Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

The holidays are a great time to eat good desserts and relax! This recipe is simple, requiring minimal ingredients and will allow you to enjoy a great dessert without having to spend the entire day in the kitchen.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl.













Roll the dough into balls.














Use the bottom of a glass to flatten them out.















Bake for 9-14 minutes (depending on your oven). When you take the cookies out, allow them to cool for a few minutes before you take your first bite.

Enjoy!
-Sema

A special thanks to Natasha for helping me out!

Gluten-Free Layer Bars

Ingredients
7 oz of sweetened coconut
1 cup butterscotch chips
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
8 oz unsalted walnuts
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. 

Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan

Spread 2/3 of the coconut flakes on the bottom of the pan evenly.

Then, spread the butterscotch chips in an even layer.

Spread the chocolate chips

Spread the walnuts 

Now, pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire pan.

You are almost done. Just spread the sliced almonds on top and add the remaining coconut flakes.

Bake for 20 mins, or until it's at the desired consistency.
Cut into desired pieces and enjoy these lovely bars together with a cup of Earl Grey Tea.

Enjoy!
-Sema

A special thanks to my mom's best friend for the recipe!

Fun With Finals

It's that time of year again folks! Finals are just around the corner, and I can tell you that I am swamped with work. So, there will be no informative blog post this week, BUT next week I am doing a 'holiday goodies' blog post so be sure to check back in!

Happy Studying (for those in the same boat as me)!
-Sema

Also, if you have a few minutes to spare, be sure to check out my first music video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdbGARh7upU

Gluten-free Goldfish

I was at the local grocery store browsing the snacks when I came across a pack of Goldfish that looked different from the rest. I immediately grabbed it and checked its ingredients, and lo and behold it said gluten free on top! I immediately grabbed two packs and headed to check out, ready to try it out. The backstory is that before I was diagnosed, Goldfish and Cheez-it used to be my main snacks. After I found out I was gluten-free, I was "deprived'' from my favorite snacks. (I of course found substitutes along the years.) That is why this is so significant to me. A mainstream snack producer finally decided offer gluten-free snacks as well :).

Enjoy!
-Sema

Thanksgiving Report

The big food holiday has come and gone! I was unable to post anything this week because I was filming a music video for my single 'I Am No Longer'. 

The tradition in our house is to have my dad prepare our boneless stuffed turkey dinner. All items at the dinner were gluten free. Stay posted, my music video should be coming out soon!

Here is a link to my artist page:

 https://www.facebook.com/semaelin

Happy Belated Thanksgiving Greetings!

-Sema

Walmart's Gluten Free Aisle

Last week I while was pushing my cart along at Walmart, I decided to head to the snack selection (something I cannot resist.) As I walked down the aisle, I found a sign saying gluten-free! This shows how mainstream gluten-free items have become; we no longer have to go to special health food stores to get gluten-free snacks!

Enjoy!

-Sema

Homemade French Fries

Instead of going to some fast food restaurant, where the freshness of your French fries is not guaranteed, why not just make them yourself?

You will need:
6 potatoes
Canola Oil
1 teaspoon salt (or however much salt you desire)
A deep fryer













Procedure: 
Cut the potatoes into strips. (My younger brother was my helper today).

Add them to the deep fryer, covering them with canola oil. Add the desired amount of salt as well. Cook until crispy with a light brown color.

A very simple, yet refreshing side!

Enjoy!
-Sema

NFCA Webinar

NFCA is offering a gluten free webinar today. “Chef Richard Coppedge, Professor of Baking and Pastry Arts at The Culinary Institute of America and author of Gluten-Free Baking with The Culinary Institute of America, will review gluten-free baking ingredients such as flours and starches and discuss how to incorporate them into your holiday baked good recipes. Webinar participants will also benefit from learning about helpful gluten-free baking tips and tried and true gluten-free recipes."

The webinar is free of charge. To register click on the following link:

http://www.celiaccentral.org/community/upcoming-nfca-events/free-webinar-holiday-special-gluten-free-baking-10071/

 

Enjoy!

