P.F. Chang's Launches Expanded Gluten-Free Menu

P.F. Chang's Launches Expanded Gluten-Free Menu: "PRESS RELEASE: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--P.F. Chang's Chi..."
bIG HOOPLA.
But in truth, Much ado about nothing.

I know several of my GF blogger buddies have been about excited about this, so Randy and I went to P.F. Chang's in Tampa at Westshore Plaza to try the beef entrees. I did this with trepedation, mind you. I've been glutened severely at P.F. Chang's and Pei Wei on my last three occasions (I know, why go back?) But I wanted Mongolian Beef. I miss it.

Randy had the Sichuan Spicy Beef. We weren't sure 1. that is was beef; 2. that it had been seasoned at all; and 3. that the cook had a clue. It was like chewing a paper towel roll.

Mongolian beef? Tough and stringy. Only three pieces were soft and crunchy. The sauce was over salted.

SO we complained to our sorry excuse for a server (another story) and finally flagged down the manager. No one cared. They took one entree off the check (as they should have).

Our sorry excuse for a server offered me a fortune cookie at the end with the words, "I don't know what gluten free means, so I don't know if you can eat this."

I hear more and more from GF diners who say their experiences at P.F. Chang's is very spotty -- sometimes GF, sometimes not, riddled with error when the crowd is large. I have a solution for that. The one I should have imposed last week.

I won't go back. Ever. Again.

Much love,
Ging

Norlander's Gluten-Free Sauces!

At a Twitter party a month or so ago, I won some Norlander's Original Gluten-Free Teriyaki and Mesquite sauces. These new gluten-free sauces are gaining a national reputation -- especially the Teriyaki Sauce, which is a huge step above the usually available gf teriyaki brand.

I had a wonderful discussion on the phone with Michael Norlander, who owns the company with his wife Tina. They're really a wonderful couple, and I think their product is pretty special in our gluten-free world. They've sent their regular products (the beef jerky) into outer space on the Space Shuttle to the International Space Station. They've got a regular line, too.

Here's their story, from their website:

Tina and Michael Norlander continue the family tradition of providing quality products that enhance just about any food. Michael’s father originally developed the family’s first Teriyaki marinade recipe in the 1960's. Friends and neighbors always enjoyed the food the Norlander’s prepared using their special marinade. By modifying and reducing it into a concentrate, Michael made the family's teriyaki recipe his own. Michael later developed the Norlander’s Original Mesquite Sauce & Marinade Concentrate. The Mesquite Sauce provides a western Mesquite smoke flavor and has been a winner from the start.

They have developed their regular and gluten-free Teriyaki and Mesquite gourmet sauces and marinades to bring a new taste and experience to their customers. Either flavor can be used as a sauce or marinade on beef, pork, poultry, fish, seafood, wild game, pastas, vegetables, beans and rice. Their sauces can also be poured straight from the bottle onto foods like hamburgers, ribs, and steak. They welcome you to try their products and hope you enjoy them as much as they do.

But this line is special. It is made just for us!

With grilling season coming in strong now as Spring is Springing, I wanted to share with you a couple of ways I used these sauces successfully.



One of my favorite recipes ever (and, might I say, perfect for the Easter/Palm Sunday dinner table) is

Freakin' Awesome Tropical Chicken
(Recipe from Jen, adapted by Ging)

Serves 12-16:

8 lbs. cut up chicken (or 4 pounds boneless, skinless breasts)
*Ging note: If I were doing this in the oven for a potluck again, I would use boneless, skinless thighs. They will hold better. I also think this would be FA with boneless pork chops!
Marinade
1 Cup Norlander's GF Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 cup prepared mustard (I used French's and Dijon, mixed)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple with juice
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger (I used ginger juice)
-these were my additions-
2 T. Chinese Chili Sauce (optional)
Six cloves fresh garlic, crushed

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Marinate chicken in mixture (ziplock bag/fridge) for at least 4-6 hours. (I did mine overnight with no ill effects).
Outside directions: Drain the marinated chicken into a bowl through a colander, reserving marinade, and grill on your favorite grill til done. A nice addition -- sliced fresh pineapple, grilled on the side.

