When the moon hits your eye...

I know this is weird....I have never really liked pizza.

At elementary school and middle school slumber parties my friends were all so excited when they knew pizza was just a doorbell away. So I played along. I would jump up and down with excitement when the awkward pizza boy came to the door. But after eating one slice I felt bloated, gassy, and crampy. I was amazed that my friends could eat 4 or 5 slices- a whole pizza even! Little did I know that a little protein called gluten was waging war on my intestines.

Pizza night at my house left me eating one slice to appease my parents and then eating bowls of cereal later on after they had gone to bed.

In college the way to get any student to attend a meeting, join a club, or to get them to attend church was to lure them in with fliers boasting "Free Pizza". This never worked on me.

I can't say I never ate pizza in college though- as many of my friends frequented a place called "Decent Pizza" that actually had great pizza. Lots of fresh ingredients like zucchini, eggplant, roasted garlic, and ricotta cheese. I occasionally indulged. I found it to be enjoyable- that is until my insides started hurting.

I just decided I didn't like pizza, and I never would.

Until now...

I'll use the word now loosely, as in the last 2 years I have eaten quite a bit of pizza. The difference being- pizza I make myself. I used my hands to mold the herbed dough into odd shapes, fresh mozzarella cut into slices and melted on top of the tomato sauce, toppings I chopped on my cutting board just minutes before they went in the oven. I was love my pizza- but it still wasn't loving me back. Now I know that Celiac was to blame.

On my first gluten free shopping trip I stumbled across Gillian's Foods Gluten-Free Pizza Dough in the freezer section at Whole Foods. I decided I would give it a go and boy was I glad I did! The dough had to be rolled out with a rolling pin instead of the traditional methods of pushing stretching and for the talented- throwing. Once I pulled my pizza piled with ingredients out of the oven I knew it was going to be good and I could leave my gluten filled dough in the past.

The crust was nice and crispy on the edges and just enough softness in the middle. I could have GF Pizza that was delicious! Pizza that left me joyful while making it, eating, AND digesting it. That's something I can smile about! So until I get my stand mixer and can make my own pizza dough- thank heavens there is Gillian's Foods Gluten-Free Pizza Dough when I need a slice- or a pie.

I <3 NYC

I am very fortunate to live in New York City.

Walking down the street in my neighborhood allows me to here a handful of different languages being spoken. I can pop into the MoMa on my lunch break to take a look at the Picassos, Rauschenbergs, and Warhols if I choose. The subways and buses will get me anywhere I wish without having to fill up a tank (and with gas prices now- thank god!). The Celiac Disease Research Center at Columbia where I see my Celiac Specialist Doctors is a subway ride away. And above the access to many different types of foods is endless.

Many specialty food stores dot this city with helpful and knowledgeable staff, people who feel just as passionately about food as I do- and then some. I am so very lucky to have access to a gluten free bakery minutes from my work and a beer shop that carries over 200 types of beer- even some I can safely drink. There are plenty of places beyond Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to purchase my gluten free foods.

To my delight, many of the restaurants I enjoyed before I was diagnosed with Celiac have a gluten free menu upon request! How lucky am I?!

The day after my endoscopy- day 2 of the Gluten Free lifestyle (it's not just a diet, is it?) I had mac-n-cheese. Ooey Gooey goodness that is mac-n-cheese from a wonderful place called S'mac

I had the Mediterranean - Goat cheese, sauteed spinach, kalamata olives, and roasted garlic and GLUTEN FREE MACARONI. As I ordered my mac-n-cheese gluten free I was abruptly shaken out of my personal heaven when the man behind the counter asked if I wanted bread crumbs on top. What? I tried to hold back my tone of annoyance when I told him, "I ordered gluten free- bread crumbs have gluten in them." The cheerful man simple explained that in order to cut down on the cross contamination they only have gluten free breadcrumbs. My annoyance melted into sheer joy as I realized not only will I have mac-n-cheese but I will have toasted breadcrumbs on top! The meal was amazing- and way too rich for me to eat more than half. I would have never of guessed that the pasta was gluten-free. John even ordered his gluten free so I could taste his Indian mac-n-cheese.

If this is being gluten free- I can't wait to see what's in store for me!

Polenta Towers!

One of my favorite meals is Fried Polenta and Goat Cheese Towers. This is something I made frequently before I was diagnosed with Celiac and lucky for me it is Gluten free!

Prepare polenta per package instructions or purchase the already made polenta in sausage like containers (found in the pasta isle at your grocery store) cut into 1 1/2" slices and fry in a pan coated with olive oil. Fry both sides until it turns golden brown and is slightly crunchy. Put in paper towel to absorb the extra oil. Make the stacks by spreading goat cheese on a polenta slice(I like using the herb varieties) then layering a tomato on top of the cheese, add another polenta slice on top of that and add another smear of goat cheese. Add a few fresh basil leaves and drizzle with some balsamic vinaigrette (make sure it's GF) and voila! Polenta Towers!

You can get creative with these- adding what ever you like in between the polenta- eggplant, spinach, the possibilities are endless! I have made a few different variations and all have been delicious.

Enjoy!

Pancakes!

This past Sunday was my first attempt at a Gluten Free brunch. On the menu:

Gluten free pancakes with a homemade apple compote and eggs over easy!

I learned that Gluten Free pancakes take much longer to cook than normal pancakes. It ended up being a good thing because it meant I had to let my apple cinnamon compote bubble on the stove which made it much thicker and my whole house smelled super fragrant.

And What would brunch be without a delicious Mimosa to wash it all down with?

What are your favorite brunch foods?

I'm getting dirty...

..in my kitchen of course.

Posts of my adventures in Gluten Free cooking and baking to come soon!