Dictionary lessons

Definitions

• School pride: rooting for a team that can't win a rigged homecoming football game to save itself; also, diligently draining your bank account monthly to finance the prized education while working strange campus jobs to buy your books.
• Financial Aid: A tear-jerking, nightmare of the past seven years.
• Payoff Amount: The total amount required for the loan account to be paid-in-full.
• Elation: The knowledge that I have now fully paid for my undergraduate education!

That's right, as of 9:00 am tomorrow, I will have ZERO remaining financial obligation to the Federal government for my education! This freedom will last all of about eight months, before I am thrown into potentially gallons of debt for graduate school, but I will savor this now, in the midst of the recession. This feels so good, I may have to celebrate (in a totally budget way!) Hello Salvation Armani!

Thoughts on Prop 8

When I read of Prop 8's passage in California, I was devastated to think that millions of people turned out to interfere with the romantic lives of complete strangers. As you can tell, I'm still having trouble articulating my feelings on this because I feel so passionately about it. This morning, Alex sent me this video of Keith Olbermann which captures both the intellectual and the emotional issues wound up in this devastating show of democracy. If you have 6 minutes, it's pretty interesting and heartfelt.

Talk about it at Videocracy

On this Veterans Day

Last night, Alex and I watched War, Inc., a satire about the US-led wars in the Middle East. While a somewhat farcical cross between Thank You for Smoking and Tank Girl, the movie's message was painfully serious: the corporate and political interests in these wars are inextricably linked, often to tragic and unneccessary ends for millions of innocent people. I recommend it for those willing to take a critical look at the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (and to fans of John Cusack or Hillary Duff).
With the movie on my mind as I opened my browser this morning, I found an incredible story about the many and varied ailments Iraq War vets are facing, and the amazing courage and hope they are finding with the assistance of service dogs. These loving Laborador/Golden Retriever mixes are trained to help sense out seizures for those with brain trauma, fetch things for soldiers missing limbs, and generally calm the stress and anxiety of PTSD, a disorder vets are facing in record numbers.The article is just a step away from the important issues of veterans' benefits, insufficient medical care, and the needless injuries thousands are suffering. Reading the veterans' stories of devastating physical and emotional injuries leaves me wondering: for what gain?
While Bush is atop the USS Intrepid receiving the Freedom Award for "embodying the ideals of world freedom," it's important we take a moment to consider those veterans who are too traumatized to leave their houses for such a ceremony, and who lack the medical care they require to be able to celebrate today. We must remember them too, and the many thousands still deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan who may return broken or wounded and in need of support. On this Veterans Day, I am grateful for both the soldiers who have risked everything for their country, and for their families and friends who are working tirelessly to help make their lives more livable.

Tears of Joy, Relief, and Pride

Every time I stop and really digest the reality of what happened Tuesday night, I begin to cry. And then I find a slideshow of others reacting to Obama, and I cry some more. My favorite part is watching people around the world rejoice in the hope of change to come (this, of course, also makes me cry).

(Image from the Huffington Post)

Electing a Hero! GOTV Day 4

I am at a loss for words. The love and joy I saw and shared with thousands of people, from the working class neighborhoods of Philly to the screaming multitudes of Times Square, fills me with such pride and hope for our country's future.

The people we met were so incredibly supportive and excited about this historic day, most enduring long lines early yesterday m0rning to cast their votes. I will try to collect and recite the stories that made my experience so wonderful, because I think it's best told through their eyes.

At 6:40 am, a full twenty minutes before the polls opened, we stepped outside our hotel to this line, already two blocks long, across a Center City side street. A group of Obama volunteers paraded up and down the line, singing songs, distributing coffee, and eliciting cheers.
In the afternoon, in Southwest Philly, We encountered a brigade of children marching to a church with their teachers chanting, "Kids vote! Kids vote" holding handmade Obama signs.At dusk, we knocked on the door of an elderly woman who had just returned from work as part of our final push to deliver the 3rd Ward of Southwest Philly. Speaking in a whisper, she told us, "My boss said I couldn't talk about who I supported, that I couldn't let anyone know that I voted for Obama this morning. But I did, I voted at 6:30. And it's incredible."

Catherine, my friend and partner for the day, smiled and said, "It's OK, you can shout it out now!" Then, she raised her voice to the quiet neighborhood and called out, "Obama!!!"

The older woman grinned, and then on cue, all three of us belted into the street, "OBAMA!"

