Book Review: The Time Chamber by Daria Song

The coloring book craze.

What an amazing thing this has become.

I love to color. Who doesn't?

Like most four-year-olds, I find the greatest pleasure in just applying whatever color I choose to a host of black and white characters begging to be filled in. I can use crayons, colored pencils, markers, watercolor pencils or markers, or even plain old acrylic paint, if I so choose. It's a bevy of choices.

But, adults are returning to their childhood fancies, not to make choices, but to escape from them. Our lives are inundated with choice after choice after choice. And there is something so simplistically wonderful about just picking up a green pencil and filling in some lines.

Meditative, they call it.

I call it splendor.

My newest selection from Blogging for Books is The Time Chamber by Daria Song. This beautifully illustrated coloring book comes with a short, albeit full, magical story - a sweet fairy trapped inside a clock is freed when the clock's keeper, a sweet little girl, goes to bed.

Fanciful, artistic, colorful - and yet, the pages are only black and white. It's amazing how art can transform. There is a small part of me that really doesn't want to color any of the images. But, the louder four-year-old beckons otherwise.

The book tells a sweet story with plenty of places to add your own sweet tune (by way of whatever color you choose and the many places to apply it), including a colorable coverlet. Ingenious. This coloring book has taken the craze one step further - you become the author, illustrator, and reader - all in one, even though the story has been told. Again, ingenious.

And, lastly, the author and editors have included a visual key at the end of the book, presumably for reference and detail in miniature. Ingenious. A whole new perspective.

Absolutely a fun find. Highly recommended for soothing nights, cups of tea, and four-year-old fancies.

*This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. 

Product Review: Dua Dua Coco-Caramel Syrup and Topping

I went dairy-free many years ago. It took some effort because as most people do when they transition into a something-free lifestyle, they lapse. I lapsed into various cheeses. Then cream cheese. And on occasion, ice cream. But above all, I love caramel. I love it. It's soft, sweet, tantalizing, and goes with all sorts of things. It's sweet and a little bitter, rich and robust. And a truly delectable caramel is hard to stop eating.

So, you can imagine my horror when I went dairy-free.

Now, I went dairy-free the first time when there was little to no selection of dairy-free options. There was no Daiya cheese company; no vegan cream cheese substitutes; no dairy-free sour cream. Only rice milk, and in limited options. That was it. That was a long time ago.

We now have so many, many options for those of us who eat no dairy in our lives, but caramel is still somewhat elusive. It usually takes some butter, depending on the recipe, and a healthy dose of heavy cream to round it out. The heavy cream has been the hardest to replace with true accuracy.

I've tried many different kinds and ways to reproduce the effectiveness of heavy cream in caramel. It's a challenge. Making caramel is a challenge. It requires patience and patience and more patience - if you are making a true caramel. It can take up to half an hour to get the sugar to caramelize properly and then, if you add the cream or cream substitute in and it's not just the right temperature, the sugar will seize. Most caramel recipes just have you add all the ingredients together and use the cream and butter to give the caramel all its flavor, but once you've had the deep rich beauty of truly caramelized sugar, you won't want anything else.

I've made my share of different versions of vegan caramel sauces. Some I really liked, some were sort of bland (which the richness of heavy cream usually adds this beautiful depth to caramel sauces), some just didn't thicken properly. And above all, they take time. And did I mention patience?

Most dairy-free recipes suggest the use of coconut cream, the nice, thick, rich, and heavy cream substance that rises to the top of a can of whole coconut milk once chilled. Which, by the way, makes a lovely, soft whipped cream if chilled long enough, then whipped into a fervor. The very same stuff (which Trader Joe's carries in a can and is awesome!) is what Dua Dua Coconut Products uses to make their vegan coco-caramel topping.

I found this little gem at a meat store (strange, right?) that happens to carry a large number of dairy-free and gluten-free items. Who knew? I grabbed it off the shelf and eagerly ran home to dip some of my orchard-picked honeycrisps right into it.

The first thing I noticed was the separation. I wasn't sure what to do with this, but on the label is says separation is normal. No other instructions. So, I just stirred it up and hoped for the best. And the best sure did come. On the separation note, once I stirred it all together, just like organic peanut butter or almond butter, and put it in the fridge between eats, it stayed combined. That was great! I didn't think too much about having to stir it, but it sure was nice to have it stay combined for all the later ingestions.

Dua Dua uses pretty simplistic ingredients to make their coco-caramel sauce - brown sugar, 100 % coconut cream, corn starch, and soy lecithin. When I put my spoon in (I wanted to taste if solo before adding the sweetness of the apple), I noticed it was thick and creamy. Not quite the same as a typical dairy caramel sauce, but it had a great texture to it. The coconut flavor was apparent, but I haven't had a coconut cream-added caramel that wasn't. It added a nice tang to the flavor. But what impressed me most was the richness of the caramelized sugar. I don't know if the makers take the time to make a true caramel by caramelizing the sugar first or if it's the richness of the molasses in the brown sugar they use, but either way, this was a full-bodied caramel. Not too sweet, yet really deep and rich and caramely. Very nice flavor. I ate this with the apples, placed some in a peanut butter swirl for peanut-butter-caramel apple dip, and on other occasions, would just take a small amount on a spoon for a snack. So good.

This is a great find for anyone who loves caramel and doesn't mind the flavor of coconut added to it. It makes me think of goat's milk confections - the basis of the recipe is the same, but it just adds this whole other dimension to the flavor and texture. I love that the ingredients are simple and for those who are seeking a dairy-free caramel sauce, but don't want to take the time, effort and patience to make it, this is a worthy companion to apples, vegan ice cream, or just a silver spoon.

Happy eating! 

Product Review: Vegan, Gluten-free Ice Cream Sandwiches by The Cookie Counter

It was an happy accident. I was stumbling along the trail of the Hopscotch Festival in Central District on a Saturday afternoon and came across the cutest little VW van I've seen in awhile. Converted and adorable, the owners Chris and Chelsea were seated inside the blue van behind, yes, you guessed it! A cookie counter! With Chris' smiling face and Chelsea's deft hands, this team is well suited for a mobile culinary adventure.

Chris and Chelsea in Ice Cream the Van

The brains behind the cookie scheme, this Seattle duo made a culinary confection come to life. With flavors like Snickerdoodle with Chai "ice cream" (all the "ice cream" is a coconut milk-based frozen treat), Cookies n' Cream, Chocolate with Coffee Ice Cream, PB&J, Earl Grey with Lemon Zest, S'mores, Chocolate with Mint Chip, and more, these little frozen goodies are something you want to stand in line for. Go hunt down that blue van. 

