Just because you eat gluten free, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a Valentine’s Day dessert. This decadent treat comes from the new cookbook, Straight from the Heart, by Taos chef and owner of Graham’s Grille, Lesley B. Fay.

Her 224-page cookbook includes recipes for appetizers, soups, salads and dressings, sandwiches, entrees and desserts; butters and spices and resources, shortcuts and tips.

Lesley’s flourless cake stands out due to its unique combination of espresso and merlot wine. Make sure to double check that ingredients like baking powder and vanilla are gluten free. The cake is best if it’s made the day before. Since it makes 16 cakes, you can put a few aside for midnight munchies after the fun on Valentine’s Day (hint, hint) or for the kids.

Flourless Chocolate Torte with Crème Anglaise

Makes 16 individual cakes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 pound butter, softened and divided in half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup espresso or strong coffee
• 1/2 cup merlot wine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 tablespoon xanthan gum
• pinch salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or coarsely chopped bar) sugar and cocoa powder for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Melt the semisweet chocolate with half the butter, and mix in the vanilla, espresso and merlot. In a separate bowl, cream the rest of butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until light yellow and smooth (about 5 minutes on high speed).
3. Mix together the cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Add these dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture to butter and sugar, alternating, and mixing well after each addition.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg, about 1 minute. Add semisweet chocolate chips. Pour into buttered cupcake tins or paper holders that have been sprinkled with sugar and cocoa powder.
5. Place a large open container of bowling water on the bottom rack of the oven. The stream helps cook the cakes and keeps them moist. Bake cakes on rack above the boiling water for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, open oven door and let rest for another 8 to 10 minutes. They should rise and be medium-soft to the touch. The trick here is to cook them long enough so they don’t fall, but not so long that they are dry.
6. Serve each cake in a puddle of Crème Anglaise. Garnish with fresh raspberries or a ribbon of lime (optional).

Crème Anglaise

Makes two cups.

Ingredients:

• 5 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• pinch nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients:

1. In a heat-resistant mixing bowl, stir together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg with a wooden spoon until well combined. The sugar should be somewhat dissolved in the yolks. Combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat and warm the milk just below the boiling point (the milk will start to form bubbles on the edges of the pan and it will become steamy just before it boils).
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir just a couple of tablespoons of the hot milk into the eggs and sugar, mixing well the whole time. Gradually add the rest of the milk, stirring constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan over low to medium heat. Heat the sauce until it thickens, but do not boil or the yolks will curdle. The sauce is done when it stays on the wooden spoon without dripping (this takes about five minutes but will depend on your pan and your burner). As soon as the sauce is thickened, immediately remove it from the heat.
3. Pour the sauce into a heat-resistant bowl (you can pour the sauce through a strainer to remove any lumps).
4. Stir the vanilla extract and cover the sauce with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap down on top of the sauce, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Picture courtesy of Lesley B. Fay.

Valentine’s Day: Flourless Chocolate Torte with Crème Anglaise #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I love Asian cuisine from Chinese and Japanese to Vietnamese and Thai. Yet due to my food sensitivities and being gluten free, I have to be careful when I go out to eat as well as when I make Asian cuisine at home.

Join me at the Udi’s Gluten Free Community to discuss enjoying Asian cuisine and being gluten free! I’d love to hear your thoughts and share tips on recipes, favorite cookbooks and blogs, and how you cope with being gluten free and going out to your favorite Asian restaurant!

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Happy Chinese New Year! Can you be #glutenfree and enjoy Asian cuisine? #gfcommunity is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Being gluten free during the holidays is challenging. Gluten is in so much holiday food, whether it’s in your Hanukkah latkes or your Christmas desserts. Or maybe you have friends and family who are gluten free. What kind of holiday gluten free treats and gifts are you getting them?

Well, Udi’s Gluten Free Community can be a big help for those looking for a little gluten free holiday help. Here are a few forum conversations that may come in handy this holiday season:

• Gluten Free Christmas Dinner
• Homemade GF Edible Gifts
• Holiday Brunch – Gluten Free Coffee Cake

Also, here’s a discussion I started about gluten free cookbooks, which would make wonderful, last minute holiday gifts for the gluten free people on your shopping list. (Or for you after you get all those gift cards to Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobles!)

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Disclosure: As a Udi's Gluten Free Community Leader I'm compensated for my time and efforts on their behalf.

A gluten free holiday season #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

If you’re wondering what you’ll be serving up for Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Boxing Day this year, these two gorgeous ecookbooks for the holidays can help.

Vegan Christmas

The first holiday ecookbook is by Nicola Griffiths of The Livity. Her ebook Vegan Christmas should appeal to anyone who is vegan as well as those who are gluten free or dairy, sugar and wheat free. It also comes with sample Christmas menus, which can be especially helpful if you’re cooking for someone who’s vegan – and you’re not.

