Gluten Hates Me but i'm surviving

Days Like These

2009-11-10T14:38:00.001-08:00

…don’t come around very often! That would be a day off! Since today is my last day off of work until Thanksgiving Day…(wah), I decided to really soak up the relaxation! I started with a French Press:

Frothy! I paired it with gluten free oats, KERF style!

Her whipped banana method made for a SUPER creamy texture. One issue: I don’t really like the taste of bananas! I’ve always been an “eat them cause I know they’re good for me” kind of gal, so the hint of nanner was blech. However, the texture was SO creamy. I’m wondering if there is a way to get the texture without the banana…

After breakfast I enjoyed a leisurely morning of the Today Show and menu planning, followed up with a chat with my Mama and a grocery store run. Lunch was quick and easy:

Roasted Garlic Hummus and Grilled Cheese on Whole Foods GF Bread with:

Ch-ch-ch-cheetahs! Or Roasted Sweet Potatoes for all you non-Snackfacers.

Then I did laundry all afternoon! But I mean I really did laundry. I folded, pressed, and hung. But I did make time to snuggle with this guy:

He enjoyed his third nap of the day on a pile of Parrish’s clothes! :) He is the best snuggler! He likes to be the little spoon, but he makes for a warm companion. The only down side…he’s a snorer!

I also managed to squeeze in an episode of…The Young and the Restless.

Yes, I am a Y&R fan. Don’t shame me!

Plans for the night include watching Giada and making supper! I’m making gluten free Boneless BBQ bites tonight (recipe on the right). And then I’m going to make a fire and catch up on Google Reader! I live a wild life, I know! :)

What do you guys do on your days off during the week? I feel like they’re totally different than having a weekend day off!

FFWD and the giveaway winner!

2009-11-06T17:32:00.001-08:00

Today started with:

a non-fat peppermint white mocha in a reusable mug ;)

But it should have started with oats. Today was a big day for me at work and I really should have had a bigger breakfast. But it wasn’t in the cards from the moment the alarm went off. It was a sluggish walk to the shower and then way too much time was spent waking up. So I had two GF Van’s MINIS and my Starbucks.

One of the neat aspects of my job is that we’re not only a non-profit working to help artisans and families in developing countries, but we’re a retail store. We sell fair trade items to help the artisans. And this time of year, we host off-site sales at different places of worship in our community.

Today was my FIRST off-site sale! It was a blast. It was truly sell, sell, sell from 11am until 5pm! I barely had time to snack on these beauties

MmmmHmmm PURE bar! Love it!! And fresh from the NC mountains:

Chomp. Chomp.

But by 4pm I was running on mere fumes and a positive attitude! What kind of fool was I thinking this was enough food?! By the time I finally made it out of there, I stopped at the Whole Foods on my way home and grabbed a bowl of lentil soup. Why no picture? Well, I DEVOURED it at an amazing rate.

So tonight I will be making a proper lunch to enjoy tomorrow at work (as we’re having our ONE SALE of the year!!!) so that I can healthfully make it through my day.

But before I head out I better announce the winner of the CSN sponsored Rachael Ray bakeware set!!!

I loved reading your emails and comments! I didn’t think it would be too hard to find a product in their 200+ stores that you would like!

And the winner is Anna!

Anna said...

how cool are these "lazy" spoon and ladle - by rachael ray, of course! they rest on the side of a pot or bowl so as not to drip on the counter! and i love the lime green color that goes with my kitchen! {http://www.csnstores.com/Rachael-Ray-51684-RRY1102.html}

Congrats Anna!!! Email me at marlowapril at glutenhatesme dot com to claim your prize!!

And MUCHO thanks to CSN for sponsoring the reader giveaway!!

We Go Together Like Apple and Bacon

2009-11-04T17:26:00.001-08:00

Do you guys love or hate Daylight Savings? I seem to have a love/hate relationship with “falling back”. I hate that it’s dark when I get out of work, but I love that my body has been tricked into going to bed earlier. I woke up extra early this morning, “bright-eyed and bushy tailed” as my Daddy would say. I even had enough time to make oats!

Look at that sunrise in my bowl!

Gluten free sunrise!

When Nature’s Path emailed me and asked if I would give them feedback on their new line, I of course said yes!! And I am SO glad I did. I really LOVE this cereal!

Look at those little guys! I’m always jealous of gluten lovers and their whole grain cereals. I LOVE Gorilla Munch, but it’s a one-note sensation. This cereal has big bits and little bits. Love it!

On my way to work (hanging my head in shame) I stopped off at…Starbucks. I know, I know. I did manage to fit it into my budget, but I still feel totally guilty and over indulgent. That is, I feel that way until the smooth latte hits my lips. (“It feels so good when it hits your lips” Old School! anyone?)

Today was NO exception my dear friends, because I had my very first EVER non-fat Peppermint White Mocha!

Love that holiday cup! Why has no one ever told me about this drink? It makes the pumpkin spice latte look like…warm milk. It was ABSOLUTELY delicious!

