Eating out ...

It's inevitable, the day will come that you don't feel like making a meal - you just want to eat out...you want to sit down in a restaurant and be waited on.  It used to be such a carefree and easy experience - decide what you're hungry for, find the closest restaurant that fits the bill, get a menu and pick what sounds the best!  I will admit eating out has me...it's hard to sit in a restaurant and smell the wonderful aroma of gluten laden foods...it's hard to watch the food go by and even harder to sit down with others and watch them order something that just a few years ago I too would have never thought twice about ordering.

I must say, we don't eat out much at all any more.  I'm sticking with my theory that when it comes from my house, and I've been in control of the ingredients we are all going to feel much better.  However, I do enjoy the social aspect of eating out and have such fond memories of great food - and so therefore do venture out on occassion to find the best GF options out there!

Here's what I've found:

• Mexican food is generally a great starting point.  Be sure to avoid flour tortillas and you will likely find a nice variety of menu options.  I have eaten at many different places and never had a problem.
• Google 'gluten free restaurants ____' fill the blank in with the city you are eating in.  I have found that big chains - BJ's, Red Robin, PF Changs, The Outback Steakhouse and such are coming around with decent GF menu options.
• Check with your favorite quaint little places ahead of time.  Amazing what a simple phone call will provide.  Just this past weekend I was headed up to Anacortes with some friends.  My favorite deli resides on Commercial St. in Anacortes.  A quick phone during the week allowed me to give them a heads up, and in turn they made sure to have GF bread on hand.  They were great and knew which menu items were safe and which to avoid.

Once you are there be sure to tell everyone who will have any remote contact with your food that you are gluten free.  I tell the person seating us, the wait staff and ask again when my food comes 'is that gluten free?'.  Recently, I had an experience where the wait staff was certain a food was GF, and then upon the manager bringing my salad and I asked again about the bbq sauce dressing being GF - she hesitated, said she was unsure and then back my salad went...not going to chance it.

I really do think there are lots of places open to the idea of serving GF menu options and I think that as time goes on we will see that really they have no choice :)

You are what you eat :)

My friend, Jenn, has asked me to share with you a few food ideas!  Now, mind you, this is the Jenn that in high school I sat and ate a sleeve of chocolate covered hostess donuts with...and I finished them off with a diet coke!  I've come a long ways since then and have found a much better way of living.

I preface this again with the knowledge that we live in the greater Seattle/Tacoma area where health food stores, small markets and the like are readily available with a quick 20 minute drive.

So, what do I eat for lunch?  Good question!  Most days a simple GF sandwich...the great thing about GF bread, is the serving size is realistic - no 'super size' sandwich here.  I load it with whatever organic veggies I can squeeze in there and then add a slice or two of  lunch meat (Trader Joe's or Columbus from Costco) and some fresh cheese.  I also love a little goat cheese, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and rice crackers.  Often I will make some sort of broth based soup for dinner and I enjoy having that around for lunch too, I freeze it in single serving containers and pull one out in the morning before leaving with the kids.  Again, I find the key to avoiding what I shouldn't eat in preplanning!  Making sure that when I grocery shop my house is full of foods that are organic, protein rich and tasty!

How about snacks?  How do I keep us energized through the day while keeping 'convenient' foods out of my pantry?  Some days that's easier than others :)  I'll be the first to admit - there are dye free lollipops, tortilla chips and other 'treats' lurking in my pantry --- but control is everything here.  Our biggest snack options is a  fruit plate - simply slicing up a variety of fruit I have on hand and putting it out with some cheese or yogurt for dipping.  My kids also adore popcorn, that is a favorite to put along side a sliced apple (no butter, of course).  I also make homemade granola, that my kids toss on top of greek yogurt (a new found favorite) --- little do they realize it's got healthy oats and almonds hiding in there :)  And if they are really hungry, I've always got the makings for bean and cheese burritos on hand...homemade beans, tossed in a corn tortilla with a bit of cheese - great protein snack!

My kids are known for grabbing an apple or orange on the way out the door knowing they might get hungry while we are out.  We all also love smoothies.  I invested in a VitaMix about 4-5 years ago...truly one of the BEST investments I've ever made!  We pick/freeze fresh chemical free fruit in the summer, freeze it and voila yummy smoothies year round!  I've been known to 'hide' a handful of heart healthy almonds, or spinach in there and they suck them down like crazy!  Our current favorite is an 'orange cream' smoothie.  Take two fresh peeled oranges and toss them in with a banana, two spoonfuls of vanilla/plain greek yogurt and a little ice...blend and there you go!

Hope that gives you some ideas of where to start!  Start with what you know and look a little further beyond there.  Enjoy your weekend and your family time!