Download a PDF of three sample recipes to view Nicola’s wonderful recipes and photography. I'm especially lusting over her recipe for Chocolate Truffles made with agave nectar! Her cookbook also features recipes for Olive Oil and Thyme Oatcakes, Roasted Beetroot Chutney, and Cashew Cheese. I especially love her "Amazing Gravy from Scratch" with porcini and portobello mushrooms - completely vegan and gluten free!

Vegan Christmas sells for £4.99 GBP or about $7.75 USD. You can order it via PayPal.

The Good Food Life Cook Book

Full Circle is a farm-to-table organic delivery service. This holiday season, they’ve produced a gorgeous FREE ecookbook, The Good Food Life Cook Book, with gorgeous food photography and wonderful recipes like Apple Stuffed Pork Loin, Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Hazelnuts, and Cranberry Quince Tart. Holiday drinks and wine pairings are included as are gluten free and vegan options. Download it here.

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Disclosure: Nicola sent me a copy of her ecookbook, Vegan Christmas, to facilitate this review.

Healthy holiday ecookbooks #vegan #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Are you looking for gluten free homemade gifts for the holidays? With cake pops being all the rage, I came up with a recipe that people with gluten free diets can enjoy.

Check out my post, Homemade gifts for the holidays: Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Treat Pops at the Attune Foods Blog to learn how to make them!

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Disclosure: I’m an Attune Foods Ambassador and am compensated for my time and efforts on their behalf.

Homemade holiday goodies: #GlutenFree Crispy Rice Treat Pops is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Adding pomegranates to your holiday recipes is a delicious way to  to stay healthy during the holiday season since pomegranates are high in antioxidants. Pomegranate juice, like the kind made by POM Wonderful, is also wonderful alternative to high calorie/no nutritional value cocktails. Just add a little seltzer and maybe a squeeze of lime or some mint leaves and you have a lovely mock tail that’s yummy and good for you!

Cooking with pomegranates

I’ve been a fan of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice for years and have used it to create:

• Pomegranate-Cranberry Sauce
• Stephanie Izard’s Pomegranate Pancake Syrup
• Basil Pomegranate Lemonade
• Pomegranate Smoothies

Even so, I’ve never cooked with pomegranate arils, the little “beads” that are inside pomegranate fruit. However, thanks to POM and celebrity chef Zoe Nathan, I’m inspired!

Zoe Nathan is the head baker and pastry chef at Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen in Santa Monica, California. She and her husband/business partner, Josh Loeb, also run Huckleberry Café and Bakery. She created this quinoa and arils dish, which would be a perfect entree for any vegetarians at your holiday dinner table. (If there are vegans present – or guest avoiding milk products – substitute a vegan soy, rice or almond milk cheese for the goat cheese.) It’s also gluten free and would make a lovely side holiday dish with its green and red colors. (Just remember to halve the portion!)

Quinoa with Pomegranate Arils and Goat Cheese

Recipe by Chef Zoe Nathan courtesy of POM Wonderful

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup arils from 1–2 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper
• kosher salt to taste
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Score 1–2 fresh pomegranates and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranates under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; sauté until lightly browned.
3. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
5. Remove quinoa from saucepan and spread out over sheet tray and let it cool (it stops the cooking process).
6. Mix in the mint, pomegranate arils and goat cheese.
7. Season with salt, pepper and some olive oil to taste. Serve.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 45 Minutes

Nutrition Grade NA from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 8

Servings: Makes 4 to 6 servings

• Calories: 400
• Calories from Fat: 140
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated fat: 8g
• Unsaturated fat: 8g
• Sodium: 1330mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 53g
• Sugar: 23g
• Fiber: 7g
• Protein: 14g
• Cholesterol: 30mg

$1 off POM Wonderful coupon

To make your pomegranate cooking even easier and less time consuming, use POM Wonderful Fresh Arils instead of trying to remove the arils from the fruit – less messier for sure!

There’s also a $1 off coupon available on the POM website. Just click on it, fill out your email and zip code, and print it out.

Picture courtesy of POM Wonderful.

Healthy holiday recipes: Quinoa with Pomegranate Arils and Goat Cheese #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

With holiday baking in full swing, you may be wondering what's up with all those gluten free flours. Here’s an informative infographic from the folks at nutsonline.com with some helpful facts on gluten free flours and flour blends.

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A guide to gluten free flour blends #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Having had a Jewish father, I grew up eating wonderful cookies and cupcakes at the Jewish-style bakery my parents frequented by my dad’s office in Red Bank, New Jersey. If you lived in the area in the 1970s, it was the bakery by Red Bank Catholic High School and down Main Street from Norman’s Deli, if I remember correctly. I don’t think it’s there anymore.

I never realized that black and white, lace, and rainbow cookies were typical of Jewish treats until I read Inside the Jewish Bakery: Recipes and Memories from the Golden Age of Jewish Baking by Stanley Ginsberg and Norman Berg. It’s a wonderful cookbook and would make a great Hanukkah or holiday gift.

I always thought of these treats as “back East cookies” that you could only find in New York City and Northern New Jersey. I never came across them in other parts of the country and only see them when I go back to New Jersey for someone’s bat or bar mitzvah.

