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Recipe: Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies

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My kids love to make sandwich cookies out of the cookies that I bake. It doesn’t matter what type of cookie it is, they want to spread frosting on the bottom and sandwich another cookie onto it. Ideally, I would love to see an Oatmeal Cream Pie version of this, but since my kids aren’t fans of oatmeal cookies, I doubt this will happen anytime soon.  In the meantime, they experiment with the ones they love.

Jon’s latest creation was a Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich with Cream Cheese Frosting in the middle.

Hannah chose to use Milk Chocolate Frosting for her filling.  Would it kill them to use the same frosting to avoid having two different frostings opened at once?
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This recipe is simple as I used a box of the Betty Crocker gluten-free Chocolate Chip cookie mix.  The mix calls for softened butter, vanilla and an egg and can be mixed and baked in approximately 30 minutes (once the oven is pre-heated).  Both the mix and the frostings can be purchased in most grocery stores across the US.

Some of our other sandwich cookie creations include:

Have you made any gluten-free sandwich cookies?  If so, please share the details!  If not, what kind would you make?  I will be making some Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting in the very near future.  At least I can be sure that I will be the only one in my house to eat these!

Review: Gluten-Free Mozzarella Sticks

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 2 Comments

Boy, I used to love mozzarella sticks as an appetizer in restaurants before I started the gluten-free diet.  I have yet to find a restaurant that serves them gluten-free and I haven’t attempted to make them from scratch, though I am sure I probably could.  On my weekly shopping trip to Earth Fare, I saw a sale on Health is Wealth Mozzarella Sticks ($3.00 on sale), so I picked up a box.  I knew Jon would be thrilled to see this find!

There are 12 small mozzarella sticks in this box.  Imagine a piece of string cheese cut in half – that is roughly the size of each stick.  I followed the directions on the box for cooking in the oven, as that is the recommended method.  My mozzarella sticks didn’t quite turn out like the ones on the box.IMG_2427

Umm….it seems like the cheese escaped!  I am not sure what I could have done differently to prevent this.  You know the saying “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”?  Well, insert that saying here.  These mozzarella sticks were phenomenal!  They tasted great on their own and even better dipped in marinara sauce!  Jon is begging me to go back to Earth Fare to buy some more of the sticks while they are still on sale.

Health is Wealth:

When we first began our all natural food business in 1977, we at Health is Wealth Foods made a promise that we hold to even today:  That every product we made would always be all natural and made with only the finest ingredients that we would be proud to serve our own families.  That every product we made would be free from artificial colors, flavors, or any preservatives, always.  That we would always remain a family company sharing our products with your family.  These values to produce only clean healthy products is truly what we are about.  All of our products are made with only one thing in mind:  your Health and Wellness.

Because we all know that NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR HEALTH, and that HEALTH IS WEALTH.

In addition to the Mozzarella Sticks, Health is Wealth also makes gluten-free Chicken Nuggets, Sprouted Grains Burgers and Chicken Free Nuggets.  The products can be found in stores across the US and online.

Have you tried these Mozzarella Sticks?  Did you have the same problem as I did with baking them?

Review: Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Cooking

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My favorite thing about looking through cookbooks is the beautiful pictures that often accompany the recipes.  It is hard for me to get interested in making a recipe unless I have a picture of the finished product. If a recipe sounds good enough, I will make it if there is no picture, but I am definitely more likely to do so if I can see it first. I think a lot of people are like this – the visual image of the dish seals the deal.

This cookbook is chock-full of gorgeous photos!  I sat down with a notebook to jot down the recipes that I wanted to try and had almost a full page full!  The forward is written by Silvana Nardone, author of Cooking for Isaiah: gluten-free & Dairy-Free Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals. A little more about the cookbook:

IMG_1365Whether you suffer from celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or want to avoid gluten, you know how challenging it can be to stick to a safe, nutritious, and delicious diet. Most gluten-free cookbooks are just collections of simple, basic recipes that get the job done without offering much creativity. But with Betty Crocker gluten-free Cooking, the most trusted name in home cooking serves up a collection of recipes that are safe for celiacs (and others avoiding gluten), and delicious too!

These accessible, delicious recipes cover breakfast and brunch, appetizers and snacks, main courses, gluten-free breads, sides, and desserts—giving you plenty of great-tasting options for every meal of the day.

  • Includes more than 150 delicious gluten-free recipes, including contributions from popular gluten-free bloggers
  • Features 75 beautiful full-color photos that offer mouthwatering inspiration
  • Bonus material includes authoritative information on maintaining a healthy, happy gluten-free lifestyle

Betty Crocker’s gluten-free Cooking presents delicious recipes and handy advice from a name you can trust. Take it from Betty Crocker, going gluten-free doesn’t mean giving up flavor!

After making my list, I got right to work making the Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake.  I knew this one to be a great surprise that Jon would love for breakfast!  The recipe utilizes Bisquick gluten-free, as many of the recipes in the book do. The coffee cake took less than 45 minutes from start to finish and my house smelled heavenly while it was baking!