Whole Foods

Although I indeed do love to wander around and shop at Whole Foods, the grocery store, that is not what I am talking about today when I say 'whole foods'...I simply mean eat foods that are whole!  I had someone tell me not long ago that if it doesn't have a mother or come from the ground, we really shouldn't be eating it!  I agree, but am a work in progress too - so must admit that not everything we eat falls into this category.

I've had some great feedback recently in regards to food dye and removing it from our general diets.  This has given me a chance to do some thinking about how going gluten free led me to going dye free which has led me in turn to eating healthier, closer to home and working towards the goal of more whole foods in our diets.  It's hard and takes a conscious effort!  I can't just leave home and think, if we get hungry we'll pull through McDonalds - not a choice.  Nor is it a choice to have a bag of dye filled fish crackers in the car, or pesticide laden raisins...I have to plan and take the food with us - sliced apples and cheese, homemade granola, almond butter GF sandwiches etc...

When you stop and think about it, when your focus is on whole foods, you will naturally eliminate the food dye, preservatives and other 'unnatural' man made junk that is thrown in our food chain.  It really is pretty simple to prepare, store and plan better meals and snacks.  And truly in the end, more cost effective!  You will feel better (physically, mentally and emotionally) and you will be healthier!  And really once it's a habit you won't want to 'go back'...I think about a trip my husband and I took 8 years ago this summer.  We were Coke drinkers - especially if it came from a restaurant fountain drink!  This particular trip was a road trip, with two very small children, and needless to say we were drinking 4-6 cans a day!  UGGGH!  Anyhow, when we got home we challenged one another to see who could avoid it the longest...well, I've never gone back!  A week turned into a month, which turned into a year and when I tasted it, it was AWFUL!  I rarely even drink the natural soda I keep on hand for the kids - it's too sugary!  Give me my water with a lemon slice any day and I am happy!

However, I caution baby steps are best and being realistic too! This process is years in the making for me.  It's taken a true effort to prioritize what my goals are and I only take one thing at a time and implement it into our daily lifestyle.  I am still hopeful to change a few more things and yet am okay with what we've accomplished!  As I said earlier, we don't follow the whole foods policy 100% of the time...however, I bake all our baked goods, I make as much of our food from scratch as possible and when a treat is in order it's a dye free, minimally processed treat!

Like I've said before, I'm a bit of a food freak...and you know with this territory will come those who don't believe and think your crazy!  But if this is what crazy is, I am okay with it :)

Happy Sunny Day!

Hummus!

Okay, I'm the first to admit it - hummus took a bit of time and maturing for me to like!  But, really it's not just something I like, I LOVE it!  This stuff is great, you can put it with anything - my favorite way is simply with whatever veggies are on hand!  It's great, filling and when you make it yourself is low calorie and fat!

My friend, Julie, shared her recipe with me that she also had passed along to her by a friend.  With a few tweeks of my own I am proud to say I can make hummus from scratch!  YIPPEE!  Yet another dish that I know exactly what is in there!  I know what I'm eating, I like that :)

Sooooooo easy to do, you'll love it!  Now I used Julie's basic recipe below and added about another 1/4 cup of broth, 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and another teaspoon of cumin.  If I had sundried tomatoes on hand I'd put a dollop of those in the middle for presentation.  You could also start with dried beans, cook them in your crockpot for 3-4 hours and proceed from there.  Really, work with this basic recipe and design the hummus to your tastes!

Hummus

2 cans Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), about 3 cups, drained and rinsed
3 large garlic cloves, pressed
Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed from ½ a lemon
3 Tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon cumin (or more to taste)
½ teaspoon salt

Drain and rinse your chickpeas. Place all ingredients into food processor and mix until smooth. Taste and
adjust seasonings to your liking. Serve with fresh or blanched veggies, or use as a spread.
*super low fat due to swap veg broth for tahini* adjust to your tastes, but very basic starter recipe! :) Enjoy!

Mmmmmmm! Pumpkin Bread!

I was in the mood for baking today - but couldn't decide what it was I wanted...cookies, muffins, chocolates, what?  Obviously, something on the sweeter side seemed to be fitting the bill!  As I finished up some of my Monday chores, it felt like a pumpkin kind of day - pumpkin bread that is!

Out to the freezer I went - yep, you read that right, the freezer!  See in my crazy food world I use fresh pumpkin, not canned!  This past fall when we were bustling about the pumpkin patches full of those bright orange gems, I gathered myself six perfect sugar pumpkins! 

