Surviving In A Gluten Filled World

Gluten-Free Grass Fed Coffee

2016-01-30T21:20:00.001-08:00

Coffee! Of course, it's gluten free. However, sometimes people ask, so I wanted to throw it out there! :)

I love me some coffee! I've enjoyed coffee for many years, but it's become quite a treasure since becoming a parent (can I get an AMEN?!?!!)!

What's in Grass Fed Coffee

Recently I had the opportunity to try Grass Fed Coffee. I'm a huge fan of grass fed beef, so I was intrigued to see what this product had to offer. Here's the key ingredients:

organic, fair trade cold brew coffee
German grass fed butter
distilled MCT coconut oil
organic chicory

I've made butter coffee before and I love grabbing a Starbucks double shot when I'm out driving for awhile, so I wondered if this would be a mix of the two. Whenever I tried butter in coffee I always also added cream because it just wasn't quite what I was looking for. The creaminess was lacking. I've heard I should have blended it with coconut oil and then it would have been better. Maybe next time. In the meantime, I had Grass Fed Coffee to try.

Man you guys, this coffee did not disappoint. It was so smooth and light without tasting weak. I am NOT a fan of bitter coffee, nor am I a fan of weak coffee and this was neither. Goodness, I never realized I was a coffee snob, til writing this post! Ha! Anywho, this stuff was awesome! Seriously so tasty. It was like a double shot but better. More smooth, less sweet. It's sweetened with xylitol so there's just a slight hint of sweetness, which I like. I would say if you like the fru-fru super sweet frapps, this may not be your thing. However, the taste is so smooth you might be surprised.

Grass Fed Coffee

The can says to shake it well, and I thought I did until I opened it and began to drink! I should have shook it vigorously, and then shook it again! After my first drink I noticed there was butter on the sides of the can. Shoot! And I wasn't home yet...so I waited until I drove home to finish the drink. Once home I used a straw to scrape down the sides of the can and finish the rest. Tasty tasty! Like one of those drinks where you have to remind yourself it has caffeine so you don't just guzzle it all day like water.

Overall I'd say this product is going to be a HUGE hit! I sure can't wait to get some more. I felt a little selfish drinking it while my husband was at work, so I better buy some for him to try too! :)

How you can help/join the craze...

Right now they're at the tail end of their kickstarter campaign, so if you'd like to help support them and preorder some Grass Fed Coffee, you can click this link and join the party! The kickstarter ends on Monday, so hurry over!!

*Also, one final note...I LOVE the transparency they have on their website. Just take a peruse of their FAQ page and you'll be impressed to see how they address every single ingredient listed in their product. I, myself, was a little disappointed to see carrageenan in the ingredients list as I've heard mixed things about it, but they address that. I'd have to do more research, but they said the form of carrageenan they use is a safer alternative and the only way to keep the butter, oil and coffee all nice and mixed together.

Good luck Grass Fed Coffee! We wish you all the success!

Gluten Free Banana Bread Pancakes

2016-01-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

Pancakes! The BEST pancakes!

We love pancakes in this house, but I'm totally over the gluten free flour blend (and baking recipe) additives like guar gum and xanthan gum. That's why I've been on a perfect pancake recipe quest for the past few months. It's been a great way to break in the new kitchen at our new house (we moved in August)! :) Plus, our little lady LOVES to help and pancakes are a great recipe to make with a toddler. In fact, she may now whisk eggs better than me! Teehee!

So, with my sidekick by my side, I figured out a pretty perfect recipe. These cook up great every time and they have an amazing flavor. Did you notice the "banana bread" title of this post? Seriously, these babies have a distinct banana bread flavor. To quote my (non-gluten free) grandmother-in-law, "Did you come up with this recipe? You need to write a cookbook!" Aww, thanks GG! Maybe one day. For now, I'm enjoying a less hectic pace of life.

I'm also looking to decrease the amount of sugar intake for my family (the holidays did just end!), which is why I was so happy that the addition of bananas to this recipe was almost enough sweetener for my gal and hubby. I may try them sometime without any sweetener, but I also want the family to eat them so I'm keeping a little bit in there for now!

One last note, for this recipe I used basic rice flour as we're also trying to avoid all other grains. For a more Paleo-friendly recipe I've included a link at the bottom of the page to an excellent coconut flour recipe. In my quest to create great gluten free pancakes I was also dabbling in trying to create a Paleo recipe for mornings when I wanted the pancake to be a more complete meal (most Paleo recipes require 4-6 eggs).

Without further ado, here are the amazingly simple and always delicious...

Gluten Free Banana Bread Pancakes

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 cup white rice flour
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup whole milk
2 Tblsp organic sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
splash of vanilla

Directions

In large mixing bowl, mash both bananas (I found using a large serving fork is great).
Add eggs, flour, milk, sugar, baking powder and vanilla to the bowl.
Mix all ingredients.
Heat griddle over medium to medium low heat.
Grease with butter and cook pancakes until edges start to dry out (about 2 min) before flipping.
Serve with more butter (we love Kerrygold!) and bacon and eggs if you're extra hungry! :)

Variations

I've also done the following with great results.

Sub sugar with maple syrup (only 1 1/2 Tblsp).
Add 1 tsp cinnamon.

Add 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans.

For a Paleo-friendly recipe, use this one by Nourishing Days! After making it this morning I'm done (for now) trying to create my own. I did have to watch these more (read: cook at lower temp and therefore cook longer), but the flavor and smell were amazing!

Get your pancake cooking on and ENJOY!

Happy Gluten Free Dining!

The Bone Broth Diet-A Book Review (Part 1)

2016-01-09T11:02:00.001-08:00

It’s a new year and with a new year often comes resolutions, the most common of which is to lose weight. For those of you with that goal, this post is for you.

