Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free: The Way We Eat Now

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

So, this weekend we celebrated all three of our Kinky Gazpacho kids with a family party at casa nuestra. My parents came up, my sister, brother and cousins were here. We had a full house and it was really lovely. El esposo manned the grill and my mom and I made a bunch of lovely salads. And then there was the cake issue. I think it is only fair that since I make all three kids share one birthday celebration, that at least they get their own cake. My boys are easy. The oldest always asks for a pound cake made by my cousin, the professional chef. Done. Middle child always requests an ice-cream cake. Ordered over the phone. Check. But what about babygirl?

Last year, for her first birthday, I bought her a cupcake and called it a day. But this year it was different. I was seized with the need to make my daughter a pink birthday cake. I don’t know what came over me, but I was bound and determined. Not only was it going to be pink, it was going to be gluten-free so I could eat it, and dairy free so she could eat it. The gluten-free part was pretty easy. I bought a package of Pamela’s gluten-free vanilla cake mix. I’d never tried it before, but I liked the packaging. It didn’t seem overly corporate. But then I had to figure out the pink part. Every frosting recipe I know requires dairy. Butter, cream cheese, whip cream. Even Cool Whip has milk in it. Damn. I’m not a big believer in fake butters and I try not to give babygirl much soy. So, I finally decided to go with a simple glaze, threw a strawberry in it to turn it pink and voila: This is what I got:

And it was tasty. The cake actually tasted like real cake, not a dusty, dry substitute. I was so excited. I haven’t made a cake since going gluten-free in 2008. Thanks Pamela’s. Being the mom to a babygirl is making me do a lot of things I didn’t know I cared about, like making a pink cake. Next on my culinary quest for healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free living. I want to buy a Vitamix Blender. I have become slightly obsessed and I’ve drawn my kids in with me on the obsession.  I have visions of pesto, savory sauces, exotic soups and dairy-free sorbet dancing in my head.  Somehow I have convinced myself that a Kinky Gazpacho family needs a Vitamix. Think about all of the kinky gazpacho we could make!

If anyone has a Vitamix blender and has an argument for or against me purchasing one, leave it for me in the comments. I’m so listening.

Peace!