They are super easy to cook down and freeze, just cut them up into chunks (after seeding them, of course), place in a shallow (I use a 9x13 pan) baking dish with a bit of water and put them in the oven at 250 degrees for a bit (probably an hour to an hour and a half).  You'll know their done when you put a fork into it and it slides right out.  Let them cool real well, peel the skin off and run them through your food processor.  Most all of my recipes call for 2 cups of pumpkin, so I put them in 2 quart freezer bags by the 2-cup portions, place the bags on a cookie sheet and freeze.  Once they are frozen you can remove them from the cookie sheet. Note to self...take my word for it and use a cookie sheet!  If not, be prepared to pull frozen pumpkin from between the 'rungs' of your freezer shelf...not that I've ever had to do that or anything!

Honestly, you will never taste a pumpkin muffin, bread or pie that tastes better than those made with fresh pumpkin!  And, did you realize how good pumpkin is for you?  It's low in calories and FULL of disease fighting nutrients like alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, fiber, vitamins C and E, panthothenic acid, potassium and magnesium. I could go on and on...but really - I do love pumpkin and it's a great benefit that it is good for me too!  Makes me feel a wee bit better about making a sweet treat!

So - here's what I did...using my tried and true pumpkin bread recipe, I swapped out the regular flour for my rice blend, adding the appropriate amount of xanthan gum. 

Then I added a few extra spices!  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE good spices and herbs?  I am a fan of Penzey's, and added these yummy spices to the mix...

Then I finished mixing and voila!  Pumpkin bread that is oven ready!  I like to add chocolate chips to my pumpkin bread, makes for such a decadent treat!

 And the finished product leaves my house smelling AMAZING, my kids' tummys full and a smile on my face that once again I enjoy one of my favorite treats, sans the gluten!

Living Amongst the Chaos

This food world we are emerged in is no easy world to live in!  There are tempations, treats and everything imagineable in between!  When you add to the mix a food sensitivity/allergy combined with knowledge it can seem unbearable and overwhelming.

However, as I've learned 'knowledge is power'.  We're told that, taught that and given many chances to test it out - but it wasn't until this food journey that I really began to understand it.  As I've mentioned, my entire family rides this crazy food train with me...really they have no choice :)  I am the chief grocery shopper, meal planner and well overall crazy lady of the house!  They get what I bring home, mix up and put in front of them.  But, I do try to make it all make sense to them!

This past week it became apparent to me that I am making strides in this area with everyone in our household!  My oldest, my very sweet and kind daughter, came home from school announcing she'd had a watermelon cup left over from the hot lunch orders...'mom, I checked it out and the ingredients said it was just watermelon!'  I LOVE that she read the label!  I LOVE that she took ownership of knowing what a good choice is and made it!  I LOVE that she on her level gets what this is about!  Then there's my son, a very competitive sports oriented guy, who was invited to the one and only Chuck E Cheese with a friend....without much of a thought - he asked me to make him a GF pizza here at home and he'd just play games, WOW, no question about it - he got it!  And lastly, but most certainly not the least, my ever understanding husband, Mr. E.  He hauled me along this week on a trip down to Tacoma where he had to drop something off, and checked out a local meat and product place with me!  He was excited and energetic about talking to the owner and was just as thrilled as I was to find the meat was natural, much of it grass fed and he knew where the meat came from!  I'll write more on this place after we've tried everything we got! 

I know I haven't changed the world or moved mountains by any means - but I have made a huge shift in the thinking of my family.  If you know me you know I can be a bit obsessive about things and this has been no exception.  However, I've completely revamped how we all eat - no easy task!  I respect that I have kids, and they are just that --- kids!  Sometimes I feel bad that they don't do McDonald's or the like. That somehow I've taken away their 'kidness' by removing the bright colorful food, the overprocessed food and the fast food from their lives...but when I see that they have taken ownership in it, when I see that they understand what is in their food and when I see that they get what a better choice this is, I am humbled and in awe of what a little knowledge has given our family!

Thanks!

Just a quick note of thanks this evening!  Over the past week I have received emails and had several readers comment to me about my blog.  Some of you have shared that you have passed my link along to others living in this crazy freaky food world of ours and many of you have shared kind words of encouragement, gratitude and acceptance!  Thank you all for being a part of my journey here.  I will admit that starting a blog is/was scary!  The constant 'what ifs' linger every single time I click 'post', as you never know who will say what and will it just make me look that much crazier :)

So thank you to all of you!  I appreciate your kind words and support!  And although I have no idea what all I will fill the pages of my blog with, it gives me strength and courage to know you are out there!

PS...I've had several people ask me about leaving a comment - I believe you will have to become a 'follower' of my blog to do so.  I am thinking this requires you to give an email address and password.

A Couple of New Treats!

