10 Gluten-Free Snacks for New Year’s Eve

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In the last month or so, you’ve painstakingly prepared two delicious, gluten-free holiday meals for a family and friends. During the holiday season, sticking to a gluten-free diet is no easy feat! We’re impressed and think you deserve a break, which is why we’d like to suggest you whip up one of these simple gluten-free appetizers or drinks for your New Year’s Eve festivities.

  • Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts are all naturally gluten-free. However, some manufacturers cross-contaminate nuts during the packaging process, so look for gluten-free labels. All of Blue Diamond‘s products are gluten-free except for their Jordan Almonds and Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds.
  • Fresh fruit makes a sweet, healthy appetizer that will balance out all of the savory appetizers.
  • Vegetable trays also make great, healthy appetizers. Just make sure to pair them with a salad dressing that is certified gluten-free (Hidden Valley, Annie’s, and Organic Ville manufacturer gluten-free ranch dressings).
  • For a snack that takes seconds to throw together, cut gluten-free cheese into small slices, and place them on a platter with Glutino crackers.
  • Looking for a traditional, crowd-pleasing appetizer? Say no more: Gluten-free Chex Mix.
  • Pick a dip to pair with gluten-free chips: Guacamole, Hummus, or Spinach & Artichoke.
  • This Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Flatbread makes an irresistible, mouth-watering appetizer!
  • Make a big batch of these meatballs, stick some toothpicks in them, and you’re good to go.
  • Who doesn’t love beer? Pick up a few packs of New Planet Beer’s Blonde, Raspberry, or Pale Ale. You can also make some refreshing mixed drinks using New Plant Beer.
  • Make sure you have some Champagne to toast with at midnight!

From all of us here at New Planet Beer, happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2013!

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Gluten-Free Sugar & Gingerbread Cookies

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gingerbread cookieThere may still be twelve days left until Christmas, but we’re already dreaming about all of the gluten-free treats we’ll get to enjoy with family and friends. But why should you have to wait until the end of December to start spreading the holiday cheer? Using the recipes below, bake some gluten-free sugar or gingerbread cookies, then hand deliver them to family and friends’ houses.

Feeling extra-festive? Invite some friends over to make gluten-free gingerbread houses (just make sure to use gluten-free candy)!

Gluten-Free Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup amaranth flour
  • 1/2 cup potato starch
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • A pinch fresh nutmeg

Directions:

Whisk all of the flours together in a medium-sized bowl, then carefully sift them through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. Add the baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum to that bowl before whisking everything together again. Set aside.

Stir the butter in a separate bowl, or use the beater attachment of a stand mixer to stir it. Add the sugar, then cream them together until they have combined. Add the two eggs and vanilla extract before beating the mixture for a couple more minutes. Stir in a pinch of nutmeg.

Sift the dry ingredients mixture into the liquid one, one cup at a time. Make sure that everything is entirely mixed together. The thick batter won’t be as stiff as traditional rolled cookie dough and won’t be completely sticky to the touch. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it overnight.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it warm up to room temperature, but don’t let it reach complete pliability. Ideally, the dough should still be rather stiff from refrigeration. Preheat the oven to 375° F, then roll out the cookie dough on a gluten-free cutting board, or between two pieces of parchment paper. Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut out holiday shapes or create your own.

Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes, depending on your oven and how crispy you’d like them to be. Let them cool 10 minutes before tasting them.

Makes about 15-20 cookies, depending on shapes.

Gingerbread Cookies or House (gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup arrowroot flour
  • 1 ¼ cup sorghum flour (plus more for dusting)
  • 1 ¼ cup teff flour
  • 1 cup coconut sugar (or a sugar of your choice)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ½ cup maple syrup (can also use agave or honey)
  • 1 tbsp molasses
  • ¼- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 ½ tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp warm water (the applesauce and flax replace 2 eggs)
  • ½ tsp xanthan gum

Directions:

Combine maple syrup, molasses, oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Add applesauce and flax-water mixture to the large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine baking soda, flours, sea salt, spices and xanthan gum. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then stir.  Add 1/4 cup of milk, then stir in remaining flour.  Add more milk if necessary.