As we left her house and moved on down the block, we could hear her calling out through her closed door, "Obama! Obama!"

***

I don't know if I've ever laughed and sobbed simultaneously before, but last night was a first for a lot of things. What a wonderful day we have created.

Get Out the Vote Day 3

I went for a crisp run through Center City this morning, and was so encouraged to see so many people buttoned up in their chic winter coats adorned with Obama pins!

We set out to Southwestern Philly for door knocking, and passed some gorgeous murals along the way. I love how this arm is like a birch branch.
At the Southwest office, we spent a few hours sorting, stacking, and bundling packs for all the thousands of volunteers who will set aside their jobs, their parties, and their scheduled activities to get out and make history tomorrow.After making the packs, we hit the streets ourselves to turn people out for tomorrow. We met a great group of kids who were jumping rope on the sidewalk, and as soon as we approached, a five-year-old shouted, "I'm voting for Obama tomorrow!" Erica and I gave them all our buttons and stickers. As we were leaving, I heard her cry out as she kissed the pin with Obama's likeness on it, "This is the BEST thing ever!"

Then it was back to the union's HQ to assemble food and maps for our GOTV efforts tomorrow. Each of those sandwiches was lovingly made by a team of dedicated volunteers. I took on more poster duty.
With the final maps in place, envelopes stuffed, and door hangers wrapped, we have to catch a few hours' rest before a VERY long and very exciting day tomorrow. As I was painting the last "yes we can" sign, I realized that tomorrow may be the most important, historical day of my life. And that is a realization which makes the necessary sleep that much harder to achieve. Bon soir and bon chance to all of those hard-working volunteers, you are all incredible. See you on the other side!

Get Out the Vote Day 2

This morning, my friend Erica and I strolled through Center City Philadelphia in search of some delicious breakfast, and ID'ed a cute Belgian Waffle place near our hotel. The city has so much history, and the quaint side streets and carefully tended row houses reflect the simple beauty of an earlier time. We stumbled across these lovely brick homes during our morning expedition.Soon after, we drove out to the Barney trailer to make some calls to local residents. The guy staffing the 12 computers inside estimates around 300,000 calls have been made there in the past few weeks. And we were only calling union members within the city. It was a great operation.When the robo-calls got to be too much, we headed outside to make colorful signs for a rally we're holding in West Philly on election day. The goal is to raise awareness of the issues facing middle class Americans, such as healthcare, the right to organize, and trade.With less than fifteen minutes' rest, we jumped back into action and met up with the Obama Campaign office in West Philadelphia for a round of door hangars. The people we spoke with where so excited, and a majority of the lawns we passed were decked out with Obama signs, posters, stickers, and banners. It was such an encouraging, uplifting sight. I have to say that almost every window and street front in Philly is representing its Obama flair (and the only McCain sign we've seen was a bumper sticker from an out-of-towner). I'm trying not to watch the polls and just focus on our task at hand, which is helping Obama take Philly in a landslide to help couterbalance the rest of PA. The fear here is voter suppression, both indirectly through long lines and poor staffing, as well as directly through intimidation tactics at the polls. We heard one story from the last election that men in suits drove up to a West Philly poll in unmarked black Cadillacs and approached each person in line, asking for their IDs and if they have any outstanding debts or parking tickets. Hopefully that won't happen this year, as we have over 400 lawyers volunteering to monitor the polls, but we must be prepared for anything. The Republicans won't give up this state that easily.

Well, it's off to bed before another long and varied day of election work. We're all anxious for Tuesday to get here, but tomorrow will be important to get everything ready for a smooth Election Day.

Headed west...GOTV Day 1

Up at the "crap of dawn" and whisked away on a charter bus that blew a tire somewhere along the New Jersey Turnpike, I knew it was going to be an eventful day as I headed out with some of my best friends and union members to hit the streets of Philadelphia and canvass for the Obama campaign.

We were fortunate to catch the last of the glorious foliage as we passed from New York into New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I love the soothing, rosy palette, although I'm generally feeling shades of BLUE this week.
It took a few minutes to make sense of our packs and get the small, cobblestone streets sorted out before we started door knocking.But we were really successful, and earned ourselves some Philly-sized Hoagies! My friend Matt (on the left) thought he would be too hungry for just one sandwich, so he ordered two. Turns out, they were each two feet long. Yikes!Before heading out to our final round of doors, we caught up with Barack. He thanks everyone for their time and would like to know if you'd donate just $25 more. (Has everyone else been getting 5-10 emails from Barack and Biden every day?) It was nice to catch up, and we promised to do everything in our power to be sure he takes West Philadelphia on Election Day!
I'll try to keep up with our events over the next three days as we phone bank on the "Barney Mobile," (a purple SEIU union bus), ready signs and chants for rallies, and generally tear up the pavement. I'm definitely starting to feel that brotherly love, and it's just Day One! Anyone else getting involved in a swing state this weekend? Go to www.moveon.org to find ways you can help.

