The January GIG meeting is this Saturday. The topic will be “Gluten Free Q & A with Dr. Jan Gagnon” and samples will be given out by Bridge City Baking. More information can be found at the Grain Damaged website. They also note that the location has changed a little:

Our next meeting will be held this Saturday, the 2nd Sat of the month in a new location. Our new regular meeting space is still at Emanuel Hospital, still on the 2nd Sat of every month. It is now on the south side of the hospital at 501 N. Graham, Portland OR 97227. The room is called MOB, which stands for Medical Office Building. It’s a meeting space attached the the Medical Office Building.

The room is in between N. Graham and the sliding glass doors of the atrium. Look for the signs.

When: January 14 – 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where:
Legacy Emanuel Hospital
2801 N Gantenbein Ave.
Portland, OR. 07227-1623
(503)413-2200
Room MOB

More Info: Call Lisa Shaver 503.577.9339, GIG of Portland branch manager.

Gluten-Free Cooking Classes at Bob’s Red Mill

In February, Bob’s Red Mill will be hosting some gluten free classes.

On February 9, author Laura B. Russell will be teaching a class on international soups. This class isn’t billed as gluten free, but it ends up being that way. Regular readers will be familiar with Russell’s great book The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen (our review here). We attended this class the last time it was available and really enjoyed it.

On February 23, Kyra Bussanich will be teaching a class on making gluten-free holiday desserts. Kyra is the pastry chef at Crave Bake Shop, and recently won Cupcake Wars on the Food Channel.

Call Bonnie at (971) 206-2208 at Bob’s Red Mill to reserve your space, and act fast because the classes fill up quickly. Flier with more info is available here (PDF).

Delicious International Soups with Laura B. Russell
Thursday, Feb 9, 2012, 5:00-7:00 PM

Best-Ever Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts with Kyra Bussanich
Thursday, Feb 23, 2012, 50:00-7:00 PM

Bob’s Red Mill Cooking School
5000 SE International Way
Milwaukie OR 97222

New to Gluten Free with Lori Sobelson!
Are you new to the gluten free lifestyle? Do you feel overwhelmed not knowing what is safe to eat, what products to buy, how to bake without using gluten flours? In this class Lori Sobelson, Director of Community Outreach with Bob’s Red Mill will walk you through the basic steps of converting to a gluten free lifestyle. We will discuss what it means to live a gluten free lifestyle, talk about brands you can trust, sample gluten free baked goods made from Bob’s Red Mill gluten free mixes as well as learn tips that will make your new menu planning easier. You’ll leave with a recipe packet and a better understanding of all that’s available to make your new lifestyle easy to adapt to and worth the change! This class is specifically designed for those who are new to gluten free. It is an informational class only; no cooking demonstration will be given.

When: January 12, 2012, 5:00-6:30 p.m
Where: Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Cooking School, 5000 S.E. International Way, Milwaukie, Oregon 97222
Class Fee: $20.00
Contact: Call Bonnie at (971) 206-2208 to enroll.

Delicious International Soups with Laura B. Russell

If you haven’t been to a cooking class at Bob’s Red Mill, the format is less participatory and more like watching someone cook while they give you tips on how to be successful with the dishes. Everyone is given a handout with recipes for the dishes being prepared. At the front of the class there is a large island with burners and cutting boards, where the cook does their work. On either side of the island, hanging from the ceiling, are two monitors which show a view from above the cooking area, so that you can see what’s going on inside the pots while the food is being prepared. As the dishes are finished, samples are handed around to everyone in the class. Also, audience members are encouraged to ask questions, and the crowd this night was very inquisitive.

We recently attended the aforementioned gluten-free soups class at Bob’s Red Mill. The class was taught by Laura B. Russell, the author of The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen, which we are currently working our way through. The other upcoming gluten-free class happening there is a desserts class with Crave Bake Shop’s Kyra Busanich (see here for details). More information about Laura B. Russell is available at her website, www.laurabrussell.com. She also writes a monthly column for the Oregonian’s Food Day section called “Gluten Freedom” (click here for a list of previous columns), and is also a contributor to Portland’s MIX magazine and to Easy Eats and Living Without magazine.