Ice Cream Options

Chris and Chelsea came up with the concept for The Cookie Counter three years ago and through rigorous creation and product testing (how bad can taste-testing be?), they have completed the circle with help from a whole lot of friends on Kickstarter by converting their blue van into a mobile gourmet ice cream truck unlike anything else in Seattle. With all vegan ingredients, most of them organic and natural (read: no artificial or animal anything), and a mix of traditional wheat cookies and gluten-free options too (read more about their kitchen here), Chris and Chelsea have turned the ordinary ice cream sandwich into a culinary delight. Traveling to fairs, street festivals, one-day events, and even to someone's very own home, these guys are worth the find. 

Now, what about the tasting? How good are these? Well, I certainly wanted to find out. Chris tipped me off to a little deal they had going with the store they were parked next to, Two Big Blondes - a plus-size consignment shop and one of their Kickstarter supporters. Buy something inside and get a free sammie! Now, that's a deal! Kind of like a two for one! 

After finding a really great deal inside the store (they had discounts of up to 95% off!), I got my coupon for my free sammie and proceeded to Chris and Chelsea's van. They had four gluten-free options to choose from and four or five wheat cookie options. I chose their GF special of the day: Cookies n' Cream. Chris handed me (with his signature smile) a cute little wax paper package sealed with their logo sticker. I unwrapped the treat and headed to my car, ice cream happiness in hand. The Oreo-ish cookie was crunchy and cold with a nice chocolate flavor, very much like an Oreo. The cookies n' cream vegan ice cream was creamy, smooth, with a nice mouth feel and little chunks of cookie embedded all through. It was yummyness. 

A little package, a little van

Wiping my face and hands as I walked, I enjoyed each very cold bite (they store the goodies on dry ice), letting it melt just a bit so I could feel the textures and enjoy my sammie. I got to my car and kept thinking about the GF Snickerdoodle with Chai Ice Cream. How can you make a proper review only trying one thing? More product testing would make for better accuracy, wouldn't you say? 

So, I headed back to the blue cookie van, this time in my car, found a nice shady spot (it was a remarkably warm day in Seattle) and handed Chris my crisp $5 bill. He handed me a GF Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich and a couple of wet wipes they keep in a jar on the cookie counter. I meandered slowly back to the car, not really wanting to waste time or potential cookie eating moments, and tore open the second bag. I hadn't had lunch, so this counted, right? 

The GF snickerdoodle was soft, yet crunchy with a slight sandy texture from the sugar-cinnamon it had been rolled in. The flavor was outstanding. Oftentimes, when you eat a frozen cookie, the flavor gets a little lost either in the ice cream or just from being frozen. But here, it stood out bold and proud. The vegan chai ice cream was soft and creamy with a beautiful chai-cinnamony-cardamomy flavor. It was perfection. 

Happily filled with yummy vegan treats, I headed back towards home in my warm car with a ice cream-cool tummy and a smile as big as Chris' on my face. 

Product Review: Happy Dance Baking Company Blondie Brownies

Happy Dance Baking Company Blondie Brownie

While I was out and about today, I drove past the Lynnwood Farmer's Market (north of Seattle, folks) and made a quick turn to find myself a parking spot. Even though it was raining small kittens and puppies, I thought, What the hey! You just never know what you'll find at a farmer's market. Treasures lie around every corner.

And specifically at the corner of yum and delicious, I found this amazing little treasure. After perusing the standard farmer's market stands of kettle corn, beautiful flowers, and tantalizing produce, I came upon a couple of cool finds: Lynnwood Farmer's Market has a Harley stand (awesome!) and an allergen-free baker...Happy Dance Baking Company.

Happy Dance Baking Company was started by Jen Fosnot just a few years ago, but her journey into allergen-free eating started nearly a decade earlier. Jen's daughter was diagnosed with severe allergies to gluten, yeast, eggs, soy and dairy. She looked around for assistance, but back then, there weren't many products lining the shelves, certainly not like there is now, and she lived in the Midwest where they are just starting to catch up to understanding about allergy-free eating. A large portion of the country is gaining in this knowledge, but as all allergen-free eaters know, not a day, week, or month goes by when someone asks you what gluten is or why you don't eat dairy when they have lactose-free milk

Partially devoured...

Jen turned to her trusty kitchen and turned her whole family into allergy-free eaters, whether they liked it or not. It was a matter of safety for her daughter who had to carry an epi-pen in the event of exposure and often dealt with issues such as hives, as many food-allergic/sensitive people do. She refused to give in to stale, dry fare and eventually came up with some pretty incredible recipes.

Now, I have tried a lot of gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, allergen-free foods in my lifetime. I've been eating allergen-free for nearly two decades. I, too, turned to my kitchen to get good food in the early years, although now, the shelves do stack better quality products when I need or want something in a pinch. Thank goodness that technology and the sheer number of bakers have more than quadrupled since my early allergy-free eating years. Not all of it's good, but Jen and the Happy Dance Baking Company knows what they are doing!

At her farmer's market stand, she had a plethora of baked goods including peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies (about the size of a softball), drizzled chocolate chip cookies (yum!), two kinds of brownies, a mini-muffin loaf, and several other varieties of cookie softballs. I say that lovingly. They were huge! Most of the price point ran from $3 to $7 - not bad considering she favors organic, all-natural ingredients, including coconut oil, several different gluten-free flours, organic chocolate, and organic sugar. It seems most of the ingredients are on the organic list, except those that would be hard to find (if at all) such as organic arrowroot.

I wanted to buy them all, but I settled for the nearly-all-organic blondie brownie bars - a four-pack for $7. If her other stuff is comparable to these blondies, I am in love. I've made blondies and I've bought them, but these were really outstanding. A nice crisp bite to the chocolate drizzle with a nice soft, moist and tender blondie underneath. Studded with chocolate chips and a nice soft texture, what more could you ask for? Not too sweet, not too gooey, just a nice soft, moist bite with a little chocolate snap. These were divine. I would highly recommend you tap dance your way to Happy Dance Baking Company today.

Two Gluten-Free Pizzas, One Delicious City

Gluten-free pizza from Jet City

Product Review: Jet City Gluten-Free Pizza and Z Pizza on Capitol Hill

              

As most of you know, I love to try new things. Gluten-free, delicious new things. Well, Jet City Pizza and Z Pizza are now delivering – gluten-free, that is.

