Barbecued St. Louis Style Ribs

When I went to the butcher looking for some ribs, since I was not familiar with bbq’ing ribs, I was not exactly sure what I was looking for. Something stood out for me with the St. Louis Style ribs. They looked lean and a very clean cut. I had no idea what I was working with until I did a little research and found that these were pork ribs and not beef. Being the pork lovers that our family is it was a perfect match. Apparently a St. Louis Style Rib is the way the ribs are cut and cleaned.

With any ribs just make sure to allow enough time to make them to perfection; it will be well worth the wait. The flavor is all in the rub so find one or make one that you like. You can purchase your favorite b.b.q. sauce or just make one from scratch. That’s what we do in our home; we use our Abuela’s old recipe with some modifications. It really is easy, less expensive than most b.b.q sauces on the market and it really does not take very long to make. Plus the key here is that you are in control of what goes into your b.b.q. sauce.

Last but certainly not least, cook the ribs low and slow for optimum tenderness and juiciness.

How to BBQ St Louis Ribs                  

• BBQ It's about the rub (See recipe below). Great BBQ tastes great without sauce. The sauce is the finishing touch.

• Buy pure meat nothing added. Certain percentage of anything added such as brine or salt water is not desirable.

• Apply a BBQ spice "Rub" no less than 2 hours before cooking.

• Use wood smoke. Be very careful with oak and mesquite they can easily over power pork ribs. You only want thin blue smoke coming from your smoker, not thick white smoke. Cherry is our favorite choice for ribs. If using coals or gas just add some pre-soaked mesquite or cherry wood to the fire. You can find this at most local grocery stores.

• Place all of the coals on ½ of the barbeque. Cook the meat with indirect heat, not directly over the charcoal or propane burner.

• The meat is done when a toothpick goes throw the meat like it was warm butter. Internal Temperature will be 190°f to 200°f .

• Don't sauce until the ribs are cooked, apply one or two coats of sauce in the last 15 to 30 minutes on the cooker. For a sweeter glaze add some honey to you BBQ sauce.

How to BBQ Ribs so they are falling off the bone tender

The secret of how to barbecue ribs until they are falling of the bone tender is foil. Cook the ribs until they have a nice crust. Wrap in foil with a little apple juice and cook to 200f internal temp. They will be cooked and falling apart tender. If you want to sauce your ribs roll back the foil but leave it under the rack for support, sauce and put back with indirect heat for 15 minutes.

BBQ Do's & Don'ts

Do's:

• Use a dry rub for no less than 2 hours before cooking
• Use a light coat of mustard before applying the rub for a more complex flavor.
• Marinate for flavor
• Cook Low & Slow or Indirect
• Use the oven if your grill won't cook low and slow to finish after getting a nice crust
• Use a charcoal chimney
• Sauce only for the last 15-30 minutes once the meat is cooked and tender
• Use an internal thermometer for food safety

 Don't's:

• Don't use Lighter Fluid
• Don't use match light charcoal
• Don't boil your meat (you are making stock and the flavor is in the water)
• Don't put sauce on the meat Before Cooking
• Don't guess if the meat is done, use a thermometer
• Don't tell people burnt is perfect caramelization
• Don't Cook Tofu
• Don't believe that there is only one way to cook great BBQ

 Wet Rub or Paste

1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano, crushed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon onion flakes
1 head of garlic, mashed or grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 tablespoons Guldens brown mustard

Combine all of the ingredients minus the mustard. Slather the ribs with the mustard and then add a nice layer of rub to all sides of the ribs. Use the entire mixture. It may seem like a lot, but it is worth it. Wrap the rubbed ribs in foil no less than two hours prior to cooking. It is preferable to allow them to marinade in the rub for 24 hours.

B.B.Q. the ribs according to above directions. Do not brush the b.b.q. sauce on the ribs until last the 15 minutes.

 Abuelitas B.B.Q. Sauce

1 head of garlic, finely minced
 1onion, finely minced

 1 stick of butter

 4 cups of ketchup

 1 cup of molasses

 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

 Salt and pepper to taste

 Sauté the garlic and onions in butter until they are translucent; do not allow to burn. Add ketchup and molasses and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in airtight container in the fridge for the summer.

