OMG Gluten

Glazed Pork & a Few Things

2012-03-15T19:41:00.004-04:00

So, I've realized I have an awful tendency to not fully read recipes when meal planning.

For the third time this week, I decided we would eat a meal and then missed the entire part about marinating the meat for many hours. THIRD TIME!

I was too hungry tonight to figure out a way to improvise, so I scrapped the original spicy pork menu item and went this route instead.

Super fast, very flavourful pork with a spicy/salty glaze. Yay!

Glazed Pork

What You Need
1 lb pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp g-f soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
G-f cooking spray

What You Do
1. Cut your tenderloin into medallions about 1" thick
2. Mix together the soy sauce, garlic and ginger in a small bowl
3. Heat a skillet over medium high and lightly coat with cooking spray
4. Place the tenderloin pieces in the skillet once it's fairly hot (so that they are sizzling when you lay them down). Spoon the soy sauce mixture on to the exposed side of meat
5. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip pieces. Spoon more sauce on to the meat and let cook for another 3-4 minutes

--

I'm getting pretty happy with my quick eats recipes. They're getting tastier and easier to make. WHERE ARE THESE SKILLZ COMING FROM?

--

I'll have some St. Patty's updates, but probably not until day of. It goes hand in hand with my poor pre-planning abilities. But you can make some of it drunk, if you're so inclined!

--

My recipes call for Baileys. I may get an earful from the g-f community but I read so many things saying it is and it isn't gluten-free that I decided to take my chances. I have annually made beer pancakes, so I had to find a substitute for my boozy breakfast. Baileys it is.

--

I also bought vodka that is "birthday cake flavoured". I am SO EXCITED but also SO WARY to try it.

--

Now that you brought birthdays in to the conversation, I should probably let you know that mine is coming up soon!

--

I may have to start eating small amounts of gluten daily. I finally got my butt back to the doctor to discuss the issues I was having pre-OMG Gluten, and he has decided to refer me to another office that can test me for allergies and such. I still have to meet with them to discuss my options, but if they want me to get tested for Celiac, I need to be eating gluten. I'm still on the fence about my commitment re: eating it though. I don't want to feel sick.

How's this for a label?

2012-03-13T12:58:00.002-04:00

Has anyone ever noticed this label?

I bought a bag of G.H. Cretors Popped Corn (Kettle Corn) to satisfy my afternoon munchies in a relatively healthy-ish way (hey, it's better than M&Ms).

We all know I am not a stickler for production cross-contamination, so I just read the listed ingredients and then grabbed the bag. Didn't notice the little "No Gluten Ingredients" label until I was already eating them.

There is a bolded disclaimer on the bag below the ingredients that explicitly states that the facility also produces wheat items. The threat of cross contamination appears to be real. So what the heck is up with this label? Is it just for people like me, who are willing to risk symptoms? Is it an attempt to trick people in to thinking that it's a very safe food?

So many questions!

I don't have anything against the sign, I'm a firm believer in reading ingredients rather than trusting random labels. I was just vaguely confused by its presence.

Poached Dill Chicken

2012-03-12T19:13:00.000-04:00

I *think* I am over whatever illness was plaguing me all weekend. I woke up this morning feeling pretty good, and didn't even care that I was a bit late to work. The sun was shining, the breeze was cool, I had good music, pink lipstick and two bracelets on. Pretty much taking over the world.

Then I got to work, found I had a rejected time sheet and a note from my boss asking if I counted the 2 days I was sick last week. I was only off for 1 day - my co-worker was away for 2. So a whopping seven months in this position, and my boss still doesn't know who I am.

Whomp whomp, there goes the wind from my sails.

BUT what can you do. For me, I can keep trying hard to excel in my current position while keeping an eye on other job postings, save my money (in case of a bad situation) and make delicious food to occupy my spare time.

WHY IS BEING A GROWN UP SO HARD?

Cue binging on this delicious poached dill chicken.

Poached Dill Chicken
Adapted from Jillian Michael's "Making the Cut" (yes, I am still on that kick...but don't ask how many snacks I had today)

What You Need
2 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup g-f chicken broth
5 peppercorns
4 tsp fresh dill
2 bay leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
For the sauce:
1/3 cup cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup sour cream
1/8 cup cottage cheese
2 Tbsp milk
3 tsp dill seeds
1 tsp freshly chopped dill

What You Do
1. Heat the wine, water, broth, peppercorns, dill, bay leaves and lemon juice in a pot over medium high heat - bring to a boil
2. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes uncovered
3. Add chicken and increase heat to medium - cover and let simmer for 10 minutes
4. Flip chicken over, continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until chicken is done
5. Remove chicken and drain on to paper towels
For the Sauce:
1. Mix together all ingredients, pour over chicken when ready to serve

Dijon Lamb Chops

2012-03-11T20:29:00.000-04:00

It's time for another episode of "Sarah has no idea what she's doing in the kitchen"!

I tried to cook lamb tonight. I've never made this, but I decided to attempt it for two reasons: first, I had it once on a trip to England (someone's grandma made it for me) and it was delicious. Second, I am currently on an "OMG WE NEED TO EAT BETTER" kick (as of about two hours ago) so I have decided to cook a few recipes from Jillian Michael's "Making the Cut" book.

It's pointless because I never follow the book to a T, and I also snack when I shouldn't, but some of her "healthy" recipes are surprisingly good.

Including the dijon lamb chops.

Dijon Lamb Chops
Slight adapted from Jillian Michael's "Making the Cut"

What You Need
4 4oz lamb chops
1/8 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced

What You Do
1. Mix together all ingredients
2. Cover lamb in mixture and let sit, refrigerated, for 1-8 hours
3. Heat a pan or your grill to medium high heat, and cook the lamb to desired taste

For the record, she recommends "6 minutes/side" or desired done-ness, but I got stuck with teeny tiny New Zealand lamb centre chops that took about 6 minutes to be completely finished.