As I posted earlier, I work hard on replacing 'treats' that we have always loved and enjoyed.  This weekend I've had the chance to try two different new products and am extremely pleased with the outcome!

We had friends for dinner last night and I was looking a quick and easy dessert, yet family friendly too.  My old 'go to' would be a box of brownie mix with ice cream.  As I began to rummage through the pantry I came upon a bag of brownie mix that I picked up at a Gluten Free Fair this past fall ... here we go, perfect time to to them out.  They were AMAZING!  It was a mix made by SEVIERly GOOD - http://www.sevierlygoodgf.com/ .  I knew from the minute I licked the bowl that these were a keeper!  I added a few chocolate chips, made some homemade chocolate buttercream frosting and voila!  A super decadent treat that fit my time schedule and my tastebuds!  A little note on this product --- after looking at their website I emailed them when I realized how expensive shipping was!  WOW!  If you are local, their products are carried on a regular basis at Nature's Market in Kent, by Target.  I also have a cinnamon roll mix of theirs that I am eager to try!

The second treat I gave a shot at was donuts.  Now, I've mentioned before that I make donut holes from scratch using Pamela's Baking Mix.  Yet, I was after a 'real' donut - something I could frost and put sprinkles on...something the kids would be excited about!  Well, here's what I got:

So here's what I did...I purchased a Bob's Red Mill GF vanilla cake mix and made it as directed on the package.  I think you could add lots of different 'add-ins' including some different spices etc... and then I just scooped it into this newly purchased non-stick donut pan http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-6-Count-Nonstick-Donut-Pan/dp/B0002KZSSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295724811&sr=8-1 .

The kids were of course thrilled!  They are your true 'cake' donuts and frosted well once they were cooled a bit.  Everyone enjoyed the chocolate ones a bit more than the glazed ones and be forewarned, don't overfill the pan :)  They grow just like a cupcake!

Beyond the Gluten...taking a look at Food Dye

This one puzzles me a bit!  I get gluten!  Although, I think that wheat and it's counterparts are produced differently than it was meant to be, and I believe that because of that many people have become intolerant to it...but, I get why it's in our food system.  Food dye - really, why?

Here are some things I've learned about food dye:

RED 40
The most widely used food dye.  It acts like a neurotoxin and excites the brain.  It is also known to cause hyperactivity, mood swings and irratibility - ADHD symptoms.  It has also been known to cause migraines in adults.  What part of the word 'toxin' would anyone choose to eat?  It is hidden in all sorts of food you eat every day!  Including many different kid and adult medications, sausage, frosting, chips, instant oatmeal and soda/juice.

 

RED 3
This one has medical evidence that links it to cancer!  Really?  Yet it can be found in many candies!  It is banned from cosmetics, but is allowed in the food system?  It has been given the nickname 'coal tar' dye!  Check out your can of store bought fruit cocktail!

YELLOW 5
Hello!  How about a little petroleum?  This food dye also causes hperactivity, mood swings and irritability...ADHD symptoms!  It can also cause itching and hives.  This one is crazy, I have found it in my pickles, different mayos, candy, soda (Mt. Dew), jello etc...really!  Why do pickles need food dye...c'mon! 

 

YELLOW 6
This one can be found in mac and cheese, cereal, dressing, popcorn, beverages, packaged cakes, cookies,  frosting, and ice cream toppings to name a few. It has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumors, and contains small amounts of many carcinogens.  Yellow 6 has also been linked to sudden allergic reactions.

BLUE 1
"Brilliant blue" is derived from coal tar and is not digestable by the body, which can lead to green poop.  Yet another petroleum based chemical.  This one is linked to neurotoxicity and tumors.  This one was unbelieveable...it's in marshmallows!  Along with other candy and your favorite sport drinks.

So why is color added?  Marketability in my opinion!  It's pretty, colorful and enjoyable to look at so it must be good to eat.  The whole idea that we buy with our eyes!  When in reality the majority of synthetic food dyes used in processed foods are derived from petroleum and coal. It really doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that those probably aren't intended to be eaten!

