The busyness has been due to running errands, attending multiple dance practices and other activities, and traveling (which will all continue throughout the summer and beyond, as always - I am definitely an "on-the-go" girl!); and the first "surprise" has to do with the fact that my great-uncle (whom my family and I were planning on visiting out-of-town, last Friday) was in critical condition at the hospital, which led to my family and I having to travel a day earlier than expected (so that we could see my great-uncle as soon as possible).
I am happy to report that he is doing a bit better, but he is still in the hospital - I know that he is a true fighter, so there is no worry about him giving up. I am praying that he will be able to go home very soon, and not be in pain. The second "surprise" will be revealed a little later in this post, so stay tuned. Sorry for the suspense, but I do have to keep you interested in reading my posts, don't I? ;0)
It feels great to be back to blogging and baking, especially since I am someone who loves routine; and I am quite excited to share with you what I finally had a chance to bake a few days ago, since I have been anticipating its creation for over a week now!
When I returned from my recent out-of-town trip to visit my great-uncle, I found a package from VeganStore.com waiting for me at home. I literally jumped for joy at the sight of that package, since I knew that it contained a bag of vegan white chocolate chips that I had ordered specifically for future baking projects (since I cannot find vegan white chocolate chips anywhere, locally). After purchasing all of the other necessary ingredients for this baking project (we did not have any food in the house, since we we had just returned from our trip), I was ready to get reacquainted with my beloved ovens and get to work!
Since the 4th of July holiday has already passed (and because I forgot to purchase blueberries at the market, haha), I decided to forgo baking a red, white, and blue (somewhat "patriotic") treat, in favor of one that was red, white, and yellow. So what exactly did I bake?
Using strawberries and the infamous vegan white chocolate chips, as well as bananas instead of blueberries (hence the yellow component of this treat), I created three Strawberry-White-Chocolate-Chip-Banana Mini Loaves. I decided to bake this red, white, and yellow delight in mini loaf form instead of as one large loaf so that I could distribute it amongst my "customers" more easily; that, and because mini loaves are just too adorable not to bake ;0)
As always, I used the Lower-Fat Banana Bread recipe from Veganomicon, since it has not failed me yet (I am keeping my fingers crossed about this, of course). Each slice of the loaves releases a captivating aroma of fresh strawberries and bananas, and is generously studded with velvety smooth, "creamy" white-chocolate chips. I could not wait to wrap up these loaves, distribute them to my "customers," and find out what they thought of the treats!
For this particular baking project, my parents, dance partner/instructor, and The Co-Worker were the lucky "customers"/taste-testers: my mom liked the flavor combination of the fruit and white-chocolate; my dad thought that it was "very very tasty. I liked how the strawberry flavor stood out. Texture was good, not too chewy or moist. I would gladly eat more"; and considering the fact that my dance partner/instructor devoured the entire mini loaf that I brought for him in less than one day, I would say that he was in strong favor of it, haha; and here is what The Co-Worker thought of the treat:
**Here is The Co-Worker's official review of these Strawberry-White-Chocolate-Chip-Banana Mini Loaves** :
The name says a lot… “STRAWBERRY-WHITE CHOCOLOATE CHIP-BANANANA-MINI-LOAF"….. so does the taste live up to the title? IT SURE DOES! Don’t judge this mini-loaf by the looks… take one bite and all the flavors start working their magic on your taste buds. And yes, you can taste each and every flavor mentioned in the title. It’s almost like a Dairy Queen banana split... in a mini-loaf. If you’re looking for a summer time treat… breakfast, lunch or late at night…. Give the SWCCBML a try.
So now that you have read the reviews from my parents, my dance partner/instructor, and from The Co-Worker, you are probably wondering what I thought of the mini loaves. Well, unfortunately, I cannot personally say; and this brings me to the second "surprise" that I mentioned earlier in this post: I found out that I am allergic to wheat/gluten.