--

I also don't know if I cooked them properly. The Boyfriend's were a bit pink, but mine were cooked completely through. Juices were running light pink though, so I figure as long as the red was gone, we're fine.

--

I don't know if we'll add lamb to our repertoire, but it was a nice change.

Spinach & Onion Omelette

2012-03-11T10:00:00.008-04:00

I am having a bad weekend. Long rant after the recipe.

For now, an omelette!

Stuffed full of yum!

FYI, this recipe is for 1 serving, since the Boyfriend hates eggs/all things breakfast-y delicious.

Spinach & Onion Omelette

What You Need
2 eggs
2 tsp chopped flat leaf parsley
2 thick slices onion, chopped
1 stalk green onion, chopped
1/2 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup spinach, stems removed
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
Cooking spray
Pepper (to taste)
1 Tbsp cottage cheese
1 heaping tsp sour cream

What You Do
1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat
2. Add green onion and chopped onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes
3. Add spinach and cook until wilted (2 minutes or so)
4. Add tomato and pepper, saute for 1 minute. Remove vegetables from heat and cover to keep warm
5. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and parsley
6. Use a non-stick frying pan over medium high heat, and coat slightly with cooking spray
7. Add eggs and cook until bottom is set (about 2 minutes). Use a spatula to push in the sides and tilt the pan to spill out the wet egg. Continue cooking in this fashion until middle is set (about 7 minutes)
8. Add most of the vegetable mixture to the middle of the omelette, and add cottage cheese
9. Use a spatula to fold omelette over, and carefully slide on to a plate. Top with any remaining mixture and sour cream and then devour!

--

Now, my crappy weekend:

It started off well enough. I had a fine Friday night - drinks with co-workers, dinner with friends, bottle of wine - and quickly went downhill. I woke up early yesterday morning to go to spinning class, but there was no space left once I got to the gym. So I went for a run instead, but I didn't make the time or pace I usually do, so I was annoyed.

We went to Ikea, but found nothing of interest, and then went grocery shopping and had a mini-argument in the store because I was beginning to feel ill and couldn't focus. Came home, relaxed, and then went to run errands.

As we were walking down the street, I suddenly had an awful dizzy spell. I couldn't focus my eyes on anything, so I had to stand still for awhile before we finished an abbreviated version of our errands. It wasn't awful because the Boyfriend was there, so I quickly grabbed his hand and told him what was happening - but I walk to work EVERY DAY by myself. What the heck would I do if I passed out on the way to work?

I don't know what caused it, but I'm just going to ignore that it happened for now or I'll freak myself out.

After we came home, I took a nap - if I'm not sick, I figured a dizzy spell was a result of lack of sugar or lack of sleep. So after a three hour nap, I woke up and felt incredibly nauseous. This continued well in to the night - to the point that I had to skip out on a good friend's birthday party.

I'm still bitter I missed it, the Boyfriend went and said it was fun.

Instead, I stayed on my couch and watched TV.

I was hoping I would feel better this morning, but when I woke up to go to the gym, I couldn't be bothered. I'm not SICK sick - there's no coughing or sore throat, no headaches. I'm just feeling exhausted and nauseous. My stomach has been upset almost all week - I think it started with a gluting on Sunday and then minor grievances as the week went on - so that's not helping either.

I have an appointment on Thursday with my doc any way to finally discuss some of my issues for serious (I am determined not to be blown off this time) so maybe he can help me with whatever is ruining my weekend if it's still hanging around by then.

K, bye. Off to watch a show about fat teenagers.

Taco Pizza

2012-03-08T20:14:00.000-05:00

1 - I love tacos
2 - I love pizza
3 - So I invented taco pizza

As any true nacho lover knows, the combination of salsa and sour cream is THE BOMB. So bomb, in fact, that for several years there were actually Tostitos flavoured after that particular combo (do those still exist? SO tasty).

The problem with this delicious combo is that, when you make it yourself, it looks like puke. I wish I could put that more delicately - but I don't know how. It looks disgusting. Any time I have made this at home, I've hidden it from the prying eyes of the Boyfriend, lest I be judged.

(See? Groooossss)

Pizza is the perfect way to disguise how gross it looks! Taco pizza is an even BETTER way since tacos involve salsa and sour cream!

How'd I get so smart. For real.

Taco Pizza

What You Need
Gluten-free pizza crust (I used the Bob's Red Mill dough mix as it is my favourite)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
1/2 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or a cheddar/mozza blend)

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 425F and prep a pizza pan
2. Make pizza dough as instructed. While this is happening, brown beef in skillet over medium heat and follow instructions on taco seasoning packet. Make sure you drain any excess liquid
3. In a small bowl, mix together the salsa and sour cream. Lather in to pizza crust for sauce base
4. Cover pizza with the cooked meat and top with cheese
5. Bake 15-17 minutes or until cheese is nice and bubbly

--

I don't know where the "original" recipe came from, or the idea itself. I made this a long, long time ago for a dinner-with-friends night and it was a HUGE success. Hence recreating it tonight, only this time with a gluten-free crust and an awesome sauce mixture. Yum!

--

I made an interesting discovery today. You know when you're looking to buy something and it says "Natural flavors" or "flavoring" or something in the ingredients list? Did you know that can include barley?

I figured flavors were relatively safe - just common spices or such. Otherwise, why generalize? But I've been eating a LOT lately, so I went to buy some rice crackers on lunch (whilst buying dinner groceries) and was like "BBQ rice crackers??! HELL YES!". Then I read the ingredients, where they actually listed barley, and then I went on a rampage to find out WHAT ELSE listed "natural flavor" and included/excluded barley. Basic results were a few other crackers and some prepared meat.

But really. You can never be too careful. Just sayin'.

Now go eat pizza.

