Factory on Film!

Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Food Allergy Friendly Shopping, Food Allergy Recipes, Gluten Free, Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy Eating, Kosher Pareve, Vegan, allergy friendly shopping by Lucy

Well, you probably know our story already.  Yet, if you’d like to hear it again and also see our amazing cookie factory, check this video out!  I’ll tell you more about how we provide the highest quality in gluten free and allergy friendly cookies.

Check out our beautiful 320 quart mixer, “Mag”, that works like a dream.  See our awesome staff busily making cookies for you.  See our two roll-in rack ovens that together can bake 2000 delicious, crispy cookies in 15 minutes.

Remember, Lucy’s are certified vegan, kosher pareve and gluten free.  They’re all natural, contain many organic ingredients and have 0g trans fat and 0mg cholesterol.  Yummy.

Cookies are coming your way!  Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake!

Posted in Posted in Food Allergy Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Kosher Pareve, Vegan Recipes by Lucy

This is one of my two favorite gluten-free, vegan cakes.  As you know, it is hard to make a cake without wheat flour, dairy butter and eggs.  The trick to making this chocolate cake is carrots!  A secret ingredient!  Yes, carrots!  Don’t tell the kids.

In gluten free, vegan baking my first real cake success was with carrot cake.  I realized that the carrots actually add structure, they don’t just make it a carrot cake.  So, I decided to develop a chocolate cake recipe including carrots.  I also thank the cocoa for adding structure in this recipe.  It really helps too.  The results are pretty amazing.

I proudly serve this at any dinner party, and get rave reviews from everyone; even folks with no dietary restrictions.  Follow this link to a cooking video where I am making this yummy cake with Dan Kohler, Alternative Appetites Chef for the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.  Enjoy!

Lucy’s Gluten Free, Vegan Chocolate Cake

• 2/3 cup soy milk (You may use other types of milk instead.)
• 3 Tablespoons Ener-G (brand) Egg Replacer (If you would rather use eggs, the soy milk and Ener-G egg replacer can be omitted and replaced with two to three whole eggs.  For another vegan option, instead of using soy milk and Ener-G Egg Replacer, use ¼ cup ground flax meal and add directly with the oil and sugar.  Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds.)
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 2 cups of your favorite gluten free flour mix (A blend of garbanzo, potato starch and tapioca starch in roughly a 5:3:2 ratio works great.  Or, use a blend that you already like. If you decide to use a flour/baking mix that is pre-prepared with baking soda, baking powder and salt, take care not to add these again into the recipe. )
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½  cups grated the lightly pureed carrots (Lightly packed.)
• ½ cup orange marmalade (A smoother, less chunky brand works better.)
• 3/4 cup canola oil (You can use a little less if you like a drier cake.)
• 1 ½ cup sugar (I use organic evaporated cane juice.)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with shortening and a dusting of flour mix.  I use organic palm oil shortening to grease the pans and then shake in sifted flour blend, dumping excess flour once the pans are covered lightly.

If you are using the Ener-G egg replacer and soy milk blend suggested above, prepare that now so it will have time to “bloom” into a sticky egg-like substance.  For this, I heat 2/3 cup soymilk in the microwave for about 22 seconds, then stir in the egg replacer.  Use a fork to whisk it so that no clumps are remaining.  Set aside to bloom!

Combine the cocoa and boiling water and mix with a fork or whisk until smooth.  Allow to cool.

Sift together the dry ingredients, including the xanthan gum and salt.

Grate and puree carrots using a food processor, then briefly pulse in the marmalade.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine canola oil, sugar, vanilla, orange juice, Egg Replacer and soy milk blend (or eggs, or flax meal if you so chose), cocoa mixture.  Mix for about 30 seconds.

Now, at a low mixer speed, add dry ingredients gradually in thirds.  Mix only until blended and smooth; then briefly blend in carrot and marmalade mixture.

Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes.  A toothpick or metal skewer inserted in the middle of the cakes should come out clean to indicate doneness.

When baking is complete, cool cakes for at least 10 minutes in pans on a cooling rack then remove from pans to finish cooling.

Now, use your favorite icing to finish.  I make a vegan version of “cream cheese” icing.  (Recipe below.)  It’s delicious and looks great!

Lucy’s Gluten-Free Vegan “Cream Cheese” Icing

This easy to make icing spreads beautifully and tastes great.  The most important tricks for success are careful sifting of the powdered sugar, and adequate blending of ingredients with a heavy duty mixer and whisk attachment.

• 2 cups Organic Palm Oil Shortening
• One 7 oz. container of Vegan Cream Cheese
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1½  teaspoon Orange Extract
• 3/16 teaspoon Salt
• About 7 cups Gluten Free Powdered Sugar (Sifted thoroughly!) (This is about one 2 lb bag!)

(You may want to add more or less powdered sugar, depending on the taste and texture you prefer for your frosting.  You can also adjust the flavorings and salt to suit your tastes.)

Combine the shortening, vegan cream cheese, salt, vanilla and orange flavoring together the mixer and whisk on high speed for about one minute until smooth.  Then gradually add the sifted powdered sugar on slow speed until blended, running mixer at about 20 to 30 second intervals.  Lastly, whisk the finished mix on high speed for added fluff.

