Celebrate! Good Times?

BS"D

Last Shabbos, we had two celebrations to attend. One was a shalom zachor, the celebration on Friday night to welcome a new baby, and a bar mitzvah the following day. Both are known for endless tables of baked goods and other goodies. So, of course I came prepared. For the shalom zachor, I packed up two luscious, sprinkle ridden cupcakes for Lillie and Rosie, I even put them on their own plates. So, when we arrived, I was able to pop out their desserts and place them in front of the girls. It was not an issue of trawling the dessert table to maybe or maybe not find something acceptable for their dietary needs (more likely not).

They happily licked and munched their cupcakes, but as children will be children, their eyes are bigger than their stomachs. And, their big eyes spied an artfully arranged bowl of blue chocolate lollipops. "Can we have them?", they asked hopefully, knowing my usual answer of, "No, they're allergic and/or have gluten," was coming. But it didn't. I thought long and hard. Knowing they were homemade, and knowing that only one store in my neighborhood sold the blue confectioner's chocolate, I wracked my brain trying to think of any offensive ingredients. I decided it was worth trying, praying silently Lillie wouldn't be moaning with pain the next day, and I would go to the head of the list for Most Irresponsible Parent of the Year award. Their eyes lit up when I said yes and they eagerly grabbed for the blue chocolate teddy bears and baby shoes. They ripped off the cellophane and carefully curled blue, shiny ribbon, and chomped eagerly into this rare treat. It gave me joy to know they could choose something off the dessert table, like all the other children. But, I know that being a "good" parent doesn't mean doing what necessarily makes your child happy, rather it means making the responsible choice---I hope I had.

The next day Lillie was fine, and I breathed a sigh of relief. One point for me. I was floating on the cloud of satisfaction about the prior night's event going so well, that I didn't see the figurative wall that loomed in front of me at the bar mitzvah. Once again we set off with the girls' food packed in a small tote bag, along with the Epipen and Benadryl. Usually we can find something for Rosie in the form of fruit or potato chips, and we weren't disappointed. But, we recently were told to be more circumspect with Lillie at parties as potato chips for example, could be cross contaminated with crumbs from the pretzels clinging to someone's hand as they reach into the bowl. We gave the two older girls fruit, and Rosie had some pretzels. Daisie was given a cookie I hoped wouldn't make too much of a mess and Hubby and I helped ourselves to kugel and salads. Then the trouble started. I paused as I was spooning some apple kugel into Daisie's mouth, and when I reached down to give her another spoonful, Rosie was in her place. I panicked, the egg laden kugel had touched Rosie's mouth, but not gone further, as far as I could tell. I wiped it off, then we waited. I watched her like a hawk for an outbreak, but thank goodness, nothing appeared. In the meantime, Lillie kept staring wistfully at the displays of gorgeous chocolate and nut cakes, and trays of cookies she couldn't have. Then the whining started. I pointed out a large bowl of tortilla chips (hopefully uncontaminated) I felt were alright for her, but she wasn't interested. At eye level were bowls of chocolate pastilles. Once she got hold of the idea, she roped Rosie into the whine fest. "But we had candy last night at the party, why can't we have today?" went the argument. "Well, I said, these have decorations and I need to look at the ingredients, also most dark chocolates are produced on equipment with nuts." I made my way into the kitchen to try to find the containers for these chocolates. No luck! I returned to my kids and had to deliver a firm no, and point out what they could have. The protests ensued, loudly. The "unfairs" flew like bullets at me. I turned toward Hubby and strongly suggested he finish up and we head home. I was deflated. I was the "mean mommy" that afternoon. But, I knew I was really the "responsible mommy", and that means doing what is necessary for your kids well being, not what is popular with them 100% of the time.


