Don’t let May pass you by without enjoying some sweet, succulent, and oh-so juicy, strawberries! May is National Strawberry Month, a perfect opportunity to set this healthy and versatile little berry in the spotlight. Did you know that strawberries are high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, and full of healthy antioxidants such as flavonoids? One cup of strawberries comes in around 50 calories and is the perfect addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert!

To help celebrate the strawberry, here are some deliciously decadent recipes inspired by this sweet fruit!

Chocolate Strawberry Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups gluten free flour
• 1 cups sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup strawberry preserves or jam
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

 Ganache:

• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1/2cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 pint strawberries, sliced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl beat together yogurt, coconut oil, sugar, eggs, water, vanilla extract.
4. Whisk together wet and dry ingredients.
5. Fold in the strawberry preserves.
6. Pour batter into a greased 13inch baking pan.
7. Bake brownies for 30- 35 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out almost clean.
8. Place brownies in refrigerator to cool.
9. For the ganache, mix together maple syrup, coconut oil, cocoa powder, vanilla, and sea salt in a blender or food processor.
10. Process mixture until smooth.
11. Pour ganache over brownie mixture and leave in refrigerator for 2 hours.
12. Take brownies out, cut into 12 pieces and garnish with additional strawberries.

French Vanilla Cream Cheese Strawberry Raspberry Cake

Ingredients:

 Cake:

• 1 box gluten free vanilla cake mix
• ½ cup coconut or vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

• 3/4 cup raspberry preserves
• 1 cup raspberries

 Frosting:

•  1 8oz tub strawberry cream cheese
• 2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup salted butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Beat together vanilla cake mix, oil , water, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Pour batter into a greased 8 inch cake pan.
4. Bake cake for 45-55 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out almost clean.
5. Place cake on counter to cool.
6. While cake cools, beat strawberry cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together for frosting.  Slowly sift in powdered sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.
7. Once cool, remove cake from pan and cut cake evenly in half.
8. Layer raspberry preserves filling between cake rounds and top with the fresh raspberries (make sure filling is not too thick or it will spill out).
9. Place top layer over filling.
10. Frost entire cake with frosting and garnish with fresh raspberries and strawberries.

Strawberry Honey Parfait

Ingredients:

• 4 Udi’s Double Vanilla Muffins
• 1 cup honey or agave nectar
• 4 cups Honey Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 pound slices fresh strawberries

Instructions:

1. Take 1 vanilla muffin and tear into about 1 inch cubes.
2. Place half of the cubes at the bottom of a parfait glass.
3. Drizzle 1/8 cup honey over the muffin pieces.
4. Spoon ½ cup honey Greek yogurt over the honey layer.
5. Place about ¼ cup sliced strawberries over the yogurt.
6. Drop remaining muffin pieces over yogurt and drizzle with an additional 1/8 cup honey.
7. Spoon ½ cup greek yogurt over honey and top with another ¼ cup slices strawberries.
8. Top parfait with ¼ cup chopped walnuts and garnish with additional strawberries if desired.
9. Repeat process to remaining parfaits for a total of 4 finished parfaits.

 Strawberry Pistachio Goat Cheese Pizza

For a heartier twist on the strawberry, try using them in this Strawberry Pistachio Goat Cheese Pizza by CookingLight. Just make sure to use an Udi’s Gluten Free Pizza Crust as your base! Find the recipe here: http://bit.ly/1801oWp

 What’s your favorite way to incorporate strawberries in a recipe?

Happy Earth Day!

Here are ten tips from The Gluten Free Yogi on how to be green AND gluten-free, simultaneously!

