Holiday Market a success!

Just wanted to say a special thank you to everyone who came out to the Holiday Market last weekend. I met a lot of wonderful people with gluten, dairy, and/or soy sensitivities (and some without), and all were very supportive of my efforts to increase our locally-made, allergen-free/allergen-aware food options.

The Ginger-Sorghum cookies, Maple Hazelnut Sunflower bars and Orange Cranberry loaves were a big hit, so thank you!

Now's the time to place orders for GFCF baked goods or gift baskets for the holidays. Order now through December 12 for pickup/delivery by December 20. (Email me for order forms.)

If you have any questions about ingredients, products, special or combo orders, etc, I'll be happy to send you more information or a price quote.

Be sure to subscribe by email or RSS feed to receive future updates, or send me an email to be friended on Facebook or Myspace.

Thanks again for your support!

be well,
Kat

Holiday Market this Saturday!

Once your Thanksgiving food coma has worn off, come on out on Saturday to the Bloomington Holiday Market for some great gluten-free sweets and treats.

Where: Showers Plaza, near 8th and Morton
When: 10am-3pm, Saturday November 28

Look for my "Gluten-Free!" sign at the Bloomington Kitchen Incubator booth. Expect to find Orange Cranberry Bread, sorghum cookies, rich chocolate brownies, and apple muffins. (And maybe some surprises!) Full product and price list to be posted here before the event.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Celiac supplement in today's USA Today!

Media Planet and the Celiac Disease Foundation put out an excellent 12-page supplement on Celiac Disease signs, diagnosis, treatment, nutrition, and dining in today's USA Today. Check out this "Gluten Free Optimist" post, which contains a link to a pdf version available for download.

Gluten Free Optimist: USA Today Celiac Disease Supplement

(Just in case, here's the direct link to the pdf on the CDF website: "Celiac Disease, Your Guide to Living Gluten-Free")

*Remember, you could have Celiac Disease and not know it - not everyone has obvious (GI) signs. If you do suspect any kind of gluten sensitivity, please get tested for CD before removing gluten from your diet, to avoid incorrect diagnoses in the future.

GF bread takes 2nd place!

The winners have been announced!

Kat's Orange-Cranberry Bread took 2nd place at the Fifth Annual Bread Fest, a baking contest and fundraiser supporting the Community Justice and Mediation Center of Bloomington. Over 25 breads were entered by professional and amateur bakers in three categories: quick, yeast, and celebration. My two entries were the only gluten-free options at the event!

I'm very excited about the recognition of this brand-new recipe, which pairs fresh cranberries with dried and candied orange peel for a tangy taste of autumn.

I'm especially pleased at the positive reception for a gluten-free entry -- it's thrilling to place over so many traditional wheat-based breads.

If you want to try some "award-winning" gluten-free bread for yourself, please come find me at the Bloomington Kitchen Incubator's booth at the upcoming Holiday Market on November 28. We'll be outside at Showers Plaza (next to the Saturday Farmer's Market) from 10am-3pm. I will have Orange-Cranberry mini-loaves and other gluten-free/dairy-free/soy-free items available for sale and sampling. (I'll post a full product list once I've decided on it :)

So dress warm... and come hungry! And thanks to everyone who came out to support CJAM tonight. Check out what they do at http://www.cjam.org/.

be well,
Kat

Lemon-Olive One Pot Pasta

This is my favorite go-to meal whenever I am feeling a bit off, have had trouble eating that day, or just don't feel much like eating anything else: I can always eat this simple pasta dish.

The ingredients are few, and as with many of my other recipes you can switch out some ingredients if you don't care for them, or just want a little variety. I make this most often with mushrooms and Cerignola olives (the big green kind), but you can substite artichokes or white asparagus for the mushrooms if you wish. Seasonings are simple: cracked pepper, a little garlic salt, lemon juice, and Vegan Topping, if soy is not a problem for you.

I'm calling it a "one pot" pasta because you can cook all the ingredients in the pot you boiled the pasta in. Really, you need just a pot and a colander.

I'm going to leave the serving size and quantities up to you on this one -- I just measure it by eye.