Since I have only just recently discovered this, I have not had ample time to stock up on gluten-free flours/baking ingredients, so I figured that I would just use whole-wheat pastry flour for the mini loaves, and let my trusty taste-testers fully enjoy the goodies. I am all set on how to eat gluten-free, but am still very unsure (and nervous) about how to successfully bake gluten-free. So, I would greatly appreciate any and all advice that anyone may have on baking with gluten-free flours, since I still want to produce palatable baked goods for my family and for myself. Thank you in advance!
On another note, since these mini loaves incorporate red strawberries and white chocolate chips, I thought that they would be an appropriate entry for the Red, White or Swiss blogging event, in honor of Swiss National Day. I realize that Swiss National Day isn't until August 1st; but with my busy schedule, and the possibility of enduring other "surprises" in the future, I figured that I would just post about it now, in order to make the deadline.
Posts
97 comments:
Sorry to hear about your uncle. I'm glad he's a fighter and wish your family all the best.
I agree that its been hard to blog in the summer months. There's just so much going on, huh? Well, your loaves look delicious and I seriously need a bite (stress relief). Best of luck on your gluten free cooking adventure.
omg, so sorry to hear about your great-uncle!
all my thoughts are with him, you, and your family. :(
I'm sorry to hear that you uncle is sick. I hope he gets well quickly!
It looks like you made a fantastic version of the vcon banana bread! It sounds super duper delicious!
I don't have any advice, but good luck with the gluten free baking!
more comments from me, because I can't leave them all at once, I'm that loco en el coco: you are wheat/gluten intolerant? oy, vey!
I know there are a lot of resources out there now, but jeebus. can you get a break already?
also: there's something done for us Swiss expats? color me shocked.
Oh no! So sorry to hear about your new found allergy. I've baked gf only a few times, the gluten freedom cupcakes from VCTOTW are great. Also I've used a gf "flour blend", you can find recipes online. Xantham gum is expensive but seems to firm things up pretty nicely. Good luck! It will get easier as you go.
I'm sorry to hear about your great uncle! I'll be thinking about him and your family! The loaves look yummy! :)
I hope your uncle gets well soon.
The loaves look great - too bad about your newfound allergy! I'm sure you'll find lots of ways to get around it though :)
I hope your uncle gets better soon!
And sorry about the allergy, but I'm sure you'll do fine gluten-free :-) I completely trust your ability to bake everything perfectly. Please! just look at those mini loaves!
Sorry to hear that your great-uncle was not doing well, but I'm glad to hear he's doing better and is a fighter.
The mini-loaves look AMAZING- I need to get my hand on some vegan white chocolate chips ASAP!
While I don't know much about gluten-free baking (though I will be experimenting soon when I make some cupcakes for a friend who just found out she is allergic to gluten), I know that you will definitely still be able to make some great things and I can't wait to see how your adventures go! Best of luck.
Hope your great uncle makes a speedy recovery!
And oh my, a gluten allergy! Had you suspected this for awhile? I will be interested to see how you shift your baking to gluten free. We made a few gluten free things at the class I was just in, I will send you the recipes :-)
Oh, and the SWCCBMl... wow! I wish I had a piece!
Hi VeggieGirl,
I'm sorry to hear the news about your wheat/gluten allergy. I think it's going to be tough to bake vegan, gluten-free goodies, but I feel confident that you will figure it out. Shauna James Ahern writes a gorgeous, gluten-free website called Gluten-Free Girl, and she's done a lot of experimentation with gluten-free flours. Gluten-Free Girl might be a good resource for you as you navigate new baking territory.
Best of luck--and don't be scared to try new things!
Rose-Anne
Yikes, I hope your great uncle gets better ASAP. I'll definitely be sending some prayers out to him!
No gluten! Oh my... I'm sure you'll be making some great new creations in no time :)
The loves look great!
I'm so sorry to hear about your great-uncle. I hope and pray that he will be feeling much better soon.