1. Support local farms & businesses.
• Food can sometimes travel a long way to get to your table. All that travel equals unnecessary fossil fuels in the atmosphere and an unhappy earth. Supporting local farms and business is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and help the planet. Plus, it’s a nice way to connect to your community. Whenever I go to my local farmer’s market, I’m always amazed at how many gluten-free goodies I find— breads, baked goods, trail mixes, PLUS, vegetables, fruits and meats are all naturally gluten-free! Also, eating locally isn’t just confined the farmer’s market. The next time you’re at the grocery store, pay more attention to where your food is from and when you have a choice, choose local. The planet will thank you.
2. Eat in season. 
• As much as I’d love to eat watermelon or strawberries in February, they’re both really expensive because they are shipped from far, far away. They also don’t taste the same as they do in the summertime. When you buy foods in season, there’s a greater likelihood that you’re buying more locally, too. So it’s really a win-win!
3. B.Y.O.W.
• Bring your own water… Buying bottled water equals plastic bottles in our landfills, streets, and waterways. Investing in a few durable water bottles (that are BPA free if they’re plastic) and bringing filtered tap water with you or keeping a glass or mug at work if you have filtered tap water nearby, helps a lot!
4. Buy frozen produce.
• Buying frozen fruits and vegetables allows you to have certain foods out of season. For example, if you choose the frozen organic asparagus from California in the dead of winter over the conventional asparagus from South America, you’re helping the planet, supporting US agriculture AND getting your much-needed intake of vegetables, vitamins and nutrients.
5. Don’t forget your reusable bags and reusable food containers!
• We all go to the grocery store. A lot. Bringing your own bags equals less plastic bags blown into our waterways. Just make sure you have the reusable ones with you before you hit the road! Also, if you bring your gluten-free lunch to work with you, bring your lunch in reusable containers.
6. Go organic.
• As Joni Mitchell once sang, “Don’t care about spots on my apples, leave me the birds at the bees.” Buying organic produce AND packaged gluten-free goods is a great way to help your body and the planet. Organic foods aren’t produced with chemical food additives, industrial solvents or irradiation. And (bonus!) they tend to taste better, too. Make sure you’re always buying “the dirty dozen” foods organic, which are the foods that have the highest pesticide residue. For a complete list, click here.
7. Use earth-friendly cleaning products.
• While some cleaning products have miraculous ways of scrubbing sinks and tubs or polishing floors, they’re not always made with the planet in mind. Consequently, they can leach toxins. Children and animals can be especially sensitive to toxins but the truth is, we all are… and while the impact might not be apparent right away, some of these toxins can be carcinogenic. I recommend researching the most earth-friendly products OR making your own! Believe it or not, lemon juice and vinegar aren’t just good for your body!
8. Recycle your packaged goods.
• If you enjoy the occasional gluten-free cereal or beverage, just remember to recycle the containers when you’re done. All those packaged goods can add up over a lifetime all over the planet, so the more we can each do to help, the better. It also helps to repurpose glass containers as glasses, vases or food storage containers.
9. Compost!
• If you live in the ‘burbs or the country, or even in the city, composting is a great way to put all those apple cores and asparagus stems back into the soil. If you’re not willing or able to compost yourself, you’re in luck because composting services are popping up around the country, which offer compost pick-up right at your door!
10. Plant a garden, great or small.
• Whether you’ve got the land to plant a big garden or you live in an apartment that only has a window sill large enough for a few small plants, planting your own gardens let’s you enjoy your own home-grown produce! Plus, there’s nothing more satisfying than eating food you’ve grown yourself.

How do you celebrate Earth Day?

By: Andrea Glenn – Author of A Lazy Girl’s Guide to Living Gluten Free

–

–

I have been extra busy at work lately, which is in addition to all the normal craziness I manage to pack in each week. Needless to say, I have not had much time or energy to cook lately, but I still try to have dinner on the table each night, even if it only takes me ten minutes to make. That’s where these meatball subs are perfect. I had some Udi’s hotdog buns in my freezer and a bag of Meijer pre-made frozen meatballs and figured I could make a quick meatball sub that still tasted amazing. These subs took very little time to prepare and even less effort, yet they were very delicious.