The dough should be a little sticky at this point, so use floured hands to roll it into a ball and wrap it in plastic before refrigerating. If you’d rather keep it in the bowl while you refrigerate it, scrape the dough down the sides of the bowl before you chill it. Refrigerate for at least 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking tray with parchment. Remove dough from fridge and divide in half.  Roll out each half on a floured, gluten-free surface to 1/4 inch thickness before cutting into desired shapes. Place cookies at least 1 inch from one another on the parchment and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven and how crispy you’d like them.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies (depending on size) or 1 gingerbread house and a few accessories.

Adapted from Gluten Free Girl and She Let Them Eat Cake.

Happy holidays!

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Gluten-free holiday gift guide

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Gluten-free holiday giftNow that Thanksgiving has come and gone, ’tis the season…to start your holiday shopping. Coming up with great gift ideas for everyone on your holiday shopping list is no easy task, which is why we’ve brainstormed eight gifts for your gluten-free loved ones.

  1. Gluten-free alcohol + food: For gift that is as thoughtful as it is tasty, give the chef in your life a pack of Tread Lightly Pale Ale, 3R Raspberry Ale, or Off-Grid Pale Ale with a special home-cooked snack or meal. They’ll love relaxing and sipping on a frosty bottle of beer while you do all of the cooking. (Tip: Print out a gluten-free recipe and go grocery shopping for gluten-free ingredients well in advance of the day you plan to make the meal).
  2. Gluten-free magazine subscription: Delight Gluten-Free Magazine, Easy Eats, Gluten-Free Living, Living Without, and other gluten-free magazines are packed with information on gluten-free cooking, labeling, recipes, restaurants, and other issues. This gift will help your gluten-free friend remain in-the-know about advances in the gluten-free world.
  3. Gluten-free gift basket: Amazon, Cookies From Home, I Can Have That!, It’s Only Natural Gifts, and many other online vendors offer delectable, gluten-free gift baskets containing sweet and savory treats.
  4. New cooking utensils: Are you living with someone who is gluten-intolerant? Do they use their own cooking utensils while they’re preparing a gluten-free meal? Wooden utensils are porous, so even if you accidentally cut your sandwich on your roommate’s wooden cutting board and washed it, traces of gluten could still be left behind. For a more practical gift, replace your roommate’s wooden spoons, cutting boards, measuring cups, spatulas, or rolling pin.
  5. Gift certificate to a Restaurant with a Gluten-free Menu/Options: Outback Steakhouse and P.F. Chang’s both offer gluten-free menus,  Maggiano’s Little Italy chefs will, if asked, modify meals so that they’re gluten-free, and that new local restaurant that just opened downtown just might have a yummy gluten-free menu. Give your friend or loved one the gift of an effortless, gluten-free meal with a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.
  6. Gluten-free book: Do you know someone who just started eating gluten-free food? Give them gluten-free meal ideas with a new gluten-free cookbook, or help them on their new quest with a guide to living gluten-free.
  7. A tax-deductible donation in your loved one’s name to an organization that conducts research, educates, and provides support for individuals living with celiac disease such as the Celiac Disease Foundation or The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.
  8. Kitchen appliance: Looking to splurge on a holiday gift for someone you love? Prevent cross-contamination and help them save time in the kitchen preparing gluten-free meals by buying them their own toaster, breadmaker, rice cooker, mixer, slow cooker, or waffle iron.

Enjoy your gluten-free gift shopping, and from all of us at New Planet Beer, happy holidays!

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Gluten-free Stuffing

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What would Thanksgiving dinner be without stuffing? No one should EVER have to answer that question. We found a recipe for a killer stuffing, and amazingly enough, it’s gluten-free! Pair it with a juicy slice of gluten-free turkey, a bottle of New Planet Beer’s 3R Raspbeery Ale, and a table of family and friends for a Thanksgiving you’ll always remember.

Gluten Free Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups gluten-free bread cubes (buy it already made or make it using Jules Gluten Free™ Bread Mix)
  • 2 cups apples, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
  • 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup ± gluten-free vegetable broth (Swanson® Canned Vegetable Broth and Imagine Foods® Organic Vegetable Broth are currently gluten-free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300º F. Cube bread slices, then spread in a single layer onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cubes are dry.

