Lots of mention of gluten-free and/or Celiac Disease around the airwaves recently.  It started the other day when Hannah was watching “Suite Life on Deck”.  The boys were playing a game of poker and anted up a “gluten-free cookie”!  Hannah came running into the kitchen in giggles to make sure that I had heard.  It was really cute.

Then I had The Rachael Ray Show on in the background as I was playing with the little boy I watch and Rachael made sure to mention that the pasta in the recipe she was making could easily be subbed out for brown rice pasta to make it gluten-free.  Kudos to RR for adding that part in!  Check this out:

Penne with Grilled Summer Squash and Sweet Corn

Ingredients

• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 4 yellow summer squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.) – halved crosswise and each half cut lengthwise into 3 thick slabs (Make Ahead! Grill the summer squash up to 2 days ahead of using.)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn), or use frozen
• 1 container (15 oz.) whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 tsp. chopped thyme (FINISH IT UP!)

Click here for the instructions to cook.

The View follows The Rachael Ray Show here in Columbus.  I normally don’t spend mornings in front of the TV, but with all of the rain lately, it makes getting out miserable.  The ladies carried on their usual chatter and I was only half paying attention until I hear “Elisabeth’s Gluten-Free Recipes”.  My ears perked up in a hurry!  Anytime I hear “gluten-free” or “Celiac” on TV, I pay attention.  The more those words are out there, the better for us.  Awareness is key.  Cat Cora, Ming Tsai & Marcus Samuelson were all in the studio sharing how to make easy gluten-free dishes.  I can only imagine how good it must have smelled in there!  The recipes that really caught my eye were the Red Grits & Grillades and the Cocoa Chili Hazelnut Ganache Tartlets.  Click here for the recipes.

Then, as if those 3 mentions in the mainstream media, I open my Cooking Light email to find “The Best Gluten-Free Foods” as chosen by Cooking Light and Karen Amsel, MS, RD.  There wasn’t one of their choices that I would disagree with.  It was nice to see some of my favorites get a nod – Udi’s Bagels, Glow Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (heaven on earth), Bob’s Red Mill and Amy’s Kitchen.

Again, just seeing this out there where the world can see it, not just those that are specifically looking for “gluten-free” or “celiac” is huge!  Let’s keep this ball rolling!

Don’t forget to enter for a chance to win Danna Korn’s “Living Gluten-Free for Dummies”!  Click here to enter.