 

King Arthur gluten-free muffin mix

The King Arthur gluten-free muffin mix was easy to make, and required similar ingredients as most boxed mixes. It mixed well, transferred well into the muffin tins and only baked for about 20 minutes.

Their muffin mix features a hint of vanilla, a touch of nutmeg. It says it makes a dozen light, tender, high-rising muffins, but I found I got a few more muffins if I did not over fill the muffin tins. It is just the muffin mix and you are encouraged to add in your own fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips.

These muffins were light and fluffy and riddled with blueberries that we had added. They were fantastic right out of the oven, but just as good the following day for breakfast.  I was really impressed with the texture and the flavor of King Arthur's gluten-free muffin mix.  King Arthur gluten-free mixes were given to our family to review.  I was very skeptical with the mixes before I tried using them, but so far have loved each one that I have tried.  I still prefer to make my muffins from scratch, but in a pinch they really seem to hit the spot.

If you can not find King Arthur gluten-free mixes in your local grocer click here for a letter to give to them.

To purchase King Arthur gluten-free mixes

King Arthur Gluten Free Recipes

List of all their gluten-free baking ingredients

Step-by-step instructions on how to bake with King Arthur GF flour mixes

Questions about gluten-free baking

B.J.’s Restaurant and Brewhouse offers a new gluten-free menu

Special thanks goes out to a friend, fellow Celiac, and local blogger, Janel Berchielli, “Unlimited Thinking” for the heads up on BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse’s  new gluten-free menu which began on Wednesday, May 26th, 2010. It is my feeling that B.J.’s must have had this in the works for quite some time, as awhile back while researching for local gluten-free alcohol in December 2009 I had contacted the General Manager at B.J.’s in Natomas as to their gluten-free offerings and this is what he had said then: “Our restaurants can provide information for guests who have food and allergen sensitivities or an intolerance to gluten. Please ask your server for a copy of our Food and Allergen Sensitivities Menu and Gluten-Free Selections.”

So it is my understanding that B.J.’s has always had some gluten-free selections to choose from, but not a complete menu. They are thrilled to be introducing their new gluten-free pizza.

Director of Operations, Curt Siverling states: “We are very proud to launch our Gluten-Free Pizza on our new menu. We have been educating our management teams and team members on the gluten procedures and are ready to launch it at our locations on May 26. We are also introducing Red Bridge Beer on our menus; which is a popular gluten-free beer.”

Since it was my birthday, my husband decided to surprise me and take our family to B.J.’s Restuarant and Brewhouse on Monday, May 31st. After we were seated we asked for Gluten-free menu’s and the staff seemed to know what we were talking about right away. Their gluten-free menu’s were a little confusing at first, but once we figured it out it was really rather straight forward. The beginning of the menu lists off 10 allergens for each item on their menu. While this is great information for folks to have, since many folks have more than just Celiac, but we feel that it would better serve the menu on the back, rather than the front.

After you get through the first 5 pages of the menu you will get to the actual section of gluten-free selections. In the salad sections alone there are 8 salads to choose from (Prices range from $5.00 to $12.00). There are two soups to choose from Tuscan Tomato Bisque and Broccoli Cheddar (Prices: $5.00 to $7.00). There is a section of giant stuffed potatoes and proffer four offerings in this category ($10.00 to $15.00). The next section of the menu is the Specialty Entrees in which they offer 3 options (Steak, fish and chicken priced from $12.00 to $20.00). The next section they suggest Culinary Creations and have only one item in this category: Balsamic Glazed Chicken. Last but certainly not least is their section on Gluten-free Pizza. In this category they have one gluten-free thin crust pizza, but you can customize it to your liking with the many gluten-free toppings that they offer minus their meatballs. These are 10 inch pizzas that range from $8.95 for no toppings other than cheese, and you can design your own pizza with any of their many toppings (add $1.00 per topping). In the section for non-alcoholic beverages they offer 25 different options that are gluten-free. In the alcohol section there is currently only two options: Redbridge Beer ($5.50 per 12 oz. bottle), and their Berry Burst Cider ($5.75 per pint). They are waiting to see how popular this section can become before adding it to it, and also whether they will even keep Redbridge Beer on their menu.