Berry Chocolate Parfait

2012-03-07T19:47:00.005-05:00

I have a confession to make.

I love baking from scratch, and nothing can beat a homemade meal - ESPECIALLY when it comes to eating gluten-free.

But that's not my secret.

My confession is...

That I LOVE using boxed mixes where and whenever possible. I'm serious. And I'm talking all kinds of mixes. Cakes, cookies, muffins, pudding, pie crusts, Jell-O...

It makes life so much easier.

So here's a super easy dessert for you. It's also delicious and, if you store it properly, easily transportable.

Berry Chocolate Parfait

What You Need
1 package Jell-O instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries (you can use fresh)

What You Do
1. Defrost frozen berries by leaving them out in a bowl for an hour or so. Add a few tsp of sugar to them if you find them to be sour
2. Prepare pudding as indicated on package
3. Fill cups or bowls about 1/2 full with pudding and divide fruit evenly between cups
4. Top with remaining pudding and refrigerate until served

Spinach Pie

2012-03-07T19:41:00.003-05:00

This is really easy to make, relatively healthy and can serve as a side dish, app or full meal (depending on how much you're willing to eat).

The only warning I will give you is to make sure you get the water out of your spinach if you're using frozen. I was being an idiot and didn't put any effort in to the squeezing/draining process, so I had to bake my little pie for a lot longer than expected in hopes it would dry out.

It did eventually and was pretty yum, if I do say so myself (so myself).

Spinach Pie

What You Need
600g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and DRAINED
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a cheddar/mozza mix)

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and coat a pie dish with non-stick spray
2. Mix together all of the ingredients until well-blended
3. Press mixture down in to pie dish, and bake for 40-45 minutes

Peanut Butter Fudge Rice Krispies Squares

2012-03-06T18:44:00.003-05:00

Hey, remember how I almost lost my mind when I found the gluten-free Rice Krispies? I thought about them all day and night and the next day too, so on and so forth.

Fortunately for me (and you), I had this recipe in my back pocket and was more than ready to employ it.

BEHOLD!

GREATNESS!

Peanut Butter Fudge Rice Krispies Squares
Original recipe here

So, I made this whole thing using just my microwave and various bowls. There are stove-top ways to get it done, but I'll tell you how I did it.

What You Need
Layer One:
2 1/2 cups g-f Rice Krispies
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows (about 125g)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Layer Two:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup mini peanut butter cups

Layer Three:
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows (125g)
3 cups g-f Rice Krispies
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Top Layer:
6 squares semi-sweet Baker's chocolate, chopped

What You Do
1. Spray a 9x13" casserole dish with non-stick spray
2. In a large, microwaveable bowl, add the marshmallows and butter for Layer One. Microwave on high for 1 minute, remove and stir. Continue microwaving in 15 second intervals until marshmallows and butter are melted completely
3. Stir in the vanilla, followed by the Rice Krispies and peanut butter chips. Mix well, and then layer in base of prepared dish
4. For Layer Two, cream together the butter, peanut butter and vanilla. Add the sugar and mix well
5. Stir in the peanut butter cups, and spread layer on top of Layer One in prepared dish
6. Follow steps 2 & 3 (minus the vanilla and peanut butter chips) for Layer Three
7. For the Top Layer, microwave the chopped chocolate for 30 second intervals, stirring frequently, until melted. Use a spoon or spatula to drizzle the chocolate over top of the Rice Krispies until desired thickness is reached

--

Sounds like a lot of instructions, it isn't really.

Also, I used PC mini peanut butter cups. Although the ingredients do not include anything gluten-related, they do have a warning about wheat - I am assuming because they are made in a local facility, hence concerns about cross-contamination.

If you are worried about this, ditch the peanut butter cups and just use the layer of peanut butter, or add in something else (i.e. chocolate chips, chopped nuts, etc.)

Peanut Butter Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

2012-03-05T19:15:00.000-05:00

So, I had this idea last night that I should make breakfast for dinner tonight. I don't know where it came from, but all of a sudden it was the greatest idea ever. I literally dreamed of breakfast sausages, pancakes and maple syrup.

I had to make it happen.

But I had to make it blog-worthy.

So I decided to up the ante a little bit with the pancakes, and do ye old peanut butter/banana take on them. I love peanut butter and bananas, Elvis loved peanut butter and bananas, WHO DOESN'T LOVE THEM TOGETHER?

Peanut Butter Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

What You Need
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup g-f all-purpose baking flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 banana, sliced
4 Tbsp peanut butter chips

What You Do
1. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, egg and butter
3. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet; mix until smooth. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix again until smooth
4. Let bowl sit out for a few minutes to let baking agents get to work!
5. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and spray with cooking oil
6. Add pancake to desired size and let cook until bubbles form on exposed side and begin to pop
7. When bubbles are forming, sprinkle peanut butter chips in to pancake (about 1 Tbsp/pancake) and add a few slices of the banana
8. When bubbles have all popped, flip the pancake over and cook until brown

Baked French Toast

2012-03-03T12:02:00.000-05:00

I'm a french toast fan, but I haven't ventured there since going g-f. I've barely made my own bread, and all of the store-bought brands crumble under pressure.

I don't care. I'm going all out this morning and making a bunch of baked french toast.

Baked French Toast
Original recipe here

What You Need
10 slices g-f bread (I used Kinnickinnick brand) - microwave for a few seconds if frozen
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
4 eggs
Maple syrup

What You Do
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and coat the a small, deep baking dish with non-stick spray
2. Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Pour into the bottom of the dish
3. Cut the crusts off the bread slices and layer on top of the sugar mixture
4. Whisk together the milk and eggs, pour over top of the bread
5. Bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown
6. Remove from oven and drizzle in maple syrup (amount is your choice)
7. Broil for 1-2 minutes until nice and bubbly

--

It actually turned out really well, and was quite (sugary) delicious.