Work was work today. I felt like I was swimming in shipments today, but with help from my volunteers we stayed afloat. All afternoon I was looking forward to spending some Quality Time with Parrish tonight (…and Modern Family, Cougartown, and Witches of Eastwick). :)

For dinner we made a meal that goes together perfectly, just like us. A gluten free grilled cheese with bacon and green apple!

Smoked Provolone, Applegate Farms Sunday Bacon, and a green apple

This idea came from Tyler Florence by way of Paula Deen. We changed up the cheese because smoked provolone was on sale, but it was still SUPAH tasty!

I used the George Foreman to heat the sandwich, and we served it alongside a bowl of Roasted Red Pepper Soup.

0% Plain Fage swirl. Too good to be true!

*********************

Don’t forget to enter into the CSN sponsored Rachael Ray bakeware

GIVEAWAY!!!

Most things (gluten free) fall apart

2009-11-03T17:02:00.001-08:00

This is our second week abiding by a planned menu for nightly suppers, and so far Parrish and I are really diggin’ it. It’s nice to have the groceries bought for the week on Sunday and it’s saving us a TON of time! When I was mapping out the menu this past Sunday, I noticed that most of the meals I was planning involved chicken. So I searched out a meat free meal and found this recipe for black bean burgers.

So I de-glutened it!

I made my own gluten free bread crumbs using the Whole Foods Gluten Free Sandwich bread. I doubled the bread crumbs in the recipe and doubled the garlic too!

Gluten Free Black bean burgers in the making.

The mixture felt really loose when I made the patties, so I froze the patties for 30 minutes before cooking.

Yeah…they just fell apart. They tasted delish-us, but it just crumbled. Was it the gluten free bread? The beans? (Ideas?) I dunno, but I just pattied the cooked result onto my bun and carried on!

They were super tasty. (Although I am feeling a bit ~~gassy~~ effervescent)

We had plenty of leftovers, so we’re going to make black bean tacos for lunch tomorrow!

**************************

You have only a few days left to enter into the CSN sponsored Rachael Ray

bakeware GIVEAWAY!!

Date Night

2009-11-01T17:59:00.001-08:00

(Don’t forget to enter the CSN store GIVEAWAY!!) :)

Even when you’re engaged, it is still be fun to plan a date night! A few days ago, Parrish proposed a date night and of course I said YES!!! This morning we looked over the movie schedule and talked about restaurants, but nothing seemed appealing. Being gluten free and dining out can be hard, and in all honesty I really wasn’t in the mood to educate a server on the ins and outs of being gluten free. Plus, thinking about digestive issues is not very romantic!

So today I suggested that we make homemade gluten free pizzas, using the Whole Foods 365 Gluten Free Pizza Mix. In celebration of date night, we decided to open a bottle of wine Parrish bought for me in Oregon.

In September of 2008, I surprised Parrish with a trip to visit one of his best friends in Oregon for a week. While he was there, he managed to find some time to squeeze in a few winery tours (tough life). :) I love the label because it has two hearts

Love!

The last time we made pizza, we went for the basic recipe: cheese and pepperoni. Tonight we were a bit more inventive. Our inspiration:

Green Olives! So we made a white pizza, with olive oil, garlic, grilled chicken, feta, and green olives. We also sprinkled on a bit of mozzarella and thyme for good measure!

Good thing I’m marrying a former pizza maker! Parrish rolled out the dough and helped with cooking times. I would like to say it was a team effort, but I really just helped in the prepping of toppings…and ate a few appetizer olives.

The result:

Tastiness

(Don’t worry Mama I will TOTALLY make this for you!)

The pizza was great! The crust is good, but the toppings were dee-vine! You may remember that the first time we made pizza using this mix, I commented on how the directions were a bit confusing. Well, not anymore! Whole Foods updated the instructions and there was no confusion this time!

Cozy! (…that may or may not be a grill spatula…I mean, fireplace spatula)

Cozier! :)

**************

GIVEAWAY!!!

Don’t forget to enter in the CSN sponsored Rachael Ray bakeware giveaway! I’ve loved reading your comments and emails! CSN is DEF a site where you can daydream! I love the bright colors used in the entire Rachael Ray line.

Trick or Treat…or GIVEAWAY!!

2009-10-30T19:27:00.001-07:00

Hello ~~lover~~ butter :)

10 tbsp of butter to be exact! This is how my day ended, and this is how my day began

I can’t believe it’s not butter nooks and crannies!

with a side of syrup (one tbsp) – TASTY!!

These minis get super crispy, unlike most gluten free waffles PLUS they’re on sale right now at Whole Foods! 3 for $8 :) Got room in your freezer?

Work was busy today. Tomorrow we’re having a HUGE chocolate event at our store. We’re sampling every flavor of Fair Trade chocolate we sell PLUS the staff (all 2 of us!!) and our volunteers are creating chocolate dishes to share. Which brings us back to the butter:

Flourless Chocolate Decadence from the Joy of Cooking

This is the delicious treat I’m making tomorrow. Lucky for me, I received a package in the mail today that helped me create these little beauties. AND lucky for you, they’re my next GIVEAWAY!!!

GIVEAWAY

Rachael Ray Yum-O Bakeware Set!!