So, let’s talk about these two pizza joints and what they have to offer those of us in the food sensitivities world. The good, the bad and the ugly…or the delicious!

Jet City Pizza (www.jetcitypizza.com):

This traditional wheat-based pizzeria now offers a gluten-free crust that is soft, pliable, moist and delicious! One of the better gluten-free crusts I’ve ever had from a pizzeria, Jet City says they buy the crusts from an outside source (dedicated gluten-free) and they strive to keep all the ingredients and toppings away from glutened sources. They bake the pizzas on dedicated equipment and use separate utensils for cutting and topping the pizzas. And the best part is: they deliver! I love having delicious food brought to my door.

Good news on the vegan front: another egg-less, dairy-free crust on the market! They offer dairy-free cheese as well (the brand was unconfirmed), but at the time of this post, they were out. They had some on order and try to keep it in-store at all times. I did notice that when you order online, this isn't an option to choose from, but call the store and someone will get you hooked up for a delicious dairy-free offering.

I was most impressed by the softness and crunchiness of the crust - sort of halfway between a crispy, thin crust and a soft and chewy thick crust with plenty of flavor. Jet City cuts big slices like a New York style pizza, so I had a great time folding my pizza in half to take a bite. With plenty of locations around the city and a craving for a good gluten-free pizza, Jet City really delivers!

ZPizza on Capitol Hill (www.zpizza.com):

This lovely establishment has a great concoction of standard pizzas and crazy, delicious pizzas with gourmet toppings and artisan flavors. And good news for the dairy-free and vegan world – they offer Daiya cheese and vegan offerings!

I’ve been here twice and the pizzas are fabulous, the crust is pretty good, but hands down, the toppings are what make the pizza. The Tuscan Mushroom is a lovely combination of cheesy goodness with mushrooms, onions, thyme and truffle oil. And the Daiya cheese makes it divine!

I love the staff at ZPizza too. They are sweet, helpful and always friendly. When I called to find out more info about the makings of the g-free pizzas, they were all too happy to offer their knowledge. The gluten-free crusts are made off-site by an independent gluten-free company and when they are prepared at ZPizza, they are kept away from the wheat products as much as possible. Although the crusts are baked in the same oven as the wheat pizzas, they are placed on dedicated pans and the staff use dedicated utensils for cutting and topping the pizza. The possibility of cross-contamination is still there, but they are working hard to minimize it.

The rice-based crust has some basic other gluten-free ingredients and good news for the vegans out there: it’s completely dairy, egg and animal free. Now you can have your pizza and eat it too!

The gluten-free crusts come in medium or large (get the large for leftovers!) and you can sub Daiya for any of the cheeses. It is primarily a thin, crispy crust with a decent flavoring on its own. The one downside is it seems to get a little burned on the edges as they cook it. Still pretty good, but next time, I’ll ask them the bake it a little less. I’m not a fan of the charred edges. Overall, the pizza is pretty darn good! And if you sign up for their newsletters, you get coupons, freebies and birthday offerings. Yum! Another great gluten-free offering.                      

Gluten-free pizza from ZPizza

Product Review: Udi's Gluten-Free Tortillas

One of my favorite things is to peruse for new items while walking through great stores like Whole Foods. I love to try new things. I’ve found a whole treasure trove of fun adventures simply by walking slowly and looking around, instead of the more often used get-in-get-out, don’t-spend-$200 method.

Today, I took the slow route at Whole Foods. And it paid off. I found several new items, even if they were just new to me. One of them was something new by the infamous gluten-free Udi’s brand.

Udi’s sort of revolutionized the way gluten-free eaters eat. Before that, we had some decent products. Okay, most of them were cardboard and resembled Styrofoam. Alright, I’ll be fair. Not all of them. But when Udi’s brand hit the market with their blend of mostly tapioca starch products, gluten-free eaters could buy bread that would stay together in a sandwich and make great toast. They were even good just out of the bag.

My family is from Denver and I travel back there often. This is where I was introduced to Udi’s gluten-free bread. I happened to be in a Whole Foods (shocking!) in Boulder where my family was getting sandwiches to go. I dismissed it as an option (as most gluten-free eaters do, especially all those years ago when gluten-free eating was sparse unless we made things ourselves), but then I decided to ask the sandwich maker if they had gluten-free bread. They did! I was still skeptical, but I thought, oh, what the heck. I ordered my sandwich on the bread and hoped for the best. What I got was pretty unbelievable. I didn’t take any pictures, so you’ll have to take my word on this, but the bread slices were enormous! Bigger than even a traditional wheat loaf and soft, brown, and heavenly. The texture was astounding! I nearly passed out with glee and eagerly asked the sandwich maven where they got this bread. Did they sell it here? Where can I buy it? Can I have more please??

Well, that was my first introduction to Udi’s. When my family and I happened into an Udi’s café in Olde Towne Arvada, we found this delightful bread and many other fun gluten-free foods there, as well. What I learned later was that the bread they made for the stores like Whole Foods for their sandwich department and for the Udi’s cafes were made in special-made pans so they would be bigger than traditional bread, even of the wheat variety. And they were fresh daily, not frozen. That changes the texture quite a bit. Even so, Udi’s bread gave us an option that we didn’t have before – yummy gluten-free bread.

My intro to Udi’s and Udi’s cafe was many years ago and Mr. Udi (technically, it’s his first name, but that’s what I called him when I met him in one of his cafes) has since sold the commercial manufacturing aspect of his business to a large conglomerate that I have been assured is gluten-free dedicated. He has kept his cafes up and running, but the menus have changed a bit and you can’t buy as many gluten-free goodies in-store as you once could. But the food is still good, if you happen to be in the Denver area.

To round this story out a bit, here’s the interesting part: when I met Mr. Udi all those years ago, he mentioned that he was working on trying to figure out how to make a good gluten-free tortilla, but hadn’t perfected it yet. He was determined though, he said. But not until the product was Udi-worthy. It had to be great. And it seems he made good on that promise.

Back to the present day, as my jaw dropped over the newly-found Udi’s gluten-free tortillas, I hesitantly picked up the packaging, pretty sure they would be like most of the other gf tortillas – pliable, but rice-based and hence, prone to break, fall apart and be a bit dry. I don’t eat a lot of corn, otherwise, most g-free eaters I know simply eat corn tortillas. Always a good option, but for those of us who don’t eat corn or don’t like corn tortillas, our options are minimal.