So, what do you do?  Start reading labels!  You'll be shocked and surprised what you find it in.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, once we removed food dye from our kids' diets the change was incredible!  Our daughter had trouble sitting still, concentrating, sleeping at night and was irritable all the time!  She is a new kid!  When she cheats we all know it!  And so does she.  She also breaks out in hives now when she gets it...we've set them up for success by proving a zip loc bag of treats in their school bag.  It's full of chocolates from Trader Joe's, organic lollipops and Trader Joe's gumdrops.  They have free reign over it, basically if someone offers them a treat at school for any reason, they can grab one of these treats.  When it comes to holidays that load them up with treats - like the upcoming Valentine's Day parties, they will have the opportunity to 'sell' us the food dye filled junk they will come home with...plus I'll be sure to have a few extra chocolates on hand for them :)

I know for some it's hard to find a store that sells a large variety of dye free alternatives.  I am lucky to live where I do.  I know that Trader Joe's and Whole Foods won't let the stuff anywhere near their stores! But, check out this link from Amazon.com  http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_scat_16310101_ln?rh=n%3A16310101%2Ck%3Aannie%27s&keywords=annie%27s&ie=UTF8&qid=1295150217&scn=16310101&h=c371916b5ea6f31bc473bc13fba476edc2b38bca .  Annie's is a great product line, free from artificial food dye.  We also love our food dehydrator - you can make dried fruit slices and fruit leather - yummy treats!

As for the food dye in your medicine, check out Target!  I found their Up & Up brand had most medicines in a dye free option.  They were very reasonably priced and I replaced all our medicine!

I know it's a lot to think about...but honestly, I wish the US would get on board with many of the European countries and outlaw this stuff!  There is hard medical evidence as to what food dye does to a persons body.

What's in my pantry?

As I visited with a friend the other day she asked me if I would do a posting of what kinds of food I always keep in the house - what's here to eat on a regular basis :)

Like any household we have diverse tastes and wants for food!  I try to do what I can to accomodate everyone - my kids, my husband, myself and of course friends and family that stop by.  Like I've posted before, one of the things I love to do is provide a great tasting meal.  I want you to walk away thinking 'wow, that was tasty!'

What's in my fridge?

• Dye free condiments.  I get ketchup at Trader Joe's along with pickles, mustard, and organic reduced sugar jellies.  My salad dressings usually come from Whole Foods - I have two brands I love and trust.
• Organic whole milk for cooking with.
• Organic eggs...these are a main source of breakfast protein for us!
• Almond milk - since removing milk from my husbands diet he snores only on a rare occassion now.  We buy the vanilla flavored and it is YUMMY!  Not a big fan of soy and for years thought I was lactose intolerant due to the gluten!
• TONS of organic veggies and fruit - I like to keep peppers, onions and mushrooms for a quick stir fry.  I also generally have celery, zuchinni and carrots too.  Lots of lettuce!  I have found this yummy organic herb/salad mix that is so tasty!  We love it!
• Greek yogurt - lots of it!  I really like the Zoi brand.  I buy it in a big carton.  We use it in smoothies, on top of oatmeal or plain with frozen fruit/nuts/cinnamon on top.
• Cheese - we love cheese!  I keep Tilamook cheddar on hand all the time.  I've looked into their practices and like that they are local too.  I also keep gorgonzola for salads, Babybel single cheeses and cheesesticks for the kids.  I also have some Beechers cheese in there - this adds great flavor to anything!
• Meat - I buy Columbus style lunch meat...you can find it at Costco.  It's free from many things and the kids love it.  I cut it up and they eat it with rice crackers for lunch.
• Leftovers!  I plan for leftovers...today I had leftover chicken grilled with a brown rice tortilla and cheese.  Topped it with leftover salad from last night!

What's in my freezer:

• Lots of meat...I buy when it's on sale.  I try to keep to grass fed beef when possible.  I also always have a bag of shrimp from Costco and some sort of fish.  We love fish/shrimp tacos and love both grilled too!  We also have the benefit of being able to crab in the summer - I shell it and freeze it!  Yummy treat any time of the year!  I fugure with meat it is a cost up front to buy a better quality steak - but it would cost us easily 5 times that amount to take our family of four out to dinner! 
• Homemade beans - my kids love bean and cheese quesadillas....so I make my own beans!  Have a crockpot and good food processor/blender and voila!  The thaw easily and are a yummy snack!
• Frozen GF treats - I make cookies, scones, waffles, pancakes and freeze them...quick and easy!
• Lots of frozen organic/chemical free fruit.  We eat a TON of smoothies (love the VitaMix), just pull out what we want and throw it in!
• Mini tacos - Trader Joe's sells these yummy  mini tacos...the kids love them for a quick snack!
• Trader Joe's trays of herbs...garlic, basil and cilantro.  They are little frozen cubes - pop them out and into anything I am making.
• GF pizza crusts and bread from Udi's...I stock up on these at Whole Foods.
• Frozen organic veggies...I get them at Costco - corn, peas and green beans.  I love to stir fry the green beans in a bit of olive oil with garlic and pine nuts!  Yummy!

