Christmas Treats No Regifting Required!

Happy Holidays from your Registered Dietitian.  I have seen many people suffering with a mucosal malabsorption called celiac disease. This is an immunologic sensitivity to gliadin. The villa in the small intestine are fewer in number and therefore have  less enzymes available to absorb wheat,  buckwheat, rye and barley.  Wanted to showcase a couple of items that are good products for this allergy. Here is a chocolate roulade cake filled with whipped cream and garnished with candied fruit or fresh fruit.  It is not difficult to do! I have found Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Chocolate Cake mix which is baked in a jelly roll pan.  When cooled, splash some rum or non alcoholic spirits over the cake, filled with  non dairy or real whipped cream and rolled into log. The log is covered with whipped cream and cocoa is sprinkled on the top of the log. A gluten- free Buche de Noel.

SUPERMARKET PICKS Schar Gluten free bread and  Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix.

Yes we do have fruitcake on the blog but this one is spicy and a cross between a cake and a bread like a quick bread.  Also a meatless mince meat pie -oh you did not know there was meat in the pie? Well in the Middle Ages they put meat in everything with sugar to preserve the food but  NO FEARS! This is a great fruit tart with lattice work including our insoluble and soluble fiber friend the apple with orange zest, raisins, chopped pears, spices with a little brown sugar or stevia as a sweetener substitute. Try it.

MINCE MEAT (LESS) TART

• 4 apples peeled  cored and finely chopped (2 granny smith and 2 golden delicious)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1 pear chopped finely
• 2 teaspoons of brandy
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/8  teaspoon of cloves
• 1 tablespoon  orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees .Add all the ingredients together in a food processor and chop for 2-3 pulses. Pour in a bowl and cover with wrap and refrigerate for 3 -4 days mixing with a spoon everyday. Let the flavors combine and pour into a prepared pie shell reserving the top pie dough to be rolled out and cut into strips and overlapped into a criss- cross design on top of pie. Bake until the fruit is bubbly and crust is golden about 50 minutes.

PAIN d’ EPICE Spice Bread adapted from the NY TIMES Recipe

• 1 cup of hot water
• 1 cup of honey
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup of rum (optional)
• 1 1 /2 teaspoons of anise seed
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups of rye flour
• 1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup currants or raisins
• Zest of a 1/2 orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix honey and water, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda,  and stir to dissolve. Add rum, spices and one cup of flour and white flour. Stir until smooth and add the rest of the flours and combine.  Add the zest and currants. Use cooking spray on 3 small 6 inch by 3 inch loaf pans.  Fill pans 2/3 full and bake for approximately 40 minutes until a large crack appears in the center and the loaves are light brown.  Let cool in pans and invert. Wrap in aluminum foil and serve 3-4 days later.

Toast points with Sundried Tomatoes, Cherry tomatoes and Fresh basil

• 6  slices of  Schar Gluten Free white bread  ciabatta or gluten free toasted
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 sundried tomatoes sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
• 3 basil leaves shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 kalamata olives pitted and finely chopped

Mix all the ingredients together and marinate for several hours. Place a spoonful on toast  with cracked black pepper and shred basil leaves over the toast points.