Coca-Cola Jalapeno Pulled Pork

2012-02-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

This was originally going to be a long, blathering post about my life and goals, and finding a healthy balance between mind-body-soul and bank. Mostly I just had a lot of time to think and dwell because this recipe calls for a crockpot so there's plenty of time while dinner is cooking to think about stuff.

BUT THEN, I got over it and decided to pull it and just talk about what I made for dinner. Because it's Coca-Cola Jalapeno Pulled Pork.

Fuck yeah.

Coca-Cola Jalapeno Pulled Pork
Sauce inspired by this recipe

What You Need
For the sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup Coca Cola
1/2 cup vinegar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup water

For the pork:
1 cup Coca Cola
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/3 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Pork centre roast, boneless/skinless (I often use tenderloins but this is all that was available)

What You Do
For the sauce:
1. Melt butter over medium high heat in a large saucepan
2. Add the onion, red pepper, garlic and jalapeno and saute until tender/caramelizing, about 8 minutes
3. Add the molasses, cola, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let cook for 10 minutes
4. Add the tomato paste and water, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes
5. Let cool
6. The original recipe calls for blending until smooth BUT I don't have a blender, so I strained the BBQ sauce and disposed of the veggies (Made about 1 cup of sauce)

For the pork:
1. Mix together the cola, mustard, ketchup, pepper and garlic in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker
2. Trim any excess fat off of the pork, and cut in to two or three chunks of very large
3. Add pork to slow cooker, turning to coat thoroughly in liquid
4. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until pork is tender and falling apart
5. Remove from slow cooker, draining as much excess liquid as possible
6. In a large bowl, shred pork with two forks and then add the BBQ sauce to desired amount and toss

OMG!

2012-02-28T23:16:00.002-05:00

First time I've seen them, had to buy them, I am excited!

Haven't tried them yet though.

And no, I'm not crying out of excitement. I'm currently making something to accompany dinner tomorrow night and it involves peppers, and even though I washed my hands like a thousand times to avoid this situation, my nose and eyes are now burning.

Apparently I can't keep my hands off myself.

(No, I was not picking my nose while cooking)

(I had to blow my nose because the peppers smelled too spicy)

(And now I'm crying from going "AH!" when my nose started burning and slapping my hand to my face near my eye)

(I'm done now)

YAY RICE KRISPIES!

Steak & Sausage Jamabalaya

2012-02-28T21:28:00.000-05:00

I'm back! And it's good to be back.

Sorry for the radio silence on my end. Did you know that getting engaged can be very hectic and stressful? I spent all of last week fielding questions, taking phone calls, responding to texts and just generally being over-excited and tired. Fortunately, things seem to have calmed down this week. Well, calmed down enough that I am making jambalaya for dinner instead of eating corn chips (literally my diet for 90% of last week).

But since I've never made jambalaya, and never make things the way they are SUPPOSED to be made, I'm doing this my way.

Steak & Sausage Jambalaya
Inspired by this recipe

What You Need
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large zucchini, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 (14 oz.) can green chilies
1 onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 steaks, sliced thin
4 g-f sausage links, sliced (spicy sausages probably work best)
2 cups rice
1 cup water
1 cup g-f beef broth

**I used our 8-quart Dutch oven to make this because it is easily transferable to the oven, but I will write it as the original recipe appears for those that don't own a Dutch oven**

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high and brown the steak and sausage slices. Drain if necessary
3. Add the onion, zucchini, celery and chilies and saute until tender
4. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper and diced tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes
5. Turn off the heat and pour into a baking dish
6. Add the rice, water and beef broth and stir well to distribute the rice through out the dish
7. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes

--

As I said, I've never had jambalaya, but I loved this. Maybe because it's full of meat, and we all know I am a carnivore.

I know bell peppers and peppers of all other sorts are a staple for jambalaya recipes, and I kind of skipped that by including just canned green chilies and the spices BUT I really, really, really dislike bell peppers. Always have, probably always will.

Also mushrooms.

Have you noticed I rarely post with bell peppers and never with mushrooms?

Well that's why.

I'm Alive!

2012-02-26T11:07:00.001-05:00

Hey guys!

No recipes this week, but I'm still here! I'll be resuming posts as usual tonight or tomorrow - it's just been an insane week for me.

On Monday, the Boyfriend and I celebrated our four year anniversary. How did we celebrate? By playing video games with my sister, ordering in dinner and then going for a walk with Lola on the waterfront.

Where the Boyfriend proposed.

I said yes, of course - after I verified that it was not a joke. Then I was so excited I had to run in to a sushi restaurant to pee and look at the ring in the bathroom light.

Then I had to ignore the Boyfriend for forty minutes to call everyone I know/could think of.

So this week has been a bit of a blur of ring fittings, phone calls, texts, emails, excitement and generally being overwhelmed.

Once things settle back down, I'll get back to posting regularly.

Dr. Pepper Cupcakes

2012-02-20T15:04:00.000-05:00

Two things.

First, I have a weird obsession with Dr. Pepper. I never drank it as a kid, and it was never my drink of choice as an adult. I'm not a huge soda fan - I generally gravitate towards water or juice - but in the past few years, Dr. Pepper has become a semi-consistent main stay in my life. I don't know what to tell ya. I love it.

The second thing is that today is my anniversary! That's right. A whole four years with the boyfriend. Inclusive of meeting and living in a completely different city, moving downtown together, living with a roommate, getting our own apartment and, over time, having a hedgehog, rabbit and dog join our family.

We decided not to buy gifts this year, especially since Valentine's day is a whopping week before our big day.

I decided to be nice and satisfy three of my loves - the Boyfriend, Dr. Pepper and cupcakes!