Now, I will say, there is a decent gf tortilla on the market made by Sonoma that combines several flours, including rice, tapioca, teff, buckwheat, etc. I have tried the two they made and they’re pretty good, but as most of you know, if we have one sensitivity, we have many. I don’t often eat the Sonoma ones because there are a few ingredients that do not jive with my body. Other than Sonoma’s tortillas, I really haven’t found one that I liked very much, warm or right out of the packaging. The products are just…okay.

Pan back to Whole Foods: I actually saw two new varieties – Udi’s and Engine 2’s Brown Rice Tortillas. I manhandled the Engine 2 tortillas in the packaging and they seemed to me not that different than the Sonoma tortillas, or more like the more common Food for Life brown rice tortillas or even the Trader Joe’s brown rice tortillas. So setting those aside, I manhandled the Udi’s packaging trying to get a better look at what was inside. What I saw was a white tortilla (very much unlike the brown of the brown rice tortillas) that looked very familiar and very much like a traditional wheat tortilla.

Hmmm…this could be interesting. I dropped the $5.49 bag of 6 in my basket and went off the pay the piper.  

Well, I am like a kid at Christmas when I buy new things. I can’t wait to try it! Or play with it! Yes, I do play with my food. It’s a tortilla! It’s meant to be flat or rolled or curled around something. It’s kind of like playing, right?

I ripped open the bag and felt the texture, pulled it apart and took a bite. Mmm! The flavor was what stood out to me the most. It tasted like a tortilla should not – not chalky or bland or flavorless, which many of the gluten-free flours can impart, shall we say, interesting flavors. Not here! And it didn’t have that all-too-familiar rice flour extra chewiness. This white flatbread was delicious and flavorful!

The texture of the cold tortilla (Whole Foods stores them in the cold case near the sandwich counter…I’m seeing a pattern here!) was a cross between a corn tortilla – sans the corn – and a soft wheat tortilla. It was pliable and tender and only began to crack under pressure which I attribute to the lack of a filling and it being cold. Even a wheat tortilla will do this – from what I remember. I was amazed! A good texture is a tough thing to accomplish in the gluten-free world, especially if said gluten-free item has been refrigerated.

Amazed!

I got home and having not had my fill yet, I made an egg scramble to toss inside a warmed tortilla to see how it stacked up to the wheaty variety. Amazed! The texture was soft, pliable, and held together like it should’ve been a wheat tortilla. Made me kinda want to look at the packaging again, just to make sure. Yep. Still gluten-free. And amazing.

My final test was the last bits of the scramble and the mostly-gone tortilla shell – I took the tortilla and wrapped it around several times with the little bit of eggy goodness inside, just as you would a breakfast burrito. Amazed! It held together, everything stayed in place without cracking, crumbling or falling into the pits of gluten-free crumbly-ness. Amazing! It may have taken Mr. Udi many years to perfect the gluten-free tortilla, but it is pretty darn-near perfect. Delicious and amazing.

Now that I have gotten my tortilla-amazement on, I can happily dream of other adventures.

Happy eating! 

Restaurant Review: Elliott Bay Pizza

You know, I must say, more and more places are getting the importance of offering gluten-free options to the millions of people affected by the various problems that gluten causes in their bodies. For those of us who this is a necessity, I applaud these places.

And I spend my money.

One such place, Elliott Bay Pizza offers a gluten-free pizza crust that can be substituted for an additional $2.75 underneath any of their 10" pizza offerings. It's quite a nice offering too.

When you first walk in, there is a stack of menus and a sign telling you to seat yourself and order at the counter when you're ready. Very casual. I browsed the extensive menu, then followed the previous instructions.

They have lots of pizza options, as well as the ability to build your own, and all of them can be made gluten-free. I tried them for the first time tonight and really enjoyed myself. I ordered two pizzas so I could take some home (I still haven't been to a grocery store since coming back from San Francisco). I ordered a 10" Maui (Canadian bacon, mozzarella and pineapple) substituting the basic red sauce for their roasted-garlic and olive oil sauce and one 10" Highlander (pepperoni, mushrooms and mozzarella) switching out the red sauce for their homemade basil pesto. A little change is always good.

I sat back down at my table after getting myself a glass of water and my salad came quickly. The lettuce was crisp and cool, with nice pilings of red onions, black olives, shredded mozzarella and a couple of baby carrots. I nixed the tomatoes and croutons and opted for the raspberry vinagrette, which was nice. The salad was a nice starter, but I was eager to try the pizza.

My two pizzas came and the cook (she served it) brought me a plate and some parm and I dug in. The crust was soft and tender, thin and slightly crispy in certain places. The basil pesto was outstanding. As soon as I bit into that pizza, the flavor was almost overwhelming, but in a really delightful way. It began to melt into everything else and it all came nicely together. The Maui with the garlic-olive oil sauce was really nice with just a hint of garlic and I missed nothing about the red sauce that I think overpowers most of the pizzas I try. I prefer them this way. Simple and different. Try it sometime. You might just like it.

After sampling both pizzas and pleased with the texture of the crust and all the options before me, I began to wonder a little something. Something I usually take care of before I even get to this point. The big question: were all the ingredients on these pizzas gluten-free? I wasn't so sure. I felt okay at this point, but it wasn't clear because it wasn't marked anywhere on the menu. In other establishments, there are little stars or asterisks letting you know what was or wasn't gluten-free and what kind of protection they could offer you in the kitchen. Unfortunately, Elliott Bay Pizza didn't really offer this.

When I first planned to go, I called ahead to confirm the existence of a gluten-free crust, just to make sure. Sometimes there is confusion amongst the staff (not always) in some places or you have to order a day or so in advance depending on how they get their gluten-free options. I asked about the crust ingredients and I wanted to know if the alfredo sauce had wheat in it. The guy I talked to didn't know about the alfredo sauce and said he would find out and let the staff know before I got there. That's nice. I did confirm that there is gluten in the alfredo sauce at the counter before ordering. But what about the other things? Was the pepperoni I was eating gluten-free? How about the Canadian bacon?

Now, I don't know. I'll find out soon enough.

And what about the other things on the menu? Do they offer gluten-free pastas or calzones? Not sure. These are questions that are big and important to those of us eating gluten-free. Just offering a crust isn't enough. We will want to know more. Some people have to know more. Some restaurants like P.F. Chang's have gone the extra mile and let their customers know what equipment is dedicated gluten-free and what's not. What food is safe and what food is not. Very helpful when you're sitting down and want to feel good when you get up to leave.

