Kimchi for Digestion: It’s a Kimchi World

Calling out all Celiacs, gluten intolerant, and wheat sensitive folks! Kimchi could be the answer!

First of all what is Kimchi?

Kimchi is a Korean side dish of fermented vegetables, Napa cabbage being the most common and popular. Kimchi is served at nearly every meal in Korea and is a staple in Korean diet.  

Napa Cabbage Kimchi

I recently started eating Kimchi regularly and I noticed that my digestion and bloaty-ness has greatly improved. It might take some getting use to, especially if you are foreign to a lot of Asian spices but hopefully by the end of this post I will have convinced you enough to go out and try it!

What else is in it?

The most common type of Kimchi consists of Napa cabbage brined with scallions, chili peppers, spices (red pepper flakes), ginger, garlic, and sometimes shrimp or fish sauce.

Typical ingredients for Kimchi

How does it help Digestion?

The fermentation process that the vegetables go through is what makes Kimchi so good for digestion. Specifically the lactobacillus that is most commonly found in yogurt, but well fermented Kimchi actually contains more lactic acid bacteria than most store bought yogurt. So for those who are lactose intolerant or sensitive to diary products Kimchi is a great alternate way to receive bacteria lactobacillus’s benefits.
Some of Lactobacillus's benefits in the digestive system:
- Helps alleviates Crohn's Diesease
- Inflammation of the colon
- IBS
- Diarrhea
- Acid Reflux
- Bloating
- CD

Nutrition?

Kimchi’s nutritional profile is so diverse; it pretty much has the entire vitamin alphabet (okay I’m joking, but it contains most of them :P)It is high in vitamin A, B, C, and Beta Carotene plus the vitamins double after 3 weeks of fermentation.

Kimchi was named the World’s Healthiest Foods by Health magazine. The link to the article is below:

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20551987_4,00.html

High in fiber, low in sugar and fat, naturally gluten free, and a vitamin powerhouse, KIMCHI might be the next super food. Ya never know! J 

How does it REALLY taste?

Okay enough with all the health talk; you guys want to know if it actually tastes good right?!

It sorta tastes like sauerkraut on steroids and 5x more spicier. To me it is the perfect balance of sour, spicy, and salty. If the Kimchi has not been fermented too long the cabbage is crisp and has a bite to it, the longer it ferments the smell becomes more pungent and fragrant.

Fermentation Process

Kimchi's strong smell and distinctive taste might take some getting used to, but once you try it a couple of times it is incredibly addicting!!!  Trust me...my family thinks I've gone a bit over board, but hey if it helps with my digestion I'll eat it! :D

Are you eating your Kimchi?!  LOL

Please feel free to comment below telling us what foods works/helps your digestion or whatever gfree goodies you have in mind!

Xoxo,
T

Read More

Gfree Lumpia Recipe

**Correction: I just received a tip from a friend that lumpia are not the same as egg rolls- please excuse the errors below. Thank you.
Hello my fellow gfreers!

It's been awhile.

So, my family and I were perusing the Asian supermarket down in Sacramento and we happened to wander past egg roll wrappers.

Being the curious and rather avid nutrition label checker that I am, I couldn't help but to see if these egg roll wrappers were gluten free. I recalled in the past that most egg rolls wrappers contained wheat so I was setting myself up for disappointment.

BUT! Lo and behold, we were able to find a egg roll wrapper made of rice that could be fried! Needless to say, I was super ecstatic and couldn't wait to go home and make me some yummy gfree egg rolls!

My mom and I used this lumpia recipe that we found online and the results turned out pretty well!

So without further ado, here it is in all it's lumpia glory! Hurray gfree egg rolls! :)

Recipe adapted from All Recipes, Filipino Lumpia Recipe on allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

1.5-2lbs ground pork or chicken

10 raw shrimp 

1 medium sized carrot, shredded (around 1/2 cup)

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

½ bundle of cellophane- soaked in hot water until softened

Handful of wood ear mushrooms, pre-sliced- soak in water

1-2 cups Vegetable or olive oil for frying 

Gfree rice paper wrappers

1 tsp Tamari gluten free soy sauce

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 egg

   Instructions

   1) Grind all meat together in processor until paste like. Place in bowl.

         2) Add shredded carrots, shredded onions, garlic, and woodear mushrooms. Mix in meat.

         3) Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.

         4)  Add 1 egg. Mix together.

         5) Use a moist towel to cover the rice paper for 15 seconds until softened. Do this one by one. Add about       3 tbsp of meat near one corner of wrapper leaving a ½ inch space at both ends. Shape the filling into a     cylinder shape. Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends and roll neatly.  Keep the roll tight as you assemble. Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge. 

         6) Heat skillet over medium heat. Add oil to ½ inch depth and heat for 5 minutes. Slide lumpia into oil. Turn frequently for 1 to 2 minutes. Fry until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels. 

