More of these types of blog sharing posts have been showing up lately. Love the idea! Please check it out.
It’s National Cat Day??????
Why didn’t somebody tell me?
Thought for Today
Thought for Today
You cannot think negatively and live positively any more than you can plant apple seeds and expect to harvest oranges. — Tommy Newberry
Thought for Today
“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.” — Robert H. Schuller
Is Spelt Gluten Free?
I have recently been seeing more and more “gluten free” recipes calling for spelt flour. With the holidays approaching when people will be doing more baking I decided to tackle this issue.
The short answer to the question “Is spelt gluten free?” is no. The FDA in Questions and Answers on the Gluten-Free Labeling Proposed Rule explains the use of the word gluten in relation to Celiac Disease in this way:
“In the context of celiac disease, the term “gluten” is used to collectively refer to gluten in wheat, and to the proteins in other grains that have been demonstrated to cause harmful health effects in individuals who have celiac disease. These grains are wheat (including different varieties such as spelt and kamut), rye, barley, cross-bred hybrids (e.g., triticale, which is a cross between wheat and rye), and possibly oats.”
The FDA has declared that spelt must be labeled on products as wheat since it and wheat come from the same genus, Triticum. The Mayo Clinic, The Celiac Disease Foundation and a White Paper on the Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods are just a few of the sources that corroborate this definition of spelt as a cross-bred hybrid of wheat which contains gluten.
So if you live with Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance stop before grabbing the spelt flour for your holiday baking. No, spelt is NOT gluten free.
Also keep in mind that this is not just a problem with spelt. The list below from 12 Tips for Gluten Free Living #5: Learn Other Names and Forms of Wheat includes varieties and hybrids of wheat, trademarked names for wheat and wheat products, flours and products or ingredients made from wheat. This list is just intended to get you started, there are more.
- Kamut®
- Triticale
- Spelt
- Semolina
- Graham Flour
- Bulgur
- Farina®
- Couscous
- Seitan
But don’t worry there are other grains that are gluten free including but not limited to this list from 12 Tips for Gluten Free Living #6: Get to Know your Gluten Free Grains
- Rice (Check out the many different varieties)
- Quinoa
- Amaranth
- Millet
- Teff
- Buckwheat (Don’t worry about the name, it is from the rhubarb family, not wheat)
- Sorghum
For my baking I most often use a blend of brown rice flour and Bob’s Red Mill Baking flour with a little buckwheat flour. Try experimenting with different blends or commercial blends and you will find your favorites.
For more information check out The Spin on Spelt from Shirley at Gluten Free Easily.
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Rogene Robbins has been living gluten free for over 10 years for health reasons. For her thoughts on gluten free living as well as more gluten free recipes check out The Gluten Free Good Life and Have Yourself a Healthy Little Holiday, both available at Espirational Books.
Thought for Today
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t
help them, at least don’t hurt them.
– The Dalai Lama
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Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
Did someone say cake?
Copyright 2015 by R.A. RobbinsI love a good challenge. Some of my best works of art have come from challenges requiring working around a theme, colors, materials, techniques etc. So several years ago when I was invited to participate in a recipe challenge using caramel and apples I was ready to give it a go. After dreaming about mouth-watering caramel apple donuts, dip and other goodies I decided to try a caramel apple upside down cake.
This wonderful, slightly decadent cake is perfect for fall entertaining, including Thanksgiving dinner. It has become one of our favorites. Of course this cake is gluten-free, but your guests will never know unless you tell them.
Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients:
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 apples, sliced thin — core removed, but I don’t peel mine
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cups agave nectar (or 1/3 cup sugar)
1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal dissolved in 3 Tablespoons hot water (or 1 egg)
1/3 cup molasses
1 ½ cup buckwheat flour
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup warm water
Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
Put butter or margarine in round 9 inch cake pan and place in oven while preheating.
When butter or margarine is melted, remove from oven. Sprinkle walnuts and brown sugar over bottom of pan and arrange apple slices overlapping over top.
Mix together applesauce, agave nectar, flaxseed mixture and molasses.
Add flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder and soda to wet ingredients, mixing well. Add water and continue beating to incorporate into mixture.
Spread batter over apples. You may need to use a spatula or wet, clean hands to smooth the batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan. To remove from pan place serving plate over cake pan and invert.
Serve warm.
Of course you may “guild the lily” with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Serves 8
For more of my gluten free recipes check out The Gluten Free Good Life and Have Yourself a Healthy Little Holiday, both available at Espirational Books.
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This post is shared with:
Thought for Today
“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” — The Dalai Lama
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_peace.html
Tools for Defeating Fear: Watch Yourself Online
The internet can be a wonderful tool, but it is just that… a tool. As a tool it is neither good or evil in itself, but can be used for either.
With the advent of the Internet Age, we now have access to more information than ever before. We also have access to that information quicker than ever before. Now it is possible to watch news stories as they are still unfolding. This often results in misinformation going out before all the details have yet to be learned.
It is now also possible for anyone to declare themselves a journalist, writer or online personality and start sharing news or opinions through blogs, podcasts and other online media. With this we find the lines between trustworthy sources and not so trustworthy ones being blurred.
Add to the above the possibility of anonymity online paired with social pressure and things can get out of hand quickly. If you read and believe everything that comes across your screen you find yourself at some time or other experiencing extreme anger or fear.
So how do we protect ourselves online?
- Remember when you access information via the internet from your home, you are inviting people, information and events into your home. You are inviting strangers into your home, your head and your heart. Guard your home as well as your head and your heart. Don’t allow things in through the computer that you would not allow in through your front door.
- Carefully screen and select breaking news, headlines or other information coming to you. Some days there is just so much going on that if you get alerts or headlines on your homepage you may get quite overwhelmed. Choose the types of stories you really want to follow and the sources you trust.
- When tragedy strikes, which is becoming all too familiar, do not stay glued to the story for hours or days, soaking up every little detail. As difficult as it may be, life does go on. The news can stop you in your tracks if you let it.
- Choose your online “friends” and people you “follow” carefully. We all know that many online friends are actually strangers right? They may not even be who we think they are and many certainly do not have your best interest in mind. As an artist and writer I have two different types of social media accounts. First, I have the public ones for the creative work I do, such as my Facebook Page. Then I also have my personal Facebook account which I limit mostly to family and neighbors. I have a small number of followers and they get to see the real me. I might share anything from my favorite recipes, to my current art projects, to catching up on family news, to updates on Bob’s health, to political views (yes, I do have them). My other social media accounts are much less personal.
- Avoid jumping on “bandwagons” and getting caught up in emotional “mob scenes” online. Don’t find yourself following an angry crowd into doing or saying something you would never do on your own.
- Bookmark or subscribe to your go-to websites and blogs for positive news, articles and encouragement. There are more of us out there then your might think. Of course we hope you will remember us when your soul needs a vacation.
Bob and I are quite active online. We use the internet as a tool for communication as well as information and research. Please keep in mind as you are online, the internet is only a tool. Whether you use it for good or evil is up to you.
espirational.com 