Gluten Hates Me but i'm surviving

Exciting Weekend Up Ahead!

2012-05-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Thank GOODNESS for a long weekend!

With Memorial Day coming up, I’m out of class Friday through Monday which means…

no more Face Time with my hubby! Instead I’ll be getting real one on one face time, and I couldn’t be more excited about (Mi esposo es guapo y tonto.)

And a long weekend means no more packed lunches for a few days!

Not that my smoothie, wrap, and blueberries aren’t delicious BUT I would love to eat a meal while not walking from one building to another.

And yes, I do have school work to do this weekend BUT it will be nice to do said work in the comfort of my home, with these little angels in the room.

Dos perros amarillos

Honestly this week of school has been eye opening for me. I’m getting a real taste of what my upper level courses are going to be like in the fall, and I’m understanding more why I was advised that 3 courses in one month would be hard.

But even more, I am seeing how strong of a person I can be. Although I’m not sure I could do this without the support of my husband, in-laws, and friends, I have been stretched and pulled mentally and I haven’t had a complete melt down!

Plus it feels really good to be back in an academic environment. While of course I used my brain everyday working for a fair trade non-profit, nothing uses your brain quite like analyzing a piece of literature line by line. Love it.

Thank you guys so much for your supportive comments and emails. I’m sure it’s been a little different around here (on the blog) too BUT hopefully we can all get through this together.

Easy Vegetable Mac & Cheese

2012-05-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

I wonder if water chestnuts have any nutritional value…

These are the questions I ask myself when I’m in the shower at 5:30 in the morning. Well, in between missing my hubby and listing adjectives in Spanish of course!

Monday afternoon, after 7 1/2 hours of class, I drove to the local Harris Teeter with the intention of buying gluten free macaroni and cheese. I had been starving ALL dang day, and all I wanted was something filling and cheesy.

Comfort food no?

But as I stood in the aisle I began to feel guilty about the lack of…color. So I grabbed a bag of steamed veggies and called it a meal.

Bonus points: One bag and one box equaled three meals.

Super Bonus Points: This sat in stomach for a few hours and left me feeling full and happy!

Look at the colors! Amarillo, anaranjado, verde ….blanco…queso.

Ok fine. Cheese is not a color, but it is a necessary ~~evil~~ yumminess.

Seriously though, at least I got some veggies in there. I feel like one of those kids that you have to trick in to eating her veggies. Actually…I AM one of those kids! I like veggies…some veggies…and I know they’re important. Whatever works!

Just in case you were wondering, one quick search in the internet machine and I found out that water chestnuts aren’t just a filler. They are in fact a good source of fiber and Vitamin b6.

Yay!

Weekend Wrap Up

2012-05-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

So…I’ve only actually had ONE full day of school, but I’ve already read one entire book and written a paper on it, read two Shakespearian plays, and gotten up to page 100 in my Spanish book.

Phew.

I had heard summer school was fast but man alive. This is like school on steroids with a jet pack slapped on.

Luckily my in laws have been life savers. Feeding me and letting me stay in their super nice, SUPER quiet house. Keeping me company when I need it and letting me study non-stop. I had a great weekend of getting things done. Just imagine me right here:

Reading, writing, and habla espanol-ing. Could be worse

My weekend meals consisted of things I can eat and read at the same time.

Wrap Numero Uno: Rudi’s GF Fiesta Tortilla with pimento cheese and spinach

YUM. So good! Know what would have made it even better? Bacon. (what else!)

Wrap Numero Dos:

Rudi’s GF Fiesta Tortilla Wrap stuffed with leftover grilled chicken and a schmear of hummus, string cheese, and spinach. Super fancy y’all.

Paired with carrot chips for the win!

For the sake of transparency: Carrot chips are not potato chips. I want to go on record that YES I would have rather had potato chips. Potato chips are deliciously tasty. But they make me feel sluggish and I ALWAYS over eat them. Plus the fat and calories…not to mention greasy fingers are not great for reading.

So carrot chips it was.

And since my lunch was pretty healthy, I rounded out the nutrients with some good ol’ Vitamin D.

Study picnic!

So obviously I’m eating well. And I would say that right now I feel good about school. I mean it’s taking a ton of work but I don’t feel overwhelmed. I am however feeling incredibly…sad. And lonely.

We all knew this was going to happen right?

My best friend (the husband) is two hours away! And while I do have MOH, Amy-lou, Kreesta, and other great friends here in town, I honestly have too much work to spend much time away from the books. Plus they all have their own respective grown up lives with boyfriends, pregnancies, kids, and husbands.

