CeliacChicks

Gluten-Free Recipes: Chocolate Mousse The Easy Way

Look at that texture!!

Do you want an impressive yet couldn't-be-easier dessert recipe that will make your guests roll their eyes into the back of their heads and moan? OK, I can help you. I actually discovered this on Pioneer Woman's blog and noticed it was naturally dairy-free. Who knew that originally chocolate mousse was dairy-free?!

Side story...
This recipe brought back memories of the Rimsky Korsicoffee House in Portland, Oregon. Rimsky's used to be one of my favorite places to take tourist friends and I almost always would order the chocolate pot de creme there. Once we took a girl visiting from Denmark there and when she went upstairs to the bathroom she let out a blood curdling scream as the classical music played on. Ah, good times! Those of you who have been there understand, and those of you who haven't, well, try to go if it is still around. "Keep Portland Weird!"

OK, let's get started.

The Kale Chip Challenge

I can hear you now, "Kale chips?!" Uh huh, I know. It sounds totally nasty. And they aren't exactly pretty either. I kept hearing my blogger buddies Elana and Melissa go on and on about how "delicious and nutritious" kale was "blah blah blah" and I would wrinkle my nose and think a sarcastic, "Yeah, right." 

I didn't believe them, but I was intrigued by the idea. What if I could eat more greens in a miraculously tasty way? I kind of wanted to try out Melissa's kale chip recipe just because it was weird.

Well, well, well...something curious and strange happens to the kale when you bake it! It behaves a bit like Shrinky Dinks. Remember those? They come out of the oven half the size they were when you put them in. The moisture is sucked out and this creates a fun crispy texture that I can't get enough of...and...I ate a whole head of kale last night! Uh huh. Crazy, but in a good way!

Oh, and the strong earthy flavor of the raw kale is muted just a tad and blends quite nicely with the sea salt and whatever other flavors you decide to add.

Gluten-Free Recipes: Chocolate Scones

I had fun making this little set for my scone. That's my bag of Stumptown coffee in the background, sugar bowl full of birch xylitol and my favorite Seitan Is Evil mug. 

Here's a teaser recipe adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam. I started to make the cookbook's version of these, which are classic Chocolate Chip Scones, but chopping up the chocolate in my Vitamix made cocoa powder instead of the called for "chopped chocolate". Doh. I forged ahead with the recipe anyway and was pleasantly surprised by the extra chocolatey results!

I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about the idea of having to order expensive blanched almond flour online. I held off for awhile, tried using other almond flours, and then finally broke down and bought some. I tried to make myself feel better about the spendy purchase by silently saying to myself, "It is an investment in your health." Well, now that I've tasted the difference...I don't have to explain it away anymore. I've decided that the taste alone is worth it, and then when you figure in the health benefits of almonds, who needs refined flours and starches anymore?! The protein factor practically makes treats like these a meal. And you know I'm all about guilt-free treats!

CHOCOLATE SCONES

2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup agave nectar, honey, or simple syrup made from xylitol

2 large eggs

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 chopped dark chocolate

Meet Elana Amsterdam At Friedman's

Elana Amsterdam, the leading lady of gluten-free almond flour recipes, is coming to NYC for a book signing at Friedman's Lunch!

In case you don't know, Elana is a totally hip mama that creates low carb, low glycemic, high protein and overall delicious gluten-free recipes and shares a lot of them over at her blog Elana's Pantry. I'm hooked on her easy chocolate chip cookie recipe, and Kim believes that her chocolate cupcakes are the best she's ever tasted. One of our co-workers isn't even gluten-free and she is in love with Elana's recipes.

Elana is excited to meet with us and sign copies of her recently published Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook. You can either bring your copy, buy one at the event, or just stop by and say, "Hi." I've arranged for Friedman's to stay open a little later than usual in order for us to hang with Elana from 6pm-7:30pm Tuesday, Sept. 8th. [Thanks, Tryg & Vanessa!]

I'll be there with my copy! I'll tell you more about it in a little bit.

Friedman's interior, gluten-free sandwich, potato pancake, and burger w/fries.

So, don't forget...

Friedman's
next Tuesday, Sept. 8th at 6pm-7:30pm
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Ave
New York, NY 10011
212.929.7100

Please leave a comment below to let us know if you are coming.

Gluten-Free Recipes: Grain-Free Tabouli

I've been experimenting lately eating grain-free. Yes, I've finally read Breaking The Vicious Cycle, the official handbook for The Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I'm not saying I'm a "believer", but let's just say that I'm intrigued. One good thing I've noticed is that it forces me to use vegetables more in the place of starches.

Well, the other night I came home to an apartment that felt like a sauna. Since salads are always a nice alternative to turning the stove on, I thought I'd try to see if I liked a grain-free version of this fresh tasting dish. I altered the traditional recipe for tabouli a while ago by using millet instead of wheat.

So, the wheat substitute I played with this time was...