So have you heard the news yet?
General Mills will be debuting Gluten-Free Bisquick (and a few other items 😉 ) at the Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Education Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles, on May 15, 2010!
I am still speechless (shocking, eh? Don’t worry, it won’t last for long. 😀 ) that this is actually happening so I will direct you over to Anne Steib’s article on Celiac-Disease.com so you can read it in more detail. Anne is another one of my favorite bloggers, check her out at Gluten-Free Musings, I love her honesty, her spirit and her courage, and I think you will too.
The famous yellow box. I wonder what the gluten-free package will look like??
I grew up on Bisquick.
Bisquick Pancakes, Bisquick Biscuits, Bisquick Strawberry Shortcakes, Bisquick Impossible Pie Casseroles; you name it, my mom made it. It was one of the products I missed most after my diagnosis 5 years ago (my 5 year diagnosis anniversary is actually this Thursday, April 29, 2010…woo-hoo! 😉 ), as that neon yellow box was an integral part of growing up for me.
Being diagnosed with celiac disease at age 31 meant I would never again eat the foods of my past… mainly, my mom’s “home cooking.” That actually had a lot to do with my 3 years of “cheating,” before I finally sought help to come to terms with my diagnosis; but I will save that for my “About Me” page I will finally have up next month (it’s been difficult to write because I have evolved so much over the past 10 months that I have been blogging. What I write today, may not be entirely accurate tomorrow!).
I have long since moved beyond the “need” for food nostalgia (note that I didn’t say “want”), but the very idea that the day has come where Bisquick will again be an option (albeit, a GF option), almost moves me to tears.
That being said, I have made many homemade gluten-free versions of Bisquick over the years but the product that I think has come closest, at least in my memory, is Better Batter’s Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix (I hadn’t been to the Better Batter website in a while, since I buy it in bulk (and am well stocked)… have you seen their new site? Very cool Naomi, I love it!!).
I have been using the Better Batter GF Pancake and Baking Mix for a few months now in those old Bisquick recipes from my youth. One of my all-time favorite Bisquick recipes is the Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake, and the following is the original recipe that my mom always used to make, with my tweaks in red.
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
1/3 cup Original Bisquick Mix (I used the Better Batter GF Pancake and Baking Mix)
1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
2 Tbs. firm Butter or Margarine (I used 1 Tbs. Earth Balance)
Coffee Cake
2 cups Bisquick Mix (again, I used the Better Batter GF Pancake and Baking Mix)
2/3 cup Milk or Water (I used Skim Milk)
2 Tbs. Sugar
1 Egg
- Heat oven to 375° F.
- Grease 9-inch round pan.
- In a small bowl, stir streusel ingredients until crumbly, set aside.
- In a medium Bowl, mix coffee cake ingredients until blended.
- Spread in Pan then sprinkle with streusel topping.
- Bake 18 – 22 minutes or until golden brown.
I can imagine my mom enjoying this with me, in another life perhaps. 😉
I’ve also decided to launch a new campaign…
My all-time favorite cereal (I am not sure that anyone will even remember this cereal from the 70’s/early 80’s), was actually a cereal made by General Mills, called “Buc-Wheats.”
Now that the 1980’s seemed to have regurgitated all over the department stores and General Mills is a gluten-free super hero… maybe, just maybe, a reincarnated “Buc-Wheats” (that is gluten-free, of course… hey, I am not launching a cereal campaign that I cannot benefit from!). Just replace the wheat with something else (corn or rice will work fine), replace the malt flavoring with molasses and manufacture in one of their dedicated facilities and we will be good to go! 😀
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhfIdnwd6Ic&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
Oh Lordy Pete…I love those old commercials! 🙂
Two quick things I want mention; if you haven’t heard about the “30 Days to a Food Revolution” being hosted by Diane over at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang, it began today with a great post by Shirley Braden of GFE – Gluten Free Easily. Check it out and get involved for a chance to win some great prizes and learn some healthy new recipes! You can also “Like” The W.H.O.L.E. Gang on Facebook (is it just me or does that not roll as well as “become a fan?” 😀
Also, there is something really cool about to start… The Gluten-Free Challenge. If you have a friend or loved one with Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy (GSE), why not spend a couple of days walking in their shoes?
