A number of my clients have been asking for gluten free menus lately. It’s tough on a person’s system to enjoy some wonderful cuisine and then realize, “oops…that claim of gluten free has really affected me”. To ensure everyone who attends my classes has a satisfying and enjoyable experience, I make certain the experience is safe dining.
Some years ago I was holding an Indian class and developed a recipe for gluten free samosas. The group decided by consensus that the gluten free version was actually better tasting than the traditional version. We made two kinds. The problem occurred when the person who required gluten free read the package of the besan (chickpea flour) and realized it in fact was not totally gluten free. I thought I had purchased pure chickpea flour as I am a puritan and go to great lengths to scout out pure. But this time I had been mistaken. That was enough for me to learn to check and double check ingredients in packaged goods. This particular brand was purchased at a large Indian grocer with so many brands of chickpea flour. It was not an easy choice. I asked for assistance, but frustratingly to no avail.
I am profiling the gluten free samosa recipe because it was delicious. AND it is gluten free if you buy the right flour. Speaking of flour, I am also sharing a gluten free all purpose flour mix. To up the anti of the value of this post, I am also sharing a listing of gluten free products. This was given to me about 5 years ago by my niece and consulting dietitian Shauna Lindzon. Please make sure you consult with a dietitian prior to making food choices that can affect your well being and quality of life. No question, with so many choices in creating delicious recipes without gluten, if you need to…you can BE gluten free! coconut milk yoghurtgluten freegluten free samosasimli chatnirice flourtamarind saucetapioca flourvitamixxanthan gum
Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix
4 cups rice flour 1 1/3 cups potato starch 2/3 cup tapioca flour 4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1. Whisk together the flour ingredients. 2. Store in a dry place until needed.
Samosas (Indian baked potato pastries) 15 to 20 samosas
Filling
1/4 cup Oil 1/2 cup Onion, minced 1 tablespoon Gingerroot, minced 1 tablespoon Ground coriander 5 Russet potatoes, peeled, cooked and cooled 1 cup Peas Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium flame. Add the onions, ginger and coriander and sauté until the onions just start to brown, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the cooked potatoes to a large bowl and lightly mash with a large fork or potato masher. The potatoes should be mashed but still chunky. Stir in the sauteed onion mixture, peas and salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the cut sides of each wrapper together to form a cone. Moisten the edges with a little water and seal well with your fingers. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling into each cone. Fold down the of the wrapper dough and seal again with a little water. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling and set the samosas on a baking sheet to dry, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.
Bake the samosas at 350 degrees F until browned and heated through. Serve with imli chatni or lemon wedges.
Imli Chatni – (Indian Tamarind Sauce)
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons Tamarind pulp 1 cup Warm water 1/2 cup Brown sugar 1/2 cup Dates 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground cumin 1 teaspoon Ground ginger 1 teaspoon Garam masala (optional) 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper Salt to taste
Soak the tamarind pulp in the warm water for about 15 minutes to soften it up. Using the back of a fork, mash it into the water to dissolve the pulp. Strain through a sieve, discarding the fibers and seeds.
Add the tamarind water with the remaining of ingredients and puree in a blender. Adjust seasoning and serve.
Gluten Free Wrapper
1 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean, or besan) flour 1 cup brown rice flour 1/2 cup tapioca starch 1 cup coconut milk yogurt (found in local health food stores) 1/2 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients together until it forms a soft ball. Refrigerate if too soft to handle.
Divide dough into 8 balls. Divide each of those balls in half and roll each half into a circle.
Place 1/4 cup of filling in the middle of pastry round. Use a spatula to lift another pastry round and set it gently on top. Working gently with the dough, fold it up around the filling, pressing the seam carefully closed with wet fingers.
Carefully move each samosa onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350F until browned. Can be deep fried as well…as shown in the picture.
