The Challenge of Gluten Free Pizza Crust

There are certain times that you actually want to follow a recipe - especially if it involves any kind of baking.  I have not made any homemade pizza since I went gluten free in January.  This month, I decided that it was time to venture into the complicated world of gluten free flour.

My Mom is also eating wheat-free and has already taught herself to make GF sandwich bread.  She mentioned that the ingredient "xanthum gum" was important to hold the dough together.  In my typical nature... I ignored Mom's baking lesson and thought that I could somehow make it work without the all-important binding ingredient.  According to About.com, xanthum gum is a corn-based fermented product that is used to thicken and emulsify the dough.

The search began for gluten free pizza crusts that could be made without xanthum.  I came across the Ginger Lemon Girl website and found a Gluten Free and Vegan Pizza Crust that did not include xanthum.  My worries were over.  Wrong.

I didn't really follow the recipe and used it more as a guideline.  Eagerly I began pouring ingredients into the bowl.  Buckwheat Flour... Yeast... Egg (yep, not Vegan)... Rice Flour... Water... Oil... Salt.  As instructed in the recipe, I covered the bowl with a towel to let the dough rise.

Much to my surprise... I returned 45 minutes later to find FLAT dough.  Hmm, perhaps it will stretch across the pizza pan any way.  Wrong again.  The dough mostly stuck to my fingers.  Something needed to be done to save our dinner!

Honestly, I can't remember what I did to make the dough less tacky.  Not that it matters, because no one should ever follow my poor attempt at creating a pizza crust.  Somehow I was able to get the dough to spread across the pan.  I baked it at 425 for 10 minutes and then added our sauce and toppings.  Then I baked it for another 10 minutes.

It shouldn't be a surprise that the crust tasted like FLOUR.  Regardless, I was happy to save the $20 by not ordering a gluten free pizza from Domino's (which isn't guaranteed to be 100% gluten free).  After having a reaction to one of their pizza's... I knew it was time to start making my own.  If you would like more information about the GF crust at Domino's, see the links below for your reference.

Sharing is Caring:

• Tasty Eats at Home: The (Not So) Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Dilemma - A very well written opinion and statement about gluten free crust in chain restaurants.
• Article written by, Alessio Fasano, M.D. - Another well written statement about Domino's crust and a warning to all who suffer from Celiac or Wheat Intolerance.
• Domino's Gluten-Free Crust FAQ's - Educate yourself on this before ordering.  After experiencing a reaction, I always specify to "keep the crust away from other flour".
• Ginger Lemon Girl: Seriously Easy Gluten Free and Vegan Pizza Crust - I do plan to actually follow this recipe next time.  It's a huge time saver!

Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme. All rights reserved.

Sweet Summer Salad with Blackberries & Raspberries

One of my favorite things about summer is the fresh fruit and veggies.  I love making fruit salads to pair with a grilled entree.  Here is a fruit salad recipe that you must try.

Summer Berry Fruit Salad
- 1 package of raspberries
- 1 package of blackberries
- 1 package of strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 TBSP cider vinegar
- 1/2 TBSP honey
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Salt and pepper, lightly flavored

Rinse and drain all the berries.  Slice the strawberries.  Combine all into a medium size bowl.  Drizzle with cider vinegar.  Season with the spices.  Gently fold all ingredients together.  Some of the raspberries will fall apart and add extra juice to the salad.  Serve and enjoy.


There are other ways to enjoy fruit that doesn't involve co-mingling other fruits.  I'm a big fan of smashing food groups together in a salad.  Lettuce, tomato and cucumber are too predictable.  Sometimes you have to liven it up a bit with peppered bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, or edamame.

Last week, I wanted to do something with our raspberries and blackberries.  Since I am not a baker... the only logical solution was to throw it on a regular salad.

Give this salad a try, you might be surprised...

Summer Salad with Blue Cheese
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 blackberries
- Chopped lettuce of your choosing
- 1 stick of smoked string cheese
- Blue cheese dressing
- Salt and pepper

Drain the fruits and veggies.  Cut the string cheese into bite size pieces.  Combine and enjoy.


You can incorporate your own favorite ingredients.  This salad would also be great with sliced almonds or walnuts to add some crunch.

