HUGE Announcement

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!

It is OFFICIAL!

Chef Vedam is now “Chef Vedam: Gluten Free Certified Personal Chef!”

Also, Chef Vedam is now “Chef Vedam LLC.”

 

“Back in 2013, I was diagnosed with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. To make a long story short, I began to share the recipes I was creating on this new gluten free diet, and from there, I self published a gluten free cookbook based upon my favorite Southern recipes that I had grown up on, and a few other recipes that were my husband’s and my favorites. Soon, I began to teach gluten free cooking classes, but I was not completely satisfied; I wanted to be able to reach more people and share that they could have delicious gluten free foods! I began to search for ways in which I could share more. Going to culinary school was not in the cards, simply because my diagnosis; however, I found the USPCA (United States Personal Chef Association) and they were able to make my dream come true. I am now able to serve a larger community with amazing gluten free food, cooked for you in your own home!”

ChefVedam.com has a new logo, new look, and new information that explains exactly what a personal chef can do for you. You can find more about Chef Vedam’s personal chef business here. More information about having a personal chef will be posted here over the next week.

About the contests:

Enter For A Chance To Win…

I am going to ask you to share the news that I’ve shared with you! Share this news via your social media, and depending on where you live, you will automatically be entered in one of my contests!

For those that live in and around Atlanta, GA. and/or Asheville, NC: Share my news and updates, and tag me as you share (this will be the only way I can track it). Every time you share (and tag me), your name will go into a drawing. There will be two (2) lucky winners (one in each geographical area) that will receive an intimate four course dinner for two, including appetizer, salad, entree with two sides, a bottle of wine and dessert. This will be cooked, served in your own home, and includes clean up afterwards.

And for those friends and followers that are not in either of these areas - share my news and updates, and tag me as you share (this will be the only way I can track it). Every time you share (and tag me), your name will go into a drawing. With every 50 shares, I will draw one (1) name, and that person will receive a free copy of Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes from A Southern Gay Househusband.

So, for now, thank you for supporting me and these endeavors, and I hope that you continue to have, and create a great gluten free and fabulous day!

Have you ordered your copy of: “Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband”

Order Today 

Gluten Free Upside Down Pineapple Pumpkin Pecan Coconut Swirl Cake

Recently I had a Chef’s Demo at Williams-Sonoma, Biltmore Village, Asheville, NC, and stayed with some dear, dear friends who live close by. As I was at their home, I was also honored to be able to celebrate a birthday with them. That being said, I wanted to make Malika a birthday cake, and I got the idea to take some of all of her favorite cakes and blend them together to be one incredible cake, and this is what I came up with. This cake is simply amazing, and Malika enjoyed it on her birthday, and I do believe it will also become a new Holiday tradition. Try it for yourself, and let me know what you think!
Find the complete recipe here. 

Holiday Sale!

Vedam's Gluten Free & Fabulous!

Recipes from a Southern Gay Househusband

Order before Christmas and receive a 30% discount when you use coupon code gfxmas!

Order here

Happy Gluten Free Holidays To You!

The holidays are quickly approaching. Many of us will soon gather around the table with family and friends, sharing traditional dishes that have become a staple of these holiday meals. I’m talking of course about turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, all kinds of casseroles, and of course many kinds of breads, pies, cakes and pastries. For many, these upcoming holidays are looked forward to with great anticipation; we look forward to the smells that waft thru the house, the taste of those traditional dishes, and the joy of being with family and friends. However, for many like myself, those traditional holiday dishes are like walking through a minefield of explosives, and one wrong move (or one wrong spoonful) could send us to spend the day in the emergency room or the bathroom. We become excessively bloated and not from just being full, our bowels begin to cramp for days of diarrhea, or constipation, our joints hurt to the point that they don’t even feel like our own, and we can’t forget about the brain fog and/or the migraine headache that could last for days on end!