         7) Cut in sections. Serve with fish sauce, chili sauce or sauce of choice. You may also choose to wrap the lumpia in a lettuce leaf. Serve immediately. 

          A note: You can choose to make these egg rolls vegetarian by adding in more cellophane and perhaps   water chestnuts. 

          Also, these wrappers tend to be on the chewier side (since it's not the traditional wheat egg roll wrapper) but they still taste delicious! :) 

         PICS! 

Found this AWESOME gfree rice paper at the Asian  supermarket! 

Add some carrots...

And some onions, garlic, cellophane, woodear mushrooms, egg and chicken...

And some little shrimpies....

You mix it all together!

Put the wrapped ones in the frying pan..

SUCCESS!

Upclose shot of these lovely lumpia

Compliments to my dear mother, the chef. :)

-Kris

Read More

Gluten Free Date Night at BJ's Restaurant & Brew House

Have you heard of BJ's Restaurant & Brew House's new $19.95 Party for Two deal?! Sounds like a gimmick right, "Share a 3-course meal, including dessert for only $19.95!" Well let me tell you it’s not a gimmick, it’s a real bargain and gluten free at that!

BJ's Restaurant & Brew House

What better way to enjoy a nice meal with none other than my best girlfriend?! Good conversation, good food, good times. Until one of us gets a boyfriend...I'm pretty sure both of us make the best dates J LOL. 

Digging in to our pizza!

What’s in BJ’s Party for 2?!?

Choice of:
Small house salad
Caesar salad
Wedge salad 

House Salad 

Wedge Salad       

Choice of any medium regular/gluten free Pizza: 

Gluten Free Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Scrumptious! Fontina Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinaigrette 

Completely gluten free of course! 

Pizookie:
Gluten Free Chocolate Pizookie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

How does this NOT look good?!

Mmm Melty Vanilla Bean ice cream over a piping hot cookie

Besides the long wait for our food, everything was delicious. In fact, BJ’s gluten free pizza was one of the best Kris and I ever had.

The salads weren’t outstanding, typical restaurant starter salads.

I got the House Salad with Italian dressing while Kris had the Wedge Salad.

But the pizza was SO good. Thin crust with melt-y fontina cheese topped with sweet caramelized onions and grilled Portobello mushrooms. Gosh I want some right now!

Now for the Pizookie! I personally loved it, but that’s because I have a major sweet tooth, actually Kris calls it an extreme sweet tooth :P hehehe. The Pizookie was a bit overcooked, but I’m not complaining.

It was a great deal for the two of us to fill our tummies with some quality gfree pizza J

Till next post!

- T

For more Gluten Free dining tips:  http://www.findmeglutenfree.com/biz/bjs-brewhouse/2850019 

Read More

Gfree Goodies "Haul"

Hi everyone!

I've noticed that our "Gfree Goodies" page has been quite lonely for some time now. So, in order to give it some more company, here are some awesome (and also not-so-awesome) gfree snacks and foods that I've tried that I want to share with you!

1) Trader Joe's Gluten free/Wheat free Waffles (Toaster Style) Rating: ****

Ever since my gluten free days, I have had some serious waffle cravings. But TJ's Gfree/Wheat free waffles more than satisfy my cravings! These waffles not only toast great but are also really similar to the Eggo waffle taste and texture. Of course, I bet these are a smidgen of a bit healthier, no? :P Add a bit of 100% pure maple syrup or honey and fruit and you're in for a yummy breakfast to start your day! I also like to sneak it some butter too, but for the health conscious, you should just skip that step! 

2)  Trader Joe's Mini Pancakes Rating: 1/2*

I was in the mindset that if the TJ's gfree waffles were good, the pancakes wouldn't be far off in star ranking, right?

I was oh-so-wrong about this one. Thinking back to when I was eating these, I actually feel apologetic to my poor taste buds and stomach who had to finish these off to avoid it sitting and rotting in the freezer. 

No matter how many different methods and cook times I tried to make these taste better, I ended up seriously disappointed. The mini pancakes always turned out incredibly gooey and gross inside even if the outside was super crispy. I think TJ should stop investing time in making these and stick to making waffles. 

3) Van's Frozen Gfree Waffles Rating: 1/2*

 I found these while I was browsing the frozen section at my local Winco, and I was curious to see if these would match up to my awesome experience with TJ's waffles. And.... 

I was disappointed. Again. 

You would think that these waffles and TJ's pancakes would discontinue because they taste so bad, but I guess some people think it's adequate. Well, I'm here to tell you that gluten free food has come a long way from it's nasty days and if it tastes bad, it literally tastes bad, and not because it's marked "gfree." Do yourself a favor and stay away from these, unless you like your waffles disgustingly soggy even after high heat in the toaster oven. 