Amazon

I had the opportunity to review a new book called, “The Bone Broth Diet,” by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci. Dr. Kellyann is, "a naturopathic physician and a certified nutritional consultant with more than 20 years clinical experience.” In her book, Dr. Kellyann gives a 21 day weight loss plan as she discusses how personal issues with inflammation, whether in joints or the gut, are directly related to the foods we eat. I love this! I’ve seen improvements in my own health and the health of those that I love as we’ve changed our diets. In our house, we’re about 80% Paleo (we eat rice a few times a week as it doesn’t bother us and we drink raw milk) because that’s what I needed to do to feel “well.” My parents, on the other hand, are more strictly Paleo. We all still eat high quality dairy, such as raw cheese and grass fed butter.

In my journey of going gluten free (I have Celiac disease), I’ve done a lot of research regarding food and found how beneficial it is to eat a quality diet. In her book, Dr. Kellyann addresses which foods are beneficial to improving inflammation (bone broth baby!) and which foods actually increase inflammation (hello, canola oil!).

To give my readers, who are interested in losing weight, a fair review of this book, two of my family members will be following this diet for weight loss. After they’ve embarked on this journey I will let you know their thoughts and success.

Now, I myself am not looking to lose weight, but I still wanted to see what improvements I would see in my health if I made bone broth a part of my regular diet. So, while I’m not going to pursue the bone broth fasting days, as outlined in “The Bone Broth Diet,” I am going to start to drink a cup of bone broth each day and see what benefits I notice.

For now, I’ll leave you with some final thoughts about the book:

What I appreciate about Dr. Kellyann’s book is that she spends time explaining where she’s coming from and how the incorporation of bone broth can do wonders for our health (from weight loss, to hormone balance and better skin). She talks about common food misperceptions and how that has worked against so many people’s goals of better health. She then outlines the many benefits of bone broth before she goes into how the diet works. If you chose to buy this book and follow Dr. Kellyann’s advice, you’ll be on a 21 day plan where you “fast” two days a week and drink bone broth on those days.

What’s so helpful, is that you’re also given a specific list of foods that you will eliminate from the diet. So cool! I remember first going gluten free and being so overwhelmed thinking, “What can’t I eat? What CAN I eat?” Dr. Kellyann does just that. She explains why the foods you can’t eat are no good for your health and then she outlines what foods will promote optimal health and weight loss. Check out her book. The lists are so easily laid out and she provides a 7 day general meal plan to get you going, plus multiple bone broth and meal recipes.

This book is so thorough. At first I thought it was really long and involved. But then I thought back to the book "It Starts with Food" (how my family began the Paleo journey) and how nice it was to start out a new way of eating with a roadmap and recipes.

Bravo Dr. Kellyann! This books looks like it will set up weight loss seekers with guidelines for success!

Gluten Free Tres Pupusas... Why yes please!

2015-12-14T11:07:00.001-08:00

I've never had a Pupusa before, so the thought of it intrigued as well as worried me.

Tres Pupusas

I had to pull this from their site as I still have no clue what they are. Originating from El Salvador, a pupusa is a stuffed corn tortilla filled with delicious goodness. Our pupusas are produced with organic, non-GMO corn masa and are naturally gluten free meals. Pupusas are traditionally served with a side of curtido (cabbage slaw with vinegar) and salsa roja. You can find the recipe for curtido below. Guacamole is also a delicious complement to our gluten free pupusas, and for breakfast, they are perfect with a fried egg or two on top.

Now if you've never had organic corn before, you need to stop what you're doing and run out into the nearest organic corn field and grab an ear of corn. Though, I wouldn't recommend that as you may get in trouble.

They come in several flavors and the first ones I tried were green chile and cheese. I really wish I had gotten the bean and cheese ones, but I guess it's okay trying things out of the norm.

To cook, the owner of the company suggested you use enough oil to coat the pan and cook for 4-6 minutes on medium heat.

Now I wanted mine a little crispy so I did each side for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat.

They were perfect!

I ran out of sour cream so I substituted it with yogurt.

I was very surprised that the green chiles didn't overpower the flavor. A lot of times, people who use green chiles add too much where all you can taste is the chile, but it's a very balanced flavor across every bite.

Overall I was a bit shocked with how tasty they were. I've gotten used to cooking all of my own food and not buying packaged products, but these tasted restaurant fresh!

Now if you want to buy a package of these, you won't be disappointed as they truly are a great snack. I say snack because I could've eaten 10 of them.

Buy them here.

Simple Holiday Gluten Free Side

2015-12-01T14:06:00.002-08:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!

Over here, at the Shat's house, we have been listening to Christmas music since the start of November. I equate Christmas music to happy music and it keeps me in a chipper mood even though I now must wear shoes and long pants (I live in CA, so we were wearing shorts through October)!

And once the Christmas music starts, so does the festive eating. I love to cook, and since becoming a SAHM I do it quite frequently so I'm loving when I create quick, easy and delicious items for my family to enjoy. Thanksgiving was no exception. I wanted something simple and easy that my family would enjoy, but that my toddler would also want to eat! Can I get an AMEN?!?!!!

In comes Against the Grain's original baguette. These babies are tasty just toasted plain (which is what I did for one of them for our little lady). They're infused with just a slight bit of cheesy goodness, but I wanted something more festive for the adults. So, for the second baguette, I did this:

Sun Dried Tomato Baguette

Preheat oven 350.

Ingredients

Organic cream cheese (room temp)

Jar of sun dried tomatoes

One baguette (thawed)

Directions

Finely chop 1/2 jar of sun dried tomatoes. Mix with 1/2 block cream cheese. You may need to put the mixture in a saucepan over low heat for a bit to make the mixing process easier (I did). Once items are combined, slice the baguette in half, lengthwise, and spread the mixture on both halves.

Place on cookie sheet in preheated oven for 10 min or until bread is toasted to your liking. Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before slicing.

This will smell amazing! Prepare to indulge yourself and your guests!

Happy Holidays!

