Birthday Cakes, Breakfast bento and pasta, oh my! - First Week of June

Why yes, I am a Whovian!

This week has been a whirlwind to say the very least! My oldest son turned five on Saturday. Now, normally I'd be on top of things, but, I went to the doctor last week and was put on bed rest due to a sinus infection and upper respiratory infection.  So, I planned, but getting things implemented was another story.

Refurbished tins from canned food, inspired by this pin

My son expressed that he wished to have a Disney "Cars"-related birthday. So I went hunting up logos I could print and then tape to some tins I was saving from canned goods.  I made up some gift bags for us to be able to pack away some of the doughnuts and a slice of cake for all the children; and I'd purchased and wrapped a coloring book each for all of the children who were present and had put their names down on them.

Handmade Stoplight Goody Bags

I'd run around and found my doughnut recipe, and got those made up. (Husband failed to get a photo of this, they were delicious nonetheless!) We made organic fruit salad (we'd printed a logo that said "Organic Fuel" that we found here), which was gone by the time the party was over. Wow!

Traffic signs that we incorporated into our decorations

The day rolled on by, and none of the baking except for the doughnuts had been done. The doughnuts were slightly burnt, but I knew we could save them if we could get some chocolate glaze going. I've been keeping packets of chocolate glaze laid by for such an occasion since I do not like chocolate glaze on the boxed cupcakes.

Traffic Cones we used for the party

We had put the youngest to bed so he could nap, and the eldest was running from room to room and kept asking when our guests would arrive.  I realized the doughnuts weren't done and I was starting to freak out, while my husband just puttered around the house looking busy.

We had just enough glaze to ice half of the doughnuts, which meant that I had to make a clear glaze. I thought we had powdered sugar upstairs. I thought wrong! Nope, in the basement and our guests had arrived.

One of our younger guests is allergic to many foods, and I was very concerned about him being able to have something other than the fruit salad at the birthday party; so we decided to make the birthday cake as allergen free as possible.

We'd gotten the party banner up, we'd set out the plates, cups, silver and were just finishing up the cake. The doughnuts were nearing completion and I had a panic attack about the fruit salad after my in laws had arrived and my next set of guests came in the door.

Thank G-d, we got it all done. I apologize for the quality of this photo, as my husband took it rather quickly while children were begging to eat and my oldest really wanted to blow his candles out.

This cake recipe is gluten, egg, dairy, soy and nut free.

The recipe for this cake is originally in German. Below is the translation and the changes I made to it.

Schnelle Schokomuffins ohne Milch und ohne Ei
Author: wuschel-

125g Flour*
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4th teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon guar gum**
65g Sugar
1 packet of Vanillezucker (you can substitute for 1 teaspoon Vanilla)
3 tablespoons of Cocoa***
50ml Oil
100ml Water
1 tablespoon Vinegar

Mix all dry ingredients and then slowly add the wet ingredients while mixing, just until it comes together. Fill in muffin forms and  bake at 180°C for around 20 minutes.
*Use Gluten Free Flour of your choice, this could work with almond flour.
**Guar Gum is my addition.
***If you do not wish the cake to be chocolate, do not add cocoa. Simply add flour in the same amount.

Since we were making this for a sheet cake, we had decided to place baking paper on two cookie sheets and just be really careful about pouring and setting it in the oven. We cooled these on a couple cookie racks and it was ready to go rather quickly.


The icing on the cake is based on Wilton's Buttercream icing, but since I didn't have a lot of time, I modified the recipe slightly and used more rice milk so that it would spread thinner as it had to cover two very thin 9"x13" layers. At this point, I've made Buttercream so much that I don't even use the recipe any longer. We substituted the German Alsan Bio non-dairy butter (Similar to "Earth Balance" in the USA) and I thinned the icing by tripling the milk amount with rice milk.


By Monday, I was STILL beat from Saturday. I overslept, so the children and I stayed home.
Tuesday, I was able to pack bento for the children's breakfast and also for their lunch. I used Tchibo's new lovely snack towers for the children's breakfast.

Roses made with Roast Turkey and Boiled Eggs, a Banana, and Grapes

Rice, Steamed Carrots and Turkey Breast

 The children's lunch was turkey breast (not breaded), steamed carrots, rice and yogurt. I know, not imaginative, and not GAPS-y. I can't change that as our options are limited with the kindergarten. Amazingly though, the children ate 80% of what is in this glass clip box! I'm impressed.