As it was our first time at B.J.’s with their new gluten-free menu we were a bit leery so we questioned the waitress to see how familiar she was with this new menu. She did not know much about it and so we asked for someone who was completely familiar with the menu, and she brought us the manager, Cliff who stood by as she too our complete order, and then assured us that he was by each item being prepared for us to ensure it not be cross-contaminated. This helped us to relax and enjoy the ambience.


The manager, Cliff assured us that there is a separate prep area, that all pizza ingredients except for the meatballs are gluten-free. We were told that those working on gluten-free menu items must change out all of their gloves on the line and that they use tools specific to gluten-free and the cooks in the kitchen were trained in how to handle everything to avoid cross-contamination. Cliff said their entire staff was able to see how the gluten-free food was prepared and to taste them as well. This allowed staff to tell us from their own experience; what their encounters with the gluten-free selections were and what they liked about them. Once the pizza was delivered, Cliff came out to assure us that all went according to plan and the food was handled properly. He also assured us that he would be back to see how we enjoyed the meal. He tols us he was pretty confident that we would enjoy their menu, but most especially the gluten-free pizza.


While BJ’s is known for their pizza, we were not entirely excited to order it since there are many gluten-free pizzas on the market that have left a lot to desire in flavor, texture, and most importantly in price. But we were pleasantly surprised at how large the pizza was, how incredible the flavor and texture were and the close resemblance to regular pizza. Cliff told us that they buy the crust frozen from Venice Bakery  in El Segundo, CA (there’s less chance for cross-contamination if they are not mixing up the dough in the restaurant kitchen.) It is a medium thin, crispy “herb infused” crust. He also explained that when the large quantities for cheese, sauce, and other pizza toppings are freshly opened, they take off the amount that they think they will need for the gluten-free pizzas for the day; thereby, eliminating the risk of cross-contamination. The station for prep on gluten-free menu items is constantly wiped down before and after each use. Cliff says that since they started their new gluten-free menu they have had many folks coming in requesting it.


Being the foodies that we are we tried to order one item from each category. In other words we ordered one Tuscan Tomato Bisque, one Italian Market Salad, one gluten-free pizza with mushrooms and Italian sausage, and the Balsamic Glazed Chicken served over baby greens, caramelized onions, and white cheddar mashed potatoes, drizzles with a sweet balsamic glaze. Make sure when ordering the Tuscan Tomato Bisque to request NO croutons, and on the balsamic glazed chicken NO onion strings. With all of the food that we sampled our absolute favorite was the pizza. There was no funny gritty texture, and no funky bean aftertaste, and yet the texture of the pizza was exquisite. The second favorite item was the Tuscan Tomato Bisque. It was creamy, and tasted of fresh tomatoes, sweet basil and cheese. We could take or leave the salad, and the balsamic glazed chicken was a little dry. Once we requested extra balsamic glaze it was fine. The white cheddar mashed potatoes were to die for. Overall our experience with B.J.’s Restaurant and Brewery were exceptional. We not only loved the variety of items on the menu, and the delicious food, but we greatly appreciated the time and effort that was presented to us while obtaining the details on how they provide and ensure a gluten-free menu. Please make sure to ask for Nick Walker, General Manager at the Natomas Restaurant.

For More Information:


Sacramento Area B.J.’s Restaurant and Brewhouse


NATOMAS
3531 N. Freeway Blvd
916.570.1327
ELK GROVE
9237 Laguna Springs Dr.
916.753.1500


FOLSOM
2730 E. Bidwell St.
916.404.2000
ROSEVILLE
1200 Roseville Pkwy.
916.580.2100


Facts about B.J.’s

Take out menu



Click here for locations


For more on gluten-free foods and gluten-free dining

Raving reviews on the Celiac Disease Foundation's Education and Food Fair

The CDF Education and Food Fair was absolutely fantastic. So many people to meet, so much new information, a plethora of GF vendors with samples, who could go wrong with that? In addition, we were provided with a delicious gluten-free breakfast provided by General Mills; more specifically one of their new GF products that they revealed at the CDF Conference “Bisquick”  made GF pancakes with maple syrup. Not to mention, a scrumptious GF luncheon. It was very delicious and filling. The favorite was the mango sorbet with fresh berries on top served with GF cupcakes by Betty Crocker . The Marriott Hotel in downtown Los Angeles was spectacular, but was unfortunately unable to provide the amount of space that was required by this huge event. Who knew so many people with Celiac and vendors sampling gluten-free products would show up for this event?!




