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EZ GFCF | A Gluten Free Recipes Blog
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12.11.2007
Anyone remember Suzy-Q's?
Ingredients:
1 recipe of "chocolate" cake (use either cocoa or carob powder) made in two round cake pans (split the recipe)
1 cup powdered sugar (Domino sugar is GF. Miss Robens sells corn-free powdered sugar. Or, make your own.)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder (I use Knox)
1 tbsp water
Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake recipe, splitting the recipe between two cake pans. I grease them with Spectrum organic shortening. The cakes bake together in about 15 mins. Use a toothpick to be sure.
When done, let cool 5 mins. Carefully pull the sides away from the pan and ease them onto cooling racks. Let cool thoroughly.
When cool, mix the powdered sugar, xanthan gum and gelatin in a bowl and stir. Add the water. Use a hand mixer on slow speed to blend until a creamy, icing texture is reached. Don't let this sit long. Use a knife to spread the icing onto one layer of the cake. Wet the knife is necessary to help spread. Immediately place second cake layer on top and gently push down.
Now, you can serve this cake style. Or you can cut it into any shape you want. I trimmed the edges to form a squarish shape and then cut into 16 "bars."
You can play around with this now. Next time, try chocolate or carob icing by adding some of that powder into the sugar mix. Try a Twinkie type cake by making a white cake and white filling. Try getting some of this stuff into a syringe and squirting it into a cupcake. Or, make the Suzy-Q even better by doubling the icing recipe -- it'll make the center filling thicker.
Have fun.
12.09.2007
Molasses tip
I've been baking gingersnaps and gingerbread cookies lately and using molasses and thick cane syrup. It's kinda tough getting that stuff to pour entirely out of a measuring cup. However, I've stumbled upon a little trick that helps that situation (no laughing from the expert chef section, please). If you coat the measuring cup with oil beforehand, the molasses will slide right out.
Actually, many of these recipes called for oil anyway. So, I measure the oil first, then the molasses. No waste.
12.06.2007
A good shampoo
12.05.2007
How fever might negate autism behaviors
12.04.2007
GFCF Gingersnap Bites
I'll just call this Gingersnap Bites. GFCF of course. Oh, and egg-free, soy-free, rice-free, corn-free and bean-free. Whew!
Make 1 recipe for Gingerbread People dough.
Instead of rolling out, divide dough into two chunks.
Take one chunk and using floured hands, roll it out into a long log on a floured surface to about 1/2" thickness.
Now, using a floured knife, cut the log into many small bite-sized cookies.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Repeat with the 2nd chunk of dough. You should be able to fit both on one cookie sheet.
BAKE 10 minutes, not 14.
12.03.2007
GFCF Gingerbread People
Ingredients:
2/3 cup brown rice flour (I used sorghum)
1/3 cup sweet rice flour (I used tapioca here)
1/3 cup tapioca starch (I also kept this 1/3 cup tapioca)
1 TBL cinnamon
1 tsp ginger (use more for a cookie with a real ginger bite)
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup molasses (I used Steens Cane Syrup)
2 TBL water
Recipe
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. So, my flour mixture was 2/3 cup sorghum and 2/3 cup tapioca. Then, add the liquids.
Mix well. Add tapioca if necessary to get a dough that you can knead.
Roll the dough out on a floured board or surface, using the tapioca, to about a quarter-inch thickness. Cut out gingerbread person shapes, flouring the cutter with tapioca.
Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 14 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack. This gave me a nice, crunchy cookie. Bake for less time to make more chewy and less crunchy.
If you want, add eyes and buttons with icing.
11.30.2007
Meat rice easy dish
- 1 recipe pizza sauce
- ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey)
- brown rice, cooked OR pasta noodles OR kidney beans OR quinoa OR potatoes
Now, make the pizza sauce in a sauce pan. Cook the brown rice or pasta. Brown the ground meat.
When done, drain grease from the meat. Add some pizza sauce to the meat and stir in -- as much or little as you like. Add a cup or more of the rice or pasta. Stir. Sprinkle with some sea salt and/or favorite spices.
Serve.
11.28.2007
Yummy gluten-free sausage
Check Aidells out at its Web site. They also have this to say about gluten: "Gluten is an ingredient in soy sauce which we use in some of our sausages. These are Thai, Lamb with Rosemary and Lemon Chicken. As for dairy products, our Pesto Sausage contains Romano cheese. Our spice blends are our trade secrets. However, if you are allergic to any particular spice, please contact us. We will happily tell you if it is in any of our products."
