clues for dining out

If you're like me, you like to dine out once in a while. For most living gluten free, this can be done with a little thinking ahead.

To be successful with food choices, it helps to know a few key words to avoid. Often fish is offered "pan fried" or "Pecan-crusted." At first glance, one wouldn't know to avoid these options. Pan fried fish is typically drudged through a flour mixture before dropped in a fry pan. Pecan crusted or Almond crusted or anything else listed as "crusted" means that bread crumbs were probably used to form a crust on the fish. There may be a small amount of nuts added for flavor. Another term to avoid is "stuffed." Most times "panko" bread crumbs or other crumbs are added to help form a cake or stuffing mixture.

Instead try this: Broiled or baked are usually safer choices. Another way to assure that your choices are gluten free is to request that any sauces are placed in a side dish. This way you can examine the food without it contaminating other foods on the plate. Of course, deep fried foods are out of the question due to the flours used in this process.

Though it may not be your first choice, grilled steaks and baked potatoes are almost always a good bet. Be sure to ask for mushrooms in a side dish. They may arrive in a gravy sauce which you may want to avoid.

It's time for rhubarb

Well, it looks like it's been a while since I last blogged. Guess life kind of took me away for a while!!

Last summer I found a great recipe for berries and I think a great adaptation would be try using rhubarb!

Triple Berry Crisp

4 cups Blueberries
2 Cups Blackberries
2 Cups Raspberries
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Crystallized ginger, diced
2 Tbsp. Orange peel, grated

Combine these 8 ingredients in a bowl. Spoon 1/2 cup filling into each of 16 (6oz) ramekin cups or custard cups coated with cooking spray or bake in a 9X 13" baking dish. Half a recipe fits nicely in an 8X8" baking dish.

3/4 Cup flour (Use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free flour mix or Pamela's pancake/ baking mix)
1/2 Cup Brown sugar, packed
4 1/2 Tbsp. Butter, chilled and cut in small pieces.
3/4 Cup Lara's or Bob's red Mill Gluten Free Oats

Combine these ingredients together and split evenly over the tops of the ramekins or baking dish(es).

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature, with or without whipping cream or vanilla ice cream. Almonds make a nice variation too (about 1/3 cup minced almonds in the topping).

So, it looks like 8 cups of fruit here, so we'll need 8 cups of fruit of the rhubarb variety:
6 Cups Diced Rhubarb
2 Cups Sliced Strawberries

Drop out the crystallized ginger; Use lemon peel and lemonade in place of the "orange" items.

This is an excellent treat that is healthy and enjoyed by all: even if you don't have to live gluten free. YUM!