Aside from the venue being a bit too small and rather cramped, the conference was a complete success. We had such dynamic speakers as Dr. Peter Green author of “Celiac Disease: The Hidden Epidemic” from Columbia University. Dr. Green’s studies have revealed that 30 to 40 % of Americans can get Celiac simply due to their genes. As many strides as the U.S. is making in Celiac Awareness, and producing new gluten-free products, we are still behind the ball when it comes to diagnosing. Apparently, still only 1% in the U.S. are being diagnosed with Celiac. Whereas in other countries such as Finland and Sweden they are diagnosing at a rate of 70%, while Australia and Italy are only diagnosing 20 to 30 %.

They have discovered that HLA DQ2 or 8 only accounts for 50 % of the genes that are involved with the diagnosis of Celiac. There are many other genes involved and they are just beginning to determine them. Another interesting fact is that all women who have a c-section during childbirth increase the risk of their children getting Celiac.


Shocking but true, most folks are getting diagnosed from physicians with other specialties other than a gastroenterologist. They are seeing a huge amount of diagnosis from Urologist. Nowadays 50% of all diagnosis in the U.S. present with diarrhea.

Thyroid cancer is 23 times more common in those with Celiac than once thought. 30% of Celiac’s have at least 1 autoimmune disease. But on a good note, the earlier a person is diagnosed (20 years old and under) the lower the chance of them developing another autoimmune disorder.



The best Celiac panel to have taken on an annual basis is the tTg + IgA + DGP. There are still false negatives in testing, and while biopsies are the gold standard in diagnosing Celiac, Dr. Green requires during a biopsy 4 to 6 pieces should be taken to be absolutely certain. And these should be interpreted by an experienced pathologist. If you are told that you did not come up positive for Celiac and are still symptomatic you should request a 2nd opinion from another experienced pathologist using the original biopsy.

Dr. Green says that those with gluten sensitivity, DH, IBS are responding to a gluten-free diet. Even people with severe psychiatric disorders have positive antibodies for gluten-sensitivity; such as:


Schizophrenia
Depression
ADHD


Daniel C. Adelman M.D. is the Senior VP and Chief Medical Officer for Alvine Pharmaceuticals explained their new medication that is in the works called ALV003. This medication is no means a substitute for a gluten-free diet, it is to be taken in addition to a gluten-free diet.


We had a visit from the lovely Kari Gai who is currently Miss Kansas City , and she herself has Celiac in addition to her sister, and is now a strong advocate for Celiac as well. She has a strong platform to increase awareness.

Then we hear from Sheila Crowe M.D. who is a Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterology/Hepatology and Researcher, University of Virginia Health Care System, and also the author of “Celiac Disease for Dummies” . She spoke about how she is the wife of a Celiac and how she came to write this book for the For Dummies series. She and her husband have two children and only their daughter has Celiac. Nevertheless she still worries that her son may develop it at another time.

No shock here, but first and second degree family members should be tested for Celiac.

There were several notable speakers such as: Shelley Case, RD , and Anne Lee RD, and the favorite of the day was Frank Baldassare from “The Missing Ingredient”. Shelley and Anne gave out great guidelines for maintaining the gluten-free diet and some myth busters for example: ALL distilled alcohol is o.k. to drink on a gluten-free diet as long as it has been distilled. Rice malt is the only kind of malt that is o.k. And commercial sushi with a substitute fish product in it has wheat in it. They broke down 20 PPM (parts per million) as the following: 20 ppm = 20 mg. = 2 mg. or 1 oz. of food. So never let any one tell you a dish only has a little wheat or gluten in it because it only takes 1/8 th of a teaspoon of wheat and or gluten to make you sick. On a sad note, no pun intended, but a Columbia study was conducted by Dr. Green where they found that 70% of folks on a gluten-free diet feel blue all of the time. While only 9% of folks on a regular diet feel blue all of the time. One of the main issues is that gluten-free food is 2 to 3 times more expensive than mainstream food. They also found that compliance was a major issue and that one of the top reasons to not comply was in social situations. They found that 90 % of people on a gluten-free diet cheated in social settings. The highest number of cheaters found were in the teen to young man category; namely on their first date. Further research will be done to see about how to lower the number of folks feeling blue on a gluten-free diet.

