Cybele Pascal
Artificial Sweeteners Baking Allergy Free
Back from Chicago
Dear Readers:
I’m back from Chicago, where I had such a great time! Below is the video from ABC 7 Chicago of me making my Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free Brownies. Chicago is such a fantastic city, a foodie hub, and also a real hotbed for those making a difference in the Food Allergy and Gluten-Free community.
First I did a demo of “Allergy Friendly” Brownies and Blondies on ABC 7 (where I shared the stage with a band called “Honor Society”, who I guess are a huge band… but I live in Mommyville, so I’d never heard of them, even though they live like 2 miles away from me!)
Then, I rushed back to my hotel to have lunch with Kelly Rudnicki, The Food Allergy Mama who was the nicest person in the world. First of all, she and I have so much in common, it’s eerie… between our son’s food allergies, to our writing backgrounds, to our love of long distance running. It was great to meet her, but it also brought about the first of what I guess I’d call my ”vulnerability incidents”. What do I mean by that? Well, usually, I’m very stoic about all that we’ve been through in my family with food allergies. I’m a cheerleader for “living well”, not “living without”. But the reality is, my son Lennon has been through some very hard times, and still continues to have hard times periodically. So meeting such a nice, kind, food allergy mom took my guard down. I realized, as I welled up with tears talking to Kelly about the fact that my son is showing signs of a new food allergy, there is a lot of emotion that goes along with this job. So thanks to Kelly for being supportive and for doing such great work to help kids like ours! Also, look for Kelly’s new revised Vegan “Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book” in stores near you soon.
On Saturday, I had the pleasure of going on Mr. Fix-It, with Lou Manfredini, who squeezed in an interview with me between discussing toilets and roofiing. Love this man, he’s my new “Car Talk”. Then went on to spend the weekend at the Gluten-Free Cooking Expo, where I met more great Food Allergy people. (I’m telling you, Chicago is Food Allergy Central). Jen Cafferty of Gluten Free Life with Jen organized a hugely successful event with lots of great cooking demos, and amazing GF vendors at the Vendor Fair. Jen is an inspirational ball of energy, and a name I expect we’ll be hearing a lot more about around the country, as she spreads awareness about gluten-free life. She did a cooking demo from Elana’s Pantry, and I did my Double Choco Chunk Cookies (featuring Enjoy Life). I sold out of my books the first day (thank God, I was dreading lugging them back to Los Angeles!) so had a chance to walk around and see the other vendors. Can I just wax poetic about Udi’s for one second? Without fail, the best gf bread on the market. Hands down.
While selling The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook at the book table, I got a chance to hang with the Welcoming Kitchen ladies, two more great moms and cookbook authors. Megan Hart and Kim Lutz are the duo behind the Welcoming Kitchen blog and are about to publish their third cookbook, next spring — all GF, and Allergen-Free, so look for that one in 2011, it will be great! We had a good time hawking our wares as the public poured in, and I had a great time talking to them about our shared experience in this field, and also as parents. Again, talking to Kim, mother to a child with multiple food allergies, I welled up discussing my sons’ allergies, and started to feel both a bit embarrassed, but also a little surprised. What, after all, was happening to me? Is a food allergy something to shed tears over? Usually, I’d smile and say, “absolutely not!”, and “just think of all the wonderful alternatives you can still eat”… which is absolutely true. The food we eat is not what makes me feel sad. I love what we eat, and feel lucky. But that doesn’t take away the fact that when you or your child has food allergies, it makes you feel vulnerable, and sometimes, very sick. So I think what I got most out of my trip to Chicago, was a great sense of community and the realization that I need to fess up to my own sadness about this once in awhile. I need to shed that tear, and then go back to laughing heartily over some really good allergy friendly cookies. Speaking of which… has anyone tried the mini chocolate chip cookies from Pamela’s Products? (note:contain eggs and soy) To-die-for addictive. Uber Uber Yum.
Thanks!
Hey, thanks for all the great FOOD ALLERGY RECIPE CHALLENGE REQUESTS! What a great way to return from vacation. I am totally excited to get going on them. And as you can see from the following photo, I AM BACK IN MY KITCHEN!
Yesterday, I baked Chocolate Layer Cake (p.106), with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (p.91) to test out the recipe as sheet cake for Douglas, (a reader who doesn’t like layer cake). Yes, you can. Use a 9″x13″ pan.
Made Amaranth Date Bread (p.47) for Adam (husband making request).
Made a vat of “The Lady from Naples Red Sauce” from first book (p.69) in prep for the GF Allergen-Free pizza I’m going to make this week with my GF Pizza Crust (p.169) and the Daiya dairy-free (soy-free and nut-free) cheese I purchased from Whole Foods yesterday during the EARTHQUAKE (thought shelves were going to fall on me, though there are worse places to be buried than Whole Foods).
Then made homemade gf breadcrumbs and the Turkey Meatballs from first book (p.77), subbing Bison by request from kids.
Finally, it was time to make dinner. So I boiled up the “New” De Boles Gluten-Free Multi Grain Spaghetti bought during said Earthquake at Whole Foods.