Red, white and yellow = fabulous! Those white chocolate chips and bananas look so tantalizing in that picture - YUM!
I'm looking forward to the future gluten-free baked treats, though I am sorry to hear about your allergy :/
Are you allergic to wheat? or do you actually have celiac disease or are allergic to all forms of gluten? there is a big difference. I am allergic to wheat, and it's really not that bad. Does it just affect your bowels, or what kind of reaction do you get? sorry if that's an odd question. But for many people with wheat allergies (NOT CELIAC DISEASE) it is the case that after an extended period of time following a wheat-free diet, it's fine to implement small amounts of wheat like once every week or so. With the allergy you just have to see what works best with your body.
oh no! allergic to gluten?!?! I don't think I could survive, eek! Sorry! Do you mind saying how you found out, I mean, did you have symptoms of some sort?
Also, I really need to try that veganomicon banana bread sometime..I have my own recipe that I love that never fails so I am hesitant to try another one and be disappointed that it doesn't live up to the current one I use.
best wishes for your great uncle!!
i guess it is going to be tough to do both vegan and gluten-free, but i'm sure you can do it! i used to be on a diet for ibs called specific carbohydrate diet, which is fully grain-free. baking is done mostly with almond or pecan flour. scdrecipe.com has some recipes that you can check out.
i'm sorry to hear about your great uncle, but glad that things are on the up. and a new allergy :( how did you discover it? looking through all your amazing-looking baking though, i have no doubts that you will make great things with any kind of flour! :)
Sorry to hear about your great uncle, I really hope things keep getting better.
I'm really interested to see how things go with gluten free baking. I'm sure you'll be successful with it.
Sorry to hear about your uncle! I hope he gets better soon!
And sorry to hear about your allergy. That sucks balls. But I'm certain that you'll find a way around it by baking some tasty gluten-free treats. You don't sound all that worried.
I love the co-worker's description about the loaves tasting like a Dairy Queen Strawberry Banana Spilt! That really nails it, I'm sure.
Don't you just love getting packages?
Mmmm strawberries and white chocolate do go together very well. I should know I eat a lot of strawberries.
Glad that your uncle is doing better.
And thanks for the wonderful comment on my blog. I love your site too! :-)
While I am sorry to hear that you are allergic to gluten... I am also slightly selfishly happy to discover that you are taking it in such stride. It was for health reasons that I went the vegan route, and discovered your blog... but haven't been able to enjoy your recipes myself due to possible gluten intolerance. I am looking forward to seeing your vegan/gluten-free baking creations.
A couple other gluten-free blogs that I would highly recommend include: http://www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com and http://milkforthemorningcake.blogspot.com/
While they are not vegan, I am sure that you've got the talent to convert some of their recipes... and learn a little bit about the gluten free life while you're at it.
Best of luck!
So sorry to hear about those two negative surprises--hope your uncle is doing better.
As to wheat-free, I'm going to echo a previous comment and ask if it's just wheat, or gluten, too. If the latter, there must be some vegan/gluten free blogs to check out. Many of the "regular" vegan blogs post gluten-free recipes, and many of the GF blogs post vegan. It's a little challenging, but I'm sure it can be done!
There are also a couple of videos on the food network (I think? can't remember where I saw them) with Erin McKenna of Babycakes (vegan, GF baker) and she gives a few recipes. Just go to her site, www.babycakesnyc.com, and check the icon for her recipes on tv.
Hope this helps! And of course, now I'm curious to see what amazing GF treats you bake!
Oh my goodness! Those mini loaves look amazing! I know I say that about all your lovely treats but this one takes the cake(loaf?). hehe
I'm sorry to hear about your sudden allergy...but i'm sure you'll do great and bake up some more delicious treats =)
I am literally salivating over those delicious looking mini loaves! Can't wait to hear how it goes for you now that you're gluten-free!