So, I applaud Elliott Bay for getting out there and offering a gluten-free option, but I think they, along with many others, need to go the next step. Get a gluten-free menu printed up or post it on your website. Or they could simply put asterisks or some sort of sign on the menu that states certain items are safe to consume or certain items are not. And most of all, get your staff on-board. Pass the knowledge so as people are ordering they don't just write down whatever they are told, but they make a conscious effort to know what items would be considered safe and what would not be. As the consumer, it is my job to ask, ask, ask, but as the provider, it would make our consuming lives so much easier to have these things set up for us. It would make me want to come back because I know you care.

Something to think about.

Happy eating and safety for everybody!
Michelle

Restaurant Review: Let Them Eat Cake - San Jose, CA

I had the pleasure of spending my birthday in San Francisco with a dear friend and her family, none of which are gluten-free eaters. Some were curious, but after a long list of what happens to me when I eat gluten, nobody wants to eat anything afterwards, so I try to keep it to a minimum.

However, my friend wanted to surprise me and surprise me she did! She anticipated the birthday celebration and the options before her in regards to some sort of birthday dessert. Apparently, gluten-free cheesecake was discussed, as was making a gluten-free cake on their own.

I must say, my eyes nearly popped when I heard the last option. I have been gluten-free baking for many years now and even still, there are some serious flops and failures. It takes time and patience and a whole lotta know-how - either that or someone who has a serious book of good recipes. Luckily, I do, but my friend does not have the same experience being a gluten-eater. She's an amazing cook, but the gluten-free world can be challenging. And all bakers know that just using a recipe off the internet is not always a wise decision. Plus, the cost of buying lots of random ingredients they will never use again didn't seem like a good idea either. Of course, I'm not sure if she is aware, but there are some pretty good boxed mixes out there now, but it would be hard to know what would be available as we are here (in Seattle) and we were going there (San Francisco).

So, my brilliant friend did what brilliant friends do - she found a gluten-free baker.

With the help of the internet and a whole lotta trust, she ordered me a beautiful birthday cake that was beyond fantastic! It was a monstrosity of chocolate layers with a filling of raspberry jam and the most beautiful piping job of dairy-free (that was the option) "buttercream" basketweave and a bushel of beautiful, ripe berries on top. It was glorious!

I mean, look at that! How amazing, right?

Now, again, as all gluten and gluten-free bakers and eaters know, things can be beautiful to the eye, but the actual product may be less than...well, it would be hard to say what's inside that beautiful package. We've all seen the Food Network Cake Challenges - not all things are as they seem!

Well, this was just as beautiful inside as it was on the outside. This is one allergy-friendly patisserie that knows what it is doing. The cake was moist and flavorful with just the right amount of filling and the "buttercream" was soft and pliable, sweet and yummy. And those berries! I do not know where on Earth this bakery gets their berries, but if I could find them, I would drive down there just to get them. In fact, as we all waited for my friend to put her little one to bed, we couldn't stop ourselves from picking berry after berry off the top. We tried to hide the end result, but I'm sure the gaping holes gave us away.

It really was a magnificent birthday surprise.

For more information, you can contact Let Them Eat Cake at http://www.allergyfriendlypastries.com/ . They make all kinds of stuff: breads, rolls, pastries, cupcakes, wedding cakes, etc., but they only deliver in and around the Bay area. Not sure about shipping. But they would be more than worth it. And apparently, as I raved to them in an email and sent them a picture of their creation pre-plate-licking episode, they mentioned back to me that they now sell their flour mix online. Another good option.

Happy eating!
Michelle - the birthday girl

Restaurant Review: Mariposa Bakery - San Francisco Ferry Building

The smell of freshly baked bread. The allure of wafting cinnamon rolls calling to you. And, oh, yes...the delight of a fresh cookie or brownie or muffin. What more can one ask for when walking through the Ferry Building open marketplace in downtown San Francisco?

I know.

Gluten-free.

Yes. For those of us in need of something delicious, sort of nutritious, and really, happy, healthy, body-friendly food...Mariposa Baking Company has come to our rescue.

I had heard about Mariposa on several websites and how great their products are. A friend and I headed to San Francisco for a little R&R and found ourselves walking around the Ferry Building - after a mind-blowing three-hour chocolate tour, if that is even imaginable! - and I had to find this little store. It's more of a kiosk, really, because in that building, they can only cram so much. And luckily for me and so many others, they had room for some gluten-less goodies.

When I found the kiosk (which is down towards Sur La Table - also a fav), I had to control myself. They had so many options and they all looked so good. Everything is pre-packaged, which is great for those of us traveling, and they even had a freezer case full of tempting treats. Everything from frozen pizza crusts, bagels, cinnamon rolls and even pasta! I really wanted to grab a bag of their homemade ravioli to take home, but I wasn't sure how well it would travel. I kind of figured that the other stuff I would buy would either not make it all the way home to Seattle (having been devoured before we even hit the road) or it would make it home in a bag with or without ice.

I poured over my options on the counter and in the stand, drooling over the muffins and cookies, brownies and tea cakes. I settled on a sour cream coffeecake, which was excitedly squishy, a peace cake with unsulphured apples, two chocolate chip bagels (out of the freezer), and one bag of crostini with a hint of garlic. I could even smell the garlic through the bag. It was all I could do to not tear it open right there.

I decided not to.

I know. Sad.

I was hopped up on three hours of chocolate samples, so I really didn't need anything else. But I wanted to.

But I didn't.

I bought my goodies and the checker gave me a free cookie telling me it was to celebrate their anniversary. That was exciting. Free is always nice.

I took my stuff and found my group and finished the rest of my vacation. Finally, at the end of it all and days of thinking about the sour cream coffeecake, I had to have some. See picture above. I cut into it and found that it was so soft and moist and delicious, I didn't want to stop.

Sigh.

I did. I do have some self-control. :)

I shared a little and saved the rest for breakfast and took rest home to Seattle to be devoured here.

The peace cake was a nice change of pace. Not what I was expecting. It was firm and drier than expected after eating the exceptionally moist sour cream coffeecake. That's when I read the package. The cake was meant to be reminiscent of war times when eggs, dairy, and sugar were rationed. The cake was gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan and really quite good. A little crumbly, but I liked the concept.

