Gluten-Free Blog

Eating Gluten Free in Sitges, Spain

Sitges is a beachside community about 30 minutes south of Barcelona via train. It is simply lovely, and we started our vacation there with a mind toward unwinding before tackling a bustling city. That was absolutely the right call, and many times during our week in Barcelona, we wondered why we hadn’t made the call to remain in Sitges and take the train back and forth…we will definitely go back! Continue reading “Eating Gluten Free in Sitges, Spain”

Is a Gluten-Free Diet Bad for You?

Lately, I’ve been seeing articles and headlines that suggest a gluten-free diet is unhealthy or even harmful. Digging into those articles reveals facts the link bait headlines don’t: essentially that a gluten-free diet is no more healthy or unhealthy than any other diet.

As we all know, being gluten free — and I do not believe one can be anything less than 100% gluten free — means avoiding all forms of wheat, barley, and rye. This means the whole grains, grains mixed into other products, flours, thickeners, whatever form these grains take. If you are gluten free, particularly for health reasons, none of these grains, in any form, should ever be ingested. Continue reading “Is a Gluten-Free Diet Bad for You?”

Chile Verde

I love chile verde, and, despite all the steps in the recipe below, it’s pretty easy to make. A long, slow simmer on the stove (or, heck, you could do this in a 225 degree oven, if you prefer) brings lots of flavors together. The pork will be falling apart, and the whole dish is tangy with just a hint of heat.

While pork is traditional, chicken is also an option. My recipe for Chicken Chile Verde is right here.

Greens with Baked Eggs

I do love my greens, and I love this dish. It can be spicy, warm, tangy, or even creamy. Use lots of greens to make this a full mean for Meatless Monday, or reduce the amounts for a side dish.

While I’ve noted that you can use any type of greens you wish, I find I get the most satisfaction from spinach and chard. They are “wetter”, meaning you don’t need to add a lot of extra liquid while cooking down the greens. Kale and collard greens will need more liquid to braise until suitably tender.

Note: once you’ve made this dish once, you will crave it all the time!

My Green Love Affair

As a child, I wouldn’t get anywhere near spinach. It came in cans and was disgusting. I believe every child in the world, at that time, would agree with my scientific assessment of spinach’s flaws. I grew up as part of a generation force-fed vegetables stripped of all their dignity. Later, I learned, there are veggies you can eat that are crunchy, fresh, not overly salted, and delicious!

My world changed. Continue reading “My Green Love Affair”

Bowls of Stuff

When Los Angeles Times food critic wrote a review about a restaurant in my area, he used the term “Things in a Bowl” to describe the restaurant’s offerings. Things. In. A. Bowl. This has become my favorite notion, though I sometimes rephrase it by saying “Bowls of Stuff”. Gold’s definition is simple: grains/rice/pasta, poached egg, and kale.

My definition is pretty close to Gold’s, though I mix up my greens a lot more. Not that there’s anything wrong with kale, but I love collards, chard, spinach (oh, do I love spinach!), and even beet or radish greens. And I like to fry or bake my eggs as often as I like to poach them. And I tend to add a bit more protein (meat or tofu) because I am a proteinaholic. Continue reading “Bowls of Stuff”