Dress-Up!

In honor of Halloween, let's play a little dress up game! It's highly educational and very relevant. Enjoy!

Also, read about this awesome fundraiser that my local salon hosted in honor of Obama (source for the above image, as well). Basically, ladies paid $75 for the teased and twisted "Reformer" hairstyle, and all the money went to the Democratic campaign. It's great when you walk away with something for your donation, although I'm not sure where you'd go with this 'do. Maybe to the shooting range?

Spell with Flickr!

(Plug for a certain politician whose name looks so damn good in these letters)

I just love this site I discovered, where you can spell anything out with images of letters found in cyperspace. I'm wracking my brain for a way this can relate to foodie...

1) You could print labels for holiday gifts (like bags of cookies or homemade mulling spaces)
2) Design the cover of a homemade recipe book (also a nice gift idea)
3) Make headers for recipe cards

They would make lovely party invitations too!

Other ideas?

(and on a political note: If you're feeling like you want to get involved in the next days' election work, here are some ideas from the president of my organization. Everyone can contribute something, whether it's $10 or a night of phone banking, it's our responsibility to make our voices heard!)

Comfort foods and silver skies

(Sunset from my living room, passing over Lady Liberty)

This morning when I woke up, a blanket of blue light had filtered into my bedroom and cast everything in a murky, hushed glow. Peering out my window, I saw the thick, downy cloud cover hanging just above the Statue of Liberty, threatening a damp chilly day. Somehow, the soft, ethereal morning light was a comfort, blanketing the noisy street with the impending rain. On days like these, I count the hours until I can be back at home, wrapped in a thick quilt, enjoying a steaming bowl of something savory.

(From my friend's rooftop in Prospect Heights, my old neighborhood)

For tonight, it might be polenta with freshly grated parmesan and delicately herbed mushrooms, a dish we devoured several times this fall. Or perhaps a kale and potato soup with melted gruyere cheese on top. Whatever I choose, it will be a complement to the weather, rather than a distraction from it, because sometimes, it's nice to get cozy underneath the clouds.

Rainy Day Polenta

Combine:
1 cup of corn meal, prepped per package instructions (makes 3 cups or so)
Pat of butter
Generous handful of freshly grated tart cheese (parmesan, asiago, manchego, percorino)
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Place atop polenta:
Mushrooms sauteed with onions, garlic, EVOO, and fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Served with a salad of raw, thinly sliced green and yellow squash in a simple vinaigrette, a nice textural contrast to the mushy goodness of the polenta.

TIP: My mom taught me this trick- use your hands to knead the dry cornmeal into the cold water before heating. This will enhance the creamy texture and help prevent clumps. Then boil and prepare as instructed.

Don't vote...

unless you care about your future.

Pumping Iron

I've been a bad poster. And a bad eater. But now I'm learning my lesson. I'd been really lethargic and not feeling like myself for months, only to learn that I've got an iron deficiency, or low serum ferritin, which I've been treating for the past several weeks with....FOOD (and supplements)!

From what I understand, anemia and low ferritin are not the same thing and do not always go hand in hand. Anemia means low iron counts in your blood, while low ferritin indicates low iron stores in your cells. Thus, if your blood iron levels are OK but your stores are low, your body has no reserves and can quickly suffer the effects. Low ferritin levels can happen quickly or can accumulate over years of eating not-quite-enough iron (like me, as a 16-year vegetarian). But this can be easily remedied with the introduction of more iron.

I've had to become an educated eater, carrying around a chart of iron-rich veggie options to the grocery store so I can beef up my ferritin count and generally feel better.