Lemon-Olive One Pot Pasta

Ingredients:

rice vermicelli (I use the Medium size of a Chinese brand called "Guilin Vermicelli Just As Fresh One" - no kidding, it's a great name!)

Cerignola or other flavorful green olives

fresh white mushrooms (may substitute artichoke hearts or chopped white asparagus)

extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

Vegan Topping (optional)

garlic salt (optional)

cracked pepper (optional)


Cook the rice vermicelli according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, cut the olive flesh from the pits and slice the mushrooms.

After the pasta is done, leave it to one side and gently saute the olives and mushrooms in olive oil in the pot you cooked the pasta in.

When the olives and mushrooms have softened, add the pasta back to the pot, adding lemon juice to taste and olive oil to coat. (If you don't add enough oil, the pasta will burn.) Add Vegan Topping, if using, and adjust liquids as needed - the Vegan Topping will cause the lemon juice to thicken noticeably.

Add cracked pepper and a dash of garlic salt to taste. Serve hot.

Celiac symptoms checklist

Here's an interesting checklist for Celiac symptoms, put up by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness:

http://www.celiaccentral.org/disease-symptoms-checklist/

Please note that this list may not contain all symptoms or related medical conditions that may indicate gluten sensitivity, gluten intolerance, and/or Celiac Disease.

If you suspect Celiac Disease as a cause for your symptoms, it is important to get tested before eliminating gluten from your diet. Always check with your doctor.

What grains are safe for Celiacs?

Ever wished you had a comprehensive list of all the safe and unsafe grains to give to friends and family members? Here's a good one put together by the Celiac Sprue Association.

Each grain (or term) on the list is described and coded: with a green symbol if it's considered gluten-free; a red symbol if it is considered unsafe; and a yellow symbol if there is some uncertainty or debate about the grain, or a high risk of cross-contamination.

http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php

Easy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

I came up with this recipe the other day after wanting to try a new type of gluten-free pasta from our local grocery chain.

I'm calling it a stroganoff because that's what it most closely resembles, though strictly speaking it's not a traditional stroganoff with sour cream or wine. This one's not only vegan-friendly, it's also alcohol-free. (And super easy to make!)

I made two versions, one with mushrooms and the other with roasted artichoke hearts and pine nuts (and slightly different seasonings). Both recipes are below. They came out very different, but (I think) equally good. Let me know what you think.

Enjoy!


Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
(Serves 2-4)

CONTAINS: nuts (optional), soy (optional)

Ingredients:

8 oz. (1 box) Hodgson Mill gluten-free penne (rice+flax meal)

2 C. Imagine Foods Portabello Mushroom Soup (double the recipe to use the whole container, or make one batch of each version to compare!)

~1/3 lb. button or porcini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

extra virgin olive oil

~1 tsp xanthan gum

Parma Vegan Parmesan (note: contains walnuts)*

Vegan Topping (note: soy-based)*

garlic salt

paprika

cracked pepper

*Parma is a parmesan substitute that tastes nothing like parmesan cheese. It's good though, and adds a rich nutty note to the sauce. Vegan Topping is another dairy-free parmesan substitute, that actually tastes quite a bit like parmesan cheese. If you're gluten-free but not dairy-free, go ahead and use grated fresh parmesan in place of the Vegan Topping. However, you may need to add more xanthan gum, as the Vegan Topping also helps to thicken the sauce.


Cook the penne according to the package directions, drain, and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, begin heating the 2 cups of mushroom soup in a 2-3 quart pot, with about a couple tablespoons of olive oil and ample Vegan Topping whisked in. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.

At the same time, begin frying the sliced mushrooms in a small amount of olive oil, until lightly brown on both sides. Stir in some Parma and cracked pepper while frying, if you like.

When the soup starts to foam, whisk in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Add in small increments until the soup has thickened somewhat. (It will thicken further as the dish cooks, so if you add too much xanthan gum now you can just add more liquid later.)

You can season with garlic salt (just a little) and paprika (fairly liberally) while the sauce is thickening, or you can wait until all the elements have been combined.

Once the sauce has thickened somewhat, and the mushrooms have been lightly browned, add the pasta and mushrooms (and any extra oil) to the sauce pan and return to the stovetop.