Dr. Pepper Cupcakes

What You Need
1 cup butter
1 cup Dr. Pepper
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a muffin tray
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add Dr. Pepper and cocoa, mix well and remove from heat
3. Cream together the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla and baking soda
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum and cinnamon
5. Take turns adding the flour mixture and the Dr. Pepper mixture to the creamed ingredients, mixing well as you go
6. Fill cupcakes cups 3/4 of the way full with mixture, and bake for 25-30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean

--

The batter is SUPER viscous, so you will probably think you screwed up at some point in time. I have had this recipe for ages, after making a gluten-filled version a few years ago, and I remember thinking then that I had mucked up.

Never fear though. They bake well and rise eventually. If you leave the batter sitting for a bit before filling your cups, it does thicken a little bit, but waiting isn't necessary for baking.

--

Dr. Pepper Buttercream Frosting

What You Need
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Dr. Pepper
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups icing sugar

What You Do
1. Cream together the butter and half of the sugar
2. Add the Dr. Pepper, cocoa powder and vanilla and mix well
3. Continue to add icing sugar until you have the proper consistency for spreading frosting

An Update on my G-F Status

2012-02-19T17:46:00.002-05:00

I thought I would weigh in quickly on my choice to go g-f and the results, since I haven't touched on it for awhile.

Since there's no recipe in this post, I'll spare you the boredom and put it under a jump. I'm nice like that.

Since going gluten-free I have: been in the kitchen a heck of a lot more than I used to be, given up all fast food, made my family and friends aware of my new dietary restrictions and become significantly more conscious about what I am putting in to my body.

Does this all mean that I am a lot healthier? Well, no. Not exactly. I mean, I'm writing this update while drinking diet soda and eating ketchup chips (they're g-f of course).

What does it mean?

It means I feel great.

I have a lot more energy than I remember having in a long while. My schedule has become less sporadic because I don't always have to wait until the last minute to make plans because my entire body just feels a lot more consistent than it used to.

My headaches are gone. I feel a lot healthier. I've been able to apply myself more fully elsewhere - like at the gym or at work - because I don't have any of the mental fog that I used to have.

I still occasionally have stomach issues, but far less than I used to have and usually directly associated with causes now (like sitting here drinking diet soda and eating chips after a week of clean eating).

I've also noticed other things that really never bothered me before but now the improvement makes me life easier. I have less random aches and pains, I am less tired when I used to be constantly fatigued, and my anxiety has been greatly reduced.

I've still been making stupid mistakes, but it's a learning process and I am trying my best to learn. Almost all of my recent mistakes have been when I let down my guard or knew something had gluten in it but just wanted oh-so-bad and ate it any way.

Okay, that's mostly just referring to the meatballs I had last night.

--

So here is what I have found in the four or five months I have been gluten-free.

I do not crave any of the gluten-filled foods I used to eat. I actually haven't been craving anything since I changed my diet, when I thought I would. I used to occasionally say, "If I ever eat gluten again, it will be for a pita" or "it will be for a cake" (or whatever else I saw that caught me eye). But I have never actually ventured out and bought something filled with gluten because I just don't want to.

Last week, at a baby shower, the waitress plopped a full bin of fresh made bread rolls down on our table and everyone took one. I had a vague moment of, "That's not something I can eat. But maybe I'll sneak one" and then completely forgot they even existed and continued on my merry way. After we had left, the Boyfriend said he was surprised I didn't try one because they smelled so fresh and were oven-warm. It was only then that I remembered they had even been offered.

So gluten cravings? Completely non-existent.

I have purposely eaten gluten to test my limits.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I do not have Celiac. I believe that 100%. I do, I think, have a gluten sensitivity or intolerance, and it's triggered by different foods and to different degrees.

FOR EXAMPLE!

I had some soup mix with barley in it and was sick as a dog the next morning. Woke up with horrendous stomach cramps and a massive headache. I was still feeling semi-unwell the morning after that.

I tried a slice of pizza, and felt fine until the next afternoon when I got a bit bloated. Nothing like the soup mix incident, but enough that I noticed I was uncomfortable and took note. Pizza is one of those things that I think I can eat if I am in a jam, but would otherwise prefer to avoid. Barley does not seem to be one of those things.

I had some sausage at a dinner with friends that had toasted wheat in it, and had the same result as the barley mishap.

So it comes and it goes. I'm not sure what the relevance is, or what factors in to my reaction to the food, but I know it is for sure related to what I eat and more specifically, related to the gluten content. I did try the whole elimination diet for a few weeks on and off, and never had the same reaction as I do with gluten.

There it is.

I will be eating gluten-free for as long as I can possibly do so, and I will continue blogging about it and I hope you'll read, comment and share your stories/recipes with me.

Spiced Zucchini Muffins

2012-02-18T12:08:00.001-05:00

It's muffin time again! That's right, I am somehow out of them.

I can't wait until the summer, when I switch back to cold morning smoothies - which I will share, obviously. I love muffins with all my heart, but this is beginning to get old.

I thought I would switch it up this week and go for a veggie-inspired muffin. Plus, have I ever expressed my love for zucchinis on here?

One summer my sister grew some in our backyard and they were roughly the size of my arm. We ate so much zucchini bread that year. So good!

(I planted carrots, but they didn't grow - very disappointing)

--

Total side note, but the brown rice flour/tapioca flour combo is my new favourite for baking cupcakes and muffins. I find it significantly lighter than pre-made baking flour mixes, and mixes that include potato starch. You can sub out these for the flours of your preference, but don't ask me about quantity information - I'm still getting used to how the different types of flour work!

--

Total total side note, but I just got home from a spinning class (I made the muffins before) and MY LEGS ARE SO SORE. This ain't my first time at the rodeo, but it's a new teacher and man - she can work it. I also feel I have to keep up with her because she's more than double my age and can spin and talk at the same time. I'm usually a panting ball of sweat after the first song.

I've been meaning to talk about exercise on this blog for awhile, but I'll save it for another post. For now, OW MY BODY.

