Move Over George...Here Comes the Monkey It's a Gluten Free Jungle out there!

Dinner doesn't have to be difficult to be Delicious!

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 27 May 2013 21:07:00 +0000

This Memorial Day we're having some good ol' BBQ the EASY way.
Inspired by my bestie who doesn't like to spend too much time in the kitchen...what follows is a DELISH dinner that is easy, GF and super yum!
On the Menu
Pulled Pork

Gotta love the West Wing!

Potato Cakes
American Flag Pudding

This pulled pork recipe is handed down (or I guess over since we're the same age) from a friend of mine from work ...you might recognize her from TV :)

Hub's Favorite Pulled Pork
12 oz of A&W Root Beer (NOT DIET) per 2lbs of pork
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (we use Pat's Ho-Made)
Pork Roast

Put root beer and pork in crock pot for 7hrs
Drain, shred, add bottle of BBQ Sauce
Voila...awesomeness

Crispy Potato Cakes
1/2 cup chopped onions (I used pre-chopped from the produce section)
3 Tbsp bacon bits (I used turkey bits)
1 oz shredded cheese
2 cups mashed potatoes (chilled)
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Set oven to 425
Saute onions with bacon bits until carmelized, place in freezer for a few minutes to cool (this helps patties form)
In a mixing bowl add all ingredients except bread crumbs and mix
Separate into 6 equal patties
Coat both sides in breadcrumbs and bake for 12 minutes on each side

American Flag Fruit Pudding
2 pkgs of Your favorite Jell-o pudding flavor (white) follow directions on box
1 cup blueberries
3 cups chopped strawberries

this one is pretty self explanatory
we used some white icing for the stars :)

Week 3: Picnic, gopicnic, It's SPRINGTIME...go on a picnic!

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:53:00 +0000

Well first off, I apologize for the lateness of this post. Blogger must not have liked my first, second or THIRD entry as it gobbled them up into cyberspace never to be heard from again. It's okay, the posts were plant based.
It's also okay because as I type this 4th attempt, I have a new perspective and may change things up a bit.

This week's adventures reminded me how easy it is to just fall back into a good ol' meat and something on the side mentality, especially when someone ELSE is cooking.

Now if you haven't been following along on this journey to 90% plant based consumption, I invite you to start at the beginning and catch up, it's okay...we'll wait for you.

Are you back? Great. So now everyone is pretty familiar with the morning smoothie recipe I use and that I make meals go further by incorporating dinner left-overs into lunches for me and the hub so I'll spare ya the day-of-the-week breakdown (mostly because I didn't like the way it was formatting) and just give you some highlights from the week.

Now, in looking at my notes from the week...it looks like there was a wholelotta meat on my plate.
Tuesday we had "fried" chicken with zucchini
Wednesday we had pork and plantains
Saturday we had hamburgers and hot dogs
and Sunday morning we had bacon with breakfast and for dinner we had Chicken Club Pasta

That looks like 4 out of 7 nights of carnivorous consumption...BUT...
Remember this is where I employ the portions on my plate rule.
My journey is not to become a vegan or even a vegetarian...at least that's not what I'm feeling led to at this time. My journey is to a 90% plant based diet (meaning food consumption, not weight loss) so meat and animal products are still going to play a part in our menus, just not as predominantly.

Let's look at the Chicken Club Pasta as an example:
This was a "mommy made it up" recipe that came to my brain while we were driving home from the beach after not having grocery shopped all weekend...it's amazing what you can do with what you have :)
The final recipe yielded 8 servings

2 chicken thighs cooked and chopped
4 slices left over bacon from the morning, chopped
1 full head of broccoli, chopped
1 bag of spinach
1 can diced garlic tomatoes
1/2 cup ranch dressing (check for gluten)
1/2 cup parmigiana cheese
olive oil as needed
1 pkg Tinkyada GF pasta

No special magic here, I just cooked all the ingredients added the ranch and cheese last and let it all simmer under cover to get all saucy then spooned it over pasta and voila. And it was tasty.
So yes, there was meat in it, but the over all dish was at least 75% plant based and since my breakfast and lunch are typically much higher ratios, I think I evened out for the day :)

That being said...I definitely had a day that tipped my numbers for the entire week.
Saturday we went to a picnic complete with hamburgers and hot dogs and all the trimmings.
And I had one of each
And they were both mm-mm-tasty-good.
In the grand scheme of things, I'm not going for perfectly perfect. It's good to know that I am feeding my body what it needs MOST of the time so the few times when it comes up to have what it WANTS don't throw me for a loop. I covered my bases making sure all picnic items were GF (thanks to the hostess who checked with me before going shopping) and I enjoyed the day with friends, new and old.

This week's total SCORE brought to you by gopicnic GF boxed meals.
I stumbled across these in a 7-11 of all places while we were on our way to the beach on Sunday.
All the items in the box are individually packaged so you can eat it all at once, or snack throughout the day.
This little gem was PERFECT for the beach. It doesn't need to be refrigerated AND it was perfectly Babs friendly (GF).
A nice little Sunday morning gift in the least likely of places :)

Enjoy your week!

Sunday Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:10:00 +0000

This morning the family is packing up to head off to the beach after a homemade breakfast.
The waffles were phenom-nom-nomenal and packed a healthy punch with some Mila too.

Waffles are a family fave for breakfast, lunch or dinner so it's funny we don't have them more often but after crawling in the cabinet to reach the waffle iron we were ready for a souped up repeat these babies.

This recipe made 7 belgian waffles

2 C Gluten Free Bisquick
1/3 C Mila
1/3 C Pecan Meal
6 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla
3 C Milk/Vanilla Soy Milk works best
2 Eggs
Cinnamon to taste

Crushed Pecans as desired

okay, so it's not the prettiest
picture, but I wanted you to see
the color

Mix all ingredients, except crushed pecans, until the batter is a consistency you feel is ready for the waffle iron! I started with 2.5 cups of milk and added the last 1/2 cup for a smoother batter.

Add crushed pecans after pouring batter onto the waffle iron.

Cook for 5 minutes or until the steam stops rising.

As I mentioned in my last waffle post, The pecan meal makes the finished product come out a bit darker than regular waffles but they are OH SO Tasty :)

Week Two: Eat your greens!