I also just miss my house. Silly no? I miss my morning routine. I miss my puppy roos. I just miss regular ol’ me.

But onward and upward.

Hoy es lunes y es un nuevo día. Meaning, today is Monday and it us a new day! I’ll be in class from 8am to 3:30 all week and then it’s a long weekend which equals a trip home!

I can do this. I can do this. Puedo hacer esto.

Most Viewed Recipe EVER

2012-05-18T07:04:00.001-07:00

Are you going to the Farmer’s Market this weekend?

I don’t know about you guys but I really look forward to the summer farmer’s market. I mean, I love lettuce, spinach, and kale from the cooler months…

BUT give me tomatoes and strawberries!

And it’s funny because out of all the recipes that I have written on this blog over the last (nearly) four years, the MOST viewed page is for a Potato Pizza Crust covered in a harvest of tomatoes! A recipe that came from bestie and is oh so easy to make.

It’s also the recipe that I get the most emails exclaiming how delicious and easy it was to make.

So this my challenge to you: Go to the farmer’s market. Buy fresh tomatoes just off the vine and some newly dug potatoes. Make this dish. Email me and we can both wax poetically about how delicious it is!

Recipe: Who Needs Pizza – Easy Potato Crust

You’re guaranteed a good weekend with this on your menu!

I have a nice little weekend planned to! Plenty of reading…

The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Willams

Plenty of riding….

Elliptical with Harry Potter = The easiest 300 calories burned ever!

And plenty of chatting…

Max is always hammin’ it up on Facetime.

TGIF!

What about you? Favorite farmer’s market purchase? Favorite recipe using fresh veggies or fruit?

Para Comenzar

2012-05-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

To begin.

A simple phrase. Just two words really, but when said together: “to begin”, this phrase seems huge to me. I’ve been preparing for today for months.

I procrastinated when I should have been packing…

I ate gluten free caramel mango chicken when I should have been cleaning…

Hazel…well…she certainly didn’t help.

But ready or not, school starts today! I am officially a full-time, non-traditional student living 2 hours away from her husband. (say that three times fast) And even though classes didn’t start until today, I already had homework!

Is it legal to assign 35 pages of reading (in Spanish) before class even starts?!? And yes, I am asking about the legality because it sure feels like a crime.

Cross your fingers, send your prayers, and make a wish for me today. And hopefully I will somehow figure out how to eat a lunch in 15 minute spurts in between classes!

Gluten Free Sandwich Wraps!!!

2012-05-16T04:46:00.001-07:00

For the past few weeks I’ve been trying to put the hard life choices and the tough decisions out of my mind. It’s almost as if I’ve been in…

denial.

Denial is a lovely thing, but then you get to the day before you need to leave to go down to Wilmington and there isn’t much time left. You’ve haven’t even started packing and your husband is going to be home any minute, expecting you to cook him a delicious celebration supper.

Yes. Denial is a lovely thing but I can no longer live in it. I’m heading to Wilmington today for my first leg of the summer school marathon. I already have work assigned even before class has started! (Anyone want to help me read 35 pages in Spanish?)

Luckily I haven’t been in denial about everything involving this life change. In particular, I have given lots of thought to food!

With only 15 minutes in between my classes and a schedule that lasts from 8am to 3:30pm, I’m going to literally need food that I can shove in to my face while booking it to the next classroom. And it’s going to need to be GOOD FOOD that keeps my brain working and my tummy full!

Enter: A Wrap!

Rudi’s gluten free Fiesta Tortillas stuffed with homemade veggie cream cheese and lean turkey!

When Rudi’s emailed me about reviewing their new wraps for the blog I was excited but skeptical. We all know what corn tortillas really are….dry and easily broken shovels for food.

But these wraps are not made with just corn, they’re loaded with whole grain flours like brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, and millet. And because of this awesome combination, these tortillas ARE NOT dry and brittle.

These tortillas are soft and malleable!

I popped mine in the oven at 400 degrees for about 3 minutes before making my wrap (I don’t have a microwave) and it worked perfectly!

I seriously couldn’t be more excited about these wraps!

EVERYTIME I go to the grocery store I give a quick scan to the section where the Flat Out wraps are, holding my breath and crossing my fingers that they’ll come out with a gluten free wrap.

Wish granted!

