Perfect Pumpkin Applesauce Bundt Cake

More fall food, you say?  Why yes!  Readers, as you know, in the fall I'm all about the awesome autumn ingredients!

I'm going to get a little reminiscent here; this cake means a lot to me.  When I was first leaping off the gluten train, I felt lost and overwhelmed.  First I had to mourn the loss of conventional baked goods, then I had to figure out how to make GF baked goods.  This led to much kitchen trauma.  Gluten-free living wasn't as well publicized 5 years ago (forget about those poor people who had to go GF 20+ years ago!  They had to search high and low for info.)  Even in the last 2 years, I have seen leaps and bounds in availability in products and awareness in lifestyle.

So after much confusion regarding mixing flours and figuring out substitutions, I started baked away and failing.  Not just failing- failing wildly!  Unbaked cakes.  Burned on the outside cakes, undone in the middle.  Brick heavy baked goods.  Tasteless.  Odorless.  Odor-full.

Frustrated, I reached out on message boards to experienced GF bakers for help and consolation.  One genius baker suggested a fix to my unbaked cake debacle:  She used bundt pans for cakes because there was no center, so everything baked fully and well.  Looking back, I'm sure there was a scientific fix to this disaster, but I thought that was a brilliant idea!  I bought a bundt pan and tried again.  Success!  Happiness flooded my tired, frustrated GF body, and I nearly cried.  It was the moment I realized I could do this.  I could bake GF, and it would be okay.  Everything would be okay.

This Pumpkin-Applesauce Bundt Cake is the very first cake recipe I made-up (based on a basic regular cake recipe) and it not only baked beautifully, it tasted fantastic.  In fact, it's my highest rated public posted recipe on Food.com.  It was the first time I felt truly proud of making something from scratch.  This cake defines the beginning of my GF journey.

As an added bonus, I recently had the opportunity of sharing this cake recipe on the brilliant site Eating Rules which marked another one of my firsts:  a guest post.

So get ready to bake up and enjoy this moist, delicious superstar.  Feel free to add some festive chocolate glazing for a fantastic Halloween treat!

NOTE: Do NOT try and make this cake in any regular pan. Because of its moisture level, it will only cook normally in a bundt pan.

Pumpkin Applesauce Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (I've been using Coconut Sugar these days, but any will do)

2 cups cooked/canned pure pumpkin

1 cup unsweetened natural applesauce

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 eggs

2 cups any all purpose gluten-free flour mix (I like to use a sorghum mix, yay whole grains!)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder (corn-free, Hain Pure Foods is great)

2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy.

Blend in sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, and oil by hand or with a mixer on low just until combined.  Do NOT overmix!

Add all dry ingredients, one at a time, blending together.

Pour batter into a greased, large bundt pan and bake for 1 hour.

Check with a toothpick/knife to make sure it's cooked through, cool, and enjoy!

Don't forget to freeze left-overs, wrapping in parchment paper before storing.

I hope this cake brings you as much joy as it brought me :)

Cranberries & Apples- A Perfect Match

I can never get over the joys of fall produce; I nearly yelped when fresh cranberries lined the display of my local grocery.  There is only one way to celebrate the arrival of cranberries: my Cranberry-Apple Chutney!  Now it's not technically a chutney in the traditional sense, where vegetables are cooked down with spices, but it has the same consistency and would not pass as a sauce or jam.  That's why I call it a chutney- don't hate ;)

There is so much to adore about this sumptuous side:

• The color is vibrant and immediately jazzes up every plate. 
• The fragrance is to die for.
• It's the perfect compliment to meats and veggies that need a little tang.
• What better way to get loads of fiber and antioxidants?

As always, this chutney is an extremely easy fix.  It takes at most about 30 minutes from start to finish, and the ingredients are affordable.  A little also goes a long way.

