Tag: Flying Apron

Flying Apron Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

I fell in love with Flying Apron  bakery a bout 6 years ago when I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy. No dairy…means… no… BAKED GOODS!? What about my cookies, muffins, and scones!?  While lactose was the allergy, being a digestive tract allergy meant that gluten would quite possibly be an “irritant” for me even thought I wasn’t necessarily allergic to it. “Oh Joy” … my first thoughts… and many of the subsequent thoughts afterward. This diagnoses came before food allergies were really becoming main stream and I must confess it was a very rough life adjustment for me, being miss baked goods lover, to find things that were both dairy-free and yet still tasteful. Flying Apron specializes in gluten-free, vegan baked goods, and breads as well as savory lunch items including savory veggie hand-pies, macaroni dishes, pizzas, soups, and salads to name a few. They rotate their menu to feature dishes that incorporate seasonal and local ingredients.

It was at their Fremont Cafe that I first had the realization that gluten-free and/or dairy-free baked goods didn’t have sacrifice taste and make me feel like I was chewing on a soggy 10 day old strip of cardboard! Previously, adhering to food allergies meant an immediate departure from any sort of taste, texture or delightful food experience.  But when I first bit into a Flying Apron muffin, my food allergic life changed for the better. Their baked goods, breads, and savory items are really delicious and intensely palatable. Mind you, this review is coming from both the dairy-free AND the “MORE BUTTER PLEASE” review voice of this household. I’ve got him hooked on both the  Flying Apron  Chocolate Chip Cookies (which are both Gluten-free & Dairy-Free) as well as the Mighty O Vegan Sprinkle Doughnuts. Muwahaha!!)

Well, I’m quite obsessed with their chocolate chip cookies which is saying a LOT for someone who isn’t particularly fond of chocolate. My all to often nightly ritual consists of mixing a Flying Apron cookie and a few small scoops of LivingHemp Ice Cream which can actually become an expensive habit and deprives me of both my baking fix and smelling the house up with cookie scent!

 

 

Flying Apron’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
15 cookies 

2 3/4 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon garbanzo bean flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup canola oil
1 cup organic whole cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup soy milk
1 cup (8 ounces) dairy-free dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine the brown rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the canola oil, organic whole cane sugar, and vanilla until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and rice milk alternately, a little at a time, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Scoop the dough onto greased or parchment-lined baking sheets with an ice cream scoop. Bake until golden and slightly firm to the touch, about 17 minutes. For a fancy look, dust the cookies with cocoa powder while they are still hot.

 

Gluten-Free 101

Gluten-Free
Gluten-Free

Pasta, Bread, Cookies, Pizza…

Why would you ever say goodbye to these wonderful LIFE staples!? Well, how about you find you’re allergic to gluten and they’re basically Krypontine to you?

When I first discovered as a teen that I was lactose-intolerant it was awful trying to navigate the lifestyle changes. Finding alternatives for my beloved milk, cheese and ice-cream were the least of my worries. Eating out became a nightmare, explaining that “it’s an allergy, not a preference” while fiercely praying that the kitchen might understand that I wasn’t TRYING To be high-maintenance and serve up my meal without any “special” presents from the kitchen. From helping a waitress to understand that yes that butter slathered on my toast might be delicious but it is still “diary” to learning how to navigate the hidden dairy in menus…food intolerance was frustrating and embarrassing to the extreme.

I state all of this only to lend validity to my statement, “gluten-intolerant friends… I UNDERSTAND your pain!” Whether it’s a choice to minimize gluten in your diet to an allergic necessity, the initial stages of gluten-free living will take work! I promise you though that like lactose intolerance you will learn what to look for and what to stay away from while embracing your choices as such and not as an ailment or your own personal “freak” button.

The may clinic has a GREAT article that lists gluten/gluten-free foods and what to generally avoid. Typically, you’ll need to avoid wheat, oats (unless specifically listed gluten-free), barley, rye, spelt and other flours. Gluten can reside in VERY obscure places so you will have to learn to navigate food labels. For example, beer and soy sauce contain gluten. As do many gravies, dressings and sauces. The Mayo Clinic Gluten-Free Article gives you a few great lists to read up on where you’ll find gluten and what to avoid.