11.27.2007
How cell phones and Wi-Fi might cause autism
Autism is a disabling neuro-developmental disorder whose cause is not completely understood, but is known to involve heavy metal toxicity. American advocacy groups call autism "the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States." Twenty years ago, only 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed with some form of autism; U.S. government data show the rate in 2002 to be 1 in 150; clinicians who treat the disease estimate the occurrence today to be closer to 1 in 100.
Although some of the increase in autism can be ascribed to more efficient diagnosis by the medical community The children studied were seen by Tamara Mariea², a certified clinical nutritionist based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in treating autism. She is the primary author of the paper, along with Dr. George Carlo¹, an expert on the dangers of electromagnetic radiation (EMR), who headed the world’s largest research program on mobile phone health hazards in the 1990s. Their work revealed the autism-wireless technology connection following a series of tests on autistic children monitored during 2005 and 2006.
The autistic children followed specific detoxification protocols in an environment that was mitigated with regard to sources of EMR including mobile phones and WiFi³. Heavy metal excretions were monitored from hair, urine and feces over periods ranging from several weeks to several months. The researchers found that with protocols administered in the mitigated environment, heavy metals were cleared from the children’s bodies in a pattern dependent on time and molecular weight. The heaviest metals, such as mercury and uranium, cleared last. In many of the children, the decrease in metals was concomitant with symptom amelioration.Tamara Mariea, said: “These findings give us very important clues to solving some of the enigmas we see in the autism literature regarding the efficacy of detoxification. And, we are extremely pleased with the results we are now seeing in these children. Our protocols are working.”
Dr. Carlo said, “These findings tie in with other studies showing adverse cell-membrane responses and disruptions of normal cell physiology. The EMR apparently causes the metals to be trapped in cells, slowing clearance and accelerating the onset of symptoms.”
The authors point out that the rise in cases of autism is paralleled by the huge growth in mobile phone and WiFi usage since the late 1990’s – with worldwide wireless usage now having reached nearly 4 billion persons.
“Although some of the increase in autism can be ascribed to more efficient diagnosis by the medical community,” Dr. Carlo said, “A rise of this magnitude must have a major environmental cause. Our data offer a reasonable mechanistic explanation for a connection between autism and wireless technology.”
Notes to Editors:1. In the 1990s, Dr George Carlo headed the $28.5 million Wireless Technology Research program, funded by the mobile phone industry and overseen by the federal government, studying health hazards from mobile phone technology. He is currently head of the non-profit Science and Public Policy Institute, based in Washington, D.C. 2. Tamara Mariea is Director of Internal Balance, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2000, she has helped over 500 autistic children.
3. WiFi refers to technologies that use wireless communication to connect computers to the Internet.
11.26.2007
Helpful flu shot brochure
Autism medicine research & a dose of skepticism
INVESTIGATIONAL MEDICATION TO BE STUDIED IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 26 – Children with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of five and 17 years are needed to participate in a research study looking at how a medicine called fluoxetine works to relieve the repetitive behavior and other symptoms associated with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The study will take place at the John Merck Child Outpatient Clinic and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).
Researchers are looking for both children with autism and those who have symptoms of ASD. For the purpose of this study, fluoxetine is investigational. An investigational drug is one which has not been approved for this use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impairments in communication and social interaction skills, as well as the presence of stereotyped patterns of behavior. Many children with autism also experience challenging behaviors, such as overactivity, anxiety, irritability and agitation. The targeted behaviors for this study include:
· constant rocking, spinning, twirling or pacing
· repeating words or phrases over and over
· repeating activities such as going in and out of doorways, picking up and putting down objects
· insisting objects be in a precise order; or that they do things in a particular way or particular order, et cetera
· insisting parents or caregivers perform activities in the same manner over and over again
· asking the same questions or making the same requests over and over
· issues with any other type of repetitive behavior that interferes with daily function
The study will require nine visits, and additional visits may be scheduled if clinically indicated. Participants will be compensated for their time.
11.23.2007
Autism research at Harvard
THE HARVARD GANG
By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.
You can always tell a Harvard guy,” my dad would say, beginning one of the innumerable jokes he told during my youth.
“How?” my brother and I would respond, knowing we were being set up.
“Because he has to tell you he went to Harvard within the first five minutes you meet him,” came the answer.
If earlier generations of the crimson and black were known for trumpeting their credentials, I have to admit that the current crop now impresses me with their research into solving some of the mysteries of autism.