What's in my pantry:

• Good quality spices.  Spices can make or break ANYTHING!  I personally love Penzey's spices and love that have opened one here in Seattle!  We haven't tried anything we've been disappointed in.
• GF soups from Pacific Foods - they come in a carton and are all GF!  I have tomato, butternut squash and they now sell cream of mushroom and cream of chicken!
• Trader Joe's organic marinara...easy dinner :)
• Trader Joe's brown rice pasta - corkscrews and penne
• GF staples like my flour mix, organic sugar, quinoa, oats, brown rice etc...
• Snacks - From Trader Joe's - organic lollipops, small individual chocolate bars, dried cherries, rice crackers, chips and 'pirate booty'.  I also have GF pretzels, homemade chex mix with all 'safe foods', homemade granola (great with yogurt), a nut mix, popcorn (order it from Nebraska...the best stuff), tortilla chips, fresh corn tortillas, multi grain GF crackers and GF cereal - although we really don't each much cereal any longer.
• Good dark chocolate!
• Drinks include - tea...I love tea!  I have a new found addiction with Teavana...their stuff is so yummy!  I drink the rooibos with a little local honey every day!  The kids drink juice boxes in their lunches, I tend to buy Hansen's, Trader Joe's brand and sometimes the 100% juice Capri Suns.  We also always keep a pitcher of fresh made black iced tea on hand and of course hot cocoa mix...I really like the Penzey's hot cocoa and/or Whole Foods brand.  For the soda treat, I like Whole Foods 365 brand of soda...
• Misc - chocolate chips (that sometimes I just eat :)...I like the Ghirardelli brand or Trader Joe's brand, Spectrum organic vegetable shorting (not BHT preservative in this), boxed GF muffin mixes for a pinch and numerous other little things.

I hope this gives you some ideas!  I am a planner so tend to have things planned in advance.  I like to look through my cookbooks/freezer and plan 10-14 days worth of meals.  I make sure to have all the things necessary on hand to make all those meals.  Then I post the list and let the kids and my husband take turns picking dinners.  It works great, because I have preselected the meals, but they love having a buy in with getting to pick what we'll eat that night!

By all means we eat our share of treats...I eat dark chocolate on a daily basis!  My kids get some sort of treat daily - a homemade GF cookie, a small chocolate from TJ's etc...but I feel good about the quality of food I have on hand!

Sunday morning donuts and hot cocoa!

As we headed to Sunday School today, my littlest asked 'can we have donuts and hot cocoa when we get home?'  It made sense, really.  The snow was falling at our house and hello - it's COLD outside!  My response was 'sure, we'll make some when we get home.'

So, as I sat here whipping up our favorite donut holes and hot cocoa I knew I had to share this recipe!  If you go to this link:  http://www.pamelasproducts.com/recipe_frames.html you will find a recipe from the Pamela's Products website for donut holes!  Pamela's is another FAVORITE product of mine.  Don't bother buying it in the store, go to Amazon.com and buy it there!  You will save money and get it shipped for free!  I buy three 4 lb bags for $40 shipped...that's about $6 a bag cheaper than Whole Foods.

So, back to the donuts!  This morning I made two varieties - white frosted with sprinkles (homemade buttercream frosting I had left in the fridge from holiday baking) and mini chocolate chip.  We also love to toss them in cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar.  They are TASTY!

What else do I use Pamela's for???  Well - it's endless you'll notice the back of the bag has lots of different recipes.  It's really a baking mix...I use it mostly for donuts, pancakes and waffles.  I always make extras, freeze them and then they are ready and handy when we need a quick breakfast or snack treat.

So here's to a relaxing and cozy day with cocoa and donuts!

Freaky Food Lady

I mentioned earlier a reference to calling myself a bit of a 'food freak'.  I didn't just one day randomly decide to become freaky about food and start throwing things out.  It came about innocently enough, a little reading here, talking with someone over there, picking up literature on this or that and all of the sudden I realized how much CRAP is in our food!  It disgusts me and makes me irate with the policies and practices supposedly in place to protect us!  That is a whole other topic that frankly, I am not willing to get in to.

