May 14th, 2014
When my husband, John, was first diagnosed 6 years ago with celiac disease, eating gluten free became a way of life. It is the only treatment for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities. It is an allergy to wheat and its derivatives. It does not stop just by not eating gluten, but also, you have to watch out for products that contain gluten and cross-contamination. Believe me, there are many, including prescription drugs.
Needless to say, we learned quickly and just like anything, you adapt. He really would have preferred to have had chicken fried steak, sweet breads, or anything traditionally cooked, but all in all he was pretty good about it. He had to.
In 2008 people would say, how lucky we were because prior to that year, not much was on the market. Nowadays, I say, how lucky everyone is because restaurants, grocery stores, and gourmet shops have jumped on the band wagon….oh yes, it is definitely a business. There is still more to do but if you have a gluten allergy, then, Welcome to the Beach!
The Birch Tree Cafe is Delaware’s 100% Gluten Free restaurant. It is also an espresso bar and a bake shoppe. It is located in Clarksville, which is about 4 miles west of Bethany Beach on Rt. 26. The actual address is 31826 Good Earth Lane. Tel. 302-539-2468. You can find The Birch Tree Cafe on Facebook and Twitter.
I stopped by to get a few things for a friend in Rehoboth Beach. Some special treats. It was late in the day, but Cathy Berzins, Co-Owner, and Chef, was there like always. She opens every day. And, this is what I got.
Muffins: 2 cinnamon, 2, blueberry, 2 chocolate chip….my friend has a sweet tooth. These muffins, besides being gluten free were also dairy free and nut free.
Everything is baked by Cathy from scratch, so I also got Multi Grain with Flax bread; 6 whole grains plus flaxeed.
Could not resist the Pecan Brownies….a classic made also dairy free.
 
Living Gluten Free in Delaware….is all about food. Every 2nd Tuesday of every month, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. the public is invited to join The Birch Tree Cafe and discuss the Gluten Feree Lifestyle. Share recipes, stores, and dining advice….we all have something to say about that, cooking/baking how-to’s and product information. Cathy will also have samplins. Any questions, pease call 302-539-2468.
The Birch Tree Cafe features its own pizza crust. To me, that was the hardest thing to achieve. Cathy also offers quiche, sandwiches, salads and soups. Her cream of crab soup is her signature dish. If you have been coming to Bethany Beach, you might remember that Cathy owned South Bethany Seafood Market. The soup is made with organic cream, organic milk and touched with a finish of sherry.
Her breads and muffins can be ordered in quatities, just give her a call. Any other dietary restrictions or allergies….she can handle that, as well.
The Birch Tree Cafe sits inside Good Earth Market & Organic Farm, http://www.goodearthmarket.com. You walk through the market and pick up natural products, groceries, and then step outside to see the actual farm.
Now you know that if you have celiac disease or gluten allergy, even a sensitivity…..the Delaware Beaches have it all. You don’t have to arrive carrying tons of groceries. Relax, you are at the Beach!
Have a great day!
April 28th, 2014
This recipe is from the book called The End of Diabetes by Joel Fuhrman, MD. A very interesting book…I have it on my Kindle. Dr. Fuhrman says “When you eat a diet rich in healthy, natural foods from the earth, you give your body the nutrients it needs to heal and protect itself”.
It has started to rain. This soup is tasty, filling and vegetarian. The only thing I changed was that instead of water I used No Salt Vegetable Broth. It gave it even more flavor.
It is up to you if you wish to use organic vegetables.
GOLDEN AUSTRIAN CAULIFLOWER CREAM SOUP
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 carots, coarsely chopped (I bought the shredded carrots.)
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
2 leeks, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons of your favorite no-salt seasoning blend
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash spice blend
2 cups carrot juice, fresh or bottled
4 cups of No Salt Vegetable Broth
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raw cashews
5 cups chopped baby spinach
Place cauliflower, carrots, celery, leeks, 2 tablespoons seasoning blend, Mrs. Dash, carrot juice, No Salt Vegetable Broth, garlic, and nutmeg in a large soup pot. Cover, and simmer until cauliflower is soft; about 15 minutes.
Transfer 2/3 of the soup, (vegetables and stock) to a blender or food processor, add cashews, and blend until smooth and creamy. You might have to do this in batches.
