Gluten-free Allison!

Chef Chuck recently had some questions for me about eating gluten-free. As someone who has been happily living a life of gluten free-dom for over 7 years now, I was happy to give some helpful hints to Chef.

My first piece of advice is this: don’t give up! Whether you’re cutting gluten out of your diet because you have a gluten intolerance, are trying to cure some long-standing health issues, or simply want to drop a few of those stubborn pounds, remember to stay focused on the finish line. I remember when I first went gluten-free…..I made the mistake of thinking I could have gluten “on special occasions”, but ultimately this only led me down the road towards my old bad habits. Plus I never really experienced the true health and fitness benefits of being gluten-free until I had completely purged it from my diet.

So now on to the most pressing question: what the heck do you eat?! Because gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye, you need to avoid all foods and food derivatives that contain those three grains. You can find an extensive list of foods that contain gluten on the celiac.org website. And don’t think that you will never be able to eat bread or pasta again! There are some fabulous gluten-free breads and pastas on the market today, and I swear you would never know the difference in a blind taste test. My favorite brand of gluten-free bread is Pamela’s, and my favorite pasta is made by Tinkyada. You can probably find these at your local grocer, but if they aren’t available you can always order them through glutenfreemall.com. Oh, and if you’re confused about whether or not oats are gluten-free, just look for a brand that is labeled “Gluten-free” and you’ll be safe. I like Bob’s Red Mill.

What? You don’t believe me that eating gluten-free can be good for you AND delicious? Ok, here are two recipes to prove it: Allison’s secret hummus, and Best-ever gluten free lasagna.

I don’t have a picture of the lasagna because every time I make this dish it gets inhaled before I can snap a photo. Chef Chuck, I challenge you to make this lasagna for people and wait until AFTER they have eaten it to tell them it’s not only gluten free, but vegan as well. Be prepared to see minds being blown.

Allison’s Secret Hummus

This variation on a traditional hummus has a bit of a kick to it. If you prefer your hummus with a more neutral taste, simply leave out the cayenne pepper.

humus and cucumber on gluten free bread

1 can (10 ounces) chick peas, drained and rinsed, reserving 1/2 C of the juice
1/2 C juice from chickpeas
1/3 C tahini
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T olive oil
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cloves minced garlic

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until a creamy texture is reached. You can play with the ingredients a bit to suit your taste. For example, you may like more garlic and less tahini, or more cayenne (spicy!) and less cinnamon. Have fun and be creative! I like to serve the hummus on little finger sandwiches (using GF bread, of course) with some cucumbers and sprouts.

Makes approximately 30 servings, 2 Tbsp per serving
Per serving: 38 Calories, 3g Fat, 1.1g Protein, 2g Carb, 1g Fiber, 0g Sugar

Allison Westfahl is a renowned trainer, exercise physiologist, and fitness personality. She holds an undergraduate degree from Yale, and a Masters degree in exercise science. An avid cook, runner, and yogi, Allison loves to share her secret keys to health and fitness with others. She is the author of “The Gluten Free Fat Loss Plan”, and the forthcoming “Tom Danielson’s Core Advantange” (Velopress, 2013). Her website is allisonwestfahl.com

kitchen cutting boards

Kitchen Myths

Place Food in Aluminum Foil before Grilling

Why would anyone do this? Most of the flavor is on the surface of the grill, especially if you’re using propane. Placing an aluminum barrier between your food and the cooking surface will only make your food taste bland.

Wearing Plastic Gloves

When people wear gloves in commercial kitchens to prepare food, they get a false sense of cleanliness. I’ve seen cooks wear the same pair of gloves the entire day while preparing vegetables and proteins. Simply wash your hands between tasks with hot soapy water for at least one minute.

Avocado Pits Keep my Guacamole from Becoming Brown

Not true. The best way to keep guacamole from turning brown is to put plastic wrap directly on the avocado mixture instead of over the bowl.

Only Use White Pepper in Mashed Potatoes

When I was in cooking school our instructors always told us to use white pepper so it would look clean. Sometimes it’s a good idea to ignore such instruction, and this is the time. What’s wrong with black pepper flakes in mashed potatoes? Nothing. In fact, it provides a nice color-contrast. Also, the whisk attachment makes the fluffiest mashed potatoes, not the paddle.

Meats and Proteins should be Kept Refrigerated until Cooked

False. I always make sure that the meat I am going to cook has reached room temperature. If you place cold meat on a hot grill it seizes up and become tough. Also remember to let your cooked meat stand for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Multiple Cutting Boards for Separate Tasks

As long as you thoroughly wash cutting boards with hot soapy water and a small amount of bleach, one board is perfectly safe for all kitchen tasks.

