Yogurt - Homemade is best

When you think about the things that you make from scratch, yogurt doesn't tend to be on the list. However, if you are on a specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) like Evan, then if you eat yogurt you only eat the homemade kind.

Before I met Evan, I had no idea that yogurt could be made at home. I figured that it was some complicated process that milk had to go through in order to become yogurt and that it was best left to the "professionals." And, I'll admit that I prefer store-bought yogurt. However, after reading up on the subject, I'll be working to change my tastes.

Now, obviously this thinking is quite flawed. Before the mechanization of the food system there was yogurt, and the people that made it got along just fine without any fancy equipment. And, according to one article, they were better off for it.

In spite of catchy advertising and sophisticated equipment for making yogurt, the big companies like Yoplait and Dannon are getting it all wrong. Some store-bought yogurt is fermented for only one hour! This isn't nearly enough time for all the lactose to be broken down and for the probiotic cultures to grow. Instead, yogurt should be fermented for a full 24 hours if you want to see the full benefits - but you won't find these benefits in a store.

One of the best wedding gifts we received was from Evan's parents. They gave us a wonderful Yogourmet yogurt maker, which is the same one they bought when Evan went on the SCD 10 years ago. They found out about the Yogourmet yogurt maker through a lady named Lucy. Lucy maintains a website called Lucy's Kitchen Shop, which contains products especially for the specific carb diet.

Now, making your own yogurt is actually incredibly easy. The yogurt maker comes with specific directions, so I won't detail them here. However, if you have a digestive disease, I highly recommend purchasing a yogurt maker in order to replenish the good bacteria in your digestive tract. It will do you a world of good.

Larabars

One of the things I have come to realize is that making a quick lunch on a gluten free diet is not easy. Most people can throw together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and toss some crackers into their lunch bag and call it good. Obviously, gluten free eaters aren't free to do this. We have to be much more creative, or we have to be willing to spend a bit more money on decent gluten free bread.

One product that Evan and I love as a supplement to a sack lunch is Larabars. These fruit and nut bars are not only gluten free but also dairy free, soy free, vegan, kosher AND non-GMO. The best part is that the contain only things that are good for you - there are no preservatives; they are 100% fruit and nuts.

Evan and I first discovered Larabars at a small snack shop on our college campus. Evan read the ingredients and became very excited because they were something he could actually eat. He was also excited because each bar contains about 200 calories. Because of his diet, it is very difficult for him to gain weight, so high calorie snacks are always a bonus for him.

Now, for those of you who are on a gluten free diet and are worried about your snacks having calories, don't be. Because of the composition of these bars, they provide you with good fats, have no cholesterol and have at least 4 grams of protein. The benefits of eating these bars definitely outweigh the number of calories. Besides, in going gluten free you eliminate some of the most useless calories from your diet - cookies, cakes, doughnuts, bread, refined pasta...I could go on and on, but I won't.

If you are interested in trying Larabars, I'd recommend purchasing a single bar first. Their flavor takes some getting used to, and some flavors are better than others. Be warned - stores will charge up to $2 for a single bar. However, the most cost-effective way to purchase them is buy them at Costco. The box contains 15 bars in three different varieties and costs about $15, saving you up to $1 per bar.

Fusilli with Mahi Mahi and Broccoli

When I got home from class today, I was having a craving for Mexican food. However, since we didn't have any diced tomatoes with green chilies, I thought I should figure something else out (I love to mix refried beans with diced tomatoes and green chilies).

Well, since I couldn't get Mexican food out of my head, I decided to thumb through a cookbook that my aunt gave me a few years ago. I haven't cooked much out of it because many of the recipes require either a lot of ingredients or a lot of time, and I generally do not have either of those things.

Luckily, I stumbled across a pasta recipe that sounded simply delightful - Fusilli with Monkfish and Broccoli. I scanned the ingredients, and I realized that I had all the ingredients to make the recipe with a few modifications.

Upon completion of the recipe, Evan and I sat down to eat. With the steaming pasta sitting in front of me, I felt like life was complete. It has been a long time since I made pasta with homemade sauce other than spaghetti sauce, so I was very excited to try something new. We were amazed at how my experimentation yielded such a delightful dish.

So, I've decided to pass along the recipe with my modifications to you. It's a wonderful combination of gluten free whole grains, fish and vegetables. By the way, the picture is of the leftovers. I'm sorry that I don't have a more appetizing shot for you! I was more focused on eating it that photographing it when it was done!

