Jules Shepard of the Nearly Normal Kitchen in Virginia Beach

Learn Gluten Free Cooking with Expert Jules Shepard of the Nearly Normal Kitchen - Brought to you by Navan Foods: The Allergy Free Food Shop

Time: 6:30 pm-8:30 pm Date: Wednesday 10/07/09

At the Virginia Beach Holistic Clinic
500 Central Drive, Suite 114, VB VA 23454

Cost is $30 per person or $50 per couple.

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Elizondo
by telephone at 757.965.5422 or
by email at info@navanfoods.com

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks

Looking for a gluten-free snack the kids will love?  You need to try Betty Crocker's Fruit Snacks.  I received a box from Betty Crocker and MyBlogSpot.com to try.  My oldest who has celiac loves these snacks.  He has asked for them for his lunch snack every day.  He and his brother love the Create-A-Bug kind where the pieces are different "Bug" body parts they can piece together.  There are several varieties you can try including roll-ups and fruit gushers and the best part is they are all under 100 calories.  I have bought the Halloween pack so we can pass these out for Halloween.

Want to win a gift pack from Betty Crocker and MyBlogSpot.com including the Fruit Snacks, Pick-up sticks game, a light up Yo-Yo and Frisbee?  Comment on this posting and let me know one of your simple pleasures.

Best Banana Muffins ever...worst loaf of bread

The one thing my family misses most with need to cook gluten-free is the Banana Nut Bread and Muffins I used to make.  They were moist and flavorful.  Unfortunately with the switch to Gluten-Free, these muffins have become bricks.  The Bob's Red Mill All-purpose flour mix makes a decent muffin with the recipe on the back of the bag, but it was just not the same.  Until now - we recently bought the Jules Nearly Normal Kitchen All Purpose flour from Navan Foods in Virginia Beach(http://www.navanfoods.com/). (I am a little disappointed in the name as I consider my son to be normal.) The premise was you could use it in recipes the same as regular wheat flour.  Having used gluten free flours for 5 years now, I was a little skeptical, but willing to try anything once.

Boy was I surprised...The muffins I made (see recipe below) were the BEST muffins I have ever eaten Gluten Free or not.  No sooner did the mini-muffins come out of the oven both my wife and I had stuffed 2 or 3 in our mouths.  The muffins were very soft and spongy unlike typical gluten-free baked goods.  I could not wait for my son to get home from school so he could try them.  Needless to say, he was impressed as well and could not stop eating them as well. 

Unfortunately, we did not see the same results when making a Gluten-Free loaf of bread in the bread machine.  The bread never really rose and baked in a clump.  I am not sure if I am going to try again, but it will be baking flour of choice now.

Banana Nut Muffins
1 1/2 cups Jules Nearly Normal All Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Splenda/Brown Sugar Blend
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup oil (or you can substitute the same amount of apple sauce)
4 tablespoons buttermilk
1 1/2 cup mashed bananas (about 3)
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
1 teaspoon GF vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.   Spray bottom of muffin pans with gluten-free spray.  Sift together, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla and cinnamon.  Stir to blend.  Fold in mashed bananas and nuts.  Spoon tablespoon-sized amounts into muffin tins. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand in pan for 5 minutes and turnout onto wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 30-36 mini-muffins.

Gluten-Free Pizza in Virginia Beach

My son has had celiac for 4 years and during this time, we have been able to get him gluten-free pizza in a restaurant 3 times
Pizza Fusion in Fort Lauderdale - the pizza was not that good and extremely overpriced. It was a hand-stretched dough but overall we were not impressed.
Cafe Formaggio on Long Island (http://www.cafeformaggio.com/ordereze/frame.aspx) where the pizza was very good for a gluten-free pizza and reasonably priced ($15 for a 14" pizza)
Z-Pizza(http://stores.zpizza.com/virginia-beach/) - where I must say the pizza was amazing... From the crust to the toppings, this pizza was enjoyable throughout. In addition, they can utilize the gluten-free crusts to make their dessert pizza (an apple pie pizza) that is very good. In addition, for those not on a GF diet, their regular pizza crusts are amazing as well. The 10" dinner pie was about $13 with 2 toppings and the dessert pie was $10. It is definitely worth the trip over.

Fiber One Yogurt Plus Fiber

My boys both love the yogurt and it is good for their digestive system. Use the coupon link below to save a dollar on a 4-pack.
http://bricks.coupons.com/bstart.asp?o=57803&ci=1&c=GM&p=dP8MG4w9

You can now have your beer and drink it too

The FDA and Alcohol and Tobacco are now letting "Gluten-Free" Beer be called just that. Historically, beer must contain malted barley to be called beer.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-17-beer-gluten_N.htm

Should camps make you bring your own gluten free foods?

My son is going to camp for 10 days. The camp is providing the food for those on a regular diet but are requiring I buy my son's own food for the gluten free diet. I believe I should get a discount for this. When he goes to scout camp, the camp provides the food.