Father in law's birthday card and presents

In addition to kindergarten, Tuesday was my father in law's birthday. So, I was in a bit of a rush to finish his present, which included a handmade card and apple cobbler.  I was in such a rush to complete everything and make it on time to our dinner reservation (as well as sneaking the cobbler into their apartment) that I completely missed getting a photo of it! Noo!!

I figure it will even out in the end considering I plan on making one for us later in the month. ;)



Wednesday, I was able to get out Maultaschen and some snacks for the kids to eat for breakfast.

Maultaschen, made with Trudel Marquardt's Recipe

Below is the translated recipe for Trudel's Maultaschen. Note that this is also neither PALEO or GAPS.

Maultaschen by Trudel Marquardt

Noodle Dough:
300g gluten free flour (My husband uses Schär as recommended by Trudel)
3 Eggs                                                                  
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Psyllium Husk
3-4 Tablespoons Water (depending on the size of the eggs)
1 Tablespoons of Sunflower oil

Mix all ingredients until they make a strong dough (do not overmix!) and roll it together and place into plastic wrap in your fridge for around 30 minutes.

After your dough has sat in the fridge for a while, you will want to roll it out on a well floured surface. Cut out your Maultaschen and add about 1TBS-2TBS of the filling of your choice in the middle while carefully pinching together all sides.

You really can fill this with anything that you want to, this time we chose to put in some ground beef with a little herbs. Her recipe gives more instruction on that.

Once your Maultaschen have been filled, you will cook these in salt water for around eight minutes.

We filled ours with hamburger meat and some seasonings, and used a vegetable broth for the soup. You really can use any soup, so have fun playing with this recipe!

Thursday however, we are celebrating my son's birthday at kindergarten, which necessitated chocolate cake and icing.

Gluten Free Chocolate Birthday Cake

Normally, I would use this Annalise Roberts' White Cake recipe from the cookbook "Gluten-Free Baking Classics" for birthday cake and modify as I need to.

However, I was very pressed for time, so I used the new "Frei Von" brand of Chocolate Muffins from REWE. I usually modify their box mix with a couple tablespoons of molasses and walnuts, but I decided the nuts were just too much for the kindergarten party.  I buttered (with Alsan-Bio) two 9" round cake tins and floured them with cocoa. 25 minutes in the oven and both layers were done.  A few hours and some Buttercream later, Birthday cake!

If you make the Annalise Roberts recipe, to make it into chocolate, remove about 3/4 the flour and replace with cocoa. Add in 2TBS of molasses and you have got yourself a chocolate cake to die for.

 Here's how the table looked at Kindergarten with the Lightning McQueen birthday Candle:

JD's birthday, 2013

Since TB has pink eye, he wasn't able to be at the birthday party, and received a slice of cake to enjoy at home:

Birthday Cake

I'm terribly sorry at the lateness of this post, but I figure you are probably wondering what is going on in our kitchen these days.

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

Photo by Jennifer Stahl

It's that time of the year again, BIRTHDAY TIME! - I wish there was a way to prepare ahead for these, but each child at kindergarten pretty much has free reign in deciding what they want for their Birthday Brunch, so I'm kept in the kitchen a bit more than usual in May and June.

Today's recipe is Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins/Cupcakes. I say "Muffins" because that is what cupcakes are here in Germany. The only thing "muffin-y" about them, is their shape.

This recipe is not Paleo or GAPS, as I'm not sure if I could convert this one due to the fact it's the first time I've made it, and the chocolate batter has to be a bit runny. I'm not certain that a cup and a half of almond or hazelnut flour would lend to that as easily as my all purpose flour mix.

I do want to note that if you are baking this item in the UK or in the rest of the EU, you will need this guide to help you change over the measurements. And, as I mentioned in my previous post, I use something that's between Bette Hagman's All Purpose Flour Mix and Carol Fenster's General Baking Mix #1, which can be found here at CSA Celiacs Helping Celiacs.I'm sure whatever gluten free flour mix you are using with this will be fine.