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:36:00 +0000

So another week has come and gone and it's time to convert my chicken scratch into a comprehensive blog post about my plant consumption. One which will inspire you to eat your greens and flesh out a shopping list for my bestie. No pressure (grin)

Last week's grocery cart :)

So what was special about this week? What did I do differently, you ask?
Well, although there are some carnivorous meals, I was intentional about how much animal product I allowed on my plate. I surpassed the 3/4 veggies/grains to 1/4 meat/fish rule and made meat my condiment.

I have some recipes and product reviews I'll link back here soon but for now this week's menu.

Weekday breakfasts are the same each day, our morning smoothie. This week we replaced the coconut water with aloe vera juice and added some local honey since it is allergy season. I'm not CRAZY about the aloe vera juice, but I don't hate it either.

I'm also a left-overs for lunch kind of girl. So you'll note that dinner or a portion of it the night before, becomes the basis for lunch the next day.

And Mila is still a staple (check out the link, it's new and fancy shcmancy). As it is part of our growing business, the hubs and I have been learning more about its benefits and still can't help but sing the praises of this little miracle seed. ~~Its been a part of my diet for nearly 4 months now and~~ I'll save the Mila info for those who are interested... back to the week's menu

Monday:

Lunch - shredded lamb and collards
Snacks - clementines (so good this time of year) and mixed raw nuts
Dinner - Chicken thighs with sweated squash

This squash was AWESOME. I can't guarantee that it remains in the "raw" category as I didn't test the temperature but if it did manage to stay below 118 degrees, we're good. My one regret is I didn't snap a picture because it was also gorgeous. The veggies stay vibrant, don't get mushy and OH LA LA the flavor

summer squash and zucchini squash sliced into 1/2 inch chunks (or larger)
1 bag of orange and red sweet peppers, sliced in half and de-seeded
1/2 cup diced onions
2 TBSP olive oil
Place all ingredients in a large heavy saute pan with lid, cook on low heat for 30 minutes

Tuesday:

Lunch - Black Bean Tacos
Snacks - Popchips and salsa
Dinner - Sweet Tomatoes (Tuesday night is family dinner out night)

April is Lemon month at Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation and the Summer Lemon Tossed Salad is DELISH and Gluten Free :)

Wednesday:

Lunch - Leftover sweated squash with a scoop of Mila (so good even the next day)

one bag/2 servings

Snacks - Veggie chips and Salsa
Dinner - Shirataki Spaghetti

I was VERY impressed with these noodles. They cook up quick, have very few calories, no sugar, no gluten...a Babs Dream. We had them with fire roasted tomato marinara with a bag of fresh baby spinach leaves wilted into the sauce during the last few minutes of cooking and Al Fresco Sun-dried tomato Chicken Sausage. Why go to the trouble of a tofu noodle when you're just gonna add sausage? Remember, this is my 90% plant based plan AND these Shirataki noodles are a great gluten free option AND great for those who want pasta with out all the carbs.

Thursday:

Lunch - Khinoor Rice & Curry (didn't blow my skirt up)
Snacks - Rice crackers and wasabi
Dinner - Smoothie with a scoop of Mila (Thursday night is Planet Smoothie night every other week)

Friday:

Lunch - Eggpant Marinara with Spinach (Remember I mentioned it freezes well? It does.)
Snacks - raw nuts and raisins
Dinner - Tofu pad thai

Saturday:

Breakfast - Large coconut water with 2 scoops of Mila
Dinner - Kung Pao Chicken with steamed veggies

I didn't intentionally go for a "no chewable food" morning and afternoon, but my Mila carried me through the day, probably because I was focused on the happenings at the Central Florida Earth Fest!

Sunday:

Breakfast - Gojiberry Granola Bar and Decaf Skinny Vanilla Soy Latte

Lunch - left over Kung Pao Chicken with veggies with a scoop of Mila

Dinner - UPDATE: Salad WAS on the menu but we wound up at Pizzaria Uno so I opted for an artisan pizza on a gluten free crust. It was phenom! Dried figs, tomatoes, broccoli, all drizzled in balsamic vinegar on a GF crust painted with pesto, and goat cheese for the final touch.

So, how are you doing on your quest toward a predominantly plant based diet?
Do you have an recipes to share?
How do you "measure" your percentages?

Share...as we know better we do better :)

Week one: Plant Based Diet conversion...

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 22:10:00 +0000

Well as promised, here's the menu from my first week of transition to a 90% plant based diet.
For the first week, I didn't really TRY to do anything different, I wanted a good baseline as a jumping off point. As I suspected, the weekends have more animal product consumption than my weekdays but I think being simply being more intentional will cut that down considerably.

This week I've also noted that my stomach just doesn't feel good after I've eaten meat. My hub asked whether or not it could be the type of meat consumed...I'll be sure to keep my eye on that this week.

Last week I posted our morning smoothie recipe. This doesn't change much unless we add a new veggie to our juice or change up the berries a little.

Monday:
Breakfast - Morning Smoothie
Snack - Apple slices with mixed raw nuts (almonds and pecans are my fave)
Lunch - Strawberry Salad

mixed spring greens, chopped asparagus, sliced strawberries, chopped celery, farmer's cheese, chopped mint leaves, sunflower seeds

Dinner - Curried black beans

Dried black beans prepared according to package instructions, one can of ro-tel, a few drops of my FAVORITE hot sauce Tropical Chili Curry Delight.

Tuesday:

Breakfast - Morning Smoothie

Snack - Apple slices with mixed raw nuts

Lunch - Roast pork with left over curried black beans with a scoop of Mila

Dinner- "Spaghetti" with eggplant marinara

We used spaghetti squash in place of the pasta, it cooks whole in the microwave in minutes. Saute eggplant in olive oil with 1 Tbsp of minced garlic and 1 cup of minced onion until cooked but still firm. Add one can of marinara sauce, simmer. Top with crumbled feta. The remaining marinara froze BEAUTIFULLY and gave me quick options for lunch during the week.

Coconut Curry Wrap

Wednesday:

Breakfast - Morning Smoothie

Snack - Apple slices with mixed raw nuts

Lunch - Leftover eggplant marinara over fresh spinach topped with some crumbled feta and some Mila

Snack - Veggie chips and salsa

Dinner - 1/2 GF curried coconut wrap with pineapple from Ethos

Thursday:

Breakfast - Morning Smoothie

Snack - Veggie chips and salsa

Lunch - the other 1/2 GF curried coconut wrap from Ethos

Dinner - Collards

In a large pot bring 6 cups of water to a boil, add large bag of sliced Collards, onions, pepper sauce and 1/4lb chopped bacon let simmer until greens are cooked. This made A LOT of collards so the meat amount was negligible in the finished product. It DID make them taste nummy though!

