Gluten-Free Easter Recipes

It's almost Easter Sunday, so it's time to start thinking about your menu for the day. If I had my choice, it would be all chocolate all day. Others like to bake a ham or roast a lamb. However you eat on Easter, it's a time to celebrate.

Here are some top bloggers with their own Easter recipes:

Gluten Free Easter Recipe Roundup from GFJules

Gluten-Free Easter Feast from Williams Sonoma

Gluten Free Easter Recipes from Elana's Pantry

25 Fabulous Gluten-Free Easter Recipes from Boulder Locavore

A Fuss-Free, Gluten-Free Easter Dinner from Living Without


What's your favorite gluten-free Easter recipe?

Happy (Gluten-Free) Pi Day!

Today is March 14, also known as Pi Day. According to PiDay.org, "Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159."

One of my best friends is getting married today and instead of wedding cake she's having PIE! She even went as far as ordering a gluten-free pie to make sure I had something to eat. If that isn't a good friend, I don't know what is.

In honor of Pi Day, I thought I would post links to recipes of some of my favorite bloggers.

GFJules: Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Gluten-Free Easily: Easy "Crustless" Apple Pie

Gluten-Free on a Shoestring: Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie

Against All Grain: Grain-Free and Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

And for those of you (like me) that don't bake at all, I recommend Molly's Gluten-Free Bakery in Wisconsin. They had one of the best gluten-free apple pies that I have ever eaten. Good news is that they ship nationwide!

What's your favorite gluten-free pie recipe? Feel free to post the link below.

Gluten-Free on a Budget

I was thrilled when Chandice Probst of Gluten-Free Frenzy and Gluten-Free Calendar asked if I wanted an advanced copy of her new cookbook, Gluten-Free on a Budget and to be part of her blog tour. Chandice is one of those gluten-free people I feel like I have known forever even though I only met her twice in person. (Um, Chandice, how is this possible?!) Her positive attitude and her tireless efforts within the gluten-free community make her one of the gluten-free superstars in my book. Add on top of her busy gluten-free schedule, three kids and a move to Utah and I swear this woman doesn't sleep!

Gluten-Free on a Budget is a great resource for a hungry family. Chandice and her mom Tana Besendorfer put together a book full of family, budget-friendly recipes that are all 100% gluten-free. Tana's "Take it up a Notch" tips give some great ideas of how to make the most of your recipe and go easy on your wallet. The recipes range from easy, my style of cooking, like the Bacon Spinach Tomato Frittata on page 35 and the Peanut Butter Delights on page 195 to the more complex baking recipes like the Banana Black-Bottom Pie on page 171.

Chandice and Tana are both gluten-free so this cookbook not only comes from the heart but also comes from the experience of living with Celiac Disease. It is great to see a dynamic duo like these two put together this labor of love. You can tell these are all recipes they enjoy in their own homes that they want to share with the gluten-free community. I highly recommend Gluten-Free on a Budget for your gluten-free kitchen.

I was very flattered when Chandice asked me to give a quote for her new book. I love helping out a gluten-free friend but I also not-so-secretly love seeing my name in print. Check it out!

You can buy Gluten-Free on a Budget by Chandice Probst and Tana Besendorfer today on Amazon and at your local bookstore.

You can also enter to win a free copy via Rafflecopter below. A winner will be chosen on Monday, January 26, 2015.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up

Some of my favorite bloggers have been putting together a list of their best gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes. I am drooling looking at their photos and recipes. While my gluten-free family menu is already set, these recipes provide some really great inspiration.

• 15 Classic Thanksgiving Recipes Made Gluten-Free by Elizabeth Barbone at GlutenFreeBaking.com
• 14 Easy Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes! by Taylor Miller at Gluten Away
• Gluten Free Thanksgiving Side Dishes by Nicole Hunn at Gluten-Free on a Shoestring
• Over 100 Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes, Plus GFE Thanks and “Wisdom” by Shirley Braden at Gluten Free Easily 
• Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes and Tips by Gluten-Free Goddess
• Traditional Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu by Jane Anderson at About.com Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity
• A Gluten Free Thanksgiving || Part 2 : Favorite Recipes by Kristen at Winning Without Gluten
• Thanksgiving 2013 Recipe Roundup by Peter Bronski at No Gluten, No Problem

The Complete Guide to Naturally Gluten-Free Foods

It's not every day you get a personal gourmet chef to cook for you for the whole weekend. I was lucky enough to experience this back in June. Chef Olivia Dupin, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, was our guest chef during our Gluten-Free Gourmet Weekend at Good Commons. When Olivia wasn't cooking up delicious gluten-free dishes for everyone on our weekend getaway, she was busy editing her manuscript fo her new cookbook. I am excited to announce Olivia's new cookbook, The Complete Naturally Gluten-Free Foods, has arrived and is now available for sale on Amazon and at bookstores across the country.