Heat until the pasta is hot and the sauce is clinging, not liquidy. If it thickens too early, add more soup.

Serve with hot gluten-free rolls and a nice side salad.



Variation: Vegan Artichoke Stroganoff
(Serves 2-4)

CONTAINS: nuts (optional), soy (optional), seeds

Ingredients:

8 oz. (1 box) Hodgson Mill gluten-free penne (rice+flax meal)

2 C. Imagine Foods Portabello Mushroom Soup (double the recipe to use the whole container, or make one batch of each version to compare!)

~1/2-3/4 cup roasted artichoke hearts (can use canned, but not marinated)

a handful of pine nuts

extra virgin olive oil

~1 tsp xanthan gum

Parma, if desired (note: contains walnuts)

Vegan Topping (note: soy-based)*

garlic salt

cracked pepper

*Parma is a parmesan substitute that tastes nothing like parmesan cheese. It's good though, and adds a rich nutty note to the sauce. Vegan Topping is another dairy-free parmesan substitute, that actually tastes quite a bit like parmesan cheese. If you're gluten-free but not dairy-free, go ahead and use grated fresh parmesan in place of the Vegan Topping. However, you may need to add more xanthan gum, as the Vegan Topping also helps to thicken the sauce.


Cook the penne according to the package directions, drain, and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, begin heating the 2 cups of mushroom soup in a 2-3 quart pot, with about a couple tablespoons of olive oil and ample Vegan Topping whisked in. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.

At the same time, rinse and roast your artichoke hearts until darkened on the edges.

When the soup starts to foam, whisk in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Add in small increments until the soup has thickened somewhat. (It will thicken further as the dish cooks, so if you add too much xanthan gum now you can just add more liquid later.)

You can season with garlic salt, cracked pepper, and Parma while the sauce is thickening, or you can wait until all the elements have been combined.

Once the sauce has thickened somewhat, and the artichokes have been lightly browned, add the pasta, artichokes, and pine nuts to the sauce pan and return to the stovetop.

Heat until the pasta is hot and the sauce is clinging, not liquidy. If it thickens too early, add more soup.

Serve with hot gluten-free rolls and a nice side salad.

Four Bean Summer Salad

This is my favorite bean salad. I could eat this just about every day. It's high in fiber and the unrefined oils are high in good fats (mono- and polyunsaturated) and Omega-3's.

While this is a good chilled summer salad, the ingredients are easy to find year-round, so you never really have to "say goodbye to summer" if you keep making this one.

It's a very flexible recipe, so you can vary it depending on what ingredients you like or have on hand.

(Timesaving tip: Canned and fresh ingredients can be chilled ahead of time for a ready-to-eat side dish.)

Four Bean Summer Salad (pinto or white, kidney, black, and garbanzo)

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

roughly equal parts kidney, white, black, and garbanzo beans (about 1/2 cup each)

-OR-

1 can Westbrae Natural organic chili beans, rinsed and drained

-plus-

½ to 2/3 can Westbrae Natural organic garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

about 1/2 small green pepper, diced

2-3 small stalks celery, chopped

a handful of fresh parsley, washed and chopped

chopped scallions (or a small amount of red onion, to taste)

extra-virgin olive oil, to coat

rice vinegar, to taste (can also add red wine vinegar - try a flavored one, like pomegranate, for variety)

liberal squirt of Barlean's flax seed oil (optional, but good for you! Adds a nice earthy note, as well.)

chopped fresh garlic (about a clove) OR garlic salt (a dash)

sea salt, herb salt, or table salt

black pepper or fresh cracked pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill. Can be served immediately if chilled ahead.

Enjoy!

CSAs: Supporting Community Agriculture

This summer I had the opportunity to participate as one of the food producers in the "Local Fare Share" option of LIFE Farms' Summer CSA (short for Community Supported Agriculture). CSAs are a subscription program to several weeks' (or months') worth of seasonal fresh produce and other local food products. It's a wonderful way for communities to connect with and support their local farmers and small-scale food producers.