I did an EE (Eosinophillic Espophagitis) challenge a few years ago in support of one of Sam’s old playmates who had the disease. I ate nothing but chicken, sweet potatoes and grapes for an entire weekend. It was such an enlightening experience for me to better understand what someone else has to go through each and every day for the rest of their lives… 2 days was nothing in comparison. It really changed my life in the sense that it brought me greater awareness of the challenges other people face and instilled a level of compassion I had never known before. I am now thoughtful about making sure all children that come into my home for a birthday party, play date, etc. are made to feel like a regular kid by being able to eat what everyone else is eating. This is how I really became aware that young kids don’t care about the food itself… they really just want to play and eat what their friends are eating, Sam ate raw sweet potatoes sticks (to mimic carrot sticks) for years, just because his little friend did! 🙂
I am working hard at getting Sam to understand that he is different, but you know what? We all are, and that is what makes life interesting and fun. There are times though, when it feels good to sit at the table with our loved ones and be able to fully enjoy a celebratory meal (like the holidays) without having to watch with an eagle eye for a rogue bread crumb that may land on your plate. When I sit down with my parents, sisters and their families for a meal, I am not fully engaged in them because I can’t be while I am watching to make sure my son and I stay safe.
Of the roughly 1,095 meals a year we all consume, would 6 gluten-free meals be that big of a sacrifice? You might just find a few great new recipes that are naturally gluten-free to add to your mealtime! 🙂
I want to leave you with an excerpt from the Gluten-Free Challenge website that I think sums it quite perfectly:
Why have a Gluten-Free Challenge?
Living gluten-free can feel isolating, but it shouldn’t. We believe that if we invite our gluten-consuming friends and family to join us at the table, we can all enjoy a delicious meal together. Our goal is not to change everyone to a gluten-free diet, but to simply show our gluten-consuming friends and family that they can enjoy our food with us. We believe that everyone who to takes this challenge for their gluten-free loved one, will find that eating together is more enjoyable, easier and less stressful.
And welcome to my blog!
Whether you're here looking for advice on how to go gluten free (with delicious kid-approved recipes of course!), or to read some of the latest medical research on celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity...or even to read about one woman's rise from the depths of gluten-free despair to a place of downright enthusiasm, it makes no matter. The point is, you are here now so let's have some fun!
Your recipe looks delish! I cant believe general mills is making GF Bisquick! I bet we wont be able to get in in Canada though (BOO!) – we still dont have the Betty Crocker mixes here!
Devan @ Accustomed Chaos http://www.accustomedchaos.com
Devan,
Let's launch a campaign to bring the General Mills GF products to Canada!! 🙂
Streusel??? I can't wait to try it!!!
With so many people in our country who don't realize how much of they eat is BAD for them — but eat mostly for emotional needs– I'll be pleasantly surprised if very many will show an interest in limiting themselves even for a few days. Good way to raise people's awareness, though!
Pat…
It is amazingly addictive to try on "new hats," once you ask yourself "why not?" 🙂
Makes for a more interesting life, too!
Pat: It certainly does make life more interesting… and fun! 🙂
Yay! My sister makes the best (and most fattening) brownies in the world using Bisquick. I will definitely be ordering some (you'll ship it to me right?) and giving it to my sister!
Your recipe looks delish too. Have you tried baking with coconut oil? I'm finding it to be such a good replacement for butter – less ingredients!
Maggie: Of course I will ship you some! We should organize a worldwide gluten-free co-op! 😉
I see more of this in the future. I just finished reading the book *Dangerous Grain* which estimates 90 million Americans suffer some sort of gluten intolerance. I personally believe the spike in Autism, ADHD and Depression has a lot to do with gluten…Quick question…Do any of you take vitamin B supplements. I find a B Complex helps with PMS in the absence of wheat B sources. Ella (almost 8) takes a Nordic Naturals MultiVitamin and Omega…What do you you know about supplementing children?