In a large skillet, melt butter, then add carrots, celery and onion until tender. Add salt, pepper, and spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix dried bread cubes, apple, nuts, dried cranberries and flaxseed. Add carrot-onion mixture to the large bowl and stir well. Pour entire contents into a large baking dish with a lid. Pour vegetable broth over mixture and stir, adding more broth as necessary to make the stuffing moist. Cover and bake at 375º F for approximately 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Jules Gluten Free™.

 

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Test your NPB knowledge & win a free hat or beer stein!

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Who doesn’t love free schwag? We’re giving away a free hat or beer stein to one of our lucky readers, but first, we’ve got to test your knowledge of New Planet Beer! *To enter to win, simply comment with the correct answers to the questions listed below (hint: use our website and Facebook page as resources).

  1. In which year did New Planet Beer’s first type of beer hit the shelves?
  2. Who are New Planet Beer’s founders?
  3. How many types of beer do we brew? What are their names?
  4. List the two closest stores to your home that carry New Planet Beer (hint: use the Store Locator on our website).
  5. How many Likes does New Planet Beer’s Facebook page have?

*Winner will be drawn on 11/7/12 and will be notified by email. Good luck!

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Gluten-free Halloween Candy

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Halloween may still be two weeks away, but our mouths have already started watering as we think about arguably one of the best parts of this holiday — the candy. With each passing year, an increasing number of brands has started manufacturing gluten-free versions of their customers’ favorite candy bars. Instead of battling it out with other supermarket shoppers in a jam-packed candy aisle, save yourself some time by checking out our list of gluten-free Halloween candy. While you should always check a candy bar’s label to make sure it is gluten-free, the list we’ve compiled below links to each candy’s nutritional information, which has been provided by the manufacturer.

3 Musketeers Mint Bar and Minis
Almond Joy Bar and Minis
Butterfinger Original and Fun Size
Dum Dums
Heath Bar and Snack Size
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (1.55 oz) and Milk Chocolate with Almonds Bar (1.45 oz)
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses, Kisses Filled Chocolates, and Nuggets Candies
Lemonhead, Atomic Fireballs, and Red Hots
M&Ms (all are gluten-free except for pretzel-flavored)
Mounds Bar and Minis
Reese’s Peanut Putter Cups (all sizes are gluten-free EXCEPT for seasonal shaped items)
Skittles
York Peppermint Pattie (all sizes)

Happy Halloween, and enjoy your treats!

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Hidden Sources of Gluten

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Have you recently cut gluten out of your diet due to Celiac’s Disease or a gluten sensitivity? In creating lists of gluten-free foods you can eat and carefully checking labels at the grocery store, it’s not uncommon for those who have recently started living a gluten-free lifestyle to inadvertently forget about other places gluten may be hiding in their daily routine. Here are some hidden sources of gluten that are frequently overlooked:

