Taste Tests and Events
'Better Being' Cookbook author, Ann Barnes, met with Trina to talk about wheat free, gluten free, dairy free and nut free cooking and baking.
Ann says, “People are so busy these days, and with my new cookbook, Better Being, I hope to help give people quick and easy ideas for preparing more nutritious meals and snacks.”
I was really happy when Ann Barnes invited me to tape some video segments with her for the Better Being Blog. Have a look for Ann’s Better Being cookbook at your local health food store. Ann promotes a sort of ‘health through stealth’, as any mother knows this is something you have to do to add nutrition to the diets of some of our pickiest eaters.
Ann also promotes Salba as one of nature’s more perfect foods. Salba a strain of salvia hispanica which has been found to be nutritionally superior to other strains is now an ingredient in Astoria Mills Light Brown Bread Mix #6. I am happy Ann asked me to share some of my recipe creations using Astoria Mills wheat, dairy, gluten, soy and nut free mixes.
One of the segments we did focused on how easy it is to make Astoria Mills Light Brown Bread Mix #6. In the taste test segment Ann was amazed at how light, squishy and just plain delicious this gluten free bread is, without toasting. The best part is that the nutritional elements included in breads, buns or donuts made with Astoria Mills Mix #6 contain better nutrition through three key elements; an enrichment formula, two kinds of pre-biotic dietary fiber and Salba!
Of course we all want to have a cake that we can enjoy at special occasions too. Or just a fancy dessert that is safe so we won’t be the least bit tempted to indulge in something that will make those of us who are gluten and dairy intolerant have those unmentionable reactions when we are accidentally exposed.
Because one of my aims is to create foods that contain more nutrition and at the same time satisfy our cravings for real foods and because I really love Salba and the amazing nutritious properties it has I decided to create an ‘Orange Chocolate Torte’ for the occasion.
‘Orange Chocolate Torte’ is dairy, wheat, nut and gluten free. It was made using the Torte recipe on the label of Enriched Astoria Mills Fine Flour Mix #3 as a base. This recipe is so easy to make, you don’t even have to separate the eggs and the results are a fluffy, light as air sponge torte. For an extra level of nutrition I added Salba to the orange and apricot fruit filling giving it a slight fig-like crunch and topped the torte with a pure dark chocolate glaze decorated with Royal Icing.
"Good Cake!" ...Ann and I had a great time doing the filming and tasting. The camera crew got in on the tasting afterwards and the ‘Orange Chocolate Torte’ disappeared before my eyes. I loved it, makes my heart feel good to feed people good food!
Ann Barnes
LLB, Author of “Better Being”, Co-Founder of Source Salba Inc.,
Co-Owner of Stealth Health Foods Inc, “Mother of Two,
Keeper of Chaos and Multi-Tasker Extraordinaire”
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A few impromtu taste tests by Garth Riley of Garth Riley TV
Garth Riley likes Astoria Mills light brown bread mix #6 so well he took it on a taste test for his new GarthRileyTV.com show last week. Below are a few clips from Garth's Social Media Live internet TV website.
Gluten Free Taste Test... Astoria Mills vs the sceptic... Astoria WINS.. Marcus Schwarz and www.naturalhealthcare.ca owner and publisher Gisela LOVES it! (Light Brown Bread Mix #6)
Taste of Life, Organic Jamacian Patties Owner OMAR.. Tastes Astoria Mills Light Brown Bread Mix #6
Nutritionist, Jennifer Papaconstantinou and Briana Southward author of The Naked Label, and a Lifestyle Nutritional coach, taste some of Astoria Mills Light Brown Bread Mix #6 at a recent food show.
A Food Critic for www.naturalhealthcare.ca tastes Astoria Mills Gluten Free, Light Brown Bread Mix #6 at a recent taste test by Garth Riley TV ...social media live. All Astoria Mills Mixes are enriched with vitamins and minerals, made in a dedicated gluten free facility and, in answer to the question, yes, they are all soy free.
The mix used in the above taste test is part of a Gluten Free Baking System Mix #6 was tasted in this video clip ...Mix #5 is actually the Italian Breads & Pizza mix, Astoria Mills Pizza is awesome too!
Thank you so much Garth for doing this, I know you have been amazed at our mixes since first tasting my bread and lemon meringue pie on your TV show
First Take Live, at CHEX. Garth is one of those people that have prodded us continually to, "Get those mixes done so we can eat!"
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April 2010
"Hi Trina,
I've been meaning to let you know what I thought of your "Health & Nutrition" book.