The flavor is adjustable depending upon what your tastes are.  I like this quite tart, quite.  My recipe is based on those specific tastes.  Please feel free to use more sugar to your tastes.  The best way to do that is to add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach a preferred flavor.  Same if you're a spice-a-holic:  feel free to up the spices a teaspoon at a time.  This recipe is mild-medium spiced.  The cranberry has an overpowering flavor, so you may decide you need more spice for them to shine through.

Cranberry-Apple Chutney

Ingredients:
2 small gala apples, peeled and diced or rough chopped
12 oz cranberries, rinsed and dried
6 tbs desired sugar (I prefer Coconut Sugar, always try to use Fair Trade!)
1 tbs Earth Balance Soy-Free or comparable fat (butter, margarine etc...)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Melt the Earth Balance (or fat) low heat in a medium saucepan.

Add apple, and stir to coat, sauteing until the apples become slightly tender but not browned.

Add cranberries and all spices stirring to combine.

Raise to medium-high heat, stirring constantly to avoid sticking.
Add sugar 1 tbs at a time, while stirring.
The cranberries will begin to break down due to the heat.  Give the pot a stir, wait about 30 seconds, and then re-stir, repeating so that the cranberries will break down evenly.
When all the cranberries are broken down and the mixture looks like this:

Taste the mixture.  Too tart?  Add more sugar one tbs at a time.  Not spiced enough?  Add more spices one tsp at a time.  Stir constantly.

When desired flavor is reached, remove mixture from stove and transfer to serving dish.  I like to let the dish cool to room temperature.  Feel free to serve hot or chill for a colder dish.

Ta-da, you're done!  Now didn't I tell you that was easy?

Fall's Here! Butternut Squash Fries Anyone?

It's fall again which means it's time for yummy autumn produce to line the aisles of your favorite farmer's markets and grocery stores.  I for one have been getting increasingly excited as the apples, squash, pumpkins and cranberries start rolling in.  How many amazing things can you make with all of these delicious ingredients?  Countless.  But let's start with a personal favorite:  Butternut Squash Fries.

This recipe is ridiculously easy; the only things you need are a super sharp knife and patients.  Although I love these fries, I hate cutting up raw butternut.  Probably because until this year, I didn't have a super sharp knife.  Please make sure when you're cutting up the squash that you protect yourself by making sure the squash is stable against a cutting surface and that your fingers and body are kept away from the knife, because you will be pushing against the produce. 

The end result is more than worth it!  This is a super healthy, vegan-friendly and allergy-free alternative to the potato fry craving.  You'll want to eat them all at once, so the only real problem with these fries is saving some for the next day ;)

Butternut Squash Fries

Ingredients:
1 medium/large Butternut Squash
1 small bunch fresh thyme (leaves detached from stems and chopped up)
1 small bunch fresh rosemary (leaves detached from stems and chopped up)
olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Peel the squash.
Cut in half and scoop out seeds/pulp; throw seeds/pulp away.
Cut the butternut into thin fry shapes.  Chunky steak fry shapes will need to cook longer.

Toss the fries in olive oil.
Transfer the fries to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet in one layer (or two sheets if they don't fit on one.)

Sprinkle with salt/pepper to taste.
Bake for about 25 minutes, flip fries over, then return to oven.
Bake for 10 more minutes and then sprinkle thyme and rosemary over the fries and return to oven.
Check in 5-10 more minutes.  When fries are soft (and they should be by then) remove from oven.
Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately.  If you cover them or reheat them in a microwave they will get soggier, just like real potato fries.

These are a delicious side dish for guests of all kinds and a vibrant addition to any plate.  It's also a great way to sneak in nutrients for picky eaters.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Cauliflower Fiesta!

Since I've returned home, cooking has been one of the only things on my mind.  Traveling can be fun, but after a while, restaurant food just isn't going to cut it.  Not to mention that its sometimes just not as fun looking as what you can create at home.

Many people think that making healthy food appetizing is a labor intensive ordeal, or even worse, making healthy or Gluten Free/Allergy Free eats means putting nothing in the food at all.  Plain meats, plain steamed veggies, plain depressing!

