Pasta, Pasta!!

I love pasta. I always have, but I love it even more now because of all the varieties of actual gluten-free pastas on the market. Thinking back to ten years ago I recall there was uhhh...nothing. I didn't eat pasta for several years after my diagnosis of Celiac Disease because, well...there weren't any on the market. Those were the early days when brown riced ruled my world and I would create an impressive variety of dishes solely encompassing boiled brown rice, veggies, hard boiled eggs and maybe some cheese. Good times.

I also remember back to just seven or eight years ago being on vacation in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Walking through some of the grocery stores in Impanema, I was in awe of allllll the gluten-free products on the shelves - and not only where they on the shelves, they were clearly marked with a gluten-free logo denoting that even someone who wasn't fluent in Portuguese could figure out. So, on both of my trips to Brazil I loaded up on crackers, pasta and other products that could not be found in the States at that time and brought them home with me. But what was the most eye-opening and astounding part of those fond memories was the fact that I discovered these products in a country (at that time) that was still considered a developing nation, even though it is South America's most influential country, an economic giant and one of the world's biggest democracies. I would love to visit again and peruse the local grocery aisles to see what kind of products are available now and how the restaurants and vendors' awareness of Celiac Disease have been elevated.

Another favorite stop on my map for gluten-free pastas and products has always been Italy - however, now we (as in the U.S.) carry more gluten-free products than I've recently found in Europe, so it's a real momentum swing in our favor, especially in the last five years. You can still find terrific GF products overseas and hands-down, certain western European countries have a greater understanding and awareness of preparing foods properly, but product for product, the U.S. seems to be on a roll.

In my product research and collection of favorite food sites, I really enjoy Market Hall Foods of Oakland, and their effort to stock some authentic, Italian GF pastas which I have ordered and cooked with. Their GF pasta brand is Rustichella d'Abruzzo, who recently introduced their gluten-free pasta line. These artisanal pastas are made from freshly-milled, non-GMO Italian corn and rice and are 100% gluten-free. I found them to be quite tasty and held their form well, but honestly, my favorite GF pastas which are more affordable and easier to find, are Tinkyada rice pastas.

The photo and recipe in this post includes Tinkyada's brown rice penne pasta. I'm just a big fan of how well the pasta holds its shape and texture...and flavor. And when you eat the leftovers the next day, their pasta is still fresh and never soggy. You can find this brand at Whole Foods and some mainstream grocery stores now, as well.

The Gluten-free Mall also offers a large selection of GF pastas that you order on line and have delivered to your front door. Another company that's been leading the way for gluten-free products in Europe for decades is now in the States, Schar. I first bought some of their products in Italy, as they have been the premier GF supplier there for years. The company has a very interesting history and in 2007 they opened their first U.S. headquarters in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. Schar USA now provides high quality gluten free products to many of the U.S. major chains. If you've ever ordered an gluten-free meal on an international flight, you were eating some of their products...with that said, you might be inclined to give Schar another try, post-flight. In my opinion there's really just no delicious way to eat on a airplane unless you pack the food yourself...or sit in first-class! Schar also offers an on-line store that sells quite a variety of their own pasta brands. I have not personally tried their pasta, but they are on my list to check out and review.

There are two other online companies worth mentioning, one who also sells homemade gluten-free pastas, DePuma's Gluten Free Pasta in Connecticut and will ship to your door. As well as, Olive Nation, out of Italy via the States. I was so excited to find they carry my favorite corn pasta that I have only been able to find in Rome, Le Veneziane Corn Pasta. Needless to say, I'll be stocking up.

With so many delicious, authentic choices available to us now...life just got a bit sweeter, non?

Summer Pasta Primavera (okay, with sausage!)

Serves 4

- 1 Bag of Tinkyada brown rice pasta (2.5 cups)

- 3-4 Gluten-free sausages, sun-dried tomato (pick your favorite), Sliced

- 1 Cup baby red tomatoes (halved)

- 2 Zucchini (medium), sliced thinly

- 1 Shallot (small), diced

- 1 Yellow onion (small), chopped

- Fresh Basil leaves

- 1/2 Cup fresh shredded cheese (Asiago and Parmigiana are best)

- 3 Tbsp. Olive oil

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Dash of fig balsamic vinegar

Prepare:
Saute chopped onions and shallot in pan with olive oil. When they are translucent, add zucchini slices and saute until they are al dente, then add baby tomatoes and sliced sausage and simmer together on low heat for 5-8 minutes. On another burner, time out the cooking of your pasta so it's ready when your saute is cooked. With most GF pastas, they require between 12-15 minutes at a boil. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add a tsp. of olive oil and stir. Then add your vegetable saute and mix together. Salt and pepper to taste. Top each bowl with a handful of fresh cheese and basil leaves, along with a drizzle of fig balsamic.

Mangia mangia!!

More Turkey, please...