Dr. Martha Herbert of Harvard Medical School first caught my attention back in 2005 with her article, “Large Brains in Autism: The Challenge of Pervasive Abnormality.” Dr. Herbert was investigating the most replicated finding in autism neuroanatomy, namely that autistics seem to have unusually large brains. In her review of autism research, she noted that the picture which was emerging suggested inflammation as a reason for the large brains observed in autistic children.
Dr Herbert wrote, “Although there is a great deal of heterogeneity to the medical complaints that frequently accompany autism, there are common threads that may indicate common or related molecular and cellular mechanisms between body and brain. For instance, the pathophysiologies of inflammation and oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity are greatly linked, and it appears these types of mechanisms are implicated in the brain as well as some of the sensory and sleep regulation, epilepsy, immune, and gastro-intestinal complaints commonly seen in autism.”
To translate the medical-speak, inflammation is something we know from infections or injuries, oxidative stress is another expression for the signs of stress on the body from chemicals, and excitotoxicity is another word for how nerve cells responds to toxins.
Read the rest at Age of Autism.
11.22.2007
Gluten free stuffing ... just in time for Thanksgiving
Garlic, Onion and Sage Stuffing
Source of Recipe: Angela Lowry
List of Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted GFCF margarine (I just used canola oil in a pan)
2 small onions, finely chopped (I used 1 medium onion)
2 celery stalks, diced (I used 1 stalk)
5 garlic cloves, chopped (I used 3)
6 cups GFCF bread cubes (I used 1 recipe of Noah's Bread)
1 1/2 tablespoons rubbed or ground dried sage
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (I skipped this and added a pinch of cayenne pepper)
2 eggs, beaten to blend (I used flax eggs)
1 cup chicken stock or canned broth (I used homemade)
Recipe
Melt margarine/oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add
onions, celery and garlic and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes.
Combine bread, sage, salt, oregano, thyme, pepper and other spices in large bowl. Stir in onion mixture and eggs. Add stock and mix well.
Use to stuff goose, turkey, duck or chicken, or prepare as a side dish by baking in a casserole dish covered with oiled foil. I baked 20 mins at 350.
Happy Thanksgiving.
11.21.2007
Pumpkin spice cake
Ingredients
1 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
1 tbsp carob or cocoa powder
3 flax eggs
1¼ cups sugar
½ cup oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin (Libby's is gluten free)
1 Tbsp powdered sugar (reserved for later to sprinkle over cooled cake)
Directions
In large bowl, combine flours, Xanthan Gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and carob/cocoa. Mix. Set aside.
Place flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 tbsp water - microwave 30 secs., let sit 5 mins), sugar and oil in mixing bowl and beat until blended. Add vanilla and pumpkin, mix another minute. Add mixed dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Pour batter into 10 cup capacity Bundt Pan which has been greased. I use Spectrum organic shortening. Sprinkle pan with sugar (approximately 1 tablespoon sugar). Bake in 350° oven for up to 40 minutes, checking after 30. Turn Bundt out onto serving tray and allow to cool. Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Domino sugar is gluten free. Or, try a Wholesome Sweeteners product.
Forced vaccinations? What's going on in Maryland?
Maryland County Gets Tough On Vaccinations
For the parents that converged on a courthouse in Prince George's County, Md., on Saturday morning, the choice seemed clear: Vaccinate your kids or go to jail.
In fact, there are exemptions for medical or religious reasons in the state of Maryland. But few parents standing in lines that stretched down the sidewalk outside the county courthouse said they were aware of them.
Flanked by protesters and television crews, parents said they just wanted to sort out immunizations, so their kids could go back to school - and they could avoid penalties of up to 10 days in jail and $50 a day in fines.
"I've got too many children to raise to go to jail," says Remy Durham, who cares for her nephew, Lamonte Hyter, along with seven other children.
All states require that children be immunized from some childhood diseases, but the crackdown in Prince George's County has attracted international attention.
"We've had calls and e-mail from all over the country, especially the Midwest, as well as England, Germany, and Poland," says Glenn Ivey, state's attorney in Prince George's County, in a phone interview.
A lot of the uproar over the county's new approach to this issue was fueled by misinformation, he said - especially Web sites that said "we were going to start arresting people." One critic "called me a jackbooted representative of a United Nations, international pharmaceutical conspiracy," he says.
In fact, no decision has been made yet on what steps to take next, and it was never intended to scare people, he says. He's boiled his answer to critics down to one line: "It's about getting kids back in school, not to put parents in jail," he said.