I made minor tweaks to the Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes from Nestlé Tollhouse, in that I used 1 teaspoon (US) of guar gum, and I did not have any (and do not use any Nestlé products) chocolate chips from the United States.  I did however have a box of Schokoladen Raspeln (Grated Chocolate) and a few small chocolate chips from a gluten free cake mix that I didn't use. I also did not cover the cupcakes with any melted chocolate. I felt like that was overkill for a tiny brunch where my kids are sure to eat their two cupcakes + a little bit of their breakfast and be sugared up until lunch at One O'clock.

As far as recipes go, this was a rather simple and straightforward recipe. The only issues I personally have with it, is that the recipe does not really separate the directions into "This is for the chocolate cake" and "this is for the cheesecake". I had to read the recipe three times to be sure that all the ingredients were there and what they were being used for specifically.  That can be frustrating to new bakers, but for an INxJ, who trends towards the slightly perfectionist side, it is quite annoying.

Since I have only one Kitchenaid Mixer Bowl, I made up the chocolate cake mix first, and poured it into a liquid measuring cup. I figured this would lend to easier pouring into the cupcake molds.   My hunch was correct, and I'm terribly sorry I did not take a photo or two of these steps. My oldest was running around and asking if I was making "muffins" and whether he could have one, as well as whether I could turn on Disney Junior for him, so finding the camera was the least thing on my mind other than how I'd get these done in time, their lunch packed and them changed all before 9 o'Clock, when we should be in the kindergarten saying hello to his teachers.

The step of semi-melting the chocolate actually took two times microwaving at 30 seconds each in our microwave. So, keep that in mind - it will depend entirely on your chocolate and your microwave as to how quickly this part would be done.  I was a bit skeptical about it coming together with the cheesecake, but it did!

I did end up in a slight quandry wondering how to get the cheesecake into the cupcake molds, since there were no hints in that direction on the recipe. I decided that using a small ice cream scoop (this one: WMF 1881876040 Eisportionierer 4,5 cm) was probably the best way to go. If you're careful about how you measure it (not heaping scoops), it will spread cheese cake to all of the cupcakes. I was not careful and two of them are only chocolate.

The only thing that I would change in retrospect, would be to re-mix the chocolate batter with a spoon prior to pouring. I did end up with some extra chocolate bits in the bottom, so I spread those on top of the last remaining cupcakes and popped those in the oven while I was dressing the children.

All in all, I had the cake mixed in about 30 minutes, and it filled around 20 cupcake molds. I cooked them separately in the oven on top-bottom heat at 180° (350°F) for 18 minutes for the first batch, and 20 for the second. 

Photo by Jennifer Stahl

Isn't that lovely?  This was still cooling when I took this photo, but I did go ahead and try it after the photo was shot. YUM! 

I haven't as of yet put the cupcakes into the refrigerator, but they will be going in there soon. They've only been finished for the last thirty minutes.  I did try a piece after taking this photo, and it is very tasty. Not too sweet, not terribly bland or unsweet either. Definitely something for the person who isn't keen on cakes that are on the sweeter side like my last blog post on Coconut Cake.

For the dairy free among us, I've heard that you can use silken tofu (the very spreadable sort) to replace the cream cheese. In the United States there is a soy alternative for cream cheese, but I've not found anything like that here.  I'd not tried making cheesecake with silken tofu, so perhaps that is something I can try in future for those of you out there that need that option.

I hope this recipe is something that you also enjoy, and that you now know that making something like this isn't complicated or worth a panic attack over. (Believe you me, I've been there!)  I'm not sure when I'll be making this again, but I am saving this for future birthday or party ideas for the kids.

If you have any questions, feel free to pop them in the comments and I'll do my very best to answer them.

Humpday Readings - Gluten Free Food in the News

tulip, photo by A.Stahl

Today has been a terribly busy day. Cleaning the house, getting meals prepared, sending one child off to kindergarten while the other remains out sick, and trying to tend to my own illness. In the meantime, I got caught up on reading my email, recent information disseminated to me on Google Plus, and checking out the recent news on Gluten Free, Celiac, and Gluten Sensitivity on Google News.

Below are the interesting things I have found. All of these are not GAPS/Paleo friendly, but I'm sure with some tweaks, can be.  The other news is simply encouraging as it gets the news out about Celiac related disorders.

