A Minnesota hockey family living our best gluten free life
Author:Brynn Kimel
I am a student at the University of St.Thomas aspiring to practice law in the future. I am Brooke's older sister and have grown up within her journey of living with celiac. I have been gluten free at home since her diagnosis, but have recently gone gluten free due to my own medical reasons.
Yes Folks you read that right, I found a 100% gluten free food truck. The best part is I didn’t have very far to look. It was Homecoming at St. Thomas this week and to celebrate they brought in dessert food trucks. I originally assumed there would be nothing for me to eat there, but I went to check it out with my roommate anyway. Low and behold we found Gray Duck Concessions! They are a 100% gluten free food truck in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area that serves MINI DONUTS, pigs and a blanket, and coffee. I had not had fresh mini donuts in well over four years. They were delicious. I want my sister to use this food truck for her graduation party in a few years. The donuts were so amazing and I am so grateful to have found this truck and I am so happy I can share it with all of you. If you ever find yourself in the area and want some amazing, melt in your mouth, fresh mini donuts check out Gray Duck Concessions! From my kitchen to yours share joy and eat well.
There is nothing like a warm bowl of soup to warm you up after a brisk autumn day! In college, making time to make a warm pot of soup can be challenging, but let me tell you my roommate’s instant pot makes the world of a difference. I have an instant pot at home and love it, and was so happy I could use my roommate’s. The instant pot makes cooking so easy because I can make enough for multiple meals and use limited dishes. For a quick weeknight dinner, nothing compares to the instant pot baked potato soup. To make this scrumptious supper, begin by setting your instant pot to saute and melting two tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted add one chopped yellow onion and cook for five minutes. Then add two tablespoons of garlic and 1 teaspoon of thyme; cook for one minute until they become fragrant. Add six large russet potatoes that have been chopped into bite size pieces and four cups low-sodium chicken broth to the instant pot; pressure cook on high for eight minutes and then use quick release for the pressure. While the soup pressure cooks, whisk together 2 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons cornstarch to make a slurry. After the pressure is released set the instant pot to saute and pour in the slurry, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper and let boil for five minutes, stirring constantly. Before serving, garnish with cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and chives. Here is the link to the original recipe: https://recipes.instantpot.com/recipe/loaded-baked-potato-soup-4/. The only thing I changed was the addition of sour cream. I hope you all enjoy and can cozy up with a warm cup of soup this fall. From my kitchen to yours, stay healthy and eat well.
Hello Everybody! I’m back and boy oh boy have I missed you. Since being back at school life has been crazy busy, but I am thinking about new posts all the time. This is a particularly fun post for me so buckle in folks. It is fall and I know I have told you all at least one hundred times that classic fall flavors are some of my favorite to work with. Allrecipes was hosting a fall Sweets and Treats contest so of course I had to enter. We find out the results of the contest on October 28th and I can’t wait. For the contest I entered my Fall Festival Cupcakes inspired by, you guessed it, the classic flavors of fall: apple and pumpkin. The flavor of the first cupcake was a caramel apple cupcake with an apple spiced cake, caramel filling, and a cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The flavor of the second cupcake was a pumpkin spice cake, with a brown-butter glaze filling, and the same cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Truthfully these cupcakes came out as the best cupcakes I have ever had, period. I am very proud of them, and am excited to see where else I can go from here. I shared them with a family friend, who loved them and assured me that quote: “If the whole lawyer thing doesn’t work out at least we know you would be a damn good baker.” What means more to me than the compliment or that the cupcakes even turned out decent is that these cupcakes made people smile and made their day a little better. After all, that is what I love most about cooking, baking, and sharing my gluten free experience: making food that can bring a smile to someone’s face. By doing so it allows me to do my part to make this world a little sweeter of a place to be. There is only so much a person can do to make the world a little better, but at least do that. Do your part to make someone’s day brighter, even if that someone is you. My roommate and I joke that we could have quite the side hussle if we went around campus selling our gluten free treats, I mean hey the Girl Scouts that come to campus during cookie season seem to do exceptionally well, and they’re seasonal! My roommate and I live here all the time 🙂 Anyway please reach out with comments if you would like to see a post about the cupcake recipes. Otherwise from my kitchen to yours stay safe and eat well.