Rainy-day Indoor Preparation: Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken and about half the marinade (try to keep the pineapple and garlic part) in roaster-type pan – the chicken should nearly be covered with the marinade, but not quite). Bake until done -- it took me about 75 minutes in a convection oven.)

For both: BOIL to a hard boil and slightly reduce the remaining sauce with garlic and pineapple. Use it as a sauce.

Wonderful with grilled or roasted fresh asparagus and fluffy white or brown rice.



Super Easy Mesquite Ribeye

Honestly, folks, I did this beautiful saucy steak in a toaster oven! Season one side with the spices and herbs of your choice -- I use salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb, and some Tony Chachere's seasoning.

Put the steak under the broil and cook for 9 minutes. Brush Norlander's GF Mesquite Sauce on both sides and turn and cook the second side for about 5 minutes for medium.

Let sit for 10 minutes and then devour. It tastes like it was cooked out on a mesquite fired grill!

YUM.

I really can't wait to try these recipes on the Norlander's site. I don't know anyone who makes a GF garlic chip, but I think Mary's Gone Crackers Onion Crackers are a great addition, broken up just a little bit,

And we're going to have the dip the weekend while watching the college basketball finals.

And then, when I get the Big Green Egg back in Georgia, well, this is sure to be a staple in our grilling sauce repetoire! (Don't know if we'll use the BGE this week on Spring Break, but it might come home with me. Who knows?)

There is one thing about Norlander's GF sauce that might be a drawback for you -- I think in the effort of full disclosure I should mention that both use a GF Soy Sauce that contains corn syrup. Michael and I talked about that, actually. And while I feel it's important we all know the ingredients, it clearly didn't stop me from using it in moderation.

And using it again soon, I shall. I wish Michael and Tina and the cool ship from Norlander's Original all the best.

Much love, and let's get grilling!

Ging

Purely Elizabeth Mixes are Purely Divine!

Oh the places I could go with the Purely.... analogy....

Purely Delicious.
Purely Healthy.
Purely Unique.
Purely Decadent.

I have to add Purely Elizabeth to the list of the most innovative gluten-free products out there. They are simply -- Purely -- amazing. They're wheat, gluten, dairy and sugar free, with a healthy mix that includes great flours and nutritious #gf seeds.

It's taken me far too long to get this post up, and for that I apologize. I hate that I've kept from spreading the good word about this incredibly delicious product. But you can order then for a great flat-rate shipping fee. And I know you'll enjoy them!

This is not what I'd call a mainstream gluten-free product mix though. That's a good thing, in this case, because it's incredibly high in fiber and low in sugar additives. So for someone with Celiac Disease/Gluten Intolerance and Diabetes, this is an awesome product to use.


Of the three mixes provided me by Purely Elizabeth, the two I found most different and intriguing were the Pancake Mix and the Ultimate Cacao Muffin Mix.

Here's the info on the Ultimate Carob Muffins:



And here's the back of the bag.



I include this to show one thing several people have mentioned about this product: it requires you to add a lot of ingredients yourself -- not just an egg and water, for instance. But that's OK. These aren't your average muffins -- they're really an artisanal muffin, of the highest quality. And you can adapt the additives to make it more special (for instance, I wish I'd added carob chips and used Chocolate Unsweetened Almond Milk in them...and a little more agave. But I ran out of agave as I was making these).

They're wonderful. I have to go easy on them because of all the seeds (because of my gastroparesis). But they're lovely.

Ingredients: Millet Flour, Corn Flour, Almond Flour, Organic Raw Cacao Powder, Flax Seed, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Chia Seed, Aluminum Free Baking Powder, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt

But I found that the most important thing about this muffin mix. I can add agave nectar (if you're keeping score, this is my third pro-agave post in a month). It has no refined sugar.

And it's really yummy. Here's what they looked like out of the oven:

A key test was the one-hour post snack blood sugar reading. There was NO impact on my blood sugar. I love it. I froze the rest and have been parceling them out over time for breakfast. They hold up well out of the freezer (I don't even reheat them when thawed sometimes) but they're best warm and yummy.