Yum-O Bakeware is Rachael Ray's approach to bakeware...with a creative twist that's all Rachael! With each purchase, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Rachael Ray's charity Yum-O!, which was created to empower kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking.

3 Piece Bakeware Set Includes:

10" x 15" Cookie Sheet
6-Cup Jumbo-Muffin Pan
9" Square Cake Pan

Features:

Extra wide handles for a confident grasp
Comfortable silicone grips add a splash of color
Long lasting nonstick aluminum, inside and out
Oven safe to 500° F

I know right?!? If you’ve been reading this blog long, then you know that I LOVE Rachael Ray. I’ve always wanted to try her bakeware, so when the kind folks at CSN stores contacted me about doing a giveaway I said HECK YEAH!!! and of course I would need to “quality control” a set for myself! :)

Have you guys ever heard of CSN stores? Talk about stop shop! CSN consists of 200+ stores, carrying everything from counter stools and pub tables to this INSANELY cute Burton backpack!!!(hint hint Parrish hint) Not to mention their BIG variety of Rachael Ray cookware and bakeware! I also really love Rach’s little ramekins!! Too cute.

The pans are just as awesome as I thought they would be! I almost took a picture of my old bakeware… but it’s too embarrassing. Let’s just say they’re gross and leave it at that.

Want a set of your own?

Leave me a comment or send me an email with one product from CSN that you would love (that shouldn’t be hard!!) and you’ll be entered to win.

Want a second entry? Post the giveaway on your own blog, facebook, or twitter and get an additional entry! Just leave a second comment with the link to your post!

A winner will be chosen VIA the random number generator on Friday November 6th at 7pm.

Good LUCK!!

I’ll let you guys know how the decadence turns out and Happy All-Hallow’s Eve!!!

Hocus Focus

2009-10-28T17:33:00.001-07:00

This is TOTALLY a drive-by posting, but Hocus Pocus is on ABC Family right now, and well…I pretty much wait for this to come on all year!! (Maybe someone should buy me this movie for Christmas…hint hint Parrish hint)

I just wanted to announce the WINNER of the Tablespoon.com giveaway!

#5 Amy!!!

I'd try the Chocolate-Orange Cake recipe:
http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/chocolate-orange-cake-recipe/2/
And, I'd share, Spaghetti Casserole -- it is better than it sounds!

Congrats!! Email me to claim your prize! (And send me that spaghetti casserole recipe!!)

Rainy Season

2009-10-27T16:43:00.001-07:00

This morning I awoke to sunny skies and a brisk chill. Imagine my surprise when I saw this on the morning news:

This is my ~~dramatic~~ accurately drawn representation. And the weather certainly delivered. By the time I drove home tonight it was wet and rainy.

I was looking forward to coming home tonight to enjoy our first planned meal on our menu: Chicken Tacos!

Taco Seasoning can actually be pretty hard to find gluten free. Parrish has made it from scratch in the past, but it always take a bit of time to get the flavors spot on. However, in our local Harris Teeter I found Taco Fresca taco seasoning by Nueva Cocina. It even says Gluten Free on the package!

The directions ask to add tomato paste, but we’re not that fancy. We just add 1/3 cup water, and it’s still super tasty! Ground chicken is our taco meat of choice. Lower in calories and fat; PLUS we can’t taste the difference!

Exciting music related news! This came out today:

Love it! It will never replace the soundtrack to Once, but it’s still SO good! I may or may not have impulsively purchased it at Starbucks…

In other music related news, Parrish and I are going to see Mike Doughty perform tonight! So excited!!!

Don’t forget to enter the

giveaway!!! One day left!!!!

Autumn Day All the Way

2009-10-26T14:57:00.001-07:00

Having lived in Wilmington for 7 years, I had almost forgotten how beautiful autumn can be. On the way to the grocery store this morning, I spied this beauty at the end of our driveway:

Gorgeous!

At the grocery store, I purchased the items needed for this week’s menu":

Funnily enough, it’s only day one and we’re already off schedule…but for a good reason! Parrish’s sister-in-law Liz is celebrating her birthday today, and so we’re heading over to their house for supper. :)

Since I was off today, I decided to try a recipe in the new issue of:

this cute little recipe book that Pillsbury publishes. The recipe that caught my eye:

I can’t post the recipe because I didn’t change many items. But if you’re a cookie lover, I highly recommend purchasing this publication.

I left the ginger powder out of my batch and substituted the all-purpose flour with 365 Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix. The ingredients are pretty simple:

Crystallized Ginger :) Sweet and Spicy!

Most gluten free cookie dough comes out super sticky, but this was a very pliable dough.

The cookies cooked great, and I was pleased with each batch. But let me tell you the best part.

Browned Butter Icing is the BEST icing I have EVER tasted. EVER. Super easy to make and absolutely scrumptious!

Little bites of autumn…and heaven!

I made an extra batch to take to the birthday girl. :)

However, the icing on top of today was an autumn walk Parrish and I took complete with fall inspired flannel:

and a crisp Redbridge!

Max was more than a little excited!

I’m off to clean the kitchen quickly so we can head out to see the birthday girl!

Don’t forget to enter into the

first giveaway of the week!!!