This coffee cake says that it makes 6 servings. I am betting it is gone in three. I can’t believe how moist this coffee cake is!  I love the flavor of cinnamon and the streusel topping.IMG_2264

If you aren’t a fan of Bisquick gluten-free, no worries. The front of the book has a couple of other recipes for flour mixes.  Additionally, some of the baked goods use several individual flours as opposed to packaged all-purpose flour or a pre-mixed recipe.  If you are looking for a cookbook that you will use to make more than just one recipe, this is that cookbook.  It would also make a great gift for someone just starting out on a gluten-free diet.  The recipes are well written and easy to follow.

The Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Cooking cookbook can be purchased on Amazon.com for $11.00 or on Kindle for $10.99.

Are you more likely to make a recipe if you see a picture of the finished dish?

Gluten-Free Breakfast Simplicity

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Breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated.  I remember when I first started the gluten-free diet, I was so concerned about what I was going to eat for breakfast.  I was so used to eating a bagel or bowl of high-fiber cereal, I felt lost when those items were taken away from me.  When I quit freaking out and really started to think about it, there were plenty of foods that I could eat for breakfast.  I think I was under the assumption that if I couldn’t pop it in the toaster or pour it from a box, it took too long to make.  Part of starting the gluten-free diet, or really any diet/lifestyle change, is keeping an open mind and embracing change instead of fighting it.

Turns out there are plenty of quick, easy breakfast choices that also happen to be gluten-free.  If time is tight in the mornings or you prefer not to spend a lot of time preparing breakfast, do most of the preparation in advance.

1.  Scrambled eggs with cheese – This takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish.  Heat your pan up while you are cracking the eggs and adding a dash of milk.  Lightly spray the pan with cooking spray and pour the egg mixture in.  Cook until desired doneness, sprinkle with salt, pepper and shredded cheese.  Stir, plate and top with more cheese.  Done.

2.  Pancakes – Take a little extra time on the weekend to make additional pancakes to store in the refrigerator or freezer.  Heat in the microwave or toaster oven and serve.

3.  Quinoa breakfast bowl – Make the quinoa on the weekend or make extra one night for dinner.  Simple, fast,delicious and nutritious!

4.  Oatmeal – There are many ways to make oatmeal fast and easy.  There are instant varieties on the market now which take 5 minutes to make.  If you prefer to make your own, you could get most of the dish ready the night before and then finish the next morning with Overnight Oats.  *Not all people with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance can tolerate oatmeal, even the certified gluten-free oats. If you haven’t introduced oats back into your diet yet, please do so slowly.

5. Oatmeal Raisin Bars – While these may be a little more like a snack or dessert, they still contain a couple of healthy ingredients like oatmeal and raisins.  These are great for grab-and-go breakfasts.  The sugar can be reduced to make them a little healthier, too.  *I may try to make these this week with reduced oil and adding in some unsweetened applesauce.

6. Waffles – Frozen waffles are quick and easy and can be doctored up to suit your needs.  In a big hurry?  Make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich out of waffles!  There are several gluten-free frozen brands or you can make additional homemade waffles in advance and freeze them.

Of course there are always cereal options, as well as bacon or sausage made in advance.   Don’t care for breakfast foods?  No worries.  Who says that breakfast has to be traditional breakfast foods?   Have a turkey and cheese sandwich, leftover slice of pizza or pasta.  You know what “they” say, right?  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Review: Gluten-Free Ice Cream Available

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 2 Comments

July is National Ice Cream Month! What could be better than an ice-cold bowl of ice cream in the middle of this oppressive heat we have been experiencing? Did you know that it was Ronald Reagan that designated July as National Ice Cream Month in 1984?

Following the gluten-free diet can add some difficulty to finding ice cream that is safe to eat, but don’t worry, there are plenty of options out there! Aside from the obvious gluten-containing add-ins, most ice cream should be gluten-free. The following brands have many gluten-free options in their line-ups.

  • Edy’s/Dryer’s – Ingredients will be clearly labeled on the package if there is any gluten.
  • Breyer’s – Ingredients will be clearly labeled on the package if there is any gluten.
  • Blue Bunny – Ingredients will be clearly labeled on the package if there is any gluten.
  • Mayfield Dairy – Ingredients will be clearly labeled on the package if there is any gluten.
  • Turkey Hill – Packages will be labeled “gluten-free.”

IMG_2079Dairy-free in addition to gluten-free?  Sorbets are made from water flavored with fruit (juice or puree), wine, and/or liqueur and are a great dairy-free dessert.  Don’t confuse sorbets with sherbet, though, as sherbet typically contains milk.

  • Ciao Bella – All varieties are gluten-free.  They make amazing sorbet – worth the money!
  • So Delicious – Includes almond, soy, and coconut ice cream.  Not all varieties are gluten-free.
  • Soy Dream, Rice Dream, and Almond Dream – Not all varieties are gluten-free.

Do you prefer to go out for ice cream?  I know that this option sometimes works best for us so that we aren’t eating ice cream all of the time.  Have you tried these options to satisfy your ice cream cravings?

  • Cold Stone Creamery
  • Jeni’s Ice Cream – Many options including gluten-free macaroon ice cream sandwiches!  Information on ingredients and gluten-free status are listed on the website.
  • Dairy Queen – Many options, including the soft serve.  Be cautious of the Blizzards due to add-ins and potential cross-contamination risks.

As you can see above, when I have ice cream at home I like to doctor it up a bit.  Fresh fruit and chocolate chips are my current obsession. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?