Gluten is a protein composite added to foods processed from wheat, barley, rye and related products. It gives dough more elasticity helping it to rise and keep its shape. In the Western diet, gluten is added to many staple foods.

Wheat today has been genetically altered and is no longer the wheat your great-grandmother once used to bake her bread. The genetic alterations were made to wheat to enable farmers to grow more wheat in a smaller space, thereby feeding more people; however there have been unintended consequences to the genetic alteration of our wheat.

Today, an estimated 6% of the U.S. population has developed sensitivity to this additive that was not naturally found in wheat a century ago.  Painful stomach and other digestive ailments are symptoms of gluten sensitivity.

As a result, "gluten free" foods are increasingly in demand by consumers. Most processed foods in the grocery store list gluten on their ingredient labels, but more and more food companies are developing gluten free options.

Mookies can be made gluten free too!  Try this easy gluten free Mookie recipe:

1c peanut butter, 1c white sugar, 1 egg and 12 chocolate kisses.

Mix peanut butter, sugar and egg well. Spray mini muffin tin with non- stick cooking spray.  Spoon dough into tins.  Bake at 350 for approximately 12 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.  Place kisses in center of cookie while still hot. Let cool 10 minutes and enjoy!

For more information on gluten and gluten free options, check out my friend Lydia's website.

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Buckle is a dessert which combines fresh seasonal fruit, a rich cake batter, and a streusel topping. The result is a rich, dense cake with a moist crumb which is sometimes compared to coffee cake. It is an excellent summer dessert, and can be served hot or cold, plain or dressed with drizzles of sauce. Making buckle at home is relatively easy, and a great way to use fresh fruit.

The origins of buckle are a bit mysterious. The dish has been in the United States for centuries, suggesting that it may have been developed by colonists. Buckle is extremely popular in New England, where it is often made with blueberries. While blueberry buckle is a classic version, the dessert can also be made with peaches, nectarines, raspberries, and any other fresh fruit that can be imagined. Many cooks mix several types of fruit in their buckle.

The base of buckle is a rich cake batter, which is sprinkled with fresh fruit. Some cooks prefer to split their batter, layering half in the bottom of the pan and mixing the other half with the fruit before pouring it in. The fruit is topped with a streusel mixture. During the baking process, the cake batter rises up around the fruit, encasing the fruit in batter and causing the streusel to buckle, creating a distinctive crinkly appearance.

Walt Disney World Resort features a delicious Blueberry Cheese Buckle, but it can only be found at Cinderella’s Castle.  However, here is the recipe.  If you are adventurous enough, make it yourself to add a magical finish to your meal.

Blueberry Cheese Buckle
Cinderella's Royal Table - Magic Kingdom  

YIELD: 1 Dozen

INGREDIENTS

Muffins

3/4 stick (6 Tbl) Unsalted Butter ; 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
1 ea. + 1 yolk Eggs ; 1/3 cup Milk, whole
1 1/2 cup All purpose Flour ; 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Vanilla ; 3/4 tsp Salt; 2 cups Fresh Blueberries
1 1/2 cups Cream Cheese, whipped

Topping

3 Tbl. Unsalted Butter; 1/2 cup Flour
3 1/2 Tbl. Sugar ; 1/4 tsp Cinnamon


METHOD:
Batter - Melt butter. Whisk in milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix all dry ingredients together, then add milk mixture and stir until combined. Don't over mix. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide batter among muffin pans. Insert I tsp of cream cheese into the center of the batter.

Topping -- Rub together all ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 - 20 minutes then carefully remove from cups. Serve warm with lemon ice cream.

This spring, spice up your cooking, literally, with delicious herbs that are easily grown in your kitchen.  Place the containers of herbs either by a window that gets plenty of sunlight, or on your counter under a grow light that can be easily installed under your cabinet.

Some herbs that are especially easy to grow indoors are:

Rosemary
Lavender
Basil
Sage
Thyme
Chives

Rosemary – Keep plant in sunlight and allow to dry out between waterings.  Run a fan for a few hours a day to create a breeze.  Great with chicken and potatoes.

Lavender – Thrives in warm well-drained soil and full sun.  Water at the base of the plant and do not dampen the foliage.  Wonderful in salads and punch.

Basil – Provide direct sunlight and warmth, and feed monthly.  Excellent addition to turkey and pasta.

Sage – Needs fairly dry soil and full sun to thrive.  Do not over water.  Delicious in crab cakes and dressing.

Thyme – Must have full sun.  Soil should not be too damp.  Needs good air circulation, so run a fan a few hours a day to create a gentle breeze.  Scrumptious addition to beef tenderloin and biscuits.