I disagree.  Making healthy, GF and allergy-free foods can taste AMAZING only with the use of:

• Colors
• Textures
• Spices & Herbs

Take today's recipe star ingredient for example:  Cauliflower.  Now I know many people who dislike poor cauliflower because they think its boring and tasteless and colorless.  Well, of course if you don't dress up cauliflower you might get that impression, BUT what if you took it to a party.  What if you said to the cauliflower, it's time to get jazzed up and have a little fun!

That's what I did today with my veggies.  I added colors with sweet long red peppers, some purplish hued shallots, some green chives, and a little sprinkle or sweet paprika.  Now I made my fiesta a little hot, hot, hot, because I like a spicy party in my mouth, but feel free to scale back on any ingredients or to saute the shallots and garlic first to calm them down a bit.  

Although this requires some prep work, it is a super easy dish that packs a pow of flavors!

Cauliflower Fiesta

 (Before its oven-baked)

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, steamed until soft but not mushy, about 30-40 minutes, then chopped

2 sweet long red peppers, diced

1 handfull of chives, finely chopped

1 large shallot, diced or chopped (depending how much pow you want)

2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped

1 tbs Soy-Free Earth Balance, softened

sea salt to taste

sweet paprika to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix chopped, steamed cauliflower with all diced and chopped veggies, Earth Balance and seasoning.

Transfer mixture to a lightly olive-oil greased square pan.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes letting the ingredients get to know each other.

Serve it up! 

If there's not enough crunch for you, think of sprinkling some GF bread crumbs on top or adding some sunflower seeds.  This makes the perfect everyone friendly side dish and you can even add beans to make it a main affair.

Traveling is Nuts

Hi all,

It feels like I've been anywhere but home this entire summer as I jumped from location to location for many different reasons.  I've been to 6 states alone in the last couple of months, and now that I'm back in my own home and kitchen I am thankful.  Traveling may be hard on the tummy, but that's just one problem.

It's nuts.  It's those damn peanuts on planes.

I know, I know what you're thinking: Another whiner and complainer trying to take away my plane peanuts.  Doesn't she know that those peanuts are the only reason that I get on a plane?  If they switched to pretzels, I'd damn near drive everywhere!

It's not as if I truly care what anyone eats as long as I don't have to eat peanuts, but in such a small, confined space complete with re-circulated air, flying becomes a dangerous gamble.  Depending on the amount of nut-eaters around me, I may have a very small reaction.  Recently though, I've had several bad experiences on planes.

We'll start with a big problem I had flying Southwest- they gave every passenger about 3 or more packets of peanuts.  There was such an overwhelming amount of peanut dust and smell flying through the air because of Southwest's "generosity" I couldn't breathe.  When a passenger starts to turn green, has trouble clearing her airways, and feels like she's going to pass out, I think it's time to re-evaluate the worth of other passengers' beloved peanuts.

Now what would those peanut fanaticals say in response to my plight?  Don't fly lady, if you're allergic!  For some people who don't travel as much, that may be an option.  But it's not for me.  I wish those nut zealots would just consider that if they could just make peace with pretzels, I could breathe.  Another human being could breathe normally.

I've signed countless petitions for airlines to fly nut-free throughout the years.  Although some have definitely complied, others, like Southwest have not.  I had no control over what airline I flew when I had to get on that Southwest flight (because of the location), but they had control of what they could have chosen to serve on the flight.

It's not just the people eating the peanuts that causes a problem either.  I flew Delta as well during my months of travel, and when I boarded one of my flights there were peanuts all over the floor and riddled about everywhere.  Because of tight airline schedules, companies don't really clean anymore between flights.  So now, its not only the peanut air, it's the peanutty chairs, tables, and even windows.  Getting rashes from sitting on a flight isn't any better than not being able to breathe.