-Sema

Grilled Eggplant Salad

Ingredients

5 large tomatoes

12 Italian eggplants (you can substitute any eggplant)

6 Capia Italian sweet peppers (you can substitute any green pepper)
3 cloves of garlic

1 lemon/lime

Italian Parsley

¼ Cup of Olive Oil

Procedure

Grill the vegetables on the grill on high heat.

Peal the skin of the vegetables. Do this with caution, as they are very hot.

Chop the eggplants, cutting out the stems, into small pieces with a chef’s knife.

Do the same to the tomatoes and peppers.

Chop the
three cloves of garlic and add them to the mix.

Chop the Italian parsley into small pieces.

Sprinkle the juice of a lemon or lime and the ¼ cup of olive oil over it.


















Mix it, and add the chopped parsley.

Voila! This dish can be used as a side dish, or as a dip.

Enjoy!

-Sema 

Candy Cravings Come After Halloween Too

Are you in the mood for candy, but aren't sure if it's gluten-free? Fear not, for here is a fantastic website that tells you if the candy is gluten-free or not.
MyGlutenFacts.com 

Quick Tip-Always make sure to read the labels.

Enjoy!
-Sema

Homemade Applesauce

I have now officially posted my first video on youtube! This easy-to-make treat will have your mouth watering in no time; it's a perfect treat for fall!

Enjoy!
-Sema

A Trip to Atlanta!

So last weekend, as I mentioned earlier, I went to Atlanta, GA for a school orchestra trip. Although the bus ride was excruciatingly long, I packed enough snacks to get me through it :).

As on every road trip, there have to be stops. It was refreshing to see Panera Bread after sitting on the bus for five hours, as fast food places make me feel disgusting while sitting on the bus.... While at Panera, I ordered the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad with no wonton strips, the tomato soup with no croutons, and a side of chips. (not pictured)

When we finally arrived at Atlanta, GA we headed to a restaurant called the Mellow Mushroom for dinner. This restaurant  offers a gluten free pizza menu and all items are prepared in a designated area!  Since there were 28 of us, we called ahead of time to make sure they knew that a crowd would be coming. In addition to my vegetarian pizza, I added a salad to my order. My friend Jackie shared the pizza with me and loved it! I ordered an extra one to have the next day.

The next morning, for our breakfast we decided to head to a diner nearby the hotel. I brought gluten-free bread along, but I ended up not eating it. Instead I got an omelet with a side of hash browns and a delicious hot chocolate. Later that day, we went sightseeing. To make sure I wouldn't go hungry, I brought a small cooler along, in which I had my leftover pizza from Mellow Mushroom. This allowed me to eat when I wanted (didn't need to stand in a line) and not have to inquire about the gluten-free options at any location. 

Prior to our concert a sack 'dinner' was catered to the group from the hotel. In my sack I found  a delicious gluten-free sandwich with an apple. On Sunday, the hotel provided a sack breakfast to all of us. However, my sack ended up not being gluten-free! Fortunately that was not a problem, since I had gluten-free bread with me. All we had to do was  ask for permission to toast the bread in a toaster-bag at the restaurant in the hotel. The restaurant also provided cream cheese, milk, sugar and raisins for the pack of gluten-free oatmeal I brought from home. For lunch we stopped at Mcdonald’s,  because everyone was in a hurry to get home. There I ordered a quarter pounder with no bun and some fries.

I had a great trip to Atlanta and can't wait to go again next year!

-Sema

Homecoming dinner!

It's that time of the year! It was homecoming this weekend, and I had a spectacular time. Before the dance, we headed to the Elephant Bar. I was unfortunately unable to take pictures of my dinner, as the lights were too dim.

This is what I ordered (I HIGHLY recommend it):

LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN BREAST

Wood-fired lemon garlic chicken breast topped with oven-roasted tomatoes and basil pesto. Served with a fresh blend of steamed vegetables, brown rice and grilled lemon.

When you go in, remember  to ask for the gluten-free menu. Even though there are a few selections labeled gluten-free on the menu, there is a separate sheet listing items you can substitute the wheat items for.

To check out a few of their options go to:http://www.elephantbar.com/menu/glutenfree There were salad options as well, but I was in the mood for something a bit "fancier." 

