Gluten-free Quick & Easy Recipes

What's for dinner? Though asked on a daily basis, this age-old question is often difficult to answer. It is especially challenging for the estimated 3 million Americans living with a form of gluten intolerance called celiac disease who, at the end of a long day, must quickly, yet safely prepare a meal without gluten, a protein found in wheat.

Thankfully, Carol Fenster - one of the world's most respected authorities on gluten-free cooking - is at it again with her latest cookbook, GLUTEN-FREE Quick & Easy: From Prep to Plate Without the Fuss - 200+ Recipes for People with Food Sensitivities (Avery Penguin Group; August 2007; soft cover; $18.95; ISBN: 978-1-58333-278-8). Gluten-intolerant for nearly 20 years, Carol offers hundreds of easy-to-prepare recipes and a collection of handy shortcuts, tips, and techniques for gluten-free cooking "the quick and easy way."

"When I discovered my sensitivity to wheat in 1988, I didn't know anyone who avoided wheat, a seemingly healthy grain," says Carol. "Back then there was not much information on the topic, and I had very few options. As someone who lived to eat, I wanted everyone to enjoy food as much as I do - even if they're gluten-free. So, I began writing cookbooks with a single mission in mind: I help people eat."

Carol's sixth book related to food sensitivities, GLUTEN-FREE Quick & Easy is divided into three parts: Living Gluten-Free, Recipes for Everyday, and Resources. Busy cooks will appreciate the wide variety of delicious, time-saving recipes for main dishes:

- Stuffed Pork Chops
- Seafood Lasagna
- Meat Loaf
- Chicken Potpie
- Reuben Sandwiches
- Pizza

To make it even easier, Carol provides eight weeks of menu plans showing how last night's main dish becomes tomorrow's lunch or dinner in a new, creative way. Carol also offers recipes for time-saving bread, dessert, and breakfast mixes so busy cooks can quickly whip up what they crave -- their favorite baked goods.

The recipes feature flavor-intensive, ready-made ingredients that reduce prep time and common ingredients normally found in grocery stores and health food stores, making them perfect for people with and without food allergies and sensitivities. "In many ways, GLUTEN-FREE Quick & Easy is an ordinary cookbook for busy people, full of tasty, mouthwatering recipes for any meal," says Carol. "The only difference is that all the recipes are gluten-free, making them safe for you, your family, and your guests."

Year ago, food manufacturers and restaurants barely acknowledged the gluten-free diet.
Thanks to the work of experts like Carol - who started filling the void with cookbooks, mixes, and a variety of ready-made foods - that is no longer the case. Today, the gluten-free diet is recognized by the medical community and the general public as a legitimate, healthy, and last but not least, delicious lifestyle.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carol Fenster, Ph.D., is the founder of Savory Palate, Inc., a resource for people with food allergies, celiac disease, autism and other medical conditions that require a particular diet. She has written five special-diet cookbooks and is widely considered to be one of the top wheat-free and gluten-free experts in the country. She serves as consultant to health professionals, manufacturers of best-selling alternative flour products, natural-food stores, and associations that serve those with special diets. Carol has been featured in Reader's Digest, Woman's World, Taste for Life, Natural Health, and Vegetarian Times, as well as gluten-free newsletters, magazines, and websites. A resident of Colorado, she is a frequent speaker at global conferences and events around food sensitivities. She holds a doctorate in Organizational Sociology. To learn more about Carol Fenster, wheat and gluten sensitivities, and celiac disease,