For the above wrap, I mixed ~3 tbsp. of minced cucumber with ~3 tbsp. diced cherry tomatoes with 1/4 cup Neufchatel cream cheese. I spread this in the wrap and then added in a serving of lean turkey and wrapped it up!

YUM.

I foresee sprouts, spinach and pimento cheese getting wrapped up in these all summer!

What about you? What would you wrap up in a tortilla?

EASY Strawberry Shortcake Bites

2012-05-15T06:05:00.001-07:00

Do you love strawberries?

I LOVE strawberries. Sliced in oatmeal, a smoothie, or just plain for a snack, strawberries are one of my favorite summer fruits!

With my upcoming classes, I wanted to make something fast and easy that I could literally ‘pop’ in my mouth when I’m on the go. Plain strawberries are great, but seeds in the teeth don’t exactly make a great impression.

PLUS we all know that I am a self proclaimed lazy baker. I’m just not good at it; so I needed a recipe that was easy to follow with a little bit of wiggle room.

Recipe found!

Strawberry Shortcake Bites – gluten free

adapted from Dashing Dish

You’ll need:

2 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1 1/2 cup strawberries, diced, and patted dry

1/2 cup diced strawberries to stud the tops of the bites

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

You could make these in large cupcakes like the Dashing Dish, but I LOVE making small bites of baked goods to better help me with portion control.

Start by combining all the ingredients except the strawberries in a food processor. Process until the batter is creamy and the oats are pretty much broken apart.

Sort of like chunky peanut butter.

Pour in to a mixing bowl and add in 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries.

Mix well.

Spoon the mixture in to your desired baking platform. I used a silicone small bites sheet, sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Once spooned in, stud the top of each bite with the reserved diced strawberries.

For small bites – Bake 15 minutes

For larger cupcakes/muffins – Bake 20-25 minutes

Eat right away with a small smear of butter or pack away and take them on the go!

I love how the strawberries keep the little cakes moist and add a punch of tart sweetness.

And this batter is pretty versatile. You could add dark chocolate or white chocolate chips for a more dessert-like option.

I know you’re going to love these AND luckily this recipe makes a bushel!

Because you’re probably going to want to share!

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Happy Tuesday!

I just received an email and as it turns out I have 35 pages of reading and studying to do for summer school before classes even start on Thursday! Bah!!

Kindness Macaroons and Other Confessions

2012-05-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

Confession: I haven’t gone to the gym for the past two days. Instead I’ve caught up on Desperate Housewives, played with my puppies, and taken the time to blow out and curl my hair.

I don’t regret this.

Confession: One of my customers at the store brought in chocolate macaroons just because she had some extras.

If you’re thinking about moving to NC, I would highly suggest Durham. I’ve seriously never lived in such a kind and loving community.

Confession: The above macaroons were delicious…and I need to go to the gym tomorrow.

Confession: I made this semester my b**ch.

Get ready summer. I’m coming for you.

Confession: Everything is better as a slider.

Last night’s BLTs turned in to mini BTC sliders, and they were awesome.

Bacon, Tomato, and Cheese on Schar GF Baguette Slices – YUM.

Confession: After writing this post I may be rethinking my decision not to head to the gym this morning. Just sayin.

Confession: TGIF! I have to work today and tomorrow…and then I don’t have a job anymore! Bah!

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Previous Confessions:

Tank Top Binges and Other Confessions

Hidden Valley Ranch is Gluten Free

Everything’s Coming Up Cherries

2012-05-10T04:32:00.001-07:00

Most mornings I am the first one awake in the Ravelli household. Even Hazel has started to sleep in more and more.

So what pulls me out of bed so early while everyone else is snoozing?

(Besides having to pee….)

It’s this tiny little red light.

A tiny little red light that tells me that coffee is ready and waiting for me!

However this morning as I enjoyed my morning coffee, I had a GREAT idea. Possibly…one of my best ideas ever.

Strawberry Chocolate Cherry Protein Smoothies!!

You’ll need:

Makes 2 servings

1 cup frozen cherries

1/2 to 1 cup Strawberry Kefir

1 cup milk or milk substitute of your choice

2 scoops chocolate protein powder (I used Biochem Whey Protein in Chocolate Fudge)

1/2 tbsp. Chia powder – optional – for fiber

Blend Blend Blend

Devour!

Seriously, why have I never thought of this before?! Sweet. Chocolatey. Smooth.

Delicious!

Cherries are considered a super fruit, bursting with antioxidants and I love the flavor they bring to this smoothie. Coupled with the strawberry in the kefir, it’s the perfect blend of sweet and tart.

