Common Questions, Part Two

This is part two in my three part series of common questions about gluten free and/or vegetarian diets. See the Part One post if you missed it. Part Two’s questions here all come from Yahoo! Answers.

What is the most delicious gluten-free dessert recipe?
That all depends on what you like! Personally, I’m a big fan of my chocolate drizzle cake and peanut brittle. Real Simple also has a list of their to 30 favorite gluten free desserts. There is definitely no shortage of great gluten free dessert recipes online!

What can you add to gluten free cakes to increase shelf life so they don’t turn dry the day after being baked?
First, make sure you are wrapping your cakes with plastic wrap or another airtight wrap to prevent them from drying out. Second, you can add more moisture to cakes by adding a bit (maybe 1/2 cup) of applesauce, sour cream, or plain yogurt to your cake batter. If neither of those work, just eat the cake faster or share it with others!

What is a good recipe for gluten free beer bread?
You can use any beer bread recipe you like. Just make sure to use a gluten free beer in addition to gluten free flour. I wrote in Common Questions, Part One about gluten free beer. Here’s a great recipe from Farm Girl Fare for an easy beer bread with cheddar cheese and dill.

What does a vegetarian eat on Thanksgiving?
Pretty much everything but turkey! Seriously. Depending on how the dishes are made, vegetarians can potentially eat nearly all common Thanksgiving foods. Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, a variety of salads, fruit, rolls, stuffing (as long as it’s made with vegetarian vegetable broth rather than turkey drippings and it’s not cooked inside the turkey), pies, cake… The list goes on. It’s easy to make vegetarian gravy if you want that. And if you’re really needing a meat alternative, try a vegetarian meatloaf or lentil loaf.

Do vegetarians eat fish? Do vegetarians eat crab, shrimp, or other seafood?
No! No! Vegetarians do not eat any animal meat products, including seafood and fish. If you avoid other animal meats but still eat fish and/or seafood, you are called a pescetarian.

How long can gluten free bread last in the freezer?
According to Rudi’s Gluten Free Bakery, their bread “can stay fresh in your freezer for up to six months”. Udi’s Gluten Free says their baked goods can be in the freezer for “up to 180 days”.

Is [this] gluten free? Is [this] vegetarian?
Good question. It depends on the ingredients! If you’re looking at a packaged item with multiple ingredients and you’re baffled, call the customer service number for the company the product is from. They should be able to tell you. Otherwise, Google is a great resource if you are unsure.

Can vegetarians eat eggs?
Sure! Vegetarians do not consume animal meat products, such as chicken or beef. Unfertilized eggs that you purchase at the grocery store are not an animal meat product. If you are an ovo-lacto vegetarian (as most vegetarians are), that means you do not eat animal meats, but you do eat eggs (ovo) and dairy (lacto) products.