So what else has been removed from our household:

1. MSG - really it's a flavor enhancer.  Meant to make all your food taste WONDERFUL!  One of the reasons those fast food burgers are so mouthwatering.  It also tends to make you want more.
2. Artificial sweeteners - yep you won't find anything marked 'sugar free' or 'fat free' in our house.  Aspartame is a neurotoxin, it messes with your brain in a toxic way.
3. Regular white sugar - do you know what makes it white?  BLEACH!  So, I purchase organic sugar through Costco.  It cooks/works exactly the same as it's bleached counterpart.
4. Food Dye - really 'google' it!  It is gross!  For example, yellow #5 has tartrazine in it, it is a derivative of coal tar!  Red dye contains erythrosine, another coal tar based compound and there is suspicion that it is carcinogenic.  Side note:  since removing food dye from our house our daughter sleeps better, is more pleasant to be around and has lost the 'edginess' and fidgets no more!  She is calm, can concentrate and is a totally different kid!  When she gets food dye in something we know it!  Plus she gets a rash! 
5. High Fructose Corn Syrup - not much to say on this one, than other I believe it is overused and unnecessary.  It is a cheap way to sweeten everything from ketchup to soda.
6. Pesticides/chemicals sprayed on our food - we eat a lot of organic produce.  Google the 'dirty dozen' and you will find a few suggestions on what to always buy organic.  Onions for example, repeal bugs by themselves so really no pesticides are needed...so I don't worry if my onions are organic or not.  Apples however can have up to 50 different pesticides/chemicals sprayed on them!  They permeate the fruit, go into the flesh - so really just washing doesn't rid the food of them.  You are eating them!
7. BHT - a food preservative that I am just learning a bit about...

I know my list must look a bit overwhelming and maybe you even think 'really, what is left to eat?'...well there is TONS left to eat!  I just got home from a great shopping trip at Trader Joe's.  We have the usual junk food - chips, TJ's cheetos, chocolates etc...but I know that everything I put in my cart from there will be free of MSG, free of food dye and free of HFCS!  I LOVE Trader Joe's!  I can buy pickles, ketchup, soup, and know I only need to be concerned about reading a label for gluten.  Whole Foods is very much the same!  Unfortunately, neither store is super close for me so I stock up when I go!  We also belong to a CSA (community supported agriculture) that supplies us with 22 weeks of fresh local organic produce.  It is a cost up front but is well worth it when my fridge is stocked with good quality food.  I also plan ahead...this summer I picked 32 pounds of chemical free blueberries and froze them!  We enjoy them in GF muffins, smoothies, GF pancakes and just eating them frozen!

Again, I caution that these are my opinions and what I have seen work for my family!  I encourage you to consider one step at a time...this has been a 14 year process for me!  It started out slowly with the bulk of our change coming in the last three years...but I didn't do it all in one day!

Learning to bake, all over again!

I bake, it's what I do. I love to bake, always have. It brings me joy to see my kids' faces light up when there are warm cookies just out of the oven. I love to 'treat' my husband to his favorite snickerdoodle or molasses cookies. And truly, if given the choice of something to bring to a gathering I'd choose dessert! I like creating yummy treats and sharing them with others.

It occurred to me when I was diagnosed gluten intolerant that I might never again enjoy all my yummy favorites or be able to bring the joy of fresh baked goodies to others around me! So began the mission to figure out how I could use all my tried and true recipes, yet make them GF for all of us to enjoy. I wanted them to be edible, yummy and delicious. But, most of all I wanted my non-gluten free family and friends to enjoy my treats and not notice a difference.

So the search began. I started by scouring the internet for recipes and learned many things including a variety of alternative flours mixed together was best, and that often some sort of 'binder' needed to be used, like xanthan gum. I talked with everyone imaginable in my quest for a flour mix, and was given this recipe. Voila! I was back in business!


Fresh made GF chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

 So here's the flour mixture that I make. I buy all my flours through Bob's Red Mill. Their GF facility is dedicated GF so I trust them! And although you pay for shipping I have found that it is still cheaper to buy directly from them.

RICE FLOUR MIX

For most recipes this mix can be used cup for cup as a replacement flour. You will need to add
1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for each cup of flour you use when baking. No need to add it for thickening things or when using it to batter food, like fried chicken.

3 cups Sweet White Rice Flour

3 Cups Brown Rice Flour

2 Cups Potato Starch

1 Cup Tapioca Flour

I mix it all together in my KitchenAid...be sure it mixes well - I usually mix it for a good five minutes. Store in an air tight container and you're ready to go!

So happy baking! I've used this flour in biscotti, every kind of cookie imagineable (including traditional holiday cut-out cookies), banana/pumpkin bars and homemade cakes and scones! It works EVERY time. The only thing to keep in mind is that rice flour dries out much quicker! So, we've learned to zip loc our treats and throw them in freezer!

How the Journey began...

So, I'll take you back about ohhh - 14 years or so. My sister and I had stopped for quick chinese take-out, I wolfed it down hungry as could be. Within about half an hour something wasn't right. It was a weird feeling, kind of like being drunk or what you might think a stroke to feel like. Come to find out, the food was LOADED with MSG, and it seemed as though I couldn't tolerate MSG. This began my journey into this crazy freaky food world. I got very good at knowing what foods were loaded with this chemical - anything flavored (chips, rice mixes, soups, chinese take out, premade lasagna etc...) and avoided them with a passion.

