Gluten Free Pie Crust

2         cups     Gluten-free flour blend (see below)

1/2      tsp        Salt
1         Tb        Coconut palm sugar, xylitol, or fructose
3/4      cup       Coconut oil or non hydrogenated margarine – make sure it is very cold
3 - 5    Tb        Ice Water – add ice to ¼ cup water and let sit 5 minutes

1                     Egg  organic, free range (for egg free add 1 tablespoon flaxmeal to 3 Tb warm water. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to thicken
2        tsp        Gluten Free Clear Vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Using your mixer combine gluten-free flour blend, salt, and sugar.
2. With mixer on low slowly add oil or margarine and mix until mixture resembles small peas.
3. Add the egg or egg substitute and vinegar. Slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture begins to hold together like a ball. The dough should be very soft and pliable.
4. To roll out dough you will need 2 pieces of wax paper. Lay a piece of wax paper on the counter. Place ½ of the dough on the plastic wrap and cover top with the other piece. Using a rolling pin roll dough to desired size. If dough is too sticky place in freezer for 10 minutes and roll again. Sometimes I will use a small amount of brown rice flour on the wax paper if dough is real sticky.
5. After rolling dough remove top piece of wax paper and carefully place in 9 inch pie pan. If dough tears some just use your fingers to glue back together.
6. Crimp edges and add desired pie filling. For 2 crust pie roll out crust and place on top. Make slits on top crust in several places.
7. Most pies will bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour
    
   Gluten Free Flour Blend:
   
   1 cup Brown Rice flour
   1 cup White Rice Flour
   1/2 cup Tapioca Starch
   1/2 cup Potato Starch
   1 Tb Xanthan gum
   
   Mix together and store in a sealed container. Use cup for cup in place of regular flour.
   
   
   
   

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

1 15oz can Libby's 100% Pumpkin

1 cup Gluten free Rice milk, Almond milk, or milk of your choice

1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon - McCormick brand

1/2 tsp Ginger - McCormick brand

1/4 tsp Cloves - McCormick brand

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract - McCormick brand

1/2 cup Raw Honey or Coconut Nectar - or you can use 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 cup Xylitol or Fructose

2 Organic, free range eggs**(see below for egg free)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Beat eggs, honey (or sugar preference) and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, salt and spices and mix to incorporate. Gradually stir in desired milk. Do not over mix.

2. Pour into gluten free pie shell (see recipe below).

3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

** Egg free - Omit eggs.. Mix 2 Tablespoons Flaxmeal to 6 Tablespoons very warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken then use the same as you would eggs. Also add 3 Tablespoons Arrowroot powder when adding the spices.

Gluten free Pie Crust

2        cups   Gluten-Free flour mix (see below)

1/2     tsp      Salt
1        Tb      Coconut Palm Sugar, Xylitol, or Fructose 
3/4     cup    Coconut Oil or non hydrogenated margarine – make sure it is very cold
3 - 5   Tb      Ice Water – add ice to ¼ cup water and let sit 5 minutes

1                   Egg, organic free range (for egg free add 1 tablespoon flaxmeal to 3 tablespoons warm water. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to thicken
2         tsp     Gluten Free Apple Cider or Clear Vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Using your mixer combine gluten-free flour blend, salt, and sugar.
2. With mixer on low slowly add oil or margarine and mix until mixture resembles small peas.
3. Add the egg or egg substitute and vinegar. Slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture begins to hold together like a ball. The dough should be very soft and pliable.
4. To roll out dough you will need 2 pieces of wax paper. Lay a piece of wax paper on the counter. Place ½ of the dough on the plastic wrap and cover top with the other piece. Using a rolling pin roll dough to desired size. If dough is too sticky place in freezer for 10 minutes and roll again. Sometimes I will use a small amount of brown rice flour on the wax paper if dough is real sticky.
5. After rolling dough remove top piece of wax paper and carefully place in 9 inch pie pan. If dough tears some just use your fingers to glue back together.
6. Crimp edges and add desired pie filling. For 2 crust pie roll out crust and place on top. Make slits on top crust in several places.
7. Most pies will bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour
   
   Gluten Free Flour mix:
   
   1 cup Brown Rice flour
   1 cup White Rice Flour
   1/2 cup Tapioca Starch
   1/2 cup Potato Starch
   1 Tb Xanthan gum
   
   Mix together and store in a sealed container. Use cup for cup in place of regular flour.
   
   

Gluten Free Holiday Tip #1

Be careful when purchasing turkeys.. 
Not all turkeys are gluten free!! (Many turkeys are soaked in a solution that has gluten in it)

1.  Purchase only FRESH TURKEYS from one of these companies!

1. Foster Farms FRESH Turkey  http://www.fosterfarms.com/faq/quality.asp
2. Butterball FRESH Turkey http://www.butterball.com/search/d9cb55ee2db277fd04ddd41a13781536/
3. Honeysuckle White FRESH Whole Turkey http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/FaqNutrition.aspx#nutrition1
4. Norbest http://www.norbest.com/consumer-corner/how-to-tips/other-faqs/
5. Shelton's http://www.sheltons.com/cgi-bin/sheltons/gluten_free.html?id=KLiyV5Rs

 

2. Not all hams are gluten free! Below is a list of companies that have gluten free hams and why you need to be careful when buying a ham. Always check the ingredient list to make sure nothing has changed. This is very important for any ham that says it is preglazed.  Also, avoid the glazed packets that come with the ham. It is full of gluten.