In general, I try to be well prepared so my children don't feel a "lack" at social functions. For an upcoming party at school, I asked the director what will be served, so if for example they are having chocolate chip cookies, I will try and send in permissible chocolate chip cookies, so they don't feel so different. For birthdays, I like to make really great decorated cakes, so their isn't a feeling of having a "nebby" allergy-free or gluten-free cake. This year, I had a joint party for Lillie and Rosie (their birthdays are one month apart), and I made an egg free, dairy free chocolate cake to accommodate Rosie, and a gluten-free vanilla cake for Lillie. Both butterfly cakes looked fabulous and received rave reviews. No one could tell they were "special" cakes. For Lillie's cake, I decided to try a "regular" recipe and put Jules Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour to the test. It passed with flying colors. I used a recipe from Desserts by the Yard by Sherry Yard, Spago's pastry chef. The cake has more eggs than most birthday cake recipes, so I feel they really gave the gluten-free flour the structure that it needs. I made the cake the day before, and it was buttery tasting and light the next day.

Here is my gluten-free, (and optionally dairy-free) version of Sherry Yard's favorite birthday cake. You can experiment with your favorite gluten-free flour blend, but I cannot guarantee the results will be the same as mine.

My Favorite White Birthday Cake with Chocolate and Butter Fudge Frosting
from Desserts by the Yard, p. 7, by Sherry Yard

For the cake:
3 cups Jules Gluten- Free All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter or Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks margarine
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk or soy or rice milk

For the frosting:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, or Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks margarine

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven, and pre-heat to 350F degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together two times and set aside.

3. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large bowl and a hand mixer, and beat together at medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Scrape down the paddle or beaters and the sides of the bowl.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

5. Beating on low speed, add the milk and the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating wet and dry ingredients. Beat only until smooth. Scrape into the prepared pans.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, switching the position of the pans from front to bake and rotating them halfway through. To test the cake for doneness, lightly touch the top with a finger-it should spring back into place; the cake should also be beginning to pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. If necessary, bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.

7. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack and remove the pans. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours before frosting. (The cakes may be wrapped and refrigerated or frozen at this point).

For the frosting:
1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl (or double boiler) on 50 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to cool until warm to the touch.

9. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until fluffy. Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat for 1 minute, until smooth. Frost cooled cake as desired.

Fair Game

BS"D

Lately Lillie has been playing this new game wherein she sums up how many "fairs" she received in the day. More often then not, she compares them to the number of "fairs" Rosie received (according to Lillie) during the day. What are "fairs" you may ask? They are a five years old's perception of justice in her world.

During the recent holiday of Simchas Torah where it has become customary to distribute copious amounts of candy to children at synagogue (to symbolize the sweetness of Torah), Lillie felt she received negative amounts of "fairs". I decided to pack both Lillie and Rosie gift bags with treats they could have. I didn't even give them "healthy" snacks like raisins and apple slices. They had Laffy Taffy, Fruit Roll-ups, potato chips and punch (o.k. it was 100% fruit juice...but still). I did this to avoid any unforeseen difficult situations that may arise with the food being proffered in synagogue, as well as to make them feel they were receiving special treats just like all the other children. I thought this would work out well. It did...until someone offered Lilllie a licorice stick. I spotted the pre-teen girl out of the corner of my eye. She approached us with a wide smile, the glare from her braces reflecting off a bright red stick of licorice. "Do you want some licorice?" She innocuously asked Lillie. "No", I interjected sharply, then proceeded to mumble something about allergies, she can't have that, etc. "Oh, well how about a toffee." She countered, seeming a bit confused about the whole situation. "No, not that either, but thanks." Then she backed off. And then Lillie let loose with a tirade about the unfairness, and how Rosie had 12 "fairs" that day and she had none. And why didn't I buy gluten free licorice, etc. I felt there was no winning. And some days there isn't. I've realized that no matter how hard you plan, the emotions of a five year old are just too precarious. Sometimes your "substitutes" work out, and sometimes they just fall flat---no matter how cleverly conceived!

One thing that didn't fall flat during the recent holidays was a chocolate confection I created that everyone could eat, and everyone loved! I made two dozen, and they went quickly. I also found them to be an economical alternative to store-bought boxed chocolates. They reminded me of Chunky chocolate bars a bit, hence the name.

