Month: February 2013

Mexican Burrito Bowl

This is something I used to make a lot of when I was in the United States, and lo and behold, it turned out to be naturally gluten-free! There are a ton of fast-food burrito joints all over the US, and they are typically considered healthier alternatives to your regular fastfood.

Gluten Free Burrito Bowl
Balanced, naturally gluten-free meal.

A burrito bowl is basically a burrito without the wrap. Easier to eat (no wobbly wet wraps) and easier to eat more of the good stuff.

Ingredients

  • Rice
  • Beans (kidney, red, or lentils)
  • Avocado
  • Lime juice
  • Coarse, raw salt (e.g. Himalayan or Celtic)
  • Olive oil
  • Tomatoes
  • Capsicums
  • Onions
  • Meat (if you prefer)

The base is always rice, cooked in a rice cooker with tomatoes or other veggies if you prefer.

Make a side of beans—kidney, red, or lentils work well. Just boil the beans, adding a little salt and pepper to taste.

Then, the guacamole (my favorite part). Remove the skin and seed from an avocado. Add the juice of half a lemon or lime. Add a pinch of any raw, course salt (Celtic or Himalaya Rock are the ones we use at home—stay far away from table salt. It’s so bad for you.). Add some chopped cilantro (hard to get in KL, so you could substitute with coriander) and some small tomato cubes (say 4-5 grape tomoatoes or half a large one). A generous amount of olive oil goes into the mix as well (say 15-20 ml to start, I usually double that). Mix, making sure to mash the avocado well.

Finally, pepper stir fry. Cut up some capsicums in various colors in long, thin strips. Chop up a little onion. Stir fry with olive oil, salt and pepper. And voila! You’re done!

Add some chilli sauce if it’s too bland. You can stir fry and add some meat (beef, chicken or pork is usually used) cooked with spices (chilli, peppers, paprika powder) if you’d like to go non-vegetarian as well.

Alternative preparation

Ingredients

  • Tomatoes–the more, the thicker the soup
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

Make the guacamole as above and put on gluten-free bread, Cook down a bunch of tomatoes on your stove top—say 8-10 for two people. Just place tomatoes in a covered dish on low heat. Add a little water if tomatoes are hard and don’t cook down easily. When in a watery pulpy mess, transfer to blender. Add 3 table spoons of olive oil and a cup of parmesan cheese. Blend. Delicious.

Alternative Preparation: Guacamole with Tomato Soup
Alternative Preparation: Guacamole with Tomato Soup

Peace,

Daisy

Why Blog about Gluten Free Life?

*The* City*
*The* City

Finding out that you have any allergy or intolerance can be a difficult process. When Bubbles moved, to Malaysia, gluten-free just meant you were fussy. One doctor told her she couldn’t possibly be a celiac as she was too mentally normal and wanted to re-test her. (Note: You can’t get tested for celiac if you are already gluten free so check the various tests available if you do suspect you have issues before eliminating it from your diet.) Malaysia has been difficult, but Bubbles is slowly getting the hang of living gluten-free here, with the help of a few chefs, doctors and lists on Evernote and her IPhone.

Unfortunately, Daisy discovered her gluten intolerance a few weeks after moving to Kuala Lumpur from New York City—the Mecca of gluten-free gluttony! Daisy remembers seeing the gluten-free cafes and bakeries on her walks home from work and the *GF notations on just about every menu there. Ahhhh…. How ironic life can be.

In most places in Kuala Lumpur, Daisy met with a puzzled looks when asking about gluten-free food. It bothers most waiters and chefs when she asked very specific questions about the ingredients in her food and the method of cooking employed. While supermarkets now stock basic pantry items but food labelling is not always accurate (Bubbles noticed Organic Barley with a Gluten Free label on a few supermarket shelves).

Changes are happening as awareness increases through people like Bubbles and Daisy asking questions and sharing information.

They discovered restaurants willing to make that extra effort, finally learnt that not all tequila is gluten-free and that sadly, local chocolate is not an option. Daisy and Bubbles plan to do whatever they can to: a) prevent you from getting glutened in Kuala Lumpur, b) make a dining out or eating in experience a tad easier for you, and c) share with you their blueprint—their general ideas and principles—for how to survive this allergy unconscious city and region of the world (which you can also adapt for other allergies or food restrictions).

 

Peace + Kiss Kiss,
Daisy & Bubbles