If you are not already familiar with “going gluten free”, the thought of re-inventing yourself as a gluten-free cook (or as a cook at all!) can be intimidating. Don’t worry. Making dinner with whole or minimally processed ingredients can be really simple. As for your daily bread, baking your own healthful loaves is really rewarding, and is making a comeback with thinking cooks from coast to coast whether gluten intolerant or not. To get you started, try the quickly-made gluten-free flaxmeal focaccia recipe that follows.

As for eating out, gluten-free choices are starred on many restaurant menus across America, and gluten-free bakeries are popping up like mushrooms. And should you need an excuse to visit France,  a sleek (and popular!) restaurant  has recently opened in Paris called Noglu, at 16, passage des Panoramas in the 2nd arrondissement. They serves only gluten-free food, made with stunning professional expertise in a totally wheat, barley and rye-free kitchen.  Now that’s a new restaurant trend I can get behind.

FLAX & PEANUT FOCACCIA

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease the sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with butter or gf non-stick cooking spray, and line the base with parchment paper. Mix together  3/4 cup flaxseed meal (preferably golden), 1/2 cup almond meal, 2 tablespoons brown rice flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt in a large bowl.  In a food processor,  blend 6 tablespoons peanut butter and  2 large eggs until creamy. Add 3/4 cup water and process to mix. Pour over the flour mix and stir until smooth. The batter will be very moist. Pour into the pan, spread out evenly, and smooth the surface. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until risen and springy to a light touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 imnutes, loosen the sides with a knife, and turn out onto a rack. Peel off the paper and let cool right side up before slicing into 9 portions. (Refrigerate or freeze any extras.)

Tip:   To make 3/4 cup golden flaxmeal, which is more difficult to find than the regular tan variety, grind 1/2 cup golden flax seeds in a clean electric coffee mill. (A food processor won’t work; it just whirls them about.)

Don’t miss the April 2013 issue of GLUTEN-FREE LIVING, which has a new look, better-than-ever content, and is now publishing six thought-provoking,  relevant issues per year instead of four. In this issue I present a fresh look at the excellent but often overlooked egg, with recipes for artichoke frittata, not-quite Syrian egg patties with parsley and mint, and a fabulous French version of cheesecake.  For more information about the magazine, click www.glutenfreeliving.com

These soft, spiced cookies contain a secret ingredient: ground Medjool dates. Although no-one will guess the source, their dense texture and natural sweetness makes all the difference.

GLUTEN-FREE SNICKENDOODLES (Makes about 30)

5 or 6 soft Medjool dates (3 ounces), halved and pitted, 1 tablespoon molasses, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened, 1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) sugar, 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sorghum or brown rice flour, 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) tapioca starch, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Coating: 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Grind the dates in a food processor to a paste. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla, and process until smooth. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Beat in the date mixture.

Combine the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum, and blend with a whisk to mix evenly. Stir into the batter to make a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom on a plate. Using a 1-inch spring-release ice cream scoop, form the dough into 1-inch balls, rounding the tops (add a little more dough if needed) before you release them onto the spiced sugar mixture. It’s easiest to work with about six at a time. Roll to coat, and transfer to the baking sheet, arranging them about 1 1/2 inches apart as the cookies will rise and spread. Repeat with the remaining dough. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 400°F. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, until risen and golden. Let rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to firm up and cool completely.

GLUTEN FREE KITCHEN TIPS

• Use glass jars (recycled, mason, whatever) for storing gluten-free flours, grains, xanthan gum, baking soda, and whatnot. Snip the label off the package and put it face down in the bottom of the jar before adding the contents, so you can identify the stuff later. Adding the date doesn’t hurt, either.
• For something sweet after dinner, spread a few pecan halves, golden raisins and dark chocolate chips on a small plate and enjoy s-l-o-w-l-y. Much better for you than ice cream.
• For instant fresh flavor to whatever you’re cooking, wash, dry and chop a whole bunch of parsley or green onions and freeze in a screw top glass jar. They don’t freeze solid, and are ready to use.
• Keep a “dedicated” electric coffee mill for milling items other than coffee into flour, such as flax seeds (these simply whirl about in a food processor), sunflower seeds, or simply making rice flour or cornmeal finer.
• Just a little bacon can perk up stir-fried veggies, scrambled eggs, or braised chicken without packing on the pounds. Keep the package in the freezer (it won’t become too hard to cut) and slice across the whole package to make little strips, aka lardons.
• Cooked veggies are the new finger food. Putting out a platterful on the kitchen counter while prepping dinner keeps jaws busy and increases antioxidant intake.
• Nip the tops off green beans (the tails are tender, leave them be), boil for 5 minutes until just tender-crisp, toss with a little olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Good warm or cold.
• Dust “coins” of zucchini with white rice flour and brown in a little olive oil, 2 minutes per side. Season with coarse salt and black pepper; serve warm.
• Cut small Brussels sprouts in half and toss with a little olive oil. Roast in a single layer at 400°F. for 10 minutes, turn, and roast for another 6 minutes, until lightly browned and caramelized. Sprinkle with chopped salted peanuts. Serve warm.

If you hanker after delicious Asian food but worry about ingredients such as soy sauce, oyster sauce and/or noodles that contain gluten, rejoice. In The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen, Laura Russell has done a fantastic, professional job of making Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese food accessible and inviting. Along with sharing approachable and delicious recipes, she demystifies Asian ingredients and provides a long list — from bean sauce to wasabi — that details their gluten status, a safe alternative, and brands to look for. Great photos, too. You can visit her website at www.theglutenfreeasiankitchen.com.