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Happy Thursday!

I finally caught up on Gossip Girl! Eeeeeeeeeeee. The Season Finale looks good!

TONIGHT: New Office! AND BLT’s with kale chips

Sometimes, it takes a Sister

2012-05-09T07:41:00.001-07:00

I’ve been struggling with this blog post since yesterday afternoon.

I usually have little trouble writing because there are literally dozens of times in a day when I think “Ooh. I should blog about that.”

But this week has not been filled with those moments.

This week has been filled with moments of “Aww shit. I need to remember to tell Katie (my replacement at work) about that.” and “Countdown to leaving Parrish..6 days”.

Not to mention the CONSTANT pain in my neck: literally. I have had a crick in my neck since Sunday. I hate cricks because they make everything so much harder! Conversations, driving, working, exercising…all of these become ten times harder when you can’t turn your head from side to side.

And with everything that’s going on, I’m also constantly harnessing my willpower so that I don’t find myself in a spiral of emotional eating. Reminding myself that bad food makes me feel worse.

I was feeling pretty low last night as I watched the news briefing about the Amendment 1 situation here in NC and as I sat in bed in front of this computer I just couldn’t think of anything to write about.

Then bestie called.

I’m not even sure if she knows when she does it, but my bestie has a real knack for making me feel better. If anything she grounds me. She reminds me not to take myself too seriously. And most of all she loves me, and makes me laugh like no one else.

Bestie and I were talking about her Pinterest last night. In particular, the fact that almost nothing on her Recipe Board is healthy!

She says to me, “Uh huh. There’s that recipe for collards!”

I then pointed out the proximity of her collards to pin to…others.

Mostly the proximity to Funfetti Cake Batter Chex Mix!

In her defense, bestie is incredibly healthy. And she has a real talent for taking an unhealthy recipe and making a few tweaks to better the nutrition. She’s also good at keeping it all in balance.

And just like that my foul mood was gone. I was laughing on the phone with bestie and forgetting about the stress in my life right now. Sometimes laughter is even better than exercise.

So friends, hopefully tomorrow’s post will be a little more…exciting? Delicious? Entertaining?

But for today, I just wanted to thank bestie. I’m lucky to have you.

Chipotle Cheat: Burrito Bowl

2012-05-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I made something for supper that I should have made WEEKS ago!

Seriously. Chipotle is good but I’m going to be honest with you guys.

My bowl is better!

Local chicken marinated in Mojo Criolo for 10 hours – grilled to perfection

Quartered grape tomatoes

Two avocados smashed and blended with my immersion blender – then mixed with 1/4 cup diced red onion, the juice of three limes, and one tbsp. chopped cilantro. Finished off with a pinch of salt.

Wild brown rice cooked – then mixed with 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and the juice of two limes

0% fat Chobani Greek yogurt

Finished off with one tbsp. of Mexican Blend Cheese

The flavors meld so well together!

I was almost to the end of bowl when I remembered – THE BEANS!

I was totally going to add black beans, but completely forgot them. Whoops. I’ll add them in to my leftovers for lunch today.

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Thanks for the book recommendations!! I now have a great list of must – reads

Happy Tuesday! I’m off to eat breakfast and ~~catch up on last night’s Gossip Girl episode!~~ Edited to Add: Nope! No GG for me, I’m off to vote!

Gluten Free in Raleigh, NC

2012-05-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

Since this past weekend was one of my last weekends in what Parrish and I are calling “Normal Life”, we spent lots of quality time together hanging out with friends and puppies. Saturday we decided to drive in to Raleigh and visit the Museum of Natural Sciences and we just happened upon an AMAZING restaurant!

The Remedy Diner in Downtown Raleigh!

137 East Hargett Street Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 835-3553

Tons of vegan options and you can get most anything made gluten free.

And no, that doesn’t mean off the bun. They have gluten free bread yo!

The above BLT with applewood bacon and avocado had the most delicious dollop of homemade vegan ranch! This sandwich was HANDS DOWN so dang good that I literally did not let it out of my hand. I ate every bite on my plate and was so completely satisfied!!

AND as it turns out, this is the restaurant that MOH ate at the last time she was in Raleigh and told me that I had to go there.

If you’re in the triangle of NC you MUST go to The Remedy Diner! And email me and I’ll meet you there!

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Since I finished my Anthropology final this past Thursday (and scored a 94 what what!!) I have ACTUAL FREE TIME to read for pleasure!

