malt syrup, which contribute less than 1 part per million of barley gluten in the final product.

For CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS powder, the only variety containing gluten is CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Chocolate Malt, which has wheat flour and barley extracts. All other CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS powder varieties do not contain gluten. However, we want to inform you that all varieties are processed on the same equipment as CARNATION BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS Chocolate Malt. Gluten sensitivity does vary among individuals, so we advise you to consult with your physician.

We have no idea how sensitive either of them may be.  They’ve never complained of stomach aches or other problems.  But then, it may be that our older son has had celiac disease for his whole life and doesn’t know what “normal” feels like.  His vocabulary would certainly limit his expression of such things. 

This whole thing is such a work in progress.  My instinct is to keep giving them the Instant Breakfast until their next check-up.  If they’ve gained weight and the blood test doesn’t find any celiac antibodies, then we’re good to go.

Then after you cook it up?

Bingo!

Not only did the toddlers eat 2-3 slices each, but the husband gave it his Official Seal of Approval too.  It was as chewy as my old wheat crust, it re-heated well, and it tasted good.  Their secret is a modified tapioca starch, which is almost impossible for home cooks to find.  That’s OK, I’ve stopped worrying and learned to love the mix.

I didn’t change anything from this Serious Eats recipe, but making it three times has given me some wisdom to pass on.

1. Order the 8-pack of the Chebe bread mixes (not pizza crust mixes, which they also make). I promise you will use them all faster than you think would be best (If you live in the Seattle area, have Amazon Fresh deliver it before 6 am and feel unbearbly smug.
2. Brown rice flour does pretty well, but the white rice flour makes it closer to a traditional gluteny crust.  Don’t bother with the yeast option.
3. Check check check food packages–even meat–to be sure your toppings are gluten-free. 
4. You can just press the dough into the pan, but don’t.  Roll the crust  on the counter.  It’s easier to get it thin and even, and you’ll feel more like an authentic, wheat-loving pizza chef.  Try tossing it in the air.  Send me a pic.
5. You can also split the dough in half and make two 9-inch pizzas.
6. Use a bit less sauce, say 2/3 what you’re used to.  The longer pre-bake and shorter time in the oven with toppings will keep the sauce saucier and messier. 
7. For the same reason, slice toppings extra thin if you want to be sure it cooks through. 
8. Having said that, you can skimp a little bit on the pre-baking step if you want to allow more baking time with toppings in place. 
9. 1-2 minutes under the broiler is a great finishing touch.

“That broccoli’s not good for my tummy.  It has too much wheat in it.”