My mom was recently diagnosed w/ Celiac disease, so I'm feeling my way through the gluten-free world, as well. I just got The Gluten-Free Vegan Cookbook, so feel free to check out the index online and e-mail me if you'd like me to send you recipes. Fortunately, your mentor Dreena Burton has many wheat/gluten-free recipes in her books, too. Oh, and click the Food Network link on the Babycakes NYC website because it'll take you to a series of videos on the FN site that feature gluten-free vegan baked goods (once you get to the FN site, click the gluten-free tab). Good luck!
Good Grief Sweetie! Lots of not so fun surprises! My great uncle was one of my favourite uncles - I'm sure you love yours lots and lots. I'm sending all the good vibes I got to you and your family and your poor tummy! I hope you get these allergies under control. There are lots of great wheat/gluten free blogs out there, and I know you'll get this organized! I'll be thrilled to follow your gluten free baking creations!
I'm happy to help! Just let me know which recipes you want and send me your e-mail address so the sharing can begin. :)
Sorry to hear about your uncle.
But you sure did preface it with some lovely looking loafs!
How did you find out about the allergies?
**Re: Allergies
My eczema (which is a symptom of my Crohn's Disease) had become more prevalent lately (more redness/itching on my hands), and I was quite bloated/had less of an appetite than usual. I cut out wheat, and voila!! No more bloating, redness, or itching!! I'm still going to go to a dermatologist soon just to be 100% sure, but it's quite coincidental that the itching and all that has completely gone away after not eating wheat/gluten products.
oh veggie girl! i'm sorry to hear about your great uncle but i'm glad to hear that he is doing better...
your banana bread creation inspired me to have a snack of bananas & strawberries in the hopes it would taste as yummy as this bread looks!
and that is such a bummer about your wheat allergy, but luckily there are a lot of products (and blogs) that are wheat-free, so hopefully you won't have a huge adjustment, but glad to hear that your itching/bloating, etc has subsided!
Sorry to hear about the bummers you've suffered this summer!! Especially about your great uncle. It's uplifting to see you staying upbeat and so sweet. The bread looks like a comforting and healing treat!!
I hope your great uncle feels better. But your loaf looks lovey, a perfect entry for red, white or Swiss!
So sorry to hear about your great uncle but glad to hear he is doing better.
As always your baked goods look and sound scrumptious! Unfortunately I don't have any advice for gluten free baking (yet!), best of luck though!
I was going to ask how you found out about your intolerance, but I saw that in an above post. Sounds like your did your own elimination diet and figured it out.
I had a professor at chiro school that has celiac sprue, and some good notes about nutrition and stuff. If you're interested shoot me an email, so I can get your address and email you stuff.
Glad you uncle is feeling better. Oh, and how can I become a taste tester? No allergies here don't worry :)
wow! you have a lot going on - will definitely be thinking of you over the next week... hope your great uncle gets better.
Those mini loaves look outstanding... I have quite a love affair with anything bread-related and plus you added the strawberries and chocolate - mum!
Hope your great-uncle is up and around and feeling better soon!!
Your mini-loaves look great! I'm sure with your creativity, you'll be incorporating gluten-free stuff in your goodies in no time.
All the best! I really love your blog -- thank you!!!
wow those mini-loaves look incredible, you can just tell how dense and moist they are from the picture! Too bad you can't send smells and tastes over the internet ; )
best of luck to your uncle and with your gluten-free goodies!
Hello dear girl - I am glad you are back to baking and discovered what was causing you ill health. Here's to a speedy recovery for your family member. I look forward to seeing your gluten-free recipes in the future.
Sorry about your uncle. Hope he is doing better soon.
Those loaves have such a great flavor combination!!
Patiently waiting for news.
a dq banana split in loaf form?!? you had me at "vegan white chocolate chips" :) you are so insanely talented- i always look forward to seeing what kind of glorious creations you come up with:)
i'm sorry to hear about your uncle- i'll be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers
<3 gina
I'm really sorry about your great uncle but glad to hear he's doing okay and I hope his full recovery is a smooth one!