GLUTEN FREE FOOD LIST (Wheat free does not necessarily mean gluten free)
Baking Products
Magic Baking Powder Pure Corn Starch Lantic Icing Sugar Hershey’s Chipits – Pure Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Hershey’s Chipits Pure Milk Chocolate Chips are not guaranteed to be GF) Kraft Baker’s Chocolate: Semi Sweet Chocolate; Sweet Chocolate; Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips; Semi Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips; Milk Chocolate Chips; White Chocolate Chips; White Chocolate one ounce squares; Butterscotch Chips; Unsweetend Chocolate; Bittersweet Chocolate one ounce squares Cow Brand Arm and Hammer Baking Soda El Peto Baking Soda Certo Pectin Crystals for homemade jams and jellies Beehive Golden Corn Syrup
Beverages
General
100% Pure Fruit juices – NOT THE FRUIT COCKTAILS/OR FRUIT BLENDS – I have not checked those McCain’s juice boxes; McCain’s Junior Juice Boxes Tropicana Orange Juice Bottled water – unflavoured Coke; diet coke Sprite; diet sprite Minute Maid Light lemonade (coke product) Plain milk – NOT CHOCOLATE MILK, unless you’ve called manufacturer and checked to see if it is GF Organic Meadows Chocolate Milk is GF Sealtest Chocolate Milk PC Organic Chocolate Milk PC Chocolate Milk Mix Koolaid Jammers – Strawberry/Kiwi (it’s the only one I have checked) Koolaid Sugar Free Powdered Drink Mixes – all flavours – Kraft product so gluten will be listed on ingredients YOP Yoplait Yogurt Drinks Danone Petit Danimals Yogurt Drink Parmalat Sensational Soy Beverages Parmalat Sensational Soy Smoothies PowerAde – made by CocaCola Coffee (Thank God) – must check the flavoured coffees – could have gluten Wine and spirits (Thank God) – must check flavoured spirits – flavouring is added after distillation process PC Chai Tea and Green Tea
Second Cup Products
Brewed coffees, including flavoured All teas Chillers/smoothies Hot chocolate (creamy, white, caramel and candy cane) Carmelo Coretto Moccaccino Apple, cranberry and apple-orange cider White Mocca Crème Brulee Ristretto Caffe Latte Expressos Icepresso Chiller (regular and flavoured) Creamers
Starbucks
All beverages, including hot chocolate except the Java Chip Frappacino – has brownie in it
Breads and Crackers
Organic oven gluten free breads/buns and rolls Glutino GF breads etc. Kingsmill GF breads etc. Quaker Rice Cakes – all flavours Quaker Crispy Minis – all flavours except Wholegrain Quaker Crispy Minis Tortillaz – all flavours Quaker Crispy Soy – all flavours Christie’s Rice Thins Sesame/Plain Crackers Elco Sesame/Plain Rice Crackers Mary’s Gourmet Crackers Bi-Aglut Crackers
Cereal
PerkyO’s cereals – Perky’s Nutty Rice Nature’s Path Organic Crispy Rice Bob’s Red Mills Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal EnviroKidz Gorilla Balls/Panda Puffs PC Organics Crunchy Corn
Condiments
Heinz Ketchup French’s Prepared Mustards French’s Worcestershire Sauce French’s Honey Mustard Cattleman’s Barbecue Sauce, except Honey Flavour Frank’s Original RedHot Sauce/Frank Xtra RedHot Sauce Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce French’s Potato Sticks (Original flavour, barbecue flavor, cheesy cheddar) Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard LifeSource Yellow and Dijon Mustards Hellman’s Sauce Style Mayonnaise Type Dressing Hellman’s Sauce Style ½ Fat Mayonnaise Type Dressing PC Sauce Style Mayonnaise Type Dressing
Candy
Hershey’s plain kisses Skittles – all flavours (gluten/wheat will be on label if there is a change) Starburst – all flavours(gluten/wheat will be on label if there is a change) Cadbury Caramilk Chocolate Bars Cadbury Crunchie Chocolate Bars Cadbury Mini Eggs, Crème Eggs, Caramilk Eggs, Truffle Eggs Dairy Milk Chocolate Bars Nestle Aero chocolate bars M&M’s – not the crispy M&M’s which have been discontinued (gluten/wheat will be on label if there is a change) Snickers chocolate bars; note that Mars bars are NOT gf Welch’s Fruit Snacks Dare Real Fruit Minis Fruit Snacks Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Fuzzy Peach Candies Gummi Bears, Gummi Worms Swedish Berries Sour Patch Kids Chicklet’s chewing gums Trident chewing gums Allen’s candy canes – all flavours
Dairy
