Matthews - Hot and Hip Healthy Gluten-Free Cooking: 75 Healthy Recipes to Spice Up Your Kitchen

The author of this book is not a medical professional. While every effort has been made to provide information on brands and ingredients that are listed as gluten-free, it is the responsibility of the reader or anyone who may use this information to confirm whether they are allergen-free or gluten-free without cross contamination. The author and publisher assume no liability for inaccuracies or misstatements about products or opinions in this book. Skyhorse and Skyhorse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Jacket design by Anna Christian Cover photo by Bonnie Matthews Print ISBN: 978-1-63220-291-8 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63220-752-4 Printed in China For Kenny Reed and Anne Marie Aristone Gallagher, friends and trainers, who helped spark in me a passion for fitness that will never burn out. Special thanks to Arabella Girardi, for helping behind the scenes with so many of the cookbooks, with words and with her passion for food. Also special thanks to my friends and neighbors, Kelli Felix, Nancy Ortega, and Alysia Gadson, who helped create, cook, taste test recipes, and make an occasional late-night run to the grocery store! Contents Introduction A Little Bit About Me Im hoping youve picked up this book for several reasons. One, to be inspired by mealtime options as opposed to being stressed about whats for dinner. It seems like so many people I know stress over what to have for their next meal, when really just a little planning ahead can allow free time to actually enjoy cooking and the process of prepping for meals. I know for myself, I do really enjoy cooking and had to relearn how to cook and prepare foods for health a few years ago.

You see, I had to lose weight, and though I didnt do it through gluten-free foods, I did do it with healthy meal planning and cooking simple, delicious meals that included ancient grains. Grains in general, I feel, have gotten a bad rap lately in the media. But to me they are an excellent vehicle to add texture, fiber, and proteins to one-pot meals and salads. For me, the style of cooking I created as a busy self-taught cook was to go for big flavor and go for stuff that will last in the fridge a few days to portion out meals. My personal 130-pound weight loss was a result of several factors, which included not eating out often or eating a lot of prepared foods, and making meals at home. And, of course, teaching my body to work for me so that I wasnt working for it.

I learned how to make my body burn fat through lifting weights and doing interval training. And the meals I prepared were delicious and also functional. I knew that I was not going to be able to drop 130 pounds just by drinking some green juice or eating protein barsthat was just not my path, nor did it seem like something Id be able to sustain in my life. By discovering ways to prepare easy meals that included high protein, high fiber grains, and homemade dressings, I didnt feel I was sacrificing my pleasure of food. In fact the opposite occurred! My Me Project became an incredible lesson in discovering a newfound love of food. All foods! Vegetables, vinegars, fish, etc.

Grains, of course, were an integral part of that. My time at the gym and in the kitchen was and still is an important part of my day and is essential in maintaining my weight loss and overall health. Gluten-free Lifestyle vs. Gluten-free as a Necessity Even if you dont have to live a gluten-free lifestyle, incorporating gluten-free foods into your diet is a great way to add more variety, flavor, and fun to mealtimes. There are so many gluten-free grains that are delicious and easily available in stores and online nationwide; whether you are gluten-free or not, they are worth trying for variety and for health. Its also a golden opportunity to try some awesome ancient grains like amaranth, an eight-thousand-year-old grain that was once a staple food of the Aztecs.

Allison Massey, MS, RD, LDN, CDE of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, says, Higher fiber and protein grains are excellent to incorporate into ones diet. They aid in satiety, or that feeling of fullness, which is helpful for individuals working towards weight loss or healthy weight maintenance. I know for a fact that feeling full helped me lose a ton of weight with ancient grains. Each grain type we consume, gluten-free or not, contains varying nutrients, so its healthy to include a wide variety of whole grains to reap the benefits of different vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, says Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN. Why settle for brown rice when you can serve teff, sorghum, arrowroot, sago, and other delicious options? This book is filled with unique and intriguing recipes containing grains that are just as easy to prepare and a heck of a lot more interesting. Use these recipes as a launchpad to more satisfying meals that will please your palate, keep your waistline happy, and make mealtime a reason to celebrate.

So What the Heck is Gluten Anyway? Gluten is the elastic protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Its the stuff that gives bread that wonderful chewy texture. Its the glue that keeps foods, like your favorite bakery treat, from becoming a crumbly mess. For some it can be very difficult to digest. Others have a sensitivity to it that can cause digestive issues. Some people are actually allergic to it.

How does gluten-free taste? Foods without gluten dont have that flaky, doughy, fluffy texture, but they offer new flavors and textures plus the chance to impress your friends and family with a decidedly different menu, including ancient grains theyve never heard of or tasted. Purple cauliflower pizza crust anyone? In some cases, theres no grain at all in the recipe. Just veggies and other foods. Many (not all, but some) of the gluten-free cookbooks Ive seen on the market are focused mainly on baked goods. While thats really important, since wheat flour is a huge part of baking and substitutions need to be available, my cookbook has a large focus on dinner meals, quick lunches, and hors doeuvres, not just baked goods. My hope is that youll get your taste buds excited about the recipes and will want to explore other grains to add to your meals.

And for you foodies out there, my hope is youll learn about unusual rice like black rice, mahogany rice, Bhutan red rice, sprouted jasmine rice... not the old humdrum brown rice. And to discover great new gluten-free pastas that are on the market now, like the Explore Asian spaghetti, made with organic adzuki beans, and their Mung bean and edamame fettuccine. They are both very flavorful and loaded with protein and fiber. They are a great vehicle to use as a base for adding all kinds of vegetables and layers of flavor to any quick meal. What Foods Contain Gluten? Gluten is commonly found in wheat and foods containing wheat.