Soon after, I tried one of the bagels. Now, I have made gluten-free bagels once or twice before and it is so nice to have a pre-made option as bagel-making is a bit intensive with all the rising and water boiling involved. These bagels were soft and slightly chewy, but not as chewy as I had hoped. Not sure if it was the freezing or just the type of bagel they were, but I have to admit, I was slightly disappointed. They tasted good, but they fell apart more than I anticipated and it made them more challenging to eat. Nothing a little (or a lot) of Neufchatel cheese won't fix! I did enjoy them though. Very much.

Now, onto the crostini. Hands-down my favorite thing in my purchase in a close race to the sour cream coffeecake. The crostini were crisp and firm, crunchy and garlicky in all the right ways. They didn't fall apart more than expected and I do believe any gluten-eaters out there would have no idea these were anything but gluteny goodness. But they are so not! They were amazing. And if I hadn't eaten them all with some turkey slices and cheese, I would have loved to save some and make something Giada De Laurentiis would be proud of.

But, alas, they are gone.

Lucky for me, Mariposa ships.

Their price is pretty good for a gluten-free goodie, considering they are in San Francisco and everything is elevated there except the altitude. To find more on what they offer, you can visit them in Oakland at their main bakery, at the Ferry Building in downtown San Francisco or go to http://www.mariposabaking.com/ for more information.

Oh. The free anniversary celebration cookie! I almost forgot. It was delicious. Chocolate chip, I believe. Not sure. I have to say I ate it during the chocolate fever, so all I remember are the few crumbs left behind. It must have been good.

Happy eating everybody!
Michelle

Product Review: Tinkyada Gluten-Free Rice Pasta

You know, even for someone who can't have wheat, everybody deserves a little pasta in their life, right? It's chewy, filling, and satisfying in so many ways. And all the delicious things you can do with it!

Okay, truth is, we all know pasta is not the absolute best thing for us especially if all we ever have are cream sauces or butter on it. However - and this a big HOWEVER - if you use it complementarily with all sorts of other delicious and nutritious items, then yes, pasta can be a really great food. And don't despair gluten-free eaters, there are many, many companies who are more than willing to provide you with a whole host of gluten-free options. In fact, in Asia, rice noodles have been used for thousands of years with the most basic ingredients possible - stone-ground rice (rice flour) and water. That's it. Pretty simple and easy to make.

You can walk into any Pho house in the world and you'll find exactly what I'm talking about: good rice noodles steeped deeply in that delicious Pho broth. And if you want rice noodle selection, just peruse your local Asian market (if you have one) and walk down the noodle aisle. One whole side will be dedicated to rice noodles in every shape and size.

Now, for anyone who has tried a rice noodle, it really depends on the noodle, the maker and the ingredients as to how the texture and feel in your mouth will be. Some noodles are sticky intentionally; some noodles fall apart if overcooked; some noodles cook quickly while others take twenty minutes or longer to soften; and some noodles just aren't very good.

Rice in and of itself is not a bad food. It has gotten a bad rap because the glycemic index of it is a bit high and that is a major concern for a lot of people. However, rice is a quick and sustainable energy source, low in sodium, cholesterol-free and full of vitamins and minerals like niacin, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, thiamine and riboflavin. This popular crop feeds more than half of the population of the world and is considered a staple in most countries.

And just think about the vast quantity of types of rice: red, white, black, jasmine, arborio, short-grain, long-grain, instant. The list goes on and on. But the most popular debate has and will probably always be: white or brown? Keeping that outer husk with all its beneficial bran seems a great way to go.

And that is just what my favorite rice pasta company has done.

As more people find themselves on a gluten-free diet, the need for gluten-free pastas are on the rise. Companies are taking hold of this potential and creating new and exciting options that really rival their original wheat-filled counterparts. Penne, spirals, shapes and letters, bunnies, lasagna, elbows, fusilli, fettucini, shells, and more. The rice pasta industry has tried and succeeded at copying just about everything.

But as I have said before, not all pastas are the same. I have tried quinoa pastas made with corn, rice pastas made with organic brown rice, standard rice flour and water pastas, rice pastas that add dried vegetables right into the pasta and more. They all have their positives and their negatives and one of these days, I would love to do a taste, compare and share. But, that's another article.

Today, I am going to share with you my all-time favorite rice pasta and why it is my all-time favorite.

Tinkyada Rice Pasta is the winner hands-down. http://www.tinkyada.com/

Let me tell you why.

I have tried a lot of rice pasta. A LOT.

In my early quest for a great gluten-free diet, I didn't know how to make my own pasta and finding rice pasta was easy. In every natural store, it is abundant and now, in most stores, you can find at least a package or two. I have learned to make my own pasta, but pre-packaged rice pasta is fast, easy and readily available, so why not? That's my theory. And there is no way I am about to spend the hours trying to make my own gluten-free pasta into little spiral shapes. Not gonna happen. Who has time? Or should I say, days?

When I started out, I tried lots of different kinds of rice pastas, always looking for the one that would offer some greater nutritional value, but also a really great product. That's not too much to ask, is it? I didn't think so. So, I bought various package after package cooking them according to direction and remembering the rules of great pasta cooking (believe it or not, with the right rice pasta, it will cook just like the wheat varieties, al dente and all) I found my favorite.

Through a few bad pasta experiences, I found some gluten-free pastas to be dull or lifeless, grainy or starchy, overly chewy or gummy, and so many of them with all the great rice bran just fell apart when you cooked them. That's not any fun. Food should be pretty, as well as enjoyable. If it is possible, why compromise for second-best? Again, that's my theory.

And that's when I stumbled upon Tinkyada. Okay, stumble is probably not the right word. Fell would be more like it. How could I not when in the majority of the stores I went into it was either the only rice pasta they carried or it filled the entire shelf. Tinkyada has such a vast variety of types, shapes and sizes, most stores don't even carry all they offer. So, with the store stocking so many, it must be good, right?

This is where I wave my little red flag. Note to all gluten-free eaters: just because a store stocks several varieties of a particular brand does not, and I repeat, does not mean they are actually any good or even the best. Tinkyada is the exception here. As a matter of fact, they are quite the exception because their pasta is good. Okay, not just good, but goooooooooooooooooooooood. Can you hear my lips smacking just thinking about them?

Tinkyada offers lots of options from organic brown rice pastas to spinach brown rice spaghetti noodles (one of my favorites) to multi-colored vegetable spirals with carrot, tomato, and spinach in the pasta itself. Probably the one and only noodle I have yet to have tried is their lasagna noodle. No, wait. I believe I did try that some years ago, but it has been awhile. I just haven't gotten around to making any sort of lasagna. But, I will!