By the start of the 2007 school year, more than 2,800 children in Prince George's County were not in compliance with state mandates on immunizations. The school board asked the courts to help by setting up a date for parents to either have their children vaccinated on site or provide evidence that they were in compliance with the law.
11.20.2007
A Thanksgiving experiment
- Roast chicken
- Sausage stuffing
- Mashed potatoes
- Pumpkin cake
- Carrots
And if we don't connect again until later, Happy Thanksgiving.
11.18.2007
Pizza omelet - GFCF style
Ingredients
---------------
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced fine
1/4 medium onion, diced
sliced pepperoni (or, alternatively, bacon or sausage -- see below)
sea salt
4 eggs
oil - I use canola
Now, heat a little oil in a pan. I really only use enough to coat the bottom, if that. Once hot, toss in the potatoes. In 5 mins, add the onion. In another 5 mins, add the pepperoni.
When the pepperoni starts to look cooked through, crack the eggs over the potato mix. You can make these scrambled, if desired, or keep the yolks intact. Let cook through on one side, then flip with a spatula. Season with sea salt, and if desired, pepper.
Now, this is good. It looks fun too. The pepperoni circles resemble a pizza and the yolks help that look also. Plus, it tastes great.
You can buy GFCF pepperoni at your local supermarket -- I believe Hormel makes a GF brand. Also, our local Giant Eagle started selling GF pepperoni (and it's marked with a real GF symbol now -- they finally realized there's a market for this stuff -- yeah!). Or, you can buy Wellshire Farms pizza pepperoni. If not, use an alternative, like Applegate Farms sausage, or Applegate Farms bacon. All healthy stuff -- and it tastes great. Also, remember, not all traditional breakfast foods have to be just for breakfast. This can be a good dinner too, especially if you're in need of more dinner ideas.
Fried potatoes
11.16.2007
Banning hormone-free labels?
USA Today
Pa. bars hormone-free milk labels
Synthetic hormones have been used to improve milk production in cows for more than a decade. The chemical has not been detected in milk, so there is no way to test for its use, but a growing number of retailers have been selling and promoting hormone-free products in response to consumer demand.
State Agriculture Secretary Dennis C. Wolff said advertising one brand of milk as free from artificial hormones implies that competitors' milk is not safe, and it often comes with what he said is an unjustified higher price.
"It's kind of like a nuclear arms race," Wolff said. "One dairy does it and the next tries to outdo them. It's absolutely crazy."
Agricultural regulators in New Jersey and Ohio are considering following suit, the latest battle in a long-standing dispute over whether injecting cows with bovine growth hormone affects milk.
Effective Jan. 1, dairies selling milk in Pennsylvania, the nation's fifth-largest dairy state, will be banned from advertising that their product comes from cows that have never been treated with rBST, or recombinant bovine somatotropin.
The product, sold by St. Louis-based Monsanto Co. under the brand name Posilac, is the country's largest-selling dairy pharmaceutical. It is also known as recombinant bovine growth hormone, or rBGH.
It has been approved for use in the U.S. since 1994, although safety concerns have spurred an increase in rBST-free product sales. The hormone is banned in the European Union, Canada, Australia and Japan, largely out of concern that it may be harmful to herd health.
Monsanto spokesman Michael Doane said the hormone-free label "implies to consumers, who may or may not be informed on these issues, that there's a health-and-safety difference between these two milks, that there's 'good' milk and 'bad' milk, and we know that's not the case."
Rick North of the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, a leading critic of the artificial growth hormone, said the Pennsylvania rules amounted to censorship.
"This is a clear example of Monsanto's influence," he said. "They're getting clobbered in the marketplace by consumers everywhere wanting rBGH-free products."
Acting on a recommendation of an advisory panel, the Pennsylvania Agriculture Department has notified 16 dairies in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts that their labels were false or misleading and had to be changed by the end of December.
"There's absolutely no way to certify whether the milk is from cattle treated or not treated" with rBST, Wolff said. "Some of the dairies that have enforced this, it's absolutely the honor system."
Rutter's Dairy Inc., a central Pennsylvania company that sells about 300,000 gallons a week, began promoting its milk as free of artificial hormones this summer. It has fired back at the state decision with full-page newspaper ads and a lobbying campaign. It is also urging customers to protest.
"We just think the consumers are more keenly aware in today's world about where their food comes from and how their food is manufactured or handled," said Rutter's President Todd Rutter.
Rutter's sells its milk at the state's minimum price, but a national spot check of prices by the American Farm Bureau last month found "rBST-free" milk typically costs about 25% more.