I also loved the pancakes I made from the Ultimate Pancake Mix. Like the other mix, I used Almond Milk, Olive Oil, and a free-range egg. But I also used Trader Joe's Maple Agave Syrup in them. Delish. Then I slathered them up and put on more syrup. I made two pancake sandwiches with the leftovers (with butter in the middle) and when I heated them the next morning, they were still light as could be.

Here are the ingredients: Millet Flour, Non-GMO Corn Flour, Organic Coconut Flour, Teff Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Flax Seed, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Chia Seed, Baking Soda, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am sad that I probably won't get to consume these delicious pancakes again, though -- I had an allergic reaction to them, one I didn't expect. They have Teff in them, and I have a weird sensitivity to Teff (and Quinoa, and Buckwheat). So the muffins, which don't contain these, are fine -- but these caused me problems.

But, if you want to make beautiful light, delicious pancakes for a special day, you should try these. They are some of the best pancakes I've EVER tasted -- gluten free or not -- and I think your family will love them.

Thank you, Elizabeth, and much love -- purely and truly!

Ging

And the BLISSFUL winners are...

Nathan Rice said...
Oh I had the opportunity to sample Coconut Bliss and loved it! Would enjoy the chance to take that taste further.

@nathandrice
eightproductions@gmail.com

AND

Ice Cream Forum said...
Ooh mememe! I have to give a reason... does anyone really need a reason to want ice cream? Ok, the reason is because it's yummy! :)

I used the Random Number generator for the 11 comments. Number 2 was from my friend Kiley at Coconut Bliss, so I took that one out, and then I generated a random list.

The ones picked in order were 9 and then 8.

So let me know how to mail you folks these wonderful Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss coupons!

Much love, Ging

Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss•••Plus a giveaway!

Bliss. I love that word, bliss. It makes me feel peaceful. Serene. Blissful. 

(I had a friend in college named Bliss Kalet. She was awesome. I wonder what happened to her...)

And I feel totally blissful when I have Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss!

I discovered Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss last year on Twitter, and I made a point of buying some at Abbey's food mart in Tampa after I tasted it at the Atlanta GF Vendor Fair. It's not sold near me in Milledgeville, sadly. I have to go to Atlanta or Tampa to find it.

But you know what? Every time I want a cold, delicious, frozen dessert, this is my choice. 

Here's why:  

1.  It's sweetened with agave nectar and made with coconut milk. Before you blow a gasket, it's not the full fat coconut milk that's bad for you -- it's the good kind. And agave nectar is good for diabetics -- it metabolizes in such a way that my blood sugar doesn't spike. And because it's lactose free...I don't get lactose tummy. You know?

2. It naturally gluten free. Of course, that should be my no. 1, but it's kind of obvious, isn't it? I wouldn't eat it if weren't.

3. It is a versatile addition to recipes and desserts. 

•Mint Chai Tea: I made an incredible cup of chai tea a few weeks ago -- put a big scoop (1/2 cup)  of Luna & Larry's Mint Galactica in a large mug. Pour a fresh-brewed pot of Chai tea over it.  Let it slowly melt, sip, stir, enjoy. (I used Teavana's mixture of Macadamia Rooibos Chai (two parts) and Azteca Fire (one part).

•Gluten-free Brownie Bliss:  Make your favorite gf (sugar free or agave sweetened) brownies and either 1. cut while warm or 2. warm gently in the microwave.  Top with a BIG scoop (OK, a 1/2 cup)  of your favorite L&L. I think cappuccino is my favorite here...and drizzle with a GF-SF chocolate syrup.  Top with your favorite whipped topping.

•Blissful Sammies:  Take your favorite GF cookies (I actually used two Glow Gluten-Free Gingersnaps, which are low sugar and have fiber and  220 calories) -- and put a big scoop (OK, 1/4 cup) of Coconut Bliss Pineapple Coconut (slightly melted) into the middle. Smush and then wrap in foil and refreeze. A Blissful Sandwich! Ginger. Pineapple. Coconut. YUM!