Return blended mixture to the soup pot, stir in spinach, and simmer until spinach is wilted.
Serve and garnish with a few cashews.
Note: The cashews add thickening power, protein and fat to this delicious soup.
April 7th, 2014
Jody and I parked on Wilmington Avenue and right by Penny Lane. It looked so pretty on Friday evening as we strolled the Avenue. Pretty soon the crowds will be here and so, we, the residents, love to take the opportunity to stroll, shop and grab something to eat before the season arrives.
Our choice was Modern Mixture. I love writing about this restaurant because Leo is cooking very healthy for those of us that want to shed a few pounds and get ready for Summer 2014. And, if you have a gluten allergy, Modern Mixture is very aware of customers with allergies and sensitivities.
Modern Mixture is located at 62A Rehoboth Avenue. Tel. 302-227-0600. The website? http://www.modern-mixture.com. He has a liquor license as well. Leo takes pride in his cooking, using fresh ingredients and plenty of herbs to give a unique flavor to his dishes.
Every day special soups are being prepared in his kitchen. Ask: Cual es la sopa del dia? On cool days or evenings is all you would need.
His chopped salads are very good, as well. He can customize any to your liking.
On Friday Jody and I had the Modern Mixture’s House, which had romaine, onion, tomato, and fresh cactus called “nopalito”, feta, and lime juice topped with avocado.
If you just want a healthy smoothie, they are the best!
Leo gave us Mexican “breads”….we took them home for breakfast in the a.m. A hint of cinnamon and sugar….someone in my home ate it.
So if you are new in town….give it a try. Have a good one.
February 12th, 2014
The setting? A private home in the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico. The view? A million dollar one.
The dining room? Comfortable, beautiful…island style.
On the table? Arroz con Pollo Puertorican style (chicken with rice).
Also on the table, a very simple Spinach Pie. One bite, and I had to have the recipe.
Back at the Delaware Beaches….it is cold, probably snow tonight and defnitely, rain tomorrow. After my own tasting….I had to share it.
SPINACH PIE – 4 Ingredients
Please note that to make this pie Gluten Free grate the parmesan cheese yourself.
1 package of frozen spinach – 10 ounces
1 block of cream cheese, 8 ounces (I bought the one with less fat.)
4 eggs
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese (or more, if you like)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease lightly a pie dish.
Let the spinach defrost and squeeze to get all the water out or as much as you can.
In a blender, put the 4 eggs, spinach, and cream cheese. If you want to add salt and pepper, please do so, but I did not. Blend and pour into a pie dish.
Place in the pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes and then sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. The cheese will make a crust and add a delicious taste to the pie. There is no other crust. It will take another 15 to 20 minutes to be ready. You want it to look like the one on the photo.
Take it out of the oven and cut it in wedges.
Enjoy!! The pie can be eaten hot, at room temperature, or cold. You can also serve it as an appetizer. I thought you could probably make it in a rectagular glass baking dish and cut into bars if you have guests over. You know what to do now right?
NOTE: I stand corrected…..an immediate call came in from Puerto Rico….it seems that I forgot that a chopped onion was to be included in the ingredients going into the blender. Oops!! It still tasted delish!
January 20th, 2014
You can tell there is snow in the forecast….the grocery stores were having a white sale: bread, eggs, milk
Following some of the restaurants that are offering meatless Monday dishes, I decided to try a recipe given to me by my friend, Kathy. I have had the recipe for some time. But tonight was the night.
Like any of the recipes that I prepare, I usually add a little bit of this and a little bit of that. To this particular recipe, I changed a few things, and it was still very good.
The original recipe was vegetarian and gluten free. Usually, I would prepare it that way, using short or long grain brown rice, but I do have 50 pounds of pearl barley so I used the barley instead of the rice, and therefore, the recipe as I prepared it was not gluten free. All you have to do is to use the rice instead. Here it goes….I hope you love it just as much as I did.
PEARL BARLEY (OR, SHORT/LONG GRAIN BROWN RICE) AND WALNUT LOAF
1 1/4 short or long grain brown rice (I used pearl barley.)
1/4 cups walnuts, roasted and chopped (I bought the ones already chopped and roasted them.)
