LIVING

It’s All Up To You…

Rene-Jacques, 1908-2003
Paris Table, 1931
French Photographer

For this week’s “Baking” section of the blog, I’d love to hear what your top 5 comfort foods are so I can come up with a real crowd pleaser, so please submit the names of dishes that make your heart feel the fullest. Time is of the essence, so please respond ASAP so I can set to making them a reality over the course of the next few weeks…

My favorite comfort food is homemade pasta, which I tackled last week, so I’d love to hear what everyone else turns to when they need that one dish that makes everything better.

August 31st, 2010 — 4:02 pm

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LIVING

Tango Diva Interview

Hey everyone! Check out my lovely interview with Tango Diva about how to travel gluten free, from Italy to France or just to the Big Apple, without the worry. It’s filled with simple tips that will fill your vacations or business trips with pleasure rather than an upset stomach.

August 23rd, 2010 — 8:42 am

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LOVING

CHEERS!!!

Helmut Newton, 1920-2004
Saint Tropez, 1978
German-Australian Photographer

Such Wonderful NEWS!!! At last, it was announced this morning on NPR that “California lawmakers are scheduled to vote Tuesday on a proposal to phase out and ultimately ban plastic grocery bags statewide. But plastic industry trade groups are lobbying hard and spending thousands to defeat the ban.”

For those of you who have been following me over the summer, you will see that this is not only a huge environmental leap, but a step towards eradicating the plastics that are causing our auto-immune disorders.

HERE HERE! Three cheers to everyone who helped make this bill a possibility!!!

August 31st, 2010 — 4:23 pm

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LOVING

Bakery on Main

So now that the cookbook is about to come out and I have more free time to get back into my usual workout routine (thank you baby jesus, because my muffin tops were threatening to become veritable loaves). To do so in the healthiest way possible, I’ve been searching for the best fuel to keep my energy levels high so I can endure my 2 hour yoga classes and my three mile runs. I’ve always been very high energy, but when it comes to physical training, everyone needs good fuel so they can build stamina.

Luckily, Bakery on Main has a product that has been fitting nicely into my new exercise regime: their gourmet Extreme Fruit & Nut Granola.

Bursting with non-GMO ingredients including rice bran, sunflower and flax seeds, raisins, sesame seed, coconut, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cranberry sugar, apricot, sea salt and lovely little corn flakes. It’s definitively a nice way to start your morning right-especially after that morning run.

I like to enjoy my granola with organic almond milk, but it’s just as good with cow’s milk. The best part? This granola stays nice and crunchy for over 5 minutes after the milk has been added, so you can take your time enjoying your breakfast rather than inhaling it before it turns to a bowl of slimy soup.

Here is the granola after sitting for 7 minutes and a generous stir to see the contents of the bottom of the bowl.

August 24th, 2010 — 9:17 am

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BAKING

Finding Comfort…

This week is all about learning what YOUR favorite comfort foods are! Please submit your top 5 comfort foods that you once were able to indulge in before your diagnosis but can no longer touch since becoming gluten free. Nothing gives me more pleasure than the process of creating new gluten free recipes and giving people back their food pride, so please do share your favorite dishes with me so I can set to work to bring them back to life for you…

Here are my top five favorite comfort foods:

1. Homemade Egg Pasta
   
2. Pizza
   
3. Angel Food Cake with Fresh Cream and Berries
   
4. Bread Pudding
   
5. Triple Chocolate Mint Parfait
   

What are yours?

August 31st, 2010 — 4:38 pm

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BAKING

Homemade Gluten Free Egg Pasta

Whenever I had homemade egg pasta growing up as a very small girl, my grandma would always serve it very simply so you could really taste the pasta. This gluten free version tastes just like what nonna used to make, served with a dash of kosher salt, freshly melted butter, and parmesan. It’s absolutely comforting, it’s absolutely easy and it 100% gluten free. Naturally, you can serve it with whatever sauce you like, but I went with a fuss free version to make the focus all about the pasta.

So roll up your sleeves, everyone. Your search for the perfect gluten free egg pasta is right here, but it won’t be for long; it will only be posted for three short days, so enjoy it while you can.

GLUTEN FREE EGG PASTA

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients followed by the eggs and oil. Mix on medium low speed. Add the water and increase the speed to medium high and mix until the dough pulls waves from the side of the pan.

Using a plastic pastry scraper, turn the dough onto a very clean counter dusted with additional glutinous rice flour. Knead the dough until no longer tacky. Shape into a smooth cylinder and cover with cello. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cut a 2 inch section of the dough then dust with glutinous rice flour. Using a pasta machine, roll out the dough, first on setting one. Cut the sheet of pasta in half horizontally and then pass through the pasta machine on setting two and lastly on setting three. Then pass the sheet through the linguini cutter. Transfer the noodles to a large wire rack, carefully laying flat. Repeat until all the dough has been prepared.

Fill a 4 quart pot with water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Bring to a rolling boil and add the fresh pasta. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Drain the pasta, being sure to reserve a few tablespoons of water. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter to the reserved liquid. Add the pasta and then parmesan and kosher salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

August 26th, 2010 — 3:50 pm

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