With that being said, the good news is that while the economy is at an all time low, with slumps in the market; yet the gluten-free food industry in on the rise. They found gluten-free foods industry rising 25% each year even during the recession.

Frank Baldassare woke everyone up with his enthusiasm, vigor, humor, postivity and his complete knowledge of a gluten-free diet and life style. He hosts his own show on the internet called “The Missing Ingredient” by Cody Boy Entertainment ; coming soon to a cable channel. Franks’ cooking show is the first of it’s kind for a step-by-step of gluten-free cooking, baking and all other allergens as well. One of the messages that Frank wanted us all to hear was that while it is fantastic that gluten-free food is going main stream, we should still beware. “Just because it is gluten-free does not mean it is good for you!” We should remember what got us here in the first place and that we should continue to eat healthily not out of a box. We should honor our bodies by trying to only feed it healthy, locally grown and organic food whenever possible. As a teacher Frank promotes overhauling the food system in our children’s schools. He feels that it is important to support getting better food for our children in schools, and that we really need to support children and teens through this gluten-free life style.

As for the highlight of the event; enough cannot be said about the gluten-free vendors. There were over 90 gluten-free vendors, some old timers and some new. So many samples and so little time to taste them all; fortunately the majority of the vendors had their items prepackaged.  General Mills unveiled two new products GF Bisquick, and GF Hamburger Helper. Many of these samples were the larger sizes you’d find in your local stores. Mary’s Gone Crackers  introduced their Mary’s Gone Cookies , One of their newest products was Mary’s Gone Crackers bread crumbs, which is made from all of their leftover cracker crumbs . Glutino gave out samples of their new yogurt covered pretzels, and their chocolate covered pretzels. Zojirushi America Corporation magnanimously donated two bread machines for the CDF raffle. We sampled Kettle Cuisine soups. Chicken noodle was a favorite made with all organic ingredients and rice noodles. We had the pleasure of sampling Bards Tale Beer and Greens Beer which was preferred by those loving a rich, thick, dark beer. There were many pizzas to sample but a few that stand out are the ones by Clean Cravings and Almond Glory . Almond Glory are gluten and soy-free, have a low glycemic level, and are absolutely delicious!! Smooze is completely preservative-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, GM-free, 100% Vegan.  Plus it has 40% less sugar than most frozen treats on the market. They are made from coconut milk and are incredibly refreshing and tasty. Fresh and Easy handed out their 100% recycled cotton shopping bags which complemented the goodie bags handed out by CDF that were filled with lots of gluten-free treats and literature. Overall an extraordinary time was had by all!  Look forward to more photos posted soon.


SPONSORS FOR THIS YEAR’S EVENT INCLUDE:


General Mills LiveGlutenFreely, Mary's Gone Crackers, Growing Naturals, Glutino Food Group, Crunchmaster®Crackers, Bob’s Red Mill, Zojirushi America Corporation, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, King Arthur Flours, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, The Pure Pantry, Bard's Tale Beer Company, Attune Foods, Clean Cravings, Alvine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Eat what you want today

May 11th is National “Eat What You Want Day”. Doesn’t it astonish you that we have an entire day dedicated to eating whatever we want?! Wait isn’t that what we do every day? If it isn't, shouldn't it be?  You may think that concept sounds much easier than it really is. The sad truth is that on any given day 100 million Americans are on diets. Why is it then. that America is still plagued with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease which are still on the rise? Doesn’t it seem we’ve been on diets forever or at least since the 80’s? Well now is your chance to ignore the scale today and eat whatever you want. For those with Celiac it can present a challenge, but it need not. You can still eat whatever you desire; it just needs to be gluten-free. With a little research you can either find a place that can make your gluten-free specialties for you, or find the recipe to create it yourself.



Interesting enough May 6th is International “No Diet Day”; a celebration of body acceptance and body shape diversity. This day, originated in 1992, is also dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of restrictive diets and the health risks of anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders. This concept is admirable; unfortunately folks find themselves bewildered by its name. Naturally, when some hear those words, the assumption is over-indulgence. But there is an unspoken clause attached: “in moderation”. Even the health-conscious sustainable food guru and author Michael Pollan of "Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food" has a favorite saying: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” He is advises us to avoid edible food-like substances, he never implies that we should eat everything in sight. Sampling from each of the food groups is the thought behind his words.