  • Your Kitchen Countertops — You’ve just pulled out all of the ingredients to make yourself a delicious gluten-free meal. You’re about to put some of the ingredients you’ll be cooking with down on the counter when you spy some bread crumbs lurking from a sandwich your spouse made earlier. If others living in your household haven’t adopted a gluten-free diet, avoid cross-contaminating your gluten-free meals and snacks by wiping down your kitchen countertops before you start cooking.
  • Your Wood Cutting Boards and Wooden Spoons — Wood is porous, so even if it comes into contact with food containing food and you wash it, traces of gluten might still get left behind. If you own wood cutting boards or wooden spoons that have come into contact with foods containing gluten, it’s best to replace them with new ones and label them so others living in your household don’t accidentally contaminate them while cooking.
  • Your Toaster — Here’s another common place cross-contamination occurs. Taking your toaster apart and cleaning out all of the bread crumbs isn’t a practical option. Even if it was, bread crumbs that are lodged in the spring mechanism could still come loose and contaminate your gluten-free bread once it’s been completely toasted and pops up. Buy yourself a new toaster, and, once again, make sure that you label it so that others living in your household don’t accidentally contaminate it with gluten.
  • Your BBQ Grill — Before you start barbecuing your next meal, carefully clean out your grill. Make sure that the grates are clean before you start grilling a gluten-free meal. If that’s not an option, prevent cross-contamination by grilling your gluten-free food on aluminum foil.
  • In Jars or Tubs of Peanut Butter, Jam, Mayo, Butter, or Relish. Unless you’ve instituted a “no double dipping” rule in your household, chances are a knife that has come in contact with breads containing gluten has also made it into various jars and tubs of condiments. You have two options: either institute a rule in your household eliminating double-dipping, or buy separate condiments that are for your use only.
  • Gum — Gum seems like the last place you’d find gluten, right? Unfortunately, some chewing gums are dusted with flour to prevent them from sticking to their wrappers, and most companies don’t list this on the label. Protect yourself by chewing a gluten free gum like Wrigley’s EXTRA® Peppermint.
  • Your Medicine — Just like some brands of gum, some pills are also dusted with flour before they’re packaged. Some inactive ingredients — or fillers — that are added to prescription or over-the-counter medications can also come from starch sources like wheat or potatoes. Before you purchase a medication, ask a pharmacist if it could contain gluten, or contact the manufacturer.

Thought of a hidden source of gluten we didn’t mention above? Share it with us by commenting below!

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Gluten-Free Football Snacks

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It’s official: The New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys game marked the beginning of the 2012 NFL season. And nothing goes better with Sunday football than an ice cold New Planet Beer and some yummy gluten-free snacks! Put an easy gluten-free spin on classic game day snacks by following the recipes below.

Gluten-Free Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

  • 5 oz frozen spinach, thawed, drained & chopped
  • One 14-oz can gluten-free artichoke hearts (in water), drained & chopped
  • 2 cups shredded gluten-free mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 3 roasted garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free sour cream
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated & divided
  • 16 ounces gluten-free cream cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Gluten-free tortilla chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine artichoke hearts, spinach, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic and pepper. Stir until thoroughly blended, then spoon mixture into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.

Gluten-Free Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. chicken wings, cut at the joint, tips discarded
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • 1½ tablespoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅔ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash wing pieces, pat dry, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheet.

Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Remove ½ cup sauce and refrigerate to serve with wings. Brush wing pieces with some of remaining sauce before putting them in the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Baste them several times with remaining sauce.

Set wings under broiler for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp and brown. Serve warm with reserved sauce.

Recipes adapted from Glutenfreeda and Living Without.

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3 Quick Gluten-Free Lunches

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Looking for some quick, tasty gluten-free lunch options for you or your child?  Sometimes, when you’re helping your son or daughter gear up for a new school year — or even rushing off to face another busy day yourself — throwing together a quick PB & J is easier than making a more nutritious alternative. But never fear; here are a few tasty, nutritious gluten-free lunch recipes that you can whip up in a jiffy!

Gluten Free Turkey Club Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • 2 Slices of gluten-free bread
  • Smear of gluten-free mustard (French’s Mustard is gluten-free)
  • 2 Slices avocado
  • 2 Pieces Romaine lettuce
  • 2 Slices roasted turkey (for an even healthier alternative, substitute low sodium turkey breast from your local grocery store)

Directions:

Toast bread. Smear mustard and avocado on the bread, then add lettuce and turkey slices.

Gluten Free Tuna Sandwich

Ingredients:

  • 1 5 oz Can solid white chunk tuna in water, drained
  • 2 Slices of gluten-free bread
  • 1 Lettuce leaf
  • Mayonnaise (Best Foods mayo is gluten-free)
  • 2 Slices tomato
  • 1 Stalk of celery, diced

Preparation:

Toast bread slices, if desired. Use a fork to mix the tuna and celery with about 1/4 cup mayo, then spoon the mixture onto the slices of bread. Add lettuce and tomato. If you’d like to make it a tuna melt, add a slice of gluten-free cheese, then microwave the sandwich for 30 seconds.