You can also use the melted chocolate from this recipe to make chocolate dipped frozen bananas. For a cute story, and easy recipe, check out the charming storybook No More Cookies by Paeony Lewis.

Chunk-a-Chews

1/2 Tablespoon margarine or butter
10-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips (Trader Joe's are especially good)
1 cup Gluten Free crispy rice cereal (such as Erewhorn)
1/2 cup raisins or chopped, dried fruit
1/3 cup chopped nuts or crushed banana chips (optional)

Place margarine and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. If chips aren't completely melted, microwave in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until fully melted.

Stir remaining ingredients into melted chocolate until well blended.

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a waxed paper covered baking sheet or tray, or into mini paper baking cups. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Store covered in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 2 dozen chocolates

Yo-a-go-go

BS"D

So Lillie has flat out refused to eat her favorite yogurt, M and M YoCrunch, as currently there is a picture of Frankenstein on the package (it's a cartoon Frankenstein...not meant to scare kids). She claims it tastes different. I offered to call the company with her and have them explain that inside it's the exact same yogurt she eats almost every day for breakfast (yes, I felt guilty at first giving her M and M's for breakfast---I checked the nutrition info., it has the same sugar content as La Yogurt). Today when she came home from school and was tantrumy over her snack situation I offered her one of my fancy Rachel's Yogurt, which comes in such exotic flavors as Plum Honey Lavender and Pomegranate Acai. She aceded and tried the Orange Strawberry Mango, and declared that she liked the orange flavor. The company asserts that all the flavors are gluten free, and if you are lucky, you will find them on sale, as I did. Well, at least this should get us through October. I pray there isn't a scary elf on the package come December!

Festiv-eaties

BS"D

Well the holiday season is upon us. At Rosh Hashana I had the pleasure of sampling two unique honeys from the The Bee Folks in Maryland. First I tried a Heather Honey from Scotland. Leave it up to Scottish bees to produce a sturdy honey. It was so thick it wouldn't drip off the honey dipper. And, it had a strong smell and almost molasses like taste. However, I can see spreading it on a thick piece of homemade bread to enjoy with tea on a chilly Highland's morning. The Blueberry Honey was more appealing to me. It is not blueberry syrup mixed with honey, it is actually honey gathered from the nectar in blueberry bushes. It was a very light honey color, and I could definitely detect a faint blueberry flavor. Both items are Star-K certified kosher, and were reasonably priced. They were sold as a school fundraiser from Lillie and Rosie's school, but you can but directly online at the link above. The company also boasts Cranberry, Buckwheat and Killer Bee Honey!

A lovely looking recipe for challah crossed my path this week. It is from Jules Gluten Free Products, of which I am a big fan. It appears to make a nice, light and fluffy challah. The recipe does call for yogurt, but soy yogurt may be used to make the recipe pareve. I look forward to trying it! Please post your results below if you try it before me! Click on this link for the recipe.

I don't know what a holiday meal would be like without brisket. Erev Yom Tov I called up my mother, and seemingly out of breath she said she just finished her brisket clinic. I thought she said "bridge clinic"-- an avid past time of hers. When I asked how the game was, she said, "Brisket, not bridge! All my friends have been calling for brisket advice." Even my friends call my mother for brisket advice. I have dubbed my mother the "Boynton Beach Brisket Queen". Her brisket is known far and wide for its richness of flavor, tenderness and melt-in-your-mouth quality. When she asked me how mine turned out, I sheepishly replied "Tough". "That's because you cooked it in the oven", she replied. Actually, this time I did it on the stove-top, the Queen's preferred method, and it still came out tough. "Hmmm, " she pondered, "you didn't cook it long enough." She was right! I learned my lesson; don't start making a brisket at 9 p.m., unless you plan on staying up until 3 a.m.!

The recipe below gives both the oven and stove top versions of my mother's brisket. I find the oven version easier, as you just cook it in a disposable aluminum pan, put it in the oven and forget about it for a few hours. This freezes well, but you must slice the meat and freeze it in plenty of gravy.