When I was first diagnosed, I thought that I would never again enjoy those traditional dishes that I had grown up loving, but then something kicked in: determination! Determination not to miss out. I can honestly say, I have not found a dish that I have not been able to recreate as a gluten free version. Yes, you too can have rolls, the dressing, the gravy, the mac & cheese, the many casseroles and the pies and cakes. Over the next few days, and to help you with your holiday meals, I am going to share with you some of my favorite gluten free versions of my favorite traditional holiday dishes. Today, I am going to share two with you - Gluten Free White Bread and Gluten Free Cornbread. I am beginning with these two recipes because they are great by themselves, and they are also the foundation of another favorite, Gluten Free Sausage Cornbread Dressing (which will be coming in the next few days.)

These recipes and many more are all part of my gluten free cookbook, “Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband.” Have you considered getting your own copy, or giving this as a holiday gift? This is a gift that will keep on giving. You can order a copy here for yourself or a friend. I will be happy to ship it to you, or I can send it directly to the recipient, with a note directly from you. As you order, you will see a place to write your own message that I will include with the cookbook.

I hope you enjoy these two recipes and the recipes to come. As you prepare these recipes for your holiday meals, I would love for you to take some pictures and share them with me and others on your social media sites (and don’t forget to tag me on them), and  HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!

 The recipe for Chef Vedam’s Gluten Free White Bread can be found here.

 The recipe for Chef Vedam’s Gluten Free Cornbread can be found here.

Holiday Sale! 

Vedam's Gluten Free & Fabulous!

Gluten Free Cookbook 

 

 Use coupon code gfxmas for a 30% discount!

Order Here! 

Gluten Free Low Carb Eggplant Parmigiana

So my next gluten free low carb recipe is Eggplant Parmigiana. This recipe satisfies many desires: it is gluten free, vegetarian and low carb. Yes, I could have made this same recipe more traditional and kept it gluten free by using an egg and my gluten free homemade bread crumbs to batter the eggplant; however, since my focus recently has been low carb, I switched up the cooking method and a few main ingredients. 

Eggplant, while it is cooking, can create a tremendous amount of water, and I would imagine that is why traditional recipes call for dipping the eggplant in spiced egg and breadcrumbs, and either baking or frying it to get a crispy slice of eggplant. So to address that issue, I decided to bake the unbreaded eggplant, then top with cheese and continue to bake it. No breading on the eggplant is the main reason why this is considered to be low carb, but I also used green onions in the sauce instead of regular onions to keep the carb count low. 

Yes, this recipe calls for more spices for the eggplant and the sauce than a traditional version; however, I would recommend trying this version because the extra ingredients really make this dish extra special and delicious! 

Ingredients:

12 - 15 Vine Ripe Tomatoes (depending on size)

5 - 7 Green Onions

4 - 6 Garlic cloves (minced)

1 tsp Salt (more for spicing eggplant)

1 tsp Pepper (more for spicing eggplant)

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Vedam’s Seasoning Blend (more for spicing eggplant)

1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp Parsley Flakes

1 tsp Dried Basil

1 tsp Oregano

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Nutmeg

2 six oz. cans of Tomato Paste

1 Parmesan rind

2 small - medium Eggplants

Olive Oil

10 oz. fresh grated Parmesan (5 oz. used for topping eggplant while baking, and 5 oz. used in dish and topping.)

2 cups fresh grated Mozzarella Cheese

Find the complete cooking directions here.

 

Tomato sauce is ready!

 

Spiced eggplant

 

Adding parmesan cheese after roasting has begun

 

Roasted eggplant with parmesan

 

Roasted eggplant begins the layering

 

Continue layering

 

Ready for the oven

 

Fresh out of the oven!

 Best Self Atlanta

I have been nominated for “Atlanta’s Best Healthy Chef!” Please click here, scroll down to see my nomination, vote for me, scroll down to the bottom, and click the “VOTE” button. You can also do this every day until September 30th.

Have you ordered your copy of: “Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! 

Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband”

Order Today

 

Gluten Free Low Carb Creamed Kale

As you may have noticed, I have been working on adding more health conscious dishes to my already large and growing number of Gluten Free Recipes. I have recently been focusing on Gluten Free, Low Carb Recipes. I love creamed spinach, and I also love kale, so I thought, why not make creamed kale! This side dish is amazing! Since I thought about this creation, I have made it 4 or 5 times.