Anna:
I am so glad you brought this up. I have been debating on doing a vitamin post for a while because I am not a doctor and always worry about how someone reading one of my posts may take away something that I did not intend to convey.
Personally, while I try to get most of our vitamins from food, I do believe in added insurance, especially with the malabsorption issues that come with GSE, and well… growing kids are notorious for their diet sometimes! My kids have taken a multivitamin, a calcium/magnesium/D3 supplement and the Nordic Naturals (Strawberry Berry Keen) since they were itty bitty. We are lucky to live in a place where there is an abundance of sunshine, but when kids are growing I think every bit helps. Here is a link to a great article on celiac disease and Vitamin D deficiency: http://blog.glutenfreeworks.com/category/celiac-d… that you might find interesting.
Maybe I will do that post after all, at least from the aspect of what I take that I think tastes pretty good (I am a liquid vitamin person)! 🙂
It is important for folks to talk to their doctors before beginning a vitamin/supplement regimen because certain vitamins/supplements can interfere with medications. I have to be particularly careful with vitamins and supplements because I take Levoxyl, a Thyroid Replacement Hormone (I do not have a functioning thyroid). Certain vitamins and medications interfere with the absorption of my medication so I have to be care of WHEN I take them: http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/thyroid-drug…
As for the other issues you brought up, I have zero personal experience with Autism but I was diagnosed with Adult ADD just over a year ago (looking back, it definitely makes sense and even more so now that I have been officially diagnosed with DH. The DH started showing up when I was about 15, which means I was gluten intolerant LONG before being diagnosed with celiac disease at age 31). I have also battled with depression on and off through out the years, especially after the birth of each of my kiddos. There are more medical oddities that I have been trying to better understand through the lens of GSE and I can personally see sooooo many connections.
Do you think Tom Sawyer flour would work for this? I have never been able to get my crumb topping to look anything like a gluten filled crumb topping. It melts.
Lisa,
Thanks for bringing that up, I just realized I forgot to mention that I only used 1 Tbs. of the Earth Balance (instead of the 2 Tbs. in the original recipe). I have often had a hard time getting a crumb topping too (melts) and had a much better result this time with half the butter. I did end up spritzing (with a mister) some oil on top at the very end though because some of the topping was still "loose," if that makes sense, then popped it back in the oven for a minute to firm up.
Make sure your butter or substitute is cold/firm and not room temperature when you add the topping, that does seem to help too.
As for Tom Sawyer flour, I am sure that would work fine too, but you might trying making a homemade Bisquick with the T.S. flour first. Before the Better Batter mix, I used to use this recipe (only subbing in GF All-Purpose Flour): http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Homemade-Bisquic…
There is also one on Celiac.com (I have never personally tried it though): http://www.celiac.com/articles/499/1/Buttermilk-B…
I hope that helps! 🙂
Heidi,
That recipe looks so good!! I love that you are sharing old Bisquick recipes.
I heard about this! I also heard that there will be a GF Hamburger Helper soon. I have mixed feelings about it – as even a GF version is by no means healthy – but I’m excited that the awareness is translating into more choices for us. Great coffee cake!
Yes, there will be Hamburger Helper too and Sandra from Gluten Free Optimist also reported that there will be Nature Valley Bars: http://glutenfreeoptimist.blogspot.com/2010/04/ne…
I have mixed feelings too. Figures that these would come out just as I have learned to eat healthier and homemade, LOL!
I will probably try them, just because… but I have no intention on ever going back to relying on processed foods, I love eating whole real food, but it was a journey to get here.
They will be a good mental boost though for those that are newly diagnosed and are missing those types of things. Hopefully though, they will only be an occasional resource for people on the journey to eating healthier and naturally gluten-free food! 😉
But seriously, with brownies like yours… who needs boxed processed food?? OMG! http://tastyeatsathome.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/g…
Gluten Free Bisquick?! I am pretty pumped about this.