Wilmy Weekend

2009-10-25T17:29:00.001-07:00

RECAP!

Our road trip to Wilmington started out like…this:

LAME! 4pm traffic on a Friday in Raleigh is no bueno. PLUS the white truck in this picture was driving like an idiot. I was a ball of nervous traffic energy! Luckily it didn’t slow us down too much, and we made it to Wilmington just in time to visit with friends!

We had planned to meet a group for happy hour, but we were a few hours behind. Our friends graciously kept happy hour going for us…all night long!

We moved locations a few times. We even managed a pit stop at an old fav dive bar:

Our last stop was this great pub in downtown Wilmington: The Goat and Compass. We always have a ton of fun there. The weather was great, so we sat outside and played card games just like old times!

I am the sole gluten free gal in the group, so while my friends “enjoyed” PBR, I enjoyed Firefly Sweet Tea.

We were had fun reminiscing and partying like it was 2005.

Alex and Carl were quite good at Texas Hold’em.

On the way home Alex informed me that she had a slightly freezer burnt gluten free pizza in her freezer :) but of course being the old lady that I am, I promptly fell asleep as soon as we got to her house!

If you followed my tweets, you saw that Saturday morning consisted of the necessary basics:

1. Port City Java

2. Farmer’s Market

Parrish and I caught up with my best girl Krista and her too-cute for words son Zigmas. Alex was working at the Farmer’s Market, but as soon as she was finished we went to lunch at Flaming Amys! Home of the BEST salsa EVAH!!!

Fresh tomato, Pineapple Jalapeno, and Green Tomatillo

PLUS their chips are 100% corn thank you very much!

We spent the afternoon touring my bestie Jessica’s new beach chateau and we may have made a second stop at Port City Java. (They make a Crème Brulee latte that is pretty much the best)

For supper Saturday, we went to Parrish’s mom’s house to celebrate her birthday and enjoy food with the fam. Emily and her husband Jeff are always CRAZY supportive of me being gluten free, so I never have to worry about what I’m eating. Speaking of eating:

Emily’s Gluten Free Lasagna!! Recipe coming soon :)

Tasty! Everyone was a member of the clean plate club, so of course we got dessert! Emily has the perfect view of dessert: something really good in a small amount!

A Wilmington Classic: Carolina Tarheel Toffee SOOOOO good. Simple Ingredients: Butter, Sugar, Milk Chocolate, and Almonds. We each enjoyed a piece, and some went back for seconds. :)

Yeah, we cleaned that plate too.

This morning we woke up and met Alex, Krista, and Zigmas at my FAVORITE breakfast spot in Wilmington: Saltworks.

Coffee, Water, and the Funnies. Just like old times :) Diner food at its best!

It was a whirlwind of a weekend! Super quick and definitely not a long enough visit. As soon as Parrish and I parked the car at our house, we were a whirling tornado of cleaning. Team work gets it done faster! :)

Now we’re relaxing by a fire and I’m enjoying a cup of my FAVORITE tea!

**Not all of Celestial Seasonings teas are gluten free, so ALWAYS read the label!! :)

Nutcracker Sweet is like Christmas in a cup! Love it!!

I’m off to plan our menu for the week! Parrish and I are experimenting with planning our meals for the week in advance. My sister and her husband are stupendous savers, and they plan their meals for the most part in advance. Hopefully it will work for us too!

**************************************************

Don’t forget to enter the first

giveaway of the week!!!!

Let’s get this party started

2009-10-25T12:21:00.001-07:00

WHHOOOOOSH!

That was this weekends trip to Wilmington! If you follow me on Twitter, then I hope you enjoyed my tweet pics from my new Blackberry Storm! It was fun to be able to add pics to updates.

We just got back home to Chapel Hill, only to be greeted by an overly needy dog and a bit of a messy kitchen…which I may or may not be responsible for. So my recap weekend post will have to wait for tonight BUT I did want to go ahead and get our week of giveaways started! (Yes…there will be MORE giveaways this week, including the BIGGEST Giveaway EVAH on this blog!)

This exciting giveaway comes to you from those kind folks at MyBlogSpark and a new interactive recipe website from General Mills: Tablespoon.com!

When you visit Tablespoon.com, you can:

View more than 25,000 of the best recipes on the web
Share recipes easily on places like Facebook and Twitter

When you join Tablespoon.com, you can:

Add your own recipe creations
Create your own version of existing recipes that suit your taste.
Save up to $80 every month with printable coupons from brands you love Rate, comment, and save the recipes you try

Bonus! And if that wasn’t enough, if you add your recipes to Tablespoon, your recipe and profile could be featured in a Tablespoon newsletter, which is sent to thousands of subscribers! (Bloggy Love!!) The Tablespoon team will select some of the highest rated member submitted recipes to be featured in the weekly newsletter. If your recipe is highly rated, it could even be the main feature!

Now for the giveaway!