Do you have a book you would recommend that I read before I begin summer classes in ten days?

Keep in mind I read the Hunger Games series over winter break. LOVED them!

Recipes for the Weekend: Cool Salads

2012-05-04T04:17:00.001-07:00

I don’t know about you guys, but here in North Carolina, we are starting to FEEL the heat!

Today especially! Hello 90’s, I wasn’t expecting you for another month but that’s cool. I actually am loving the warmer weather. I’m trying to embrace the heat we have now because I know that in a about month we’ll have the humidity to go along with it!

So with the warmer temperatures, I’ve been going back through the archives, looking for recipes to cool off! So long hot soups – hello cool salads!

Caesar Salad with Homemade Dressing

BBQ Macaroni Salad

Quinoa Corn Salad

Summer Tomato Salad

Cilantro Shallot Vinaigrette

Want more?

Recipes for the Weekend: Summer Veggies

Recipes for the Weekend: Juices and Smoothies

Recipes for the Weekend: Welcome Home Edition

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Any big Cinco de Mayo plans?

Durham has a ton of YUMMY Mexican Restaurants, including Dos Perros, where I’m hoping to convince Parrish to take me for lunch!

I’m off to the gym (YMCA) before work. I can’t believe that next week is my last week at work. AHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Tank Top Binges and Other Confessions

2012-05-03T06:01:00.001-07:00

Confession: I did in fact only eat popcorn for supper last night (shout out to my Facebook friends) but somehow the kitchen still looks like this:

Confession: In doing laundry this morning I realized that not only do I have more than a few Long and Lean Target tanks…

but I also have two white.

Confession: No matter what I do…I can’t seem to keep this Peace Lily alive.

And yes, it’s had water this week! I’m going to try to re-pot it this weekend. Fingers crossed that works!

Confession: These gluten free cookies sent to me by Butterfly Bakery are absolutely delicious.

I may or may not have eaten a couple every night this week for dessert with a glass of milk!

ALSO please note that I have long and lean tank tops that match their logo!! Nerd Alert.

Confession: Max and Hazel have been spotted sleeping closer and closer to each other lately. I think they may start snuggling! Although…

Max seems to be getting the short end of stick on this arrangement.

Confession: Parrish loved the dressing from supper this week so much that he has asked me to show him how to make it!

Vinaigrette for the win!

Did you miss the last round of Confessions? Hidden Valley Ranch is Gluten Free

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Happy Thursday!

I’m taking my Anthropology final this morning and then I am FINISHED with school…for a week and a half.

AND the IKEA Giveaway winner has been posted! Check here to see if it was you!

EASY Cilantro Shallot Vinaigrette

2012-05-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

So…from nachos to salad?

Yep. That sounds about right.

But this isn’t just any salad. This is a salad with ‘Hands Down’ the most delicious homemade dressing I’ve ever made!

Boom.

And really…most bottled dressings are just flavors and high fructose corn syrup, but for some reason making them homemade has always intimidated me. Silly right? (PLUS bottled dressings are a gluten mine field. Be careful!)

Intimidate no more!

I followed Linda Wagner’s recipe for Cilantro Shallot Vinaigrette – found here.

So easy and SO GOOD!

Some tips:

To measure out a tablespoon of cilantro, just grasp the leaves in your bottom three finger and tug. This is basically a tablespoon.

If you have a blender bottle – use it to make your dressing! It shakes really well and makes it easy to mix. AND if you’re using a blender bottle, turn the lid upside down and squeeze the lemon juice into the lid.

From there you can pick out the seeds or open the spout a crack and the lemon juice will leak out – leaving the seeds in the lid!

Parrish and I enjoyed baked sweet potatoes with our salad. I devoured mine with a giant, heaping, serving of 0% fat Greek Yogurt.

I also added in a tablespoon of cheddar to my spud. Cheddar makes it better yo!

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Bah!

I have less than two weeks left at my J.O.B. and actually, two weeks from today I’ll be heading down i-40 to Wilmington.

Stress?

Yeah. I’ve got some of that.

But I wanted to say thank you so much to everyone who has sent me uplifting, sympathizing, empathizing, advising emails. And that really means a lot to me!

What’s better than Nachos?

2012-05-01T04:36:00.001-07:00

I told you guys that the suppers this week were going to be easy! And nachos has to be one of Parrish’s favorite easy meals.

But last night’s batch was out of this world delicious!

