Flyover Life and Style

Gluten-Free For Life

As I mentioned in my prior post, food and I haven't always had the healthiest relationship. I've turned to unhealthy eating habits in times of stress, happy times - basically at any point in my life with emotional extremes. I never really looked at food as medicine. I didn't, until recently, realize just how much the food I was eating was affecting my health.

I've been a migraine sufferer since my teens. I started getting them with my first menstrual cycle, and they run in my family - my mom would hole herself up for hours in a dark room with a washcloth over her eyes, and plead for us to be quiet. I had to do the same thing with my own daughter - taking handfuls of ibuprofen, and alternating coffee and water to try to lessen my suffering. I got bad headaches at least twice a month in a good month, and they were increasing in frequency as I entered my late thirties. If you are a migraine sufferer yourself, you know how horrible these headaches are.

One day, a client of ours at the salon knew that I was a migraneur, and suggested that I try a gluten-free lifestyle. She claimed that her headaches had lessened significantly after dropping wheat from her diet. I was pretty desperate at this point in time - my headaches were increasing to once a week, and I had no quality time on the weekends. I was ready to do anything to be pain free.

So, after Christmas, I gave it up. It was hard at first - I'm a carb fiend. I bought cookbooks, started pinning recipes to Pinterest like a madwoman, and cleaned out my pantry. I tackled the confusing world of gluten-free flours, started getting more creative with making vegetables in new ways, and just generally cleaning up my diet. I discovered the simple deliciousness of eating healthy foods, without preservatives and chemicals.

And guys - it worked. 

At first, I thought it was just a placebo effect when my period came and went, migraine-free. I thought that maybe I was imagining it. But months went by. No headaches! I was sleeping better, I was less depressed and stressed out, and my energy levels soared. The scary neurological symptoms I was beginning to have - numbness and tingling, blurred vision, tremors and brain fog, disappeared. I felt like a new person. 

I decided to test out eating gluten about 4 months into my diet. I indulged in a slice of regular cake, and had pizza the next afternoon for dinner. The day after, I was met with a crushing headache and my gut was tied in knots. It was horrible. 

Since then, I've tested out my tolerance on a couple more occasions - most recently this weekend. After enjoying a delectable cinnamon roll made with wheat flour on Saturday morning, I spent Sunday and Monday in excruciating abdominal pain, and with the worst migraine of my life. I.am.done.

I have a strong suspicion that I may be one of the thousands of people in the U.S. who have celiac disease. Autoimmune and endocrinological disorders run in my family, so it wouldn't surprise me. I'd have to go back to eating gluten for long enough to get the testing done to confirm my intolerance. I honestly don't think I can endure that, especially since what I'm doing with my diet is the only known treatment anyway.  

Our food supplies have changed drastically in the last 100 years or so - causing wheat allergies and gluten intolerance to spike significantly. The wheat that we are eating now isn't the same wheat that our ancestors ate. It's almost impossible to find wheat or other grains that haven't been genetically tampered with.

So, for me - I'm gluten-free for life. Sure, sometimes I miss carrot cake, and doughnuts, and other goodies that I can no longer have. But it's worth it. Gluten-free isn't right for everyone, but for those of us who may be on the autoimmune disease spectrum, it can be beneficial. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist if you suspect yourself or a family member of having celiac disease, and listen to your body. Be your own advocate for your health, and your body will reward you with a long and healthy life.

Read more about celiac disease here.

 

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Simple Sangria

Finally! It's time for evenings on the patio and soaking up the last of the sun's rays while chatting with good friends. It's time for summer breezes and barbecues. After a long, hard winter, summer's return is even sweeter. Sangria is one of the easiest, most refreshing, and delicious of summer cocktails. It's so fast to mix up and keep in the fridge. Making the most of the summer citrus bounty, this red wine based drink is a hit with most people. Bring it to your next party!

 

You will need:

• 1 fresh orange
• 1 fresh lemon
• 2 fresh limes
• 1 750 ml. bottle of red wine (Any variety will work. I used Barefoot Sweet Red)
• 1 can ginger ale
• 1/4 cup super fine sugar
• 2 TBL. Rose's lime juice

Wash and slice the fruit into rounds, rind intact. Place in the bottom of a pitcher, and sprinkle with sugar.