Friday:

Breakfast - Morning Smoothie

Lunch - Leftover eggplant marinara over fresh spinach topped with some crumbled feta and some Mila

Snack - Mixed nuts with m&m's blast that candy jar at work!

Dinner - BBQ Brisket, Sweet potato fries

Snack - Frozen coconut yogurt with fresh coconut shavings and mandarin oranges

Saturday:

Breakfast - I don't often eat breakfast on Saturdays because I teach 2 yoga classes in the morning

Lunch - ugh...I was hungry and opted for the grilled franks my hub had just made (at least they were non-cured/nitrate free)

Dinner - Steamed Mussels with tomato sauce and steamed spinach

Sunday:

Breakfast - One egg, two turkey sausage patties, hashbrown casserole

Lunch - Morning Smoothie (it's not just for breakfast)

Snack - cucumber slices with herbed seasoning

Dinner - Grilled lamb with left over collards, watermelon slices

So there you have it, my first week.

After grocery shopping, this coming week already looks to be higher in the plant based ratio. My pleasant experience with Tofu in my curried wrap from Ethos encouraged me to buy some for Pad Thai this week in place of chicken and I purchased Shirataki Noodles which I've read rave reviews on but have yet to try.

I'll do better with pictures this week too :)

You gotta start somewhere

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:17:00 +0000

The next step in the evolution of Babs (that's me) is a diet that is nutrient rich and is 90% plant-based. You can read more why, here.

But here, on the GF blog, I'll chronicle my journey by means of a weekly menu and maybe even a shopping list :)

While a plant-based diet isn't necessarily GF, for this girl, it has to be so feel free to tweak as your needs dictate.

I've already started my transition and I'm keeping copious notes for next week's post but for now, it's fair that you understand my starting point, and how I'll compute my percentages.

I'm not a statistician nor is this a funded project (darn). I'm soley going about this for personal reasons that feel right physically, mentally and even spiritually so whether I eventually wind up vegan, or I may hover at the 85% mark it's my lotus to open.

By my rough estimation, my diet is currently 60 - 70% plant based.
We already juice and make vegetable/fruit smoothies 5 of 7 mornings a week
I get my essentials from Mila*, a plant based, raw, whole food.
The whole family eats intentionally vegetarian 3 to 4 times a month (I shoot for one dinner a week)

Below is the recipe I use for our morning smoothies. (for 2 servings)

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth:

2 c Juice (We juice 2x a week: carrots, apples, celery...sometimes cucumbers)
2 c Coconut Water
2 scoops Mila
1 TBSP almond butter
1 c greens (I typically used mixed spring greens or baby spinach)
6 or 7 whole, frozen strawberries
1 1/3 c frozen berries (blackberries, blueberries or raspberries)

*full disclosure, I am an independent distributor of Mila, but only became one after I experienced the benefits!

I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a Hamburger Today

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:12:00 +0000

I'm an Udi's fan.

I like their sandwich bread, I lurve me some of dem dere chocolate chip cookies, and their breakfast muffins are a fave when I need a quick breakfast or we're putting out a Sunday morning brunch.

So when I saw their new hamburger and hot dog buns, it was a no brainer...they went straight into my shopping cart.

We tried the hamburger buns one night for cheeseburgers and fries and the hot dog buns held our favorite sausage from Al Fresco...we love the Sundried tomato flavor!

I gotta say, for me, these buns are a let down.
Now I will follow that up by saying...for the past few years I've just gone without eating bread on my burger, brat, dog or sausage...so perhaps I've grown accustomed to eating them that way and the "bread" just didn't sit well with my stomach. The buns were a bit more dense than I expected, and that may have contributed to that "heavy" feeling in my stomach.

I guess I'm falling more in line with my philosphy of..."you don't HAVE to eat it just because it's offered in a GF option." It IS nice to know their are choices out there, but the next time I have a burger and desperately want the bun too...I'm gonna stick with the lighter, tastier version from Schar.

How do you eat your burgers and dogs?

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

In my previous post, I mentioned our cashier, Sarah. She can tell by the groceries in our cart whether or not our boys will be home, if we're trying out a new recipe AND that we follow a gluten free diet. She's not the only one at our local store to notice. Several of the managers and baggers ask about the products we buy, and why we buy them, too. This weekly "educational" opportunity has turned into a blessing for one of their co-workers who was recently diagnosed with Celiac. Now, everytime they see a new product in my cart, they ask about it. When Thanksgiving came around, they asked me what products they could stock in the store that would make it easier for me (and her) to enjoy our holidays.
She and I exchange recipe ideas and taste-test horror stories, and I have several new blog ~~readers~~ lurkers. *Shout out to all my WRPers*

Educational moments pop up all over my neighborhood. I work in a local theme park as a sign language interpreter and there are goodies and snacks in just about every break room on property. I always graciously decline the offer of a cookie or crackers and dip..."It's not you, I'm gluten free."
Now I've worked with some of these folks for nearly 10 years so they've seen my ups and downs over the years so of course they ask..."does that help you?"
And so the educational opportunity begins...we talk food, we talk poop, we talk pain-free living...and inevitably someone says..."that sounds like me."
I'm quick to remind I'm no doctor, I don't even play one on tv (although one of my co-workers does), but if they're experiencing symptoms, it's worth a talk with their doctor. More often, someone says,"Hey, I know someone who has to eat GF"...and another lurker is born :)

We visit some local restaurants as a fam and all the servers know I'll be grilling them about their grilling techniques and what is in their sauces. We've frequent our regular haunts often enough that now they come to me..."hey we just got this in...try this new sauce and let us know what you think...my sister's kid was just diagnosed with celiac, what's your blog link again?"

Heh...I just realized I made my neighborhood sound kind of creepy with a buch of lurkers loitering about ;)

The moral of the story?
Wear your GFness on your sleeve...you never know who is lurking about :)

a sweet litle side note...
I'm a CODA and grew up just loving Linda Bove on Sesame Street because she is Deaf, like my parents are, and because she was on TV, my house didn't seem quite so weird to the other kids on the playground. I had the opportunity to meet Ms. Bove when I interpreted a conference in Philadelphia...definitely took the opportunity to thank her for influencing kids everywhere, hearing and Deaf, that the "people in your neighborhood" are ALL people, whether they can hear or not.

