10 Gluten-Free Snacks for New Year’s Eve

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In the last month or so, you’ve painstakingly prepared two delicious, gluten-free holiday meals for a family and friends. During the holiday season, sticking to a gluten-free diet is no easy feat! We’re impressed and think you deserve a break, which is why we’d like to suggest you whip up one of these simple gluten-free appetizers or drinks for your New Year’s Eve festivities.

  • Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts are all naturally gluten-free. However, some manufacturers cross-contaminate nuts during the packaging process, so look for gluten-free labels. All of Blue Diamond‘s products are gluten-free except for their Jordan Almonds and Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds.
  • Fresh fruit makes a sweet, healthy appetizer that will balance out all of the savory appetizers.
  • Vegetable trays also make great, healthy appetizers. Just make sure to pair them with a salad dressing that is certified gluten-free (Hidden Valley, Annie’s, and Organic Ville manufacturer gluten-free ranch dressings).
  • For a snack that takes seconds to throw together, cut gluten-free cheese into small slices, and place them on a platter with Glutino crackers.
  • Looking for a traditional, crowd-pleasing appetizer? Say no more: Gluten-free Chex Mix.
  • Pick a dip to pair with gluten-free chips: Guacamole, Hummus, or Spinach & Artichoke.
  • This Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Flatbread makes an irresistible, mouth-watering appetizer!
  • Make a big batch of these meatballs, stick some toothpicks in them, and you’re good to go.
  • Who doesn’t love beer? Pick up a few packs of New Planet Beer’s Blonde, Raspberry, or Pale Ale. You can also make some refreshing mixed drinks using New Plant Beer.
  • Make sure you have some Champagne to toast with at midnight!

From all of us here at New Planet Beer, happy New Year, and we’ll see you in 2013!

Gluten-free holiday gift guide

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Gluten-free holiday giftNow that Thanksgiving has come and gone, ’tis the season…to start your holiday shopping. Coming up with great gift ideas for everyone on your holiday shopping list is no easy task, which is why we’ve brainstormed eight gifts for your gluten-free loved ones.

  1. Gluten-free alcohol + food: For gift that is as thoughtful as it is tasty, give the chef in your life a pack of Tread Lightly Pale Ale, 3R Raspberry Ale, or Off-Grid Pale Ale with a special home-cooked snack or meal. They’ll love relaxing and sipping on a frosty bottle of beer while you do all of the cooking. (Tip: Print out a gluten-free recipe and go grocery shopping for gluten-free ingredients well in advance of the day you plan to make the meal).
  2. Gluten-free magazine subscription: Delight Gluten-Free Magazine, Easy Eats, Gluten-Free Living, Living Without, and other gluten-free magazines are packed with information on gluten-free cooking, labeling, recipes, restaurants, and other issues. This gift will help your gluten-free friend remain in-the-know about advances in the gluten-free world.
  3. Gluten-free gift basket: Amazon, Cookies From Home, I Can Have That!, It’s Only Natural Gifts, and many other online vendors offer delectable, gluten-free gift baskets containing sweet and savory treats.
  4. New cooking utensils: Are you living with someone who is gluten-intolerant? Do they use their own cooking utensils while they’re preparing a gluten-free meal? Wooden utensils are porous, so even if you accidentally cut your sandwich on your roommate’s wooden cutting board and washed it, traces of gluten could still be left behind. For a more practical gift, replace your roommate’s wooden spoons, cutting boards, measuring cups, spatulas, or rolling pin.
  5. Gift certificate to a Restaurant with a Gluten-free Menu/Options: Outback Steakhouse and P.F. Chang’s both offer gluten-free menus,  Maggiano’s Little Italy chefs will, if asked, modify meals so that they’re gluten-free, and that new local restaurant that just opened downtown just might have a yummy gluten-free menu. Give your friend or loved one the gift of an effortless, gluten-free meal with a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.
  6. Gluten-free book: Do you know someone who just started eating gluten-free food? Give them gluten-free meal ideas with a new gluten-free cookbook, or help them on their new quest with a guide to living gluten-free.
  7. A tax-deductible donation in your loved one’s name to an organization that conducts research, educates, and provides support for individuals living with celiac disease such as the Celiac Disease Foundation or The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.
  8. Kitchen appliance: Looking to splurge on a holiday gift for someone you love? Prevent cross-contamination and help them save time in the kitchen preparing gluten-free meals by buying them their own toaster, breadmaker, rice cooker, mixer, slow cooker, or waffle iron.

Enjoy your gluten-free gift shopping, and from all of us at New Planet Beer, happy holidays!