I love that a big company like General Mills is releasing gluten free products because it makes it so much easier to get our hands on the products. Also a lot easier for family and friends trying to accomodate us that can go to one store and buy what they need. Also, this means likely paying less money for gluten free items.
I love better batter and will probably continue to use it – but I like that gluten free items are available to everyone!
Allie,
That is a really good point, maybe my mom will overcome her fear of cooking for me if she can buy GF Bisquick! I really hope that more product availability will drive some of the prices down, that would be such a blessing. Better Batter is not cheap but oh so good, just wish it was more affordable so other folks could enjoy it. 🙂
I have been commenting on their Living Gluten Freely website/FB page, and emailing them comments asking for a GF Bisquick for about a year now. My thought is that they will find something that tastes fairly good or they won't put the GM/ Betty Crocker name on it. Plus they ALWAYS have coupons!!!!! YEAH, I can barely wait to see when it hits the stores!!
To me, the great thing about these new GF products from General Mills is that I can now make long-time family classics, traditional favorites like your Mom's Struesel! Pineapple Upside-Down cake is the birthday tradition in my family, and my Grandma always used a box of yellow cake mix. Now I can do that too thanks to General Mills and Betty Crocker! I'm really excited about the Bisquick, too. Even though I know I can get similar results with other GF mixes, I always used Bisquick to make my Dad's recipe for Banana Bread while working on his fishing boat in Alaska as a teen!
I guess I am not as "over" my Food Nostalgia as you are! 😉
Todd,
As far as being "over" food nostalgia… I don't believe there can be such a thing. My problem was my "need" for it… to the point that I would cheat on the GF diet and harm myself for that "need."
Therapy was very good for me in helping to put that "need" in perspective… no food is worth our health and well-being, there is too much to live for, like great friends and family. What good is great food if you're sick or worse… psssttt? 😉
I want your Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe! It's one of my faves!!
((Hugs))
I, like many others here, am shocked and excited to hear that Bisquick is making a gluten-free mix. As many a good-Midwesterner will surely agree, Bisquick was a main staple in our diets growing up, for better or worse 🙂
I will keeping an eye out for this GF version for sure and passing it along to family and friends so they don't have to feel like they have to give up those treasured recipes and comfort foods they so loved as a child, and even now.
I also wanted to say many thanks for sharing the information about the Gluten-Free Challenge. I think it can be an incredibly profound experience for people to walk in someone else's shoes, even just for a day. This link will be going on my site. Thank yoU! And I appreciate your story about eating like your son's friend who has EE and your realizations throughout that experience. Very inspiring and humbling!
Thanks Marissa!
Walking in that child's shoes for just one weekend was such a profound experience for me, simply because it opened my eyes to what other people go through. It brought a level of compassion into my heart that I had never had prior and it also set me on the path of trying to do better, in everything I do. Doing better than I had before has also made me a much happier (and healthier!) person all around. 🙂
I'm just a GF baker and lurker :), but after reading about the nationwide excitement about the release of GF Bisquick and the Betty Crocker mixes, the only things that bothers me is that they are 1) non-organic and therefore 2) likely riddled with GMO ingredients.
Our government doesn't seem to think that GMO is a problem, but a number of European countries do. There is also supposed research out of Russia indicating that ingestion of GMO foods can lead to major health and fertility issues in succeeding generations (bad in the second, significantly worse in the third, etc.).
That freaks me out since we are gluten free specifically due to the needs of my pre-teen child…
Thank you for doing what you do and sharing everything you have learned. I recently started GFCF (still awaiting enterolab results) and your website has been a wonderful resource. I tried making this streusel cake over Christmas and it did not turn out well. I made it with GF Bisquick using the measurements in your recipe and the cake part was still completely dry. It did not even resemble any sort of batter. Then I checked Bisquick's website and they had the same recipe but used 3 eggs and more milk. Am I missing something on your recipe?