I started by rinsing a can of cannellini beans and then mixing the beans with a packet of Nueva Cocina taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Once coated, I let the beans soak for 10 minutes, then poured the mixture into a small baking dish and baked at 450 for 20 minutes.

While the beans baked, I sautéed thinly sliced onions. Once those finished I sautéed quartered cherry tomatoes with minced garlic until tender. While the tomatoes cooked, I chopped an avocado into bite size bites and then mixed with 1/4 cup cilantro minced, the juice of one lime, and a pinch of salt.

For the chips I used a combination of Utz Corn Tortilla Chips and Late July Sweet Potato Chips. I spread the chips out on a baking sheet and then covered them with a thin sprinkle of Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar.

On top of the cheese goes your tender beans, caramelized onions, and tomatoes. Then top with a final sprinkling of cheese and bake in the 450 degree onion for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Out of the oven, top with your avocado/cilantro mixture.

And just like that – You’re finished! Serve with plain 0% fat Greek yogurt and your favorite salsa.

You could change up this recipe in any way, and I could almost guarantee that it will be delicious! Chip + Cheese = delicious!

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Don’t forget to enter to win your own IKEA frother! Click here to enter!

IKEA GIVEAWAY!!

2012-04-30T04:05:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was one of those days where I woke up with the motivation to get things done! Lately it doesn’t seem like I have these days as often, so I embraced it and whirred around the house like the Tazmanian Devil checking ‘To Do’s’ off my list!

Dusting: Check!

No dust bunnies here! I dusted every surface in our house, which took over two hours!! Here’s a tip: When an English major marries a Poetry major, you end up with WAY MORE books than one couple will ever need! Donate, donate, donate! Otherwise, it will take you over two hours to dust!

Capiz Chandelier hung: Check!

I FINALLY hung this gorgeous capiz chandelier in Parrish and I’s bedroom! Now I just need to take down the paddles on the fan and give them a neutral coat of paint.

Hat hung: Check!

Last weekend I was able to choose one of my Papa’s hats and I chose this truly awesome white cowboy hat. If you had ever had the pleasure of meeting my Papa in person, most likely he would have been wearing a super cool hat like this. I love it.

Portfolio Finished: Check!

I am finished with my Creative Writing class! I had to turn in my portfolio of completed works (one non-fiction, one fiction, and one poem) by Tuesday. Since I’m a NON-TRADITIONAL student who has a full-time job, I went ahead and banged it out yesterday! Woo hoo to not waiting until the last minute!

Grocery List for the week: Check!

I love making menus, and while this week isn’t the most exciting week of meals, it is going to be easy! I start training my replacement at work this week, so the days are going to be a bit longer. Easy suppers will make that less stressful.

After making the menu, I went to the store and bought the necessities. Once home, I went ahead and sliced and diced all our veggies for the week. It’s so much easier, and I love it when I have the time to make that step happen.

Delicious Supper: Check!

Kale Chips with The BEST gluten free chicken nuggets ever!! This is what happens when you’re so busy getting things done that you forget to eat lunch! But seriously, I love those nuggets!

So how was I able to stay so motivated today? How was I able to harness that much energy?!

COFFEE!!

Yummy, FROTHY coffee that kept me running all day. I bought a little $2.99 frother at Ikea last weekend. BEST purchase. Yum!

And of course, when I bought one for me, I also bought one for you!

GIVEAWAY!

You could win an Ikea frother and make your own deliciously frothed treats at home! Not only for coffee, this little whiz also makes your homemade dressings perfectly assimilate!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED.

The Winner #11: Carli Goeman! Congrats Carli! Email me to claim your prize

Share Your Story with Gluten Hates Me

2012-04-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

May is Celiac Awareness Month!

AND as a person who has Celiac Disease, I can honestly say that I LOVE hearing other people’s gluten stories!

WHICH is why I am now looking for guest posts!

Email me a gluten story.

It can be how you were diagnosed, a funny incident, a life changing Celiac moment…whatever! Be creative!

And I’ll share it with everyone on the blog!

Visit the Contact page for email info and I can’t wait to hear and share your stories

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Happy Friday!

I got my hair did!

Ummm I LOVE my new hairdresser! He’s amazing. I went in and told him to chop it all off because it was just too dang heavy. Instead he took out all the weight a bit of the length but left me with an easy cut that’s not hard to style!

Better pictures soon

Hidden Valley Ranch is Gluten Free & Other Confessions

2012-04-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

Confession: I impulse bought $10 animal print flats at Target…

AND I love them! Even though they totally show off my scar from wearing cheap Old Navy flip flops all the live long day.