Basic List of Gluten Free Foods

  • Beans, seeds, nuts
  • Eggs, Soy and most dairy products
  • Fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)
  • Fruits, vegetables
  • Rice, Corn/Corn Meal, Flax, Quinoa
  • Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean), Hominy (corn), Amaranth, Arrowroot, Buckwheat, Tapioca, Millet, Teff, Sorghum

So, now that you have a basic list of what your new best friend foods are, let’s dig into the FUN part!! Thankfully the now mainstream nature of food allergies has done wonders for the food industry. No longer does gluten-free mean “taste and texture of cardboard”. I LOVE giving my family and friends treats that are gluten-free and/or vegan only to tell them afterward that the cookie they just ate was in fact gluten AND diary free! I have to give a little humor here and share a name with you that you may here now that you are on a gluten-free path: glutard. Pronounced glue-tard. Definition: one who can not process gluten. I have my version also: lactard. Pronounced lack-tard. Definition: one who can not process lactose. (if you can’t laugh at yourself what’s this world coming t0!)

Shout out

flying apron bakery & cafe
flying apron bakery & cafe

 

Here I have to pause and give a shout out to my wonderful local Flying Apron Cafe who has been helping glutards and lactards like ourselves enjoy cakes, cookies, muffins and savory dishes for years now! Their commitment to quality and TASTEFUL food paved the way for much of Seattle’s gluten-free progress and I’m forever grateful! If you’re not located in Seattle you can STILL enjoy their amazing food thanks to the new recipe book Flying Aprons Gluten-Free and Vegan Baking Book.

 

 

Our Tried and True Recipes
There have been quite a few requests for gluten-free recipes on the blog and we’ve been enjoying some wonderful gluten-free recipes that I’ve been posting on the Gluten-Free page as we try them! Also I wanted to highlight a few great sites for you. If you have any that you discover on your gluten-free journey that you’re loving PLEASE write and let me know so I can include them in this list! This is a journey for ALL of us to share and I’m happy to update this list as more resources that you find to be “tried and true” surface!
Update: I’ve also created a page dedicated to living gluten-free which you can view here: Gluten-Free Living

Recipe Inspiration

  • elana’s pantry includes many gluten-free as well as paelo recipes for everyday foods that you may have thought were “off-limits” due to dietary restrictions or lifestyle changes. She also includes substitution’s for making recipes gluten-free  which I found incredibly helpful! There truly is a science to baking and keeping the right ratios of ingredients to retain the right consistency and taste.
  • cannelle et vanille has a long list of some really wonderful looking gluten-free goodies from sweets to savories, breakfast to dinners and everything in between you’ll find some great inspiration for gourmet gluten-free cooking
  • one of my go-to sites for natural and healthy living is Whole Life Nutrition which contains a plethora of recipes for not only gluten-free living, but also cleanses and natural living recipes, tips tricks and plans (they also have a section of the elimination diet which might be helpful for you to read up on if you’re newly gluten-intolerant)
  • gluten-free goddess is an EXCELLENT blog about all things gluten-free and some lovely food photography as well!
  • gluten-free girl and the chef is a fun site with recipes and videos for a gluten-free lifestyle
  • another site i love, 101 cookbooks, has some great gluten-free recipes that you can take a look at and their photos are truly inspiriting!
  • Whole Foods is my go-to market for gluten-free baking and cooking. They also have awesome recipes and menu ideas posted online!
  • PCC Natural Markets also has online recipes, tips for gluten-free living as well as aisles stocked with products and friendly staff that can help you on your journey! Go wander for a few hours and you’ll find some treats!
  • Search Results for Pintrest Boards titled Gluten-Free Living (I have not clicked through and verified that all recipes listed are gluten-free. I’m merely providing a way for 4 more hours of you day to dispensary while you get lost in Pintrest!)

And there you have it wonderful friends! A VERY swift gluten-free 101 guide! PLEASE contact me if you have specific questions, need recipe help, have a recipe or resource to share!!!

Cheers to delicious living!!!