Rachel aka Gfreegal

Why Gluten Free Wasn't Enough For Me & Why I Now Eat Paleo!

2015-04-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Paleo, the new "fad" diet, like gluten free right?

Wrong!

Many of us started eating gluten free or Paleo because of how it made us feel. We were sick. We had undiagnosed illnesses/ailments and doctor after doctor said we were fine. Some of us were diagnosed with Celiac. Others took the test and while it came back negative, eating gluten free has turned their world around.

I started my Paleo journey in March of 2013 after my daughter was born. I was sick my entire pregnancy and could barely get through my 3 1/2 hr working day (after being so sick from gluten and still sick as I recovered, we figured I'd be a sick pregnant woman so I went to part time teaching). Just to help you understand...I was throwing up the day I gave birth!

Anyways, I was in bad shape so my mom came and stayed with us to help make meals, grocery shop and care for the baby. She had started eating Paleo and was convinced that cutting out all grains would lead me to the road of recovery. She was right! Cutting out gluten didn't cut it for me (hehe)! I needed a strict, clean diet to allow my body to fully heal and within a few months, even though I wasn't sleeping, I felt better than I had in years.

I was sold! I wanted to share with everyone. I was the same way once I went gluten free because I was finally feeling better. Only, this time around I felt well! Completely well! No stomach aches, no diarrhea, no dizziness, no headaches, nothing of what I was experiencing before. I was healthy! Woah!

It was such a cool feeling to pay attention to my body and say, "I feel well!"

So now, I eat mainly meats, veggies (no russet potatoes) and some fruit. I eat as much healthy fat as I want and I pay no attention to calories (now I know not everyone can do this, but most people I know who eat Paleo don't have to pay attention to calories). I also eat white rice and raw cheese and drink raw milk.

It's good stuff people. My whole family eats this way and we feel WELL!

Have you tried Paleo?

Rachel aka Gfreegal

Foster Farms Gluten Free Corndogs - Are They Good?

2014-11-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

So, right off the bat I must say that I don't follow instructions and why Foster Farms thinks you should microwave a corndog is beyond confusing. Why would you want a corndog out of the microwave?

The directions said to put the corndogs in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Now I guess if you’re in a rush and want to cook this quickly, then 30-45 seconds may work, but for me, I want my corndogs toasted and crunchy! Not soggy.

I threw 3 in the toaster oven at work and set it to about 400ºF for about 15 minutes. The box said 350ºF for 18 minutes frozen or 10 minutes thawed. I turned it over a few times for an even cook.

So when the bell went off on the toaster oven, I made may way down the hall. I felt like I was walking into the fair when I smelled these things. They smelled amazing.

(DO NOT GRAB THE STICK WHEN IT'S BEEN IN THE TOASTER OVEN... I REPEAT... DO NOT GRAB THE STICK WHEN IT'S BEEN IN THE TOASTER OVEN!...) I'm not saying that I burnt my fingers... nope... that didn't happen... I just don't feel like using my thumb and index finger right now)

I grabbed some mustard, because, no corndog is complete without mustard.

I was actually excited to try these things with how they smelled. With my first bite I thought, ehhh it's a corndog, nothing too exciting. The breading around the hotdog was rather thick. I was expecting something thinner with how most gluten free items come. I think if these things were deep-fried, that the thick batter around the hotdog would've tasted better.

After eating the corndogs, I looked at my fingers and noticed they were rather gunky and oily. Now, this is what your hands should look like after eating a corndog so I wasn't disappointed.

Overall I was rather impressed with the taste of the batter around the hotdog. It was nice eating a corndog knowing that I wasn't going to feel like a truck backed over me.

Your kiddos will absolutely love them, and the nice thing about them is that they are very filling. The 3 that I consumed filled me up for the rest of the day.

From Faster Farms Website:

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving Size: 1 corn dog 75g
Servings Per Container: Varied.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 180
Calories from Fat 80

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g	14%
Saturated Fat 2.5g	13%
Trans Fat 0
Cholesterol 45mg	15%
Sodium 530mg	22%
Total Carbs 20g	7%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugars 6g
Protein 7g

Vitamin A 0%
Calcium 2%
Vitamin C 0%
Iron 6%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet.

Foster Farms Gluten Free Corn Dogs are dipped in honey crunchy batter that are ready to heat and serve. They are great for kids or for parties!

Available in packs of 6, 9, 16, 20 and 36

ALLERGEN INFORMATION

Contains soy, eggs

HOW TO HEAT:

Conventional Oven:

Preheat oven to 350° F
Frozen heat for 18 minutes
Thawed heat for 10 minutes

* Caution: Product will be hot

Microwave: On high

Frozen heat for 48 seconds
Thawed heat for 30 seconds
For best results, flip corn dogs halfway through cooking

* Caution: Product will be hot

Deep Fried:

Cook at 350° – 375° F
Frozen heat for 9 minutes
Thawed heat for 3 minutes

* Caution: Product will be hot

Gfree-Dude goes cucumber with Avalon Organics body and shower gel

2014-08-31T13:18:00.001-07:00

Before I met Rachel, I never cared about what I ate or put on my body. Everything I grabbed or gravitated towards was whatever smelled the best or looked cool. I never cared about what was in it.
Rachel has completely changed the way I think about the products I use because of the lasting affect it can have on my body.

Rachel asked me to use this body wash stuff from Avalon Organics. Now granted, the second I saw "cucumber" on it, my first thought was NO THANK YOU! No dude wants to reek of cucumber. We want to smell like a forest or like we just came out from a battle, where we were saving a princess from impending doom.

Now that aside, most guys won't admit to using products, but I guess I have to since I'm reviewing this product.

Now honestly there's not much of a scent to this body gel, which for me, is a good and bad thing. I'm weird when it comes to smells. I enjoy something that stays with you throughout the day, but not too overpowering.