Confession: I was so distracted by this week’s episode of SMASH that I accidentally stayed on the Step/Liptical for 50 minutes…

and burned 560 calories and nearly ate my arm at lunch. But seriously: I love that show.

Confession: I also LOVE the new show Best Friends Forever

Source

Seriously, I want to move in with these hilarious ladies and be the third best friend. Q is amazing.

Confession: I’m getting my hair cut today….like CUT cut.

Adios long a** hair that is constantly tangling, getting caught in my bra strap, and weighing a ton.

Confession: These Udi’s Muffin Tops are just plain delicious. That’s really less of a confession and more of a fact.

Confession: I planned BLT’s for supper last night and then I realized that I had forgotten the L and the T’s were moldy. So all I had was the B. OH and we’re out of cheese. So bacon on gluten free bread sans everything?

Nope.

Confession: I ate a giant cheeseburger for supper last night…

and it was delicious. Only Burger on an Udi’s gluten free bun.

Good thing I spaced on that machine and burned those calories.

Confession: When I read this press release about Hidden Valley dressing labeling their gluten free products…I squealed. Out Loud. In the middle of a coffee shop.

PRESS RELEASE

Oh, don’t worry about me professional business lady waiting for your morning latte. I’m just waging a war against gluten and winning some Ranchy battles. No big.

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CONFESS!

Comfort Food and GLEE

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I was talking to bestie last night about how we’ve both been cooking nothing but WARM comfort food.

Maybe these chilly temps have something to do with it…

or maybe it’s the MOUNTAIN of stress that’s sitting on my shoulders from my upcoming HUGE LIFE CHANGE?!?

Maybe both.

Either way, I followed up Monday night’s Alfredo with another plate of warm comfort!

Cheesy Chicken Wild Rice Casserole

This was a recipe from Pinterest that I’ve been dying to try. You can find the FULL RECIPE here.

Changes I made:

- I only used 16 ounces of wild rice cooked

- I used 1/4 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour for the cheese sauce

YUM.

Cheesy, Creamy, Chicken-y

This supper really hit the spot. And I took advice from many of you, and I ate this on a salad plate.

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Any GLEE fans out there?!

Holy cow. Last night’s episode was so dang sad!! Whoosh. Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since I graduated high school….

Gluten Free Creamy Alfredo

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Yesterday was a LOOOONG day. Going away for the weekend was cuh-razy fun but now I’m up to my eyeballs in laundry and gunk that needs to be cleaned! Not to mention a BIG project at work that needs to be finished by Wednesday.

By the time I made it home last night I wanted COMFORT food! It was a chilly, gray day in Durham, so I was of course craving carby goodness.

Creamy Alfredo with Sautéed Mushroom and Kale

I know what you’re thinking. Man Marlow, I don’t see much about pasta on the blog.

Yep. You’re right. There’s a very good reason for that. Pasta is delicious and it turns me in to a Carby Monster who eats half a box and regrets it in the morning. So I make it sparingly. And when I do make it, I start with a salad and pump it up with veggies.

I wanted to add roasted tomatoes to this dish, but alas, they were moldy

Best part about the above bowl? It took less than 30 minutes to throw together!

I used Schar Tagliatelle gluten free pasta and Classico Alfredo Sauce for short cuts. Sauteed the mushrooms on low for 15 minutes and then threw in the kale.

The key for me with kale: Chop it up! I chop it tiny, so the bites are more mellow and less bitter.

Have you tried Schar pastas? I found this when I was at bestie’s house. Her Earth Fare stocks the best gluten free products. They are slowly but surely becoming my new favorite brand for carbs! Between that gluten free baguette and this noodle, they’re making their mark!

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Off to the gym! I’m going to need that energy!!

Award Winning Recipe: Gluten Free!

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Guess who’s side dish won first place in the BB competition this past weekend!?!

Who says gluten free food isn’t yummy?!

That’s right friends. Yours truly won the Mama’s Blue Ribbon Fancy Fixin’s Competition this past weekend with a gluten free recipe; with over half the votes, I don’t think anyone actually realized it! And yep, BIL won for the TOP PIG award!

It was a version of THIS Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe, with just a few small tweaks. Instead of 100% Greek Yogurt, I did half yogurt – half light sour cream. I also added crisp bacon and used bestie’s fresh chives instead of scallions. I’ll share the new version here, with pictures, soon.

