danish pastry – just like grandma made only gluten free!

Posted on April 22, 2014 by gfandme

I believe this may just be the best thing to come out of our kitchen to date! A conversion of my grandmother’s recipe, the pastry or kringle is crisp but still soft and flaky and can be wrapped around any kind of filling from apple to cherry, lemon or even cream cheese. It’s also relatively easy to make – especially if you have a food processor. The dough rolls out and bakes up like a dream!

My Bedstemor (Danish for Grandmother) called this “Fodselsdag Kringle” but I knew it as Danish Birthday Cake. But Bedstemor didn’t just keep this kringle for birthdays. She ALWAYS had one on hand and it was ALWAYS apple. With my mom’s birthday coming up, I wanted to make something special, so I found bedstemor’s recipe and decided to give it a go and at the same time, convert it to gluten free. Boy, am I glad I did. This is truly some of the best baking I have ever done and will be a part of my go-to list of recipes from now on.

Like this? You might also want to check out our other gluten free pastry recipes:

Mary’s Magnificent Pie Crust

Gluten free turnovers

Pastry Pockets Continue reading →

baked fusilli with chicken and marinara

Posted on April 1, 2014 by gfandme

To us, the only thing better than pasta is baked pasta. This fusilli is layered with a garlic tomato marinara, pieces of tender chicken, and two types of cheese and then baked in the oven until the cheese is melted and has a light crunchy crust. Mmmmmmm. And did I mention this is quick? 30 minutes from fridge to table makes this a great weeknight meal.

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Wondering what to do with left over mashed potatoes? Why not make cake!

Posted on March 19, 2014 by gfandme

This chocolate potato cake is one of the lightest gluten free cakes we’ve tried. It has a fluffy, crumbly texture and a mild chocolate flavour. You’d never guess that the recipe uses mashed potatoes!This is a conversion of a recipe that I came across in our local paper. (I also halved the recipe which explains some of the odd measurements.) The caption in the paper says that the potatoes boost nutrition, but I’m not so sure about that!

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gluten free onion soup mix

Posted on March 12, 2014 by gfandme

Once you have this around for a while you’ll wonder what you did without it. This onion soup mix is great to use for a quick cup-of-soup, for dips, a rub for meats, or a base for sauces, soups, stews, and gravies. Stored in an airtight jar, it will last for at least a month.

Below you will find a recipe for the onion soup mix as well as some suggested ways to put it to good use.

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Roasted Sweet Orange Chicken

Posted on March 5, 2014 by gfandme

Marinated in a honey-orange marinade, this chicken comes out of the oven soft, tender, and juicy. The zest in the marinade really adds the flavour of oranges to the dish which also has a hint of spice from the chili pepper and sweetness from the honey. Goes well with a tossed salad, or for something heartier, pair it with rice.

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Pina Colada Almond Flour Muffins

Posted on March 1, 2014 by gfandme

Inspired by our trip to Maui, Geoff and I decided to try to make something that would bring together some tropical island flavours. Made with Tahitian vanilla, shredded and ground coconut, and chunks of fresh pineapple, these Pina Colada Muffins certainly do the trick. On top of all that, the almond flour base makes them hearty and the applesauce keeps them moist for days. We will certainly be making these again! These are based on the almond flour raspberry muffins we posted earlier. Like those muffins, these should be stored in the fridge and taste even better the next day when the flavours have a chance to meld.

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Gluten Free on Maui

Posted on February 26, 2014 by gfandme

Geoff and I have been A.F.K. (“away from keyboard”) these last few days, enjoying a much-needed break from the deep freeze of the Polar Vortex by escaping to the island of Maui. If you’re planning your own escape, we highly recommend the Valley Isle and hope the information here helps keep you healthy and safe.

Below you will find our review of our condo hotel (great for celiacs because you can cook your own meals), reviews of the restaurants and grocery stores we visited, a couple of things we recommend you skip if you are gluten free, as well as a link to an awesome website on gf Maui. Aloha.

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Sweets for the Sweet

Posted on February 12, 2014 by gfandme

Around here, Valentine’s Day is usually pretty understated, celebrated with a nice meal, a glass of good wine, and always … always … something sweet. So here are some of our favorite decadent desserts – perfect for your gluten free valentine!

Gluten Free Turnovers (These take a bit of work, but they certainly say “I love you.”)

Gluten Free Ferrero Rocher (Amazingly simple to make and who doesn’t love these sweet treats.)

Home Made Almond Roca (Nothing says “love” quite like butter – especially when it comes with sugar!)

Sinful Chocolate Mousse Cake (Because there’s just something about romance and chocolate!)

And for those of you in warmer climes:

Sinful Chocolate Mousse Cake: The Freezer Version

Stuffed Raspberries

Happy Valentine’s Day!

black licorice and coconut caramel candy

Posted on February 5, 2014 by gfandme

If you like black licorice and caramel, you’ll love these. The initial bite reveals the sharp taste of anise that soon mellows to a sweet caramel with just the faintest hint of coconut. Uhmmm, please excuse me while I go grab another one….These will be fine if stored on the counter for a day or two, but after that should be kept in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving. Continue reading →

warm up with gluten free beef & vegetable soup

Posted on February 1, 2014 by gfandme

This takes a bit of time to make but it’s worth it in the end. You’ll end up with a bowl of savory homemade warmth.It’s a lighter soup, so you may want to serve it for lunch or pair it with biscuits, a salad, or gf panini for dinner. It also freezes and reheats well, so make extra. And if you use low sodium broth, no salt added tomatoes and tomato sauce, you can cut the amount of salt in this considerably.