Listen, whenever I can I fly peanut-free airlines, but it's not always an option.  The economy has changed the competition and less airlines fly to less places.  Sometimes, you only have nut airlines to choose from.  It seems like an age-old complaint: stop serving peanuts on airplanes!

It's just too easy to not serve peanuts, and that's why I don't understand why they still do.

Taste with a Twist: Kim & Scott's GF Pretzels

Do you miss soft pretzels?

I do too.  Or I did, that is, until one magical day I heard that Kim & Scott's Cafe Twist in Chicago was serving up a mythical GF Soft Pretzel.  Now anyone who has read my blog knows that mimicking specialty bread products to taste exactly like their gluten-filled counterparts is not my strong suit.  Nor is it the strong suit of many companies that also attempt to mimic them.

Of course, when I read that Kim & Scott's was saying they made a Gluten Free Bavarian Pretzel at first I was skeptical.  Then the reviews of visits to the cafe broke out into the blogosphere, and raves were traveling faster than you can say "hot mustard."

But I don't live in Chicago, and I hadn't actually planned a trip anytime soon to the area.  And so I resolved sadly to take my salivating tongue and roll it back into my deprived mouth.  I would have to wait until I could make it to Cafe Twist in person.  Or would I...

About a year after hearing about Kim & Scott's, I nearly plotzed as I passed a Whole Foods Freezer case that had their fantastic GF pretzels.  It seemed to be surrounded by a halo of light while angels sang a choral, but then I reasoned it was probably just the fluorescent lighting and the smooth adult contemporary and my excitement was playing tricks on me.

Then, I saw the price tag.  $6.99 for two, yes TWO frozen pretzels?!  Ouch!  Well, I was no closer to Chicago than I was a year ago and decided if I wanted to taste the legend that was the real GF Bavarian Pretzel, I would choke down and swallow my bargain hunting pride, buying the expensive treat.

I opened the box and unwrapped the brown, twisty goodness and decided I would first try it microwaved.  They do offer salt packets for the more ballpark inclined, but I like my pretzels without all the fuss.  Don't worry though, if you skip the salt, the pretzels is anything but bland!

The consistency, smell, texture, and flavor nailed it, just NAILED it for those of us who have been waiting in vain for such a reminder of childhood outings to the city or ballpark.  Of course, the oven heated version was a little bit better than the microwaved one, but only because whenever you microwave a bread product is has the occasional tendency to get harder in one part than another. 

I also added a little Soy Free Earth Balance on one for a little extra flavor- and BAM- heaven from a freezer aisle.  Who knew?

More importantly, Kim & Scott's is very allergy aware using a nut-free production facility and offering dairy-free, egg-free, and GF options in their cafe for those seeking alternatives for themselves and their loved ones.

The only downside of this whole review is that I really can't purchase the pretzels more regularly because of the price, but I entered this relationship with my eyes open and *sniff* I guess we'll just have to part until a special occasion pops up!

Look out for Kim & Scott's in your freezer aisle or if you're in Chicago, go to Cafe Twist (2218 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614.)  But don't tell me about; I'll just get jealous ;)

True Food Kitchen: A Stomach's Best Friend

Who would have thought that one of my new favorite restaurants would be in a mall?  Santa Monica Place, the completely new, gutted and remolded replacement for the old mall at the start of the 3rd Street promenade is a far more upscale experience than it previously was.  High fashion stores, lots of bling, and much better restaurants.

I was fortunate enough to dine at one of these restaurants before it opened and let me just tell you- get there, get there fast!  Also, so you know, my meal was complimentary, but that in no way colors my judgement of the restaurant.  If I didn't enjoy my meal, you would not be hearing about it folks.