Good advice is to eat when you are hungry, don’t eat just because everyone else says to, and when you feel full, stop. A great quote by Julia Childs is, “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” Julia Childs was amazing and had such incredible genes that she ate pretty much anything she desired and lived to be 92. Maybe it was her happy-go-lucky attitude, her Energizer-bunny-like vigor or maybe it was the fact that she never was on a diet. Any way you look at it she was a force to be reckoned with and she sure knew how to enjoy food and life!


Today should be a gift to your self. Think about what you truly love to eat, and either find a restaurant that can make it gluten-free, or get the recipe and fix it your self. Once you try it you will be surprised how that feeling of deprivation goes away. Knowing how to make these special dishes yourself puts you in the driver seat, and gives you a sense of control. Feeling in control is the key to not feeling deprived.


In spite of all of the warnings if you should over-indulge and purchase too many groceries for that recipe, don’t feel compelled to consume all of your choices at once; cut yourself some slack and either freeze the left-over’s, share them with friends, or remember that every November 15th is “National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day”.

In Sacramento you can check out Urbanspoon a website for neighborhood restaurants. When you get to the main page click on Sacramento and then scroll down to the section with the specific types of food and you will find everything including a section for gluten-free friendly with 88 different restaurants listed alone. With that in mind


and scroll down to the section with the specific types of food and you will find everything including a section for gluten-free friendly with 88 different restaurants listed.  With that being said, there is no excuse for you to eat what you want today.  Now you too can celebrate this national day, gluten-free and guilt-free!



 

Black Forest cake for Mother's Day

My husband, Michael made a wonderful Black Forest Cake for me for Mother's Day this year.  My absolute favorite is chocolate, tart cherries, and whipped cream.  So how can you go wrong with that combination?!  Instead of making the chocolate cake from scratch though, Michael made the cake from a box mix from King Arthur Gluten-free Flour Mix. 

We were all so surprised at incredibly easy it was to make.  All he had to do was add 4 eggs, water, vanilla, and oil and combine these ingredients with the mix.  We were shocked at how wonderfully moist, and smooth textured this cake was.  No gritty texture and no funky after taste of beans.  It had an amazing deep chocolate flavor to it.
 

If my husband can make a cake from this mix, so can anyone.  The chocolate cake rose quite nicely and was easy to frost.  Michael filled the cake with a tart cherry preserves, and our daughter Autumn helped him to decorate the cake with freshly whipped cream.

This is one of the gluten-free mixes that was sent to me from King Arthur Flour Mix for a review.  I usually make my chocolate cakes from scratch, and I am very picky about how my chocolate cake turns out.  It has to be moist, smooth, not dense, not gritty, extremely chocolately, and unable for folks to tell it is gluten-free cake. 

I will say that King Arthur's Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix is a very close second. Aside from having to melt my own chocolate, and add warm butter and milk you can barely tell the difference. From now on, in pinch I would gladly resort to King Arthur's Gluten- Free Chocolate Cake Mix. That's not easy for me to say since I pride myself on making all of my cakes from scratch.

I was greatly surprised and pleased to have such an delectable gluten-free Black Forest Cake Mother's Day, that I did not have to make myself.  I was very happy to have the break, and very proud of my husband and daughter.

 

A Perfect Mother’s Day Dessert; Gluten-Free Chocolate Soufflé Bites

It is easy to have the impulse to want to ignore the sappy commercials, diamond and red rose sales, and desire something much more unique for your wife, or mother. Are you looking for something chocolate and decadent, yet semi-healthy, and easy to prepare with little to no clean-up for Mother's Day?

Did you know that cocoa is full of antioxidants that promote low blood pressure and good heart health? Three Senses Gourmet who had previously launched a ready to bake, all natural, no trans-fat, gluten-free, frozen chocolate soufflé in 2006; has recently launched new Chocolate Soufflé Bites.