Now if you enjoy having everyone stare at you thinking you've doused yourself in cologne, then this isn't the product for you. The scent is light and comfortable. You aren't walking around announcing to the world you just took a shower. You are carefully telling everyone that you are clean and proud of it.

Confession time, I use a loofah sponge. Ugghh... I feel so exposed. Anywho, the gel lathers up decently and you don't have to use a lot which is nice.

I just found out from their website that you can use it in the bath too. HAHA I guess that makes sense, since it says that on the bottle. But I'm a man, and men don't take baths. Unless there are candles and soft music, but other than that. Just showers!

When I first stepped out of the shower I felt weird. It was weird smelling cucumber on me. Like I said, it wasn't overpowering, but as a dude, it was just weird.

But, like most shower gels, it gets the job done.

I've been using the product for over 2 months now because I'm too lazy to try anything else. Would I get this stuff again? Probably not. Just because I'm not a cucumber fan. I would like to try their other scents to see if there's something I would enjoy using.

- Croz

Gluten Free Skin Care Products - Jason Skin Care

2014-08-31T12:37:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one that fell in love with a new product line during Celiac Awareness Month back in May?!? I had the privilege of trying out both Avalon Organics hair and body washes and Jason skincare and hand soaps. While I was not a fan of Avalon Organics haircare (my insanely thick hair that my stylist comments on EVERY time I come in could have something to do with that), I fell in love with Jason's skincare. (Read my husband's review Avalon Organics here)

Jason launched their new line of certified gluten free personal care products a few months ago and they are rockin'! I was initially going to write this post two weeks in to using the products, but I wanted to give a more accurate review. Then life with a teething, growing one year old got in the way and now it's August.

BUT, I'm so glad I waited. And here's why. It's been almost four months and I am still using and loving these products! They're lasting forever!!

My two favorites are the face wash and face lotion.

My skin has never been more consistently clear as it's been since using these. Even through summertime heat and (tmi, gentlemen, sorry) my periods my skin had been clearer, which is saying something HUGE! I wash my face at night and then rise it off in the am before using the lotion. I've loved both! No greasy face throughout the day and clearer skin overall! Woohoo!!! I'm sold!

Now as far as the face scrub, I'm just not a big user of those, so I tried it out here and there but it's a bit abrasive for my sensitive skin. However, judging by their other products, I would imagine if you're a face scrub kind of person, you'd like this one.

So, there you have it, Jason skincare for the win! My skin has been clear, smooth, clean, and not irritated by any nasty, unknown ingredients.

And we've enjoyed the hand soap too. No foo-foo smell, which is a win for the hubby, and we don't mind using it on the little one since it's not full of nasty unknown stuff.

This gluten free line also has a shampoo and conditioner. Has anyone tried it? I'm curious if it could stand up to my uber thick hair?!

~ Rachel

Oil Pulling to Reverse Cavities

2014-05-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

Oil pulling.

Swishing oil to improve your health?

What?!?!

So here's the deal. I have a cavity. Well, let me be clear, I have two cavities (one that needs a ceric) and a dying nerve in a front tooth where I'm going to need a root canal!

What is this? Congratulations on surviving the first year of motherhood, you've jacked up your teeth and need some serious work!! Great. Thanks.

The truth is, I did jack up my teeth. For years I went us diagnosed with Celiac Disease so that by the time I found out what was wrong with me my body had already been lacking nutrients. Then, I spent years trying to heal my body so that I would stop being malnourished and be able to properly absorb nutrients. Add to that 9 months of pregnancy, sick, where I was often eating in the middle of the night and not always brushing my teeth. Then I was breast feeding and those first few months I was STARVING all hours of the day and night, thus again eating and not brushing my teeth. So, I guess you could say, while not all directly my fault, I had this bill of health from the dentist coming.

So, back to oil pulling. I'm kinda crunchy (breast feeding, cloth diapering, eat predominantly organic, drink raw milk, etc.) so I belong to a Facebook group of crunchy moms and one of them mentioned oil pulling to reverse cavities. Say what?!? I had a dentist appointment scheduled for the following week, so I began researching and figured why not give it a shot.

The premise is:
Swish coconut oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes in the morning (when taking a shower/getting dressed has been easiest for me).
Spit it out in the trash (so you don't clog your pipes).
Rinse your mouth out with water.
Brush your teeth (working on a homemade toothpaste now).
Continue on with your day.

I'm also trying to consume raw butter on a more regular basis and take my cod liver oil more faithfully as per the recommendation of The Paleo Mama. ***One note, I'm taking Carlson's cod liver oil because Blue Ice is just too dang expensive for this SAHM. :) Hoping I still gain some of the benefits.

According to what I've read, swishing this oil and maintaining optimal nutrition should help to remineralize my teeth.

So, I canceled my dentist appointment and figured I'd try this for a few months and see what happens.

Already, I've noticed a change and it's only been a week! My front tooth that is going to need a root canal had darkened (that's what alerted me to have the dentist check it out) and initially the dentist didn't notice anything wrong, so it had been darker than the rest of my teeth for a few years. Well, after just ONE WEEK of oil pulling (swishing) the tooth is almost the same color as the rest of my teeth! Woot woot!!!

Now to see what it does for the cavities...I'll keep you posted.

For now...

Have you heard of this?

Is it something you or someone you know has tried?

Where I've Been

2014-05-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Happy Celiac Awareness Month!

To kick off the month, I thought I'd start with a post about what I've been up to.

My life, my friends, has been full! I got pregnant and had a beautiful baby girl!!! In order to do both well, I found myself pulling back from the blog and then, ultimately, quitting it for awhile. We've now found ourselves with a happy, spunky little one year old who's currently napping as I write this post! Life is sweet!

To digress a little and tell you about my health journey for the last two years, I was sick throughout my entire pregnancy. Now, however, I wonder if it could have looked different.