Food	Milligrams per serving	% DV*
Ready-to-eat cereal, 100% iron fortified, ¾ cup	18.0	100
Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared with water, 1 cup	10.0	60
Soybeans, mature, boiled, 1 cup	8.8	50
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup	6.6	35
Beans, kidney, mature, boiled, 1 cup	5.2	25
Beans, lima, large, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.5	25
Beans, navy, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.5	25
Ready-to-eat cereal, 25% iron fortified, ¾ cup	4.5	25
Beans, black, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	20
Beans, pinto, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	20
Molasses, blackstrap, 1 tablespoon	3.5	20
Tofu, raw, firm, ½ cup	3.4	20
Spinach, boiled, drained, ½ cup	3.2	20
Spinach, canned, drained solids ½ cup	2.5	10
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), boiled, 1 cup	1.8	10
Spinach, frozen, chopped, boiled ½ cup	1.9	10
Grits, white, enriched, quick, prepared with water, 1 cup	1.5	8
Raisins, seedless, packed, ½ cup	1.5	8
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice	0.9	6
White bread, enriched, 1 slice	0.9	6

Things I've learned:

- You should only take iron supplements if you've been diagnosed with a deficiency; too much iron is far more common than not enough, and the effects are poisonous!

- Vegetarians need more iron than meat eaters because the type of iron from plants (non-heme) is harder to absorb than that from animal sources (heme iron). Veggies need 33 mg/day while non-veggies should get 18 mg/day.

- It takes a whole lot of spinach to add up to even a small portion of your requirement; instead, look to tofu, beans, lentils, seaweed, and enriched flours for the rich food sources. Supplements may be necessary too, if your doc says so.

- Chelated forms of iron supplements are much gentler (read: no upset stomach) than the ferrous forms

-Iron can still upset your tummy, so it's important to drink tons of water and eat lots of fresh fruit while you're taking supplements.

-Vitamin C greatly assists your absorption of iron, so it's best to take your supplement with C-rich foods, like OJ, lemon juice, tomatoes, or spinach.

-Molasses is the most delicious way to get a hefty dose: 2 tsp. = 20%, depending on the brand, and if you swish it around in a cup of cold milk, it's a delicious after-dinner treat!

I found a marked improvement in my energy level and my overall feeling of health within a week or two of beefing up my iron intake. Suddenly, I don't need 3 or 4 hour naps on the weekend (and exercise is a lot easier too). Maybe it's the placebo effect, but I think science has something here.

Finding rainbows

Colors are especially important to me--for clothes, walls, skies, and food--and I love to play with them in every format. As a child, when given a set of blocks or toys for a "sorting" exercise, I would usually just order things along the rainbow, rather than by shape or size, as was expected of a kid. So it's second nature with me, when I'm cooking, to try and incorporate the most beautiful food combinations into each dish so that little flecks of color and texture satisfy both the eye and the palate. Here are some recent creations that play with the rainbow scheme.

Handmade foccacia pizza: For this dish, I utilized my new favorite purple/blue tool, the blue potato, and the varieties of tomatoes and squash from the local market to liven up the flavors. With sauteed garlicky chard (red stems) and thinly sliced summer squash, the dish had ribbons of red, orange, yellow, green, and indigo. Not bad for a Tuesday night dinner! Also, we melted three kinds of cheese: feta, asiago, and mozzarella on top to give it some zing.

Bounties of Summer pasta salad:

I brought this dish to a friend's summer gathering, and it was a certain crowd pleaser, even though the pasta was GF. Using red peppers, carrots, summer squash, dill/basil/thyme, cucumbers, and purple Spanish Olives, I accomplished a near-perfect garden rainbow. A simple vinaigrette with lemon juice, dijon mustard, and grated parmesan gave some spice to the fresh veggies.(Close-up of the purple olives)

Tri-color potato Salad
Using Yukon Golds, blue potatoes, red onions, and lots of fresh herbs, I turned a normally bland yellow dish into a bit of side-dish confetti. We enjoyed this with Alex's mom's homemade baked beans, veggie hotdogs, and ice cold lemonade. Summer cooking at its finest.

I challenge you to make your next meal a complete rainbow, it is probably healthier and more delicious than the two- or three-color palate that most Americans consume. Plus, it makes your inner rainbow goddess so happy!

Kitchen competition

We had a bake-off last weekend to welcome in the cooler temperatures and to celebrate our new oven. While I generally do the cooking, Alex is the master baker--effortlessly composing Dutch apple pies, flakey quiches, and fresh whipped cream--so we challenged each other to a friendly bake-off. (I admit that I fought for possession of the Ghirardelli chocolate chips while I stuck Alex with the Nestle ones.) Frankly, I couldn't taste the chocolate difference in the cookies, although I think my little GF confections held their own.

