Grain-Free Gourmet [Paperback]

Jodi Bager (Author), Jenny Lass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2010 | Series: Grain-free Gourmet

The ideal cookbook for healthy grain-free eating.

In Grain-Free Gourmet, Jenny Lass and Jodi Bager transform recipes for traditional favorites such as lasagna, pizza, cakes, pies, cookies and other classics into grain-free versions that taste exactly like, and are often better than, the originals.

Included are mouthwatering recipes for:

• Parmesan Cheese-stuffed Mushroom Caps
• Seafood Dumpling Soup
• Apple Pancakes
• Megaberry Muffins
• Gourmet Pizza
• Almond Butter Bread
• Coffee Biscotti

The recipes are free of grains, starches, refined sugars, and lactose, yet are packed full of flavor. This book offers delicious alternatives for carb- and health-conscious dieters as well as for individuals with high cholesterol, lactose and gluten intolerances, or digestive and intestinal disorders.

Each recipe was vetted by a registered dietitian and includes accurate nutritional information. The dishes are tasty and easy to make -- guaranteed to improve health, appeal to taste buds and amaze dinner guests.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jodi Bager owns and operates J. Gourmet, a company that supplies fresh almond-flour baked goods to a variety of retailers. She is also a baking services consultant for special dietary needs, such as diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease.

Jenny Lass has taught grainfree cooking at a variety of cooking schools, and is an experienced medical writer.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Food takes you on a journey. The comfort you get from just the right taste and texture satisfies more than your hunger. Food has the power to make the world seem perfect -- at least for those few moments when you're savouring your favourite meal or dessert. But for people who try to adjust what they eat in an effort to be healthier, mealtime can become a chore rather than a pleasure. Fortunately, you don't have to abandon the dishes you love if you're on a specialized diet.

We first met when driving together to a potluck lunch for people who follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). This diet, developed by Dr. Sydney Valentine Haas and made famous by Elaine Gottschall, has helped thousands of people with intestinal problems, including those with autism, to eliminate or control their debilitating symptoms. During the drive to the potluck, we discussed our respective routes from severe illness -- celiac disease and ulcerative colitis -- to improved health through the SCD. We also started sharing recipes -- what we made and how we made it, both of us incredulous at how our revised dishes tasted better than the originals. Over the course of the next few months, we realized that our passion for experimenting and creating in the kitchen had led us both to gather a repertoire of signature dishes that were more than just healthy and delicious; they were well worth sharing. This book is the convergence of these two paths: good health and a love of cooking, followed by two grateful women whose lives were saved by eating this food.

In this cookbook, we re-introduce you to your favourite meals, with a twist; all of our recipes are grain-free and refined-sugar-free, and contain little or no lactose. Our secret ingredient is ground almonds, also called almond flour. This grain substitute is perfect for anyone who has lactose or gluten intolerance, low calcium intake, high cholesterol, or an intestinal disease -- or simply for anyone who loves delicious, nutritious food. We show you cooking tricks that will improve your health, fool your taste buds, and amaze your dinner guests.

We hope you enjoy these recipes and discover new favourites that will keep you happy and healthy for years to come.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Whitecap Books Ltd. (January 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552856682
• ISBN-13: 978-1552856680
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.5 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 85 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best SCD cookbook I've used so far August 12, 2007

By Spinning Top

Format:Paperback

I have this cookbook as well as Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Lucy's SCD Cookbook, and Eat Well Feel Well. This one is my favorite. I love "The World's Best Meat Sauce", which I make thick as recommended for a sloppy joe spooned over the "Basic Bread" recipe. Fantastic! The apple galette disappeared immediately among a group of non-SCD dieters. I also like the cole slaw, and the cappuccino ice cream is fabulous!

I also have Eat Well Feel Well, but find the recipes are expensive and require ingredients not typical even in the SCD kitchen. Since the SCD can be expensive on its own, I have found that I've used that book very rarely. With the exception of nut flours and standard SCD staples, most ingredients used in Grain Free Gourment are reasonably priced and easily located in your neighborhood supermarket. The recipes even include the standard rather than SCD ingredients, so this book will remain a favorite even if strict adherence to SCD is no longer necessary. Thank you Jodi and Jenny for quality recipes that are easy to follow, kitchen tested, and sure to please even non-SCDers. This is a lovely cookbook with beautiful photos. It would be a welcome addition in every SCD kitchen.

58 of 60 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book January 9, 2007

By Mildred Bonazzoli

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Seldon does one find a new idea in a cookbook. I am fascinated by grain free cooking. Recently I decided to give up wheat and gluten. Making bread the right texture is difficult and I still miss a piece of crusty french bread! Converting old recipes using bread crumbs and flour roux, or making a basic cake became frustrating.

This book took me in a whole new direction. Almond flour. I imagined a time before when the wheat ran out, and crafty women used whatever they had to make a meal. The recipes are delicious, they can be tweaked for personal taste, the book layout and pictures are helpful, and the concept has opened my epicurean horizons. There is a whole world of alternate flours and thickeners out there, and this book is very helpful.

Each healthfood store I went to had almond meal (and flax meal!)unrefrigerated, just sitting on the shelf, which bothered me because I know nut fat is unstable. I ended up ordering it on line from a small manufacturer, who guaranteed freshness for six months, and I keep it refrigerated. Recently, I found a muffin recipe in an English healthy living techniques type book that grinds the nuts (food processor)with a little flour (to keep it from becoming nut butter), so I'm gong to wing it from here on in using whole almonds. It's become a small adventure in cooking!

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book! June 9, 2006

By E Isaacs

Format:Paperback

This book has been wonderful for the SCD diet. The food is a treat. Each recipe that I have tried has been delicious (I've only had the book a week or two). Thank you to the authors! What a wonderful contribution.