My favorite GF foods and restaurants...

Hello everyone! I thought I'd send an update out letting folks know I've added two new lists to my blog: favorite products and favorite restaurants. The restaurants I've listed have shown exceptional knowledge and service regarding gluten-free options. This said, if you're gluten-free, it's important to always notify the server you have an allergy or intolerance. For now, these restaurants are located in the Portland, OR area. I hope to expand the list to other cities soon! As I learn of new excellent products (or remember old favorites), I'll update the list. Please leave comments if you have questions.

Thanks for reading!

Fig Jam and Breakfast Cakes

What an awesome combination!

Super easy and delicious fig jam -- the ginger flavor is strong, so use less unless you're a huge fan (like me). Mix all ingredients in a crockpot or slow cooker. I cooked the jam for five hours on low, and it turned out perfectly!

• 2 lbs figs (peeled and chopped)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbs candied ginger
• 1 lemon, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 1/2 cup water

I made the Salvadoran Breakfast Cakes again, with a few modifications. I split the batter in half and made two batched. In the "sweet" version, I used lowfat yogurt instead of sour cream and sheep's milk pecorino instead of cotija cheese. For the "savory" version, I used the same ingredients but added smoked maple cheddar (about 2 tbs), chopped chives (about 1 tbs), and sauteed onions (1/8 of a white onion), and habanero salt (1 tsp). The results were awesome, and the fig jam was delicious on both varieties.

Til soon!

Figs

I love figs. Figs are some of my favorite food in the world. I was thrilled when a friend told me I could come over and pick as many as I wanted. These are beautiful, ripe green figs, fresh from the tree.

The first thing I made was broiled figs with honey, goat cheese, and marcona almonds. This is an extremely simple recipe: slice figs in half, drizzle with honey, add a dollop of goat cheese (chevre), and one marcona almond. Broil for approximately three minutes, or until the top of the fig is lightly caramelized.

Next, we made one jar of pickled figs. Also a simple recipe: water, sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar, and figs. Boil equal parts vinegar and water. Add one tablespoon salt, two tablespoons of sugar. Put figs in jar, and fill to top with the hot liquid. Keep figs in fridge. We'll see how these turn out!

Pies! Blackberry & Blackberry Peach

Delicious pies! It was a lovely, warm rainy evening, perfect for pie making. I admit, the crusts were pre-made from Whole Foods, but the filling is made from the blackberries we picked over the weekend. Special thanks to Mary for sharing her pie-making skills!

Here's the recipe for the very simple, no-cook filling (makes 2 pies):

• 6 cups blackberries
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 2 tbs melted butter
• optional: fresh peach slices

Mix all ingredients together until incorporated, fill pie crust, and bake according to crust type.

This is a great filling recipe for "normal" pies, too!

Blackberries!

So apparently it's too early for peaches in Portland. However, I was lucky enough to spend this beautiful day on Sauvie Island (a short drive from Portland), and u-pick blackberries were perfectly ripe and sun-warmed. It was quite idyllic. Enjoy the photos, and I'll post what create with the berries. Yum.

Crackers and White Bean Spread

So, today was a bad day for a baking project -- the first day we've hit 90 degrees in Portland! However, I set out to make crackers, and I did! Thanks to Shauna James Ahern's great recipe.

I also made white bean spread -- super delicious! Both the cracker and spread recipe are from the Gluten Free Girl and The Chef cookbook, and seriously, anyone who has any interest in eating a gluten-free diet should own this cookbook!

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

Looking forward to picking peaches tomorrow...

Fruit!

The best gluten-free food in the world is fruit. And all fruit is gluten-free. Lucky for me, Portland is one of the best places in the world for fruit (literally). Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and finally, peaches! I'm so excited to pick peaches on Sauvie Island this weekend. I hope to find some lavender too!

Summertime BBQ!

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the barbecue of a dear friend. We were celebrating her graduation from graduate school (congratulations, Monique!)

There were tons of gluten-free options (thank you, Monique!).

Some of my favorites were carrots, grilled and glazed with GF soy sauce, honey, and olive oil. A new favorite of mine will be grilled corn with miso butter and togarashi spice. So delicious!

We also enjoyed some standards, such as Polish sausage, veggie kabobs, and cabbage salad with peanut dressing.

I brought these little cake things called Salvadoran Breakfast Cakes, credit to Sasha's Global Table Adventures for the recipe (which is so good and simple to make).

I made the original version, and also created a savory version. This cakes pass the gluten test (meaning non-Celiacs think they're delicious, too!). I highly recommend you try these!

For the savory version, I added habanero salt, chives, minced garlic, and extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Gluten-Free Foods in France

France. Beautiful, beautiful France. I had the immense pleasure of spending ten days in Provence with family. I'm happy to report a number of delicious French foods are GF, despite the abundance of gluten-filled pastries and breads. Here are a few gluten-free French foods to tempt you:

• wine! delicious wine, especially rose...a provencal specialty
• olives (black, covered in herbes de provence)
• cheese ( so many cheeses! from camembert to chevre)
• sausage (think delicious salami, with figs and pepper)
• summer fruits (cherries, berries, and melons)
• exquisite thick yogurt
• eggs (oeufs!) on everything
• macarons! with delicious fillings

Getting started...

Hi all!

After much deliberation, I've decided to start blogging about my eating adventures in Portland and around the world...

To commemorate this new blog, I'm happy to report I've finally purchased the cookbook Gluten Free Girl and the Chef. I love Shauna's blog, and I'm so excited to read the cookbook.

I look forward to posting frequently about awesome GF restaurants in Portland, new recipes I come across, and eating in different cities across the world and in the U.S.

Thanks for reading!

Anna