Pour red wine, ginger ale, and lime juice into pitcher, and stir until sugar dissolves. Place in refrigerator to chill and infuse flavors for 1-2 hours before serving.  Pour into glasses and garnish with lime wedge. 

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Cherry Coconut Cupcakes {Gluten-Free}

I love cake, oh so very much. Who doesn't? I mean, a delectable cupcake piled high with sugary frosting is the ultimate sweet treat. Going gluten-free has meant that I've had to get creative with alternatives to my favorite desserts. This recipe is probably one of the easiest, and is a variation of the cupcake recipe in the cookbook "Recipes for Gluten-Free Kids". These cupcakes are so moist and delicious that you won't be able to stop at just one!

You will need:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose gluten free flour mix
• 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (eliminate if your flour mix contains it)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 jar maraschino cherries with stems

For Frosting:

• 1 stick butter (room temp)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbl. cherry juice from jar of cherries
• Flaked coconut

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350

Line cupcake tin with baking cups.

Beat sugar and eggs together with mixer until light and fluffy. 

In small bowl, combine flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and add to egg/sugar mixture. Beat until combined.

Add oil, coconut milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. 

Pour into prepared muffin cups, filling three-fourths full.

Bake 20 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool, and prepare frosting.

For frosting:

Beat butter with electric mixer until creamy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. Add cherry juice, then remaining 1 cup powdered sugar, and mix until creamy and spreadable.

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes using a round tip, or frost with a small spatula. Sprinkle with coconut flakes and top with a maraschino cherry.

 Your friends, and kids, will never know the difference.

 

 

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Staging Food {Photography}

I enjoy food. I love preparing and eating it, of course, but photographing it has become a real passion of mine. My husband teases me about my love for shooting "food porn" but the the colors, shapes, and variety of ingredients are limitless, and I have fun staging these shoots! Food photography can be a little tricky, but I have discovered the most vital components to making your food photos appetizing and visually stimulating by experimentation, and a few great tutorials. Today, I'm going to focus on the placement and composition of items for recipe photography. 

• Buy your props.  One of the easiest ways to make your food stand out is to start with a good base for your still life. I have found that plain white saucers and small plates are the best dishes to showcase the color and texture of food without being a distraction. The exception to this is with light-colored foods - then I will use a colored plate for contrast.

• Scour flea markets and estate sales for cast-off plates and silverware. It needn't match and you don't need a full set - only one or two of an item will be plenty. I also have purchased tasting party dishes at Pier 1. They're only 2-3 dollars apiece, and they are the right size for food shoots. Think small. Most food photography is done at the macro or close focal range, so a large dish will overwhelm.

• Don't forget wine glasses and small cups - they can provide depth and interest to your photos. I use a half-full wine glass in my dinner shoots often, and a cold glass of milk will set off your cookies perfectly! It's all about making people want to eat.

• Think about your backdrop.  What's behind your food matters too! One of the most cost-effective backdrops for food photography is a white sheet or bamboo curtain. As you can see below, there isn't anything glamorous behind the scenes. You just want something in a neutral color that won't compete with your subject, and also to help filter light. I take most of my photos in bright natural window light, so I like to soften it a bit. (We'll talk about light in the next article!)

• Think about your "floor." Placemats, cutting boards, plywood, and natural wood tables work well for bases. Avoid anything too busy, but a little bit of texture is good. Everyone has a different style, and some food photographers/bloggers like a more stark look - I like both minimalist and highly-styled depending on the subject. I have also found that remnant bits of fabric or "fat quarters" work well as stand-in napkins and accent color in photos. Staging food is a lot like getting dressed in the morning - do it in layers, adding and subtracting to suit your composition.

• Vary your heights. Placing everything level is fine for overhead shots, but if you are shooting at an angle or from the side, varying the level of your ingredients is much more dynamic. Use boxes and dishes turned upside down to add energy to your composition. This is where the fabric comes in handy - to cover your makeshift risers!