That’s right folks I said it! Kraft has officially made a gluten free mac n’ cheese! I knew that it existed from differing social media accounts, but I had yet to discover it in Minnesota. A week ago today I found some in a local Target. Ask my roommates to verify, but I got very very excited. Before going gluten free I loved mac n’ cheese-it was the lunch of my childhood. Since being gluten free I have been searching non-stop for a righteous replacement to my youth favorite food. I think that Kraft did a great job of replicating the flavors from their regular mac n’ cheese to their new gluten free mac. I must say that since being gluten free I have come to love Amy’s Deluxe Rich and Creamy mac n’ cheese as well. I found that at a local Target for the first time this summer and immediately fell in love. It reminded me of my all time pre-celiac favorite mac n’ cheese: Velveeta Squeeze Cheese mac n’ cheese. I am so happy with all of the new gluten free mac n’ cheese options. I can’t wait to see what new options come out soon. From my kitchen to yours stay safe and eat well.
As I have mentioned so many times before gluten can hide in tricky places. One of the most common hiding places for gluten is within oats and oatmeal. Oats are one of my favorite breakfasts, but they’re also an essential ingredient within crisp/crumble toppings. It can be tiresome to not only find a gluten free oatmeal, but also find a gluten free oatmeal you like. My favorite gluten free oatmeal is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats. It is easy to make and bakes really well into anything. It can be found at a variety of stores and supermarkets such as Target, Cub, and even Amazon. Here is a link to the Bob’s Red Mill website where you can see the selection of gluten free oat products they have to offer: https://www.bobsredmill.com/shop/oats.html?gf=1. I hope you found this helpful; from my kitchen to yours, stay well and eat well.
It’s finally fall! You all know that I love summer, but fall is my favorite season by far. Fall is home to my favorite weather, clothes, and of course food! Be prepared in the coming months to be bombarded with some of my all time favorite recipes. Other news is that I am officially one week into classes at St. Thomas. Since returning to campus things have been very busy, but now that I am all settled in I have some very exciting posts in the works for you all that will be coming out soon. My roomates love to cook and bake new things so of course we had to try a new recipe for my first post since being back at school.
Last night my roomates and I whipped together Ina Garten’s Apple and Pear Crisp. Here is a link to her recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/apple-and-pear-crisp-recipe-2012748. We of course made it gluten free and in order to do so we used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal for the topping, as well as a gluten free all purpose flour for the fruit mixture and the topping. The crisp was delicious, the flavor combinations complemented each other very well. The citrus from the lemon and orange cuts through the savory spice of the cinnamon bringing a fresh twist to familiar fall flavors. Next time I make this crisp I will bake the apples and pears in a dutch oven for ten minutes with the other ingredients before transferring them to the baking dish. I usually use this technique when making pies and tartlets. By baking the apples and pears in the dutch oven for roughly ten minutes it allows the fruit to soften, without losing its bite. It also allows for the spices to absorb into the fruit even more before baking. After the crisp was done baking I removed it from the oven, and allowed it to cool for about 20-25 minutes before serving under a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream. Fall is finally here so enjoy the classic flavors of the season and give this delectable fall fruit crisp a try. From my kitchen to yours stay well and eat well!
I’m heading back to school tomorrow for the fall semester. As nervous as I am about the safety of campus life and Covid-19, I am cautiously optimistic about returning. I know that if my roommates and I control all we can and act responsibly we will have a higher chance of being okay. On a happier note, I will now be only seven minutes from one of my favorite restaurants of all time, and the best part: it has an outdoor patio. The name of the restaurant is, Brasa. My roommates and I will for sure be heading over there for dinner this week. Wow, my mouth is already watering. They have delicious chips and guac. The food served is creole-style comfort food with vegetarian & gluten-free items. If you are ever in St. Paul you need to come over and give Brasa a try. All food on the menu is gluten-free except for: cornbread, rolls, macaroni, and pound cake. My menu suggestion is the pulled chicken plate with yellow rice and beans. Here is a link to the restaurant: http://www.brasa.us/. I look forward to writing to you all from school. Please stay safe, healthy, and be sure to eat well.