You will need:

• 4 Udi’s Gluten Free Classic Hotdog Buns
• 20 Frozen or homemade Meatballs (4 medium meatballs will fit into 1 Udi’s bun)
• 3/4 (18 oz) Jar Prego Pasta Sauce
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 9×9 inch baking dish.
2. Place frozen meatballs (no need to thaw) and pasta sauce in a sauce pan. Coat the meatballs by turning them carefully with a spoon. Cook over medium heat until heated through.
3. Place buns open side up in the greased baking dish. Be careful to keep the buns intact if possible. Put 4 cooked meatballs in each bun and top with remaining sauce if desired. Cover each sub with shredded mozzarella cheese; I probably used more than a cup since I love lots of cheese.
4. Bake subs in preheated oven until cheese is melted and slightly browning.

Enjoy!

                 -Andrea

Make sure to stop by Andrea’s blog  Lazy Girl’s Guide to Living Gluten Free for lots of simple and delicious gluten free recipes!

]]> http://udisglutenfree.com/2013/04/05/easy-gf-baked-meatball-subs/feed/ 20 http://udisglutenfree.com/2013/04/05/autism-awareness/ http://udisglutenfree.com/2013/04/05/autism-awareness/#comments Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:58:36 +0000 Suzanne http://udisglutenfree.com/?p=5370 By: Suzanne Wolke 

Since April is Autism Awareness Month, it’s the perfect opportunity to turn our attention to this complex developmental disorder. In the last decade the occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children has increased drastically, making this month more significant than ever.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 88 American children are now identified on some level of the spectrum!

How much do you know about autism? Here are a few facts to help you learn more:

• Autism is 5 times more common in boys than girls.
• There is no medical detection for autism, currently only careful behavioral analysis and family history leads to diagnoses.
• The average age for diagnosis is around 3 years old
• Not all types of autism are alike; there is a very wide spectrum of autism and every child will have their own unique way of coping with it.
• Currently there is no cure for autism, though with early intervention and treatment many symptoms related to autism can be greatly improved and in some cases completely overcome.
• Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder, yet most underfunded

Can a Gluten Free and Casein-Free Diet Help?

If you’ve heard about autism you’ve probably heard about a Gluten and Casein free diet (GFCF) at some point. Although medical research has not been able to confirm a definite relationship between the two, many parents and physicians have seen improvements in speech or behavior after these ingredients were removed from their diet.

So how exactly can gluten and casein affect behavior? There isn’t a definite answer but some use Leaky Gut Syndrome to explain it. Many children with ASD suffer from a leaky gut, a condition where the incompletely digested proteins (or peptides) found in casein and gluten seep from the intestines into the blood stream. When a child with a leaky gut ingests foods that contain casein and gluten, the peptides enter the blood stream, head to the brain and attach to opiate receptors there, prompting the child to have sensory issues and to sometimes react with unmanageable behavior.

A gluten and casein free diet should not be attempted without consulting your doctor first but it may be worth a shot!

Have you seen any behavioral improvements after someone affected by autism went gluten-free?

For more detailed resources on Autism please visit the links below:

• Autism Society
• Autistic Advocacy 
• AutismWeb
• Huffingtonpost Autism Awareness
• National Autism Association
• Mayo Clinic – Autism
• MD Mama
• Parents – Autism

Thanks for helping us spread Autism Awareness!

April Fool’s Day is widely known for practical jokes, hoaxes, and other foolishness. Although its origins are unknown, this ‘holiday’ has been adopted world wide as the day when it’s okayto play a trick or two on each other. In the spirit of April Fool’s we want to share a recipe that will ‘fool’ your taste buds. Serve this for dinner and no one will know they’re eating gluten free!

Only a couple of weeks into my gluten-free adventure, a serious lasagna craving hit me. Luckily, after doing some research, I realized that all I had to do to make this recipe gluten free was to substitute rice noodles for regular lasagna noodles. Keep reading for one of the best lasagna you’ll ever have.

