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Archive for category gluten-free

Hot Words/Products: Winter Trends

Jan 25

Posted by admin in beverages, chocolate, cocktail, dining out, food universe, gluten-free, restaurants

It’s that wonderful time of the year when the majority of the country is waiting for it to happen. The “it” would be record cold or snow or some major weather event. Late January and February are heavy with that level of anxiety or anticipation (if it’s for skiing conditions, I get it), and the food world is no different. This is the perfect time of the year to tease tastebuds into a new sphere as relatively short days require a little extra nourishment. We have a panoply of food terms to warm the chilly burners of these months.

Look at GINGER. Once not that long ago it was just a spice in a container. Then fresh ginger came into vogue as we learned to give our food a little boost. Now it has its own elevated position in the beverage world not just as a stand-alone ginger ale, as it seems to be a compatible, healthy flavoring for any number of drinks whether hot or cold. As for snacking, ginger and chocolate are the darling of combo treats!

A parallel is the flower, HIBISCUS. Yes, its fragrance and compatibility make it a charmer again for beverages and plenty of flavor enhancers. Look at how pomegranate drinks have become more palate pleasers with the addition of ginger and hibiscus!  Somehow dishes and beverages seem to have a more chef-fueled flavor when you add something that some would consider exotic, something such as hibiscus.

Maybe the current number one trend-setting position goes to SORGHUM. In the summertime we enjoy the bounty of color from the fields of sorghum and appreciate how farmers are turning those fields into profitability. Now we see a different side to this grain as the growing gluten-free market space has heartily embraced the flavor of sorghum beers after several early rollouts of G-F ales that were less than enticing. Not only the beverage world but the chef-driven universe has embraced this sweetener with some top-tier creative moments.

Let’s end our discussion today with two food words that are making the rounds.
-Meatballs are everywhere and seem to have found a place at every tier of dining. They can quickly be fancified or presented as the alternative to the spate of burger spots.

-Parm. Eggplant has long championed its association with parm-topped dishes and now poultry-inspired foods are grabbing plenty of menu headlines. Sure, chicken parm has been a popular dish for a long time, but it now seems to be a pervasive special!

All these words and products speak the same language: Versatility as they are compatible with a range of pairing options. Time to uncover some of these foods and avoid total food hibernation.

 

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Try Out These Food Trends

Dec 12

Posted by admin in beverages, cooking, dining out, food universe, gluten-free, healthy eating, lifestyle, news, restaurants

The lists keep on rolling in as food trends are an easy exit discussion for 2011 and a hopeful wish into 2012.

A Mintel survey indicates we’ll be thinking more about “home” even at quick service and fast food restaurants. They anticipate this restaurant tier to start using more “comfort” words in menu descriptors. They also expect significant growth in this market space. “Homespun” goodness will pervade menus implying that careful preparation is at work in the kitchen regardless of the restaurant’s price point! Other prospective trends include:

–Regional foods will win over the menu as more restaurants work to bring in popular dishes from areas well-known for their specialties, such as Memphis Barbecue.

–Menus will have a section devoted to healthier dishes with lower-calorie foods. This concept will become more prevalent across price points.

–Restaurants will move more to customized ordering systems to give consumers more dining options that they will be able to impact.

Not to be left behind when we talk of trends, The National Restaurant Association surveyed 1,800 chefs, members of the American Culinary Federation, to get their input for their list, “What’s Hot in 2012.” Here are some headliners with the word “local” making its way into 3 of the top 10 trends:

–Locally sourced meats and seafood, and locally grown produce. A little further down the trend list is locally produced wine and beer.

–”Healthy” makes its presence felt with healthful kids’ meals, whole grain items in kids’ meals, and Gluten-free/food allergy-conscious items.

They see a continuation and growth of food trucks, the continued importance of the farmer in bringing products to market, and more fruit and vegetable side dishes on kids’ menus.

What’s interesting about these lists is the greater emphasis on product sustainability. It appears our emphasis is more on the practical, rather than the outlandish: All trends that have a chance of surviving and becoming more commonplace rather than single shots at fame.