And I'm also sorry to hear about your wheat/gluten allergy! That must be such a pain, especially being vegan as well, it must making finding things you are able to eat quite difficult. I'm impressed that you are able to come up with such awesome bakings and such even with such food restrictions though, just goes to show you are packed with one super creative mind :)
I am very sorry to hear about your uncle. I hope he get's better soon! I am sending well wishes!
A wheat allergy? That sounds tough but I think there are a lot of resources online and even some gluten-free baking blogs. It's a shame that you couldn't taste your mini loaves, especially because the chocolate chips traveled such a long way.
I'm sorry to hear about your Uncle Veggiegirl, I'll have him in my thoughts and hoping he gets better soon.
Your strawberry and white chocolate loaf looks AMAZING! And I feel your pain on the wheat issue :( I'm unsure if I have problems with it or not, but I'm not eating it for now all the same.
I look forward to any GF baking tips you pick up. Some of my baking tips have been disasters! The biggest thing I have learned is to bake at no more than 150 degrees C (sorry, unsure of conversion at the moment) and bake longer to prevent crispy awful edges. I look forward to your gluten/wheat free creations!
Wow, it does seem like you have a lot going on right now! Your bread looks so perfect! I tried to make strawberry, banana muffins last weekend and I wasn't happy with the result (all though my husband ate them all, so I guess he didn't mind). But your bread has encouraged me to try another time to bake a strawberry / banana combo.
VEGGIE GIRL! I've missed your blog and your bright personality! I'm back from Korea!! I also sent you a copy of my speech hoping that you'll enjoy it even though I read it already. Everyone said it was quite good. :)
I love your new profile picture as well. SO gorgeous! :):)
Your mini loaves look amazing. Might have to break out the baking pans this weekend!
I hope your uncle will be out of the hospital and feeling better soon.
I guess your suspicions about gluten were correct. At least an allergy can be overcome and you may be back to "regular" baking soon.
The banana strawberry combination in your mini loaves sounds so good and perfect for summer.
you are super-vegan. not only do you manage to comment on every single blog i think, but your posts are awesome! congrats, you win the best blogger award in my book and i want that bread.
Oh bugger! Sorry to hear that your your grandfather is not feeling well, thank God he's feeling better now though! :0)
Oh dear ... you're allergic to wheat/gluten?! Damn ... BUT hey, you're VeggieGirl, so you can't be BEAT! I bet you'll be able to whip out gluten free treats that taste as amazing as its gluten counterparts!!
And oh boy, your Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Banana Mini Loaves look SCRUMPTIOUS as usual!! By the way, for the banana bread, did you cut down the molasses/sugar listed in the recipe? I don't like my baked goods sweet ...
Heh, sorry for the long comment! Have a great day!
your mini loaves look great! i don't have white chocolate chips anywhere around here either..so i've yet to try anything with them! ill have to order some soon..
that's crazy that you just found out about being allergic to wheat! what a bummer..but there's sooo many things out there now for gluten-free foods that i'm sure it'll be pretty easy for ya! :)
Goodness girl, you've had a rough time lately! My prayers are with you and your family in hopes that your great uncle gets better soon!! I'm so glad you had time to bake amidst everything...it can be such a stress-reliever to just get in the kitchen :0) I'm sure you've already checked this out, but I believe the Enjoy Life brand carries gluten free products--they're semisweet, mini chocolate chips are yummy! Yay for vegan white chocolate chips!! I am DEFINITELY ordering those!
Those mini loaves look and sound fantastic!
I am so sorry to hear about your uncle, wishing you and your family the best!
And wow! Allergic to wheat and gluten?! I'm sure you will do just fine though, being the baking extraordinaire you are! Can't wait to see what you'll come up with! :-)
Mmmy, strawberries and chocolate chips baked into a yummy bread? Yes please.