To enter, leave me a comment or an send me an email, with a recipe from Tablespoon.com you would like to try, and the name of your own recipe you would like to share. I’ll choose the winner Wednesday at 6pm! :)

Winner, Winner Gluten Free Chicken Dinner

2009-10-20T18:08:00.001-07:00

Phew! Where do I begin with this week? Wait…is it only Tuesday?! I’ll start with today and work my way backwards :)

Today was DAY ONE of no Starbucks. Last week I went to Starbucks E-V-E-R-Y S-I-N-G-L-E day!! That’s around $25, and NO, I am not made out of money. The stress of working 10 days in a row was sitting in the back of my mind, and I was using that as an excuse to spend WAY over my budget. I currently budget one Starbucks a week. So I made a French Press at home today, and while it wasn’t the same…it kept me energized until around noon. (Starbucks will keep me going until 2pm)

So knowing that I may need a bit of extra energy this morning, I gave my oats a boost:

Pumpkin Pie Oats!!

I used the entire container of yogurt, which made the oats a bit soupy, but they were still great! The yogurt did have 20 grams of sugar which didn’t thrill me, but the taste was spot on.

We’re gearing up for the holidays at work, and we received a shipment of 28 boxes today!!!

Cuh-razy. I love my job, but having only two staff members (and Executive and Assistant Director) is HARD! Even though I had volunteers for each shift today, my boss ended up staying late and I’m going to go in early tomorrow!

I ate my lunch at 2pm, standing over the computer printing price tags. So for supper tonight I wanted a Southern Standard.

Gluten Free Fried Chicken Tenders

Dredged in beaten egg and Beth’s Gluten Free All Purpose. Tasty!!

Monday was a blur. I spent all day checking in inventory and re-packing inventory for an off-site sale at a local church. We do about a dozen off-site sales during the holidays, so I’m only beginning! It’s a great opportunity for us, and it’s helps spread awareness of fair trade; so even though it’s a lot of work, I can happily pack with a smile on my face. :)

I worked ALL weekend (the hump of my 10 day stretch), but Sunday night was just as fun as I thought it would be.

Parrish and I went over to his brother’s house to celebrate his wife Katie’s birthday. I was giddy all day on Sunday because I’m pretty much in love with Katie and I couldn’t wait to give her presents!

PLUS her husband (Parrish’s brother) Chuck is AHH-mazing in the kitchen! Sunday morning I packed my camera charger, because I wanted to be sure that I would have enough battery to document the entire meal for you…

…yeah, I forgot to pack my camera.

Ugh.

So my words will have to suffice…although they can never describe how delicious this meal was.

The starter was a large chilled shrimp wrapped in a leaf of wilted basil and cured prosciutto, served with a wedge of lemon. !!!

The meal was STEAK!! Steak Sundays are back!! Chuck created a rub with freshly ground salt and pepper, thyme, sage, and rosemary. He rubbed the steaks SUPER well, and placed them on a HOT grill. That way the rub chars on the edges, preserving the flavor. SOOOOOO good. He served it with roasted potatoes (favorite) and button mushrooms cooked in red wine.

Oops, my mouth is watering!

I wish you guys could have been there. It was divine. I am thoroughly convinced that there restaurant steak can’t hold a candle to steak cooked at home. It’s all about the rub.

This week will be over before we know it, and that’s exciting! Parrish and I have a trip to Wilmington planned this weekend. PLUS, exciting for you, next week will bring about the most exciting giveaway…EVER…posted on this blog!

Fly By

2009-10-18T06:30:00.001-07:00

Eesh, it seems like these past few days have been nothing but

Wake Up, Shower, Oats, Starbucks, Work-Work-Work, Commute Home, Supper, Bed

While work has been awesome lately and really exciting, my eating life has been pretty…boring. I’ve been revisiting past recipes like the Grown Up Macaroni and Cheese, but I’m excited to branch out more this week. I have the latest edition of Cooking Light (it called to me from the check out line) and there are a few recipes that I hope to make this week.

I did make two exciting discoveries at Trader Joes:

Don’t misunderstand, I am a LARA Bar girl for life, but I’m always up for trying new things. And as I wrote last week, my work life is only going to get crazier between now and January, so I have to get a little creative when it comes to eating on the run.

So far I’ve only tried the thinkThin White Chocolate Chip

It was SUUUUUPER sweet. Which actually worked out because I was craving a chocolate bar, but I was only able to eat half. Plus it was 215 calories, and I really only needed a 100 calorie snack.

In unrelated to food news, I’m SO excited because tonight we are celebrating my sister-in-laws Katie’s birthday!! :) I had hoped to celebrate with her on her actual birthday, but she was under the weather. Tonight is bound to be a great time because her husband is an AHH-mazing cook (think Top Chef) and they’re both incredibly warm and funny folks. Expect a FULL recap tonight!

Ahh, I almost forgot to mention:

Parrish and I did get Blackberry Storms last night!! Looooong story that I won’t bore you with, but getting these phones has been a month long process, but last night at our local Verizon store I had the BEST customer service of my life! $400 later, we walked in with two used Storms and left with two new Storms, but it was no biggie. Parrish and I are happy and we’ve both been a little geeked out playing with our new phones!