Gluten-free Stuffing

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What would Thanksgiving dinner be without stuffing? No one should EVER have to answer that question. We found a recipe for a killer stuffing, and amazingly enough, it’s gluten-free! Pair it with a juicy slice of gluten-free turkey, a bottle of New Planet Beer’s 3R Raspbeery Ale, and a table of family and friends for a Thanksgiving you’ll always remember.

Gluten Free Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups gluten-free bread cubes (buy it already made or make it using Jules Gluten Free™ Bread Mix)
  • 2 cups apples, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
  • 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup ± gluten-free vegetable broth (Swanson® Canned Vegetable Broth and Imagine Foods® Organic Vegetable Broth are currently gluten-free)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300º F. Cube bread slices, then spread in a single layer onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cubes are dry.

In a large skillet, melt butter, then add carrots, celery and onion until tender. Add salt, pepper, and spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix dried bread cubes, apple, nuts, dried cranberries and flaxseed. Add carrot-onion mixture to the large bowl and stir well. Pour entire contents into a large baking dish with a lid. Pour vegetable broth over mixture and stir, adding more broth as necessary to make the stuffing moist. Cover and bake at 375º F for approximately 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Jules Gluten Free™.

 

Gluten-Free Football Snacks

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It’s official: The New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys game marked the beginning of the 2012 NFL season. And nothing goes better with Sunday football than an ice cold New Planet Beer and some yummy gluten-free snacks! Put an easy gluten-free spin on classic game day snacks by following the recipes below.

Gluten-Free Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

  • 5 oz frozen spinach, thawed, drained & chopped
  • One 14-oz can gluten-free artichoke hearts (in water), drained & chopped
  • 2 cups shredded gluten-free mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 3 roasted garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free sour cream
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated & divided
  • 16 ounces gluten-free cream cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Gluten-free tortilla chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine artichoke hearts, spinach, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic and pepper. Stir until thoroughly blended, then spoon mixture into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top.

Gluten-Free Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. chicken wings, cut at the joint, tips discarded
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • 1½ tablespoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅔ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash wing pieces, pat dry, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheet.

Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Remove ½ cup sauce and refrigerate to serve with wings. Brush wing pieces with some of remaining sauce before putting them in the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Baste them several times with remaining sauce.

Set wings under broiler for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp and brown. Serve warm with reserved sauce.

Recipes adapted from Glutenfreeda and Living Without.

New Gluten Free Beer Labeling Guidelines

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For those who enjoy gluten-free beer but worry whether they can trust the labeling, good news from the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).

On May 24, the TTB announced that beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages made from ingredients that contain gluten, such as wheat, rye or barley, cannot be labeled as “gluten-free.” Before this ruling, beers that were labeled as gluten-free could still contain small traces of gluten; some brewers use glutenous ingredients to make their beer, then process it later to remove most of the gluten. Since the FDA and TTB haven’t found a test that accurately determines the gluten content of fermented beverages, beers that are made with ingredients that contain gluten must be labeled with either one of the following statements:

  • “Product fermented from grains containing gluten and [processed or treated or crafted] to remove gluten. The gluten content of this product cannot be verified, and this product may contain gluten.”
  • “This product was distilled from grains containing gluten, which removed some or all of the gluten. The gluten content of this product cannot be verified, and this product may contain gluten.”

Here’s some even more good news: According to the TTB’s new ruling, New Planet Beer remains gluten-free. Our beer is brewed from 100 percent gluten free ingredients such as sorghum, corn extract, brown rice extract, and gluten-free yeast. Each batch of New Planet Beer is carefully processed to avoid cross-contamination, and then regularly tested to make sure it’s in compliance.

So all you fans of gluten-free, rest assured that New Planet Beer had already set the gluten-free standard before the government action. From the time it’s processed to when it reaches your lips, New Planet Beer has always been guaranteed gluten-free.

Throw a Gluten-Free BBQ

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Fire up the barbecue and break out some ice cold beers, because the Fourth of July is right around the corner! Invite over some family and friends then follow the tips below for a stress-free, gluten-free barbecue.