Fun to follow these concepts as many are homespun ideas that have already had an impact on our food universe.

 

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Holiday Cookbook Planning Time

Dec 5

Posted by admin in beverages, chocolate, cookbooks, food universe, gluten-free, healthy eating, vegan

With the heightened attention to a Vegan lifestyle, including that of former President Bill Clinton, it’s natural that we will see a bounty of new cookbooks making their way onto our holiday lists. The latest one that should make planning easier for the hectic holiday period is the Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. Atlas, a well-known author and chef has published numerous vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, but with the concentration on recipes for a holiday celebration, this one is sure to make life easier during the otherwise hectic period.

What makes this book a welcome bookshelf addition and a hostess planning guide is the bounty of recipes that will be welcome additions for any holiday meal. Thanksgiving has come and gone, but this year for the first time there was a considerable amount of newspaper and blog ink devoted to vegan recipes. Clearly an understanding of how many people have made lifestyle changes rather than just thinking of these dishes as a passing trend.

Now the December big ones, Hanukkah and Christmas are quickly approaching. The first holiday would be unthinkable without latkes, potato pancakes, and Atlas has a version that is obviously vegan and with a few minor tweaks can be made soy and gluten-free. She believes that only those who prepare the recipe will notice the shift in ingredients, but everyone will be able to enjoy the finished dish. BTW, she has numerous recipes for the other Jewish holidays that likewise pose a recipe challenge, such as Vegan Matzo Balls!

A large part of the book is devoted to Christmas and what she calls “The Holiday Season.” This, after all, is a time with numerous office parties, neighborhood get-togethers, and an assortment of events that might just require a little hostess gift. If you bring a food for the buffet, then you’ll be assured of having something to eat! Here are some teasers to get you thinking:

–Fruit and Nut Chocolate Clusters. Easy to make as no baking is required and they are Gluten and Soy-Free.

–“Vegg” Nog. This recipe differs from so many of its predecessors as it is minus the tofu, but the vanilla almond milk and agave nectar combined with cashew butter make a smooth beverage.

–Creamy Cracked-Pepper Cheez. Now you can have a spreadable recipe that will highlight a buffet table. If you use gluten-free yeast, then you can appeal to an even wider audience.

Even though the book is divided into holiday sections, there are few recipes that are limited to a particular event. So many creative choices that can liven any meal.

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A Grocery Store Cookbook

Nov 29

Posted by admin in chocolate, coffee, cookbooks, gluten-free, vegan

Whoa there. I’m not talking about just any grocery store, but the one that packs an international wallop of opportunity. That would be Trader Joe’s. This is a store that has legions of followers and excited future shoppers who anticipate the store’s arrival into their city. Crowds often line up several hours before any such opening event so they can experience the store first-hand. Then the adventure begins.

Yes, the store is quite an adventure, whether the focus is on an international basis or the realistic consumer is just looking for something that has a gourmet flair without a gourmet price tag. Voilà, The I Love Trader Joe’s Around the World Cookbook by Cherie Mercer Twohy is the newest resource addition for those who have become TJ devotees. Devotees know who they are; they exclaim they were able to pull off a gourmet meal without incurring insane expenses.

Take the cheese department, so many choices, and the prices shriek “reasonable.” Even with a food item as simple as cheese that can be enjoyed with a slice of fruit or a basic cracker, the author has created numerous recipes to elevate the purchase into a more upscale cheese experience.

The cookbook has over 140 international recipes put together with the foods from TJ’s. Recipes are categorized by countries and are appealing for their understanding of our busy lifestyles: Good food, simple preparation. Many recipes fall into the new categories of major interest, Vegan and Gluten-Free. To make something as so-called exotic-sounding as Masala Lentil Chicken, the secret TJ solution is a 7-ounce container of Masala Lentil Dip. Pretty straightforward, but well worth the purchase price. Chicken dishes, for example, headline the tutorials as they span through almost all the nationalities.

So the store of mystery can be a focal point in your new recipe file. A simple jar of olive tapenade can turn an ordinary turkey slider sandwich into something with a bit more kick. The options abound.

