By Becky Berowski

Founder and CEO, Elizabeth Kaplan, Dishin’ with doB

Founder of  The Pure Pantry, Elizabeth Kaplan became gluten free when she learned that not only was she diagnosed with celiac disease, but her two children were also sensitive to gluten as well as various other foods.  She began taking family recipes and converting them to gluten-free versions. This soon lead her to develop her own products and recipes to put in the market place making it easier for the rest of us to make the change.

Who: Elizabeth Kaplan of The Pure Pantry

Where: Thepurepantry.com, with stores across the country.

What do you believe is the most important reason to go gluten free?

The most important reason would be severe allergies or gluten intolerance issues. Those with celiac disease, such as me, must adhere to a 100% gluten-free diet.

Should people who don’t have celiac disease go gluten free?

Certainly, there are other reasons to go gluten-free.  Many nutritionists and doctors maintain that a gluten-free diet lowers inflammation in the body. There are also other auto-immune related disorders that improve with a gluten-free diet such as arthritis, diabetes, and psoriasis.

What is your favorite gluten free product?

Besides my own products, I can’t live without Udi’s multigrain gluten-free bread and bagels.

How do you balance being a mom and a business woman?

I am very fortunate to have wonderful and supportive business partners, my mom and husband! I am also fortunate that my children admire what I do and that they look at me as role model. I feel that by balancing work and motherhood I am teaching my children how to have a full and rewarding life.

Can people who are gluten free still eat out at restaurants easily?

There is always the risk of cross contamination for those with celiac disease.  It takes a lot of diligence for me to explain exactly what I can and can’t eat, and there are often problems. In general, I stick to grilled veggies, grilled fish or a salad but still have to be careful that the salad dressing or sauce served with my meal is gluten-free, and that my food is prepared in a separate pan with separate utensils. I limit my meals out – thank goodness I like to cook!

What is one beauty product you always keep with you?

Gluten-free lipstick by Ecco Bella.  I also have to use gluten-free shampoo and conditioner and am always trying new products to find the best one.  So far it has been easy!

Any advice for someone just starting a gluten free diet?

At first it seems very daunting to start a new lifestyle, but once you are committed, you will love how you feel!

Elizabeth Kaplan’s cookbook, Fresh From Elizabeth’s Kitchen, that she was gracious enough to send me, has kept me healthy and happy this past week. Also, her chocolate chip cookie mix and whole grain dark chocolate mix have helped me have a quick dessert for all the May babies I’m celebrating this month.

http://www.dishinoutbeauty.com/2012/05/the-pure-pantry/

Product Review from Food Review 101

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 …

Thanksgiving Menu — Gluten and Dairy Free

Preparing an allergy free Thanksgiving Menu can be a challenge if you are not sure about what substitutes to use.

Here is a menu plan and recipes that will make your holiday effortless and, most importantly, delicious!

Menu

Soup Course-

• Carrot orange ginger soup with toasted pumpkin seeds  Recipe>>
• Cheddar-Chive Biscuits with Daiya Cheese  Recipe>>

Salad Course-

• Pear, persimmon and walnut baby green salad with balsamic vinaigrette  Recipe>>

Dinner-

• Sweet potato casserole with pecan cinnamon crunch topping  Recipe>>
• Green beans with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts Recipe>>
• Southern cornbread stuffing with chicken apple sausage Recipe >>
• Roasted Turkey
• Bourbon Spiked Gravy  Recipe>>

Dessert-

• Apple cranberry crisp with coconut vanilla “ice cream” Recipe >>
• Pumpkin Agave Pie  Recipe >>

More Recipes coming soon!

Cookbook Review from “Gluten Free Living” Magazine

Family Friendly Products
and Recipes
Whether you are looking for a gluten-free mix or gluten-free recipes, Elizabeth Kaplan can oblige.  Kaplan is the founder of The Pure Pantry, a line of gluten-free baking mixes, as well as a recently published cookbook author with her book, Fresh from Elizabeth’s Kitchen.

Kaplan’s inspiration comes from her own kitchen.  She has celiac disease and all three of her children are gluten-free.  In addition to gluten, various members of her family have allergies or intolerances to dairy, peanuts, soy, eggs, and some beans.  Wanting to provide them with options, Kaplan got to work and created The Pure Pantry.  Her line of mixes includes four organic mixes: Old Fashioned Pancake & Baking Mix, Buckwheat Flax Pancake & Baking Mix, Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, and Organic Sugar Cookie Mix.  She also offers two wholegrain mixes:  Oatmeal Cookie Mix and Dark Chocolate Cake Mix.

Fresh from Elizabeth’s Kitchen continues Kaplan’s mission to create family friendly recipes and dishes that everyone can enjoy. The book, published in January 2011, includes recipes such as Peach Cobbler Muffins, Mojito Chicken with Cilantro Rice, and Blueberry Cheesecake with a Gluten-
Free Graham Cracker Crust. In addition to the recipes, there is a chapter titled “Stocking Your Gluten-Free Pantry,” which includes Kaplan’s recommendations for gluten-free grains and dairy-free ingredients.
thepurepantry.com
From glutenfreeliving.com

The Pure Pantry offers mixes that are not only delicious, but good for you, serving as proof that gluten-free, dairy-free, casein-free, soy-free, and even sugar-free don’t equal taste-free—quite the contrary!

The Pure Pantry offers a variety of mixes for gluten-free cookies, cakes, and pancakes, and even an all-purpose mix for creating other baked goods such as biscuits, muffins, and breads. The mixes are also versatile. We added tons of nuts to the Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, and we loved them. They were not only delicious, but so healthy tasting.

Other mixes include Wholegrain Chocolate Chip Coconut Organic Cookie Mix, Buckwheat Flax Pancake and Baking Mix, Organic Sugar Cookie Mix, and the decadent Wholegrain Dark Chocolate Cake Mix, oh so chocolately and full of good-for-you nutrients including protein, antioxidants, and protein from ingredients such as quinoa. The Organic All-Purpose Baking Mix is vegan and free of gluten, sugar, dairy, and casein and remarkable for its versatility. It’s even kosher!

Elizabeth Kaplan, Founder of The Pure Pantry, was diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago. Discontent with the poor nutritional value of gluten-free products, Elizabeth put her skills as a trained chef to work to develop great-tasting as well as healthy gluten-free substitutes. The Pure Pantry’s website, http://www.thepurepantry.com, features recipes, an online store, and resources for the gluten-free community. I highly recommend checking out their mixes for your gluten-free baking.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info