4) EnviroKids Cereals Rating: ****

   You can count on my pantry always having some version of EnvrioKidz gluten free cereal. Why? Despite the fact that my local TJ's in Berkeley only carries a limited collection of gluten free cereal (and this happens to be one of them), EnviroKidz has never disappointed me in taste and texture. The cereal featured above is one that I eat ALL the time. And when I mean ALL the time, I mean, if it's in my pantry and it's open, chances are that it will be eaten everyday for breakfast, especially if I ran out of Udi's bagels and TJ's waffles of course! I reckon that EnviroKidz gluten free cereal tastes better and healthier than MANY other cereal brands that claim all these "healthy" things they put in their cereal. I don't think you have a good chance at convincing me otherwise especially if you compare this with Lucky Charms. Plus, all those smiling animals just put you in a good mood in the morning (unless you're scared of wild animals, of course!)

5) EnviroKidz Crispy Rice Chewy Bars Rating: 1/2*

Oh lord, if I had to eat another one of these crispy rice bars, I think I would become a diabetic. I thought these bars would taste similar to rice krispies (which are my favorite) but to my great disappointment, these are SO sweet. Way too sweet. And I have a sweet tooth!
These just taste artificial to me (which is odd because it's probably way better than actual rice krispy products) but I think I'll stick to making gluten free rice krispies at home than buy these again. Yay for the cute penguin though!

6) Midel's Cookies Rating: **

 I love cookies. Well, who doesn't, right? If you're looking for chewy cookies like those of Chips Ahoy and such, this is not the cookie for you. In fact, these cookies are the exact opposite.
Mi-Del's cookies (of which I tried the chocolate chip brand and ginger snaps) were, how to put this....meh. I could literally care less about these cookies. My sentiments are if it's in my pantry and open, I may or may not reach in and grab a cookie. I don't crave them and they don't have an amazing flavor that would make me jump up and down and advertise it on a poster on the street corner of my local supermarket. If you like crispy cookies with a definite crunch (oh the alliteration!), then I could suggest for you to try these, but if you're on the prowl for delicious cookies, I would skip these on your next shopping trip.

7) Pamela's Cookies Rating: ***

   So.. these are a definite step up on the gluten free cookie tower I've created in my mind. These cookies still have a crunch to them, but in the middle of the cookie, I have found the chewiness my heart desires. The flavors are awesome too! I only had one bad experience with these cookies in that my lemon shortbread ones were really stale when I opened the package and I had to throw all of them out. But other than that, I would buy these again to satisfy my cookie cravings.

8) Udi's Sandwich Bread Rating: ***

I miss bread. Not being able to eat that hot-out-of-the-oven artisan French baguette drives me nuts every time I pass it to buy some frozen gfree bread. But, you can't fight your own body (and honestly, if it was a fight between me and my body, it would be a losing battle.) So, I try to not breathe in the wonderful smells of that bread and focus on what I CAN eat. Thus, I find myself making a grab-and-go move where I snatch the gfree bread and make a run to the register while holding my breath so I don't breathe in the artisan gluten temptation! (Ah, I'm just kidding, but the scenario was quite action packed, was it not?) But in all seriousness, Udi's sandwich bread is exactly what you need if you want to make yourself a sandwich or eat some toast. Texture and taste is decent. It can't beat the artisan taste and texture, but it's a good alternative. If I had to name some negative parts of this bread, it would be that 1) It's tiny (estimate about 3.5"x 3"). Don't expect to get full on two pieces of bread that sandwich your sandwich and 2) The package is small 3) It's pricey and 4) It gets stale quickly so don't leave it for too long in your freezer. BUT, despite all the negativity, this sandwich bread is fairly good and worth a try.  

I realize now, after looking back on all the things I wrote down, that I seem like a very unhealthy eater. Just look at all the carbs!!

Anyhow, I hope that my reviews have helped some of you in your quest to find yummy gfree snacks/food. If you happen to have tried one of these and disagree with me, let me know! Also, if you have some other product that you would like to share with T and I that you've tried and you think is awesome, leave us a comment and we'll try it out next time we do a gfree food haul.

-Kris

Read More

Random Summer Eats: Roasted Eggplant & Flourless Chocolate Cake

Roasted Eggplant 

When I was at the California State Fair the farmer’s market section was a breath of fresh air compared to sweltering heat wave coming from the deep fried vendors. Anyhow, some of the eggplant might have accidently fell into my purse and well …what was I suppose to do?! Two Words ROASTED EGGPLANT

Super simple and no doubt delicious!

    Ingredients:

-          3 small to medium eggplants. Slice in quarter sized discs. 

-          1 tsp of kosher salt (you might want to add less, but I like things kinda salty :P)

-          ½ tsp of freshly ground pepper

-          ½ tsp of thyme

-          ¼ tsp of basil

-          1 tbs of olive oil

Quarter Sized Discs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400º Fahrenheit.    

