Happy 2020. I took a long time off for the holidays this year. It was a much needed break for me and I was able to visit family and spend time with those I love.
Traveling can cause a lot of anxiety for those of us who have to avoid food due to Celiac Disease, Food Allergies and other food avoidance diagnosis. Extra planning for your travels and taking your own food helps ease some of the anxiety with travel. For me, if you have been following you know, I take Bobo bars or Bobo bites. I always take a reusable water bottle to fill up at the airport after going through security. I also pack a reusable thermos for hot coffee.
When planning for a trip check out the airport you will be traveling to and from ahead of time. Even if there is just the standard gas station offerings there can be some safe food. For my Dairy/Soy/Peanut/Tree nut allergic Celiac child, Lay’s potato chips are offered almost everywhere.
Now that I am back and spent the last two weekends binging three seasons of The Great British Baking Show I have so many baking ideas in my head. I love the bold flavor combinations that so many of the contestants use in their bakes. I am not very artistic and the thought of piping anything is intimidating. My baking goals for the year do include “learn how to decorate cookies and cakes.” For today I will stick with some of my tried and true recipes.
My local veggie market has had blueberries at a great price so I made blueberry crisp twice this past week. I love my Apple Crisp recipe but find this drier topping pairs well with blueberries. You could use it with any fruit, and the addition of the oatmeal is a nice texture change from the hot fruit.
I heat this up for a treat mid-day, but have been known to have it for breakfast.
Thanksgiving is late this year. This would usually be the week that I start cooking, baking and purchasing a fresh turkey. But I have one more week!
In may of the gluten-free face book groups people have been looking for holiday recipes so I have been sharing my green bean casserole recipe .
I am making my usual holiday menu. With lots of extra for leftovers for the weekend and for the freezer.
There are lots of questions about stuffing. I have been to Trader Joes and Aldi. Both of their boxed stuffing mixes contain milk so I will not be using them but I do think they are a great option for those new to the gluten-free lifestyle.
I use an old stuffing recipe and sub my favorite gluten-free bread. I’ve always used untoasted bread, torn into bite size pieces. Last year I used Walmarts gluten-free bread and will use it again this year. I made garlic bread with Canyon Bakehouse’s Mountain White last night and have some left over. I may make a small batch of stuffing with this as the base if I have some extra time today or tomorrow. To see if it makes a better stuffing base.
Today I am making a batch of Chicken Bone Broth – in the Pressure Cooker. I made lots of chicken wings the other day so I would have plenty for a batch of broth to help get me through making all the sides for Thanksgiving.
My menu includes a salad, corn casserole, a big turkey, roasted brussels sprouts, cranberry fluff, and a chocolate pie dessert that I make with Daiya Cream Cheese (contains nightshades) for my kids. On my list of 100 things for 2020 includes making my own dairy-free cream cheese that is nightshade free.
How are you preparing for Thanksgiving? What is on your menu?
I really am a creature of habit. I have oatmeal almost everyday of the year. Yes, hot and hot coffee. When I am traveling I bring along oatmeal packs or eat BoBo Bars.
I had been making batches of oatmeal in the slow cooker until I found that you can make it in the pressure cooker. It’s easy and fast (under 30 minutes).
I usually make enough for 5-6 days. Having a breakfast that I just need to heat up makes my mornings go smoother.
My favorite oatmeal to make this way is Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats. I like to use a one to one ratio for the Oatmeal, one cup water for every one cup of oatmeal. I usually make a batch of 3 cups of oatmeal which gives me around 6 servings.
I store it in a container in the refrigerator and take some out each morning. It would work too to store it in glass single serve containers to be reheated individually.
I add a non-dairy milk, cinnamon and brown sugar to enjoy each morning. With hot coffee of course.
3 cups Oatmeal (I use Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats)
3 cups Water
Instructions
Put Oatmeal and water in the Instapot or pressure cooker.
Set the pressure cooker to 8-10 minutes on the rice setting.
Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then open and enjoy!
I store in the refrigerator and take some out each morning to have for breakfast. It could also be stored in single serve glass containers to be heated up in the morning, a little bit more time saved in your day. – Susan
I bought these chips a few weeks ago and loved them. Of course I had destroyed the bag trying to open it so pictures would have to wait till I found them again.
I finally found them again today! These were so good and no nightshades!