Back to school may look a little different this year, but as more college students return to campus, or first year students arrive for the first time, the dining hall is open for business. The college dining experience can be overwhelming enough as it is, but when food allergies or dietary restrictions are added to the mix even eating lunch can be stressful. I am calling on my dining hall experience to give insight on how to navigate the dining hall when you have food allergies/dietary restrictions.
When I started my first year of college I was going into it newly diagnosed gluten free and dairy free. I was stressed about having options and cross contamination. My anxieties were verified as soon as I stepped into the dining hall on day one. There was so much food and so many people, Freshman Brynn was lost. Food was labeled and there was an electronic system in place to match the menu that described what the food contained, this was good in theory, but it was rarely correct. Even so options were very limited; for the first week I had sticky rice, chicken, and pineapple for lunch and dinner everyday. You would think: “Okay she’s following her dietary rules and doing the best she can, at least she’s not getting sick.” Wrong. I got sick 2-3 times a day everyday for about two months. I ended up losing about 18 lbs. Part of this was stress related, but a larger factor was getting glutened or accidentally consuming dairy due to mislabeled information. It seemed the more I branched out to try new things labeled “gluten free and dairy free” the sicker I got. This didn’t make sense because I was following all of the labels and eating everything I should be able to.
Even though I was newly diagnosed gluten free and dairy free, I was not by any means new to working with dietary restrictions. I grew up in a gluten free household, and in my home Brooke and I were taught to cook and shop in order to accommodate food allergies from a young age. That was done on purpose so we would become self-sufficient, knowledgeable, and could vouch for ourselves. After 10 years of this lifestyle you understand how it works. As I mentioned above, much of the menu and food placed out was not labeled properly. For example, they wouldn’t account for the malt in carmel coloring within the soy sauce they used, so anything with soy sauce was wrongly labeled gf. Throughout the semester there was an issue like this almost everyday with different foods- I was so frustrated. You may be asking yourself now: “Yikes how do I not end up like her?” Don’t worry I am getting there. From this experience I learned many things that I will summarize for you next.
When you get to campus the first thing I would recommend doing is meeting with your on campus dietitian, make this person aware of your situation so they can help you navigate the dining hall right way. Unfortunately when I arrived on campus my dietician was on maternity leave, so I had to figure out the dining hall on my own. I would suggest you inquire about a weekly menu rotation, that way you can plan what you are going to eat ahead of time. At some colleges and universities you may even be able to call down to the kitchen and place an order that fulfills your needs if there isn’t anything on the menu. You are your own best advocate, so stand up for yourself and your dietary needs. As my Mom says: “Be on team You!” That means telling the dining hall staff to change their gloves, and affirming that yes you need your sandwich made on a separate cutting board with separate ingredients and utensils, even if that means a little more work for them. That said get to know the dining staff so they can help you to the best of their abilities. Don’t be afraid to politely, but firmly inquire about what is in the food if you think it might not be totally safe. As the semester goes on you will be more familiar with the dining hall and you will have your trusted food favorites. College is a lot of fun and there are so many things to experience, make your dining experience a positive one by heeding my advice. If you are going back to campus this year please stay healthy, be safe, have fun, and eat well. Remember you got this! If you have any further questions about surviving the dining hall please feel free to reach out.
Gluten can hide in many places, and when you have Celiac Disease the last thing you want to worry about is getting glutened from non-food substances. A tricky hiding place for gluten is within cosmetics. Not only are gluten ingredients disguised in hard to understand names, but there are very few companies who list the ingredients on their products or certify their products as gluten free. According to the Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut common makeup ingredients that contain gluten are Triticum Vulgare (wheat bran), Secale Cereale (rye seed extract), Hordeum Vulgare (barley), and Avena Sativa (oat bran). That said, if your makeup offers an ingredient list look out for these gluten filled red flags. Now I know that people have their favorite makeup brands, and I am not saying you need to ditch all of favorite products because they are not gluten free, but you do need to be careful. If your favorite makeup is not gluten free, and you apply it with your hands, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly. When you have Celiac or a gluten intolerance, the most important makeup products in your bag that have to be gluten free are your lip products. Below I am going to display a list of gluten free makeup brands and lip products that are safe for individuals with Celiac or a gluten intolerance to use.