And I'm sorry you're all singing this silly song now
well...not really sorry, but you know what I mean :)

Put some FUN in your Green Beans!

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:57:00 +0000

Anyone who knows us, knows we like to give thanks...with all the trimmings :)
Our favorite time to grocery shop is right after Thanksgiving when turkeys go on sale. We buy a few and put 'em in the deep freezer so we can give thanks all year long.

crunch em up so they sprinkle!

Well you also know that you can't have turkey without the green bean casserole...turkey and green beans are soul mates :) In the past, we've made our own french fried onions which turned out great, but can be a bit of a time suck if you're just having a turkey feast on any old weekday after work. This year, we decided to have a little more fun...FUNYUNS are Gluten Free and a perfect quick topping for a scrumptious green bean casserole.

Now I understand, something you buy in the processed, crap food aisle may not be your number one choice to sprinkle on your green beans. Sarah, our regular cashier, noticed them in our cart and gave me a raised eyebrow...but sometimes concessions need to be made for convenience sake :)

I don't really follow any specific recipe for my casserole

Mix in your Funyuns, bake at 350 for 45 min to an hr

1lb or 2 of fresh green beans, snapped and quick boiled
1 can of progresso cream of mushroom soup
10 sliced baby bella mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
as many crushed funyuns as you deem necessary, half mixed in, half sprinkled on top

Another hit with the fam...but this MAY be because they had funyuns to snack on afterwards :)

Try it out...let me know what you think :)

More Bang for your Butternut Buck

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I lurve me some butternut squash...but I always pass it up in the grocery store unless it's pre-cubed.

Well fear the squash no more, I did a little research in my Madhur Jaffrey cook book, and they're much easier to handle than I thought and were the star of two meals I made this month.

First, the prep.

Cut the stem from the bulb of the squash and peel.

Slice the peeled stem into 1/4 or 1/2 inch slices, then cube.

Scoop the seeds out of the bulb and peel and slice in the same manner.

*I did not peel and slice the bulbs as they inspired me to make a stuffed butternut squash bowl*

The cubed squash was used in a yummy winter curry I brought to a gathering of fellow staff from Ananda Yoga and Massage. Several of us follow a gluten-free diet and some are vegetarian and this was a great dish to share. It was also another excuse to use my tamarind concentrate and new mortar and pestle ~smile~

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne

4 cups cubed potatoes

4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

1 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock

1 Tbsp. tamarind concentrate

2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds pop, add the onions and saute until translucent.

In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, salt and cayenne. When onions are translucent, add the spice mixture and cook 1 minute while stirring. Add potatoes, squash and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until veggies are barely tender (15 min).

In a small bowl, dissolve the tamarind in a few tablespoons of the hot cooking liquid then add to the vegetables. Add tomatoes, chickpeas and cilantro. Cover and simmer for 10 min.

Serve on rice if desired, add some plain yogurt or fresh cilantro to the top.

Now...what did I do with the squash bulbs?

Well I add this to my long list of "Mommy made it up" dinners.

I've been using this phrase, "Mommy made it up..." for years when I'm asked what's for dinner, and my daughter will tell you, these MMIU recipes are the BEST dinners and she says I should write a book :)

Ingredients (to the best of my recollection)

3 squash bulbs, seeded (not peeled)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 zucchini squash, cubed (not peeled)

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 package shitaki mushrooms, chopped

1/4 c parmesean cheese

1 slice Muenster cheese

(check out these vegan cheese options)

Heat oil in medium sauce pan and saute onions and garlic until the house smells so good even the neighbors want dinner. Add zucchini and let cook for 1 minute, add mushrooms and parmesean cheese and stir to coat. Remove from heat.

before heading into the oven for an hour and half nap

Place 1/3 slice of Muenster cheese in the bottom of each squash bowl.

Stuff each bowl with mushroom mixture and cook at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hour under ventilated tin-foil tent.

Let me tell you , this is UBER nom nom nom.

The squash cooks up just right and keeps all the other veggies moist during the cooking time. The whole fam enjoyed it and it's on the MTAL (make this again list)

Enjoy

An ode to Brinner, Pumpkin Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0000

Today's post is en hommage to a friend and fellow blogger Jennifer. Several weeks back she posted a recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes that I just KNEW I had to convert to a gluten friendly version. They are super yum and although we had them for Breakfast on a special Sunday morning, they would definitely make a great Brinner (breakfast for dinner).

These are the ingredients from Jen's original recipe

2 cups Bisquick
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
2 T sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 dashes pumpkin pie spice

This is how I adjusted the recipe to be allergy friendly (not just gluten-free)

2 cups Gluten Free Bisquick
2 T ground flaxseed in 1/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 - 3/4 cup Almond milk
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
2 T sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 dashes pumpkin pie spice

Blend all ingredients until well combined. note* I used more milk than the original recipe called for and this may be due to the nature of the GF bisquick, but you can always start with less and add more as Jen suggested.

I cooked these in our cast iron skillet with a bit of butter to give them a nice crispy outside and they were a hit with the fam. Very tasty with a bit of syrup or agave nectar, and savory with a sprinkle of salt and pepper...so they go either way and are a nice alternative to potato pancakes.

Everybody Poops

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:36:00 +0000

Everybody poops right?

OF COURSE THEY DO

At what age to we stop talking about poop? I mean, when you're born your mom talks about your poop all the time, heck your momma probably cheered for your poop...somewhere around the 22 month mark, the word poop becomes taboo in conversation.

If you're anything like my family, scatological humor sneaks in to dinner conversation (or sneaks out as it were) sometimes and rather than chastise, I play along and heck, we have happy dinners.

Perhaps THAT's what made me less afraid to talk about poop when it came to my symptoms. My poop was the one thing doctors just couldn't "fix" when they tried their barrage of treatments for my symptoms. "Maybe that's your normal," they'd say.
AHEM
IF YOUR POOP AIN'T NORMAL, YOUR BODY IS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.

Back to our regularly scheduled font.
So its come as no suprise to me these past few months that poop is a common theme in other people's symptoms too. People close to me, WHO KNOW ABOUT MY POOP... and they never thought to ask if gluten could be an issue.

I declare 2012 TALK ABOUT YOUR POOP year.

If everybody does it, then it's not weird right
who knows...you may just learn something
maybe you'll learn too much...and I apologize for that...but on the premise of "erring on the side of WOO HOO I had a good poop"...I say talk about it and just do your best to forget the mental images that don't serve you.

