Gluten Free Safari: Recipes/Ingredients
Dandelion greens: should we be eating them instead of composting them?
Creative Commons image credit, below
April 10, 2011: Well, they're here in force, all over the neighborhood. Little yellow bundles of lush petals, sprouting from thick, healthy-looking bases of green, green, slightly fuzzy leaves. Soon -- if not picked -- the yellow crowns will turn to white opaque colonizers, and invade the soothing expanse of our lawns and productive rows of our vegetable gardens. I've gotta admit -- never tried dandelion greens. In the next few days, I'll try to find some recipes I think look good -- and maybe those of you who have made the brave plunge can share as well! Thanks!
Yet another possibility of amazing chocolate with discovery of a rare cocoa bean in Peru!
Creative Commons image credit, below.
January 12th: Wow! It's an almost-new cocoa bean discovered in Peru! A very rare strain with a Nacional DNA. That means that chocolate can taste even better! Scintillating New York Times article, from Twitterer Chowandchatter:
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Click: Rare cocoa bean discovery in Peru
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Click: Rare cocoa bean discovery in Peru
Natural beef
Photo credit: USDA, Reynolds Creek
January 7, 2011: I had a fascinating question arise from someone I met at an environmentally-oriented event recently. They wanted to know whether the meat they bought from their average grocery store would be treated with sodium nitrate. I mean to find out! So far I've called five different natural beef producers in two different states but have yet to get anyone on the phone - hmmm . . I must have picked the cows' dinner time -- hope they're happy. Stay tuned! Photo credit: USDA, Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in the Owyhee Mountains, Idaho
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January 7, 2011: I just spoke with a nice rancher in Washington State who didn't know for certain about the sodium nitrate question because he sells his natural beef to butchers; he doesn't package it. However, a relative of his eats gluten-free. Like many people who do eat GF, the relative has not been diagnosed with celiac disease; but, partly in response to an allergist's suggestion of an elimination diet, gluten was eliminated, and the digestive problems seemed to get better. Stay tuned on the sodium nitrate question! Photo credit: USDA, Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in the Owyhee Mountains, Idaho
Want to comment? Do so here, on blog entry for this item
Want to comment? Do so here, on blog entry for this item
January 7, 2011: I just spoke with a nice rancher in Washington State who didn't know for certain about the sodium nitrate question because he sells his natural beef to butchers; he doesn't package it. However, a relative of his eats gluten-free. Like many people who do eat GF, the relative has not been diagnosed with celiac disease; but, partly in response to an allergist's suggestion of an elimination diet, gluten was eliminated, and the digestive problems seemed to get better. Stay tuned on the sodium nitrate question! Photo credit: USDA, Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in the Owyhee Mountains, Idaho
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Xanthan Gum: Does it cause you any problems?
Creative Commons image credit, below.
January 24, 2011: Last night I made some great gluten free cinnamon-raisin bread with a breadmaker -- very successful! See more details on the blog. However, this morning I had some adverse reactions.
I was recently alerted to the possibility that xanthan gum -- a common binder used in gluten free items -- may not be all that benign . . . MORE
I was recently alerted to the possibility that xanthan gum -- a common binder used in gluten free items -- may not be all that benign . . . MORE
Ever heard of Linguiça?
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April 17, 2011: It's a type of Portuguese sausage, and I just made a special trip up to my local grocery store -- where John and I tracked it down in the specialty meat aisle. If you have your taxes done, you might try rewarding yourself with this gluten free dish. I'm making it as a crock-pot/slow-cooker stew-type main meal. Found the recipe in a delightful new Portuguese cookbook -- and the luscious photography doesn't hurt. The book? The New Portuguese Table, by David Leite. Image below is a picture of a church in Portugal - nothing to do with the book.