Jane Iredale
Ulta Lip Oil
Thrive Cosmetics
Hourglass
Burt’s Bees
AVYA
Afterglow Cosmetics
Alima Pure
Bare Minerals
BITE Beauty
Covergirl
Ecco Bella
E.L.F.
em michelle phan
Gabriel Cosmetics
Lancome
Lili Lolo
Maybelline New York
Mirabella Beauty
NARS Cosmetics
Too Faced Cosmetics
Yes To
Pat McGrath
Korpari
Trish McEvoy
Urban Decay
Zuzu Luxe
Olivespa Lip Balm
Carmax
Blistex
EOS
Bobbi Brown
Chanel
Arbonne
Dior
Lancomb
Mac
Neutrogena
Buddha Balm
Soft Lips
Vaseline
ECO Lips
Bonne Bell
I am sure there are more lip products and cosmetic brands out there that are gluten free, but based on my research, those listed above are among the safest. Within this list are products for every budget and occasion. It’s sad to say, but fall and winter are quickly approaching, so be sure to take good care of your lips. I hope you found this post helpful, and if you have any questions please feel free to reach out.
Zucchini bread, a summertime classic that reminds us the winds are changing and fall is creeping its way around the corner. As you may have figured out by now I love making breads, anything from spiced breads to banana to pumpkin and you guessed it: Zucchini. Zucchini bread is the only way my sister Brooke, and co-founder of the our blog, will eat zucchini. Recently a very sweet and generous neighbor of ours brought by tons of ripe zucchini, and I figured this was a perfect opportunity to use some up and make this delicious treat. I had enough batter to make three loaves, so Brooke and I made this wonderful summer treat 3 ways- it was a like a “choose your own adventure” novel. The first bread has walnuts in it and a streusel on top. The second bread has just a streusel on top. The third is a plain zucchini bread that has a cinnamon cream cheese brown butter frosting on top. I know this sounds like a lot, but don’t worry I will walk you through every step of the way.
First things first, making the bread. This recipe makes enough for two medium loaves. Here are the ingredients: 2 cups zucchini, 3 large eggs, 1 cup canola oil, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp almond extract, 1/4 cup milk, 3 cups gluten free all purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and 1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts. First thing to do is preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Secondly, peel, seed, and shred the zucchini. Brooke would like to add that, in her opinion, this takes way longer than it should, and she advises everyone to pay close attention to their fingers while shredding the zucchini on a box grater. Next, in a large electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs canola oil, vanilla and almond extracts, and milk. Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. With the mixer on low, slowly add fractions of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients until the dry ingredients are all incorporated and the batter is well mixed. Then, fold in the zucchini and walnuts if you would like to have them in your bread. Divide the batter equally between two bread pans that have been greased with butter or a non-stick cooking spray, and fill about 2/3 of the way up.
Now here is the next adventure you can choose: how you want to top your zucchini bread. If you like it plain, leave it plain. If you like a streusel topping here is a delicious recipe I found from the blog Shugary Sweets, we altered it of course to make it gluten free. In a small bowl place 1/2 cup gluten free quick oats (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 cup melted butter. Using your hands mix everything together. After the streusel is finished place it right on top of the batter and place the bread in the oven. Cook it for an hour, or until the toothpick comes out clean. Now rewind back to the topping. Another way that zucchini bread can be topped is with a frosting such as the one I found from the blog: Creative Culinary. It is a cinnamon cream cheese brown butter frosting. While the plain zucchini bread is baking in the oven brown 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan. Butter browning occurs when the butter is golden brown and there is the most foam on top. Watch it very carefully because butter can go from brown to burnt in a blink of an eye. Next, in a large bowl combine 8 oz of softened cream cheese, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 tbsp half and half, the 1/2 cup of browned butter, and 5 cups of powdered sugar. Use a hand mixer to mix these ingredients together until it is a spreadable consistency. Refrigerate the frosting until 15 minutes before you are ready frost your zucchini loaf.
Once the loaves are done place them on a baking rack to cool completely. Once the bread is cooled you can eat it plain, smother it in frosting, or savor the melt in your mouth streusel. Congratulations you have reached the end of this Gluten Free Goalie Girls “Choose your own adventure” zucchini bread recipe. I am sure however you decided to make you bread turned out delicious. Enjoy these beautiful summer days while they last, and from my kitchen to yours stay well Everyone.
