Rice Contains High Levels of Arsenic

No one wants to hear about arsenic in their food. It is especially concerning when the item is consumed often. Rice is such a staple for so many people who live gluten-free that the latest reports about arsenic levels in rice are extremely concerning.

Consumer Reports has recently reported the levels of arsenic found after testing many common brands of rice and rice products. These results can be alarming, especially when you stop to consider how many gluten-free products and recipes contain rice, rice flour, rice bran or rice syrup.

Consumer Reports and the FDA are working together to make products safer going forward, but are strongly urging consumers to reduce their consumption of rice products. Their recomendations are listed in this consumer reports article.

Luckily there are other alternatives out there. This would be a great time to give buckwheat a try. Buckwheat is related to the rhubarb family, therefore not a grain at all. It is a very safe and nutritious gluten-free alternative to rice. Buckwheat can be found in the form of light and dark flour to be used in baking. Buckwheat can also be found in the form of groats. Groats can replace rice or other grains and be used as a side dish, in a salad, or as a cereal.

 

My cookbook, Delicious Gluten-Free Baking with Buckwheat Flour, is full of incredible gluten-free recipes that use only buckwheat flour. The recipes are easy to follow and fun to bake. Look at this as an opportunity to try something new. You may be surprised at how Delicious it can be!

Dark vs. Light Buckwheat Flour

Dark versus light, which buckwheat flour is ideal? Well, that all depends on what you hope to achieve.

Light buckwheat flour is ground from the buckwheat seed once the hull has been removed. This flour is lighter in color and very fine in texture when compared with dark buckwheat flour. Dark buckwheat flour is made from grinding the seed with the hull. There are often dark specs found throughout the flour, giving a slightly darker appearance in color. Dark flour will appear coarser in texture when compared to light buckwheat flour.

Light Buckwheat flour is a perfect choice when baking. The results will give a moist, delicate crumb with a light and airy appearance. A perfect choice for delicious cakes, breads, muffins and all baked goods.

Dark buckwheat flour contains a higher fiber content and nutritional value. While dark flour can be used in baked goods, the end product will have a coarser texture and crumb, often not found as desirable. However, this may be advantageous when making something like granola where a higher nutritional value and a variety of texture is sought after.

Either way, light or dark buckwheat is packed full of essential vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of protein, fiber and healthy carbohydrates. Making this an excellent choice for the gluten-free baker.

Happy Baking!

A Little Love

Valentine's Day is a day that can be so fun. I have great memories from my childhood, which is probably why I still love it today. My Mom always did something special and unexpected even though she was always busy working. Every year was a little different, which was part of the fun. I have enjoyed continuing that tradition with my own family.

Of course, like many of you, I am always busy so it has to be easy. Valentine's falls in the middle of the week so the evening will be busy with homework, sports and extra activities. I think breakfast together is a great way to start the day. Raspberry, cherry or cranberry muffins are beautiful for Valentine's Day. They are quick and easy to make ahead of time and are great with an omelet, quiche or scrambled eggs. If there isn't time for breakfast, the muffins can be fun to put in their lunch bags with a little Valentine note.

Everyone just wants to know that they are loved on Valentine's Day. It doesn't have to take a lot of money or time to show someone that they are special to you. It is also a wonderful time to think of your friends, family or neighbors that might be feeling a little lonely. It makes all of the difference in their day to know that someone has thought of them! So, give a little love!

Happy Thanksgiving

While our Thanksgiving table is always full of traditional favorites, I also like to include something a little unexpected each year. This year I have made Pumpkin Toffee to add to the desert table. It is great on its own, can be sprinkled over pumpkin pie or cheesecake, and makes a fun gift to send home with your guests at the end of the evening.

In addition to Thanksgiving, this Pumpkin Toffee will be great to have on hand for the upcoming holidays. The recipe is gluten, egg and nut-free, which covers all of my neighbors allergies.

Now, I guess it is time to start thinking about the Turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving!



PUMPKIN SEED TOFFEE

Place a large sheet of aluminum foil in a 9 X 13 pan so the edges hang over the sides. Grease the aluminum foil with butter.

In a heavy saucepan heat:

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Butter
3 Tablespoons Water
1 Cup Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
1/8 Teaspoon Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Ginger
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Cook and stir constantly over medium heat for about ten minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 295 degrees. Remove from the heat and pour into prepared dish. Spread out evenly with a spatula. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. Break into bite-size pieces and store in airtight container.

Happy Halloween

How adorable are these skeleton cookies? My sister always loved decorating cookies for the holidays. I loved how they looked, but I didn't really have the patience to sit for hours making detailed decorations when they were just going to be gobbled up. I love these skeletons because they are so cute, but really quick and easy to decorate.

Fun for all ages and perfect for every Halloween occassion. Even the smallest hands are capable of making a pretty great looking skeleton, so everyone can participate in the fun. Great for kids parties as well as adults. Serve a big tray of them or wrap up individually to send home with guests. They make a special gift for teachers or leave one at your best friends door. Wrap up carefully and bring a smile to your favorite college student or just surprise your little goblins!

The recipes used were Chocolate Cookie Cutouts (p.121) and Vanilla Frosting (p. 154) from my cookbook, or use your favorite recipes. Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to make cookies. Once cookies have cooled, place frosting in a ziploc bag and snip a small hole in one corner. Hold the bag in hands to draw circle shapes with the frosting for the rib cage. Then make arms and legs. One quick circle completes the head and two dots for eyes complete your skeleton.

Quick, easy and adorable!

Happy Halloween!

Bake for a Friend

I love spending time with great friends. Often these moments are so great because they revolve around the delicious food that we were sharing in that moment. We laugh a little harder and stay a little longer when we are lingering over delicious food that has been lovingly prepared for us. Just this week I received a very kind thank you from a woman who shared this kind of moment with her friends.

Early in the summer I received an email from a woman who was throwing a shower for her girl friend. She was looking forward to this event, but naturally a little concerned given that her friend was gluten-intoherent. She wanted to try the Carrot Cake recipe from my cookbook and had a few questions before she got started.

I heard back from her this week and this is what she had to say. "I wanted to let you know how fantastic the carrot cake was for my shower! I bought a gluten free chocolate cake from a local bakery (very expensive) and your cake was WAY BETTER than that one! "

I was very happy to hear that her shower was such a success. It is always so rewarding to pull something from the oven that looks beautiful and that tastes amazing and then share with our friends and loved ones. I am about to do that very same thing. I have Buckwheat Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Bars baking in the oven that smell incredible! I know they will taste great and be even better when I share them with our friends coming over for a last minute Autumn get together.

So, who do you want to bake for?

Happy Autumn!

Gluten-Free Fair

Each year I look forward to seeing all of the new gluten-free products available. What better way to find out than to go to the annual Gluten-Free Fair. Each year gets bigger and better with so much to offer. This year the Gluten-Free Fair will be held at the Denver Merchandise Mart on August 21st. It is a great time to try samples of new products. You will find many local companies as well as national vendors to choose from. This event is free for the whole family to attend from 10am to 4pm.

Denver Merchandise Mart
451 E. 58th Ave.
Denver, Colorado 80216