• Don't be afraid of a little mess. It's okay if your flour spills over the edge of the measuring cup, or your sauce splatters a bit. It makes the photo more relatable and realistic. Food is messy and these little mistakes can make your photos come to life. 

• Odd numbers typically look better than even. Use an odd number of dishes, cookies, and other details in your compositions to avoid too much symmetry. Food is a natural thing, so symmetry isn't always the best way to convey a dynamic moment. Change the direction of your fruit so it's not facing the same way, or use angles to demonstrate vitality. Remember the rule of thirds when you're looking through your viewfinder - usually food photography works best if everything isn't smack in the center of the frame. 

• I'll touch on filters and white balance in the next article, but conveying warmth and a feeling of home-cooked goodness is a priority for food bloggers. I've noticed a huge difference in the amount of re-pins my photos have gotten since I started altering my camera settings to suit certain dishes. Try to do most of your composition in camera, and it will be much faster work later!

• Cheating is okay. Maybe your fruit is looking a little dull, or your milk isn't frothy. Use a little bit of olive oil on the surface of apples and pears to give a polished sheen, or stir up the milk in that glass to make it seem freshly-poured.

• When you get finished composing your subject, take a few test shots and examine them. Sometimes varying your camera angle or getting higher or lower can yield better results. Having a critical eye is one of your best assets as a photographer. It's also one of the benefits of the digital era - if you don't get it right the first time, try try again! If it doesn't make you hungry, it probably isn't quite there yet.

Most of all, having fun while setting up your shoot is the important thing. Your love for your recipe posts will come through in every photo if you take the time to set the scene!

For more on this subject, take a look at the book Food Photography for Bloggers, or check out these great websites for inspiration:

Matt Bites  

For the Love of the South

Minimalist Baker

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Dutch Baby Oven Pancake {Gluten-Free}

I love brunch food. If I could eat brunch-type meals the rest of my life, I would. Every Sunday, I get up and prepare something special for my family. My husband loves pancakes and crepes, and even though I've made some fine pancakes with the gluten-free mixes out there, made from scratch is always best. I had made dutch babies with regular flour in the past, but let me tell you - even if you aren't on a gluten-free diet, try this recipe. It's better than the kind made with wheat flour. Served with a berry compote and sprinkled with powdered sugar, this is the kind of breakfast that makes you feel decadent.

You will need:

• 1 TBL vegetable shortening
• 6 eggs, room temperature.  (If you forget to leave them out, warm them in a bowl of water.)
• 1 1/4 cups room-temperature milk
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar

For the compote:

• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1 1/2 TBL. tapioca flour
• powdered sugar for serving

Preheat your oven to 375

Place the tablespoon of shortening in a cast-iron skillet or griddle pan, and heat in oven while you prep batter.

Place 6 eggs and milk in a bowl with a spout or large measuring cup. Whisk milk and eggs together, then add lemon. 

In another bowl, combine all dry ingredients, and gradually whisk into milk/egg mixture until no lumps remain.

Remove skillet from oven, and swirl shortening around to cover bottom of pan. Pour about 1/3 of batter into the pan, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Don't make it too deep. 

Place skillet in oven, and bake for 20 minutes. While pancake is baking, prepare the fruit compote.

Place strawberries and blueberries in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar over berries, and stir over medium heat. The berries will become very watery as they cook down. Add 1 1/2 TBL tapioca flour to the saucepan, turn heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. The mixture will thicken into a syrup-like consistency. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

After 20 minutes, remove pancake from oven. It will be crispy around the edges and puffy in the middle. It's very pretty. There will be enough batter left to make two more dutch babies. If you're lucky, and own more than one cast iron skillet, it'll go much faster. I recommend keeping the pancakes warm on the stovetop with a microwaved plate, covered with a paper towel, until they are all finished. To serve, spread a little berry compote on one corner of the pancake, and fold into a neat packet.

Sprinkle with a little bit of powdered sugar, and garnish with fresh fruit! This is a light and refreshing spring/summer bruch, perfect with mimosas on a lazy Sunday morning.