Ingredients

4 oz broccoli, divided into florets

3 tbsp olive oil

12 oz mahi mahi fillet, skinned and chopped into bite sized pieces

2 garlic crushed, crushed

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup corn starch

14 oz brown rice fusilli

Parmesean cheese

Directions

1. Divide broccoli into small sprigs. Boil broccoli for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water, set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add mahi mahi, garlic and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until fish is opaque. Pour in white wine, yogurt and corn starch. Cover and cook until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in broccoli.

3. While the sauce is cooking, cook brown rice fusilli according to package directions. Drain and place back into cooking pot. Add sauce and stir. Serve immediately.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

One of my favorite things to do on a rainy day with my friends was always to bake. We'd make cakes and brownies from boxes of course, but our favorite was homemade chocolate chip cookies. Obviously, the recipe found in the Betty Crocker cookbook doesn't work very well if you're on a gluten free diet. Luckily, I have been given a recipe that, in my opinion, is much better than old Betty Crocker.

These cookie bars are soft and chewy, and because they contain honey rather than sugar as a sweetener, they taste even better than your average chocolate chip cookie.

I have just a couple of notes about this recipe. First, I refer to the cookie mixture as batter, not dough, because prior to baking it really has more of a batter consistency. Second, these cookies are VERY soft, and really don't hold together that well after baking. However, if you place them in the freezer for a few hours prior to serving, they hold together much better and have more of the consistency of a "normal" cookie. I don't typically do this because I like my cookies really soft, but it's simply a matter of preference.

Anyway, here is the recipe! Enjoy the gluten free cookie goodness!

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter

1 cup honey

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups rice flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 12 oz package gluten free chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Cream the butter, honey, vanilla and eggs in a large mixing bowl.

2. Mix in the flour

3. Mix in the baking soda

4. Add about half of the chocolate chips and mix

5. Pour cookie batter into a 13x9 inch baking pan

6. Sprinkle as many chocolate chips as desired on top of the batter

7. Bake for about 10 minutes. Check at 5 minutes by sticking a toothpick or knife into the middle to see if it comes out clean. If it does, they are done!

Laguna Cafe

Yesterday, Evan and I celebrated our first anniversary. Since we went to Hawaii in May, we didn't do anything extravagant. However, we did treat ourselves to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II in IMAX 3D, which was beyond epic, along with an amazingly delicious dinner at the Laguna Cafe.

Prior to our experience last night, we had been to Laguna Cafe a few times, always with friends. Upon our first visit, I admittedly was not expecting much, since the reviews generally stated that the food was overpriced for what you get.

They were wrong.

The prices (I think) are quite reasonable, especially for a locally owned and operated venue that uses local, fresh ingredients. They are very comparable to other dinner restaurants. And of course, they serve up some delightful dishes, many of which are gluten free. Their burgers are divine, and their seafood is top notch. Their steaks are infinitely hard to forget.

Last night, we began with a light seafood crustini, a creamy mix of crab, shrimp and white fish (3rd picture). Normally, it is served on a crisp crustini, which is a type of cracker, but we requested some gluten free dippers. We were pleasantly surprised when we were served with a plate of tortilla chips, along with cold, fresh red bell peppers, avocado and cucumber. The vegetables paired wonderfully with the seafood mixture, and it was the perfect way to open our meal.

Next, we were served our entrees. Both of our meals were preceded by a light spinach salad. Still, with weak resolve, I ordered the portobello mushroom ravioli with sweet red pepper alfredo. Obviously, nothing about this dish was gluten free, except the aged parmesean cheese that topped it. Evan's entree, however, was obviously gluten free and is probably of much more interest to you as a reader.

Evan ordered the coho salmon, which was served with a fresh mango salsa, Laguna's signature rosemary potatoes and fresh vegetables (2nd picture). The salmon was seasoned and cooked to perfection, while the salsa added a summery touch. Also, I normally think of potatoes as "filler" when they are included with a meal. However, the roasted rosemary potatoes served by Laguna Cafe are a wonderful compliment to any entree. Evan drank a glass of Old Vine Zinfandel (recommended by our waiter) which enhanced the flavors of his meal.