After eating the salad, I noticed that the blue cheese dressing had a "wheat" warning under the nutritional information.  Although "traces of wheat" won't harm me, I probably won't be using this dressing again.  If you are looking for a dressing that isn't store bought, try my Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette recipe (found at the bottom of the post - written before my gluten free days).  It will pair very nicely with the berries and smoked cheese.

Hope you all are having a great summer!  Take care, readers.

Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

You Ate What?! - Fried Ricotta Squash Blossoms

Finally!  The wait is over.  I have eaten a squash blossom... and it was... well... ordinary.

Perhaps it was the breading or the seasoning that made my taste buds flop.  I am a bit disappointed by my overall experience in making the fried squash blossoms.  Allow me to explain the lack of enthusiasm for this particular food experiment.

I began this process by searching recipes for techniques in cooking squash blossoms.  I've seen the flower used in recipes on Food Network and figured it would be a delightful dish to try.  My new garden provided the blossoms and my mind built up the anticipation.

If you've ever touched or seen a Squash plant, then you know that it has a pokey protective layer on the stems and blossoms.  I was concerned that it wouldn't be edible if I didn't try to remove some of the hair-like stubs from the outside of the blossom.  As I comically attempted to "shave" the flower with my sharp knife, 3 perished in the process.  I realized that my efforts might be wasted and gave up on the ridiculous idea of plant shaving.

When it came to cleaning the blossoms and removing the center, it was quite tedious.  The flowers are extremely delicate and tore very easily.  I was close to quitting the whole process, but Jon convinced me that no one would care if the blossoms didn't "look pretty".

After stuffing the Squash Blossoms with Ricotta Cheese.

I proceeded to clean, cut, and bread the blossoms.  The first step consisted of stuffing them with ricotta cheese.  The second step was an egg wash.  And the last step was breading the blossoms in a blend of gluten-free corn meal, salt and pepper.  We heated up the deep fryer to 375 degrees and carefully slid them into the bubbling pool.

Breaded with corn meal and ready to fry.

The blossoms emerged golden brown and beautiful.  I was nervously excited to try this unusual meal.  We said our pre-dinner prayer and eagerly dove into the dish.

Squash blossom after the fryer.

I'm not sure if I was expecting an explosion of floral taste or just a hint of floral.  There was none of that.  In fact, the blossom simply provided nothing more than a gluten-free skin to the melty ricotta cheese.

With that said, I am going to try this again!  Are you ready for round 2 of the squash blossom experiment?  This time I will incorporate more herbs, spices, and veggies.  If all else fails, we will have a large supply of acorn squash to contend with.

I apologize if you were expecting a recipe in this post.  As a fellow foodie, I am morally obligated not to pass along sub-par recipes.  It's the truth.  If you have any ideas, please feel free to send us your squash blossom recipe to try at hintofthyme@gmail.com.  All credit goes to you.

If you missed my random post about harvesting the blossoms, read it here - Gardening and Cooking - It's a Learning Process.

Have a great week, readers!  Thanks for stopping by Hint of Thyme.


Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

Gluten-Free Roasted Pepper Tuna Melt

I have been eating wheat free for 6 months now and feeling great.  There is still a lot to learn.  We recently received a bread maker and plan to take it for a spin soon.

If you eat gluten free, then you can understand the pain that comes with the price.  At almost $6.00 for a loaf of bread I definitely avoid eating it every day.  I've been exploring options that do not include bread, gluten-free pasta or rice.

One night I was looking for a simple dinner solution and came up with stuffing tuna salad into green pepper boats.  If you aren't a fan of canned tuna or tuna in general, I understand.  Try canned chicken or salmon instead.  The green pepper was an excellent substitute for bread and also caters to any low-carb dieters out there.

Prep time:  5 - 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 - 20 minutes

Tuna Salad Mix
- 2 cans of tuna in water
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1/2 TBSP fresh or dried cilantro
- 1/2 TBSP fresh or dried dill
- 2 TBSP of mayo (substitute with cream cheese if you prefer it)
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1/2 TBSP of yellow or Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper

Other Items Needed:
- 2 green peppers, halved
- 1 or 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
- Optional: Hot sauce

Combine in a bowl and set aside.  Cut green peppers in half and remove all contents.  Each half should appear like a bowl or boat shape.  Fill each half with the tuna salad mix.  Do not cover with cheese yet.  Place the peppers into a shallow baking dish and in the oven at 425 for 15 minutes, uncovered.  After 15 minutes, add the cheese to each half and bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.  The cheese should be melted and bubbly.