Carrot Cake Oats

2009-10-15T06:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was my mother-in-laws birthday! Parrish and I miss living in the same town with her…don’t be jealous when I tell you this…BUT I hit the mother-in-law JACKPOT! Emily is fantastic! Sweet, caring, thoughtful, and funny, she is divine! I know my sister-in-laws agree with me. We’re pretty lucky to have her! Parrish and I will be making a trip to Wilmington at the end of October to celebrate with her. Maybe Parrish will make her steak with brown butter! :)

Yesterday was another crazy busy day at work! I’m realizing that the closer we get to the holidays, the crazier it’s going to get. I’m going to have to rethink my lunches. I need something that will sustain my energy and fulfill my hunger, but be able to be eaten in less than 10 minutes…preferably standing!

Breakfasts are going to be VERY important. It’ll be hearty gluten free oats every morning until at least January! And in all honesty, until this week, I didn’t quite understand how important toppings are for oats!

Gluten Free Oats with leftover GF carrot cake…no icing!

Hmmm…I think I may have that again today! Late day at work today. I’m going to need a Green Monster on the Go to get me there :)

The Little Things

2009-10-13T17:35:00.001-07:00

Today started like this

Tall, non-fat White Mocha no-whip – only 2 shots today :)

Being that I was sick last week, I knew that today would be…less than calm, but I have to say, it was pretty crazy! Exciting but crazy.

By the time I was on my way home, I was worn out. I wanted one thing for supper. And in all seriousness when the thought crossed my mind, I couldn’t believe it. I wanted a hot dog.

I made a quick stop at Whole Foods and picked up

I can’t even remember the last time I had a hot dog…I’m thinking it may have been last December at a birthday party. I remember snacking on a delicious dog, and Alex telling me that they had buns…yeah, she forgot I couldn’t eat them :)

The buns were EXPENSIVE! Over 6 dollars for 4 buns. Crazy expensive. But I figured that if it has been almost an entire year since I’d had a hot dog, I was going to have one on a bun. The buns were great. Best served piping hot from the microwave.

Tasty!

I didn’t even look at the calories and fat on anything! I wanted to enjoy this meal for exactly what it was, my once a year hot dog, with no worries!

*********

So you may have read in my tweets last night, that Parrish and I had our first fire in our fireplace! It was awesome! Super cozy. Ok. BUT tonight our den smells like the inside of a campfire! Any ideas? I guess I’m going to go ahead and sweep up the ash…hopefully that will help!

It’s ALL about Ella

2009-10-11T15:32:00.001-07:00

I started this weekend with my favorite bowl of gluten free oats. Rolled oats prepared with water with a sprinkle of cinnamon and one tbsp. of brown sugar. So warm and So good. I woke up wanting this bowl. I don’t often crave warm oats until the weather really chills; are you guys like that? I’ve always wondered if cereal sales see a decline in the winter.

My plan was to leave super early Saturday morning for Ella’s birthday party, but when my alarm went off I woke up feeling really crappy. So I opted to sleep a bit more and see if it would pass. It definitely helped, but even today I still feel very head coldy.

Good thing the party was SUPER fun!!

Ella never stopped smiling! I’m not sure if she realized we were celebrating her first birthday, but she definitely enjoyed her house being so full! (I can’t believe it has been a YEAR!! This seems like just yesterday!) My sister and I joke about how much Ella LOVES gluten, so much so, that I nicknamed her Lil Gluten Loves Me.

And her birthday cake did not disappoint!

She was beside herself in excitement!

Yeah…it was terrible :)

Even at such a young age, she’s already a GREAT sharer!

Come on Alex…you know you want some! Her hands are definitely clean!

Yummmmmy!

While Ella couldn’t share her cake with me, my sweet Auntie did!!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake!! Simply Organic GF Carrot Cake Mix

I may have mentioned before that Celiac Disease runs in my family, and my two favorite aunties have been gluten free for years!! Their guidance is the ONLY thing that led to my getting tested.

Aunt Jeanie, me, my sister Joan, Aunt Suzanne

While my sister is not gluten free, she has a whole host of food allergies, so she totally gets it! Luckily for me and my aunties, my sister always goes to great lengths to ensure that we can eat at family functions. She even made a rockin’ GF corn soufflé! The carrot cake was ahhmazing. Moist with just the right amount of spice, and don’t even get me started on the icing!

The best part of the party was actually the After Party! (of course) When we got to play with Ella in a much smaller group. Much like her Aunt Alex…

Ella LOVES blocks!

She tasted each one very carefully to ensure it’s safety.

So. Stinkin’. Cute.

Tonight is Sunday Grill Night, which means that Parrish is in charge of supper :) I can’t wait to share whatever delicious treat he comes up with. Wonder if he’ll top his last supper?

TGI-Feelin’ Good

2009-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am SO glad that I am finally feeling good! I’m so thankful that I was able to get enough rest and hydration to knock it out quickly. I really missed work :( I know, I know I love my job…I’m not ashamed!

PLUS this weekend is pretty much jam packed with AWESOME-ness. I was going to be DE-pressed if I had to miss out because I was sicky.

First off, Saturday is my niece’s FIRST Birthday Party!!