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, lightly roasted
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
6 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard (Plenty of gluten free ones on the market, like Emeril’s.)
1 teaspoon salt is optional (I did not use it since there is cheese in the recipe.)
1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 cup grated cheddar cheese ( I bought an extra sharp cheddar block and did the grating at home.)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Roast the walnuts for about 5 minutes then add the sunflower seeds for another few minutes. Watch them so they don’t burn.
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned and pulling away from the sides a bit. I will take about 60 to 90 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the Gravy. Once again, the original recipe called for 3/4 cup of Cashew Butter. Never have seen it, and never found it. So, I decided to replace it with Almond Butter. I also replaced the 2 1/2 cups of water for unsalted chicken broth. If using chicken broth make sure it is gluten free. This gravy is gluten free. It is so good, you might want to use this gravy for everything. It makes about 4 cups.
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions, diced
3/4 Cashew Butter if you find it. If not use the Almond Butter…..very good.
1/2 cup wheat-free and reduced sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 cups unsalted chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon sage
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until caramel in color; about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the onions become browner, stir more frequently. Add the cashew or almond butter, gluten free soy sauce, broth, and spices. Cook until heated through.
Place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. I did this in batches, placing the already blended sauce in a saucepan and repeating the process. Be careful while blending since hot liquids tend to foam up. Warm up the gravy while you wait for the loaf to cook.
Once the loaf is ready, cut it and serve it with gravy drizzled on top. You may add your favorite veggie or salad to this dish. Enjoy!!
Have a good one!!
December 18th, 2013
Restaurants in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware are more and more in tune…offering meatless Monday dinners. It is a day of the week when eating vegetables, pastas, rices, beans, and other offerings give you the opportunity to eat more “plant-based”.
I decided to take my friend, Cindi, to Modern-Mixture, located at 62A Rehoboth Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Tel. 302-227-0600. Website? http://www.modern-mixture.com. You can find Modern-Mixture on Facebook, as well.
Modern-Mixture has been in Rehoboth for about 2 years. It has a liquor license and it opens every day except, Tuesday.
Cindi and I decided to try 2 Meatless Monday lunches. Leo suggested the following:
A tamal, enfrijolada, chile relleno with cheese, rice and guacamole.
And, the Vegan Meatloaf. I have had this meatloaf before and really think it is delicious. Beans, oats and sauce makes so good that you will not miss the beef.
Dessert was presented by Leo….It was a Chocolate Mousse Cake; light, moist with just the right amount of sweetness.
EVENT
Friday, December 20th – 7:00 p.m. – Plant Based “Winter Holiday Dinner & Wine Pairing” at Modern-Mixture, also hosted by VegRehoboth. It will be a Vegan Four-Course Prix-Fixe Dinner. Special Spanish Wines will accompany each course. Wine representative Laura Lamprecht from Specialty Wines and Liquors will be on hand to discuss each wine.
Tickets are $30 each. They are on sale at Modern-Mixture. For additional information, please call 302-227-0600.
Creamy Cauliflower and Coconut Soup topped with Grapes and Almonds, Baby Kale Christmas Salad, pomegranate, red onion, pecans with a tangy ginger dressing, Three Stuffed Vegetables: A traditional Chile en Nogada stuffed with Nuts and Fruits, topped with Cashew Cream Sauce and Pomegranate; a Stuffed Tomato with Farro, and a Stuffed Chayote with Sweet corn and Herbs…the final course; the sweet ending with poached pear rice pudding.
If you wish to try something new….then give them a call and purchase your ticket.
Have a good one!!
December 2nd, 2013
No more turkey….that’s right!! It happens when you buy a turkey too big for the family. Plenty of leftovers, I agree; I am tired of it now. Looking for something different to make, I think I had found the recipe. Even though I used shrimp, this sauce is good with any fish….and chicken too! It can be made gluten free, by using gluten free soy sauce.
SHRIMP WITH THAI COCONUT-CURRY SAUCE
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 minced garlic cloves
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons red curry paste (every super market has it)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce (if preparing gluten free, then get low sodium gluten free soy sauce)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 lbs. raw jumbo shrimp, peeled
lime wedges
In a large frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon of the dark sesame oil. Add shrimp and cook until a nice pink color.