Using Glass Mixing Bowls with a Mixer

This is always a big mistake, in my opinion. If you’re mixing batter with a metal whisk and a glass container, there’s always a chance that the bowl will chip. Stainless steel is the safest vessel to use when using a commercial, or hand mixer.

Relying on Time-Per-Pound for Poultry and Roasts

Most people ask me, “How long should I cook a 20 pound turkey for?” The problem with calculating cooking time this way, is that everyone’s oven runs at varying temperatures. Even though your dial may read 350, an un-calibrated oven can easily be at 325 or 375. It’s important to always have a hand-held meat thermometer in your kitchen.

Don’t Rely on that Expiration Date

Just because your milk expires on Friday doesn’t mean you can’t use it on Saturday. Remember, these are suggested dates of expiration. Simply smell the milk, and if it doesn’t have a sour scent, use it. The same goes for butter, and most other dairy products.

It’s OK to leave butter at room temperature.

True. You can actually keep butter at room temperature for at least 10 days without health risk. As long as the butter is covered, and protected from cross-contamination, it is perfectly safe. There’s nothing worse than trying to butter your bread with hard butter.

Don’t put oil in the pasta water.

True! Residual oil will prevent whatever sauce you are using from sticking to the pasta. It is however, necessary to put salt in the water.

Cold water boils faster than hot water.

In what universe? The hotter your water is, the faster it will reach a boiling point.

Don’t wash those mushrooms!

Mushrooms should never be washed. Remember, the first liquid that fungi are exposed to get absorbed within. Instead of using water to clean mushrooms, use a small cloth to remove dirt and debris.

Brown eggs are better than white.

Not true. The color of the shell has nothing to do with what’s inside. The color of the eggs comes from the coloring of the hen.

Pork has to be cooked until well-done.

Not true. Just like any other meat, pork will become dry and tasteless if over-cooked. The USDA has recently decreased the recommended cooking temperature to 145 degrees. Remember to let your meat rest after it has cooked, and before cutting it.

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

chicken stock

Basic chicken stock is the foundation of many soups as well as sauces. If you can make a clear, flavorful broth, you will be able to prepare a myriad of soups and other delicious creations.

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

paula deen

You may have noticed that Paula Deen has been getting more air time than usual as of late. Apparently, she’s had type-2 diabetes for the past three years and forgot to tell anyone. The public has been very reactive over this news; she is a famous TV personality, after all.

“What did you expect, have you seen the food she cooks on her show?” Well, that’s a good point, but not the entire story.

Type-2 diabetes is a tricky disease. It can creep up on you suddenly, and often people aren’t symptomatic before being diagnosed. The question here is whether Paula Deen got the condition as a result of her cooking and eating habits. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer, because getting diabetes is the result of poor diet, lack of exercise and genetics.

Why the backlash? People feel deceived. The public has a personal connection with Ms Deen, and feel as if they should have been made aware of her medical condition. Nothing is further from the truth. Regardless of her cooking style or public image, her health is her own personal business- not ours.

Paula Deen has spent 20 years becoming a public figure. In the interim, she’s transformed herself into a celebrity. Her rise to star-status has been deliberate, well-planned, and perfectly executed. What has resulted from her hard work is a cooking empire with television shows, cookbooks, and cookware. Good for her.

Does Paula have a responsibility to her viewers to cook healthier? Maybe. I’ve seen her cook up a burger with cheese and bacon only to serve it between two doughnuts. It looked delicious, but would I ever eat one? Never. If you, as a viewer, can’t make the distinction between eating well and consuming hordes of fat and sugar, it’s time to educate yourself about food.

The Icing on the Cake

Paula Deen has partnered with a drug manufacturer to help promote a diabetes drug. I think this is an exceptional idea. Before she’s a cook or celebrity, Paula Deen is a businesswoman. Like or not, one of the first thoughts running through her mind after diagnosis was, “How can I make this work to my advantage?” Is there anything wrong with that? Absolutely not; that’s what successful people do.

I imagine Paula will tone things down now- she’ll use less butter, deep-fry fewer foods, and decrease portion sizes… what a shame; it was fun while it lasted.

Ya’ll come back now, ya hear?

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

quinoa salad

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

photo: feastandphotos.com

wheat

Even though I don’t believe in resolutions, I am going to try and stop eating gluten in the New Year. My sister and niece have celiac, so chances are, I may have some predisposition to the stuff myself. There’s only one problem: I love all things flour. Some of my favorite gluten-filled treats are: homemade breads, and pasta… maybe cookies, too… and cake. Besides eradicating this toxin from my body, I’m also excited at the prospect of losing a few holiday pounds.

