veritas: August 2012

30 August 2012

Veritas CCXLVII

Today's Truth: You can enjoy fresh corn on the cob all year! Simply freeze individual ears wrapped in foil or airtight freezer bags. When ready to enjoy, thaw then microwave the corn using the following method:

FRESH CORN ON THE COB (Microwave method)

Cook fresh corn on the cob in microwave with husks and silk intact. They will cook in their own natural moisture.

Wrap in a damp paper towel. Turn ears over and rearrange after 1/2 cooking time.

Cooking Guideline:

1 ear - 1 1/2 - 3 minutes
2 ears - 4 to 6 minutes
3 ears - 7 to 8 minutes
4 ears - 9 to 11 minutes

When ears are hot to the touch, remove and wrap in kitchen towel or foil.Let stand at least 5 minutes. Remove husks and silk (which is easier than when cold) and serve with melted butter and your choice of seasoning.

29 August 2012

Veritas CCXLVI

Today's Truth: What is gluten free and what is not?

Many foods are naturally gluten-free:

Beans, seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form
Fresh eggs
Fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)
Fruits and vegetables
Most dairy products

It's important to make sure that they are not processed or mixed with gluten-containing grains, additives or preservatives. Many grains and starches can be part of a gluten-free diet:

Amaranth
Arrowroot
Buckwheat
Corn and cornmeal
Flax
Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)
Hominy (corn)
Millet
Quinoa
Rice
Sorghum
Soy
Tapioca
Teff

Now, for the bad news ... avoid food and drinks containing:

Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)
Rye
Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
Wheat

Avoiding wheat can be challenging because wheat products go by numerous names. Here are other wheat products to avoid:

Bulgur
Durum flour
Farina
Graham flour
Kamut
Semolina
Spelt

...and lastly, the "maybes" ...

In general, avoid these foods unless they're labeled as gluten-free or made with corn, rice, soy or other gluten-free grain: