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A few years ago - and oddly, about the same time - my sister and a friend
of mine were both told they may have celiac disease, which requires a
gluten-free diet. Must have been the disease du jour for that year because
it turned ou t neither one did suffer from the ailment, though both
apparently have a sensitivity to gluten, say their doctors. Not uncommon
as we age, it was suggested. It is surprisingly difficult to find food
products and recipe exchanges that will work for a gluten-free diet and
still be tasty. But like any food allergy, it can become critical to know
what is in your food and where to find safe alternatives.
Now there is a new website that helps with those questions and much
more. At Gling.com
visitors can find discussions, information, social networking, blogs, and,
at what will surely be the most widely-used area, recipes for gluten-free
dishes from entrees to desserts.
In a recent press release, Mike Lee, CEO and Founder of
Gling.com, said the
website is "built to emphasize real-world food, recipes and locations
activity," and that its "... primary focus ... is articles and stories
written by real people." (Emphasis is his.) He said the retail gluten-free
market "is growing about 30 percent annually."
One of the useful features of the site will help users find restaurants
and markets that offer gluten-free products, though that feature will grow
useful only as the Web community adds to the online lists.
Meanwhile, the site is free and easily links to helpful pages, though
not every feature was working just right last month when I surfed it. I
predict the site will grow quickly as it is embraced by the growing
numbers of people needing to follow a gluten-free, or just a gluten-light
diet. Below are two recipes adapted from Gling.com, which can also be
changed for those using regular flour.
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GLUTEN-FREE
BERRY COBBLER |
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TOPPING:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch
square baking pan, spoon the fruit into it, and set aside.
Whisk together the 3/4 C of sugar, the tapioca,
and the cinnamon in a saucepan. Add the water and the lemon juice, and
bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture is bubbly and
thick, pour it over the berries in the baking pan, and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, 2 Tbsp
sugar, the baking powder, and the salt. Cut in the butter or margarine
until the mixture consists of coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk and stir
with a fork until the dough clings together.
Drop chunks of the dough by heaping
tablespoonfuls onto the fruit mixture, until all the dough has been
used. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.
Cool slightly, and serve either warm or cool, plain or with vanilla
ice cream on top. Or add whipped cream. Serves 4.
Note: If you are not cooking for
gluten free results, you may substitute regular flour for the tapioca
and gluten-free flour.
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THE FLUFFIEST BISCUITS |
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According to the poster on Gling, "These are
so easy to just throw together. The batter is super white. I honestly
did not think that they were going to be as good as they were.
Everyone loved them if they were eating gluten free or not. The best
part is that they fluff up so beautifully and they have a wonderful
butter taste to them."
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a baking sheet. In a
medium bowl blend all dry ingredients. Add the milk and vinegar,
mixing batter to fully moisten. With a tablespoon, scoop out the
batter and drop onto your pan, placing dough about two inches apart.
Bake about 20 minutes or until biscuits are
golden brown and a tester comes out dry. Makes about 8 to 10 biscuits.
Note: Xanthan gum (a fermented sugar
product) is a moisturizer and thickener. If you make this recipe with
regular flour, you may omit the xanthan gum. Add 1-2 tablespoons milk
if batter is too dry. |
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Share your favorite recipes with
everyone!!
If you send a recipe, please include a phone number should there be any
questions about it. We might use the recipes in a future column or post them
on our website.
Email your creations to:
cookscorner@newtownpress.com
or newtownpress@comcast.net
Send recipes by mail to:
Cooks Corner
The New Town Press
421 Stone Meeting House Rd.,
Woolwich Twp., NJ 08085
Send recipes by fax to: 856-467-3364
THANKS for SHARING!
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