GREEK TEA AND A GREEK SPINACH PILAF

Chamomile Flowers via Wikipedia
under GNU Free Documentation License

Camomile Tea
Preparation:
Bring hot water to a roiling boil. Water should be at 183 degrees fahrenheit for tea. Pour some of the water into your teapot and swirl to warm the pot. Place one heaping teaspoon of  dried camomile per cup into your teapot. Add boiling water.  Put the cover on the pot and allow to steep for about five minutes.  Sweeten with Greek Honey.






Gluten-free Spinach Pilaf, Spanakorizo
The recipe:
Serves two as a main dish
1 pound of spinach
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh, sweet butter
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup of Lundberg Brown Jasmine Rice
1 tablespoon tomato paste (in a pinch use a quality, gluten-free ketchup*
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon dried mint
1/2 cup feta cheese

Put the spinach in a drainer and rinse it thoroughly several times with cold water.
Put the olive oil and butter in a pan that is large enough to hold the spinach.  Over a low heat slowly brown the onions. When they begin to get golden, add the spinach. Cover the pan and cook until the spinach wilts, which will take about five minutes. Add the rice, tomato paste, the seasonings, and 3/4 cup of water. Stir well, bring to a boil, cover the pan and lower the heat.  Simmer for about one-half hour or until the rice is tender.  Serve hot with crumbled feta on top.

*"Organicville's Ketchup is USDA certified organic, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and contains no added sugar. With less sodium than other brands, our ketchup is fat and cholesterol free, and is also an excellent source of lycopene. Organic ketchups have higher levels of lycopene and anti-oxidant activities than other brands tested." OrganicVille A definate thumbs-up on this one.

Whole Foods' brand ketchup is also a good gluten-free ketchup. However, it is not produced in a dedicated plant.

Dedicated facility: one that produces only wheat-and-gluten free products, thus eliminating the potential for cross contamination.

Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

JUST 4U: Peet's Coffee & Tea on Gluten-Free

Patricia Crosstown at Public Domain Pictures.net. 

I appreciate this guest post - which originally appeared on Musing by Moonlight - from Lindsey at Peet's HQ.  There are more things on their coffee-and-tea menu for those of us who have to go gluten-free than I thought. Thanks, Lindsey!

I too have to avoid gluten, and I am glad that I can share the following information with [Brooklyn in Translation] readers. Our teas, and herbals (black, green Oolong, white, and herbals) are made without gluten ingredients. The only exception would be our Genmai Cha that contains roasted rice kernels, so this tea would contain rice gluten, which is generally considered "safe gluten". In addition I would like to share that all of our coffees themselves are gluten-free. Our Dutch Cocoa powder and syrup are both made without gluten ingredients. Our syrup is a mixture of sweeteners and Dutch Cocoa(which is ground cocoa) as well. The additional ingredients used in our various bar beverages (milk, Freddo powder, cocoa powder, and all of our other syrups) are all made without gluten ingredients. Our Pacific Soy Milk is made with organic soybeans, is both gluten-free, and casein free.

Jamie's Spanish-Coffee Recipe: Sugar a mug by dipping the rim in orange juice and then granulated sugar.  Blend six oz. of hot, freshly made Peet's Espresso Forté with 1 teaspoon sugar, a 1/2 oz. Tia Maria, and a 1/2 oz. rum. Pour coffee mixture into the mug. Top with freshly whipped, unsweetened cream and a gluten-free maraschino cherry.


Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

GF CINNAMON SUGAR DONUTS, Truly Good

As I write this, these donuts - delicious - are on sale for a dollar off at Whole Foods. They usually run about six dollars. There are six to a package. This might then be the time to try them if you never have before.


Kinnikinnick Foods' Cinnamon Sugar Donuts are probably as close to a cake-like wheat donut as we're likely to get.  They're addictive. I even take one in a plastic bag when I meet friends for coffee. (None of our local cafes offer gluten-free baked goods yet. One does continue to hope... ) You'll find these GF donuts in the frozen food case at select groceries. Link here to find a store in your area.

Kinnikinnick also manufactures chocolate and vanilla iced donuts. I didn't eat iced donuts before I was diagnosed, so I'm not inclined to try them now. However, I suspect that if you liked iced donuts before your dietary restrictions, you might very well enjoy these.


The donuts are wheat-and-gluten, soy, and dairy free.  There is an allergy warning for nuts and sesame.  They are manufactured in a dedicated facility*.


Dedicated facility: one that produces only wheat-and-gluten free products, thus eliminating the potential for cross contamination.


Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

GREAT AMERICAN DINE OUT

From September 19 -25, Share Our Strength in concert with restaurants across the country, will implement the first-ever Great American Dine Out. Learn how you can help beat childhood hunger in America.

THE SHAME OF OUR COUNTRY: One-in-four children are hungry today. Over fourteen million children live in poverty. Almost half the children in our country will receive food stamps at some point during their lives. Our currently weak economy has put families which were formerly stable at risk. Learn more about how you can help by spreading the word, making donations, involving your restaurant, and/or initiating or participating in a neighborhood bake sale for The Great American Bakesale by visiting Share Our Strength's site.

The percentage of Americans struggling below the poverty line in 2009 was the highest it has been in 15 years, the Census Bureaure ported Thursday, and interviews with poverty experts and aid groups said the increase appeared to be continuing this year.

With the country in its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, four million additional Americans found themselves in poverty in 2009, with the total reaching 44 million, or one in seven residents. Millions more were surviving only because of expanded unemployment insurance and other assistance. MORE [New York Times, September 16, 2010.

The Mission Statement:

Share Our Strength® is the leading national organization working to make sure that no kid grows up hungry in America. We use the funds raised through programs like Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out® to support No Kid Hungry™, our national campaign to end childhood hunger in America.

Through No Kid Hungry, we fund the most effective anti-hunger organizations across the country, connect needy children and their families with nutritious food, teach families how to cook healthy on a budget,and provide leadership that brings together public and private decision-makers to end childhood hunger, state by state. Through all these means, we are working to ensure that all of America’s children have nutritious food where they live, learn and play. Get involved with the Great American Dine Out and make a difference.