Honestly
If you've been living with abnormal poop
this may be diarrhea, this may be funky color, foul odor, weird consistency, texture, timing...whatever doesn't fall into an eat - poop cycle...then start talking about it.

The stool should be one, long smooth evacuation if the colon is not spastic, impacted, constipated or dehydrated. Each bowel movement should be in one piece, about the shape of a well-formed log, tapered at the end. Some websites say it should be of the size of a banana. From my experience, the product of a good, cleansing bowel movement is much longer, almost as long as two bananas end by end. This makes perfect sense because the stool should be an exact replica of the internal space of your colon.

You can talk to me about it...I'll keep it quiet email me.
talk to your doctor about it
talk to your walking buddy about it, your co workers, your spouse, your best friend
talk about poop

it's important
and it could just change the way you feel!

It's not Delivery, It's ...

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:50:00 +0000

What do you in your house when family has a hunkerin' for pizza and you're gluten intolerant?
I've finally found a make at home, frozen, gluten free pizza that fits the bill perfectly and bonus...it satisfies my craving for a soft pretzel.

I think next time I'll add mushrooms :)

Against the Grain Gourmet frozen pizza comes in 12 inch sizes in 2 different flavors, Three Cheese and Pesto, or you can buy the crust and add your favorite toppings. The use fresh grated parmesean and mozarella and the sauces are very tasty. Put it in a pre-heated oven for 12 - 15 minutes and voila...your pizza is done before the delivery guy knocks on the door.

I sprinkle mine with a little salt and some curry powder ...mmmmm...you all know how I feel about curry ;)

Sometimes, you gotta have a smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:01:00 +0000

The hubs and I have developed a nice little smoothie addiction as of late. We've been Planet Smoothie fans for years and they have several gluten free options...but it's not always convenient to head out to our local smoothie place and NONE of them are open early enough for us to have them in the morning...so we experiment with our own.

We have a personal blender by Hamilton Beach that works better than ANY full size blender I've ever owned for crushing frozen fruit and giving a nice smoothie consistency.

Our recipe:

1 cup Naked Juice (check the label for gluten free options)

2/3 cup frozen fruit

1 banana

1/4 cup Stonyfield Farm French Vanilla Yogurt

1 scoop RAW Meal

Blend

Drink

YUM

We were using Mila's chia seeds in place of the RAW Meal, but honestly the were a bit pricey and we like all the ingredients in the Garden of Life product and it's readily available at our local WFM. It does add some substance to the smoothie though, so I may switch to skim milk or a lighter juice to balance things out.

From the Garden of Life Website:
Containing 26 superfoods from RAW organic seeds, sprouts and greens, RAW Meal provides 34 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber and a healthy 2.5 grams of fat making it an excellent choice for “weight conscious” individuals. RAW Meal also offers 20 Vitamin Code vitamins and minerals providing at least 100% of the Daily Value of 16 key nutrients.

Just as important is what’s NOT included in RAW Meal. It is gluten-free, dairy-free and lactose-free. It has no fillers, no isolates, no synthetic nutrients, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives.

We've decided, it's good stuff!
I've been reading some intriguing smoothie recipes lately...we have basil that needs to be harvested before it gets too cold here (yes it gets cold in Florida, last night it was 28 degrees!) So next week's menu includes a strawberry basil smoothie...I can't wait.

Yummy Hash and Perfectly Poached Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:05:00 +0000

If you follow my other blog, you've heard me rave about this recipe before...but I never actually posted the recipe. So, since it's what is for dinner tonight...and I have to wait for the water to boil...I'll catch you up to speed and you can add the ingredients to your shopping list!

Once again, another recipe from my favorite cookbook (are you seeing a pattern here?)
Potato and Asparagus Hash

Ingredients:

5 cups peeled diced potatoes (1/2 inch cubes)
2 cups chopped fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups diced onions (I use one cup of green onions and one cup of yellow onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh dill
3 cups fresh spinach (this is a Popoff family addition to the recipe)

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil
Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes until tender but still underdone
Reserve the water and transfer potatoes to a large bowl.
Add asparagus to the still boiling water, cook for 2 to 3 minutes maintaining bright green color
Drain and add to the bowl of potatoes.

Add 1 Tbsp of the oil to a skillet and warm over medium heat
Saute onions, garlic salt and pepper until onions are golden
Add sauteed onions and dill to potatoes and asparagus, stir well

In a large nonstick pan, heat remaining tablespoon of oil.
Fry potato mixture in two batches for 5 to 10 minutes each until potatoes are golden brown.
Toss in spinach for final 1 or two minutes to wilt.

This was our first version...before we added the spinach to wilt
still yum!

Super yum topped with a perfectly poached egg!*

*reserve the water you used to boil the potatoes and asparagus and you won't have to wait to poach your eggs!

New Year's Black-Eyed Peas -- LOUDER!

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:06:00 +0000

so fresh you can still see it steaming

I wanted to make something other than our traditional Hoppin John and Cornbread so our family rang in 2012 with a kicked up version of a Black-Eyed Pea dish. Once again I turned to my favorite cook book and opted for an Indian skillet with tantalizing spices that danced in the air as it cooked and had us all anticipating not only a good start to the year, but a GOOD dinner.

The recipe calls for tamarind concentrate, which I found at Whole Foods Market, but if you can't find it where you are, 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice can be used instead.

To save some time, you can use a good brand of canned black-eyed peas with no preservatives, I stumbled across some pre-soaked peas in the produce section of our local grocer that only required a 10 minute boil to be just the right consistency.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne (we went with 1/4)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
3 cups cooked black-eyed peas (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups rinsed and chopped fresh spinach (we used whole baby spinach leaves)

The newest addition to our kitchen,
just in time to grind the coriander seeds
from last summer's cilantro plants.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add onions and garlic and saute until onions start to brown.
Add the ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander and salt and mix well.
~It starts to smell REALLY yummy right about now~
Stir in water, tamarind and black-eyed peas, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and spinach, cook until spinach wilts.

Serve immediately over rice or on it's own.
We added a dollop of sour cream for a nice texture and cooling complement to the spices.

Turning over a new (tea) leaf

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:59:00 +0000

At work we got one of these fancy schmancy new coffee makers

As of late I've been kicking the coffee and reaching for the tea but look at it...it's sleek, and fancy and glows a pretty blue color so ... I was tempted

"I wonder if I should try out this fancy schmancy new coffee maker?"
"umm...do you think it's safe?" -- the wise words of a savior (a.k.a Joshington, a co-worker).