You can eat the noodles cold or hot (a big problem for many manufacturers), you can sauce them or eat them plain, and nearly all the noodles contain rice bran for extra nutrition, texture and flavor. And only one is made with white rice; the rest are filled with the beneficial brown rice variety. Delish.

So, what is one to do with a rice noodle?

Whatever you want to.

Literally. Make spaghetti with marinara sauce and add a meatball or two; make a cold pasta salad on a hot summer night; add some to make chicken noodle soup; make a delicious cream sauce and serve up some fettucini; or do what I do: make your own sauce concoction and devour. *See below for my latest offering.

Here are some tips for pasta lovers (and really, these are pretty standard pasta making tips whether you eat wheat pasta or rice):

1. Salt the water generously. This will make the pasta more flavorful and you'll have to add less salt to your dish later. (Of course, for those of you who don't eat salt or prefer not to, this is completely optional. Tinkyada is just as delicious without added salt.)

2. Cook the pasta just until al dente, which literally means, "to the tooth." The texture should still be a bit chewy and firm. The pasta will continue to cook once you remove it from the heat, so if you overcook it prior to that, by the time it gets to the plate and in your mouth, it will be mushy. Unless you like that, then have at it.

3. If you need to stop the pasta from continuing to cook (aka, you overcooked it), then run it under some cold water to stop the cooking process. Some of the packages of rice pasta will recommend that you do this anyway. You don't have to do this with Tinkyada's pasta. Not necessary. And on the plus side, then your pasta won't be cold when you want it to be hot. Some of the other brands recommend you do this to also remove the excess starch from the outside of the noodle. After having cooked some of them, I can see why. They start to clump in the water and that's just a gooey mess. This is not a problem with Tinkyada. Ever. No need to rinse unless you really want to.

4. If you are going to refrigerate any leftover pasta or you are going to serve it by itself (where people can put their own toppings on, etc), then remove the pasta from the water, rinse if you must, and add a little olive oil and gently mix it around. This will prevent the pasta from sticking together, which does happen whether it is wheat or rice. If you are putting a sauce or dressing on it right away, this step is unnecessary. But remember, as with all pastas, the pasta is going to absorb the dressing somewhat. Add more later if you need to.

And that is pretty much it. Pretty simple, pretty fast and pretty delicious.

Happy eating everybody!

Creamy Italian Squash and Carrot Sauce

Great with pasta or over turkey or chicken! Delicious!

Recipe courtesy of Michelle Hankes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups baby carrots or regular carrots chopped into 1” pieces

½ acorn squash, seeded, peeled and diced

1 cup water

¼ cup milk of choice

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp dried basil

2 bay leaves

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp dried tarragon

½ - 1 tsp salt (add more or less to taste)

Dash cayenne pepper

½ onion, diced

1 tbsp olive oil or butter

½ tbsp butter or natural margarine

2 oz. Neufchatel cheese or vegan cream cheese alternative


Place carrots, squash, and water in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until squash is tender and carrots are easily cut or pulled apart with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Place cooked squash, carrots and water mixture into a blender or VitaMix. Add milk and blend until smooth.

Return pureed mixture to saucepan and add thyme, oregano, basil, bay leaves, garlic, tarragon, salt and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to gently simmer.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil or butter on medium-low heat. Saute onions until tender, not browned, about 3-4 minutes.

Add sautéed onions, butter and Neufchatel cheese to saucepan with pureed mixture and stir gently to incorporate. Gently use a whisk to incorporate the cheese, if necessary.

Remove bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Product Review: Natural Desserts Instant Vanilla Pudding

You know, every once in a while I get the hankering for a little pudding. The soft, velvety texture, creamy, soft mouth-feel that just slides right down without really having to even move your mouth. It just floats down to your tummy.


Yum.

Well, most of the time, anyhow. I am not a huge fan of instant pudding, but there are times when you just don't want to stand over a stove and stir and stir and stir and stir. And then 30 minutes later, you have warm pudding. Sometimes, warm pudding is fantastic, but other times, you just want a nice, cold cup of creamy vanilla pudding, right?

Right.

And sometimes you want it right now, right?

Right.

Ah, the American motto. But I digress...

As I shopped around Whole Foods, I stopped by the baking aisle to check on a few items for a friend whose daughter has just recently gone gluten-, dairy- and corn-free. Very similar to me. In my attempt to help her make the transition smoothly, I was pricing some necessary items for them, when I spotted a little white box with words 'all-natural gluten-free instant vanilla pudding.'

Intriguing.

I picked up the new little box and immediately do what I always do: turned it over. I am an ingredient reader. Have to be. My body is discerning and so am I.

Reading the ingredient label, I was neither frightened, nor appalled (it is Whole Foods, after all) and pleasantly surprised to see that corn starch was not their thickener of choice.

Thumbs up for those of us abstaining from corn.

Feeling pretty pleased about it, I dropped the Natural Desserts vanilla variety in my cart (there was also a tempting chocolate version, but I was in a vanilla mood, as we all have those kinds of moments - I can hear my good friend's husband shrieking. He is a chocolate purist. Not that the chocolate has to be pure, but it has to be pure chocolate.) and headed home.

Fast-forward a few days.

It's a lazy Sunday morning and I have decided to give the new item a try. I had also just recently purchased a bunch of new and fun items from my local Asian market, so something had to be tried. The vanilla pudding stood out. It beckoned to be eaten. And I was ready to answer that call.

Flipping it over again, I re-read the backside looking at the ingredients again and all the various verbiage: no corn, no wheat, no milk (unless you choose to use some), no eggs and no soy. Excellent. This could be a new favorite for me and my new gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free twelve-year-old friend.

Emblazoned across the top in bold italics - No Cooking! Just mix with milk! Great. Perfect for what I am looking for. There were also alternate suggestions for pudding, using milk (skim or whole) or milk alternatives (rice milk or even potato milk), pie filling, rice pudding and even a recipe for Cherries 'N Cream Pie. Mmmm. Sounds good, doesn't it?

Yep. My mouth was a'watering.

I dumped the package inside into a large bowl with two cups of cold milk (I used hemp milk because it was all I had and if the package says you can use rice or potato milk, well, hemp will work just as well). I started to whisk for the two minutes the package declared was the amount of time needed to whisk the powdery mixture into smooth and creamy goodness.

I whisked and I whisked, slow and gently, as recommended. I looked at my clock. One minute.

The mixture was still pretty much in a fluid state, so I figured something magical was about to happen around minute two.