I'm glad to hear your uncle is doing better!
Ari (Baking and Books)
sorry to hear about your uncle. i hope hes doing better. glad to here your enjoying your summer.
i have a friend who is allergic to gluten as well.
i know baking is your thing, which is awesome, but i know i would love to see what else you eat, especially since it will be gluten free going forward.
you are a wonderful writer & baker & i believe your experience/knowledge with being a gluten free vegan will help others out there who may be having a hard time.
:) keep on cookin!
Those are two crazy surprises! I hope everything turns out fine with your great-uncle. As for the gluten allergy, I'm sure you'll creatively find your way around it. Lately I've been using only spelt flour for pancakes, cookies, waffles, and muffins, but I'm not sure whether spelt is truly gluten- or wheat-free. That's a topic that always confuses me, haha.
But those mini loaves look astoundingly delicious! Banana, strawberry, and white chocolate sounds like a genius flavor combination!
And thanks for your sweet comment, it certainly made me smile. :)
I hope that your great uncle is feeling better soon.
And your loaves look wonderful! I wouldn't have thought of adding in the strawberries; must be tasty.
I'm so sorry to hear that your great uncle is hospitalized. Hopefully he'll stay well. I don't know what I'd do if any of my family members were critically ill.
Oh no, you're allergic to wheat/gluten! I hope you were OK when you ate the mini loaves. unfortunately, I know very little aboutwheat/gluten free diets. The only thing I know is BROW, no barley, rye, oats, and wheat, but I'm sure you already knew that.
good luck!
i'm glad your great-uncle is doing better! i will send happy thoughts his way! wow, sounds like you've been super busy! your mini-loaves look delightfully awesome - and super cute! :D i love them the most!
I am sorry to hear about your uncle. I am sending good thoughts to you!! :)
I have never baked gluten free, but I would love to see what yummy creations you come up with. A lot of the cookie recipes in ED&BV are wheat free. My mother in law can't have wheat or soy so we always have a problem baking. Good luck! I will let you know if I bake anything gluten free myself!
I am sorry to hear about your great uncle...hope he gets better soon!
I am not sure about gluten free baking but have heard good things about the book and blog: gluten free girl.
the loaves look extra yummy. I am a dark chocolate lover so I may try something switching the chips.
I'm so sorry to hear about your great-uncle but he IS a fighter and I'm glad to hear he is doing a little bit better....and, oh no! another allergy???!!!! I have no doubt this will give you another challenge in your baking and you will end up triumphant as usual :) Happy baking!!
ps-that banana bread from vcon is soooo goooooooood
I really like the sound of a strawberry and banana loaf with white chocolate chips! They look nice and light and moist and good.
I hope your great uncle feels better soon.
Nice combination of flavours! I was going to make a banana bread with strawberries too, but then was worried about adding too much moisture. I like how nicely risen your loaves are and the crust on the outside. They look absolutely delicious!
I will be praying for your great-uncle! I will also be thinking of you and the news about your health. you do such a fantastic job being a vegan, even though I'm sure it might be complicated at times. I hope this new discovery has blessings for you, and is not a burden. I remember reading shaunna's 'gluten-free girl' blog and her saying that her diagnosis was the best thing to happen to her, and she finally felt alive .
sorry to hear about your uncle :-) but these are definitely gorgeous and delicious entry for Swiss Blogging Event day :-)
Your cakes look georges, love'em. It's a pity you couldn't taste them by yourself. I'm sure you will figure out quickly how to bake with gluten free flour.
These are SOOOO cute and look soo delicious. You are one creative woman! YUM!!
Thanks for your kind words on my blog and for posting me too! I will do the same on mine.
Those loafs look amazing. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to bake them and not be able to taste a piece. It's too bad, but I'm sure you will become efficient at gluten free baking!
Good luck and best wishes for your uncle.
You should see those baked goods...they always look amazing.