I hope that Thanksgiving left your tummies full, but certainly not sick from any sneaky gluten that may have found its way onto you plate. I was very thankful for a lovely, quiet meal with my family that was much simpler this year, safe and delicious. I have to say that my mother has really mastered how to prepare a holiday meal sans gluten in the nine + years since my diagnosis.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving I found myself at the gym running on the treadmill and burning off some of those delicious calories previously consumed on Thursday. While running and sweating, I noticed that the Food Network had a show that was running called "Ask Aida". If you haven't seen it before, it features a young, enthusiastic gal named Aida who cooks up pretty quick and simple recipes, while answering viewer questions. I have to say, she's darn good at chopping. I was a little jealous while watching how fast her technique is.

She was whipping up a bunch of pasta dishes that looked rather tasty and cheesy - yum. The third dish she prepared caught my eye, given the fact that I was still in the mood to eat turkey, having not really overindulged too much this year on the good old bird, and this particular pasta dish requires ground turkey meat. The name that flashed on the screen was the Italian dish, Pasticcio, though Aida's version is definitely not the original four-hour-intense dish; let's say this is a shortcut version.


I memorized the ingredients and directions while huffing and puffing my way through the workout, and enthusiastically pledged to try this dish, making enough to nosh on throughout the week...and that's exactly what I've been doing. It's delicious. If you are looking for a warm and nutritious, lasagna-type meal everyone will love that will leave you with ample leftovers and a smile, try this modified version of Pasticcio ~ Macaroni pasta, ground turkey, tomato sauce, spinach and mozzarella.


Serves 8

- 1 Bag Tinkyata brown rice elbows, gluten-free macaroni pasta (or larger penne if preferred

- 1 Lb. of ground turkey breast

- 1/4 Cup sliced garlic or shallots

- 1/2 Large sweet onion chopped

- 3 Tbsp. Olive oil

- 1 12 Oz. jar of your favorite GF pasta/pomodoro sauce

- 2 Cups freshly shredded mozzarella

- 3 Cups fresh, washed spinach leaves (remove stems)

- 1 Tbsp. GF cinnamon

- Salt and pepper (to taste)

Saute sliced garlic and onions with olive oil until golden brown, then add ground turkey, jar of tomato sauce and cinnamon. Mix all ingredients together then turn heat to medium and simmer for ten minutes. Boil entire bag of pasta and cook until al dente, then strain and set to the side until turkey is cooked. (Tip - I always throw a few drizzles of olive oil in with my strained pasta and stir, to keep from sticking together).

Spray non-stick olive oil on to casserole dish then layer half of the pasta into the dish, just covering the surface. Layer pan of ground turkey mixture onto pasta and evenly smooth over entire surface. Layer fresh spinach over the turkey until it's completely and evenly covered. Spread 1 cup of mozzarella over spinach. Finally, evenly layer the remaining pasta over the spinach and toss on the second cup of mozzarella, e poi...finito!

Your pre-heated oven will be set at 350 degrees - cook the dish for 25 minutes. I would recommend covering the dish for the first 15 minutes to seal in the juices, then uncover to lightly brown the top.

Not only will this simple and quick dish allow you more time for all those Christmas and holiday bargains you are going to be looking for online, but the aromas it creates in your kitchen are intoxicating - you can thank me later.

Try not to eat the entire casserole dish in one sitting. If you do, don't blame me. Just head to the gym. The treadmill is awaiting your arrival.

Happy cooking ~

Gluten-free News and International Pasta Talk ~

I was perusing "Gluten-Free Girl's" blog today and was as usual, captivated by her writing style and knowledge of food, and after reading each of her posts I'm always left with hunger pangs and feelings of inspiration to cook and try new recipes.

In her (Shauna Ahern's) latest post, she links to a couple of terrific NPR Morning Edition stories, one of which she was interviewed for by heath reporter, Alison Aubrey. Have a listen - it's a very interesting story. And another story that ran earlier this week on NPR regarding Celiac Disease - How did we become so cool?

In my quest to stay informed on all-things-gluten-free, I signed up a while back for Google Alerts that pull an amazing amount of GF stories and articles each day, delivering them to my in-box. I strongly recommend you doing the same - you'll be amazed how tough it is to stay current with all the news that swirling around the gluten-free world...a world that's expanding by the day. This fact triggered a memory for me the other day and made me question (gratefully, of course) why it's taken the United States so long to catch up with the rest of the globe, when it comes to news and the labeling of gluten-free products.

My memories specifically reminded of the two trips I took to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil some six years ago - as I roamed through the markets of Ipanema I recall coming across many products that were specifically labeled for non-gluten eaters and remember standing in the aisle of this downtown grocery store in total awe of what I was reading and holding in my hand. Man, I wish that I had taken some photos! There were broths labeled as safe, and an interesting type of pasta that was really good, along with some various other crackers and products that most-likely didn't taste that great, but honestly six years ago to find a product safely labeled and shelved in Brazil, was a miracle to me and my taste buds were simply thrilled to be eating safe food.

The photo of today's pasta lunch leftovers (above) is a maiz/corn pasta that I bought in Italy a while back and have saved and savored, as it's now in short supply in my pantry. It's a lovely little shell-ish shaped pasta that holds its form and flavor quite well and has a really good taste.