Trader Joe’s does that for you. They have the ingredients and Twohy has put them to work with this panopoly of recipes.

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A New Vegan Cookbook

Nov 7

Posted by admin in cookbooks, cooking, food universe, gluten-free, healthy eating

This is that wonderful time of the year when new cookbooks seem to multiply on the shelves and in our e-readers to get us ready for the holiday gift-giving universe. So many choices; so many occasions. Today my thoughts go to a plant-based universe as so many individuals are considering making major changes to their diets. Going Vegan is not a trend, but a reality for many people who believe that the only way to sustain our food supply is not to eat it all up! Of course, there are those who follow this route on doctor’s advice or because they have tried it and recognize its benefits. Part-time “veganites” know how to master both universes!

Now that we have said good-bye to Daylight Savings Time and a bit of a Fall chill pervades the East Coast air, it’s time to start thinking of heart-warming foods and take out the slow-cooker to make it happen with ease. This wonderful piece of equipment  somehow magically turns great ingredients into great meals with limited effort from us. In the new cookbook, The Vegan Slow Cooker, Kathy Hester the founder of the blog healthyslowcooking.com, elevates her blog world forward with a well-crafted cookbook that makes meal preparation rewarding with the added plus of wonderful aromas wafting thru the rooms.

She has chosen 150 recipes that cover all meal parts including the important need for dessert. An added plus is that many of the dishes are also Gluten-free and Soy-free, both important features that broaden the book’s overall appeal. I particularly like the tag line, “Simply Set It and Go.” Yes, slow-cooking has multiple advantages and now with the Vegan emphasis, its audience has broadened.

Of course, we recognize that slow-cooking has an important place when it comes to simple, but tasty, entrees, stews, and soups, but what about the other courses? Here are some enticers:

–Breads and Pizzas (Rosemary Breakfast Bread or Foccacia Pizza Dough)

–Breakfast Casserole or French Toast Casserole (intrigued yet?), or

–Pumpkin Pie Pudding which sounds like a seasonal winner.

In our time-starved universe, finding a book that combines fast preparation with foods that literally cook themselves, helps us manage the meal-time drill. Here’s a good start to a season of slow cooker meals.

 

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Riding the Popularity Bandwagon–The G-F Driver

Aug 15

Posted by admin in gluten-free, health, lifestyle, news, shopping

Who could have imagined a year ago that Gluten-Free products would top the popularity charts. This is not a trend but a reality of marketing. G-F products, of course, are needed by those with celiac disease but have become a preferred choice for many other individuals who recognize how much better they feel when they eliminate the flours that cause distress. Grocers, restaurants, big chains, and even small cafes have figured out how they can capture some of this market.

The Bloomberg Businessweek issue for August 15-28 has a great cover shot for the “Popularity Issue” and inside awards its top spot to the Gluten-Free Diet which they say is being driven by those with celiac disease and the 15% of consumers who purchase these products and “help create a $2.6 billion market.” What has happened has occurred with an ease that often does not accompany most product rollouts which can be slow and focused on test markets. Now, big name manufacturers are vying for space alongside the stalwart G-F leaders such as Bob’s Red Mill and Udi’s. When you see 2 loaves of Rudi’s G-F multigrain bread at Costco you see a sea change, and a price drop. Let’s see, 2 loaves at the big box for about half the cost of a single one at the regular store!

The race is on.

More grocers are demonstrating their understanding of the growing numbers by integrating the G-F product line rather than isolating it into a small corner of the store. Sure shelves are often still marked with flip signs indicating a G-F product, but even that has somewhat lessened as consumers recognize the product labeling with the GF symbol. We’ve talked plenty about how obvious products are now quick to boast of their new popularity status. Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire Sauce remains my best go-to example, but the Chex family should not get excluded from their big bold banners. Wait, now Rice Krispies has the bold banner.

If you think you’ve seen a lot of GF products at the grocers and been passed GF restaurant menus, you’ve barely scraped the surface. Who wouldn’t want to be part of this impressive marketing action?