Gluten-Free Munchables (a gluten-free alternative to Lunchables)

Ingredients:

Directions:

Using a small round cookie cutter, cut 4 small circles out of the turkey breast slices and 4 small circles out of the ham slices. Using a small square cookie cutter, cut 4 small squares out of the white American cheese slice and 4 small squares out of the cheddar cheese slice. There are two ways to put this Munchable together. For a quick fix, stack each ingredient in it’s own separate area of the tupperware. Or, try it the way one creative mom did: To avoid cross-contamination, wash a Lunchables plastic tray by hand or put it through the dishwasher on a no-heat cycle. Then, stack crackers in the two center sections. The cheese slices go in two sections on the right. Finally, add the slices of deli meats to the sections on the left. Cover with cellophane and serve!

Recipes adapted from Elana’s Pantry and Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom.

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The Gluten-Free Road to College

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It’s finally August, which means that fall semester is just weeks away for incoming college freshmen. But while many students are probably chomping at the bit while thinking about the independence they’ll gain in college, gluten-free students are most likely worrying about what they’ll be able to eat in the dining halls. But maintaining a gluten-free diet in college doesn’t have to be as difficult as getting an A in statistics! Follow these ten easy steps to keep yourself on the gluten-free track.

  1. Buy a mini-fridge and/or microwave to keep your gluten-free food in. Before you purchase one, though, check with housing services to find out more about your college’s wattage guidelines. If you decide to share either of these appliances with your roommate(s), make sure that they understand how to prevent cross-contamination of their food with yours.
  2. Talk to your roommate(s) about your allergy. Don’t oversimplify your explanation, but don’t make it overly complicated either. Get across the point that even one crumb of gluten can make you sick, which is why you’ll be keeping all of your snacks, cleaning supplies (ie: sponges, towels), tupperware, and dishes separate from theirs. If you’re sharing a kitchen or cooking space with your roommate(s), ask them to wipe down surfaces after their done cooking so as to avoid cross-contamination.
  3. Meet with the dining services director and talk to dining hall chefs. When you meet with the director of dining services, tell him that you’re gluten-free and ask about accommodations the school can offer, gluten-free meals they’ve served in the past or could prepare for you, and even how many gluten-free students they’ve served or plan to serve this school year. After you’re done, walk around and talk to the chefs and dining hall staff. Ask them how they prepare gluten-free meals, if they know how to prevent cross-contamination, and which gluten-free meals they’ve served in the past.
  4. Consider opting out of a meal plan. If it doesn’t seem like there’s many gluten-free options in your college’s dining hall, ask dining services about opting out of your meal plan. Use the money you save to purchase gluten-free snacks at grocery stores or gluten-free meals at local restaurants.
  5. Figure out which grocery store has the best gluten-free food selection. Stock up on gluten-free snacks and frozen meals that you can keep in your dorm room. If there’s a particular gluten-free snack you’d like but don’t see on the shelves, don’t be afraid to ask the grocery store manager if they’ll look into carrying it for you.
  6. Pack gluten-free snacks. Always remember to bring one or two gluten-free snacks with you wherever you go, even if you’re not planning on eating. You never know when your friends may want to grab a snack or meal that may not be gluten-free, so it’s always good to bring a snack so you don’t have to sit there hungrily watching them eat!
  7. BYO gluten-free alcohol. If you’re over the age of 21 and going to a party, consider legally carrying closed bottles of gluten-free alcohol with you when you go out with friends. Just throw a four pack of New Planet Beer in your purse before you head to your friend’s party!
  8. Carry an allergy card with you to give to waitresses, chefs, etc. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has a very informative allergy card at the end of their Gluten-Free Guide to College. Print it out or create your own and carry it with you.
  9. Simplify your allergy story. Think of it like a gluten-free elevator speech; make sure that it’s easy to explain to anyone you meet. Be open and honest about your allergy with your friends, dorm staff, etc.
  10. Parents, send your student gluten-free snacks. Students love getting care packages during their freshman year, so remember to send gluten-free snack packs, especially around midterms and finals!

Don’t let living a gluten-free lifestyle hold you back. Remember that you can do anything other college students do!

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