I have read it through a couple of times now along with my celiac friend and I must say it is a wonderful reference material. I have written in it, made notes and checked off all the recipes I want to try. It is one of the best purchases I've made yet and so informative for the everyday person. Exactly what I've been looking for.
It was also extremely encouraging to see how you and your family made it through the tough times and that it's is all part of the process, which can seem so long.
Thank you so much for all your help. I will be ordering my first batch of flour next month and am looking forward to baking again. If it is as good as I believe it wil be, I'm going to approach my health food store to carry it.
Thanks again, and keep up the good work
Chonya"
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Jan. 2010
Good morning Trina,
Sorry for the delay in getting this to you but I just had to write and give you a huge thumbs-up for your gluten-free lemon pie recipe. Deb made one for Christmas that was promptly devoured and made another a couple weeks later that disappeared just as fast. Your gf flour mix makes a fabulous pie crust, it wasn’t grainy nor did it become soggy like many pie crusts do. I absolutely loved it…you have a winner. Lemon pie is my absolute favorite desert and I can honestly say there was no way anyone tasting it would have known this was anything other than a traditionally baked lemon pie. Your mixes are great! We’re loving them.
Thanks much,
Wayne…husband of Deb in Michigan
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Trina gives taste test at Celiac Support Group meeting in Oshawa, Ontario
Trina attended a Celiac Support Group meeting at Loblaws in Oshawa, Ontario on November 9th and brought a GFCF Asparagus & Basil pizza made using the new, Astoria Mills Italian Breads & Pizza Mix #5 as well as some miniature broccoli and cream cheese sandwiches on one of Trina's bread recipes in her latest e-book called Victorian Tea Bread.
Everyone loved the pizza and the sandwiches. Catherine of Frugal Freebies and Born to Love was there and has written an article about the evening in her blog. She tells about the event so well, go have a look at Catherine's Frugal Freebies Blog and read what she says.
Thank you Catherine!
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'Gluten Free Trina' receives raves in pre-launch taste tests!
Garth Riley, Host of, 'First Take Live' Channel 12 -A Dan Carter Production, interviewed Trina on May 19th 2009 on his live television program. Trina brought one of her gluten free breads to try and a lemon merinque pie. The program was about 40 minutes long and they discussed the gluten free diet. Garth, known for 'saying it like it is' was not sure if he would find the gluten free bread any different from others he has tried since recently finding out he has a gluten intolerance. Garth was pleasantly surprised and loved the lemon meringue pie as well. Garth and Trina posed for a photograph above, after the show, 'it is so good we don't want to waste a bit!
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Comments from others -most from my cookbooks and the gluten free Trina website previous to this one, or letters.
I found this incredible gluten free fish and chips recipe from the website of a very talented Canadian gluten free chef named Trina Astor-Stewart and it knocked our socks off! What a joy to be able to enjoy fried breaded fish and beer, for the first time in eight months!
Striving Chef - Tasty ... and Gluten Free!
"Hi Trina,
Love your book! I made our favorite "Bubble Loaf" using the dough from your Italian Yeast Bread Mix. Thought I'd tell you about it. Made your bread dough as normal (half a batch). Made golf ball size balls and rolled them in non-instant butterscotch pudding. Put in greased bundt pan layering with chopped pecans. Put the rest of the dry pudding over it. Melted 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar and poured over dough balls. Let rest for 30 minutes and baked for 35 minutes at 350. Covered with foil last 15 minutes. IT TURNED OUT GREAT! My daughter is coming out tonight to try some.
Dawn"
Loved your Gluten Free Trina website.
Samantha Higham Gluten Free Life - UK
I am teary eyed as I write this email because you have no idea how grateful I am to you! I've tried and failed hundreds of recipes that are gf and have given up and just bought the nasty gf mixes. Some of those mixes truly taste like dirt.
I told my hubby (who is deployed in Iraq) that I was miserable on our diet ... that I didn't feel creative anymore in the kitchen and that makes me miserable. Food is such an important part of our lives and has always brought out my creative side. In a desperate search I found your site. I have now made the WONDERFUL biscuits. I had made a horrible batch the day before I got your ebook and then yesterday we had truly delicious homemade gluten free biscuits thanks to you! We had a party and served homemade pizza! It was WONDERFUL!!!! Thank you a THOUSAND times! Shiloah - Homemaking Cottage
We had a blast the other day making heart-shaped sugar cookies with your recipe. Can't believe how well they turned out. Wish I'd taken more pictures - we just ate them all too fast. Thanks again for the recipes.
Joann