Nope. Still liquid. Slightly thicker liquid, but nothing like pudding. Maybe like a watery sauce. Maybe.

I whisked some more and then I thought, well, why don't I just taste it? See how it tastes. Tastes like vanilla hemp milk with little pearly lumps in it.

Okay, so maybe the mixture has gelled before it mixed together fully. Interesting, considering the milk was cold and that's what the package directions tell you to do.

I whisked a little while longer, hoping for some change or some pudding magic to happen. I was only disappointed. So, I thought to myself again, as I do often while I cook or create, let's just leave it alone and see what happens. Maybe it will thicken on its own. Maybe.

I left it sit on the counter for about 7 minutes and when I came back, it looked, well, the same.

I flipped the box over again reading and scouring the words to see what I might have done wrong or where I may have flubbed. I could find no error. Put milk in bowl; dump in mixture; whisk together. Wa-la! Instant pudding. More like instant flavored milk.

Out of curiosity and not really wanting to waste half a box of hemp milk, I put the liquid into a saucepan and set it on medium. I thought maybe it just needed some heat, even though it was supposed to be a no-cook pudding mix.

I continued to whisk and stir, waiting for the mixture to at least get to the boiling stage. If it made it to that point and hadn't thickened, it wasn't going to. Whatever starch they used was either not enough or just wasn't working. Now, mind you, it has been close to an hour with all the whisking and waiting and whisking some more. I could have just made my own pudding and it would have taken less time without the confusion or frustration.

As the liquid began to boil, I realized it had thickened some to about the consistency of a nice sauce, but that really wasn't what I was looking for. And now that I had invested time and money into this project, I wasn't going to throw it away. It still had potential and I wanted pudding.

I mixed in some sweet potato starch (a fun find from the Asian market - starch from sweet potatoes! Ingenious!) and began whisking away. It began to thicken, as expected, and I realized that I put in maybe about half of what I would have to make my own pudding, so maybe the mix didn't have enough starch and whatever they were trying to do to make it be instant had failed miserably. I was kind of wondering if they had tested this product in-house before putting it in a box.

Maybe. Maybe not.

So, all in all, I would say, forget the $1.49 (or $2.49 on several websites) for the Natural Desserts Instant Pudding Mixes and if you can eat cornstarch, use one of those varieties - there are plenty. If you can't, just make your own at home. It will be less hassle, probably about the same cost, maybe even a little cheaper and you know what you're going to get when you are done.

Happy eating,
Michelle

Product Review: Gluten Free & Fabulous Macaroni & Cheese

You know, a great way to start off any evening is with a nice package of macaroni and cheese. Kids love it. Adults love it. It has such a salty, sweet flavor that will make any of us beg to go back to our childhoods, even for just a day.

I grew up on Kraft Mac n' Cheese, or the store brand, whatever was cheaper, as most kids did and still do. One of my friends down the street had a mom (whom I still love dearly) who would not even let her think about touching the stuff because she was a purist - make it from scratch or don't make it at all. I agree with her now. But back then, no way. I wanted that creamy soft goodness right out of the box. Orange food coloring and all.

Now, I can barely think about even entertaining that idea, let alone eat mac n' cheese that isn't natural or gluten-free. I've tried a few brands, but as I have given up nearly all dairy, I just don't eat it unless I make my own non-dairy version. However, one day, while strolling down the aisle of one of my favorite natural stores, I came across a new package sitting on a shelf. Without realizing why I would even want to check it out, I flipped the little blue and yellow package around to see that not only was it gluten-free, but it was made primarily with quinoa flour.

Very intriguing. The front of the package never even alluded to this, so this little chance happening was quite welcome.

As most of you know, I love quinoa, millet, and pretty much most ancient grains that are me-friendly because they're superior in nutrition to rice or wheat. So, to find a package of hidden gem gluten-free mac n' cheese made with quinoa, well, I had to buy some.

Not an easy feat at $6.79 a bag.

I nearly choked at the seven dollar price tag, but the idea of being able to consume pasta made with quinoa and rice flour was too intriguing. I bought a bag, no doubt spurred on by the little kid in me who liked to sit outside and play with the dogs or hide in laundry baskets while Mom cooked up some pre-packaged easy feed. I could nearly smell the aroma of Kraft filling the air.  

I have one little comment for the quinoa connoisseurs. For those of you who love gluten-free stuff, I know there is a company out there that makes quinoa pasta. I can hear you yelling at your computers now. My problem with that company is the other flour in the pasta is corn. I rarely eat corn. Not me-friendly.

So, the idea of quinoa and rice, that was exciting. I mean, seriously, think about the sheer nutrient factor and then add in the complete protein factor. AND I get to have mac n' cheese? It was worth breaking my no-dairy rule to just try it once.

And it was so worth it.

Hands-down, my favorite rice pasta is Tinkyada, but Gluten-Free and Fabulous is definitely pulling in close behind. The texture was perfect. I cooked it to al dente, leaving a slight chew, then added the rice milk (I know, kinda pointless, but I don't buy anything cow-related, so bear with me here), Earth Balance Soy-Free Margarine, the packaged cheese (which looked quite a bit like Kraft's), and heated them all together until they became the beloved food of my childhood. Oh, yes. It was good.

As always, when you cook rice pasta of any kind, leave it al dente when you pour out the water. The pasta will still continue to cook after the water is gone. This will make the texture just right when you get ready to eat it; not mushy or falling apart. This is true of wheat pasta too, by the way, except wheat goes gooey and overly chewy.

The other tip I have for this little gem is be patient when you add the milk, butter and cheese back into the pan with the pasta. They use cornstarch to thicken it (which was a bit of a downer for me, but millions of people will rejoice in having a great gluten-free pasta with or without corn products) and it takes a little time. It will thicken. I promise. Just be patient and attentive. Give it some love while you're waiting.

When the finished product comes out of the pan and onto your plate, it is heavenly. It smells great, the texture is just right and the sweet and salty creaminess of the cheese is everything you remember, sans all the chemicals and colorings.

For those of you craving a little extra something, add a couple rounds of sausage (uncured beef was my choice), some parsley on top and you have a slightly more grown-up version of a classic childhood favorite.

The plant used for manufacturing is dedicated gluten-free, so you can feel at ease when you eat these tiny little elbows of deliciousness and enjoy every last bite knowing that you and your children are eating better, healthier and wiser without even knowing it.

You, too, can be gluten-free and fabulous.

Happy eating!