Ingredients:

• 1 jar of Newman’s Own tomato basil sauce
• 1/2 pound of sweet Italian sausage
• 1 small container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup of mini turkey pepperoni
• 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Parmesan  cheese
• Pinch of nutmeg
• DeBoles Rice Lasagna  (No Boil, Oven Ready)

Directions:

1.  Start by sauteing the sausage. Once it’s browned and cooked, add the mini pepperoni and quickly cook until slightly browned.
2. In a separate bowl combine the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, salt and pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Now it is time to assemble the lasagna!
   • Something I quickly learned about using the rice pasta is to make sure every inch of the noodles is saturated with tomato sauce. This will allow it to cook properly and not end up too firm.
   • You can choose to layer the lasagna to your own preference. I like a nice cheesy layer between two big meaty layers. If you want to reduce carb count, simply use less pasta layers and increase your filling. The sky’s the limit on this one!
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until nice and bubbly brown.
5. Now, enjoy!

Do you have a recipe no one would ever guess is gluten free?

]]> http://udisglutenfree.com/2013/03/29/fool-your-tastebuds/feed/ 7 http://udisglutenfree.com/2013/03/27/gf_easter_recipes/ http://udisglutenfree.com/2013/03/27/gf_easter_recipes/#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:38:02 +0000 Suzanne http://udisglutenfree.com/?p=5323 By: Megan Bauer – Udi’s Face of Gluten Free

 Capped Deviled Eggs

 There are numerous deviled egg recipes floating around that have abandoned the classic halved egg presentation, in favor of serving  this Easter staple in form of little baby chicks. I debated heavily on whether or not I thought this was cute or perhaps a tad bit creepy. Eventually, after much deliberation, I decided their little beady eyes were a little disconcerting for me but did realize the overall concept is a good one. I happen to love deviled eggs, but rarely make them because they are fairly difficult to transport. The chick concept led me to “put the cap back on”!

Ingredients:

• 12 hard boiled eggs
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 2Tbs of Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp of pickle juice ( you could also use white vinegar but I love the pickle juice)
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Passover is a Jewish celebration that commemorates liberation and is a time to reflect on the evolution of our existence. Food plays an integral part in this holiday as it is the fuel to our livelihood. The history of this celebration embraces food to resemble the struggle of historic events. The Seder itself is based on the Biblical verse commanding Jews to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt which ushers in the Passover holiday, connecting generations with their ancestors who escaped slavery in ancient Egypt. For this remembrance, I am recommending one dish that resembles the six symbolic foods in the Passover Seder. Enjoy!

—

Baked Fish Fritters with Beet Vinaigrette & Mushrooms

Recipe by Stopsky’s Delicatessen in Mercer Island, WA

Ingredients

For Beet Vinaigrette:

•  2 medium red beets (about 8 ounces total)
•  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
•  2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
•  1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
•  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  Kosher salt
•  Side dish sautéed mushrooms

For Fish fritters:

• 1 12-ounce mahi mahi fillet
• 5 tablespoons (or more) veg. oil, divided
• 8 ounces smoked salmon, skin and bones removed, flaked
• 3 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill plus more for serving
• Lemon Juice
• Garlic & Sea Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Beet Vinaigrette:

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Wrap beets individually in foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until tender, 50-60 minutes. Let cool. Peel and cut into 1/4-inch cubes.
3. Whisk lemon juice, horseradish, and vinegar in a medium bowl; gradually add oil, whisking to blend well. Season with salt.
4. Mix beets into vineagrette.

Make ahead: Beets and vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

Fish Fritters:

1. Heat oven to 400°.
2. Place Mahi on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast until just opaque in center, 10-15 minutes. Let fish cool, and then flake with a fork.
3. Mix Mahi, whitefish, eggs, shallot, brown rice, parsley, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Season with pepper, sea salt, lemon and mix vigorously to combine (mixture will be stiff).
4. DO AHEAD: Fritter mixture can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 200° and set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet.
6. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop scant 1/4-cupfuls of fritter mixture into skillet; press gently with a spatula to flatten. Cook, turning once and adding more oil if needed, until golden brown and crispy around edges, about 4 minutes per batch.
7. Transfer to prepared rack. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining fritters.

Serve fritters with vinaigrette, garnish with dill, and top it off with a bottle of red wine!