I WAS excited about this. “Was” being the operative word.
What the heck is that?! They have the nerve to call that Spaghetti? How DARE they! Into the trash it went, and out came my trusty Tinkyada. I thought when De Boles said “new” that might have meant “improved”, but sadly, it’s still the same old mushy glop. I hate to be harsh, but when Tinkyada does it so well, why do they have to do it so poorly?
Anyway, today, back to those caramel cupcakes I promised (a food allergy recipe challenge request made last month), which I’ll be starting my WHOLELIVING.COM posting with. Can I go back on vacation now? 
Just kidding…. I’m only getting started.
Food Allergy Recipe Challenge Requests!
PLEASE NOTE:
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GREAT REQUESTS! THE COMMENTS SECTION ON THIS PARTICULAR POST IS CLOSED. THE “FOOD ALLERGY RECIPE CHALLENGE” BLOG ON WHOLE LIVING IS NOW LIVE. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR REQUESTS AT www.wholeliving.com SO I CAN BE SURE TO SEE THEM. THAT’S WHERE THE CHALLENGE IS TAKING PLACE. BASED UPON YOUR COMMENTS BELOW, NEXT WEEK’S RECIPE IS “GF FLOUR TORTILLAS”. Again, feel free to leave more requests (or repeats of what you left here) at www.wholeliving.com. THIS ONLY RELATES TO THIS POST. COME BACK FOR MORE NEW BLOG POSTS, REVIEWS, AND MUSINGS.
Dear readers:
I am seeking more recipe requests. Do you have a childhood favorite you’d like converted to allergen-free for either yourself, your kids, or a friend? Leave me a comment, and I will attempt to recreate it for you!
When I did a book giveaway a couple months ago, I asked people to enter by leaving a comment about their most wished for recipe they’d like converted to allergen-free. I really loved the suggestions, and will be getting to work for you, as often as possible, with “Free-to-Eat” versions of traditional favorites. Here’s what I’m asking for now: I begin weekly blogging next month on Martha Stewart’s wholeliving.com
click photo
and it would be really fun to blog about my attempts to convert your recipe requests into new allergen-free, gluten-free delicacies. So please leave them here for me. I can’t promise I’ll always make them as tasty as you remember them, or imagined them to be, but I’ll certainly try! Bring it on! Food Allergy Recipe Challenge!
Additionally, for anyone in the Chicago area, please note that Jen Cafferty (of Gluten-Free Life with Jen) is hosting an amazing GLUTEN-FREE COOKING EXPO, April 17th & 18th. There will be lots of fun cooking demonstrations by GF Chefs (Jen and myself, included)
Hope to see you there! Spread the word! ps… it’s spring break this week, so I’ll be getting back to you about your FABULOUS recipe challenges next week. Happy Passover and Happy Easter!
Leprechauns, Sunbutter Greenies, and Authentic Foods Gluten Free Classical Blend
It’s Saint Patty’s day, and I’m part Irish, so I broke out the holiday spirit! My boys believe in Leprechauns, and I believe in cookies, so I baked the Leprechauns some Sunbutter Greenies. (You know if a Leprechaun has been in your house if your house is messy, by the way. My son Monte informed me that we’d clearly had a visit). These cookies are from my new cookbook and are a really fun treat. They’re a chocolate chip cookie (Enjoy Life Chips, of course!) made with maple syrup and sunbutter, and the combo has a magical chemical reaction, creating a green center in the cookie. Don’t believe me? Look below. (the Leprechaun ate the other half…)
But the best part of today was unpacking my new package of goodies from Authentic Foods. The news I am about to share is truly the most exciting discovery I have made all year. Authentic Foods is now selling a product called GLUTEN FREE CLASSICAL BLEND. This product is THE EXACT SAME THING AS MY BASIC GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR MIX. This is the mixture I use in the vast majority of my recipes. So now, you don’t have to make it up yourself. No more buying three flours. Just buy one product, pre-mixed from Authentic Foods, and save yourself the hassle. It’s a combo of their superfine brown rice flour (which as many already know, I’m sort of in love with), potato starch, and tapioca starch. The proportions are all the same as my mix, so use it one-for-one, cup-for-cup. These Sunbutter Greenies were baked today with this fabulous new product, and you can bet your booties, I’m totally sold. Thank you, Authentic Foods, and most importantly, hats off to Annalise Roberts (author of the incredible Gluten Free Baking Classics) and the late Bette Hagman, for trailblazing this flour combo in the first place!
If you want this product in your local Whole Foods, or Wegmans, or local health food store, ask them to stock it. My local Whole Foods doesn’t yet, and I’m going down there tomorrow to shake my cookies at them. Here’s the link for more info GF CLASSICAL BLEND
I’ll be testing out lots of other new products in the weeks to come, so please check back soon for new reviews, musings, and some brand new “FREE-TO-EAT SWEETS” that I’m about to launch.
Happy Saint Patty’s Day!