Finally, we arrived at dessert (3rd picture). Now, one of Laguna's downfalls is that they do not have many gluten free dessert options. However, the one they do have is to die for. It is an apple pie sundae, composed of apples prepared as they would be for a pie, top notch vanilla ice cream, warm Ghirardelli caramel and whipped cream. Upon a simple description of this dessert, we knew we had to order one. We could not have been more satisfied with this choice. The sumptuous flavor of this dessert enveloped our tongues from the very first bite. Our waiter also provided us with a tasting glass of a sweet madiera wine which rounded out this delectable treat.

Laguna Cafe is a wonderful stop for anyone looking for a relaxed, upscale yet affordable dinner with a friendly waitstaff and great atmosphere. The restaurant does not have a website, however you can purchase gift certificates on Restaurant.com to make your dining experience even more budget friendly.

Website: http://www.restaurant.com/rdc/laguna-cafe-spokane-american-restaurant-rid=352040?&mcn=00055092

Adaptation for Pancakes

Quite some time ago, I posted a recipe for gluten free banana pancakes. If you've tried them, you know they are delicious. However, there is a small adaptation you can make if you are out of bananas, or simply don't like them. Instead of using a banana to bind the pancakes together, you can substitute a teaspoon of tapioca flour. When you make this switch, the pancakes are still totally gluten free, but they don't take on their own flavor. This is ideal if you're looking to add your own ingredients, like strawberries, blueberries or chocolate chips.

I hope you'll use this adaptation to create your own favorite pancake type!

Thai Bamboo

Thai food. Just writing the words makes me think of rich flavors, diverse seasonings and delightful desserts. Last night, Evan and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at Thai Bamboo's new restaurant location. They recently moved a few blocks north of their original location, to 5406 N Division St and an entirely new building. We watched the building go up over the course of almost a year, and though the outside looks a little goofy, the inside is just wonderful. They have a banquet room, a lounge and patio seating. Their main dining area is adorned with "bamboo" chandeliers with birds gracing the branches. The ceiling is embedded with hundreds of fiber optic cables to imitate the night sky when you look into your granite topped table. Also, the ceiling is lit in such a way that it changes color. It goes from pink to purple to green in about a minute. All this makes for a wonderful dining atmosphere.

Now onto the food, which I'm sure is why you're even reading this post. The menu boasts of 14 different categories, including drinks and desserts. Though the curry list is small, they make up for it in their diverse noodle, noodle soup and rice options. Plus, they have several house specials which never fail to please.

On this particular visit, I ordered rahd nah, a kind of stir fry consisting of wide rice noodles, carrots, pineapple, broccoli, cabbage and zucchini cooked in the chef's special sauce. I chose to have mine with chicken, but you can also have it with beef, pork or prawns (an extra $2 is added to the bill for this option). Upon being served the dish, I immediately dug in. The noodles had been cooked to perfection. They wonderfully tender and had absorbed the flavor of the sauce very well. The veggies and the pineapple all added a great flavor, though I would have appreciated more pineapple in this dish because it was complemented well by the sweetness of this particular sauce. That being said, I should have ordered the dish with at least two stars of spiciness because it was almost too sweet.

Evan ordered the chicken cashew nut, which, according to the menu is very popular. This was a delectable dish of chicken, cashews, bell peppers, green beans and onions sauteed in a sweet chili sauce. The chicken had picked up the flavor of the sauce and had a great texture. The cashews added a nice crunch, while the onions and the bell peppers added a distinct flavor that I can't quite put my finger on. Overall, I thought Evan's dish was a bit tastier than mine, but it was an entirely different concept.

We did not order an appetizer or a dessert, though we have in the past. For a delicious gluten free dessert at Thai Bamboo, I recommend the mango white sticky rice. The combination of warm and sweet sticky rice with coconut milk, toasted sesame seeds, palm sugar and mango is unparalleled. The black sticky rice pudding is also good. Stay away from fried banana. The banana is wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, which is definitely not gluten free. As for appetizers, the satay skewers are always a delicious and safely gluten free choice.

All in all, I have very much enjoyed my experiences with Thai Bamboo, though this was my first visit to their new location. They have always had a very friendly wait staff, quick service and great food. I will be back soon, and I hope they add a happy hour menu to their new lounge.

Website: http://www.thaibamboorestaurant.com/

This post is featured in Dine in the 509! (http://dineinthe509.tumblr.com/) Check it out!