Culinary expert, food writer and Top Chef judge Gail Simmons grew up in Toronto with a passion for food. Her mother, Renée Simmons, on old friend of mine, is a talented cook and Gail grew up with a fine culinary background. Gail is Food & Wine magazine’s director of special events such as the spectacular Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Just in time for Passover, here are a couple of her favourite Passover desserts. Passover recipes are always gluten-free as flour and flour products are banned during the eight days of the holiday.
Globe and Mail: Try these decadent (and gluten-free) desserts for Passover

Celiac sufferers can now take their pick of clearly labeled gluten-free matzo baked by small-batch producers like Lakewood Matzoh, and from large manufacturers such as Yehuda and Manischewitz, both of which have released gluten-free “matzo-style” squares during the past few years.
The two manufacturers label the products this way because they use tapioca starch and potato starch as their base. And matzo made without one of five grains — wheat, barley, oats, rye or spelt — does not fulfill the religious commandment to eat matzo during the Passover Seder. But many gluten-intolerant customers don’t care.

The Jewish Daily Forward: Passover is time for gluten free gluttony 

“People mistakenly think going gluten-free is a magic bullet to weight-loss, which isn’t necessarily because of the gluten; it’s because you’re cutting back on your calories,” Greenwaldt said.
Cutting out processed foods and eating fruits, vegetables and lean meats is obviously a healthy choice....
CBS Minnesota: Good Question: Is A Gluten-Free Diet Healthier For Most Of Us?

Oregon now has six more gluten free options when it comes to dining out:

Generally in America, not all restaurants are willing to offer gluten-free products — many believe gluten contamination is inevitable and don’t want to deal with the liability or the hassle of ensuring ingredients stay separate. Fortunately, many of the restaurants that have made the gluten-free commitment are right here in Eugene. Here are the city’s notable gluten-free hotspots, spanning six different varieties of food.
The Daily Emerald - Gluten Free Hotspots in Eugene

The GFCP list of certified companies is quickly growing and continues to attract major Canadian retailers and multi-national brand owners. "Enquiries for the GFCP are coming in from all over Canada,” states Bill MacLean, Vice President, Sales and Marketing from ACG. "With the addition of Ms. Chabot, we will be in a much better position to also service French Canada and the Maritime Provinces."
Gluten-Free Certification Program (GFCP) Ramps-Up Presence in Quebec and Eastern Canada

  ALCAT Worldwide applauds recent commentary in Scientific American about how gluten sensitivity, as opposed to allergy, is mediated by the innate immune system.  The guest blog was written by esteemed science and health writer Julianne Wyrick.  To read the article visit: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/03/04/gluten-sensitivity-what-does-it-really-mean/
ALCAT Worldwide Applauds Gluten Sensitivity Commentary in Scientific American

 Kelly Dorfman, nutritionist and author of “What’s Eating Your Child,” joined staff writer Mari-Jane Williams to talk about transitioning children to a gluten-free diet. Here is an edited excerpt.
Charlotte Observer: Gluten Free for Kids

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/02/23/3872598/gluten-free-for-kids.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/11/5252886/alcat-worldwide-applauds-gluten.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/03/11/5252886/alcat-worldwide-applauds-gluten.html#storylink=cpy

Well that seems to round things up rather nicely. What interesting diet-related news have you found this week?

Protecting our Gluten and Allergen Free Kids

Today's post is about keeping your allergic/food intolerant children incident free.

“For the previous 250,000 years, man had evolved without having this very strange protein in his gut, ...And as a result, this is a really strange, different protein which the human intestine cannot fully digest. Many people did not adapt to these great environmental changes, so some adverse effects related to gluten ingestion developed around that time.”
...People with celiac have one or two genetic mutations that somehow, when pieces of gliadin course through the gut, cause the immune system to attack the walls of the intestine in a case of mistaken identity. That, in turn, causes fingerlike structures called villi that absorb nutrients on the inside of the intestines to atrophy, and the intestines can become leaky, wreaking havoc. Symptoms, which vary widely among people with the disease, can include vomiting, chronic diarrhea or constipation and diminished growth rates in children.
The vast majority of people who have celiac do not know it. And not everyone who has the genetic mutations develops celiac.
What worries doctors is that the problem seems to be growing.The New York Times: Gluten-Free, Whether You Need It or Not