Spiced Zucchini Muffins
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 large zucchini, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a baking tray
2. Mix together the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, zucchini, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, egg, yogurt, water and vegetable oil
4. Pour wet mixture over dry and stir until just combined
5. Fill cups about 3/4 full and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

2012-02-16T21:17:00.003-05:00

Way back in the day, I used to love weekend mornings at my parent's house. Sometimes we'd have a big breakfast, sometimes we'd go out for brunch, and sometimes we would just have toast with peanut butter and banana slices. I have many a fond memory of cozy Sunday mornings reading the newspaper (I only ever read the comics and the True Crime section because I was weird like that) with a glass of juice and a plate of peanut butter and bananas.

Of course, the only thing better than all of that, is cupcakes. Banana cupcakes. With peanut butter.

And FYI, these were eaten by a guest who had no idea they were gluten-free. When I told him, the general response was, "They are? What does that mean? They don't taste weird".

That's a good sign, right?

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

What You Need
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour/starch
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a muffin tin
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk
4. In a third bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt
5. Add the wet and dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture, mixing as you go. Begin with the dry ingredients and alternate, ending with the wet. Try not to overmix as you add the last of the wet ingredients to keep the batter loose
6. Fill tray about 3/4 full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

Peanut Butter Frosting

What You Need
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup cream

What You Do
1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter
2. Slowly beat in about 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar
3. If your icing is firming up at this point, add some of the cream. If not, continue adding powdered sugar
4. Add cream as needed to reach a good consistency

Club Sandwiches with Cranberry Mayo

2012-02-16T07:51:00.003-05:00

Last night was family dinner with the girls from downstairs, and the Boyfriend was in charge of the meal.

So, after yoga, we all gathered to drink wine (okay, that was just me) and mow down on these gigantic sandwiches.

We used Kinnikinnick white sandwich bread which is gluten-free and the best that I have tried so far. I never wrote a product review about it, but I would recommend them. It's the closest thing to regular white sandwich bread I have tried.

The rest of the sandwich was fairly simple. The Boyfriend oven cooked some bacon (enough for two slices each), sliced tomatoes, cleaned lettuce leaves and used a pre-cooked chicken (skin removed and meat shredded). The only thing I can really give a recipe for was the cranberry mayonnaise, which was inspired by cranberry mayo the Boyfriend had when we went to Cheers in Boston about two years ago (egads, that's the last vacation I've had!!).

Cranberry Mayonnaise

What You Need
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tbsp canned cranberry jelly
Pepper to season

What You Do
1. Mix, mix, mix - eat - enjoy

--

Short and sweet and it adds something to your sandwich, trust me!

Product Review: Mediterranean Snacks Baked Lentil Chips

2012-02-15T11:35:00.004-05:00

I have a new addiction, and it's baked lentil chips.

I just picked these up last night to eat with some artichoke dip before our big V-Day dinner, and I haven't stopped eating them since.

And yes, that is my horrendously messy kitchen table. Since it seats four, and there are usually only two of us around for meals, at least one half almost always serves as a catch-all for things when we come in the door (mail, keys, notices, etc.). Additionally, we use it for work and projects, so there is always at least one notebook and one computer on it. It's terrible. I dream of a bigger house where catch-all items don't automatically filter to my kitchen table.

Any way, a more thorough review after the jump.

First, these lentil chips are very light and crispy. They taste more like pita chips than potato or corn chips, and have an excellent crunch to them.

I purchased the Sea Salt flavour, but there are others available.

They are a bit pricey, at almost $5/bag, but the nutritional value is significantly better than other "junk" snack foods. Plus, I found I ate less but was just as full as if I had chowed down on an entire bag of chips.

They are perfectly shaped for dip-eating, I should also mention.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with them if I haven't already indicated so. Yes, I usually complain about cost, but these are worth it if you're entertaining or trying to have a nice, quick snack. They are fluffy but crunchy and satisfying.

The only point of contention is that they do not pack a lot of flavour themselves - at least, not with this kind. If you're looking to up the ante a notch, you might consider jazzing them up with some toppings, using a dip or trying a different flavour.

All in all though, I'm willing to give them a solid "A" grade.

Steak & Roasted Potatoes

2012-02-15T09:57:00.000-05:00

Happy day after Valentine's day! Is everyone chocolate and wine hungover?

I had a busy busy night - a cardio class at 6:30, and then the Boyfriend made me a delicious dinner while I drank a glass of wine (and then promptly fell asleep on the couch).

I'm a pretty simple gal. I love a good steak. Problem is, the Boyfriend doesn't really like steak, so we eat it very, very rarely. Usually when someone else is buying dinner.

As a special Valentine's day surprise, he made me a delicious steak (cooked to a perfect medium rare, I'm drooling right now remembering it!) along with some roasted potatoes and steamed green beans.

It was SO good.

Boys, if you want to charm a girl, cook her a big, thick steak.

It will equal eternal love. Fact.

Striploin Steak

What You Need
Striploin cut of your choosing (cooking time may vary depending on thickness)
Salt & pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion sliced into thick rings

What You Do
1. THE NIGHT BEFORE: Generously coat the steak in salt and pepper and store in a plastic bag in the fridge overnight
2. Melt butter with olive oil in a skillet over high heat
3. Add steak and cook for 3 1/2 minutes/side
4. Let steak rest before serving
5. Use the left over juice to saute onion rings until caramelized

Cooking it at such a high heat creates a beautiful crust on the outside, enhanced by the seasonings. We did have a few issues, only because the thinner cuts of steak that I am used to take about 2 minutes/side - it was a bit of guesswork, so it may be the same for you.

To be honest, I would be happier with an undercooked steak than an overcooked one. I'm a carnivore like that.