My GF cookies are in the foreground, Alex's conventional choc chips are in the background

These melt-in-your mouth confections are light, but not too crumbly, and the right balance of soft and gooey. I based them on a chocolate chip cookie recipe from the Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen, by Donna Klein, but I was in a very chocolatey mood, so I added cocoa powder and coconut flakes. I am so pleased with the results, and Alex even preferred them to his wheat-version (pictured in the background). They are best eaten warm from the oven, as the chocolate creates a molten effect in the tiny morsels that just explodes in your mouth. Sooo good!

Double chocolate-coconut cookies

Makes 4 dozen 2” cookies

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

½ cup salted butter, softened (1 stick)

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup potato starch flour (a very fine, light flour)

½ cup white rice flour

½ cup cocoa powder

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup coconut flakes

Splash of milk, as needed, to moisten the batter

1. In a large bowl, beat the first three ingredients with a mixer until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla, beat on low for 1 ½ minutes. Add the flours and cocoa powder, beat on low for 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and coconut flakes.

2. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight to stiffen the dough so the cookies won’t spread too much on the pan. Preheat oven to 375, lightly grease a baking sheet.

3. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough on the cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, until slightly firm around the edges.

4. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and transfer to a cooling rack (but be sure to eat some while they’re good and hot!) These are spectacular warm, dunked into milk.

Saturday night pasta

Sometimes you want to feel like a gourmand, really treat yourself to amazing rich foods, regardless of fat or cholesterol content. And after today’s trip to the gym (Alex), run in the park (me), and a long walk to and from the Coop with a heavy cartful of groceries (both of us), we were feeling pretty indulgent. When what you crave is cozy, sexy comfort food, and it’s a Saturday night on a long weekend, I say, give in to temptation. So here’s our newly-concocted and completely-devoured recipe for a little Saturday night pasta.














This is a dressed-up version of our go-to weeknight dish (usually marinara or primavera), something fancier with a little more pizzaz, although it’s still quick and simple. Also, if you add enough veggies, it can stand alone as a one dish wonder, no sides required. The combination of the smoked gouda and brie cheeses is both tangy and savory and melds perfectly with the tart and slightly ruptured cherry tomato halves. Toss in a bunch of spinach and voila, less guilt and it’s even tastier. Between our two clean plates, I’m not lying when I attest that this is one of the yummiest cream sauces I’ve ever tried, and it’s really not that bad for you :)

Red white and Green Creamy Penne
Serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are (we devoured it in one night between the two of us)

1 lb (GF pasta) Alex and I usually make two separate pots- one for him with wheat pasta and one with rice pasta, cooked al dente.

1 Tbsp EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup milk (we used 1%)
1/3 cup smoked Gouda, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup brie, cut into small pieces
4 cups fresh spinach, washed
¼ tsp cracked black pepper

1. Heat the oil on med-hi, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and tomatoes; stir for a couple minutes.

2. Add the milk and cheeses, stir until they are melted and well combined, 5 minutes. Toss in the black pepper.

3. When the mixture is well incorporated and the tomatoes are nicely bursting, add the spinach and toss just long enough to wilt it. Immediately pour over the penne (or toss the penne in the pan, if you’re not making two separate batches). Savor with your honey and a good glass of pinot noir. Happy weekend!

Popcorn: the best snack (or meal!)

What is more tempting than the warm, nutty aroma of a freshly popped pot of popcorn? Nothing, so don't try. Well, maybe the smell of coffee beans roasting, but that's about it. Popcorn has an inviting, "it's raining outside so let's hunker down with a movie" air to it which makes the textural, flavorful indulgence all the more special and delicious.

I've been perfecting various flavor combinations for assorted movie purposes (kettle corn for a kids' movie, curry spices for an Indian flick), and have come up with a new balance that just sends me smiling to the corner of the couch where it's hard for anyone else to get their hands in my bowl. When I'm making a really delicious air-popped feast, I tend to serve my partner in another bowl so that I can savor my own without the fear of running out. I am not a handful-at-a-time eater, I much prefer the single kernel method. To Alex, popcorn is a snack, an afterthought while the main entertainment happens on-screen. To me, popcorn can be an all-consuming task, a meal extravaganza, hence the title of this post.