 Do you celebrate Passover? If so, what are you serving for Passover Seder?

By: Katie Lampkin – Outreach Coordinator at Udi’s Gluten Free Foods

 St. Patrick’s Day is coming up—and what is more Irish than a tall, cold glass of green beer?  Well coincidentally Celiac Disease; Ireland has the highest incidence of it in the world—so nothing is more Irish than gluten-free beer!  In order to help you make the momentous decision of what beer to dye green this St. Patrick ’s Day, we trekked far and wide through blizzards and blue-sky 70 degree days here in Denver (in the same week mind you!) to find you the best gluten-free beers out there.

There are two different types of gluten-free beer on the shelves right now; those made with gluten-containing grains (most often barley) that remove the gluten through proprietary processes – these will be referred to as ‘gluten-removed beers‘ –  and those made with naturally gluten free grains (like sorghum) referred to as ‘gluten-free beers’.    So, on to our list:

Please note: this list is non-exhaustive, and some gluten-free beers that the author is not (yet) aware of may have been accidentally left off the list.

Gluten Free Beers:

 As much as we would love to have taste-tested all of the above beers, time and space constraints prevented it—so we’ve chosen two beers from each category to try.  Our panel of beer tasters included both craft-beer aficionados and myself, a Celiac who loved beer prior to the diagnosis.

Gluten Free Beers

New Planet Blonde Ale (previously known as Tread Lightly Ale)

New Planet is an all-gluten free brewery based out of Colorado.

ABV:      5.0%

IBU:       15

Appearance: Light golden hue, clear, medium level of effervescence.  Not much head.

Taste: Crisp, light, and tangy, with a refreshing finish.  In the vein of traditional, lighter American beers.

Pairings: Best with lighter meals like chicken and salads, fish, and even sweet and spicy foods like a mango salsa or Thai sauce.

Salmon Smoked Thin Crust Pizza

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Mango Salsa

Dogfish Head Tweason’ale

Tweason’ale appears in between Dogfish Head’s seasonal offerings.  It is certified gluten-free by the GFCO.

ABV:      6.0%

IBU:       Not given

Appearance: Rosey-amber hue, medium effervescence.

Taste: Light, fruity, tangy, with hints of honey (though not very sweet).  Refreshing: a good summer beer.  If there is such a thing as a dessert beer, this would be it.  It is similar to Lambic, though not as frothy.

Pairings: Great with lighter foods, like fish and salads, and saltier ones, like nuts.  For dessert, try it with fruits and dark chocolate.

Cranberry, Walnut, and Goat Cheese Salad with Flatbread

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

Gluten Removed Beers

Widmer Brother’s Omission Lager

On the Omission website, you can look up the test results for your batch of beer using the date on the bottle.  Our bottle tested to below 10ppm.

ABV:      4.6%

IBU:       20

Appearance: Satisfying golden hue, in between a Light lager and an American lager in color.

Taste: A true beer drinker’s beer, this lager has the traditional head, with a rich, warm barley taste, even-keeled bite, and an aromatic, hoppy finish.  You would be hard-pressed to tell that it doesn’t contain gluten.

Pairings: Both spicy Latin American and Mexican dishes as well as lighter foods like spring rolls and salads.

Spring Rolls with Crab and Spicy Mango Sauce

Chicken Enchiladas

Brunehaut Amber Ale

This is a wonderful Belgian beer in the true amber ale style; every batch tests to under 5ppm.

ABV:      6.5%

IBU:       Not given

Appearance: Lovely coppery amber with a good head.

Taste: This is a classic amber ale taste that will tickle your St. Patrick’s Day fancy.  It is deep and smooth, with a wonderful nutty, malty finish.

Pairings: Perfect for all things grilled and BBQ, chili, and any food that is rich and aromatic.

BBQ Pork for Sandwiches

Chipotle BBQ

 So which beer was the winner of our taste test?