Boynton Beach Brisket Queen's Not-So-Secret Brisket Recipe

3 pound beef brisket
1 -15 ounce can tomato sauce
1-15 ounce can jellied cranberry sauce
2-3 onions, sliced
1 envelope gluten-free powdered onion soup mix
1 Tablespoon garlic powder or crushed garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
6 carrots, peeled and sliced in thirds
6 celery stalks, sliced in thirds

Pre-heat oven to 325F degrees.

In a large soup pot, brown brisket over medium-high heat.

In a roasting pan large enough to comfortably accommodate brisket, mix together tomato sauce, cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup water (more if needed to thin mixture), onion soup mix (reserving 2 Tablespoons) and onions. Make several 1-inch slits in brisket with a sharp knife. Rub brisket with additional soup mix, garlic and paprika. Place brisket in roasting pan and spoon sauce over meat. Bake covered with foil or lid in pre-heated oven for at least 3 hours. Add carrots and celery to baking pan after 1 hour.

Allow to cool overnight in refrigerator. Skim off fat from gravy and slice brisket. Cover with pan gravy and return to a 300F degree oven for another 1-2 hours to tenderize (this may be done right before serving).

To prepare on top of the stove, follow directions as above, except remove brisket from pot after browning, discard any rendered fat, and mix sauce in pot as above. Return brisket to pot and simmer on low heat for 5 hours.

Remember, the secret is cooking the meat long, slow and low. Enjoy!

Serves: 6-8

Tradition!

BS"D

Holiday time is filled with tradition and family gatherings, coupled with the desire to share those treasured memories with your children. A big part of the Jewish holidays are the seudahs, the festive meals that are served twice for each day of Yom Tov. There are time honored dishes in both the Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions that have been passed down for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Some foods are symbolic, such as apples and honey, or carrot tzimmes, whose golden color and coin shape represent prosperity in the new year. Then there are those foods our grandmothers and mothers made and are just traditional and comforting. When we cannot prepare those foods for our children because of allergies or disease, there is a small sense of loss. It is not simply a matter of swapping roasted potatoes for noodle kugel, but rather a break in the chain---a disconnection from our tradition.

I haven't made kugels much in the past few years due to Rosie's egg allergy. I have made attempts, but found that the potato kugels didn't amount to much more than mashed potatoes baked in a 9x13 inch pan! That is why I was thrilled to find a recipe for vegan noodle kugel in Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's The Vegan Table. Swapping out gluten free noodles for the "eggless" egg noodles in the recipe presents a taste of tradition that everyone can enjoy.

For more eggless, dairy free traditional dishes check out Vegan Began by Sarah Kramer and Tanya Bernard.


Although kugels are often a "do ahead and freeze" type of dish, this recipe is best made the day of, or the day before you are planning on serving it due to the nature of gluten free noodles. I like to add sliced apples to my noodle kugel, and find it especially festive this time of year.

Noodle Kugel
adapted from The Vegan Table, p. 175

8 ounces gluten free egg noodles (or linguine broken in 3rds)
1/2 cup pareve margarine (such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks), melted
3/4 cup nondairy sour cream (i.e., Tofutti brand)
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
12 ounces firm tofu, crumbled
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I found this amount of sugar too sweet...reduce by 1/2 if you prefer)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium apple, thinly sliced (optional)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (more to taste)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 or 9x9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray (the smaller the pan, the higher your kugel will be).

Prepare noodles according to package directions, until al dente (a bit firm). Drain and rinse.

In a large mixing bowl, combine melted margarine, sour cream, applesauce, crumbled tofu, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in cooked noodles, apples, raisins and vanilla.