Serve and enjoy.

This meal is great for lunch or dinner.  It's budget friendly, quick and wheat free!

Mango Orange Salsa with Grilled Chicken

Salsa lovers rejoice!  It is MANGO season.  Stock up and process away!

My husband, Jon, is a big fan of the mango.  I purchased a few mango's at the grocery store with the intent of letting him enjoy it as a snack.  A week went by and I decided to turn it salsa instead.

If you're looking for a creative way to serve chicken... this is the perfect recipe for you.  Serve the salsa over chicken or enjoy as an appetizer with corn tortilla chips.  I hope that you enjoy this as much as we did.

Marinade time = 15 minutes
Prep time = 10 minutes
Cook time = 15 minutes

Gluten-Free Garlic Tamari Marinade
- 2 TBSP of gluten-free Tamari soy sauce
- 1/4 TBSP Garlic powder
- 1/2 TBSP dried basil
- Salt and pepper

Mara's Mango Orange Salsa
- 2 Mango's, diced or chopped
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1/2 TBSP dried cilantro (or increase if using fresh)
- One half green pepper, diced
- One half sweet onion, diced
- 1/4 TBSP sugar
- Cayenne pepper to taste (Optional)
- Salt and pepper

Add 4 chicken breasts to a plastic bag or shallow pan.  Mix the marinade in a separate bowl and then apply to the bag or pan.  Set in your refrigerator to soak in the flavors for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is marinading, prepare the mango salsa.  You have the option to use a food processor or finely chop the ingredients.  If you are using a processor, roughly chop the mango, pepper and onion.  Add to the food processor with other ingredients and blend to your preferred consistency.  Add cayenne pepper to your preferred spiciness.  Continue to taste the salsa until it's just right.  It's also optional to add a light drizzle of oil to smooth out the consistency of the salsa if you prefer.

After 15 minutes, cook the marinaded chicken breasts over medium-high heat on the grill.  Once the chicken is juicy and tender... serve over a bed of jasmine rice and top with mango salsa.

Your taste buds will be craving more of this dish!  Enjoy.

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We could all use a hint of time!
Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

Gluten-Free Brunch - Champagne Style

I was out one night out with my good friend, Danielle.  We had discussed finding a local restaurant with a champagne brunch for the following day.  The next morning, we decided to save ourselves the money and pop the cork at my house instead.  What do you think is the best food to accompany Mimosa's?

Frittata's come in so many variations.  You can put almost anything in this egg dish.  Unlike a quiche, this special morning treat does not have a crust and can be made gluten-free.

This dish is perfect to serve to a group of girl friends over the weekend.  It could also be great for a romantic dinner (yes... I said dinner) option for you and your sweetie.

Muenster Spinach Frittata
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup spinach (frozen, drained and dried)
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
- 2 slices of chopped Muenster cheese
- 1/2 cup diced tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
- 1/4 TBSP seasoning salt
- Cayenne pepper (Optional)
- Ground black pepper

Spray a ceramic pie dish with non-stick cooking spray.  In a separate dish, whisk the eggs together with all ingredients.  Pour into the ceramic pie dish and bake at 425 for 18 to 23 minutes.  The cayenne pepper is optional; add the amount suitable to your taste.

Tip for drying spinach:  Put the frozen spinach in a microwavable bowl and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the thawed spinach to a clean kitchen towel.  Squeeze over a bowl or sink to drain all the liquid.

Cut the frittata like a pie and serve.  I enjoy adding a little hot sauce to my slice of frittata.  A great side dish would be fresh fruit or toast (for those not eating gluten free).

Read my recent post about making the choice to eat gluten free.

I hope that you enjoy this dish as much as we did.  Have a fantastic weekend!  Thank you for returning to Hint of Thyme.