Roasted Potatoes

What You Need
2 cups small potatoes, cut in half (or a few large ones, cut in quarters)
Olive oil
Seasonings of your choice (we used sea salt, garlic powder, pepper, chili powder and Italian seasoning)

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking tray with aluminum foil
2. Put the potatoes in a large bowl and lightly cover in olive oil
3. Toss with the seasoning(s) of your preference until well coated
4. Place potatoes on baking tray in a single layer
5. Roast for 20 minutes
6. Remove tray and brush potatoes with olive oil
7. Roast for another 20 minutes

Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes

2012-02-14T10:43:00.002-05:00

A Valentine's Day miracle!

Late last night, sad that my tarts didn't turn out, and with the Boyfriend absorbed in an episode of Castle, I decided it was time to scour my brain and come up with something new to make for today.

Using junk I had in the fridge - seriously, junk, the cream cheese expires in like 3 days - I whipped up 4 of these little cute things.

Yay!

Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes
4 gluten-free cookies (I used PC Smart cookies)
1 Tbsp butter, melted
3/4 stick cream cheese, softened
1/4 + 2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and get out 4 cupcake liners
2. In a small bake, crush the cookies into crumbs
3. Mix the cookies with the melted butter and push into bottom of cupcake liners
4. Bake in oven for 5 minutes
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, egg and lemon juice until smooth
6. Add the chocolate chips and mix well
7. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full and bake for 15 minutes

Product Review: Gluten Free Pantry Pie Crust

2012-02-13T22:25:00.000-05:00

I haven't ever made pie crust before, but I have eaten plenty of them and therefore consider myself an expert.

My Nana is the best pie crust maker this side of the universe. I've always wanted her recipe for the thin, flaky, perfect crust, but now that I eat g-f, it'd be useless even if I had it. Plus, she's the best cook/baker but she does it all by feeling. It's hard to get a recipe when half of it is "when it feels right". I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT IS.

Any way, I picked up a box of this the other day on a whim, when I was barely working through thought processes at the grocery store, and decided I'd make it just in time for the big V-Day.

My thoughts?

Um...

...there might be an embarrassing failure after the jump.

I both loved and hated making it. I followed the instructions to a T, but found the mixing portion very difficult. I ended up using my hands to blend everything together. Once I got through the tough part of "Oh my God is this even working? I look like a dough monster and there is flour and shortening everywhere", it actually came together surprisingly well.

The problems arose when it came time for rolling and baking. Again, I followed the instructions but I think my kitchen was just too hot and the dough hadn't rested enough (despite leaving it in the fridge for over two hours). Fitting it into the tray was basically like working with mashed potatoes.

And while I knew something was wrong, onwards I went. I even wasted some (pre-made) lemon curd and nutella, hoping they would magically resolve the misshapen pie crust problem I seemed to be having.

It didn't work.

On the flip side, the non-existent crumbling crust actually still tastes good.

So the jury is out on this. Based on my pie inexperience and the fact that this product has generally good reviews elsewhere, I'm going to wait until I've worked with it again before I cast a vote.

I am a bit sad my big V-day tart plans were dashed though.

Bacon Wrapped Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2012-02-13T19:59:00.000-05:00

That title is a mouthful, eh?

Well, so is this dinner - because you will want to shove the entire thing in your mouth. Yeah. I said it.

Bacon Wrapped Pizza Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Original recipe here

What You Need
2 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup pizza sauce (+ some extra for topping)
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 slices bacon
toothpicks (optional)

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with foil
2. Arrange bacon on tray in single layer
3. Cut each chicken breast in half and place on top of bacon
4. In a small bowl, mix together the mozzarella, pizza sauce and seasonings
5. Spread the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts
6. Roll each breast, placing seam side down in the middle of the bacon strips
7. Top the chicken with some extra sauce, wrap the chicken breast with bacon and secure with toothpick if necessary. I chose to wrap the bacon so that it covered the opening of the rolled chicken.
8. Bake 30-35 minutes

My Weekend

2012-02-12T20:54:00.005-05:00

No updates this weekend - I took a road trip out of town to attend a baby shower luncheon.

We left early Saturday, met with friends in the evening, attended the event on Sunday and just got home a few minutes ago. We were visiting Windsor, Ontario - a city with a bad rap but beautiful scenery and the home of what were, possibly, the best years of my life.

I fell in love with cooking for myself while a student in Windsor, learned how to live and thrive on my own, met the Boyfriend and fell in love again, learned to enjoy my education and spent every waking moment riding my bike through the city streets or hanging out by the waterfront. Not to mention the countless memories of cross-border trips, concerts, film shoots (we were communications students), and nights on the town.

It was bizarre going back. We returned once or twice after graduation to visit friends, but eventually everyone drifted out of town or got so busy with life in general that there was no need for a visit. This was our first time back in about three years.

Everything was different. Sure, it's not like the city was rebuilt - the library I spent many a night at was still standing, as was the church in which I accidentally crashed a sermon. But so much of what I knew was gone - the familiar feeling of "home" didn't start to return until mid-day today, I didn't see anyone I knew wandering on the street. Hell, they even closed down the bars I spent Thursday nights at.

It was a sweet, sad visit.

But to the point:

In all my years of living in Windsor, I was never gluten-free. I didn't have to worry too much this time. I packed a homemade trail mix for the trip there (banana chips, plain M&Ms, blueberry/almond crunch pieces). We ate at an Applebee's - which, if you look online, has a contentious "gluten-free" status. I had the Santa Fe salad, however, which was very straight forward, so I didn't have any ill-effects afterwards.

I skipped breakfast (too much Saturday night wine! Plus the Boyfriend was at the casino and I was stuck in the hotel), and lunch was part and parcel of the shower gathering. My friends aren't aware of my intolerance - mostly because they've been baby-busy - but the buffet at the Manor where the event was held was amazing. I'm talking g-f salad, chicken, roasted vegetables.