Hrmmmm good question. I really haven't been drinking coffee (and enjoying it) much lately anyway so perhaps I'll have some tea instead.

I opted for some super tasty Celestial Seasonings Black Cherry Berry which, by the way, is very clearly labeled gluten free.

Super tasty and turns out...a VERY smart choice.

While there are some K-Cups that are safe...
From http://www.keurig.com/

Question Do any of your K-Cup® portion packs contain gluten?

Answer
All of the coffees offered in K-Cup® portion packs are gluten and gluten byproduct-free. The Café Escapes French Vanilla Café-au-Lait K-Cup® portion pack contains small amounts of wheat. The Timothy’s Lemon Blueberry Tea K-Cup® portion pack contains malted oats.

For additional nutritional information on a particular K-Cup® portion pack, we suggest you contact the Roaster directly.

I totally would've gone for a nom-licious flavor...and I'm so glad I didn't!

Goblins, Ghouls and Gluten Free nummies!

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Trick or treat
smell my feet
gimme something SAFE to eat

Sorry I didn't put it out earlier...but while you're checking your wee one's bags of candy for safe treats...here's a go to list!

There are actually A LOT of GF choices in the candy aisle and there's a COMPREHENSIVE LIST here. But I'm sticking with short and simple...and my personal (and my kids') faves :)

PLEASE NOTE: If it's NOT listed...it's NOT safe. For example...I LOVE me some Butterfinger and can eat regular ones ...but I cannot eat:

Butterfinger Crisp Bar

Butterfinger Giant Bar

Butterfinger Snackerz

Butterfinger Medallions

Butterfinger Jingles

Butterfinger Hearts

Butterfinger Pumpkins

According to Nestle, the following candies are gluten-free:

Baby Ruth
Bit-O-Honey
Butterfinger Bar (original flavor only, NOT giant bar)
Milk Chocolate
Goobers
Nips (including both regular and sugar-free)
Oh Henry!
Raisinets (including Cherry, Cranberry and Dark Chocolate flavors)
Sno-Caps
Wonka Pixy Stix
Laffy Taffy (including Laffy Taffy Rope and Fruitarts Chews)
Wonka Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip

According to Mars Chocolate, the following candies are gluten-free:

M&M's (all EXCEPT for pretzel-flavored M&M's
3 Musketeers Bars (all flavors)
Milky Way Midnight Bar
Milky Way Caramel Bar
Dove Chocolate products (all flavors)
Snickers Bars (all flavors)
Munch Nut Bar

As of October 2011, the following (short) list of Hershey's products are gluten-free:

Hershey's Plain Milk Chocolate Kisses
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar, only in the 1.55 oz. size
Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Bar, only in the 1.45 oz. size

super snack!

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:24:00 +0000

I don't write as much as I should :(
I should preface that by saying...August through November is NUTS in our house...school, work, cheer, lacrosse, theater, volunteer commitments and then comes mid November...ahhh :)

Honestly, I have pics galore, recipes to share and reviews of some fantastic restaurants in the Central Florida area but haven't had a second to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard as it were).

But TODAY I had a fantastic snack and just had to share...so while I still have a few minutes left it's EASY.

Joyva Sesame Tahini (gluten free!)

Your favorite Raw, Local Honey (mix in to taste)

Celery sticks

mmmmmm so good!

Labor Day laziness = mmmm bbq

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:08:00 +0000

Ahhh... gotta love a day off from work with not much more to do than watch an Undercover Boss marathon. A few weeks ago, the hub and I scored a great deal on pork shoulder and bought TWO.

Monday was the perfect day for a "picnic" so we placed the pig in an oven bag, set it in a tin roasting pan and let our new grill work its magic for a few hours outside. When it was almost done we shucked some fresh sweet corn, soaked it in cold water then put it on the grill with the pork. Topped off with a dollop of potato salad and we had the perfect Labor Day meal that took no time at all...well none of our time, the grill did all the work.

Leftovers from this pork are gonna be a dream.

I shredded what was left after dinner (which was quite a good bit) and poured in a bottle of Pat's Ho-made BBQ sauce.

I LOVE Pat's not only is it Gluten free, it tastes AMAZING and costs less than $2.00 a bottle at our local grocer.

If you can't find it locally, you can order it on line...and it's worth it :)

Hanker for a hunka....CURRY

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:28:00 +0000

I've been on a curry kick lately.

Years ago I couldn't even take the smell of it, now...I can't get enough.

I don't quite trust restaurant curry yet...only because no chef in town can guarantee me it's safe (GF) so we've been tinkering with recipes at home. Some have flopped, some have tasted great but nothing to write ~~home~~ here about...yet. So here's a quickie to tide you over.

Curry Chicken Salad

SO super easy and SO yum!

I start with a can of Valley Fresh Canned Chicken

add Hain's Safflower Mayo to taste

Shake on your favorite curry powder (be sure to check the label) I like mine hot :)

add a dash of salt

Add ice cold red grapes and slices of granny smith or gold delicious apples to give it an extra punch, celery slices are nice for crunch too.

The secret is in letting it sit (refrigerated of course)

I make it in the morning and pack it in my lunch and it's JUST right by then.

So, voila or छिपी

quick, nom nom nommy Curry!

Back To School

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0000

It's not just lunchboxes you need to keep gluten free...

Just in time to stock your backpacks and lockers with goodies a list of GF school supplies.

WHAT???

I have to worry about school supplies???

Well, you may not have to, but turns out I do.

I had an episode last week that we tracked back to Expo Dry erase markers and today my hand is flaring because I decided to write a note on my self so I wouldn't forget...

now I won't forget to write on a piece of paper instead of my skin.