Baby Ella aka Lil’ Gluten Loves Me

My bestie Alex is coming up tonight for the party! Alex is my Maid of Honor and my bestie sister Joan is my Matron of Honor. I LOVE getting to hang out with the two of them. BFF Weekend…Honor Weekend…maybe this weekend we should try to think up a clever name for our trio of besties. :)

Alex and I are going to ride to the party together on Saturday morning. You know what that means…

ROAD TRIP

Okay, it’s only two hours away but still; the last time we road tripped together…

we traveled a bit of it lap style. :)

Since Parrish and I have moved, I miss getting to see Alex everyday. She is hilarious. Plus, she’s taking her maid of honor duties very seriously! On my last trip to Wilmington, I accidentally left a bridal magazine at her house. She dutifully mailed the magazine back to me with a few of her notes:

!!!!!

Some of the notes were sweet:

And some were honest:

Some notes were short:

Others were…long…and rambling:

Just enough bossy:

But ALL hilarious!

This weekend will be a blast! I’m still going to be on super hydration vitamin C duty and I will def have my fair share of green monsters.

Expect a vlog from the birthday party!

Sicky

2009-10-08T11:01:00.001-07:00

Forgive the blurriness…not quite sure what I was thinking there!

Time for more naps, a hot shower, and then…more google reader!!

Under the (gorgeous) Weather

2009-10-07T07:34:00.001-07:00

Before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease a little over a year ago I was CONSTANTLY sick. I had a ton of sinus infections and it seemed that even though I was taking allergy medicine, it never worked.

Since my diagnosis, I have been super healthy. I am very aware of keeping myself healthy. After being sick for so long, I never wanted to go back. I even shelled out the $30 bucks for a flu shot this year. I was determined to make it through this cold season unscathed.

:( It didn’t work. Yesterday I had a full blown head cold. And this morning I woke up feeling like my head was underwater. I called in to work (which I HATE to do because I LOVE my job) and I have an appointment at the doctor this afternoon. I’m 99% sure that I have a sinus infection, but I just want to be sure.

Until then it’s OJ, Hot tea, and tons of water. On the positive side, it’s a gorgeous day today. Beautiful weather always makes me feel better. And I LOVE this Yogi Tea. The blend of ginger and cardamom is tasty. Plus I love the little message on each bag!

Love it! Now it’s back to bed and back to my water bottle!

Goodbye Gourmet

2009-10-05T17:52:00.001-07:00

On the way home today I heard on NPR that Gourmet Magazine is going to be no more. (Also on the chopping block: Cookie and Modern Bride; read here)

Little did I know that at the exact same time I was listening to this story, Parrish was at home preparing HANDS DOWN the most delicious meal I have ever eaten.

Filet Mignon basted in Brown Herbed Butter

I often eat delicious food. If you’ve read my blog even for a week, you’ll notice that almost all my meals deliver tasty reviews. But the meal that I enjoyed tonight stopped me in tracks. I literally let each bite melt in my mouth. The outside was crispy…the steak was tender. It’s now an hour past, and I would totally do the entire meal all over again!

He served it alongside pillowy mashed potatoes with garlic.

I wish you guys could have been here.

And the winner of the FUN Giveaway is…NUMBER ONE!

Jenn said...: My fav childhood snack is eating rice milk & gluten free cookies.

Congrats Jenn!! Email me with your mailing address to claim your prize!!

*************

Happy Birthday to Amy!!

I have known Amy for close to 5 years. I first met her when she and her husband Mack moved to Wilmington and she began working at the Food Co-op.

I quickly fell in love with her easy going personality. She is sweet to her core and always up for anything. She is autumn personified.

Plus, She’s only girl I know who looks gorgeous in a skort…

And a mustache.

I LOVE YOU AMY!!! I am so thankful to have you in my life. I wish I could have been there for your birthday, but I can’t wait to see you soon!!

Times are changing

2009-10-02T19:17:00.001-07:00

How could I not be in a great mood when I wake up to this everyday?

…and this :)

The weather here is REALLY changing! It was SO cool this morning. I LOVE the cooler weather, but it certainly makes it hard to get out of the bed in the morning. I missed my run this morning…I’m blaming my comfy sheets and warm blanket. How do you guys motivate to run when it’s chilly out?

Work was great today. My sciatica was really bothering me, but I tried to make time for stretches. On my commute home I drove towards the most beautiful sunset.

I was excited to get home tonight; I was looking forward to supper!

Gluten Free Tofu Pad Thai!

A new restaurant opened in Chapel Hill a few months ago called Twisted Noodles. They have had a very successful Durham location for years, and I am SO glad that they expanded. (Although it’s def worth driving for) They’re super in the know about gluten free, and their tofu is TASTY! I made sure to have a small serving tonight (it is pan fried) and I had enough left over for lunch tomorrow!

While enjoying our supper tonight, Parrish and I watched Twilight. I know, I know. You’re either thinking “You guys haven’t seen that yet?” or you’re thinking “You guys saw that?”. Well, in all honestly, we thought it was pretty good. The beginning was a little slow and I kind of felt like the Bella character held her breath the entire time, but it was pretty entertaining. We’re both excited about New Moon.