The dishes included in the handout were: Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup, Creamy Curried Millet and Vegetable Soup, Brazilian Cheese Puffs, Eastern-European Style Mushroom and Buckwheat Soup, Wild Rice Soup with Smoked Sausage, and Peruvian Quinoa Chowder. We got samples of the first four of these dishes, and they were all really delicious. The Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup was my favorite. It’s got an amazing ginger, cumin, and cinnamon spice blend, and features fresh mint added at the end. The recipe for this dish can be found here at Russell’s website. This recipe happens to be vegan. A bunch of the recipes on her site are vegan/vegetarian friendly.

The items that prompted the most questions and discussion were the Brazilian Cheese Puffs. Fortunately, the recipe for this dish is also available at her website, here: Brazilian Cheese Puffs. Russell noted that a person could make larger sized puffs and use them for hamburger buns, or make smaller sized puffs and then stuff them to create hors d’oeuvres. She also noted that the most important ingredients are the tapioca flour, the milk, and the eggs. So a person could change up the cheeses used, and also try different milk substitutes.

During the break we went up and introduced ourselves. We had some questions about a recipe that we had tried out of the Gluten Free Asian Kitchen book. Russell was very friendly and was happy to have a long discussion about cooking dumplings with us. After the class, she was available for more questions and also to sign copies of her book.

We thought that this was a fun and rewarding class and would encourage anyone out there who is interested in food or cooking to check out the classes at Bob’s Red Mill. Upcoming classes can be found listed here. Note that not all of their classes are gluten-free. This one wasn’t really billed as a gluten-free class, but everything in it was gluten-free. If you wanted to attend this class but missed it, we were told that this class and the desserts class taught by Kyra Bussanich will be repeating in February. You can reserve a spot now by calling Bonnie at Bob’s Red Mill 971-206-2208 (Mon-Fri 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM).

Delicious International Soups with Laura B. Russell

Laura B. Russell is the author of The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen, which we are currently working our way through.

When: Thursday, October 20, 2011 5:00 to 7:00 PM

Take a trip around the world with cookbook author and columnist Laura Russell as she incorporates whole grains and beans into hearty, satisfying soups and accompaniments. We’ll start in Africa with a Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Soup followed by a layover in India for Creamy Curried Millet and Vegetable Soup. Two stops in South America bring us an addictive tapioca-based Brazilian Cheese Bread and Peruvian Quinoa Chowder. Back home in the U.S., we’ll dig into wedges of Cornbread and a chunky Wild Rice Soup with Smoked Sausage. Please join us in welcoming Laura Russell to our cooking school while enjoying some of her wonderful dishes!

Note: In addition to this menu being gluten-free, both breads are vegetarian, one soup is vegan, and one soup has a vegan option.

Supplies to bring: enjoy the sampling! Class Fee: $40.00

Best-Ever Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts– But For Everyone with Kyra Bussanich

Our review of Crave Bake Shop and their amazing cupcakes. Seriously, Kyra Bussanich makes the best gluten-free cupcakes and cinnamon rolls.

When: Thursday, November 10, 2011 5:00 to 7:00 PM

Here’s how you can WOW your holiday guests and family, even those with gluten-free or dairy-free diets with a nationally-acclaimed Pastry Chef Kyra Bussanich from Lake Oswego’s Crave Bake Shop will show you how to create tender, flaky Sweet Potato Biscuits with Maple Butter, a lighter-than-air dairy-free Pumpkin Chiffon Cake, and outrageous Truffle Fudge Brownies. You can also raise a toast with Champagne Cupcakes or give thanks in style with stop-in-their-tracks Pumpkin Cheesecake. Each dessert is gluten-free, but they’re so delicious, your friends and family will NEVER know–they’ll just want more!

Supplies to Bring: enjoy the sampling! Class fee $40.00

Where:
Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store
5000 International Way
Milwaukie, OR 97222

Call Bonnie at Bob’s Red Mill 971-206-2208 (Mon-Fri 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM) to sign up for classes.

This Sunday, we’re holding a gluten-free cooking class. It’s the fourth class in our series…we’ll show folks how to put together some treats to host a gluten-free vegan dinner party, then sit down together and enjoy our work with some wine, soft drinks, or gluten-free beer!

Here’s the link to sign up: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2161956470

And on another note, we’ve added a lot of gluten-free items to our menu! Every night, there are SEVERAL appetizers, entrees, and even a couple of desserts that a gluten intolerant person can enjoy.

What: Gluten-Free Vegan Dinner Party
Where: Portobello Vegan Trattoria
1125 SE Division St. Portland, Oregon, 97202
When: October 9, 2011 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Price: $70.00
For more info, call: 503-754-5993