This morning, I even used it as a base for an incredible omelette. So try it for yourself, and I am sure that you will love it also. Let your imagination go, and write me and tell me how you have used this recipe for your own family!

 You can find the complete recipe on my website: www.chefvedam.com.

Bacon cooling and ready to be chopped

 

Sauteing green onions

 

De-vein kale

 

Kale and green onions simmering

 

Adding parmesan and heavy cream

Now add the bacon to the creamed kale

Creamed kale ready to serve

Have you ordered your copy of: “Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband”

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Gluten Free Low Carb Broccoli Casserole

Gluten Free Low Carb Broccoli Casserole

Lately, I have been working on creating low carb recipes. I have been studying what ingredients are considered to be low carb and which ones are not. Meats of all kinds (beef, pork, chicken, etc.), and fish and shellfish are considered to be low carb, as well as most vegetables that grow above ground, except for vegetables like peas, corn, lima beans, etc. which are not recommended. Also, to my surprise, when eating a low carb diet, it is also recommended to use full-fat dairy products rather than regular or low fat because the manufacturers often add sugar in the production of them.

So far, we have been eating a low or no carb diet for about a week now, and the family and I are liking what is occurring. I’m not getting hungry during the day, so I am not munching to fill that void, and the pounds are beginning to drop away. Even though I never really used low fat products, I did try to watch the amount of full fat items that I used in my past recipes. I have to admit, I am enjoying not worrying about that right now. I know that after a bit of this trial period, I will have to find balance between what is now, and what was, but for now, I am enjoying this process.

So, for the next few weeks, I will be featuring not only gluten free recipes, but also low carb recipes, and this is my first in the series. This Gluten Free Low Carb Broccoli Casserole was simply divine and delicious. We enjoyed it very much, and I know you will as well!

Ingredients: 

1 bunch Broccoli (about 3.5 - 4 cups when removed from stalk)

4 oz. Cream Cheese

3 - 4 Slices of Bacon (more if you are a bacon lover)

3 - 4 Green Onions (small sliced)

1/4 cup Sour Cream

8 oz grated Cheddar Cheese (save some for topping)

1/4 cup Vegetable Stock

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

1/4 tsp Vedam’s Seasoning Blend

Find the complete recipe here! 

Creating mixture for casserole

Ready for the oven!

Time to enjoy!

Chef Vedam’s Gluten Free Cooking Classes:

Part 2: Gluten Free Italian Cooking

Call 678-754-2438 to register…

The series will continue on Tuesday, 8-16-16 at Williams-Sonoma The Avenue at East Cobb from 6 - 8 pm, and Sunday, 8-21-16 at Williams-Sonoma The Mall of Georgia from 5 - 7 pm with Gluten Free Italian Cooking.

This segment, Chef Vedam will show you how to do Chicken Marsala over GF Pasta, Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus, and a surprise sweet treat.

Chicken Marsala is one of the best Italian dishes that you will ever eat, and even though you are gluten free, you can have this Italian favorite again. Also learn the secrets to cooking great gluten free pasta! Accompany this with Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus and a gluten free sweet surprise, you will think you are sitting in a beautiful piazza in your favorite place in Italy!

Each culinary adventure only costs $10 to register and $50 due at the time of the class. Call 678-754-2438 or your Williams-Sonoma store to reserve your spot!

Have you ordered your copy of

“Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband”

Order Today 

 

Upcoming Gluten Free Chef's Demo in Atlanta

Grilled Veggie Burger

When:

August 20, 2016 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Where:

Williams-Sonoma 

 Ponce City Market
675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

Chef Vedam will be at Williams-Sonoma Ponce City Market and will focus his demo on Grilled Vegetable Veggie Burgers. He will show you how to grill and get the perfect char on seasonal vegetables, blend them with black beans, cooked quinoa, gluten free oatmeal and the perfect seasonings to achieve a perfectly delicious and nutritious veggie burger.