For dessert, the only gluten-free item is Creme Brulee (I skipped it as we were stuffed from the delicious dinner.)

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Next week I will be heading on a 3 day school orchestra trip to Atlanta, GA.  I may not be able to blog while there, but remember to tune in next week if you want to know how I handled a school trip with the gluten-free diet. 

"Packing the gluten-free lunchbox"- NFCA webinar

"The audience will benefit from this back to school webinar designed to share suggestions and recipes for healthy gluten-free lunches. Parents will also learn ways to engage their gluten-free children in the menu development process, an important detail to ensure diet compliance and healthy eating behaviors."

When:            Thursday, October 3, 2013
Time:              8:30 p.m. EDT/5:30 p.m. PDT
Where:           Your computer

http://www.celiaccentral.org/community/upcoming-nfca-events/free-webinar-kids-central-special-packing-the-gluten-free-lunchbox-9496/

Enjoy!
-Sema

Hotdog Wrap

Simple yet delicious!!

Ingredients:
2 gluten-free corn tortillas
1 hotdog
sliced onion
sliced parsley
Ketchup
Mayonnaise

Cut the hotdog in half and fry it on the pan until it is visibly cooked.

Next, heat two corn tortillas in the microwave. I usually set them up like this, overlapping the two tortillas. Heat them for 45 seconds, or however long it takes for them to be soft.

Chop the parsley and onion (optional)

Now, spread the ketchup on one tortilla and the mayonnaise on the other.

Now, add the hotdog pieces, parsley, and onions to one of the tortillas.

Roll the tortilla into the other tortilla, allowing the other tortilla to cover it.

Voila, you've got your easy-to-make hotdog wrap!

Gluten-Free Apps?

The big topic of news in the technological world at the moment seems to be the new iOS7 on the iPhone. I know you're thinking: what does that have to do with food? Hang on, I'm getting there. Right when I got my iPhone, I immediately searched for apps that would help with my diet, preferably free. I came across two which I use when I am out and about.

The first one is called Find Me Gluten Free. It gives all the locations with gluten-free menus by location or address. It is extremely helpful when I am out with friends and they ask me where I can eat. I also like how it includes the number of the restaurant, allowing me to inquire further about their menus. You can filter your choices, allowing for you to narrow your search. 

 The second app is called Gluten Free Restaurant Items. This app allows me to see the gluten-free items at a number of restaurants (so helpful for planning ahead.) It doesn't list EVERY restaurant out there, but covers a large number of both fast-food, steakhouse, etc. type of restaurant. (You won't be finding super high-class restaurants in this app.) 

Enjoy!

-Sema

Store-Bought Bread?

We used to bake bread all the time before I was diagnosed. I soon found that making gluten free bread was not as easy as I anticipated it to be. I come from a family where we make almost everything from scratch. The first meal I ever cooked was an okra dish, and to this day is still my favorite. But, back to the matter of bread. We used to eat this bread that would crumble as soon as you bit into it. Not a very good outlook on bread now was it? I survived it, eventually finding Udi's. Udi's bread is fantastic, because it has the closest taste to wheat bread. (That is what my friends and mom have told me.) I highly recommend it, as it also has different products, from cinnamon buns (gosh I missed those) to pizza crusts. Udi's bread gives the look of my school lunch a sense of "normalcy." And of course, it doesn't crumble.

But a tip to all about gluten free bread: always toast it.

Enjoy!
-Sema

Gluten-free Can Make a Difference

"Junior runner Drew Padgett earned NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Week honors after his record-setting performance Saturday at the Gabby Reuveni Early Bird Meet. Padgett’s 19:10 run was the fastest in team history on the 6,000-meter course in Forest Park, and he finished 15 seconds ahead of all competitors Saturday."

A doctor’s diagnosis last winter was the secret to Padgett’s breakthrough! In addition to training for the meet, he also credits the gluten-free diet for his success. Drew Padgett is a student at Washington University in St. Louis,  Missouri, USA.

To read more about his story check out the recent article in: 

http://www.studlife.com/sports/cross-country/2013/09/05/speedy-season-debut-earns-padgett-national-recognition/

Enjoy!

-Sema

Drew Padgett and his dad, who is also gluten-free.