Not a trend, but a lifestyle choice with a wide arena for traditional companies to make the jump into the G-F universe! Expect to see more such gotcha labels.

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GF Regs Re-Open for Comment

Aug 4

Posted by admin in Administration, FDA, food recalls, gluten-free, health, news

It is a tad ironic to mention on one hand how the phrase “Gluten-Free,” or GF as it is listed on many products, has become mainstream knowledge. Yet, the other hand frantically waves for attention as the FDA has extended the comment period for 2007 regs on labeling food “gluten-free” for an additional 60 days. Wait, 2007 regs are not yet finalized and put into law? What is wrong with this picture?

Let’s see where to begin. How about chronologically? As in this is August 2011 and comment submission materials are now due in early October! Have we not wasted 4 years in trying to figure out how to help individuals who are by illness, as in Celiacs, in need of certified foods? The FDA says we are only talking about 1 % of the population that struggles with Celiac. I struggle with that low percentage for it hardly seems a day passes without more attention to this illness. Celiac research paints a different picture, a more startling numeric: 1 in 133 American people has Celiac, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.

How about the people who are gluten intolerant? That number is certainly growing. The FDA focus is only on the US, but we know some countries, such as Ireland, have taken the lead on product identification and restaurant preparedness. Sure, more restaurants in the states are offering gluten-free menus and increasing their range of selections, but what about the security issue? Everyone needs to be certain that what is labeled or described as GF, truly has zero gluten.

Individuals who cannot tolerate gluten continue to struggle with dining out choices as they fear the separation of foods may not be tightly monitored. These are not whimsical fears. They are life-and-death matters.

So what happened to the “new” FDA that was promised to be a more responsive agency? Seems it is still buried under mounds of paper and limited in its roll-out of important mandates. What can a foodservice professional or a consumer do? React; respond within this extended deadline. Go to www.regulations.gov, and submit a comment. Follow the link.

As concerned consumers and food professionals, we cannot let this comment period slip away and allow mounds of paper to be ignored. We’ve had enough of that. GF and gluten intolerance deserve better attention and protection. Now.

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Mainstream G-F

Jul 26

Posted by admin in dining out, food, gluten-free, lifestyle, restaurants

We’ve talked before about how gluten-free products have become more readily available. Supermarkets have taken the plunge and recognized the large number of people diagnosed with celiac disease or those who find themselves gluten intolerant. Many sit-down restaurants have figured out the marketing potential and offer guests a gluten-free menu. Yet a more casual approach for people that avoid gluten products means limited sandwich options. They either make their own sandwich or have to listen to dining companions order something that sounds tempting or go to a higher price point. Nothing seems to cover the middle ground. That landscape has had a makeover. Now one nationwide restaurant chain has started a limited program that hopefully will go national.

The Subway chain in Oregon and Texas offers gluten-free sandwiches. (The program was rolled out several months ago, but I recently observed the process firsthand–quite different from a press release!) This is a big deal being advertised with banners and in-store literature. Anecdotally, they are reporting an impressive amount of interest and orders.

If you enter a Subway that offers a G-F menu, then you have hit the quick-service, made-to-order sandwich line. Before you scoff and say how could such a large chain pull off the G-F experience, let me share what I witnessed. The staff has been well trained and recognize the contamination possibilities. The roll comes wrapped but never even makes it to the counter until the sandwich person scrubs down the counter, announces that a G-F sandwich is about to be made, does a complete hand wash, and grabs a new pair of gloves. Pretty impressive actually! For those who worry about the isolation preparation. you have an advantage: You watch the process rather than speculate that caution is being followed!

When all is set and ready to go, the G-F sandwich gets further isolated during the preparation selection and ends up in its own specialty bag. What’s the upcharge for this attention to detail? A dollar more for a G-F sandwich: A price that goes down easily.

Maybe other fast food, casual restaurants, and nationwide chains will figure out that offering a gluten-free option is not price prohibitive but rather financially advantageous.

Marketing mainstream reality.

