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Sponsored by EllipseFitness

Countdown and Cupcakes is an event is sponsored by the American Celiac Disease Alliance, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for the needs of celiac and gluten-sensitive patients. Last year, this community built a cake to celebrate their success. This year, they are making it more personal and are encouraging people to bake one cupcake for each gluten-free year!

Mandate Gluten Free Labeling!

Last year, on August 2, the anniversary of the passage of the Food Allergen Labeling and Protection Act (FALCPA) and two months after the Gluten Free Labeling Summit, FDA announced it would allow 60 more days of comments on the gluten free labeling proposal. When the comment period closed in October, the agency had received hundreds and hundreds of comments. Among the letters was one signed by nearly 5,000 individuals urging the FDA to require products labeled gluten-free to meet a set standard not to exceed 20ppm, the same standard adopted for use in the international community. Please visit 1in133.org to make a donation in order to help continue  their efforts and with the countdown.

Listen To The Interview!

The month of May has been designated Celiac Awareness month. In this segment of The Organic View, best-selling author, Beth Hillson, founder of Gluten-Free Pantry, President of the American Celiac Disease Alliance and editor of Living Without Magazine talks about this initiative on Friday, May 4th at 4pm EST/1pm PST. Click here for the live link to the show!

Author, Beth Hillson

Join The Fun & Win! 1 Cupcake = 1 Year Of Being Gluten-Free!

The celiac community is inviting everyone to make cupcakes as a way to celebrate their success and inspire others begin their journey to good health.  The idea is to make one cupcake for each year that you have been gluten-free.  Please share your joy and post a picture on the American Celiac Alliance Face Book Page! People will vote by “liking” the photos.  Categories include: best presentation, most unique decorations and years of being gluten-free. The winners will receive prizes of gluten-free products and coupons.  Let the baking begin!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossom Cupcakes Recipe by Beth Hillson

photo courtesy of Beth Hillson

Yields: 24 to 28 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups organic cake and pastry Flour
• ½ cup unsweetened organic fair trade cocoa
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ cups organic granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted organic butter or organic non-dairy buttery spread, at room temperature
• 3 large organic, free range and hormone free eggs, at room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons organic vanilla extract
• 1 cup organic milk, organic gmo-free soy milk, or organic gmo-free rice milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease or oil two 12-cup muffin tins or line with paper liners. Combine the cake flour, cocoa, baking powder; and baking soda. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate. Blend in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling a little more than half full. Smooth the tops and bake on the center rack for 16 to 18 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely before frosting.

PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM FROSTING

• 1 cup smooth organic peanut butter (any gluten-free brand)
• ½ cup organic milk
• 4 ounces low-fat organic cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon organic vanilla
• 3 cups organic confectioners’sugar
• ½ cup (about 6) organic peanut butter cups, crumbled (optional)

Directions: Beat the peanut butter, milk, cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with crumbled peanut butter cups. Refrigerate until time to serve.

Cake and Pastry Flour

• 1 cup sweet white sorghum flour (4 ounces)
• 1 cup organic white rice flour (5.4 ounces)
• ¾ cup cornstarch (3.4 ounces)
• 1½ teaspoons xanthan gum (or guar gum)
• ½ teaspoon organic sea salt

Shortcut: This blend makes very light pastries and cookies with a fine crumb but, if you are pressed for time, you may use 2 ½ cups of any organic all purpose flour blend. Add the xanthan gum and sea salt if they are not already in the blend.