Gluten Free

Knowledge is power. The more you know about living a gluten free lifestyle the better. With so much misinformation surrounding foods and products that contain gluten, your best bet is to go to the authority in the field and check out the Canadian Celiac Association website. Click on: http://www.celiac.ca/diet.php for more information and the Gluten Free Diet Plan.

The Canadian Celiac Association has several comprehensive lists of the foods that people living with celiac disease need to avoid, question, and can have in their diets.

Here is their list of foods to avoid:

For a list of foods to question click on http://www.celiac.ca/foods2question.php

And for the foods that you are allowed on your diet click on: http://www.celiac.ca/foodsallowed.php

Metro, an Ontario and Quebec based grocery store chain, has their own label of 15 gluten free products.

Here is a pancake recipe that I created for them using their Irrestistibles Gluten Free Pancake Mix:

Pancakes using Irrestistibles Gluten Free Pancake Mix

Makes 10 pancakes

¾ cup (175 mL) skim milk

1 – omega-3 egg

2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil

½ cup (125 mL) grated apple, scrubbed, patted dry, peel left on when grating

1 cup (250 mL) Irrestistibles Gluten Free Pancake Mix

1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon

1.       Preheat oven to 200º F (95 ºC).

2.       In a medium bowl whisk together the milk, egg, and oil.

3.       Add the grated apple and mix well.

4.       Add the pancake mix and cinnamon and whisk until well combined.

5.       Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of canola oil or spray to lightly coat the pan.

6.       Before you spoon out the batter make sure that you give it a stir each time.

7.       Spoon in 2 heaping tablespoons of batter per each pancake, swirl batter with the back of the spoon to make a 3-inch (8 cm) pancake and cook till bubbles form on the top of the batter and the underside is dark golden brown, flip and cook the other side till done. Keep warm in oven, on an oven proof pan or plate till all pancakes are cooked.

8.       Serve with pure maple syrup.

Chocolate Icing

Recipe adapted from Healthy Starts Here! By Mairlyn Smith out April 2011

2 Tbsp. (30 mL) unsalted butter

1 oz. (25 g) unsweetened chocolate

6 Tbsp. (90 mL) skim milk

2 ½ cups (650 mL) icing sugar

1/3 cup (75 mL) natural cocoa powder

1.      Put the butter, unsweetened chocolate and milk in a microwave able dish.

2.       Heat on medium-low for 1 minute. Stir. Repeat till almost melted. Stir till totally melted. The key is to underdo it. Scorched chocolate is ruined chocolate. And in some countries it’s considered a sin. Or melt over the stove.

3.      Pour the melted chocolate into a medium bowl, don’t lick this – it’s unsweetened.

4.      Add the icing sugar and the cocoa powder and beat till smooth. If it is too thick add a little bit milk until you reach the desired thickness. Lick beaters if desired.

5.      Ice cupcakes when they are completely cooled, preferably at room temperature.

Fresh California Guacamole

Recipe from Ultimate Foods for Ultimate Health and don’t forget the chocolate!

I’m in love with avocados. They are one sexy little dark green powerhouse of nutrients and flavour. Remember fat calories tend to be high, so even though this is nutrient dense, its calorie dense as well, you only get a little.

1 ripe Hass Avocado, peeled and chopped,

2 stalks green onion, sliced thinly

About 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lime juice

Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

1.                  Gently toss together all ingredients with a fork. Use immediately or store in fridge for up to 8-10 hours.

Makes – ¾ cup (175 mL)

Serves – 5 – 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) per serving

Each 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) serving contains

60 Calories, 4 g Total fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 0 mg Sodium, 3 g Carbs, 0 g Fibre, 1 g Protein

How do I peel and chop an avocado?

Well there are more ways to do it than you’d think. Ask any chef and they’ll have their own version.

My way is to wash it first, then to cut in lengthwise and then twist off the halves. I pry off the pit by gently stabbing it with the sharp end of my knife. Once the pit is removed I use a small knife to make small cuts into the avocado, first in one direction, and then in the opposite, sometimes called cross hatching, I have no idea why. Then I flip it inside out and the avocado is in pieces and easily removed from the peel. Alternatively just scoop out the avocado with a small spoon or tiny melon scoop.

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