I have shared before that our safe food when traveling is sushi. I was excited to learn that there was an Aloha Poke in the Ogilvie Station in Chicago.
Their website was clearly marked with the allergen information. I think it is the first time where the menu board had the items with gluten marked.
When ordering there is a sign on the register that says “tell us about any allergies”. I always like seeing signs like this. Thank you for asking!
My bowl of rice, tuna, avocado, cucumbers and onions with sesame oil was fantastic and just what I needed before seeing Cats at the Nederlander Theater.
Train trips to Chicago will be even better now that there is a safe place in the train station to eat.
I stopped at Fresh Thyme while running errands today. It’s never a quick trip since I don’t go very often and they have so many great gluten-free and dairy-free finds.
Today I tried something new. Chicken chips. The name made me laugh, so I checked the ingredients. No nightshades and the maltodextrin is labeled as tapioca! Yeah for clear labeling.
They were good. Just what I needed. Like eating crispy chicken wings. Made by Wilde Brands LLC, I will be looking for these again.
I often make sandwich salads. The kind of salad you put on a sandwich, tuna salad, ham salad, and chicken salad. It helps to have something prepped to have for lunch or a snack for when days get busy. I like this salad by itself, with some salad greens from the garden, or on a slice of gluten-free bread.
If you are nightshade-free make sure to check your mayonnaise. I make my own mayonnaise using sunflower oil, eggs, and lemon juice. If you are using store bought lok for one without paprika.
Traveling with Celiac and food allergies always take more planning a preparation.
For the I bought chips, chocolate, and other sweets for the flights. I bought enough safe snacks for the flight to Denver and the return flight. I put half in my checked bag for the return flight.
For this trip I bought my favorite BoBo’s Bars. I like the original and the Apple Pie flavors. I like to carry three in my carry-on for flights. I bought my nightshade eating child Kettle Chips, and for me Heart Keenwah “Herbs de Provence” . For treats I had Sunflower Butter Cups Free 2 B, and one mint cup, some Junior Mints, CoComels, and Pumpkin Seed barkTHINS.
I was pleasantly surprised to find two of our staples at the Denver airport on the way back.
One thing I learned is that some granola type bars (like my beloved BoBo’s) can cause your bag to be searched. During one of my last trips the TSA agent (who knew what BoBo bars were!) had told me to put all my food in a separate bag inside my carry-on and have it go through the x-ray machine separately. When they asked if I had any snack bars I was able to remove the separate bag and send it through on it’s own.
What do you take with you on your flights for snacks? Do you buy anything in the airport? Happy allergy travels!
I love this salad and have made it for multiple potlucks and parties. The dressing is what makes the salad. It is creamy and garlicy and wonderful!
I make it both with chickpeas and without. I often cut up the veggies the night before and make the dressing right before the event. Since the dressing is avocado base it does turn a little gray after 24 hours. Leftovers still taste good!
I love watching the show British Bake Off. I have watched every season multiple times (Except the last one which I just finished, but will rewatch soon.) The show always gives me ideas and makes me think, I can do that! It also make me think, I can’t do that! When they made Angel Food Cake for the technical I thought…that seems like it would be easy to make gluten-free.
I like to make this cake at least once a month. I use boxed egg whites I buy at Aldi. Each box I can make an Angel Food Cake and a batch of Chewy Chocolate Meringue Cookies.
There are a few tricks to this recipe. First, the egg whites need to be at room temperature. Second DO NOT grease the tube pan! Third cool the cake upside down on a rack in the pan. I now have two tube pans because I kept forgetting and spraying the pan! Now I just get the second one out and use it.
I don’t decorate this cake. Because decorating is not my strength in the kitchen. I eat it with some berries and sometimes with a scoop of SoDelicious CocoWhip. I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do.
In the food processor pulse together rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch and powder sugar. Process for at least 30 seconds and sift into a bowl.
Place the granulated sugar into the food processor and pulse a few times.
Pour egg whites into mixer bowl and add the cream of tartar. Mix with the whisk attachment at a medium speed until bubbles form. (Only a few seconds)
Add the vanilla, and increase the speed to high. Start adding the pulsed granulated sugar a spoonful at a time. Continue to whip on high speed until stiff peaks.
Fold in the flour/powder sugar mixture.
Pour into an uncreased tube pan.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and immediately turn upside down in pan on a cooking rack.
Once completely cool use a spatula to help remove the cake from the pan.
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