Having just enjoyed a thanksgiving feast I’m reminded that the dreaded holiday season is upon us. Yes – dreaded. I don’t mean dreaded in the sense of spending time with friends and family. I mean I DREAD having to navigate the holiday parties and gatherings. It doesn’t matter how many people know I’m Celiac, it seems during the holidays I have to explain myself so much more AND take the uneducated criticism. Read More
It’s 4:25PM – 5 minutes to quitting time and it dawns on me… we have nothing in the house to make supper. The last thing I want to do it think about it. So I popped into the grocery store on the way home from work praying that something quick an easy would jump out at me.
One of the types of cuisine every celiac firsts mourns after their diagnosis is Italian, as it is typically dominated by wheat flour-based foods like pizza and pasta. However, in recent years, Italian chefs are figuring out new ways to create old favorites, and 500 Cucina has done exactly that!
Is there any word more poignant and memory-laden for a celiac than “breaded”? Most folks who talk to me about what they first cried about once they got their diagnosis was that they’d never be able to eat bread, or anything breaded again… That’s where we’re going today – making breaded pork chops, to eat with fresh corn on the cob and some sweet glazed carrots. And for a touch of the exotic, we’ve added some pomegranate-chili jam to lend a deeply flavorful and spicy kick to this summer meal.
It will come as no surprise to you, readers, when I tell you how pleased I am that the sun is out in full force. The peeling burn on my back is screaming with delight.
July in Calgary always brings Stampede week, and with the exception of last year, Stampede week means an entire ten days of hot, hot, heat. Throw in some hail and flash floods, and you have summer in good old YYC. We find ourselves now at 28 degrees at the peak of the day, and are currently anticipating a string of days reaching the low to mid 30’s. In other words, I do not want to turn my oven on while the sun is out. Sun time is for being outside – not cooking. Read More
Guys, guys: it’s happening. It’s finally springtime. There are fuzzy purple buds on the lilac bushes, pink blossoms blooming, dandelions popping up, and the air doesn’t hurt my face. I’ll willfully ignore the itchy skin and stuffy sinuses in return.
When the air feels clean, I feel the need for a clean, refreshing dinner. It’s the time of year when I would rather chop veggies and appreciate the fresh air than fill the entire house with stale heat from the oven. Which is where this salad comes in. If you’ve been reading my recent posts, you’ll know how much of a fan of the Minimalist Baker I am. I can’t help it when Dana’s recipes are designed to be done in 30 minutes, use minimal dishes, and are almost always gluten free and vegan. Read More
Special guest post by Cinde Little!
It’s spring in YYC so I thought I would share a favourite recipe for Southwestern Grilled Vegetable Pasta. This recipe comes to mind when the weather warms up and I’m ready to barbecue. I love all kinds of grilled vegetables and use them in salads, as side dishes and toss them with pasta. The sauce is a fusion combination of Southwestern and Asian. Not only does it work…I think it is amazing. Read More
Ah, the holidays. A time where everybody comes together to enjoy each other’s company and feast uninhibitedly… for some. When you are dining with a group of people that aren’t fully aware of what your dietary restrictions entail, it can be like a game of Russian roulette. Many of us will warily approach the food table, stomach growling, to find surprises in dishes we thought to be safe. Cheese in the salad, generic spices that “may contain,” or a wooden serving spoon. You wonder if it may be worth the risk just to enjoy a dinner with your family. It isn’t. It never is. I have seen a lot of people on the Facebook groups, “what are you having for easter dinner?” Read More
My eyes literally beamed with excitement when I looked at the menu. Nearly all of it, was, or could be made gluten free! Fellow celiacs will know and understand, just how rare this is. Blue Star Diner is perhaps most commonly known for its delicious brunch, however, it is an absolute contender as a lunch, dinner, and (possibly best kept secret) Taco Tuesday spot!!
Our friends at Skip the Dishes wanted the message out – there’s lots of restaurants on the website now with gluten-free options. On a snowy, chilly evening, there was nothing the four of us wanted more than to help get that message out by ordering in. Read More
We were invited to Cibo to sample their newly-launched line of gluten free pizzas. But as we sat at the bar, well before our food arrived, deep in conversation with a very attentive, intelligent and engaged group of staff, it dawned on me that this is one of those unique places where everything – not just the dishes on the menu – is focused on making you feel like you are an extraordinary person. They don’t just want you to have a good meal – they want you to remember the whole experience with the kind of fondness that you reserve for your “best meal I’ve ever eaten” occasions. Which is why it was not a surprise to hear them say “we love to host people here”. That’s the spirit that wraps around comfortable meals at grandma’s house, or a dinner date with your true soulmate. How do you get that at a restaurant?
Brownies make everything better, right? At least for the few moments you take to savour the chocolatey goodness. We could all use some chocolate relief these days.
Not that I complain about desserts when I can eat them, but when I get a brownie that’s more cake than brownie, I can’t help but be a little disappointed. If I wanted a piece of fluffy cake I would have made cake. When I want a brownie, I want chewy, rich chocolate. Read More
We have a problem here. I’ve got spring fever and it’s only the middle of January. This happens every year right after Christmas. I can always keep my spirits up for Christmas, even sometimes for New Year’s. But after the lights and the magic are gone I wish so much that I could just fast forward through the next couple months. I can’t stand winter. I know I’m not alone when I say it would be much easier if it weren’t so damn cold for weeks at a time. When you have a small baby, it takes a lot of effort to get outside when it’s -10C. If it’s any colder than that, you pretty much stay inside and make do with in-house activities. This is not the easiest task for someone who thrives on spending time outside. Read More
“Holiday Sausage Strata” sounds like a complicated dish, dreamed up by some Larousse or Emeril to further complicate one’s Christmas and New Year traditions. Who knows – some famous chef may have been responsible for this masterpiece, but the saving grace of this recipe (in this time of absorbingly complex kitchen activity) – featuring all the breakfast essentials of eggs, sausage, cheese, and bread – is that it is laughably easy and guaranteed to please the crowd – either on Christmas morning, or on New Year’s Day (when it contributes all the ingredients necessary to soak up last night’s revelry, if needed). Read More
Hello, dear readers! I have very graciously been allowed to rant to you all about my baking adventures. If you haven’t tried it yet, allow me tell you something: gluten free baking is not easy. I have personally been gluten free for roughly 3 months now, but my fiancé has been for 3 years. He has no official diagnosis, but with his mother and one older sister having the diagnosis, it was a no brainer. Read More