True Food Kitchen's concept was born from Dr. Andrew Weil, my new favorite culinary hero.  Why is he such a cool guy?  He's based his menu on the principle that food should be a nutritious, healthy, and an anti-inflammatory experience.  "According to Dr. Weil: 'Following an anti-inflammatory diet can help counteract the chronic inflammation that is a root cause of many serious diseases, including those that become more frequent as people age. It is a way of selecting and preparing foods based on science that can help people achieve and maintain optimum health over their lifetime.'" (from the TFK website)

Personally, these are principles I take very seriously being an allergic & gluten-free eater living a healthy lifestyle.  Eating out at True Food Kitchen makes dining an enjoyable experience, even for the most sensitive of us.  I suspect that this has something to do with the extremely extensive training program that the staff was required to go through in order to work there.  My unendingly helpful server, Gary, explained that all staff went through a couple of weeks (not hours, not days) but weeks of training.  They learned all about food allergies, intolerances and food related diseases like Celiac, veganism, vegetarianism, food preparation, safety practices and so much more.  Gary knew the answer to all of my questions instantly, and that's never happened in a regular restaurant before.

I started my meal with a Cucumber Refresher drink.  It's a mixture of fresh cucumber & honey lemonade, all fresh from their fresh juice bar.  Though I chose a pre-suggested drink from the menu, diners can make up their own juice combinations that delight them.  The drink was very refreshing, a little sweet and very cucumbery!  It was a nice way to wake my palate up before the meal.







As a starter, I ordered the soup of the day, Immunity Soup.  This soup featured an ingredient I'd never heard of- astragules root- which when eaten regularly can help protect the body from stress, diabetes, and even cancers.  All I was thinking about was how delicious it was!  The root was complemented by an earthy, umami happy broth, mushrooms, broccoli, and carrot coins.  The soup was very warming; the perfect remedy for any sick day. 

I debated what I should choose as my main course.  You see, the menu offers many, many Gluten Free choices, including pizzas.  There were so many choices (which never happens when you go out) that I had to ask for the staff's advice.  The several people who checked on me during my seating were all asked what their favorite meal was.  Although each agreed they liked almost all the dishes, most raved particularly about the Panang Curry.  Now, I have never been a huge curry fan, but how can that many people be wrong?

When the curry arrived, piping hot, the scent I breathed in was simply intoxicating.  My first bite was foodgasmic.  Did the chef sprinkle angel tears on this bad boy?  I didn't want to speak.  I didn't want to drink.  I just wanted to eat this curry, possibly forever. 

 tell me that isn't gorgeous

The curry which sat in a creamy coconut broth could have very easily been too rich.  But everything about it was perfectly balanced:  spicy yet smooth, rich yet not too thick, perfectly sized vegetables to meat ratio.  The brown rice buried below the broth was not soggy, instead absolutely perfect consistency.  How'd they do that?!  The rich coating of the curry would slide off my tongue and a touch of sizzle would linger politely on it to remind me that I wanted more.  This is a curry you dream about.  True Food Kitchen, I am now a curry convert.

When I had to choose a dessert, I was still mourning my empty bowl of curry.  Could I do that course again?  No, no.  I had to be practical and move on.  I looked at the dessert menu; again, several choices for the GF and Vegan eater.

I chose a very simple, light finish, a Low-Fat Lemon Ginger Frozen Yogurt, made fresh on premises.  I'm such a whore for ginger, and the delicious and subtle fresh flavors of the yogurt adorned with blueberries was really the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Now what was the best part.   Was it the food?  The friendly staff?  The modern and clean atmosphere?  Well all of that was great, but my favorite part is that I can go back to True Food Kitchen and try several other combinations of dishes over and over again because the menu is riddled with GF friendly fare!  I don't feel trapped in a box at True Food Kitchen, and although I ate quite a substantial meal, I didn't feel gross when I left.  I felt very full, but not heavy.  I felt satisfied and clean, and my stomach did not hurt.  I ate curry and had no stomach ache?  Points again for you, True Food Kitchen.

When you visit the now open True Food Kitchen (and if you live in LA or near other locations, you really should,) you are likely to find me sitting at a table there, devouring whatever delicious delicacy I can. 

True Food Kitchen (395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 172, Santa Monica, CA 90401, 310-593-8300)