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Cookbook Round-Up

Jun 11

Posted by admin in coffee, cooking, gardening, gluten-free, grocer, healthy eating

Summertime is the perfect time to laze around enjoying some of the new cookbooks that have hit the market. With all the fine produce at the farm stands and the grocers who strive to bring in local, this is a good time to look at the vegetable options.

With the increasing number of Vegan followers and those who subscribe to meatless days or think about healthier options, here’s a good primer: Color Me Vegan. What’s particularly enjoyable about this book is its color-coded emphasis on eating healthy; eating vegan. The recipes are easy to follow and attractive to lure you into trying something new. Those who just want the burst of color will be able to tweak the recipe to accommodate the omnivores.

Now that everyone has written about Gluten-Free and its mainstream numbers, the cookbooks are popping out of the printers.  Here’s one (125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes) that includes recipes for vegans although the combination of being G-F and V can be challenging at times. The highlight of this book is the straightforward approach from writer, Carol Fenster, who has an impressive history covering special diet needs including earlier gluten-free cookbooks: Would you believe her earlier 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipe cookbook! The 125 G-F recipe book will be available in July.

Neither a Vegan nor a Gluten-Free approach to vegetables, but one that considers how time starved we all are: The Best 30-Minute Vegetarian Recipes makes it easy to approach the summer heat with quick solutions to a healthy meal. Most of the 150 recipes are low in fat and in sugar. When the tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are market ready or ready to be picked from your own garden, the Gazpacho recipe may prove a perfect summer favorite.

I have to leave the vegetable track for a moment and consider the importance of good bread to accompany all these veggie recipes. As we’ve watched foods come into vogue, we recognize the return of a once-popular piece of kitchen equipment: The Bread Machine. Prices have dropped on this handy kitchen accessory due to its formerly untrendy status so this is a perfect item to add now and awaken the family to the delicious morning aroma of  just-baked bread. The Artisan Bread Machine with its 250 recipes fits the ease-of-use bill. Nothing’s better than combining artisan techniques into the workhouse machine! Add to that the summertime availability of delicious tomatoes (atop a foccaccia) and the desire to serve a healthy pizza lets you add your fresh vegetable toppings to the wonderful crusts from the bread machine.

These are just some of the many new cookbooks worth your summertime lolling pleasure. Relax with an iced coffee, and find the perfect solution to any meal period. Enjoy.

 

 

 

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A GF World

May 6

Posted by admin in FDA, food universe, gluten-free, health, news

It’s hard to believe that food labeling laws are proceeding at a crawl of a snail’s pace. Or not proceeding at all, depending on whom you ask. GF labeling Legislation was supposed to be in place three years ago (I love the line from the piece that describes the time period as the equivalent amount of time it took to build the Tunnel between France and Britain.) Some manufacturers have taken advantage of the increased marketing opportunities for labeling a product gluten-free. Shameful, but true. With the increased attention and awareness of Celiac Disease (May is National Celiac Awareness Month) and of finding significant numbers of individuals who have discovered they are gluten intolerant, it is devastating and dangerous that these protective laws have not been enacted.

We are not talking about a trend unless we are referencing the increased shelf space for GF products. Rather this is a health issue that needs attention in the current environment. This past week there were numerous outreach programs to call attention to the numbers of individuals affected by the disease. Will all of these efforts help? Possibly one of the most powerful benefits will mean that more people will be tested for this type of diet and many will feel better if they make the switch to a GF lifestyle. Not a trend; a healthy reality.

What can manufacturers do? Continue to examine product line and make certain that all the safety precautions have been applied to ensure that the labeling is accurate. Just this week Barbara’s Bakery, the cereal manufacturer, added to its GF lineup. Why not have Puffins Multigrain? Freezer options continue as well with Glutino expanding its pizza lineup with multi-paks. What happens if you are time-starved but crave a complete Italian entree, then Caesar’s GF linup works wonders. You have numerous freezer choices including manicotti, shells, lasagna, and gnocchi. Add your favorite sauce, and you’re covered!

Choices abound. Read the labels carefully and make certain your specific health and allergy needs are met. In the meantime, let’s hope that the FDA gets moving.

 

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