Turns out some pen companies use gluten in their ink to keep it from drying if you lose the cap. Pretty novel idea...I hate dried out pens. Lesson learned...I shouldn't be writing on myself anyway, momma taught me better than that :)

Gluten-free School Supplies

Colorations/Discount School Supplies 1-800-627-2829
The following products are gluten-free:
PRODUCT NAME ITEM#
BIOCOLOR - GALLON BIOGAL + COLOR
FLUORESCENT BIOCOLOR GALLON FBIOGAL + COLOR
BIOCOLOR 16OZ BIO16 + COLOR
FLUORESCENT BIOCOLOR 16OZ FBIO16 + COLOR
FLUORESCENT BIOCOLOR PAINTERS FBM
BIOCOLOR PAINTERS BMAR
BIOPUTTY SOLUTION PUTTY
BIOCOLOR SHIMMER GOLD BGLD
BIOCOLOR SHIMMER SILVER BSIL
COLORATIONS PUFFY PAINT PUFFY
BIOCOLOR FABRIC MEDIUM BIOFAB
COLORATIONS LIQUIDWATERCOLOR ALL LW+ COLOR
COLORATIONS SIMPLY TEMPERA GALLON GST + COLOR
COLORATIONS SIMPLY TEMPERA 16OZ ST + COLOR
COLORATIONS SHIMMER MEDIUM SHIMMER
COLORATIONS GLITTER MEDIUM GLIMED
COLORS LIKE ME MULITCULTURAL PAINT CM + COLOR
COLORATIONS WASHABLE SIMPLY TEMPERA GALLON GWST + COLOR
COLORATIONS WASHABLE SIMPLY TEMPERA 16OZ WST + COLOR
COLORATIONS PREMIUM WASHABLE TEMPERA GALLON GPW + COLOR
COLORATIONS PREMIUM WASHABLE 160Z PW + COLOR
COLORATIONS WASHABLE FINGERPAINT CWF + COLOR
COLORATIONS WASHABLE GLITTER FINGERPAINT GLFP + COLOR
COLORATIONS ACTIVITY PAINT 16OZ CAP + COLOR
COLORATIONS METALLIC PAINT CMP + COLOR
COLORATIONS FLUORESCENT PAINT CFL + COLOR
COLORATIONS SPARKLE PAINT CSP + COLOR
COLORATIONS COLORED PUFFY PAINT SET OF 6
PUFFSET
COLORATIONS WASHABLE GLITTER PAINT GALLON GPG + COLOR
COLORATIONS WASHABLE GLITTER PAINT 16 0Z CGP + COLOR
COLORATIONS STICK IT CRAFT PAINT STICK + COLOR
BIOCOLOR FOAM PAINT BFP + COLOR
RAINBOW FOAM PAINT SET OF 3 RFP
COLORATIONS JUMBO WASHABLE STAMP PADS JSP OR NEWJSP (DEPENDING ON COLOR)
COLORATIONS METALLIC STAMP PADS METSTAMP
COLORATIONS WASHABLE MARKERS CLASSIC TIP 98200 (200), 98256 (256), LWM (8), LWMSET (16)
COLORATIONS WASHABLE MARKERS CHUBBY TIP CHBST (200), 256CHB (256) CHB (8), 16CHB (16)
COLORATIONS CRAYONS LARGE CLBIGS (400), CRL8 (8)
COLORATIONS CRAYONS REGULAR CRRGS (800), CRS8 (8), CRS16 (16)
COLORATIONS CRAYONS EXTRA LARGE CRXLG (200)
COLORATIONS CRAYONS CHUBBY CRCHB (200)
COLORATIONS SIDEWALK CHALK BC, SIDEWALK
COLORATIONS DUSTLESS CHALK WHITE CWHCH (12), NODUST (100)
COLORATIONS DUSTELL CHALK COLORED CCLCH (12), CNODUST
SMOOTH & SILKY ART STICKS SILKYSTK
COLORATIONS RAINBOW CRAYONS STR
COLORATIONS WASHABLE SCHOOL GLUE WHITE LCWG (gal), SCWG (1.25oz), MCWG (4oz)
COLORATIONS WHEAT & GLUTEN FREE DOUGH COLORDO
PREMIUM NON HARDENING MODELING CLAY MOD (1lb), COLCLY (3.3lbs)
AIR HARDENING MODELING PASTE AIRCLAY
SARGENT POWEDERED TEMPERA PAINT 1PT + COLOR, 5PT + COLOR

Center Enterprises / Ink Pads
1-800-542-2214
They can't guarantee they are gluten-free. Ingredients are gluten-free, but won't make guarantee.

Colgate-Palmolive
1-800-255-7552
All Softsoaps are gluten-free.

Crayola/Binney and Smith- www.crayola.com
All products are gluten-free except for Crayola Dough.
gluten-free products include: Silly Putty, ColorWonder Fingerpaints, Paints, Crayons, Pencils, Markers, Modeling Clay, Glue, Glitter Glue, and Chalk.

Curad
www.curadusa.com
1-800-227-4703
Curad bandaids will no longer say their bandaids are gluten-free because suppliers can change.

Elmer's Glue
1-888-435-6377
www.elmers.com
All products except Elmer's finger paints are gluten-free. These include Tempera paints, watercolors, glues, glue sticks, crayon sticks, squeeze and brush paints, and glitter paints.

Huggies Wipes
1-800-452-2245
They say there is a possibly of trace amounts of gluten and will not say they are gluten-free.

Johnson and Johnson
1-866-JNJ-2873
Bandaid Brand Bandaids are gluten-free (includes clear, family variety pack, kid character bandaids, flexible, and fabric bandaids).

Kleenex
1-800-553-3639
Kleenex tissues with lotion and Kleenex anti-viral are gluten-free.

Lakeshore Ink Pads
1-800-428-4414
6 inch round ink pads are gluten-free. They make three other Lakeshore ink pads that they do not know the status of but are checking on.

Lucky Plus Bingo Markers
Arrow International
1-800-321-0757
www.arrowinternational.com
Bingo markers are gluten-free. They state that all their markers are gluten-free.

Palmer Paint
1-800-521-1383
All paints (including face paint) are gluten-free.

Pampers Wipes
1-800-PAMPERS
Baby Wipes and Kan-doo wipes are gluten-free.

Pfizer
1-800-223-0182
Purell instant hand sanitizer is gluten-free (includes with aloe, original, 2 in 1, and Purell wipes).

Prang Paints/ Dixon Ticonderoga Company
1-800-824-9430/www.prang.com
All paints, glues, markers, modeling clay, chalk, and crayons are gluten-free.
They state that they do not produce anything containing gluten.

Puffs
Re: e-mail
Puffs with lotion are gluten-free.

Roseart- www.roseart.com
1-800-272-9667
All products are gluten-free except Roseart fun dough and modeling clay.
(Their stickers are gluten-free!)

Ross Products- (owned by Elmer's)
Columbus, Ohio
1-888-435-6377
All products (glue, glue sticks, etc.) except Ross fingerpaints are gluten-free.