4. It's yummy.  Great flavors, of course -- my favorites change every time I try a new flavor.

So here's the fun, yummy part!  Luna & Larry have given me TWO coupons for free products for the readers of Ging Recommends! If you want to try one, post a comment below and tell me why you should get this wonderful product!  Deadline to post your comment is at midnight March 10. I'll draw randomly from the comments. You don't have to stand on your head, dance, or anything creepy to qualify. 

Much love, and thanks for everything, Luna & Larry!

Ging

Welcome to the March Gluten-free Lifestyle Blog Carnival!

Welcome to the March 1, 2010 edition of the gluten free lifestyle blog carnival. It's my pleasure to host this here on "Ging Recommends!"  Many thanks to all! 

Product Reviews

Yadi presents Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix posted at The Gluten Free Diaries.

Recipes

Aubree Cherie presents Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie posted at Living Free.

Adam presents Gluten Free Playdough Recipe | Natural Parenting Tips posted at Natural Parenting Tips.

lisa viger presents February 7, 2010 posted at Raw on $10 a Day (or Less!), saying, "Raw, vegan, gluten free recipes ... full day menu on $10 or less ..."

Sarah Collins presents Happy Valentine?s Biscuits posted at Sustaining Health Holistically, saying, "Gluten-free and vegan baking can be pretty and yummy?"

Shirley Braden presents Perfect Pound Cake posted at gfe--gluten free easily, saying, "Even if you are gluten free and dairy free, you can still enjoy the wonderful pound cake that you so fondly remember."

Kimberly Bouldin presents Naturally Gluten-free - Lentils posted at Gluten-free is Life, saying, "Recipe & information about a naturally gluten-free ingredient -lentils"

Support & Advice

Shirley Braden presents Flourless Oatmeal Cookies posted at gfe--gluten free easily, saying, "A great, easy flourless recipe is offered as well as information on which gluten free oats are safe to eat."

Tips

Wenchypoo presents Rethinking Protein Sources...Again (L-O-N-G) posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Tamara Duker presents Gluten-free Guide to Chinese Food posted at What I'm Eating Now, saying, "Chinese food can be one of the trickiest cuisines to navigate for the gluten-free crowd. That's why I prepared this guide to help make it a little easier for my fellow celiacs to satisfy their cravings safely!"

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
the gluten free lifestyle blog carnival
using our
carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our

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Gluten Free Sandwich Petals by Raquelita's Tortillas

I have a new staple in my refrigerator: I am really a huge fan of Gluten Free Sandwich Petals by Raquelita's Tortillas in Denver.

It's true that I received my sample of these wonderful little breads a while back now, but I've been trying them in so many incarnations! Really, they're the most versatile wraps out there!

Here's why I like Gluten Free Sandwich Petals by Raquelita's Tortillas in Denver so darn much!

• They're made of a healthy grain mix of 10 GF flours. Now, admittedly, I have issues with some of the grains in this product, but so far, I've seen no reactions. Here's the flour mix/ingredients/ of the Petals:

Glu10Free™ Gluten-Free Proprietary blend of milled and whole grains (Corn, Flax, Sesame, Buckwheat, Brown Rice, Sorghum, Millet, Quinoa, Teff, and Amaranth), Water, Organic Agave nectar, Raisin Juice, Molasses, Proprietary blend of Pharmaceutical Grade (Short Chain Fructooligosaccharides and HiDHA Omega 3 Micro-encapsulated Tuna Oil), Tapioca Starch, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Xanthan gum, Fumaric acid, Sodium Propionate and Sorbic Acid. Then we add our appropriate flavors of either: Chimayo Red Chile (Chimayo and Chipotle pepper, garlic, green bell peppers), natural flavor, salt, chile powder, spice extracts, or Spinach Garlic Pesto (spinach, garlic, basil, parsley), salt, canola oil, spice extractives, natural flavors, artificial color.

•Three lovely, very different flavors: Spinach Garlic Pesto, Chimayo Red Chile, and Agave Grain.  Green, Red and Beige. Three different flavors entirely! And they are soft, and pliable, and they make a million dishes. They're shelf stable and need no refrigeration, but I find them easy to reconstitute with just 10 seconds from the fridge. (I have to refrigerate -- I live in the south).