Sorry to hear about your great-uncle. Hope he's better!
Also, bummer about your allergy, but wheat/gluten is a very common one. And there are so many amazing alternatives.
Best of luck to your uncle in his recovery.
Sorry to hear about your new allergies. Needless to say, you have a wide support group online; we are here for you!
I went GF for a couple months to assess whether I had an allergy. I had a hard time baking because I didn't want to buy a $15 jar of xanthan gum and also I was a terrible cook. I did bake a lot with corn flour and now I'm addicted to corn-y baked goods. Good luck!
Hi Veggiegirl,
Thanks for your lovely blog, which I've just discovered. I'm so sorry to hear of all your bad news, but good on you for taking the gluten allergy in your stride.It'd be really sad if you could never eat the things you baked.
- Meredith
Wow your mini loaves have major cuteness going one! They look delicious!
I'm so sorry about the gluten thing. Is that the right word -sorry? Probably not. These days it seems it's easier than ever to get by without gluten.
Do you have any more info? How did you discover that you were allergic? I wonder if a lot of us are allergic and don't know it.
I could bake banana bread everyday for the rest of forever! Your little loaves are soooooooo cute!
I'm so sorry to hear about your uncle. I'm sure all of your fans in blog world are sending your family happy thoughts right now.
I'm also sorry to hear about your food allegy, but you are such an inventive baker I know that gluten (or a lack there of) won't cramp your style!
I'm sorry about your great uncle. I hope he'll be well soon.
The wheat/gluten thing doesn't sound particularly fun either, but from the vegan gluten-free blogs I've read, baking is still very much a possibility. I haven't personally tried it yet, though, but I am sort of looking forward to it once I have an oven, since while I don't have any allergies or intolerances, I would like to go easy on the gluten.
A friend of mine has a really cool blog that's both vegan and gluten-free. Not a lot of sweet baking, though.
Hi Veggie girl!
I'm sorry to hear of your new challenge, but I have no doubt you'll figure it out quickly!
I have a bunch of resources on my website, www.harriswholehealth.com
there's a great gf and vegan cookbook by susan o'brien. I'd also check out the online cookbooks by Mark Foy http://vitalita.com/
Book of yum is also usually veg and GF.
Hugs!
may your great uncle be well and come home soon.
I hope your uncle continues to get better.
I understand your worries about GF baking - my sister's gluten intolerance has been an obstacle, and though learning to cook GF is very rewarding, reading up before experimenting really pays off. I found these blogs particularly helpful, though they are not vegan; I read them regularly...
>Gluten-Free Girl - cool recipes + a guide to GF flours
>Karina's Kitchen - has a vegan/vegetarian recipe index
>La Tartine Gourmande - has a GF recipe index
>Simply…Gluten Free - a great blog but few vegan recipes
Thank you so much for your sweet comments on my blog! :) And yay... a new post from you!
VEGAN WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS?! *swoon* oh my goodness! I adore white chocolate. I could probably just eat a whole chunk of it by itself. I know dark chocolate is the healthiest type of chocolate, but I love sweet things, and white chocolate is definitely the sweetest ;) That banana bread looks amazing. Very creative to have put the chips in it!
And I love the Co-Worker's review of all your baked goodies - he is one lucky co-worker!!!
I hope your uncle continues to successfully recover. He sounds like a fighter!
Enjoy summer - I agree - tis the season for trips and fun activities :)
Hi Beauty,
As you probably know, eating mostly Raw will help with gluten issues since so much of Raw is gluten free :)
Cheers!