In a large nonstick skillet heat the other teaspoon of dark sesame oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic, cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute.
Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer but make sure not to boil it. Add juice of a lime. Add shrimp and warm them up, again, without boiling it.
You can serve it over cooked basmati rice…..I chose to serve it over cheese grits. Pass the extra lime wedges around.
Enjoy!!
October 16th, 2013
From time to time I would stop by Good Earth Market in Clarksville, Delaware. When writing a post I would always say that it was about 4 miles west of Bethany Beach. I am happy to say now that Good Earth Market Rehoboth Beach is pretty much around the corner from my house. The new market opened this summer to great expectations from the community. It has not disappointed. It is fully stocked. Location? 38131 Terrace Rd., Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, 19971. Tel. 302-226-3276 On Facebook, find it under Good Earth Market Rehoboth Beach.
The owners are Susan and David Ryan. They can be found mostly at the Clarksville Market. In Rehoboth Beach, Annette is their Manager. Good Earth Market is bringing to the community healthy foods. Our health is something not to be compromised. Eating well is part of the solution to many health problems.
And for all of you locals, the location is on the Forgotten Mile; that stretch of Highway 1 (Coastal Highway) between Bayard Ave. Traffic Light in Dewey and the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal Bridge. Now you know…
Gem Java Coffee Bar inside the Market opens at 7 a.m. until Noon. At present, coffee and fresh muffins are served. The menu might be expanding later on. There are plenty of tables and chairs, besides the bar, to sit and gather with friends. It can sit about 25 people. Have it in mind if you need to have a meeting or just a fun gathering. Annette is the Manager and you can call her at 302-226-3276.
The sign of a good Manager is the knowledge of his or her products offered. Annette was great and it was so nice meeting her. She was enthusiastic about the Market and gave me a tour showing that this Market is a must stop shop in Rehoboth Beach when looking for fresh, healthy, gluten free, vegan goods and home and wellness products, as well.
Gluten Free!! For years I have kept a gluten free kitchen in my home. The shops at the Delaware Beaches have all been pretty good in keeping up with a demand for gluten free products. Good Earth Market in Rehoboth Beach has so many products. If you are looking for gluten free, please stop by.
A freezer is always filled to capacity.
 
That was just the frozen foods…throughout the store you will find many other products like flours, cereals, chips, sauces, etc. etc. that will make cooking gluten free so much easier.
Paleo Bread is an allergy friendly bread that, at times, is hard to get. It is gluten free, grain free, and low calorie, as well. They have it in the frozen section at Good Earth, but if you want to know more about it, please visit http://www.paleobread.com.
Frozen meats…turkey, bison, etc. free of any chemicals and dyes.
The Birch Tree Cafe is the only 100% gluten free restaurant in Southern Delaware. It is located at the Clarksville location, but on a daily basis salads, breads and other great foods come to the Rehoboth Beach. You just have to stop by and check it out, or request a favortie…they’ll bring it to you.
Raw Cheese is also hard to find….ask Annette; they have it.
Jams and Coconut Sugars!!
The Iced Coffee on this photo, has been a hit, flying out of the store as soon as it gets in.
Wellness for body, mind, and soul!!
And, plenty of products have a story behind it. Driftwood Candles. These candles are made my a woman that years ago became a young widow. The first time you light your candle, it may extinguish itself before it reaches the wax…this is normal. Just re-light until you get a steady burn!!
EVENTS:
Wednesday, 10/16 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Dr. Herb Joiner-Bey, a primary care Naturopathic Physician will be speaking regarding Lyme Disease.
Saturday, 11/2 from Noon until 1 p.m. “Meatless Holidays”. Speaker? Patricia Haddock will be giving tips, recipes and tastings!!
Saturday, 11/6 from 11 a.m. until Noon…”Ingredients friend or foe?” by speaker Bob Wisgirda, teaching how to read your ingredient labels.
Saturday, 12/14 from Noon until 1 p.m., Sue Ryan will be speaking about “Taste of the Holidays”. She is the owner of Good Earth Market, http://www.goodearthmarket.com, and will be presenting samples of holiday items they sell.
STAY TUNED:
Coming up!! Vegan Cookie Exchange, Weight Loss Group, Cooking Demos, and Paleo Group.
Have a great day!!
 
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