We could all use a hint of time!
Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

Ultimate Hot Chocolate Heats up Winter

Winter blues getting you down?  Usually around mid-February, many of us in the frozen land of the Midwest begin to suffer from a little something called "cabin fever".  Thankfully this winter has actually been extremely mild.

One of my favorite drinks to make on a winter night is hot chocolate.  But this version of hot chocolate will require you to be 21 years of age in the U.S.  It's simple yet relaxing.

Ultimate Hot Chocolate
- 2 TBSP of hot chocolate powder or syrup (your preference or find a gluten free mix)
- 10 oz. of milk or water (again depending on your preference)
- 1 shot of Creme de Cacao (optional)
- 1/2 shot of Vodka (6 times distilled is gluten free)
- Whip cream

Pair with a wafer or cookie and it's the perfect evening treat!

Be safe... don't drink and drive.  That's all.


Copyright 2012 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

Out With the Gluten, In With the Free

I have been have been creating pasta concoctions since I was a young teenager.  My favorite side for a warm bowl of soup is toasted wheat bread.  I am infatuated with assembling unique American pizza's in my kitchen.  And recently I have decided to say farewell to some of my most favorite foods....

This is not to join the latest diet craze or for an attempt to lose weight.  I never thought of myself as a "health nut" and definitely didn't think I would ever be considering a wheat-free diet.  In fact, up until the last couple of months, I have been rather closed-minded about it.  However, after a lot of research and consideration, it is apparent that I would benefit from cutting wheat from my diet.  Although I do not suffer from a full blown wheat allergy... it is proven that some of my medical conditions may improve by simply not eating wheat.

To begin my research process, I knew the person that I needed to call.  My good friend, Amy, has been eating gluten-free since last July.  She suffers from a wheat-allergy known as Celiac (among other food allergies).  Her overall health has benefited from the change in diet.  She told me that it is a huge adjustment, especially considering how many food products have wheat.  She suggested that I experiment with certain foods and learn to read nutrition labels in a new way.  And so... I began a food experiment...

One night, I made grilled cheese sandwiches on wheat bread for myself and Jon.  The next day, I cooked a wheat-free dinner with grilled lean beef, kidney beans, jasmine rice and salad.  The day after that I cooked another wheat-free dinner with grilled asparagus and chicken.  To put it simply... the difference was amazing! 

Celiac and wheat-intolerance has become extremely prevalent in our current society.  Thankfully, most food companies are catering to this type of food allergy and intolerance.  Gluten-free products have their own aisle at grocery stores and many well-known brands will clearly label a product "gluten free".

Unfortunately, not all products will have an allergy label.  The following food products should be avoided:  barley, bran, bulgur, couscous, emmer, einkorn, faro, graham flour, kamut, matzo flour, panko, rye, spelt, udon.  The obvious wheat products should also be avoided:  pasta, beer, croutons, breading, luncheon meat, soy sauce and more.

With my hypothesis proven true... I set out on a grocery store adventure.  I would go to the aisle that I have not gone before.  I would discover food that I have not known before.

I have to admit that I was overwhelmed by the choices in the gluten-free aisle at Festival Foods.  There is a surprising amount of options for individuals that have eliminated wheat.  How fantastic!  The only set back would be to my wallet.  Eating gluten free is fairly expensive.

Going completely gluten-free may not beneficial to all and can sometimes do more harm than good.  I would suggest doing a lot of research before embarking on this lifestyle. 

As I begin this new adventure of eating gluten-free, I plan to take you all along with me on this journey.  The new recipes, the trials, the success and the change.  It's going to be a big difference.  To this day, I have been eating gluten free for 18 days and absolutely loving it.

It's not easy for me to put myself out there and reveal this change.  But I appreciate all the support so far from my friends and family.  I certainly hope that it might inspire others.  If you have enjoyed reading Hint of Thyme, I hope that you will continue to return and cook with me!

Take care, readers!  Thank you for allowing me to share this with you.


Shout out to my friend, Amy!  Thank you for being such a good friend to me over the years.  You have inspired me more than you even know.

"The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful
form of medicine OR the slowest form of poison."
- Ann Wigmore

We could all use a hint of more time.
Copyright 2012 A Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.

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