You see, while going gluten free after being diagnosed with Celiac helped me to feel better, I still did not feel well. Can you relate? Our house was completely gluten free and we were very selective in where we went out to eat, yet I would still get sick and found myself feeling ok, but never "good." When I got pregnant I get even sicker, maintaining "morning sickness" throughout the whole pregnancy. By the time I had our baby I was really weak.

BUT, all things work out for good! Thanks to the help of my mom, I started eating predominantly Paleo soon after delivering our baby. Within a few months, I found myself extremely sleep deprived (babies are so worth the lost sleep!) yet with more energy than I had prepregnancy! Who knew, for me, going gluten free was not enough.

Now, I say predominantly Paleo because I have found I can eat raw dairy and rice without feeling ill!

Woohoo!!! It's been about a decade, but I can now say...I FEEL GOOD! Not ok, not alright, GOOD!!! And that, my friends, is worth celebrating!

What about you?

Was going gluten free enough for you?

Have you found yourself cutting out other foods as you journey toward good health?

Gluten Free Halloween Candy 2012

2012-10-30T16:13:00.003-07:00

Just in time for Halloween this year...an updated candy list courtesy of our friends at GfreeFoodie.

Gluten Free Candy List

I don't know about you, but lists like this make me SO happy. I love my chocolate and it's always nice to know which options are safe!!!

Now, if my husband and I could just figure out what to dress up as for Halloween.

Ideas!??!

A Gluten Free Cookie Worth Trying?

2012-09-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

In honor of Celiac Awareness Day I HAD to share with you this amazing recipe that was shared with me.

Source

As Celiac's, and others who have to avoid gluten, you understand the excitement when you find a good cookie or cake. I mean, a GOOD one! Right? It's like finding the perfect shoe for your wedding (or prom if you're a little younger). For guys, umm, it's like watching a good game? Ha, sorry, I'm not so savvy in that department.

But, anyways, back to the cookie. When you can't have "normal" cookies, you've had to go through some awkward, if not awful, cookies looking for something yummy. And, due to that fact, your awesome friends (you know, those who understand) send you recipes when they find something gluten free that they think you might like.

So, this recipe today is for a gluten free AND vegan S'mores cookie! Doesn't that just sound divine! My lovely friend, Crystal, sent me the recipe and I can't WAIT to try to make them. Yes, I have not yet tried these cookies. But, I did look through the ingredients (and some delectable pictures) and I just couldn't wait to share with you. Having been quite sick the last few months (more on that later, but we don't have time now...HELLO, I'm about to give you a cookie recipe!) I'm not sure when I'll finally have the energy to whip up a batch of these.

I figured, hey, my readers are good people. Good people who have, sadly, had to endure some not so good gluten free cookies. So, if I can get your hands on what I'm betting is a great recipe, why make you wait? Seriously, I haven't been able to cook in like three months, so it could be a LONG while before I can give my opinion.

In the meantime, check these out.

Gluten Free and Vegan S'mores Cookies...complete with tons of gooey pics!

Hope you enjoy! If you do make them, PLEASE share your thoughts...I can live vicariously through your baking. :)

Summertime Drinks

2012-08-22T14:27:00.001-07:00

Summer may be winding down as kids and teachers have gone back to school, but that doesn't mean the fun of summer has to be over.

Well, maybe a little. I mean, we can't just continue to stay home because we want to. :)

BUT, we can definitely still enjoy some of the great flavors as we sit by the pool or BBQ this weekend. Maybe even a little treat for yourselves tonight? I say, go for it!

As I've shared before, I'm loving the joys of Pinterest. It's completely addicting (at least for me). Have you been sucked into the world of pinning yet? If not, let me know and I'd be more than happy to send you an invite. :) If not, that's ok too. But, you may find some of these pins I'm about to share just too enticing!

In honor of summer, I wanted to share some refreshing treats with you today.

First up we have, peach popsicles.
Gluten free AND refined sugar free! Yum!

Next, a fun blueberry, basil lemon water.
This may sound a little different, but check out the the ingredient list. Simple and delicious!

Another icy treat. This time, blackberry frozen yogurt.
Added bonus for this one is that it only has three ingredients.

Lastly, I just couldn't resist adding this one for all you margarita lovers. Watermelon Margarita.
I'm sure this will be a BBQ favorite for many of you!

***NOTE: As always, double check any ingredients you are using to insure they are gluten free.

Enjoy! As always, we'd love to hear of you've tried any of these or if you have a different, favorite refreshing treat for the summer.

Gluten Free Kids Snacks-Back to School

2012-08-08T10:20:00.001-07:00

Summer is winding down and the school year is just around the corner!

The sleeping in for students (and us teachers) is coming to a close. :( It's a bittersweet time as I get excited to meet new students, yet sad to no longer be on my own schedule. While this summer has been different than others (more on that later) I still very much enjoy not having to pack breakfast, lunch and a few snacks.

Which brings me to today's post...

If your child is anything like me, they get really hungry throughout the day. That can prove especially difficult if they have food allergies. From slushies to gummy worms and Gatorade, while the snack selection at your child's school may have these gluten free options, it may not be what you want your child to eat. I can tell you, it's definitely not what your child's teacher wants them to be eating. A classroom full of 40 freshmen hyped up on sugar after lunch is definitely an interesting environment (not speaking from experience or anything). :)

However, healthy snacks are an essential way to keep your child's energy and attention up during the day.

So, here's a quick list of snacks that will hopefully help get you started and keep their tummies satisfied:

-Trail Mix (like the amazing one pictured above, from Trader Joes).
-Fresh fruit and veggies (I find it super helpful to bag these up ahead of time so they can just grab and go in the morning).
-Snack bars (NoGii kids or paleo bars and Larabars have some great, kid-friendly, flavors...I particularly love the pure ingredients of the Larabars).
-String cheese and pretzels (we love Glutino pretzels).
-Yogurt
-Applesauce

It's amazing, but although coming up with kid and school friendly snacks for your child with allergies can initially be a daunting task, once you start you may find that (like the short list above) there are quite a few options that will be similar to other kids.