Sanford/Mr.Sketch Markers
1-800-323-0749
Mr. Sketch Scented, Water color markers are gluten-free.

3M Corporation
www.MMM.com
1-888-364-3577
Scotch Magic Tape is gluten-free.
Nexcare Bandaids do not contain any ingredients with gluten, but they don't test for gluten so they won't claim that they are gluten-free.

Vi-Jon Company
1-888-593-0593
Germ-X hand sanitizer is gluten-free.

Envelopes and stamps that you lick may have gluten in the adhesive.

Peel and Stick Stickers may have gluten in the adhesive.

Personal Care Items: Be aware that some hand lotions, soaps, cosmetics, lip sticks, chapsticks, etc. may contain gluten.

Products not confirmed yet:

Avery Dennison
Carter's Stamp Pad
www.averydennison.com
1-800-462-8379
They are checking.

Paradise Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:44:00 +0000

Please note...this is in NO way a post bashing Margaritaville, their food, service or care in providing me a safe GF dinner.

No, if anyone is to blame it is me...for not checking my condiments :(

Yesterday I had the most amazing burger and fries. Today I'm so itchy I do believe I've rubbed my face clear down to the stratum granulosum layer of my epidermis and so exhausted it feels as though my musculoskeletal system has disintegrated and I have no strength with which to move my mass which feels more massive than ever. I CAN move...my brain is telling me that it FEELS like I can't.

I should've known better.
Check your condiments.
I swear I've checked Heinz 57 sauce before and found it safe but I could be imagining things because I'm not thinking very clearly...see note above...

I knew something was up this morning when I pooped.
Yes folks, this is my blog; poop is one of the symptoms that led me on the search for the cure to what ails me so when the poop ain't right, I know something is wrong.

Yesterday's intake was perfect and I was fanatical about where we ate out and what we ate and the staff at the restaurant was meticulous in their preparation and delivery...so what could it be?

On a hunch I jumped on the Heinz site and took a gander at their Gluten Free list.
NOTE...I'm in no way bashing Heinz either...they have a LIST right there on their site and there's a ton of products I've since added to my shopping list but...
Guess what...Heinz 57 sauce isn't on their GF list.

So today, because I didn't check
I'm uncomfortable to the point of scratching my eyes out
I've lost 2 hours of work
and all I wanna do is sleep...

I'm also just a tad bit miffed.
Can't help it...gluten turns off my filter...
I don't wanna read every label
I don't wanna research every possible derivative of dextrose and sorbitol (which, by the way, is in lots of toothpaste so it's a good idea to research your favorite brand)
I don't wanna eat plain, condiment free food...

but then again, maybe I do
not because I will feel better
but because it will taste better...my fries last night were fandangtastic on their own...and the burger...OMG so good
I didn't need to crack open the bottle.

I need to remember Louis the Lifeguard's words of wisdom...

I Can Has Cheezburger?

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:02:00 +0000

Yes, Virginia, you CAN have a cheeseburger...a Cheeseburger in Paradise no less!

Now that you're all singing, let me tell you about our night.

Last night we found ourselves with a few hours to kill at Universal's City Walk since our oldest headed to Teen Night at the Groove and we were the taxi.

I work at Universal Orlando and know they've taken great strides over the past couple of years to provide safe, tasty choices for Celiacs and GF'ers so as soon as I learned we were headed to the Walk, I Googled "gluten free City Walk Orlando" and found this GREAT menu at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.

I know, I keep forgetting to take a picture BEFORE I take a bite :(

OF COURSE I had a Cheeseburger in Paradise ...but skip the Heinz 57, it's not Gluten Free...(a fact I should've checked before I went).

The burger was delicious and so were the fries. Note, it was also HUGE, my hub and I could've shared this and been more than satisfied. This was an extra special treat since we typically eat a more paleolithic diet (it's naturally gluten free). The GF bun on the burger was soft and flavorful and the fries were crispy! My meal was even brought out separately from the rest of the table's to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

And then...there was dessert...

We share desserts around the table. Again, the staff was knowledgeable bringing separate sets of silverware for each dessert to avoid cross contamination. The GF offering is a Chocolate Hurricaine, a warm, fudgy brownie with macadmia nut chunks, creamy vanilla ice cream and a mountain of fresh whipped cream drizzled with hot fudge sauce. Drooling yet?

This was DEFINITELY big enough to share with the table and we still barely put a dent in it.

My son hit it right on the head when he said "this should be your birthday dinner spot!"

Yes indeed.

The atmosphere was fun

The food was fantastic

The staff was knowledgeable

The prices were reasonable for the food we got

and the company was good!

Enjoy!

What'd you eat in Key West

noreply@blogger.com (Babsness) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:12:00 +0000

Last month was glorious! We spent an entire week soaking up the sun in Key West. We did a few other things as well ...parasailing, ghost hunting, lobster tickling...but mostly we enjoyed one another's company, vegged by the pool and relaxed. THAT'S Vacation :)

Going on vacation can be scary for a gf'er...I mean what the heck do you eat and who do you trust?!?!

Well for starters...I did a lot of internet research before the trip. Our accommodations also included a full kitchen so we stocked up our first morning there and made it our goal to eat out one meal a day...that helped the pocket book too! We had breakfast and dinner at home and took advantage of early bird specials for lunch :)

Our first stop was the Blackfin Bistro on Duval where I opted for the Lobster salad.

We had a "watersports" day which included a grilled lunch. The staff was very knowledgeable and accommodating and I had plenty of veggies and grilled options to choose from...

We cooked for ourselves quite a bit on this trip

Not only was it cheaper...we splurged on GREAT food ...steaks, ribs, fish...because had we eaten these tihngs out, well...it would've cost MUCH more than our grocery bill.

The hub and I snuck away on the 4th for breakfast at Two Friends. That's what I call independence...breakfast with the man-o-my-heart sans teenagers :)

Again...the staff was very knowledgeable and accommodating. I had a seafood omlette sans the hollandaise sauce with fresh fruit...impeccable flavors and HOT...so we knew it was fresh!

A place we wanted to get to but only managed to drive by is Help Yourself Foods. Super ummy raw, vegan and GF fare. Unfortunately, they're on a funky cross street location with parking in one direction and just a tad too far away from where we were staying to walk...definitely accesible by bicycle so check them out and let me know how the lasagna is!!!