Read more about LIFE Farms and their CSA program: http://www.eatlifeup.com/csapage/csapage.html

Never content to just crank out the "same old thing" - I come from a family of competitive over-achievers - I worked up two new muffin recipes for my share week, especially for the LIFE CSA members: cherry-almond and blueberry-chocolate-lavender (also available without the chocolate, though the one I use is allergen-free!). These came out so well I am adding them to my regular offerings, and am working on some new flavors as well, including apple, pumpkin, lemon-cranberry, and something (as yet undefined) with macadamias.

This fall, our commercial kitchen should be ready, and I am excited to get in there and start baking up a storm. I'll be sure to post more information here, including a product/price list, when the time comes. There will also be some sampling events on the horizon, so stay tuned! Subscribe to this blog (using the buttons on the right) and you'll get all the updates!

Till then -- Eat well, be happy!

Free frosting giveaway!

Attention all gluten-free fans!

Do you have a sweet tooth like me? If so, then I want to share with you a special offer by Pamela's Products to promote their gluten-free (and dairy-free) frosting mixes.

For a limited time, Pamela's will send you a free full-size sample of one of their frostings in exchange for 3 UPC codes. Just visit this page on their website: http://www.pamelasproducts.com/special/frostingcoupon.html,
print out the coupon, and mail it in with three Proofs of Purchase* from packages of Pamela's products. I tested the promotion myself, so I can vouch that it works. I got my very own bag of chocolate frosting in the mail a week or so ago. I don't know when the offer will expire, but the link still works, so start clipping those UPCs!

*If you've never tried any of Pamela's gluten-free offerings, I recommend the Chunky Chocolate Chip cookies (with or without walnuts) and the Simplebites Mini Cookies in Ginger or Extreme Chocolate. All of Pamela's products are gluten-free and wheat-free, but read the packages carefully to look for other potential allergens, including dairy and soy. (NOTE: "cocoa butter" is not butter. Cocoa is dairy-free, unless some other milk product has been added to it.) I also like the Chocolate Chip Mini Cookies, but have occasionally gotten a batch that seemed to have dairy in it (duly forewarned on the ingredient label).

Pamela's frosting mixes are some of the best-tasting and easiest to use that I've tried. In particular, I like that each package features multiple mini-recipes for varying the flavor and even the texture or appearance of your frosting. With a few drops of flavored oil (non-alcoholic, please, if you'll be serving them to the kiddies), you can easily make a luscious lemon or jazzy chocolate-mint frosting to liven up your next gluten-free birthday cake.

I like a fluffier frosting, so I prefer to use vegetable shortening rather than a butter substitute when preparing these frostings; otherwise the butter flavor and density is just too overpowering for my taste. Spectrum makes a nice non-hydrogenated organic vegetable shortening, made only from mechanically pressed palm oil, with no hidden ingredients. It's kosher, keeps well, has no trans fats, and has a decent ratio of the healthier poly- and monounsaturated fats to saturated fat. …Although, if you're trying to eat "healthier," I wouldn't recommend eating a lot of birthday cake! :)

You can read more about Spectrum products and find nutrition information at www.spectrumorganics.com.

Also, since we're on the subject of cake, I'm over the moon about Turtle Mountain's new Purely Decadent Dairy Free (and gluten-free) Cookie Dough soy ice cream. Not a low-calorie or low-fat product either, but my taste buds were thrilled by the authentic taste of cookie dough nestled in sumptuous clouds of vanilla. (Oh my, waxing euphoric… I haven't had "raw" cookie dough since the salmonella scare of the late '80's. It's been a while!)

Turtle Mountain makes a version of the Cookie Dough flavor in their new coconut milk line of frozen dessert pints as well. Both are fantastic. (The coconut milk, in my opinion, might be less of an "everyday" dessert, but certainly serves a wow factor for a special treat.)

You can learn about all their dairy-free flavors here: http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/purely_decadent.html, where you can also download a .pdf file with allergen information for each flavor. (See also http://www.turtlemountain.com/health/allergies.html for details on their cleaning and testing methods, as well as the potential for trace residues in some of their products. If you scroll down to the bottom of that page, you can see a chart identifying the presence of various allergens in their products. Most are gluten-free.)