Omission Lager!  It is the most true to a gluten-containing beer, and it would pair well with just about anything.  And I really like lager-style beers, so that probably swayed it a bit too.  New Planet came in second, because as a true gluten-free beer, I’m not afraid of a gluten reaction if I happen to have a couple of bottles this Sunday.  All of these beers were chosen because of their taste profiles and variety, and they were all wonderful.

So go out, grab some beer and green food coloring, and have a great, gluten-free St. Patrick’s Day!

—

Did you know there is an entire month dedicated to Chocolate!?  February is National Chocolate Lover’s Month, and we are totally behind this chocolate drenched holiday!  While we don’t suggest indulging in an entire chocolate bar each night, we do have some fun ways to help you celebrate this sweet sweet month.  Check out some of our favorite chocolate recipes below.

Blueberry Nut Clusters

This is a simple and healthy recipe if you need a chocolate fix, quick!  All you need is chocolate, blueberries, and your favorite nuts.  For this recipe we used almonds but you can use whatever you like.

Makes between 10-12 clusters

Ingredients:

• 8oz carton fresh blueberries (do not use frozen)
• 1 cup slivered or chopped nuts of your choice. (slivered almonds were used in this recipe
• 2.5 cups gluten free chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Arrange nuts in small piles on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Use 1-2 tablespoons of nuts depending on your preference.
2. Place 5 large blueberries or 8 medium sized blueberries on top of each nut stack.
3. In a double broiler, melt chocolate chips, stirring often.  Check often to be sure the chocolate does not burn.
4.  Once fully melted, spoon chocolate over each blueberry nut cluster until all blueberries are fully covered in chocolate.
5. After all clusters are finished, place the baking sheet in the freezer for half an hour.
6. Take the pan out of the freezer, and test to be sure the clusters are hardened.
7.  For storage, keep clusters in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
8.  Enjoy!

Brownie Bites with Chipotle Buttercream & Candied Jalapeno

Combining sweet with spicy has become a more popular dessert arrangement these days.  Check out these incredible brownie bites who’s a spicy flavor component adds an extra dimension to this sweet creation.  It might look a little intimidating but trust us- you will not be sorry after you try them! Hey, they were featured at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, that has to mean something! http://bit.ly/XsxMMj.

Ingredients:

Brownie Bites:

• Udi’s Brownie Bites
• Butter

Ganache:

• 2 lbs chocolate
• 4 cups cream

Chipotle Buttercream:

• 1 lb butter
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp mile
• Chili powder

Candied Jalapenos:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Pinch of lime zest
• 2-3 Jalapenos, thinly sliced

Directions

To prepare brownie bites:

1. Crumble the brownie bites in a bowl. Add melted butter slowly and combine together for a dense consistency.
2. Once combined, press the mixture into a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Spread as evenly as possible and top with ganache.
3. Then top with chipotle buttercream and jalapenos

  To prepare the ganache:

1. Bring cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate and whisk until incorporated and all chocolate is melted.

To prepare the chipotle buttercream:

1. Cream butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Slowly add milk. Add chili powder to taste

To prepare candied jalapenos:

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil. Reduce to a syrup and add lime zest. Slice jalapenos to desired size, removing seeds is optional
2. Drizzle simple syrup over jalapenos and allow to dry.

Triple Chocolate Cake Pops

Makes 12 large cake pops.

For when you want the whole chocolate cake!  These bite sized chocolate cake pops are pre-portioned to let you have your cake and eat it too! It will be hard to stop at just one, so we suggest sharing with the family or office.  You can use any flavored buttercream you like, but in honor of National Chocolate Month, we chose Milk Chocolate.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Udi’s Double Chocolate Muffins
• 1 cup chocolate frosting or buttercream.  If you are using store bought, double check the ingredients to be sure it is gluten free.
• 3.5 cups dark chocolate chips
• Chocolate sprinkles.

