A while back, we reviewed The Pure Pantry company and their line of gluten-free baking mixes that you actually couldn’t even tell were gluten-free in the first place, which is why we decided to take a look at the other products in their line of gluten-free goodies. “Elizabeth Kaplan, founder and CEO of The Pure Pantry, is a trained teacher and chef. Her appreciation and passion for fine organic foods began at a young age…when Elizabeth was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2002, she was disappointed in the lack of healthy, good tasting, gluten-free products on the market”, which is why she decided to create her own line of gluten-free products that would not only satisfy her, but the masses as well. For this review, we’ll be looking at The Pure Pantry’s line of gluten-free baking mixes–Buckwheat Flax Pancake and Baking Mix, Old Fashioned Pancake and Baking Mix, Whole Grain Dark Chocolate Cake Mix, and their Organic All-Purpose Baking Mix–that we weren’t able to touch on in our first review of The Pure Pantry. For more information on The Pure Pantry, be sure to head to their very informative and aesthetically pleasing web-site. Also, don’t forget to check out the Food Review 101 Facebook page.
If you’ve read our previous reviews of The Pure Pantry, then you know that they have some pretty high standards to live up to, which is why we were really excited to write up our second review on their line of gluten-free baking mixes. The first mix we tried out was the Buckwheat Flax Pancake and Baking Mix, and we actually used the recipe on the back of the package to help guide us to making some really great pancakes. After we combined our mix, egg, milk, and some cooking oil, we headed for the hot stove to make up some gluten-free pancakes. Our pancakes actually turned out quite fluffy and very tasty, and if anyone would be hard-pressed to actually pick these gluten-free pancakes out of a pancake line-up. The best thing about these mixes though, is that you can actually use it for other recipes as well. The package offers up other recipes for waffles, crepes, and muffins, but if those aren’t enough for you, then head to the Pure Pantry web-site for additional ideas. Next, we tried using the Whole Grain Dark Chocolate Cake Mix, but instead of making a daunting chocolate cake, we used the cupcake recipe instead. After we combined our cake mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and hot water, we stuck it in the oven for 350F for 18 minutes. What came out of the oven was a very chocolaty and moist cupcake that would surely please anyone looking to get their chocolate fix. The texture was really great, oddly enough, but the cool thing about these cupcakes is that they’re made from a bunch of really cool flours– quinoa, brown rice, sorghum, and potato starch–that are a lot more beneficial than the standard flour found in other baking mixes. After we tried the first two mixes out, we headed for their Organic All Purpose Baking Mix, and followed their directions for making a gluten-free banana bread. After mixing and baking our bread, we were pleasantly surprised with the flavor and texture of this gluten-free bread. The flavor of this bread was nothing but pure banana, while the texture was soft and chewy like the banana bread we used to eat growing up. Lastly, we tried out the Organic Old Fashioned Pancake & Baking Mix, and this mix differed just a bit from the buckwheat and flax mix that we talked about first. This mix gave us a much more traditional pancake that a lot of people are more accustomed to, simply because it looked and tasted like a regular pancake that’s packed with gluten. For anyone searching to lower the amount of gluten in their diet, or anyone looking for a healthier pancake mix that will save them time in the morning, we highly recommend you give The Pure Pantry a try. Overall (4 out of 5). Read More …
Elizabeth Kaplan’s foray into cooking with wholesome, nutrient-dense foods was prompted when her 6-year-old son suffered a grand mal seizure. Ultimately, he was diagnosed with a list of food allergies and celiac disease. Today, Kaplan is founder of The Pure Pantry, a gluten-free baking mix company, and author of Fresh from Elizabeth’s Kitchen, Gluten-Free & Allergy-Free Recipes for Healthy, Delicious Meals (Pennington Press). This cookbook provides delicious gluten-free recipes (many with dairy-free, eggfree and soy-free substitutions) that incorporate wholesome flours, fresh ingredients and reduced sugars. Recipes are simple yet elegant with gorgeous photos for guidance. Kaplan also shares the recipe for her popular gluten-free flour blend, ensuring extra nutrients along with baking success.
Original article from “Living Without’s” April/May 2012 Issue
My favorite PICKS from Expo West
I just returned from four days at the Natural Products Expo. It is the largest natural foods show in the world. We had a beautiful booth and received fabulous feedback on our products. Exhibiting at one of these shows requires super-hero strength and stamina! From setting up the booth, to running it, to meeting with potential buyers, doing book signings and party hopping in the evenings, I almost had to crawl to my car to drive home! Luckily there were tons of healthy, gluten-free and dairy-free foods all around us to fuel our bodies for the marathon event. I had a little bit of time to talk to some of the vendors and find out what is hot and what is not!
So Delicious Almond Milk and Coconut Milk – So Delicious brings joy to being dairy free. I am so thankful for all of the products this company makes because I find being dairy free is even harder than being gluten-free. I love their new Almond Milk Plus, it is really tasty and packed with extra protein! The new Almond Milk Frozen Desserts (ice cream, chocolate covered almond ice cream bars) were all fabulous. www.turtlemountain.com
Alter Eco – love their products and their mission. Came home and made a Quinoa Tabouli salad with their Pearl Quinoa. The pearl quinoa is quite amazing: very light and fluffy. I also LOVE their Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bar – like a Nestles crunch bar but WAY better. www.altereco-usa.com
Barlean’s Omega Swirls – I love the Omega Swirls, especially the Pina Colada. You would never know you are eating fish oil! These products are fantastic for kids – my children actually beg me to give them some! www.barleans.com
Mamma Chia – OMG! Love all of Mamma Chia’s drinks. They are so amazing and really kept our team fueled during Expo. I had at least two a day. My ultimate favorite is the Mango-Coconut. www.mammachia.com
Giddy Up N Go Granola – gluten-free, vegan and organic! A new company founded by two mom’s from my old stomping grounds, Lafayette, California. Awesome gluten-free and organic granola sweetened with agave nectar. YUM! www.thoughtfulfood.net
Le Grand Pestos – is it okay to eat pesto with a spoon? Well I have been and wow, I am trying to find the words to describe how delicious the Nuts and Cheese Pesto sauce is….try it, you’ll also be speechless! This is a Canadian product and I hope to see it soon in my nearest store! www.maisonlegrand.com
Bragg’s new Organic Greek Olive Oil — this olive oil has an amazing flavor. I love it! Used it in my Quinoa Tabouli recipe with lemon juice. Great for salads with just a little vinegar, sea salt and there you go!