Cybele
VIDEO SEGMENTS FROM THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW 3/1/10
To View me baking on THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW, 3/1/10 Episode 1 – Allergen-Free Crumb Cake
To View me chit-chatting on THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW, 3/1/10 Episode 2 – Allergen-Free Ingredient Substitutions
MARTHA on SATURDAY, and THE VIEW FROM THE BAY, TOMORROW, WED. 3/3
Dear Readers:
Please note that “The View from the Bay” is re-airing my “Maple Apple Crumble” segment tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3. Tune in at 3pm PT on ABC7. (SAN FRANCISCO). The segment will be streamed live and posted on www.viewfromthebay.com by 6pm PT tomorrow evening.
My MARTHA segment will be re-airing on SATURDAY, MARCH 6, on FLN at 7am EST. Check local listings, or available everywhere via satellite and dish. http://www.marthastewart.com/show/the-martha-stewart-show/allergen-free-treats
The Martha Stewart Show – Allergen-Free Treats
Please tune in to watch me baking “Classic Crumb Cake” from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook on THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW, MONDAY, MARCH 1st, and SATURDAY, MARCH 6th. Check Local Listings!
See HERE for more info
Reprinted with permission from The Allergen-Free Bakers Handbook: How to Bake Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, and Sesame. Copyright © 2009 by Cybele Pascal, Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo credit: Chugrad McAndrews.
More New Press….
NEW REVIEWS, MENTIONS, AND RECIPE EXCERPTS FROM THE ALLERGEN-FREE BAKER’S HANDBOOK
Review: The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook
“No Gluten? No Problem!”
Review: The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook
“All the allergens are out! The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal explains how to bake without gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and sesame, thereby handling most of the main allergens, and then some. There are 100 baking recipes, some for standard items but others for things that might be considered unusual in terms of home baking. Included are graham crackers and matzos. In addition, you’ll find lists, resources and helpful hints that will help make your kitchen comfortable despite whatever no-no’s you have to deal with”. (p.53)
ARKANSAS DEMOCRATIC GAZETTE
GEORGIA FAMILY
ATLANTA PARENT
GOOD MORNING AMERICA HEALTH – ABC NEWS NOW
THE VIEW FROM THE BAY – ABC SAN FRANCISCO
(by Tiffany Janes, author of “The Essential Gluten-free Blog“ on triumphdining.com)
“Thank goodness for Cybele Pascal… (who) doesn’t think anyone should have to eat ‘weird’ food and went to great lengths to figure out how to make allergen free foods that anyone can enjoy.”
“…delicious treats and recipes…”
“Whoever said people with food allergies didn’t have choices?”
“It’s well-written, actually fun to read, mouthwatering, and easy to follow.”
“The book not only offers recipes and pantry stocking tips, but also provides suggestions for modifying other favorite recipes with non-allergenic ingredients.”
“Year-end Countdown”
“This is a lovely book, filled with recipes that work, without too many complicated ingredients, and lavish photographs.”
click here to listen to: reading with robin
FOR MORE RECENT PRESS PLEASE CLICK HERE!
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MORE PRESS, COMING SOON…
Allergic Living Magazine (March)
Cookbook Digest (May/June)
Baker’s Journal (March)
Nutrition Health Review
United Media Syndicates “Eat In and Save” (running in 500 national newspapers)
Vitamin Retailer Magazine (February)
Today’s Diet and Nutrition (March)
Tott’s Magazine
Taste for Life (aka Publix Market, Greenwise, Wegman’s “Nature’s Market Place”, etc) (May)
Living Without Magazine (August/September)
THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW (March 1st)
NPR’S CHEF’S TABLE (March)
KABC-THE FOOD COACH, ABC Los Angeles
RED VELVET CAKE with VELVET FROSTING
What better way to celebrate Valentines Day this year, than with an Allergen-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan Red Velvet Cake that can be eaten by all your favorite sweethearts? This cake is to-die-for. Eat it and weep.
Red Velvet Cake with Velvet Frosting
makes one 8-inch layer cake
My whole family goes crazy for red velvet cake. Its so gorgeous and festive and sounds so luxe. This old-fashioned Southern favorite can be made even healthier by using Seelect Natural Food Coloring, which I order online.That way, you can let them eat cake without the slightest tinge of guilt.
Velvet Frosting
makes enough to frost one 8-inch layer cake
Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix
makes 6 cups
The key to the very best gluten-free baked goods is Authentic Foods superfine brown rice flour; it is the Cadillac, or cashmere, of brown rice flours and is worth its weight in gold. It is not grainy like other rice flours, and bakes the most fantastic cookies, cakes, pie crusts, and so on. If you cant find it at your local natural foods market or Whole Foods, order it online. Both Ener-G and Bobs Red Mill brown rice flours will also work in these recipes, but they wont turn out quite as well. I do not recommend Arrowhead Mills brown rice flour, which I find too gritty. The brands of potato starch and tapioca flour or starch are not important; I find them all interchangeable. (Please see Resources, page 177, of The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook for more information.)
All recipes reprinted with permission from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook: How to Bake Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, and Sesame. Copyright © 2009 by Cybele Pascal, Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo credit: Chugrad McAndrews.
Featured Recipe of the Week
Gluten-Free Vegan Baked Cake Donuts