The chocolate soufflé bites are tiny, bite-sized chocolate soufflés. The soufflé bites are the perfect size for all of the folks who found it a challenge to finish one of the original chocolate soufflés due to their utter richness and immense size. With Chocolate Soufflé Bites instead of two large soufflés to a package, you now will get 12 tart cups. No need for tart pans, no pouring, mixing and scooping. Just pop the ready-to-bake pan in the oven and in 20 minutes or less you have dessert. Clean-up is a whiz as well.

As you bite into the chocolate soufflé bites you feel a nice slightly crisp texture on the outside rim and a softer, chewier texture in the inner ring (much like a tender and moist chocolate cake) until you reach the soft, warm and gooey center. Like heaven in every single bite. Three Senses Gourmet's motto is "Eat one a day to keep the cravings away!" After trying them you may have to adopt their motto.

Chocolate soufflés, because they aren't as commonly made as other types of desserts, always seem to be extraordinary; perfect for sharing with that special someone. There is no need to pay exorbitant prices to purchase chocolate soufflés in a restaurant or bakery, or expend a great deal of time to create and clean-up a decadent soufflé from scratch either. Why put yourself through this when life can be so much easier? Your search for the perfect tasting gluten-free chocolate soufflé for Mother's Day is over. Just step into one of your local grocery store chains and grab a Three Senses Gourmet chocolate soufflé or the new Chocolate Soufflé Bites. It is sure to make a unique and distinctive Mother's Day or any day for that matter.

Three Senses Gourmet products are available in most Northern California locations of Whole Foods , Costco, Nugget Stores , Woodland Market ,Bristol Farms ,Gelsons , Andronico's , Lunardi's , Draeger's Markets , Raley's , Nob Hill , Berkeley Bowl , PW Markets , and Mollie Stones Markets . Also on QVC .

I was requested to review Three Senses Gourmet Chocolate Soufflé Bites and sent a free package of them.  I was thrilled and delighted to review this item.

For More Information:


Amy Phillips
Three Senses Gourmet, Inc.
e-mail
Facebook
3 Senses Gourmet

Shredded beef tacos, guacamole and margarita recipes that are simple and gluten-free

If you do not know where to go out to eat gluten-free Mexican Cuisine, or you just want to economize, try making it homemade. It is relatively easy and you can be in control of the ingredients.  Not to mention, that what you would spend out at a restaurant on one meal may be what you would spend for a dinner, and some really great left-over's. 


Shredded Beef Tacos


1 organic beef roast (ask your butcher for the best cut)
1 onion, sliced
1 head of garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 teaspoon oregano
1 to 2 teaspoon cumin
1 to 2 teaspoon chili pepper
1 teaspoon chilies
4 cups of beef broth
1 12 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
olive oil, enough to coat bottom of Dutch oven

Season roast. Heat Dutch oven, and add oil. Brown roast on all sides in Dutch oven. About 5 minutes on each side. Remove roast from Dutch oven and add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 3 minutes more. Return roast to Dutch oven and add broth and tomatoes. Cover and cook at 300 degrees for 4 to 6 hours. Remove roast from Dutch oven and allow to cool. When cooled shred the roast with two forks. Return to liquid.

Serve with warmed corn tortillas, shredded cheese, chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, pico de gallo, chopped avocadoes, salsa, and sour cream.

Pico de Gallo

 2 to 4 tomatoes, chopped

½ red onion, chopped

¼ cilantro bunch, chopped

1 jalapeño, chopped

Combine all ingredients.

Guacamole
4 ripe avocadoes

½ small red onion, finely chopped

1 small tomato, finely chopped
¼ cilantro bunch, chopped
1 small lime, squeezed
1 clove garlic, finely grated (micro plane)
*optional: 2 tbsp. salsa, or hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Halve the avocadoes, and using a knife score the avocado into bite sized pieces. Squeeze lime juice on the avocado so that it does not turn black. Add other ingredients and gently combine. To store place one avocado pit in the center; this will prevent the guacamole from blackening. Place a sprig of cilantro on the top of the guacamole. Serve with warm corn tortilla chips.

Margaritas Basic

Limeade concentrate 2 oz. (shots)

Triple sec ½ oz. (shot)

Tequila 1 oz. (shot)

Lime, fresh squeezed, and a thin slice for garnish
*optional: Margarita salt to garnish margarita glass

Note: 1 oz. equals 1 shot. For flavored margarita 2 oz. of juice or fresh fruit, and ½ oz. Rose’s limeade.