Catch me on KUSI, Channel 9 in San Diego, on Friday, February 24 at 9am discussing healthy breakfast options to fight flu and cold season!
Power Up Your Breakfast to Fight Colds and Flu!
Cold and flu season is in high gear right now. What can you do to defend yourself? A great way is to begin your day with a breakfast packed with powerful antioxidants to help prevent catching a cold and lessen the symptoms if you are already sick.
Antioxidants are essential nutrients and help protect your body against life’s stressors. They are thought to play a role in the body’s cell protection system. They interfere with the disease process by neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that can disrupt and tear apart vital cell structures such as cell membranes. Antioxidants may take away the destructive power of free radicals, thus helping to reduce your chance of illness. They may also help you recover from an illness more quickly.
Including more raw fruits and vegetables in your diet is the best way to ensure a high intake of antioxidants. If you follow the guidelines issued by most health organizations and eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily, you can easily get enough antioxidants. For example, one quarter of a cantaloupe gives you nearly half the recommended daily requirement of beta-carotene and is a rich source of vitamin C. Spinach is not only full of beta-carotene, but also contains vitamin C, folic acid, and magnesium. Acai berries are one of the highest sources of antioxidants, while blueberries and raspberries are also a delicious and nutritious choice.
Another important choice is to eliminate dairy and gluten from your diet if you are finding you have chronic stuffy nose and/or hoarseness in your throat. It may be that you have cold symptoms or it could be that you are allergic to dairy and gluten, found in wheat, barley, rye and through cross contamination, oats. Dairy creates dampness in the body and causes congestion. Gluten also causes stuffy nose and congestion. Try eliminating these two top allergens for at least two weeks to see if your symptoms improve.
There are many tasty substitutes for dairy. I truly love coconut milk and am so glad that it is easy to find at your local natural food store. So-delicious brand has an unsweetened variety that is perfect for smoothies. You can also try almond milk, hemp milk or rice milk.
So instead of making an ordinary smoothie, raise the bar by adding ingredients that will provide you with all the daily recommended vitamins and minerals. Adding ingredients like acai, coconut milk, whole food protein powder and fish or flax oil will make your breakfast smoothie complete.
Here are two breakfast recipes to power up your immune system: a nutient rich Power Berry Smoothie accompanied by Berry Boosted Buckwheat Flax Pancakes.
Power Berry Smoothie, (gluten, dairy and soy free)
1 cup frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries and/or strawberries)
1 pack Sambazonfrozen organic Acai Puree
1-2 teaspoons flax oil or try Barlean’sOmega Swirl Pina Colada Fish Oil (it tastes so amazing, you won’t believe it!)
1- 1 1/2 cups So-delicious unsweetened coconut milk
1 scoop Vega Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer (I recommend this because it is gluten, dairy, soy and animal protein free)
Place frozen fruit, acai puree, flax or fish oil, coconut milk and Vega in blender. Blend until smooth. Add more coconut milk if too thick.
Berry Boosted Buckwheat Flax Pancakes, (gluten, dairy and soy free)
1 1/2 cups Buckwheat Flax Pancake Mix from The Pure Pantry
1 3/4 cups So-delicious Coconut Milk or Almond Milk
1 teaspoon flax seed oil
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
Agave nectar and more berries for the top of pancakes
Preheat pancake griddle or pan to medium heat. Measure pancake mix and coconut milk into large bowl. Whisk together. Add flax oil and blend. Grease pan with coconut oil. Pour about 1/2 cup batter to form pancake. Drop blueberries and raspberries into pancake as it cooks on the first side. After about 2 minutes flip pancake over and cook an additional minute. Enjoy your super-antioxidant breakfast and stay healthy!
Gluten-free Linzer Heart Cookies
These elegant and tasty treats are easy to prepare for Valentine’s Day or really any day.
Ingredients:
1 package gluten-free Organic Sugar Cookie Mix from The Pure Pantry
½ cup butter or butter substitute, such as Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 large egg (or egg replacer)
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup seedless raspberry jam
½ cup sifted confectioner’s sugar, optional
Preheat oven to 350˚. Follow directions on package to create sugar cookie dough. Pat dough into disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove dough from refrigerator. Prepare a work surface with waxed paper dusted with gluten-free flour. Dust rolling pin with gluten-free flour. Place dough on waxed paper and roll out to ¼” thickness. Cut 20 cookies with 2 inch diameter scalloped circle cookie cutter. Cut the center of 10 cookies with a small heart or star cookie cutter to create a window. In the center of each of the 10 cookies that do not have a window, place 1 teaspoon raspberry jam. Place on top of the jam a cookie that has a window cut out to create a sandwich. Bake at 350˚ for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet. Lightly dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.