It's never a quick, or easy, task coming up with foods to feed your child, but hopefully this list will help get the wheels in your head turning.

So, what did I miss? I know I didn't get ALL the good stuff!

One quick side note before I go. I heard a great idea awhile back from a mother whose son has Celiac. To help him feel more "normal" and included, she would talk with his teacher so she could keep track of when there were parties in his class. This way, when the occasion came up, she would make sure he had a cupcake or brownies in his lunch so that he never felt like he was being left out! He didn't have to just smell their dessert (am I the only one that does that?!?!), he could eat his own!

How cool is that?

Rachel aka Gfreegal

Tasty Gluten Free Breads

2012-07-26T14:23:00.001-07:00

Going gluten free doesn't have to mean going without your favorite grilled cheese sandwich or French toast breakfast. You CAN have bread and it CAN taste good!

Gluten free just means a little tweak in your staple bread entrees.

However, depending on which bread you choose, you could find yourself thinking you'll never have a tasty sandwich again. Trust me, we've tried some pretty nasty gluten free breads over the past few years. But, we've also found some yummy options and have compiled a list for you of the top three brands (and no, none of these companies are endorsing this post; we just want you to eat what tastes good).

Top gluten free bread companies:

1. Canyon Bakehouse

Canyon Bakehouse has some of the most moist and squishy gluten free bread out there. We particularly like their cinnamon raisin and 7-grain breads. Perfect for a sandwich!

2. Rudi's Gluten Free

Rudi's is also quite moist for a gluten free bread. Their multigrain and cinnamon raisin breads are great for making toast in the morning. We also really like their plain tortillas

3. Udi's Gluten Free

Udi's bread holds a special place in my heart, just because it was the first gluten free bread I tried that tasted good and when toasted I didn't feel like it was going to break my jaw as I attempted to bite it. I also appreciated that it wasn't crazy crumbly like other breads (none of these three breads mentioned are!). Again, we like their whole grain, as well as their hamburger and hot dog buns. We also REALLY like their blueberry muffins. They're a great thing to pack (with Justin's peanut butter packets) for out of town trips!

Another great thing about Udi's is that Trader Joes is now carrying it!!! I think it's about $1 cheaper there than the health food store I usually buy it at! Score!

Now, granted, you can buy mixes and make your own gluten free bread, but honestly, we don't have time for that. When we're making something with bread (which we don't do every day) it's usually something quick like a sandwich or toast. Having these breads handy makes those quick meals that much tastier! Trust us, we've tried the funky stuff...it's gross! ;-)

One SUPER important note...we keep ALL our gluten free bread in the freezer so that it keeps longer and better. We just take off a slice or two and defrost in for 30 sec in the microwave or toast it in the toaster oven (just make sure you don't burn it!).

Happy bread eating!

Did we miss an amazing gluten free bread on this list? If so, please tell us and we'll see if we can check it out.

Rachel aka Gfreegal

Gluten Free Tax Deductions

2012-07-19T10:28:00.001-07:00

Did you know that if you have Celiac disease you can deduct your extra expenses in your taxes?

Source

It's true.

Because the treatment for Celiac disease is to follow a gluten free diet, the IRS allows you to deduct those extra food expenses. It's a bit of a tricky process and requires consistency and follow through on your part.

To make this easier for you, here's an easy to follow list from our friends at CeliAct.

Gluten Free Tax Deductions

Good luck and hopefully this helps ease the expenses for you!

Rachel aka Gfreegal

An Amazing Gluten Free Adventure

2012-07-09T12:57:00.001-07:00

I came across this wonderful trip today and I just HAD to share it with you!

Jen, over at Zenfully Delicious is hosting an amazing, all gluten free, tour of Tuscany, Italy!

Can you believe it?

This trip sounds incredible!

The tour is October 18-25, 2012 and it will take you through Florence, Chianti, Siena, and San Gimignano as you enjoy the sights, and most importantly, the tastes of Italy!

That's right, this trip is so stinkin' awesome that there's already plans for the meals, along with a cooking class (swoon) for the entire trip!

I promise I'm not trying to sell this to you (I can't even go!). I just think this is one of the most amazing trip offers I've ever seen!

If you can go, you should. And then show me all the pics when you get back so I can live vicariously through you! ;)

Here's all the details for this awesome trip.
Gluten Free Tuscany Tour 2012

Wouldn't it just be amazing to go?!?!

Rachel aka Gfreegal

A Gluten Free Diet-Where to Start?

2012-07-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

Embarking on a gluten free journey can be a daunting adventure.
If you're like I was, you had SO many questions and didn't know where to start. That's what this post is for (thanks to the suggestion of a friend). :)

If you think you (or a family member) may have Celiac Disease, or even just gluten sensitivity, GET TESTED! This can save you a lot of time and frustration.

If the test comes back positive, breath. You, or your loved one, will be ok.

Find out what you can eat.
Eliminate what you can't eat.

Foods you CAN eat:
I'm just going to start here with a basic list (I don't want to get TOO crazy on you).

All fruits
All vegetables
Meats (unseasoned-seasoning is often where gluten can hide)
Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
Certain grains (gluten free oats, millet, teff, sorghum, quinoa, buckwheat)

Foods to be careful about:
Seasonings-Often anything "mixed," such as garlic salt, can contain gluten to prevent caking. I learned this one the hard way, after many months of unknowingly "poisoning" myself. Once I learned about the contamination, I promptly went out and bought garlic powder and salt. Now I just mix the two.
Dressings & Sauces-Again, you never know what could be added to these, so you always want to read the label, call the company, or talk to the restaurant manager to double check that something is safe.
Anything packaged-I know this is hard, really hard, but it's super important. There are so many products that may seem safe, but in reality that may contain gluten. Check that ice cream container, that frozen meal, and your lunch meat. Those are the top three packaged items that come to my mind that may be dangerous. I always check and double check labels just to be safe.