  1. Purchase gluten-free hot dog or hamburger buns. Some popular options include Rudi’s Multigrain Hot Dog Rolls and Hamburger Buns, Udi’s Classic Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns, Whole Foods Bakehouse Hamburger Buns, and Ener-G Tapioca Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns.
  2. Clean the grill. Gluten-free products shouldn’t be cooked on surfaces that have been contaminated by marinades or sauces that contain gluten, so be sure to clean off your grill before you start cooking.
  3. Grill gluten-free products separately. To avoid cross-contamination, cook gluten-free products first, keep them on one side of the grill, or grill them on aluminum foil.
  4. Top it off with gluten-free barbecue sauce. Make sure that all of the condiments and sauces you use to cook are gluten-free. When you’re shopping for gluten-free products, it’s important to check labels because ingredients are always changing. Some barbecue sauces that are gluten-free as of June 2012 include Randy Jones Gluten-Free BBQ Sauce, Organic Annie’s Original BBQ Sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, Bone Suckin’ Sauce, Heinz Original BBQ Sauce, and Organicville’s Original BBQ Sauce.
  5. Chill out with an ice-cold New Planet Beer. Pick up a few packs of Tread Lightly Ale, 3R Raspberry Ale, or Off Grid Pale Ale, and throw them in a cooler filled with ice.

Happy Independence Day!

Kick the Gluten-Free Stereotypes

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No gluten doesn’t mean bad tasting beer.

Recently, gluten free blogger, Pete Bronski of No Gluten No Problem did a blind taste testing of New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale against barley-based strongly hopped beers. The results revelved that the ‘taste testers’, regardless of their gluten intolerance, picked Off Grid Ale over more traditional beers.  – http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/2012/05/pale-ale-perspective.html.

Additionally, in April Bronski held a similar blind beer tasting pitting Bard’s Gluten-Free Lager against other barley-based lagers – http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/2012/04/lager-lowdown.html. The summary of both taste tests is that on the matter of taste, the gluten free beers held their own and were even ranked higher than barely-based beers. As Pete says, perhaps we can finally put the stereotypes that a barley-based beer is “superior” to a gluten free beer aside once and for all.

Cheers to gluten-free beer!

33 States and 4300 accounts Nationwide

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New Planet now in 33 States and 4300 accounts nationwide.

New Planet Beer is excited to announce that you can enjoy great tasting gluten-free beer in more states. We’ve been busy adding locations into our beer locator, see if your state is on the list and check out what store or restaurant nearest you offers New Planet Beer.  If your state isn’t listed, please know we are working hard to expand into your state. Cheers to gluten-free beer!

New Planet Beer State Locations:

  • Alabama 
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois (Chicago area)
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Montana (Northwestern)
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada (Northern)
  • New Jersey 
  • New Mexico
  • New York 
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota 
  • Utah (limited locations)
  • Virginia
  • Vermont
  • Washington
  • Washington D.C.
  • Wyoming
Tell us how you are celebrating with New Planet Beer by commenting below for a chance to win New Planet swag! All comments must be received by June 30th and the winner will be notified by email. Please use an email address that you check regularly. Cheers to New Planet Beer! 

Gluten-Free New Planet Beer-Battered Fish Recipe

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St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. Have you figured out what you’ll be serving for dinner alongside your favorite flavor of New Planet Beer? Check out this delicious, quick and easy recipe for gluten-free beer-battered fish.

Gluten-Free New Planet Beer-Battered Fish

Ingredients:

  • Peanut oil, coconut oil , or any oil designed for high heat frying
  • 2 lbs fresh fish fillets
  • 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour mix
  • 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1 tsp gluten-free garlic powder
  • 1 tsp gluten-free onion powder
  • 1 12-oz bottle New Planet Beer or 12 oz club soda

Directions:

Combine gluten-free all-purpose flour, gluten-free baking powder, sugar, salt, cornstarch, cayenne pepper, sugar, gluten-free garlic powder, and gluten-free onion powder in a large, plastic zip lock bag. Shake bag in order to throughly mix all dry ingredients. Pour mixture into a medium-sized bowl. Add New Planet Beer or club soda, then mix until batter is smooth and not too thick or too thin. If batter is too thick, add more liquid. Next, dip fish fillets in batter so that both sides are coated, then hold above bowl in order to let excess batter drip off. Fry fish fillets in hot oil until golden brown. Add your favorite vegetables as a side dish.

Adapted from About.com Gluten-Free Cooking.

Warm up with New Planet Beer

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When it snows, warm up with New Planet Beer. Here’s a fun drink otherwise known as Real Pirates Grog that will thaw out your insides. Arrrrrrr!!

Drink Type: Hot Drink

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup(s) Spiced Rum
  • 2 can(s) New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale
  • 1 package(s) Oatmeal (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Rolled Cooking Oats)
  • dash(es) Paprika (To taste)

Instructions

  • Cook the oatmeal using beer instead of boiling water and stir in other ingredients.

Learn how to make more fun beer drinks at barnonedrinks.com.