Directions:

1. Finely crumble Double Chocolate Muffins.  You can do this in a blender or food processor.
2. Once a fine crumb forms, add in your chocolate frosting  ½ cup at a time until the mixture is fully blended and ‘firm’.  You should be able to see a clear indent if you press your finger into the mix without it crumbling.
3. Scoop out muffin mixture using a small ice cream scoop or a spoon and drop balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. With your hands, roll balls until the outer edges are smooth.
5. Place the baking sheet with the cake balls into the freezer for 10 minutes.
6. Once balls are firm (not frozen), take them out and place on your countertop.  Immediately push lollipop sticks into each ball.  Replace tray back into the freezer.
7. While the cake balls are hardening, in a double boiler melt chocolate chips.
8. Remove cake balls from the freezer.  Make sure the lollipops are set into each cake ball.  If they ‘wiggle’ place them back into the freezer for an additional 5 minutes.
9. Take each lollipop stick, and dip cake pops into the melted chocolate until fully submerged.
10. While the chocolate is still wet, roll the cake pop into the chocolate sprinkles.
11. Allow to air dry and harden. 

If all else fails, there is nothing wrong with warming up one of our Chocolate Chip Cookies, topping with vanilla ice-cream, drenching it in chocolate fudge, and going to town!

Do you have a favorite chocolate recipe?  Share below!

1980, Nancy and Ronald Reagan

When I hear the term “Presidents’ Day” I immediately think of elementary school crafts, including paper plate George Washington masks, tricorn hats made with paper towels rolls, and “powdered wigs” made of cotton balls.

President’s Day may not be the most celebrated holiday on our calendar, but it is fun to learn a few food related facts about the unique gentlemen who have held our highest office. Abraham Lincoln is said to have liked a plain cup of coffee and boiled egg for breakfast, which I can definitely relate to! Through a little research I also learned that he enjoyed fresh fruit, particularly apples and grapes.  It sounds like Mr. Lincoln and I could have had a nice Gluten Free meal together.

Reflecting on President’s Day made me wonder what some of our other Chief Executives liked to dine on, and I was pleased to find that many Presidential favorites are naturally Gluten Free.  George Washington often served green beans at his Mount Vernon home, while John Adams drank cider every morning.  Thomas Jefferson grew Virginia sweet corn in his Paris garden and James Buchanan was so particular about the quality of his food that special butter was brought to the White House from Philadelphia – in the 1850s!  Andrew Johnson’s family had popcorn parties at the White House while simple rice pudding was a favorite with Ulysses S. Grant.  Theodore Roosevelt’s breakfast consisted of hard boiled eggs and grits with a cup of coffee so large his son described it as “a bathtub”.

William Howard Taft liked steak, and lots of it, while his successor Woodrow Wilson often requested strawberry ice cream.  The Queen of England was served hot dogs by Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor.   Cooking was a favorite hobby of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was known to make beef stew for his friends.  John F. Kennedy enjoyed a lunch of New England fish chowder.  Ronald Reagan will always be associated with jelly beans, which he started snacking on to kick a smoking habit.  George H.W. Bush may have liked many foods, but broccoli was NOT one of them.

So what’s popular in the White House today?  President Obama enjoys trail mix and berry flavored iced tea, so if you are invited to join him, you can join him in Gluten Free stride!

However, not every reputed Presidential favorite would be popular with our modern palate.  James Madison’s wife Dolley supposedly often served oyster ice cream. Andrew Jackson was nicknamed “Old Hickory”, so he often served hickory nut soup to play on the popularity of the name.   James Garfield was shot by an assassin; his life delicately hung in the balance for eighty days.  Doctors tried a meal of squirrel soup to entice him out of his coma to no avail.

In conclusion, today we encourage you to treat yourself like a President! No matter if you choose a hot dog (on an Udi’s bun, of course) or a dish of strawberry ice cream, make sure you take a moment to indulge in your favorite gluten free treat.You get bonus points for singing “Hail to the Chief” while you do so.

Here some additional fun Presidential foodie links:

• JFK’s Fish Chowder: Presidential Recipes
• How to Stuff Your Face Like a President
• Plate of the Union: The Picky Presidential Palate
• Presidential Food Obsessions
• Presidential Foods and What They Say About Our Leaders

Happy Presidents’ Day!