Spread noodle mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Yield: 12 servings

End of Summer

BS"D

Labor Day is behind us and the rich reds and golds are beginning to come out on the leaves.  My tomatoes are clinging to the vines against the occasional fall breeze, and my herbs are begging to be picked before the first frost.  Incorporating garden herbs and vegetables into recipes this time of year brings back the sunny days of summer right to your table. Having the children realize the full cycle of life when they are reminded these vegetables they are (finally!) eating are from those tiny little seeds they helped plant last spring.

I strongly feel that children with special dietary needs have an advantage over those that can blissfully eat the typical American diet without caution.  Celiac or allergic children need to read labels carefully, ask questions, and often have to turn to homemade alternatives (i.e., baked goods) rather than plastic wrapped convenience foods.  They will go into adulthood with a headstart on good nutrition practices.  The recipes below are brightly flavored and full of texture to please palates of all ages.  They are also fun for little ones to help prepare.  The polenta rounds are reminiscent of mini pizzas, and the quinoa salad is an extremely healthy alternative to the mayonnaise laden side dishes that turn up at barbecues and picnics all summer long.

This quinoa salad is my favorite, and comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Cooking the Whole Foods Way by Christina Pirello. Ms. Pirello's book takes macrobiotic to a new and user friendly level. She uses has a variety of gluten free recipes, and uses alternative grains like millet.

 Lillie helping me make quinoa salad

Quinoa Salad

from Cooking the Whole Foods Way by Christina Pirello, p. 54

2 cups water

pinch of sea salt

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1 cup fresh green peas

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 to 2 celery stalks, diced

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 orange

7 or 8 fresh mint leaves, minced

3 to 4 fresh basil leaves, minced

soy sauce

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Bring water and sea salt to a boil over medium heat.  Add quinoa and bring back to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 30 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.

Bring water to a boil in a pot over high heat.  Add corn and boil 2 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and cool in iced water.  Drain and set aside.   Add peas to boiling water and boil 30 seconds.  Drain and cool in iced water.  Drain and set aside.  Toss the quionoa with corn, peas, cucumber, and celery in a large bowl.

Whisk together the lemon and orange juice, mint and basil to taste, soy sauce to taste and the olive oil in a small bowl.  Pour dressing over hot quinoa mixture and toss to combine.  Serve immediately or the quinoa will take on too much moisture and become soggy.

Yield:   4 to 5 servings

The following recipe is my own creation, and makes use of the lovely summer bounty in my garden. It is quick, easy, and can be used as an appetizer or side dish. The kids like putting these together, as they resemble mini-pizzas. 

Tomato-Basil Polenta Rounds

1 tube prepared polenta

1/4 cup olive oil

3 vine ripe or plum tomatos, thinly sliced

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped finely

1/4 cup grated parmigiana cheese (optional)

Slice polenta into 12 pieces.  Brush both sides of polenta with olive oil, and place on a non-stick baking sheet.  Place 1-2 slices tomato on top of polenta rounds. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and basil.  Sprinkle cheese, if desired.

Place baking sheet under low broiler for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Serve warm.

Yield:  12 servings 

 

How do you own your illness?

BS"D

I was contemplating the other day how different people deal with illness. Some are passive, some "harness" it like a rodeo cowboy does a calf, some are information gatherers, and some are networkers. I believe in "owning" your illness, which means being informed and proactive in treatment. Since Celiac disease is treated nutritionally (at present) that means learning the right foods to eat and how to prepare them in an appealing manner.

Gluten Free baking is a science as well as an art. Gluten free flours perform differently than wheat flour, and they are a tricky business. There is a Gluten Free Culinary Summit in September in Hyde Park, New York and in October in Denver, Colorado. Both will feature top chefs, including those from the Culinary Institute of America, who will show you the hows and whys of creating gluten free foods. As well, there will be companies on hand to present new and exciting gluten free products. For $189 per day, I feel it is definitely worthwhile!


For a preview check out Chef Richard Coppedge's book. He is a professor at the Culinary Institute of America, and decided to tackle special needs baking. He teaches a course on gluten free baking and wrote Gluten-Free Baking with The Culinary Institue of America: 150 Flavorful REcipes from the World's Premier Cuinary College.