Slice eggplant in about quarter size discs.

On two large baking sheets lightly dress and toss the eggplant with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and basil.

Evenly spread the sliced eggplant on the two baking trays. Bake for 15–20 minutes. Check the eggplant after about 10 minutes depending on the strength of you oven.

Roasted Eggplant! Nom nom nom

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberries

The cake is loosely based on the Cooking Channel's Chocolate Cream Cake. We tweaked it a bit because the ratio of coffee liqueur would make the melted chocolate super grain-y. Not good eats. We saved the cake, but be forewarned it is not the best flourless chocolate cake recipe out there.
Recipe:http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/laura-calder/chocolate-cream-cake-recipe/index.html

Chocolate Feast: 

Fluffy Egg yolks

Melted chocolate 

Saved the cakes!

Top with Fresh Strawberries and its chow time! 

Enjoy!
- T

Read More

Mom's Gfree Banana Blueberry Bread

What do you do when you have ripe bananas in the fridge? Make banana bread, of course!

Here's a recipe for all you guys that love banana bread (and also those who happen to have lots of ripe bananas that need to be eaten)! This banana bread recipe is adapted from the "Banana Nut Bread" recipe in Jay Weinstein's, A Cup of Comfort Cookbook, by my dear mother who has done so much to transform her kitchen to one that is gluten free. Thank you mom for your continuous love and support, without which, I would be a much different person.  

Please enjoy the recipe and if you try it, let me know how it turned out!      

Yield: 1 loaf, about 10 to 12 servings 

Ingredients

1/2 cup of Pamela's Gluten Free Bread Mix *

3/4 cup brown rice flour 

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum **

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup oil 

3 medium overripe bananas, mashed (1 1/4 cup)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 fresh blueberries

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9" x 5" loaf pan. *** In a mixing bowl, combine the two flours. Whisk in the xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and oil; whip vigorously until creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes. Add mashed bananas and vanilla extract to the egg mixture. 

3. Add about one-third of the flour mixture at a time (that is, in 3 portions) to the egg mixture. Mix only enough to incorporate the ingredients. Stir in the blueberries and pour batter into prepared pan. 

4. Bake in the center of the oven until the top is springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing. 

*If you don't have Pamela's gluten free bread mix, you can use all brown rice flour. However, I like the texture of the bread when a bread mix is used because it turns out firmer, rather than wetter. I'm sure any type of gluten free bread mix will work for this recipe, but Pamela's has always worked for us! 

**If using all brown rice flour, use 1 tsp. xanthan gum instead of 1/2 tsp. The reason for more xanthan gum is because in our recipe, Pamela's bread mix already had some xanthan gum incorporated in the flour so we decreased the amount. 

*** We used a 8" x 8" x 2" loaf pan and baked for 45 minutes. You can use our loaf pan size as a gauge to how long you should bake your bread for in the oven. 

Adding whipped cream to top it off! Yum! 

Enjoy and god bless! 

Kris

Read More

The California State Fair: Popcorn, Nachos, & Caramel Apples

Ahh the state fair I automatically think of deep fried foods, cotton candy, and amusement rides. Not really a place teaming with gluten free options, but surprisingly I was able to find some goodies to nosh on!

California State Fair 2012

Of course being the popcorn fanatic that I am I had to buy some caramel kettle corn from a food vendor called Dynamite Kettle Corn. Definitely DELICIOUS! The popcorn was super buttery with just a hint of the burnt caramelized sugar crunch that I look for in good caramel corn. Nom nom nom!

Best Caramel Kettle Corn

Secret Late Night Snack!

Next up were the nachos that I shared with my friends. Normally I am not a nacho kinda person, in fact I actually don’t like nachos. The artificial cheese goop that is slathered over perfectly tasty tortilla chips makes them all soggy and yuckyL. But there are ALWAYS exceptions. Surprisingly I munched on a few of my friends’ nachos and I could not stop. I think the added jalapeños cut through the fake cheese sauce which made it all the more addicting. LOL

Always order with Jalapenos! 

We always save the best for last right?! I treated myself to a gourmet caramel apple. To be exact it was the Salted Caramel Apple from the DeBrito Chocolate Factory: Home of the Outrageous Caramel Apples.

Debrito Vendor Booth

Assorted Gourmet Chocolate Creations  

Assorted Caramel Apple Creations 

I don’t think my pictures do my caramel apple justice. Thick caramel surrounded by a ribbon of chocolate then dotted with sea salt = TO DIE FOR!

Rings of Salt and Chocolate

Sliced right down the middle

You know you want some :P

Dripping with Caramel 

Enjoy the pictures I took from the California State Fair!

Me and Nic!

Kangaroo with her Joey in the Animal Pens

Eggplant 

- T J

Read More