A quote from About.com.

"Ham is a holiday tradition in many homes. Hams, like turkey may be injected with a solution during processing that contains gluten. According to the following manufacturers, listed products are gluten-free. Always read labels carefully because not all products by these manufacturers are gluten-free."

• Hormel Canned Hams
  

  • Black Label® Canned Hams, Cure 81® Ham: Bone-in, Boneless, Old Fashioned Spiral Ham
• Safeway Butcher Cut Spiral Sliced Ham (glaze packet is not gluten free)
• Safeway Butcher Cut Cooked Ham (95% Fat Free)
•  Honeybaked Hams
• Costco - Kirkland Spiral Glazed Ham

 The hams should say gluten free on the packaging. 

3. Below is a list of companies that have gluten free products to help you with your holiday shopping. (This is by no way a complete list. But I had to start somewhere)

1. Wilderness pie fillings
2. CoolWhip whipped topping
3. McCormick single spices including liquid flavorings like vanilla & almond
4. Libby's pumpkin pie filling
5. Carnation evaporated milk
6. Jello brand pudding- Single flavors like chocolate, vanilla. Avoid ones like Oreo cookies n' cream
7. Oceanspray jellied &  berry cranberry sauce

Gluten Free Snickers Pie Revisited - Now Lighter and Healthier

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

 Recipe adapted from Lesley's recipe at:

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/NutritionOregon/199014873442400?ref=ts&fref=ts

3/4 cup    Coconut Palm Sugar, Xylitol, or Fructose
2/3 cup    Oil - I used half Organic Coconut Oil & half Olive Oil
1 Tb        Gluten Free Vanilla -McCormick is gluten free
2              Eggs
1 1/2 cup Gluten Free Flour Mix - see recipe below
1 tsp         Baking Powder
1/2 tsp      Baking Soda
1/2 tsp      Xanthan Gum
2    tsp      Cinnamon - McCormick single spices are gluten free
3/4 tsp       Nutmeg
1/4 tsp       Ginger
1/8 tsp       Cloves
2   cups      Zucchini - grated and patted dry using paper towels to remove the extra moisture
3/4 scoop  Now Sports Whey Protein Powder or Usana French Vanilla Nutrimeal (optional)

Gluten Free Mix: 
Mix together: 1 cup Millet Flour, 1/2 cup Sweet White Sorghum Flour, 1/2 Cup Brown Rice Flour, 1/2 cup Flaxmeal, 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch, & 1 Tb Xanthan Gum
 I like to put it in a glass jar, place the lid on and shake it until it is mixed thoroughly. Mix makes 3 cups.

Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees
In a large bowl mix together eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add dry ingredients except zucchini and mix only until moist. Add zucchini and mix gently to incorporate.  Pour into a greased bread pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Honey/Cinnamon Cure For Colds

Be careful when purchasing gluten free candy!

 

The below information I got from the Be Free For Me Blog. Shelly Case always has some great advise. The link is below if you would like to read more.
http://www.befreeforme.com/blog/?p=7624

Question: Do you have any suggestions on celebrating a safe gluten-free Halloween? How about a gluten-free candy list?
Answer: It’s that time of year again – Time for witches, ghosts, goblins and other scary stuff. And for those that are on a gluten-free diet, many favorite Halloween candies can be added to the list of frightening thing. That is why it is so important that due-diligence and extra caution is given when it comes to deciphering what Halloween candy is a “treat” vs. a “trick”.
Following are a few tips and pointers to make you and your family’s Halloween a goblin’ good time!
-    Hidden Gluten Is Scary! When people think of foods that could possibly contain gluten, candy is normally not on the list. That is why so many people are surprised to learn that many candies, such as licorice and caramels, can be packed with wheat. My rule of thumb? Never assume that candy doesn’t contain gluten. Treat all candy like “normal food” and read every single label before eating!
-    Fun-Sized Candies May Not Be Fun! Many food manufacturers use different formulations for different sizes of the same candy. So that jumbo sized candy bar you eat during the year may contain gluten in the fun-sized portion. Again, read every single label before eating!
-    Watch Out Smartie-(Pants)! Depending on what country you live in different candies can be called the same thing. One may contain gluten and the other may not. An example of this is Smarties. In the USA, Smarties are tiny, tart pastel colored candies that are free of gluten, while Smarties in Canada are small candy coated chocolates – that contain gluten. This is why it is so important that when you review a gluten-free candy list you are sure that the list is specific to the country where you live. I love the gluten-free Halloween Candy List that is published, each year, by MyGlutenFacts.com. They have two lists – one candy list for Canada and the other candy list for the USA.
-    Don’t Eat Candy With No Label: Many people like to put candy corn and other small Halloween candies in little, cute bags for party favors or to hand out to Trick or Treaters. This means that there is no ingredient label on the candy. If this happens follow this mantra: No label = Not Able.