Funnily enough, the sides dish competition is in honor of my Grandmother and I came up with this recipe when she was being moved to hospice and I needed a dish that would travel well. She must have been looking out for me!

I wish I had pictures of the amazing food we had at our Competition, but I was too busy snapping pictures of my beautiful family. These are the memories I’ll want to have for years to come.

Cousins Chloe, Lil’ Gluten Loves Me, Gabriel, and Liam

Baby Liam is SERIOUSLY photogenic!

My sister Susan and her beautiful family

My Sweet Aunties

Marlow Siblings! Uncle James,Auntie Suzanne and Jeannie, My Dad, & Auntie Carolyn

Precious time spent with little ones who grow too fast!!

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Happy Monday!

It was SO hard to get out of bed this morning!! We’ve had a little bit of a cool front here in NC. That means TWO cups of coffee

Fitness Fridays: Sweatin’ to the Oldies

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Exercise is definitely something that I have grown to love in my life. I love the way it makes me feel, and I’m always looking for new ways to get in a good sweat session.

Keep it fresh right? Otherwise I get bored EASILY.

And even though I’m always trying new things, there are some exercises I would love to try but haven’t gotten to yet.

Workouts I WANT to try:

AND there are some workouts that I absolutely DO NOT WANT to try!

What about you? Are there workouts you want to try? Have you tried some of my wants?

Have you tried some of my don’t wants?

Days like these…

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that start with an Isn’t She Lovely waffle in five minutes flat!

Oh yes baby! This breakfast is back and MORE delicious than I remembered!!

Days like these where you’re able to cram in a really good sweat session:

My Y got these new elliptical/stair climber hybrids. Oh boy.

remind you what you wake up early for!

Days like these,

where you further prove that the world does NOT need bread (or gluten for goodness sakes),

That’s right! I wrap my meat in cheese and dipper in mustard. Done and done.

are like tiny triumphs at lunch time. Tiny delicious triumphs!

Days like these, where my husband is a good sport, and accompanies me to a musical…

even though he doesn’t like musicals. AND halfway through he whispers to me, “There are too many songs!” To which I whisper back, “Honey. It’s a MUSICal!”

But in the end, we both loved it! It was positively hilarious and peppered with AWESOME cheer stunts! Really a great show.

And the perfect way to end the day.

Because days like these remind of how lucky I truly am. Simple things in a day that measure up to a happier, healthier me.

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Happy Thursday! It’s my Friday today, and by the time we chat tomorrow morning I will be with bestie, BIL, and Lil’ Gluten Loves Me!

FAMILY TIME!!

How many ways can you top a chicken?

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How about six?!

This is a new recipe inspired by….

Pinterest!

Yeah, you knew it was coming

Monterey Chicken!

Tender, juicy chicken smothered in a smoky BBQ sauce, Colby Jack cheese, Spicy tomatoes, green onions, and crispy bacon.

Serve with a salad, greens, or even a baked potato. You could even make it into a sandwich Just serve it!

Monterey Chicken inspired by All Things Simple

You’ll need:

boneless skinless chicken breast – however many you want to make!

BBQ sauce (I like Moore’s Honey BBQ – gluten free baby!)

diced tomatoes with green chilies**

colby jack shredded cheese

scallions – diced

bacon – cooked and crumbled

**I couldn’t find any tomato – green chili combos that said gluten free on the can. However, I did find a can of diced tomatoes and a can of green chilies that said it on their own. So I combined the two! Also, I used mild chilies.**

Start by cleaning your chicken and then grilling it off! Grill the chicken breasts until cooked. I grilled mine on a George Foreman because as it turns out, we were out of gas for our grill!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a cookie sheet, lay your grilled breasts. Cover the chicken with BBQ sauce, enough to cover the top – not drench. Then sprinkle on a bit of cheese – again, to cover not drench. Then add the diced tomato/chili combo – about 3 spoonfulls to cover the top. Then cover with more shredded cheese.

Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

Once out of the oven, top with the crumbled cooked bacon and scallions.

YUM!

This dish immediately scored a “Ooooh. This is good” from Parrish. And it warmed up beautifully the next day for lunch. I was skeptical from all the different flavors going on top of this grilled chicken, but hey, it works!

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TGI-Wednesday!

Eesh, am I the only person who feels like it should be Thursday already?

Maybe I’m just ready for the weekend because it’s my family’s BBQ competition this weekend! WOO HOO!!!

Remember the last one?

SO GOOD.

Happy Humpday!