 

 

 

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Cast Iron Skillets

My love-affair with cast iron began in childhood with my mom's country gravy, slowly simmering on a back burner while I stirred it constantly. That was my job, and I took it very seriously. Later, we'd enjoy the homemade gravy with flaky buttermilk biscuits slathered with real butter. I learned how to cook with cast iron - and I've never found a more superior, even-heating, naturally non-stick cookware. I use it almost exclusively.

Cast iron skillets become family heirlooms - well-seasoned and infused with the memories of Sunday breakfasts and church potlucks, but they do require special care.

Here are the things I've learned about caring for cast iron:

• When you first purchase your skillet, the iron is not fully seasoned, and will not be non-stick. Cast iron has pores, and those tiny crevices need to be layered with fat in order to make your food cook evenly and release easily from the pan.
• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Take a tablespoon of vegetable shortening and thoroughly spread it inside the bottom and sides of your skillet, using your fingertips. Place the skillet inside the preheated oven, and "bake" it for about an hour. I recommend letting the skillet cool, and then doing this two more times before your first use.

• I know this will sound gross to some, but do not wash your cast iron skillet with soapy water! It will destroy all of the hard work you've done to season the skillet. (My poor husband learned this the hard way when I caught him dunking my 20 year old skillet in a sinkful of suds. I may have freaked out. A little.) Any germs will be destroyed when you heat the skillet up to cook your next meal. I've never gotten sick after eating a meal prepped in one of these skillets. 

• After cooking, scrape any grease or food that remains with a rubber or plastic scraper like the one above. Rinse the skillet with warm water, dry thoroughly with a paper towel, and then apply another layer of shortening, wiping the excess out with a paper towel. This will protect the metal from rusting, and ready it for your next use!
• Store your cookware in the bottom drawer of your oven, or even inside the oven. The nice thing about cast iron is that fluxuating temps don't affect it.
• Remember that your cookware will be very hot to the touch when you are using it - so make sure you use a potholder when you move it from burner to burner or out of the oven.
• The best thing about cast iron is its flexibility - it can go from stove to oven, to campfire, to tabletop(use a trivet), keeping your food at an even temp the whole time!
• Make sure you designate who gets your precious cast iron in your will. You may think I'm joking, but families have been known to fight over cast iron skillets! 

For cookware that will last a lifetime, and grow more and more beautiful over the years, you can't go wrong with cast iron. Also, it'll double as an effective weapon in the zombie apocolypse. You never can be too prepared. 

*Look for a special recipe on Wednesday prepared with cast iron! To buy your own family heirloom, check out Lodge cast iron. They are the oldest manufacturer of cast iron in the US!

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Roasted Spaghetti Squash

If there's been one thing I have missed most since going gluten-free, it's pasta. The gluten-free pastas I've tried have either been too firm, or the texture has been grainy. (If you have any suggestions, please let me know!)

I used to eat spaghetti squash quite a bit when I went vegetarian a few years ago, but it's one of those vegetables that I had forgotten about. But it's so great! Really! It's super fast to prepare, tastes good with almost any flavoring or seasoning you want to use on it, and is the closest to mimicking the texture of pasta in a non-pasta food item. You should give it a try! 

You will need :

1 large spaghetti squash 

2 TBL. olive oil

2 cloves garlic

salt & pepper to taste

oregano/basil and butter for serving

Preheat oven to 375

Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise. (I find a serrated knife works best.) I've also found that the stem end is almost impossible to cut through, so cut around and then twist to separate the halves. Remove seeds and pulp from cavity.

Minch or press garlic into a small dish and combine with olive oil.

Place squash, cut side up, on a cookie sheet or roasting dish.

Brush olive oil/garlic mixture on top edges and into cavity of squash. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

Place pan in oven. Roast for 45-60 minutes, until fork can puncture skin of the squash. (I roast mine for about 60 minutes. I like the "noodles" to be fairly soft and pliable.)

After removing squash from oven, rake down the sides of the cavity to shred. Continue with other half. You should have enough to serve 4. I like to combine my "pasta" with just a little butter and oregano for a mild, but tasty flavor. You can also serve this with marinara or your favorite pasta sauce!