My favorite Jewish cookies are the rainbow ones. I was hoping to experiment and come up with a gluten free version. (You can see a non-GF version of rainbow cookies here on the publisher’s website.) However, since they contain almond paste and almond extract – and I have a child who’s allergic to nuts – I didn’t think it was too smart to cook up a batch. Plus, I’d have to eat them all myself, which is a recipe for disaster especially with all the holiday treats out there this time of year.

Instead, I chose to make gluten free coconut macaroons. When my mother-in-law went gluten free over 11 years ago, there were very few premade gluten free products around. One exception was coconut macaroons that I’d find in the ethnic section of the supermarket during Passover. Here’s my healthed up, alternative sweetener version of Inside the Jewish Bakery’s recipe.

Featured at Jane Deere Blog Fusion Fridays.

Coconut Macaroons

Based on the recipe from Inside the Jewish Bakery by Stanley Ginsberg and Norman Berg © 2011 Camino Books. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons powdered stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups finely shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (grapeseed, canola or coconut oil works well)
• 3 to 4 large egg whites, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. If you’re using “natural” unsweetened coconut from the health food store, you may need to chop up the coconut into smaller pieces. You can do this in a food processor or a blender. Chop until the coconut is confetti-sized.
3. Blend all ingredients except egg whites on the low speed of electric mixer.
4. Increase speed to medium. Then add egg whites in a thin stream, mixing until smooth. Use only enough egg to get dough to the consistency of putty.
5. Using a small cookie scoop, spoon mixture on to cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. (I use the silicone making mats made by Wilton.)
6. Bake for 15 minutes until the tops of the cookies turn light brown. Do not over bake.
7. Allow to cool on parchment or silicon mat. (If the cookies stick to the parchment, turn paper over and wet it lightly so the macaroons will come off easily.)
8. Carefully remove cookies with a cookie spatula and store in an airtight container.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Nutrition Grade C- from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 1

Servings: Makes 36 cookies

• Serving size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 34
• Calories from Fat: 25
• Total Fat: 2.8g
• Saturated fat: 1.7g
• Unsaturated fat: 1.1g
• Sodium: 37mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 2.2g
• Sugar: 1.7g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Protein: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

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Disclosure: I received a review copy of Inside the Jewish Bakery: Recipes and Memories from the Golden Age of Jewish Baking to facilitate this review. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Holiday cookies: Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Today at 8 pm EST/5 pm EST, you can join me  and Alta Mantsch of Tasty Eats At Home at the Udi’s Gluten Free Community Forum. We’ll be discussing ways to save money on gluten free foods.

You can join the discussion here.  (You’ll need to become a member of Udi’s Gluten Free Community first.) Or you can follow the discussion below. (We won’t be chatting until 8 pm EST/5 pm PST. But you can add a comment any time after logging in!)

While you’re there, check out Udi’s Special Offers for a $1 off coupon.

Let’s chat!

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Disclosure: As an Udi's Gluten Free Living Community Leader I am compensated for my time and efforts on their behalf.

How to save money on gluten free foods #gfcommunity is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

You can only heat up slices of Thanksgiving turkey so many times before you’re tired of it. Instead, how about making a panini sandwich with your leftover turkey and cranberry sauce instead?

My version is based on Mirassou Winery’s recipe for Mini Maple Turkey Panini with Riesling Cranberry Relish. I’ve healthed up the recipe by substituting organic or gluten free bread, buttery spread, and a low fat Jarlsberg cheese instead of Gruyere. You can also use your leftover cranberry sauce or relish instead of making a new batch. (If you’re out, try Mirassou’s recipe. It looks amazing!)

If you’re not watching your calories, feel free to spread on a nice thick layer of cranberry sauce. If you need to cut back, you can dip corners of your panini into a small dab of cranberry sauce on your plate, so you get a taste but not all the calories.

Mirassou's paring suggestion is a glass of Mirassou® Monterey County California Riesling.

Turkey Panini Sandwiches with Cranberry Relish

Based on Mirassou Winery’s Mini Maple Turkey Panini with Riesling Cranberry Relish

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: about 15 minutes

Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons light agave nectar
• 8 slices sourdough bread (gluten free or organic)
• 12 slices leftover turkey
• 1 cup shredded low fat Jarlsberg cheese
• 2 tablespoons buttery spread

Directions:

1. To prepare sandwiches, brush a little agave syrup onto one side of one of the bread slices (per sandwich).
2. Place 3 slices turkey, a little relish and 1/4 cup cheese on each slice then top with another slice of bread.
3. Spray sandwiches with a little buttery spread and place in a preheated Panini grill . Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is grill marked. (Or cook in a skillet for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, pressing down to compress sandwich.)
4. Cut into 4 triangles and place on a serving tray.
5. Serve immediately with cranberry sauce – you can dip your sandwiches in the sauce or spread a layer on top.

Thanksgiving leftovers: Turkey Panini Sandwiches with Cranberry Relish is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!