•Cost: $25 for a whole package of three flavors, but Mondays is BOGO day!

•They aren't cardboardy like corn tortillas, though they can be used in place of them.

•Carbs are about 24 per petal, with three grams of fiber, and they're sweetened with agave nectar. Only four grams on sugar. This works for me.

OK, so now, on to recipes!

First, the Red Chamayo Chile petal makes a mean Migas! SOOO savory and delicious. 

Second, how about a cool corn dog?  I used an Agave Grain petal, some slices of pepper jack cheese, and a Applegate Farm GF Uncured Hot Dog to make one mean corn dog.  Heat the petal for 10 second, cover with cheese, add the hot dog, roll, and secure with a toothpick. Cook for about 1 minute in the microwave until the hot dog is done.  Seriously? Seriously. 

Oh, and I've had Bailie's Peanut Butter/Banana/Honey Roll-ups with the Agave Grain Petal a couple of times.  This is named for Bailie Eliason, whose mom is Sharon in our Middle Georgia Gig Board. The original appeared here:
You need: One Agave Grain Sandwich Petal, 1 banana cut in half, peanut 
butter, honey. I heated the Sandwich Petal for 10 seconds in microwave 
(makes them more pliable and easier to work with), then when cool spread 
peanut butter (to your liking) on each tortilla. Drizzle honey (I now would use 100 percent Agave Nectar) over that and lay 1/2 banana on one edge of tortilla. Wrap and "seal" with the peanut 
butter. (Another version - Bailie's Daddy likes these- is to use raisins instead of 
the banana).

Here's another couple adaptations;

•Now, I saw this recipe for Chicken Enchilada Casserole a while back, and it was really a hot item in January. I think it is perfect for the Chimayo Red Chile petals.  Simply replace the corn tortillas with 1/2 a petal -- and this amps up the taste like you would NOT believe.

My friend Shirley GFE gave me permission to share the recipe as it's written on her site. I didn't make a big casserole, but I'd think five to six Petals would be the equivalent of 10 corn tortillas, and so much more pliable and delicious! (I made a half recipe to try it).

Chicken Enchilada Casserole 

From Shirley Braden at Gluten Free Easily

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chili powder (I’ve substituted taco seasoning before when I was out of chili powder)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1 Tbs. cilantro, chopped (optional—I add when I have it on hand)
3 cups chicken cooked, boned, shredded
1 tbsp lime juice
1 jar salsa (16 oz) (whatever hotness you prefer—mild worked well for us)
5 Chamayo Red Chile Sandwich Petals
8 oz shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, cheddar, or a Mexican blend—your preference; read labels to ensure gluten-free status)

Sour cream, jalapenos, and cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a large, deep skillet with little bit of oil; heat over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add one cup of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and cilantro (if used). Cook 5 minutes.

Dump shredded chicken over tomato mixture in skillet. Spoon lime juice over chicken. Stir chicken and lime juice into tomato mixture. Heat a few minutes, if necessary. (If chicken is still warm from cooking, you will not need to heat more.)

Spread one half of the jar of salsa in an ungreased 9″ x 13” baking dish; top with 5 tortillas (break into pieces as needed to mostly cover salsa).

Top with chicken mixture; sprinkle with half of the cheese.

Top with remaining tortillas. Spread with remaining salsa; sprinkle w/remaining cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and casserole is hot, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Adapted from Valerie and Woman’s World

•Spinach Garlic Pesto Petals? How about my Italian Stuffed Lasagna recipe? Just substitute five to six Sandwich Petals cut into long strips to use instead of noodles. Yummy!

I'd like to thank the fine people at Sandwich Petals for sending me the three-pack sample to try. You have a real winner here! I wish you more success, and I can't wait to meet you when I'm in Denver next August. They're a company with a heart, to be sure. I love that!

You can find them, once again, at sandwichpetals.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @GFpetals.

Much love, (p.s. xoxo to GF Dee who connected me with them)!
Ging