Chef Vedam will also be selling and signing copies of “Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband.”

There is no charge for the demonstration, so come and bring a friend. Come by, get your own signed copy and have a taste of gluten free Southern deliciousness!

You can learn more about Chef Vedam and find lots of gluten free recipes at www.ChefVedam.com.

Gluten Free Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes have long been a southern tradition. I have eaten them and loved them my whole life; I can’t believe that I did not think about them when I created “Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband.”. They were such a summertime treat! I remember as a little boy watching the tomato plants begin to form tiny blooms that would each soon begin to form a little bud of a tomato. Within a few weeks, the vine would begin to fill up with sweet red deliciousness. After we began to get a few garden fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, we would also begin to pick a few green ones, and the summertime treat of fried green tomatoes would begin. My mom didn’t like the completely green tomatoes; she liked them just as they were beginning to turn red. She thought the completely green tomatoes were bitter, and I am the same way.

Like many things, once you begin a gluten free diet, getting something like fried green tomatoes is virtually impossible, unless you make them yourself. They are actually quite easy to do. I just recommend getting all of your ingredients and supplies together first, because once you begin, they fry up pretty quickly.

Besides your green tomatoes that are just beginning to turn red and gluten free ingredients, you will need 3 plates to dip your tomatoes to achieve the perfect batter. I also prefer to fry my tomatoes in a cast iron frying pan (as that is what my mom used), but I assume you can use any type of frying pan that you may have on hand.

This serves 3 people. The complete recipe can be found here.

Tomatoes perfect for frying

Seasoned tomato slices

First you flour the tomato slices

Then dip the slices in buttermilk

 

 

 

Give the slices a final coating of flour, cornmeal, & seasonings

I prefer a cast iron skillet for frying tomatoes.

Time to eat!

Chef Vedam in Asheville, NC

If you or anyone you know will be in the Asheville, NC area, I will be doing a Chef’s demo at the
Williams-Sonoma Biltmore Village Saturday, July 23rd from 12 - 4 pm. For further details, click here. I'll be making bread, buttermilk cheddar cheese biscuits, mac & cheese, and southern fried chicken!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chef Vedam’s Gluten Free Cooking Classes:

Join Chef Vedam as he takes you on a gluten free culinary adventure! Chef Vedam will be presenting 4 gluten free cooking classes at 3 different Williams-Sonomalocations.Williams-Sonoma  The Avenue at East Cobb, Williams-Sonoma The Forum on Peachtree Parkway and Williams Sonoma The Mall of Georgia. Each series will feature “Gluten Free Southern Cooking, Gluten Free Italian Cooking, Gluten Free Asian Cooking and Gluten Free Mexican Cooking.”

The class schedule for Williams-Sonoma The Avenue at East Cobb begins onTuesday, August 2nd and will continue every other Tuesday night from 6 - 8 pm. The class schedule for Williams-Sonoma The Forum on Peachtree Pkwy begins onWednesday, August 3rd, and will continue every other Wednesday night from 6 - 8 pm. The classes at Williams Sonoma The Mall of Georgia will begin on Sunday, August 7th from 2 - 4 pm, and will continue each Sunday for the next consecutive 3 weeks. 

Sign up today for the whole series, and receive a complementary autographed copy of “Vedam’s Gluten Free and Fabulous! Recipes from a Southern Gay Househusband.”

These classes, even though great as a series, can also be taken individually. $10.00 will reserve your space. Depending on which location works best for you, contact Williams-Sonoma The Avenue at East Cobb (678-560-3660) or Williams-Sonoma The Forum on Peachtree Parkway (770-326-6270) or Williams-Sonoma The Mall of Georgia (678-482-4049).  You can pay the balance at the time of the class ($50.00).

Sign up today for the whole series, and you will receive a free autographed copy of“Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband”when you reserve all four for $40.00 and pay $200.00 at the first class.

Call and sign up today to reserve your spot!

Have you ordered your copy of: “Vedam’s Gluten Free & Fabulous! Recipes From A Southern Gay Househusband”

Order Today