Foods to AVOID:
Wheat
Barley
Rye
Regular Oats (often processed in the same facility as wheat)
Bread
Cookies
Cakes
Cupcakes
Crackers
Any wheat/flour containing products

***If you're just starting out on a gluten free diet, again remember to breathe. This is a journey, and while it can often be frustrating, it will get easier.

Hopefully this list helped! If you have any other questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Two last tools to help you:

1. A few grocery stores with gluten free lists-Albertsons, Fresh and Easy, and Trader Joes. Did I miss any?

2. Som great places to eat out at-BJs Brewhouse, PF Chang's, Outback Steakhouse, In-N-Out, Panera Bread. Again, what did I miss?
*Just make sure you ask to speak to a manager, so that they will insure your food order is safe for you to eat. I know it's hard and awkward, but it's important to speak up about your health. Also, at In-N-Out if you tell them you have an allergy to the bread, they'll mare your burger as an allergy burger and keep it safe for you! Our store cooks it on a separate grill! :)

***As always, make sure you check and double check everything. These are some tips that I've found to be helpful, but always make sure you check for yourself as things are constantly changing,

Dodgers Stadium Gluten Free?

2012-07-03T15:24:00.001-07:00

Nothing like a baseball game on a warm summer day! This past Saturday we enjoyed a lovely game at Dodgers Stadium (well, Sunday's game would have been more lovely, since the Dodgers won!). We had perfect seats, reserved section behind home plate, and we were ready to enjoy some baseball.

For me, I was even more excited to enjoy a gluten free Dodger dog! I had heard that there was a complete gluten free cart complete with nachos, hot dogs, the works! I was so stoked to check this cart out!!

Much to my dismay, the cart was not what I was expecting. Turns out, there's a little store called the "marketplace" where you can purchase gluten free goodies.

Here's what I found.

While I think it's super awesome that they have a section with gluten free snacks, I was really disappointed to find that they weren't what you'd typically eat at a baseball game. No nachos, no hot dogs...

My suggestion would be to buy these snacks beforehand, at a much cheaper price, and bring them in with you. :)

One very cool thing though is that they serve gluten free beer here. So for those who like Redbridge, you can still have your peanuts and beer at a baseball game.

For the rest, make sure you eat ahead of time and bring your own snacks.

Luckily for me, we ate In-N-Out on the way and I brought water and a Larabar!

However, towards the end of August (I believe it's the 25th) Dodgers Stadium will be hosting a Celiac Awareness Night, which will mean more gluten free goodies!! At least for one night...

Rachel aka Gfreegal

Gluten Free Fourth of July

2012-06-27T07:52:00.005-07:00

July Fourth is almost here, and I've been busy collecting some fun dessert recipes to share! Well, I don't know if "busy" is the correct term to use. Thanks to Pinterest, I've had a place to collect them all.

Quick side note on Pinterest, if you haven't caught on to the craze yet, it's like an online "bookmarks" page with pictures! You can categorize your stuff and then easily find that page/idea you wanted to try. If you want to join Pinterest, just let me know and I'd be happy to send you an invite. :)

So, for this sweet collection, I've been saving recipes/ideas on my Gluten Free Holidays board.

The great part about this list is some are homemade desserts, while others just consist of fruit and a little creativity! Enjoy!

Fresh Fruit Pizza by Gfreefoodie

Pizza Recipe

Brownie 'n Berries Dessert Pizza from Betty Crocker

(perfect if you love chocolate!)

Brownies 'n Berries Recipe

One Minute Berry Ice Cream by Jaime Oliver

Ice Cream Recipe

Red, White & Blue Ice Pops from My Recipes

Ice Pops Recipe

Fruit Skewer American Flag from preschoolrock.com

(Sadly, the site is messed up for this one right now, but I'm confident in your abilities to create this).

Fruit Flag Link (currently under construction...)

Here's what I'd do: slice bananas, wash blueberries & strawberries, remove strawberry stems, and then skewer fruit according to image. It looks like you'd need a small crate of blueberries, 1-2 small crates of strawberries, and two bananas. :)

Lastly, here's some cute way to add a little festive decor!

Decor Ideas

Enjoy!!

We hope you have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July! Happy dessert making!

Breakaway Bakery Now Online

2012-06-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome tidbit of information I just received!!

Breakaway Bakery, which makes a delicious array of certified organic baked goods and breads containing NO gluten, NO wheat, NO dairy, NO casein, peanuts, soy or treenuts (vegan options available), is now available for purchase online!

As absolutely delectable as desserts come, Breakaway Bakery products are made from only organic whole grain brown rice – no flour blends, contain 400% less starch than most gluten-free products, are organic fruit infused, and free of all gums, trans fat and preservatives.

Breakaway Bakery is a family-run bakery that was inspired by a 3 ½ year old daughter who wanted her gluten-free mom to enjoy yummy treats.

~Isn't that just the SWEETEST story ever! :)

So, what are you waiting for? Check them out and order yourself (and your friends/family) some delicious treats!!

NoOodle Zero Calorie Noodles

2012-06-25T11:48:00.013-07:00

Groupon Pic

NOOOO!!!!!!!!

Saw a deal for these noodles on Groupon and I knew I had to immediately warn you about them!

Just run!

Don't click "buy," click "delete!"

Okay, well I should say this opinion comes from Crosby and me. And we can sometimes be a bit overdramatic. But, we like good food, so we may be worth listening to. :)

Here's the deal on NoOodle Noodles. They sound fabulous. Angel-hair noodles that are free from gluten, carbs and calories. They had me at the "angel-hair." But, then I was suspicious at the no carbs and calories. Totally one of those, "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is." Turns out these noodles are made from yam flour and water. Hmm...never heard of that before.