I have to work tomorrow, so it’s nearing bedtime for me. The Soup is on (hysterical) but hopefully I can peel myself away before 11pm…not likely. :)

Don’t forget to enter into the fun GIVEAWAY!! I love reading your comments and emails…yeah, I’m a comment addict, I’ll admit it. :)

GIVEAWAY!!

2009-10-01T18:45:00.001-07:00

My Blogspark strikes again!!

The kind folks at Betty Crocker now guarantee that these FUN snacks are gluten free, and they’re giving away ONE fun pack to ONE Lucky reader!! The giveaway includes one box of Create-A-Bug fruit snacks, one Variety Pack of fruit snacks, a Frisbee, a light up yo-yo, and pick up stix!!!

To enter, leave me a comment or send me an email with your favorite childhood snack. I’ll choose a winner October 5th at 7pm. MyBlogSpark will send the winner their own Fun Snacks Prize Pack! Good luck!

The show was SO much fun last night!! I LOVE getting to see Alex. Love that girl!

Sorry for the short post, but I’m working on an “About Me” page to be posted soon!

Free Day

2009-09-30T08:12:00.001-07:00

Life has been pretty busy this past week. I’ve been working non-stop, and my eating habits have been pretty…habitual. There have been lots of these:

Green Monster in the making! But mostly on the go:

Packed lunches are essential for me when I have a busy work schedule. Being gluten free, I don’t have a lot of fast food choices. Plus, when I pack my lunch, I control the nutritional content!

Parrish and I did make time this past Sunday to go on a hike. The weather is really changing here. It’s been so nice after living in Wilmington for 7 years to actually have a “fall” season.

My best friend Alex is in town today, so I took the day off. We’re off to explore Carrboro and go to Urban Outfitters! Then tonight we’re going to see a band that we both LOVE: Ra Ra Riot

See you guys tomorrow for a fun day recap and a FUN GIVEAWAY!!!

Marlow:1 Gluten:ZERO!!

2009-09-23T18:42:00.001-07:00

Do people ever ask if you cheat? One of the most frequent questions I get about being gluten free is: “Do you cheat?” And my answer to that is always, of course, NO!!

And then I laugh (because it’s funny) and I explain that being gluten free is not a fad diet to me. I tell them about how eating gluten makes my tiny little doo-dads in my stomach attack each other which leaves me feeling extremely tired, poopy (literally), and don’t forget the MIGRAINES. Plus my body is unable to process any food and it won’t even absorb any medicines.

At this point in the conversation the person either looks bored (because they weren’t listening), appalled (because I mentioned poop), or TOTALLY interested (because I’m an interesting person!). Then most times I will say this, “but I do miss mozzarella sticks.”

I dream about mozzarella sticks. Dipped in tomato sauce, ranch, or honey mustard. Breaded or battered. I LOOOOVE them.

So yesterday, after I had cleaned the kitchen, I decided to experiment. There really is nothing like a clean kitchen to motivate me to messy it.

Results?

Success!! :) To make Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks you’ll need:

String Cheese sticks (I used Sargento Light Mozzarella)

2 eggs

1-2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour (I used Beth’s)

2 tbsp. Italian seasoning

Vegetable oil for frying

Cut the cheese sticks in half. You’ll need one small bowl and one medium bowl. In the small bowl, scramble the 2 eggs. In the medium bowl, combine the flour and the seasoning. Then Dredge!

Place the battered cheese sticks in a casserole dish and be sure that they aren’t touching. Cover in plastic wrap and place in your freezer for at least 2 hours. This ensures that the batter sets and the cheese won’t ooze out!

Deep fry until crisp! I pretty much pulled all of mine out right before and right as a tiny bit of cheese came out. The next time I make these I’ll time it and take the temperature of my oil. I honestly didn’t think these were going to turn out, so I didn’t think I would be sharing the recipe!

But boy oh boy, did they turn out!

Served with tomato sauce and ranch dressing :) I was out of honey mustard

New Top Chef tonight! I still don’t know who I’m rooting for but I sure do love those brothers!

Punkin’

2009-09-22T12:08:00.001-07:00

For over a year, I have been an avid reader of Megan’s Munchies. Megan is not only adorable, but she is a regular kitchen genius! Most of her recipes are not gluten free, but she always offers me inspiration.

With the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Megan began posting recipes with a pumpkin theme. Last year Megan posted a ton of pumpkin recipes, and in all honesty, she opened my eyes to the fact that pumpkin is NOT just for pie. And so I baked my FIRST pumpkin recipe, and as it turns out, not only I was able to enjoy it!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins

You’ll need:

1 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour (I used Beth’s)

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cup pureed pumpkin (the ingredient list should be just pumpkin, no spice)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk the pumpkin, oil, eggs, pie spice, sugar, baking soda, and salt until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Then add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until just combined.

The batter will be THICK. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and spray with cooking spray. Drop in a spoon full of batter and smooth the top. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and then bake for 25-30 minutes.

Tasty! These would be great with a Maple Cream Cheese icing. The next time I make this recipe I think I’ll try using a mixture of raw sugar and brown sugar. But I was more than pleased with the recipe!

Gluten Free and GOOOOOOOD!