Plain milk Chocolate milk – see beverages PC Fresh Churned Butter Organic Meadows salted butter Becel Magarine – regular and light Eggs YOP Yoplait Yogurt Drinks Danone Petit Danimal Yogurt drink Yoplait Yogurt Tubes All Yoplait products Source Yogurts – all flavours Kraft Cheese Singles – all (check ingredients on occasion) Kraft Cracker Barrel Cheeses ( all, including light cheeses) Kraft 100% Parmesan and Parmesan Light and Kraft Grated Cheddar Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese (Brick and Spreadable Cream Cheeses – all flavours including light – again, check the label in case of changes, Kraft will list gluten) Kraft Cheese Whiz Process Cheese Product, Regular, Light and Tex-Mex Tre Stelle Light Feta Cheese Astro Jeunesse yogurts – all flavours Nordica cottage cheese Yoplait yogurt tubes All PC No Name cheese strings/sticks Kraft Hard Cheeses i.e. Cheddar, mozzarella, swiss. Colby (Black diamond cheese are not acceptable as they will not guarantee that their products are gluten free) Chapman’s Original Ice Cream – must say Gluten Free on the box – the Chapman’s Ice Cream in the box is the one to look for Chapman’s No Sugar Vanilla and Banana Frozen Yogurt PC Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge Crackle Ice Cream Kozy Shack Puddings Kraft Jello-Pudding Snacks Delicious Duos: Chocolate/Vanilla; Caramel/Vanilla
Deli Meats/Prepared Meats
Baldwin Street Kosher Weiners –says GF on package All PC and No Name Bacons Pillars German Weiners Mark’s sausages Freybe sausages – Costco
Desserts/Sweet Treats
Kraft Jello Pudding Snacks Delicious Duos: Chocolate/Vanilla; Caramel/Vanilla; Chocolate Fudge/Rocky Road Kraft Refrigerated Jello Gel Snacks PC Creamy Caramel Puddings Fireside Marshmallows No Name Large Marshmallows Kraft Jet Puffed Marshmallows No Name Freeze Pops PC Mini Frozen Fruit Bars PC Fruit Bars – Blue Menu Bob’s Red Mill Brownie Mix is delicious
Dressings
Renees Wellness Dressing – Fig Balsamic; Tuscan Italina; Roasted Garlic Caesar Renees Naturally Light Greek Feta Mediterranean Dressing Kraft Catalina; Creamy Cucumber; French, Greek with Feta & Oregano and Italian Salad Dressings – could be others, but I haven’t checked – Kraft lists wheat/gluten on their products
Fruits & Vegetables
All fresh fruits and vegetables – check labels of any canned goods
Jams/Jellies/Spreads
Philadelphia Cream cheese – as above under Dairy Kraft Peanut Butter – all types Kraft Pure Jams PC Organics Raspberry fruit spread PC Over 50% Fruit Jam Blueberry & Concord Grape (h/n checked other flavours) ED Smith jams and jellies – most are gf – check label Smuckers jams and jellies – most are gf – check label
Meat/Poultry/Fish
any fresh, plain, untreated meat, fish or poultry – prepared or processed meats, wieners, turkey, chicken are NOT acceptable UNLESS they specify on package that they are gluten free
Prepared Food
Ian’s Chicken Cutlettes (must say Gluten free on package) – Loblaws organic section Ian’s breaded Fish sticks (must say gluten free on package) – Loblaws organic Dr. Praeger’s Potato crusted fish fillets Glutino 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese S’Better Farms – Chicken Wings; Corn Dogs; Chicken Fingers; Chicken Breast dinners – can get them at a Loblaw’s with a good Kosher section – Bathurst and St. Clair
Sauces/Oils
Renees Creole Dijon Sauce Kraft Regular B-Bque sauce Kraft Seafood Cocktail Sauce, Tartar Sauce, Burger Sauce, Horseradish, Sandwich Spread V-H Plum Sauce V-H Soy Sauce No Name Soya Sauce Ragu Old World Original Tomato Sauce 100% Pure Maple Syrup Beehive Corn Syrup Vegetable Oil; Canola Oil; Olive Oil; Corn Oil PC Splendido Balsamic Vinegar PC Splendido Extra Virgin Olive Oil PC Organic Aged White Vinegar All distilled vinegars Apple cider vinegar PAM Canola Oil Cooking Spray PAM Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray PC 100% Pure Maple Syrup PC Sauce Style Mayonnaise Type Dressing Hellman’s Light ½ the Fat Mayonnaise Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise Hunt’s Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce
Snack Foods