We were skeptics, but I was excited to go out to a nice italian restaurant, so a few months ago we tried these things (not quite sure how to refer to them?). We were in Santa Barbara enjoying a nice weekend away when I happened upon a cute italian place, Palazzio, that advertised offering gluten free noodles! Score! We called up where we were insured that not only did they have the gluten free noodles, but that they were these NoOodle noodles and guests seemed to enjoy them. We figured, why not.

Oh man! We had no idea what we were getting into.

Granted, I need to first say that the atmosphere and ALL the other food was exceptional! This place is really quaint (dark, romantic, wine vats to choose from around the restaurant). Best part, at 10pm everyone stops to sing "That's Amore" and drink wine!

For the food, we started with an amazing salad and bread (that I just smelled, but Crosby said it was heavenly, for all you non-Celiacs). I ended with a delicious decaf latte and rice pudding! Oh man, was that good!

The entree, however, was a bit different. Like I said, we ordered a pasta dish with NoOodle gluten free noodles. The dish came with chicken and sun dried tomatos, which we devoured. The pasta, however, not so much. It was really stringy with an odd taste and texture. We found that after trying to muster down a few bites (did I mention we had a MASSIVE serving sitting between us!), we both found ourselves gagging so we had to stop. Yes, it totally made us gag. We continued with eating a bit more of the chicken and tomatoes around the pasta and then had it packed up to go. I know, why get it to go? We felt bad. After a million questions from us, and then ordering a heaping serving, the least we could do was order it to go and then throw it away around the corner.

Can any of you relate? Or are we the only ones that have done that?

Anywho, all this to say, those NoOodle noodles were not our thing. I can't think of any other time in the past year or more that eating something has caused me to gag. Not even the funky green veggie juices I've been trying lately.

But then, that could just be us. I'm sure if they're selling, others must be eating them ok...just not us. :)

Help! How to Get Rid of Yeast?

2012-06-21T13:07:00.003-07:00

This one's candid...

I've been playing nurse the last few days as Crosby recovered from getting his wisdom teeth out. He took it like a champ, only needed a few Advil here and there. BUT, his stomach hated him! It was horrible! He's slowly feeling better, though, which is good. And, while he lost 4 pounds within the day after surgery, I have since fattened him up and he's gained 5! :) Hehe...lots of tomato soup, mashed potatoes, jello, pudding and ice cream!

Hopefully the worst is behind us.

Well, for his health, that is. I think my body secretly likes to maintain the role of "princess" because now we're rollin' back to my health. I went in to the doctor yesterday to find out the news on some tests I took, and OHH MAN!

Source

We knew there was more wrong with me than just Celiac (always tired, randomly bloaty/gassy, headaches, etc.), but we didn't know what.

Now we have some answers! Praise the Lord!

Vitamin & amino acid levels show that my body makes little to no energy (shocker! ~sarcasm). :) Must take new vitamins ASAP!
I'm apparently HIGHLY sensitive to eggs and should NOT be eating them (weird).
I've got a few other food sensitivities (I'll need to recheck that list...probably will have to keep it in my purse...I think there's like 10 foods on there). Did I mention my body likes to be a "princess?!?!"
Lastly, I have a HUGE yeast problem in my large intestine! Yowza! Ok, the Dr. paused before saying, "Well, I've seen worse..." We think she's lying! It's so bad that some treatment she would normally recommend won't work! Ahh... Now, she did send me away with Candistatin and I'll be going to another Dr (my current Doc is homeopathic) to get a prescription to help kill this beast!

So, my large intestine is plagued with yeast! I believe the "condition" is called Candida?!

{UPDATE} In further looking at my tests, it appears that I have an uncommon form of yeast/fungi (not Candida and other known forms). Haha, you know what that means?!?! I'm a weirdo! hehe...this should be interesting. BUT...good update is that I don't think I'll have to follow the intense Candida diet (like the crazy Candida cleanse I found! Can I get another "Praise the Lord!?!?" :) Hmm...we'll see how this goes!

In looking at some causes, I wonder if the years of not being diagnosed with Celiac, thus being sick and stressed all the time are what did this? Hmm...

Anywho, this means my new journey, is to figure out a diet that is free of:

Gluten
Eggs
Sugar
Dairy
And probably a bunch of other stuff...

Basically, I/WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!!

We have just set foot into this NO YEAST world. Any information, websites, recipes you can provide would be UBER helpful! Please post ANYTHING you know into the comments below. At this point, we're blind...

Thank you SOOOOOO much!

Gluten Free Breakfast Burritos

2012-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

I know we just posted a recipe on gluten free chicken burritos, but what can I say, we just can't get enough of burritos lately.
I think we're just so excited to have found tortillas that are pliable, tasty AND gluten free! It's a win, win for us!

This time, we made breakfast burritos for DINNER using Rudi's Gluten Free Fiesta Tortillas!
Breakfast Burritos
Ingredients

Fiesta Tortillas

Free Range Organic Eggs

Shredded Potato Hash Browns (frozen)

Ham Deli Meat (uncured from Trader Joes)

Shredded Cheese

Organic Ketchup (if desired)

Directions:
1. Butter a medium size skillet and scramble your eggs (you'll want about 1 1/2 eggs per burrito).
2. In another skillet (I've found non stick works best for this, we have a cool "earth" pan that I use!), pour 2 Tbls. vegetable oil, and heat for 3-4 min. Add desired amount of hash browns (about 1/2 cup per burrito). Cook for 5 minutes, turn, and cook another five minutes.
3. While hash browns are cooking, slice ham and shred cheese.
4. Once all ingredients are ready, pop tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds, and then fill with eggs, hash browns, ham, cheese, and ketchup.
5. Fold up burrito (this is the exciting part! It folds!! Only one small tear in mine!) and enjoy!

Now, in writing this post I've realized that our breakfast burritos totally lacked veggies!! Oops...that's what we get for throwing them together as a quick dinner.

So, my question of the day:
What veggies should we have used in our breakfast burritos?