Fast forward to the spring of 2007 - it all started out with not feeling great. I had tons of stomach problems, achey joints, my shoulder blade would 'burn', and then came the panic attacks and even an occassional migraine, which reminded me of the original MSG incident - I was certain I'd had a stroke. I kept trying to connect it with MSG, and worked harder to clean up our diet. We began eating more organic foods and I read labels endlessly! Knowing that there must be something more to the puzzle.

This pace continued with some moderate success through the summer of 2009 when really the flood gates opened and everything fell to pieces. To say that my body was failing me was nothing short of an understatement. The symptoms increased and included dizziness (constantly), horrible heart burn, uncontrolable panic attacks and anxiety, plus the endless stomach problems. I was miserable! During 2007 I had been through a slew of doctors, and so I began once again - trying to find anyone who would really listen to me and figure out what it all meant. I was certain I was dying of something that they were missing, I was certain I was going crazy! But most of all, I was certain this wasn't what my life was meant to be.

They said it all - the doctors that is...IBS (which by the way is a symptom, not a disease), heart burn, your stressed out take time for yourself ... the comments go on and on. And they prescribed EVERYTHING - unbelieveable! I had a gallon sized zip-loc bag full of medication that was supposed to help, really it was just making me worse!

I knew it was food, and even had a hunch at the time it was 'wheat'. In one last attempt I found a doctor that fit my needs. She's a Naturopath and I credit her for saving me :) The first appointment she spent 1.5 hours with me and my amazing husband, Mr. E. She listened, she cared and at the end she said she'd help me. With paperwork in hand for a gazillion (well, not really) labs I was sent on my way. Two weeks later the test results would not lie. My IgG panel showed that any gluten containing foods were giving me a reaction, and a DNA test would confirm that although not a celiac, gluten was not my friend. I possess two genes for gluten intolerance. It seemed so surreal - I was the one who took meat of a sandwich and ate the bread and cheese, I was the one who LOVED (and really still do) a warm loaf of sourdough bread smothered in butter, and really I was the one who would choose toast over just about anything else for many years...the food I loved most was making me terribly ill. With the test results came the recommendation to test the kids, and low and behold their IgG panel showed the same (plus a few others), this would mean our household would become entirely gluten free (GF).

By all means this was just the start of my new journey. The road has not been easy, it has been long and hard. It took nearly five months before I felt 'good' and I still struggle with the aftermath of what gluten has done to my body. I will post more on some of that another time.

However, through it all I kept what faith I could and knew that God had a plan for me. I knew it was bigger than me. I knew that my tendency toward being obssesive about something I am passionate about would help others. So, here I am!

I have lots to share, lots of thoughts and hopefully a few tips/resources too. A couple of quick, good living tips for everyone :

• Keep a journal - write what you've eaten today, how you feel, any symptoms you might have. I do this online - it's fast and easy, and convenient to forward on to my doctor.
• Find your rock - mine was my husband. I call him amazing, because really he is! I can't imagine having to have been in his shoes and watch what he watched. His love and support never wavered - find your rock!
• Search for a doctor that fits your needs...know what you want and don't settle for less.

With the condensed version of my journey I leave you to enjoy your day to the fullest. Each day truly is a gift, each day is full of potential and each day brings new hope to a better you!

Here goes nothing (or really everything)!

I've been living gluten free for a year now, my kids since May of 2010. Over this past year and especially since removing gluten from my kids' diet I've worked hard to make sure we aren't 'missing' out on anything! If there is something they want to eat, my goal is to figure out how to make it for them!

During this time, I've learned a lot. Maybe even too much! I light heartedly call myself the 'food freak', because really I am a bit freaky about what is put in our mouths. As I've researched I've discovered there was more than just gluten in our diets that needed elimating!

Consequently we don't eat any food containing food dye and try desperately to keep high fructose corn syrup, MSG and certain preservatives out of our diets.

As I mentioned, I've learned a lot! I wish I'd had more resources at my finger tips, and still do! So, upon the recommendation of several friends I am starting this blog. My plan is to share the things I've learned, why we are doing them and any tips/resources that have helped my family move forward in this freaky food world of ours!

I will cautiously say that these are simply my personal opinions! Things that have worked out for me and my family! Use what you can, offer support/suggestions when appropriate, but please keep your negative comments to yourself :)

So, with that! Here we go! Not sure what this journey will include but I do know that I have the most amazing circle of family and friends who support me and my ventures!

Here's to 2011 and checking one of the things on my to do list off ... starting a blog!