 

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French Macarons {For Your Valentine}

Macarons are totally the zeitgeist of the food world right now. They've superseded the humble cupcake, and are now the chosen gift item for fashion editors, movie stars, and any blogger I can think of.  They're pretty, they're fancy, and best of all for those of us on a gluten-free diet, we can eat them to our hearts' content. Yes. I am no longer living in mourning for cake. 

Macarons are tricky little buggers. I failed - hard - on my first attempt. I got flattened, crispy disks that tasted alright, but did not have the lofty airiness of the macarons I had seen adorning Eva Chen's Instagram account. Sigh. 

I mean, I had used a great recipe, from the Martha herself. (If you use Martha's recipe and you want your macarons to look like mine, just add a few drops of red food-coloring to the meringue before you add in the almond flour and sugar.)

Why did I fail so miserably?

I called in the troops, er...Google, to figure out why my macarons were being so feisty. 

I discovered I was rushing the gun and not following instructions to the letter. You have to follow the instructions, verbatim. Apparently, over or under-mixing your macaron batter will leave them either respectively flat, or resembling a cream puff. Neither is correct. What you want are smooth, even tops with those coveted ringed ridges(called feet) around the edges as the cookie rises. My first batch did not look like this:

I ran into this video on YouTube (also referenced by Elizabeth from Delightfully Tacky) and a lightbulb went off. 

1. My egg whites weren't room temperature. (tres importante)

2. I was over-mixing the batter when I combined the flour with the meringue.

3. I was not allowing the macarons to sit for an adequate amount of time before baking. This is necessary to form that nice crust on the top.

Anyway, before you start on this little adventure, watch this. Maybe you can get it right the first time: 

Thanks Beth, for saving my dignity. Her recipe is listed below the video as well, when you click on "Show More" via YouTube.

My second batch came out just fine, even though I need to get better at piping them to have a perfectly smooth top. Don't be discouraged. Just dive in, and you can be a rock star this Valentine's Day when you present your beloved with a box full of these elegant treats! My husband got home and thought I had gone out and bought these. Ha! Fooled him. 

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Superfood Smoothie

Since going gluten-free, breakfast has been a bit of a challenge. Mornings are rushed, and it's hard to sit down and eat unless I want to get up half an hour early. I'm too busy packing lunch, pulling my child out of bed, and finding my gym clothes. But I'm committed to healthier living, darn it! That's where this smoothie comes in. With just a few ingredients and a sturdy blender (I have a Ninja, and it was worth every penny!) you can be on your way with a portable breakfast full of disease-fighting antioxidants and protein. 

You will need:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 large leaf kale (or 1/2 cup spinach)
• 1 TBL chia seeds
• 1 TBL ground flaxseed
• 1 TBL honey
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 cup almond milk or juice

Remove stalk from kale. Place all ingredients in your blender, hit the button, and puree until smooth! 

Makes one 12 oz serving. Perfect for your travel tumbler.  Yummy, nutritious - and if you don't tell the kids about the kale, they'll never know the difference. ;)

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Snickerdoodles {Gluten-Free}

As some of you may know, one of my New Year's resolutions was to try out a gluten-free diet to see if it would help my chronic headaches. I've been dedicated, and I can tell you - I've never felt better! Not only am I migraine-free, but I also have more energy and focus. I don't think that I suffer from celiac disease,  but I do think I'm gluten-sensitive. I was afraid I would have to give up my favorite sweet treats with this lifestyle, but lo and behold the plethora of delicious gluten-free recipes and flours! While I'm still learning the art of substitution, many of my recipes will be adaptations of recipes I have found online or in cookbooks. This recipe is based on the Betty Crocker recipe found here. I only added vanilla and used a different baking mixture.

These snickerdoodles are just as good as regular ones. I had to restrain myself from gulping down the whole sheet.

You will need:

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free biscuit and baking mix
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup butter (softened)
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375

Using electric mixer, combine 1 cup of the sugar, butter, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined, then add 2 cups baking mix. Mix on slow speed until mixture is a dough-like consistency.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small dish or bowl.

Roll the cookie dough by hand into one inch balls, and dredge the dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

I have to keep reminding myself that gluten-free does not equal calorie-free. 

Adapted from Betty Crocker

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