A note on pot-popping: This is a great method because all you need is a large pot with a lid (mine is clear glass, which is perfect for watching the kernels explode) and you can reduce the fat by popping in olive oil, which coats the popcorn, rather than pouring melted butter on top. To start, pour enough oil to coat the bottom of the pot and add kernels to coat in a single layer; my pot holds 1/4 cup. Turn the heat to Med-Hi and wait as it sizzles. When the popping starts, be sure it's not too hot (smoke coming out) or too cool (slow, spaced-out pops) and shake the pot occasionally to stir up any lost kernels. When it slows to 2-3 pops per second, turn off the heat, give it one last shake, and lift the steamy lid for popcorn perfection. Toss with your favorite spice combination and consume immediately.

My latest popcorn sensation:

Jumping Kernel Corn
Makes one large bowl of delectable crunch for studying or curling up with a movie

Pop together on Med-Hi heat:

2 T olive oil to coat pan

1/4 cup popping corn kernels

Toss kernels with:

1-2 tsp. Bragg Liquid Amino Acids (my sister introduced me to this, it's a miracle GF topper and it tastes like soy sauce)
2 T nutritional yeast (rounds out the meaty flavor and adds the definitive yellow tinge as well as a spectrum of B vitamins we veggies crave)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like it spicy)

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika (my new favorite seasoning)

2 tsp curry powder

Spritz the Bragg's, add the nutritional yeast and spices, then toss until you have a virgin patch of popcorn and repeat until it's all nicely coated. Munch up!

(Bragg's is the perfect moistener-cum-saltifier as it is gluten-free, nutritious, and sprays on for a light, even distribution. Tamari just isn't the same, it splashes in large doses and renders the kernels it soaks utterly useless soggy messes. A spritzer is the way to go if you're not using butter and want your seasonings to stick.)

Fresh start in the kitchen

I am wonderfully blissed out from my vacation, and instead of hitting that post-holiday depression yesterday, I was surprised with a wonderful gift: a new stove! Since we moved here in March, we have been cooking on a mini-stove with 1 1/2 working burners (out of four!) and an oven that frequently extinguished itself and would pump extra gas, making a "tick tick tick" noise, when the pilot would try unsuccessfully to re-ignite. To top it off, the oven dial was completely worn off, so that we had to guess temperatures by dividing the circumference in reasonable fractions of 25 degrees. I am not a geometrist, nor am I a chemist, so this left a lot of guesswork in baking. But yesterday, our building super surprised us with a brandy-new stove complete with FOUR functional burners and an oven dial in crisp, clear numbers.

Today, as I was facing an empty home for the next week, I again fought the post-vacation, loneliness blues and decided to test out our new gear. Frankly, it was also a test of my GF baking ability, as I've only made one other thing and I followed that recipe very strictly. Today, either from the heady heat or the lingering Cape attitude, I felt more playful and concocted my own. Surprisingly, these muffins are a real success: they are super easy to make, I can't taste any difference from a wheat-based confection, and they're pretty healthy too. The walnuts, flax seeds, and egg are all great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient lacking in many vegetarian diets. I wasn't even aware of this until my friend explained it to me about six months ago, and ever since, I've tried to get my daily dose through either 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil, 2 Tablespoons of ground flaxseeds, or 1/3 cup of walnuts. These muffins rock both the nuts and the flaxseeds. I can't be sure that the omega-3s are intact after baking, I think the heat may damage them. But these are certainly rich in healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins, so eat up!

This is a good basic recipe which you can modify for your taste: experiment with other combinations of add-ins, like shredded coconuts, macadamia nuts and chocolate chips; or dried cherries and blueberries with almonds. The spices can also be modified for the season or ingredients: fresh diced apples with extra cinnamon and some lemon zest would evoke an apple pie; grated carrots and zucchini with ginger would be a fun combination as well. They are as yummy as they are quick and easy, and your gluten-eating friends won't know the difference.

Omega-3 "New Oven" Muffins

Makes one dozen

1 egg

1 cup milk (or your choice of liquid: OJ, soy, water, etc)

1/4 cup plus 1 T sugar (these are not very sweet, they are breakfast-y, but you should add more if you prefer a sweet confection)

1 tsp baking powder

2 T. canola oil

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (for glutinous texture)

1 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or other nut)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (or fruit of your choice)

Extra butter or oil to grease the tin

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease the muffin tin (or use paper liners, if you prefer)

2. Combine all ingredients except nuts and fruit, mix well.

3. Stir in nuts and fruit

4. Pour into prepared muffin tin. Bake 12-15 minutes, until peaks just start to brown.

5. Let set 2 minutes in pan, then separate from tin with butter knife and remove to cooling rack. Bon appetit!