If you know of other great products (or promotions!), leave a comment or send me an email and I'll post them here.

Safe and happy eating!

The foodie's afterglow

Well, I'm home again after an exhilarating day at Luna Fest. 

With only one hour of sleep in the last 31+ hours, I can honestly say it was completely worth it!

I gave out around 200-250 samples, including all of the Key Lime Ginger (un)Cheesecake, all of the Raspberry Chocolate (un)Cheesecake, and all of the "Every Day's Your Birthday" Cake -- which ended up being a big hit with adults as well as kids. (One of my favorite moments was watching a woman eat a cake sample, move to throw out the wrapper, then, on second thought, keep it to lick off the remnants of the gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate icing. Score!) 

All that remains is somewhere under half of my banana bread samples, but not for lack of interest. I just had so many bread samples.... 

I enjoyed speaking with everyone throughout the day about the Bloomington Kitchen Incubator, gluten intolerance, and the need for more safe dining options. I especially appreciated all your kind words and compliments! (The cheesecakes definitely had universal appeal. I have to say, I think the key lime was my personal favorite, but the raspberry was an equal contender with the crowd. I was doubly pleased that no one could tell it was dairy-free, or gluten-free.)

So again, many, many thanks to everyone who came out to support the Luna Festival participants and everyone who stopped by my booth, especially those who stayed to chat or came because they were invited. I really appreciate your support. 

Also a big thank you to the event's organizers from Women Inspire; we couldn't have done it without you!

That's all for now. Stay tuned to this blog* for information on other sampling events on the horizon, and other news related to the BKI -- and of course, more information on Kat's Kitchen's products and services! Catering: yes, please!

all best,

Kat

*the easiest way to do this is to subscribe to this blog, with email notification of new posts.

Welcome!

Hello! And welcome to the blog for Kat's Kitchen - "Good Food Gluten Free."

Kat's Kitchen is a startup food business in Bloomington, Indiana, geared towards using natural, organic, and local ingredients (whenever possible) to create flavorful, nutritious, and intriguing gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian products. 

This venture grew out of a need for more gluten-free (AND dairy-free, AND vegetarian) food choices in our region. Some places (especially large cities) are doing really well with this, and many grocery stores and restaurant chains have increased their gluten-free options exponentially in the last few years. But since many people have multiple food sensitivities or dietary restrictions, the trick is to find places that carry food that meets all your needs -- while also avoiding the cross-contamination with the products you can't eat.

While there are many ready-made gluten-free products on the market today that are really wonderful, I think we have a long way to go to close the gap between the glutinous and gluten-free eating schemes, particularly when it comes to eating out and carrying in. So Kat's Kitchen is my attempt to help move this mission forward, to increase the meal options for people with Celiac's Disease and other gluten enteropathies in my community.

I know it can be daunting for some people to have to give up so many foods they love all at once, but what makes it hard is not that good gluten-free food is not available -- because it is -- it's just a matter of figuring out where to find it (or how to make it! :).

I'll be making periodic posts about gluten-free events, opportunities to sample products, recipes, and other tips on how to make the conversion to a gluten-free lifestyle a little easier. 

I'll even have monthly polls to find out what products you'd be most interested in -- but you don't have to wait for a poll! I'd love to hear from you with any ideas or suggestions you may have.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you find something you like here.

To your health!

best,

Kat

The big day is here

That's right, today is the Luna Festival! 

For the last few weeks, members of the newly formed Bloomington Kitchen Incubator have been working hard in preparation for the second annual Luna Festival: A Celebration of Women in Business and the Arts, an expo featuring women entrepreneurs, musicians, and artists. 

I've just finished putting the final touches on my food samples -- key lime ginger (un)cheesecake, raspberry chocolate (un)cheesecake, a wonderfully chewy banana bread, and for the kids, a classic birthday cake -- all made without gluten or dairy products. 

These goodies and more from the BKI will be available today, from 11am to 4pm at City Hall. There will be plenty of samples (I hope), but come early for the best selection! 

The event is free and will have a lot to offer for all ages and interests. I hope you'll take a few minutes on this beautiful summer-like day to stop by and see us!

Kat