Your treat sounds freakin' amazing. Seriously!!! I now have to go to the kitchen and make a green smoothie because I'm suddenly drooling and need something!!!!! I think I'll throw in strawberries in honor of your baked treat :)
Oh wow! I have tons of experience with gluten-free eating, since my brother was diagnosed at such a young age and my mom didn't always have time to make us seperate meals... So there were a lot of rice noodles in my childhood... I have tons of tried-and-true gf baking recipes, but I honestly don't know if any of them are vegan.. I will check to see if they are or if they can easily be veganized and I'll let you know!! A flourless chocolate cake is a great place to start for gluten-free baking :) I bet a Veggiegirl created vegan gf flourless cake would be out of this world incredible :) Good luck with your new dietary adventures and have fun with gf cooking and baking!
The bread sounds wonderful, although I think we need a banana bread bake-off to compare ours! I can't believe you're allergic to gluten now too! It seems like every blogger is nowadays...I really hope I'm not next....
Strawberry banana is one of my favorite combinations and I bet that the white chocolate chips really kick it up a notch. Delicious idea.
I'm glad you were able to figure out your allergy. I can't even imagine how miserable you must have been. Luckily, there are so many terrific alternatives. I enjoy Gluten Free Girl's blog. Also, Bob's Red Mill has a GF mix that's pretty nice. I don't do a lot of GF baking but sometimes when I feel I've been eating a lot of wheat lately I like to mix it up.
I am sorry to hear about your great uncle. I hope all turns out OK.
I'm glad to have found your blog by way of the comment you left on my blog. Baking is one of my favorite things to do on a weekend morning. I look forward to reading more!
I hope your uncle feels better real soon!
The bread loaf looks amazing!
I echo the comments about your uncle. :( On another note, I made pizza dough tonight using a gluten-free mix. I'll let you know if it's good!
wow, it's amazing all the products that are now vegan free. your banana breads look incredibly yummy!
a blog of wisdom on health, very interest, very important, look after of bodies are.Siam
a blog of wisdom on health, very interest, very important, look after of bodies are.
The loaves look great! I need to try out that recipe. That sucks to have found out you're allergic to wheat/gluten. :( But I'm sure you'll find tons of yummy gluten free ways to bake, and I look forward to seeing them!
i'm not a banana fan, but this looks good. strawberries and chocolate too? yum!
Veggie Girl, I second, or third, or ninetieth the good wishes for your uncle. I hope he is doing better.
I'm a teacher with students who are allergic to gluten, corn, nuts or milk, and of course I don't want to cook meat, so when we cook and bake it can be a real challenge. However, this year we created many meals that could be enjoyed by all. Whenever we baked a wheat-based bread or pie or whatever, we always made a gluten-free version as well. I often used recipes and advice from the Gluten-Free Vegan website. Some of the ingredients were available more cheaply at Asian and other ethnic markets than from specific health-food stores or mail-order. However, if I was busy I would just buy a gluten-free baking mix from the supermarket or Whole Foods (more expensive though).
Here in my area we have a gluten free bakery that does mail-order. I know that you like to bake your own food and will be doing lots of experimentation. However, I hear that the breads this bakery produces are much better than the stuff in the supermarket, so perhaps you'd like to give them a try? I haven't bought anything from them, and my students who made the recommendations aren't vegan, so you will of course have to scope out the ingredients. Good luck!
http://www.sillyyakbakery.com/glutenfree.html
Wow, those banana strawberry white chocolate chip mini-loaves look amazing! I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm wishing I could have a slice of your banana bread with my coffee. That would be PERFECTION!
I am sorry to hear about your uncle. I will keep your family in my thoughts.
I just came across a recipe for strawberry bread and after viewing your post - I will just have to make it.
Beautiful.
i hope your uncle gets well soon
those loaves look delicious, i love strawberries
I hope your great uncle is doing better!
And that you're finding good info on GF baking!
I am so far behind...I just read your post about the wheat/gluten intolerance. I know that must be hard to deal with, but I know you can work around it. My grandmother has celiac (and was diagnosed at an older age) and is having such a hard time dealing with it. I am still trying to learn how to deal with finding things that are equivalent to what I can't have. I can't wait to see what you come up with and I will definitely be sharing your adventure with my grandmother, as well. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
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