Olivia starts her book by discussing the basics of living gluten-free, how to set up a gluten-free kitchen, and a gluten-free food directory. The rest of her book includes 100 recipes that are relatively easy to make. The thing I like most about this cookbook is, just like the title says, the recipes are naturally gluten-free. You don't have to go out and buy tons of different gluten-free flours and replacement products. Olivia's recipes call for basic ingredients that you can find in any supermarket. I've already bookmark dishes I want to try including Honey Nut Trail Mix Bars, Asparagus and Leek Tart with Polenta Crust, Quinoa Pilaf with Roasted Root Vegetables, and Parmesan Roasted Broccoli. These recipes are all easy to make which is my type of cooking!

Olivia is a lovely person, an amazing gluten-free chef, and a member of my New York City Celiac Meetup group! She's the triple crown! Olivia has embraced her Celiac Disease and her culinary experience to create a cookbook full of delicious naturally gluten-free recipes. I highly recommend this book. These are the types of recipes that can be used to feed everyone, not just those who need to eat gluten-free. You will not even miss gluten but following these recipes.

Want to meet Olivia in person and buy The Complete Guide to Naturally Gluten-Free Foods? Join the NYC Celiac Meetup group at Olivia's book launch party in February. You can RSVP here. 

About the Author 

Olivia Dupin is a private chef, recipe developer, and consultant and is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease (gluten intolerance) in 2009, she has been committed to creating simple, delicious gluten-free recipes so that those with restrictions can still enjoy the foods they love.

Olivia has worked as a private chef to clients such as professional baseball player Mark Teixeira of the New York Yankees and comedian and television star Jerry Seinfeld. She is also a consultant, recipe developer, and food stylist for Energy Kitchen Restaurants, a healthy restaurant franchise.

Olivia maintains a recipe blog for Energy Kitchens (http://www.energykitchen.com/live-healthy), which features healthy recipes under 500 calories, as well as her own blog dedicated to simple, home-style, gluten-free recipes at http://www.livglutenfree.com. She resides in Jersey City, NJ.

Gluten-Free Japanese Rice Noodle Salad

A very good friend of mine from college work is at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. This prestigious school has been teaching and embracing special diets for years. I was very pleased when I saw this video last week. Enjoy!

Liv Gluten-Free Recipes from Good Commons

Chef Oliva Dupin

In June, I had the privilege of co-hosting an amazing Gluten-Free Gourmet Weekend at Good Commons in Plymouth, VT. We had not one, but two gluten-free chefs on staff that weekend who stuffed us silly with gluten-free food. One of the amazing chef's was Chef Olivia Dupin who is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and also lives with Celiac Disease. It was really important for me to have staff that are not only gluten-free, but who truly understand what being Celiac is all about. 

Chef Olivia did two cooking demonstrations during our weekend at Good Commons which I am happy to share with you. The first is a grain-free cookie which is very versatile. It could be made sweetly, as Olivia writes below, or it could be kept as a savory cookie/cracker by changing the seasonings and spices that are added. Her second demo was for the most delicious buns I've had in my life. These things were beyond delicious and I think I ate like 5 of them for breakfast on our last morning at Good Commons. Seriously, these things were amazing.

To learn more about Chef Olivia and to see more gluten-free recipes, please visit her website at http://livglutenfree.com

Liv's Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Liv's Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

1/4 cup cocounut flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup chia seed
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey

Filling
1/2 cup cashew butter
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons water

Pulse the ingredients for the cookies in a food processor until crumbly and the mixture begins to hold together.  Roll out between layers of parchment, score/cut into squares and bake at 325 for 20 minutes.

Mix ingredients for filling by hand or in a mini food processor.  Spread between cooled cookies.

Liv's Sticky Buns

Ingredients:
1 package yeast
1/4 cup water
5 T sugar
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
2 t xanthan gum
1 t salt
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature

Filling:
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T cinnamon

For Topping:
1 cup pecans
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 t salt

Prepare the brioche dough by first combining the yeast with 1 tablespoon of sugar and the warm water.  Let sit for 5 mins or until foamy.  Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the remaining sugar, then add the eggs and softened butter and the yeast and stir until you have a sticky dough (you can use an electric mixer with a paddle, or simple a wooden spoon to stir this) and then transfer to a greased bowl, cover and place somewhere warm to rise, 2 hours, or until doubled in volume.

Prepare the topping by melting the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the brown sugar and salt and cook until the sugar is melted and the mixture is smooth.  Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish, sprinkle on the pecans.

Combine the filling ingredients and set aside.  Grease 2 pieces of wax paper, then divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten it onto the paper.  Spread each piece with the filling mixture and roll into a log.  Cut each log into 8 pieces and place into  the baking dish.

Bake 350 for 20-25 mins.  Let cool for 5 minutes, then invert the pan onto a platter and serve!