For this quick, healthy meal I simply boiled some sliced zucchini with the pasta, added a bit of olive oil, sea salt, fresh tomatoes, a little bit of turkey, mozzarella, an egg on top and voila - Mangia time!

It's so easy to create such as simple, yet healthy, flavorful meal with fresh foods and in under 30 minutes - I really hope that our American culture will one day embrace this concept and that more and more children can eat real food.

How do you like to cook your GF pasta?

I would love to hear some suggestions and new recipes and where you have found your favorite GF pastas.

Cheers and Obrigada!

Roman Holiday...

It's freezing cold here this week...it's supposed to be spring but it doesn't feel like it. I'm longing for warmer days and memories of budding flowers and sunshine. As I stared outside my window at the falling snowflakes, my mind drifted to my last Italian "spring-fling" and to the warmer days and green hills of Tuscany.

Instead of writing about food today, I've decided to warm your hearts and eyes with some photos from my travels through Rome and Tuscany - there's a gluten-free story there, as well to share...one day soon - don't worry.

Enjoy the virtual tour of warmer days and sunny memories ~ Ciao for now!

Roma ~



Citta di Ronciglione ~






Toscana - Pienza, Cortona, Montepulciano ~








Hiking through the forest near Lago di Vico, outside Ronciglione ~


"Heaven shines through" Lago di Vico ~

Gluten-free "Normalcy"...Happiness in a Bowl or Two~

It's not often that a Celiac is able to walk into a lovely Italian restaurant, or restaurant of any kind, and sit down to order gluten-free pasta that's made to order right off of the regular menu! Well, recently it was my lucky night as this delicious "Genoa" shrimp, pesto-cream, and pine nuts with gluten-free fettuccine pasta dish you see above was just what the doctor ordered...and it was fantastico! The pasta was light and held its shape perfectly, and the entire time I was eating this savory dish I kept pinching myself that this was a gluten-free dish being served in a terrific and authentic feeling Italian wine bar, in the U.S...for a minute I thought I was back in Italy - it was that good.

I was able to order this wonderful dish at a Boise restaurant, Asiago's Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar on W. Main Street. It's quite a savvy and hip eating establishment with a cool bar and wine cellar used for dining and wine tastings. Asiago's also has enjoyable window seating and a lovely patio that opens up onto the street...did I mention the enoteca-styled interior with a mural of "the boot"...AKA..Italy carved out nicely on the main-facing brick wall. Delizioso!

If you are a Celiac or not - definitely visit the lovely Asiago's Wine Bar and enjoy feeling like a "normal eater," as you order off the large two-paged menu and for an hour or two, feeling like you're dining abroad.


Last week I created a new gluten-free Taco recipe and thought I would share this tasty and spicy Mexican dish with you...and it is also happiness in a bowl or on a plate.

We decided on chicken tacos with 100% corn tortillas, along with tasty black beans, some fresh-seasoned rice and yes-oh-yes...Sangria - Ole!

I prepared this chicken taco dish with a bit of a kick, though I didn't actually realize how much of a kick...pheeeew! It was a simple meal that can be added to or minimized according to your individual taste buds~ Serves 3-4 people.

Vamanos:

- 2-3 (organic) chicken breasts, chopped

- 1 sliced onion (any kind)

- 1 orange and yellow chopped peppers

- 1 small can of chile verde (all I found were gluten-free)

- 2 Tbsp. of good olive oil

- 1 Tbsp. of garlic salt

- 1 can of organic black beans

- 1 small can of organic corn

- 1 package of quality maize/corn (only!) tortillas of your choice

- 1 package of manchego cheese

- 2-4 servings of steamed basmati rice

- 2 sliced avocados

- 2 diced tomatoes

- 1/2 chopped head of butter lettuce

- 1 jar of your favorite salsa (we chose a local favorite)

First, I would prepare the rice in your steamer and get that started - takes about 20minutes...then I simply browned the onion and then chopped up up the chicken breasts and placed them in the skillet with the olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Let the chicken start to whiten on the outsides, then add in the chopped peppers and sautee for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to keep from browning too much. After 10 minutes (or when the chicken is well on it's way to being cooked) add in the chile verde sauce - now, I unknowingly used the entire can and though tasty, whoooo, light'em up baby. I would advise using 1/2 the can...or to your preferred taste.

As the chicken is cooking to perfection, combine in a saucepan the black beans and corn after draining both and let simmer on low-med heat. Then chop the tomatoes, avocado and lettuce and place on separate serving plates and shred or crumble the manchego cheese and voila...your toppings are ready to go. I also highly recommend making some guacamole to top off your taco/tostada dish.

Lastly, steam your tortillas or make your own like I did - muy bueno! Then it's the fun part - the creation of your own tacos!

Do you layer with beans first...or cheese and then the rice, or perhaps you start with the delicious chicken verde and then pile on the goods - it's all up to you and rest assured, it most likely tastes equally delicious in the tummy, no matter how you stack it! Just don't forget to add salsa and plenty of guacamole. Your taste buds will thank you.

If you have a favorite GF taco recipe - please share them.

Enjoy and Ole~