1. ...Do things other kids do...
2. ...Create recipes that mimic troublesome foods... 
3. ...Take your child to meet other food allergy kids... 
4. ...Give your child an empowered voice...
   Yahoo Voices: 4 Tips to Keep Your Food Allergy Child Normal

You may enjoy this webinar: Raising a Well-Adjusted Child Who Takes Food Allergies in Stride

8 GREAT Ways to Recognize Gluten-Free Needs During National School Lunch Week

NFCA: Printable Guides and Tip Sheets and Navigating the School System


Celiac Sprue Association's Letter to the Teacher


As Play-Doh is NOT gluten free, and many other alternatives are also not gluten free, you might want to check out Soy-yer Dough. The original version does have soy, but they do have a soy free version. No, I was not paid to advertise for them, and I actually do not own any myself. I use Pelikan's modeling clay here at home IF I am in a mood to clean up after it.

This art supply ingredient list is two years old now, so you will need to call the companies and ask after their products.


Books and Magazines:
Free PDF Book (also available in Paperback) "The Trouble that Jack Had
Gluten Intolerance Group's Magazine for children and Summer Camp
Eat Like a Dinosaur: Recipe & Guidebook for Gluten-free Kids
Cilie Yack is Under Attack: A story about a boy with celiac disease
Adam's Gluten Free Surprise: Helping Others Understand Gluten Free
Gluten-Free Kids: Raising Happy, Healthy Children with Celiac Disease, Autism, and Other Conditions
Mommy, What Is Celiac Disease?: A look at the sunny side of being a gluten-free kid
Eating Gluten-Free with Emily: A Story for Children with Celiac Disease
No Cupcakes for Jason: A Child's Story about the Gluten-free Casein-free Diet With a Parents' Guide and a School Guide included
The GF Kid: A Celiac Disease Survival Guide
No More Cupcakes & Tummy Aches
Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults, Second Edition
Lunch With Quinn: The story of one child's diagnosis and management of Celiac Disease
Bagels, Buddy, and Me...A story about gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease
How I Eat Without Wheat
Gluten-Free Friends: An Activity Book for Kids
 
Out of all of these, the only one I currently have is "The trouble that Jack had". I netted a free copy a couple years ago when my mom and sister went to the Better Homes and Gardens show in Alabama. There was apparently a very large Gluten Free contingent there.  If you have any further book suggestions, please feel free to drop them in the comments box.



When it comes to packing food (Lunch box, brown bag, Bento or Tiffin) it is always best to follow food safety rules so that your child does not get food poisoning. You may find Lunch In A Box or other Bento-related blogs very helpful in this avenue. Some of her recipes are gluten free, or can easily be transformed to be GF. Some recipes or Bento fillers are Paleo, Primal, SCD or GAPS compliant. I do have a few wonderful Bento cookbooks I would be happy to share, but most of the recipes are not helpful for this diet. Perhaps later on I can include some of the recipes, as I become more confident with the GAPS Diet.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, perishable foods kept between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to 60 degrees Celsius) for more than two hours are no longer safe to eat.
Although 45 percent of the packed lunches included an ice pack and 12 percent were kept in refrigerators, nearly all of the perishable foods were in the danger zone.
Yahoo News: August 8, 2001: Kids' packed lunches too warm to be safe: study

And when it comes to colleges, it appears there are relatively few colleges that cater to gluten free students. 

While there is still a long way to go in making the majority of schools safe and celiac-friendly, some colleges and universities are going above and beyond when it comes to providing gluten-free options. Here are just a few of the schools who are leading the way, though many, if not most, have programs to provide meals for students with any kind of dietary need.
14 Colleges That Cater to Gluten-Free Students and Gluten Free Reviews of College Dining Services

With more children going gluten-free in the past few years, according to Celiac Disease awareness organizations, parents are increasingly asking schools to accommodate these dietary needs the way they have for other allergies such as peanuts. And it’s not just banning gluten-containing products from lunchboxes. Some parents say they are requiring that arts & crafts go gluten-free too.
Market Watch: Even Toys are going Gluten Free

Please stay safe and happy out there in GAPS-y land! xoxo