This makes a large amount of icing so you are sure to have a beautiful cake, no matter how thick you like the icing.  You may decide to reduce the recipe in the future if too much is left over.

Add a thick layer of frosting to the top of your base cake layer, stack your second layer on top and finish.  If you are new to icing cakes, I highly recommend that you invest in two baker’s icing spatulas.  One should be about 11 inches long and about 1.5 inches wide.  The other, 8 inches long and narrower.  They are inexpensive and will make the job much easier and the result more appealing!  You’ll know which one to use for which parts of the job once you’ve tried them a few times!

Best wishes for your special occasion!

Thanksgiving — More Matters

Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Gluten Free, Healthy Eating, Kosher Pareve, News, Vegan by Lucy

Most of us allow ourselves to indulge a little over the holidays and come New Year’s Day, we’re looking for ways to maintain healthy weight and help our children develop good eating habits.

This holiday season, instead of focusing on what we should be eating less of, perhaps we’re better off shifting the focus to what we should be eating more of.  Fill up on veggies and you’ll be set to consume just the right amount of dessert.  No more, no less.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed that last year about one-third of U.S. adults consumed fruit or fruit juice at least twice a day, down slightly from more than 34 percent in 2000.  About 26 percent of Americans ate vegetables three or more times a day, the same results as reported in 2000.  So, only one quarter to one third of us are eating anywhere close to enough of these amazing plants.  To help us all eat more of these great foods the CDC established the Fruits and Veggies – More Matters! Program. It’s based on a simple premise—more fruits and vegetables matter.  They are:

• Low in calories
• High in fiber
• May reduce risk of many diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers
• Rich in vitamins and minerals that help you feel healthy and energized
• Probably ease the effects of aging
• Can be a helpful part of maintaining a healthy weight and managing or avoiding development of diabetes and other diseases that result from being overweight.

Our family is going to start this holiday season off with healthy habits that include less worry about enjoying a few treats and instead focus on including more fruits and veggies.   We’re adding a veggie appetizer, two more vegetable side dishes and a fruit desert to our Thanksgiving menu.  If we start now, when the New Year comes around, our resolutions might have nothing to do with improving our diet.  Here are some recipe ideas:  green beans, roasted vegetables, salad.

Of note, if you’re managing a special diet, fruits and veggies can provide a rich, nutritious and tasty alternative to many common challenges.  If cheese and crackers should be avoided, try roasted eggplant instead.

Want to join in the Fruits and Veggies—More Matters Program?  Visit the CDC’s site for lots of health and nutrition information, including a fruits and veggie serving calculator.

Summer Food Safety

Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Gluten Free, Kosher Pareve, News, Vegan by Lucy

For most of us summer fun includes gathering with friends and family around the scrumptious flavors of the season.  Whether you’re cooking on the grill in your own backyard, packing a picnic basket for the beach or filling your backpack for a hike—it’s good to take a few minutes this summer to review some food safety tips.  Plus with the prevalence of food allergies and celiac disease, it might be nice to think about what steps to take for guests with special dietary requirements.

Here are 7 tips for food safety this summer:

1.  When packing your cooler for a long trip, you might consider freezing some food items ahead of time.  This will more likely keep your items at a safe temperature in transport and can help your entire cooler function better as a cold spot.  Remember that a cooler full of cold or frozen items will maintain lower temperatures better than a partially filled cooler.  Pack high, even if it’s just by adding a bag of ice cubes or frozen juice boxes  serving double-time as ice cubes.

2.  If you’re taking produce on the road, try washing all salad ingredients and fruits or vegetables before packing and find a cool place for transport.

3.  If running water is not available remember to take along hand wipes or hand sanitizers that don’t require water to clean hands before and after working with food.

4.  Wash hands, utensils, and other food contact surfaces using soap and warm/hot water after contact with raw meat or poultry.  If you’re taking meats to grill at the park or beach, consider getting them ready while you’re at home.  Taking pre-formed burgers or trimmed chicken from a container prepared at home surely beats tangling with preparation while you’re away.  Remember to use fresh utensils and plates to turn items and for removing food from the grill.

5.  If you’re cooking for someone with food allergies, think ahead about any marinades you might be planning to use.  Check to see if all ingredients are acceptable.  You might be surprised at how many marinades contain gluten or nuts.  Clean your grill surface well, and segregate any foods that might contain allergens of concern (including cheese that might be added to hamburgers).   Use a separate utensil and plate when handling the food that must avoid allergens.  You might consider inviting your guest to assist with cooking his or her special item.  This might increase everyone’s sense of comfort regarding safety.

6.  Cook foods to proper temperatures.  As a refresher, you can review minimum cooking temperatures here.  Don’t forget to pack your meat thermometer if you’re travelling.

7.  Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours when the temperature in the food serving area is below 90° F, within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90° F.  Getting food back into the fridge promptly is always a good idea.  Produce and leftovers will last longer.

For more great tips on food safety, visit the US Health and Human Services website on food safety.  Happy grilling!