The downside

Apparently there are a few downsides to eliminating certain foods from your diet entirely. First, you can’t indulge in delicious, flour-filled foods anymore. Secondly, you have to endure the physical symptoms of the withdrawal. A few things one can look forward to are: dizziness, headache, frequent urination, and strange food cravings (all of which I seem to be enjoying recently).

The upside

After a few weeks of detoxing I’m hoping to be energized, and euphoric- I’m also hoping to become healthier in the process.

There you have it- an interesting food experiment that will hopefully yield some interesting data, all of which I will share.

I’m also toying with the idea of giving up sugar.

Maybe I do believe in resolutions.

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

photo: goodwallpaper.com

Untempered Chocolate

How to Temper Chocolate

If you buy chocolate in bulk, and plan on using it for candy-making or dipping, it’s necessary to temper it. Have you ever bought a candy bar, and snapped of a piece to pop in your mouth? That snap occurs because the chocolate has been tempered.

Tempering refers to a process of heating and cooling chocolate to prepare it for dipping and enrobing. The tempering process ensures that the cocoa butter in chocolate hardens in a uniform crystal structure. Chocolate that is tempered has a smooth texture, a glossy shine and a pleasant “snap” when bitten or broken. Chocolate that is not tempered might be cloudy, gray, lumpy, and sticky at room temperature. Tempering chocolate can be accomplished at home with a chocolate or instant-read thermometer and a double-boiler. (about.com)

How to Temper Chocolate

You will need:

Double boiler

Large metal mixing bowl

Rubber Spatula

Large Chef’s Knife

Candy thermometer

Instructions:

First, it is important to start with at least 1 pound of chocolate.

Chop the chocolate into small sized pieces, approximately the size of a quarter.

Place two-thirds of the chocolate in a medium-sized metal mixing bowl, and place over a double-boiler. Make sure the heat is on low- you don’t want the chocolate to melt too fast.

Stir the chocolate as it melts- insert a candy thermometer into the chocolate making sure it doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl- this will give you a false reading. Once the chocolate has reached a temperature of 115 degrees, remove it from the boiler.

Chocolate Chunks

Tempering Chocolate

Add the remaining one third of chocolate to the bowl and stir. Continue to mix the chocolate until all of the bits have melted, and the temperature reads 80 degrees.

At this point, the chocolate is ready to use.

Tempered Chocolate

If the chocolate begins to cool, you may put it back on the double boiler for a minute or so to bring the temperature back up to 80 degrees. The chocolate may also re-heated in the microwave at 15 second intervals.

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

Homemade Caramel

This is a relatively easy recipe for homemade caramels. You can do all sorts of things with these delicious, creamy caramels… dip them in chocolate, eat them plain, or roll them in nuts. If you have some crisp apples, dip them in the caramel and serve to your guests!

Happy Holidays!

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

Veal Campobasso

Mountain States Rosen Lamb & Veal

I recently got some veal cutlets from Mountain States Rosen Company. They were sealed in easy to use pouches with the air removed. When I make scaloppini, (defn. small, thinly sliced pieces of meat, especially veal, dredged in flour, sautéed, and served in a sauce) I use a mallet to flatten the meat before searing. These cutlets were already perfectly thin and tender- no mallet required!

Veal Cutlets

I came up with this recipe for veal cutlets- I hope you have a chance to try it.

Veal Campobasso

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

12 Mountain States veal cutlets

1 cup of unbleached flour for dredging

½ cup of unsalted butter

½ cup shallots

½ cup white wine

¼ cup organic honey

1 bunch of chopped asparagus

1 cup each of red, yellow and orange peppers

2 cups of artichoke hearts

1 cup hydrated sun-dried tomatoes

½ cup capers

¼ cup flat-leaf Italian parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place a sauté pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in the pan.

Put the flour in a large metal bowl.

Season the veal cutlets. Dredge the cutlets in the flour, and place in the sauté pan. Cook until the cutlets become golden brown, approximately 1 minute aside. Sauté the remaining the veal, and place on a lined baking sheet.

Seasoned Veal Cutlets

Sauteed Veal Cutlets

Place ½ of the butter in the sauté pan that the veal was just cooked in, and melt. When it becomes hot, add the shallots and cook until they become caramelized. Add the asparagus, peppers, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and capers. Sauté vegetables until they become slightly brown.

Place the veal in the oven and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, and add the organic honey. Place the remaining butter in the pan and mix until it binds with the wine, approximately 2 minutes. Add the parsley.

Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Remove the veal from the oven, and place on a platter. Place the veggies and sauce over the cooked veal, then garnish with parsley and lemons.

Serve with pasta, gnocchi or rice.

Veal Campobasso

Enjoy!

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com

Tomato-Shrimp Soup with Fresh Basil

Chef Chuck Kerber

Pittsburghhotplate.com

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com