Lay’s Potato Chips- regular (Frito Lay product) **** Ruffles Potato Chips – regular (Frito Lay) Fritos Original Corn Chips and Scoops (Frito Lay) Cheetos Crunchy Cheese Flavoured Snack (Frito Lay) Cheetos Puffs Cheese Flavoured Snacks (Frito Lay) Doritos Zesty Cheese Flavoured Tortilla Chips (Frito Lay) Smartfood White Cheddar Cheese Flavoured Popcorn (Fritos Lay) Tostitos – Bite size rounds tortilla chips, Gold Tortilla Chips, Rounds Tortilla Chips (Frito Lay) Quaker Rice Cakes – all flavours Quaker Minis – all flavours except Wholegrain Quaker Crispy Minis Tortillas – all flavours Quaker Crispy Soy – all flavours Christie Rice Thins Sesame Crackers President’s Choice Organic Microwave Popcorn Air popped popcorn EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars – variety of flavours (Loblaws Organic section) EnviroKidz Organic Vanilla Animal Cookies Bi-Aglut Crackers (Loblaws Organic section) Glutino Pretzels (Loblaws Organic section) Glutino Cookies – variety of flavours (Loblaws Organic section) Lundberg Rice Chips – variety of flavours (Loblaws Organic section/Brunos) Lundberg Rice Cakes Enjoy Life snack bars – variety of flavours (Sick Kids Speciality Food Shop) Glutano Lemon Cream/Chocolate Wafers (Loblaws Organic section) EnviroKidz Gorilla Balls or Panda Puffs – these are cereals, but they make great snacks in a ziplock baggie
*** Frito Lay sent a list of their gluten free products updated as at 05/05/2006 with a note stating the following: “The above products do not contain gluten; however, they are produced on the same line as our products that do contain gluten. Although the lines are washed between batches, a slight residue may remain on the lines.”
Soups/Broths/other
Homemade broths and soups that are prepared without Gluten Most commercially prepared soups contain gluten so check labels carefully Heinz Baked Beans Campbell’s Soup Ready to Use: Chicken Broth Campbell’s Red & White Condensed: Chicken Broth; Chicken with Rice; Chicken with White & Wild Rice; Fiesta Tomato; Tomato with Basil & Oregano; Vegetable Broth with Onions Campbell’s Ready to Serve: Fiesta Vegetable Campbell’s Healthy Request: New England Clam Chowder Campbell’s Chunky: Split Pea & Ham Habitant: French Canadian Pea; Pea with Garden Vegetables; Pea with Smoked Ham Gardennay: Butternut Squash; Golden Autumn Carrot; Herbed Tomato; Red Pepper Black Bean Pacific Natural Foods soups in Tetra packs: creamy tomato; chicken broth, roasted red pepper and tomato All Prego Products All Pace Products V8 Vegetable Cocktail
Spices/Herbs
McCormick Gourmet Spices are all GF Be careful of other brands – especially Peppercorns as they are often dusted with flour All fresh herbs and spices are GF salt
Starches
potatoes – all kinds – sweet/white/red gluten free breads – glutino brands are pretty good Le Veneziane Corn Pasta Schar brand pastas – must say gluten free – it’s an Italian brand – Loblaws Tinkyada brand pastas – must say gluten free – All kinds of rice El Peto Gluten Free Pizza Crusts – Loblaws
Miscellaneous
Banana boat suntan lotion/Ombrelle Suntan Lotion Centrum Junior Chewable Vitamins –Canadian brand only Kirkland Children’s Chewable Vitamins -Costco Children’s Advil products Children’s Tylenol products All Advil products All Colgate Toothpastes Orifer prenatal supplement Fer-In-Sol Iron Liquid supplement Crayola Washable Project Glue – all Crayola products except the Crayola play dough
IMPORTANT – ITEMS BELOW ARE NOT GLUTEN FREE *** anything that has Modified Food Starch may NOT be GF
Wheat Oats are NOT GF Spelt Semolina Kamut Rye Barley Worcestershire Sauce Most Soya sauces, unless it specifically says Gluten Free – not just Wheat free Beer Root Beer – check the label Malt Vinegar Peppercorns are often dusted with flour in the packaging process Many barbeque sauces – i.e. Diana’s Sauces are NOT gluten free Soups – most commercially prepared soups have gluten in them including Chicken Broth and Beef Broth – if these broths are used to make sauces then the sauce is NOT gluten free Icing sugar often has gluten in it – Lantic Icing sugar is gluten free however Licorice Jelly Beans Smarties Any candies with nuts – usually the nuts are dusted with flour Pretzels – unless they specifically say they are GF
ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BEWARE OF TO MAINTAIN GF DIET Grilled restaurant food – gluten contaminated grill Fried restaurant foods – gluten contaminated grease Ground spices – wheat flour is sometimes used to prevent clumping (again all McCormick Gourmet Brand spices are GF) Wheat bread crumbs in butter, jams, toaster, counter, peanut butter, plates, improperly cleaned baking pans