Chives – Soil must stay moist but be well drained.  Needs full sun.  Sprinkle on shrimp or mix in dip.  Yummy!

So this Spring, consider creating an herb garden to put a kick in your cooking and a sweet smelling, lovely looking addition to your kitchen décor. 

History of the Afternoon Tea Party

While drinking tea as a fashionable event is credited to Catharine of Braganza, the actual taking of tea in the afternoon developed into a new social event sometime in the late 1830’s and early 1840’s.  Jane Austen hints of afternoon tea as early as 1804 in an unfinished novel.

It is said that the afternoon tea tradition was established by Anne, Duchess of Bedford. She requested that light sandwiches be brought to her in the late afternoon because she had a “sinking feeling” during that time because of the long gap between meals. She began to invite others to join her and thus became the tradition.

Various Tea Times:

• Cream Tea — A simple tea consisting of scones, clotted cream, marmalade or lemon curd and tea.
• Low Tea/Afternoon Tea — An afternoon meal including sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, curd, 2-3 sweets and tea. Known as “low tea” because guests were seated in low armchairs with low side-tables on which to place their cups and saucers.
• Elevensies — Morning coffee hour in England
• Royale Tea — A social tea served with champagne at the beginning or sherry at the end of the tea.
• High Tea — High tea co notates an idea of elegance and regal-ness but in fact it was an evening meal most often enjoyed around 6 pm as laborers and miners returned home. High tea consists of meat and potatoes as well as other foods and tea. It was not exclusively a working class meal but was adopted by all social groups. Families with servants often took high tea on Sundays in order to allow the maids and butlers time to go to church and not worry about cooking an evening meal for the family.

Types of Tea and Health Benefits:

·        Green Tea – Made from steamed tea leaves, it contains antioxidants that help fight cancer, prevents clogging of arteries, burns fat, counteracts stress, reduces risk of stroke and improves cholesterol levels. 

·        Black Tea – Made with fermented tea leaves, it has the highest caffeine level and forms this basis of favored teas like chai.

·        White Tea – When uncured and unfermented it contains the most potent anticancer properties of all processed teas.

·        Oolong Tea – In one animal study this tea was found to lower LDL cholesterol levels and research is being conducted on its weight loss benefits.

·        Chamomile Tea – Its antioxidants help prevent complications from diabetes such as loss of vision and nerve and kidney damage.

·        Echinacea Tea – This tea is often used to fight the common cold.

·        Hibiscus Tea – This tea has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with moderately elevated levels.

·        Mint Tea – Known for its refreshing scent, it can relieve heartburn, indigestion, and irritable bowel syndrome.

·        Ginger Tea – An ancient Asian remedy, it relieves upset stomach and nausea.  Studies are being conducted on potential positive effects on arthritis and other joint and muscle pain.

·        Kava Tea – This tea has been shown to calm the body and mind and promote a good night’s sleep.



There is nothing like relaxing with a cup of steaming tea and some of your favorite sweet and savory snacks – either with family for some lively conversation or alone for some quiet meditation. 

Go to www.paromi.com to check out my favorite brand and flavor of tea – Lemon Ginger.

Why do some women crave chocolate? 
Chocolate cravings have been linked to stress, low blood sugar, and changing hormone levels. 

The sugar and caffeine in chocolate raise blood sugar levels. Dark chocolate is low on the glycemic index; therefore it can help stabilize blood sugar levels safely. One reason some women crave chocolate at times is because their blood sugar levels have fallen and chocolate provides a hit of sugar for quick energy. If you find yourself feeling moody, irritable, shaky and fatigued, especially between meals, then your chocolate cravings may be the result of low blood sugar levels.

Eating chocolate makes you feel good, because it increases levels of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of well-being and enhanced mood. Many women experience lowered serotonin levels when their hormone levels are fluctuating. 

High levels of stress can also make women and even some men crave chocolate, especially since increasing serotonin levels can help decrease anxiety. Chocolate is a popular comfort food and is often the snack selection of emotional eaters, because eating chocolate can raise serotonin levels and help comfort eaters forget about emotional problems, low self-esteem or mild depression.

Some research has shown that chocolate contains the same alkaloid compounds that make alcohol addictive, so there could be some basis to consider chocolate physiologically addictive. It also contains a compound called anandamine, which, scientists believe, stimulates the brain in the same way as marijuana. However, there remains much debate in the medical community as to whether chocolate contains enough of these compounds to be truly addictive or psychoactive.