I didn't even want any of the gluten-filled things. Not even once. Not even when they put a bowl of fresh buns on the table. It actually didn't even cross my mind to sneak a bite and cheat. I surprised myself.

My one faltering point was dessert, when I indulged in a slice of mousse cake - which had a thin layer of sponge cake in it that no one seemed to know about.

Aside from that, it was a clean eating weekend and I'm fairly impressed with myself.

Any way, that's why there aren't any updates. And sorry for the blathering.

I'm just feeling nostalgic.

Pasta Sauce

2012-02-09T20:38:00.001-05:00

I eat a lot of pasta, in case you didn't notice. Actually, I think I eat more pasta being g-f than I did before - which is a bit bizarre. Truth is, I didn't eat a lot of pasta in my past life because I don't like canned tomato sauces.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered shortly before starting this blog that I could make my own sauce and it was relatively easy.

Mind. Boggled.

I remember my mom making spaghetti sauce and it always seemed to take a million years. I can usually whip up a fairly simple pot in about half an hour.

Today I tried something new.

FYI, there is brown rice pasta in that bowl too - I did not just consume an entire bowl of sauce. I was tempted though...

Pasta Sauce
Original recipe here

What You Need
1/2 lb Italian sausage meat
3/4 lb ground turkey
1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano

What You Do
1. In a large pot, cook the sausage, turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat; drain any fat
2. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, diced tomatoes and water
3. Add the sugar, basil, seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and oregano; stir
4. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally

Red Velvet Chocolate Muffins

2012-02-09T19:30:00.001-05:00

While out doing our weekly grocery store trip on Sunday, the Boyfriend stood over a tray of muffins, debating the purchase.

Immediately, I opened my big mouth and said, "Don't waste your money, I can totally make you chocolate chip muffins as long as you don't mind them being gluten-free".

He doesn't mind the g-f thing, but here's the problem: I always offer to make things and then completely forget.

Take, for example, my mom's annual potluck. Last year I swore up and down I was making some fancy hot pizza dip - and then I showed up with cupcakes (at least they were delicious cupcakes). Or when my former roommate debated buying granola from Whole Foods and I said, "Don't bother, I can make it for you, just buy the oats" and then, a year later, me and a full bag of unused oats moved in to a new apartment.

NOT THIS TIME. This time I am legit making some chocolate g-f muffins, but they're going to be SUPER COOL.

Just a note, these are only red velvet insofar as I used cocoa powder and buttermilk. I added a few drops of red food colouring to get the deep brown-red colour, so if you want to do the same, go for it!

Red Velvet Chocolate Muffins

What You Need
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups gluten-free all purpose baking flour
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 cups chocolate chips

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease a muffin tin
2. In a large bowl, mix together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla and butter
3. In a separate bowl, blend together the flour, sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing well as you go
**Add a few drops of food colouring at this stage if you're using it**
5. Stir in the chocolate chips
6. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

--

So, I actually overbaked mine slightly and did a lot of shifting around because I was trying to use my stove/oven for other purposes. The end result is a really crispy cookie-like exterior with the soft muffin interior.

They're so very tasty. I pushed them on the Boyfriend originally all like, "These are yours as requested, I'm not touching them because they're sooooo unhealthy", but I've eaten 2 already...

Asian Beef Stir Fry

2012-02-07T21:38:00.001-05:00

When I was a kid, "healthy eating" equated dieting. When my parents would discuss eating healthier, I automatically assumed they wanted to go on a diet because they thought they were fat. I realize now they were more so trying to figure out how to make their three picky children healthier around their full time work schedules, but child-Sarah just figured they had some self-image issues.

Twice - yes, two times - I gave my mom a diet cookbook for a gift-giving holiday. Kind of a dick move, I know that now. "Oh hey, you think you look good? Well, I think you need this cookbook...if you know what I mean."

Of course I didn't mean it like that and my momma still loves me.

BUT ANY WAY, we never really used any of the books, except for this one that was about making super quick healthy meals for the family. I can't remember what it was or is called, and all that I have is a single page photocopy of this recipe, but we used to make this all the time*.

*When we remembered the night before so as to leave the marinade overnight

Now that I'm in the kitchen a lot more, I realize it's not very special or different from the thousands of other recipes available BUT it stands the test of time and is quite tasty.

I did have to make a few changes because it wasn't gluten-free, but I'm still happy.

Asian Beef Stir Fry

What You Need
1 lb flank steak, sliced thin
2 cups snow peas

For the marinade
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp g-f soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
For the stir fry sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp g-f soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp garlic chili sauce
3/4 cup g-f chicken broth
Other
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp red crushed chilies

What You Do
1. THE NIGHT BEFORE: mix together the cornstarch, water, soy sauce and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the beef strips and stir until well coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight
2. THE NIGHT BEFORE: in a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the stir fry sauce
3. WHEN YOU'RE READY TO COOK: Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat
4. Add the ginger, drained marinated beef and chili flakes. Stir until meat browns
5. Add the stir fry sauce and the snow peas
6. Toss until sauce thickens slightly and snow peas are tender-crisp

Loaded Potato Pizza

2012-02-06T23:30:00.003-05:00

Oh hai.

I feel like I've been gone for awhile, since my only weekend update was a complete failure. Truth is, I was a bit hungover on Saturday and busy doing errands yesterday, so I didn't take any time to cook.

I did, however, make pizza last night, because I found and bought a pizza tray that actually fits in my puny apartment sized oven. Since the Bob's Red Mill GF Pizza Crust Mix package makes enough for 2 pizzas, we're having it again tonight.

Only, this time I'm making it interesting.

And by interesting, I mean disguising it as a loaded baked potato.

As a sidenote, I thought this was a totally original idea and then I found out it already exists on the internet.

Whatever. Mine's the best.

Loaded Potato Pizza

What You Need
Gluten-free pizza dough
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
6 slices bacon
*1 leek, sliced
**3 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup mixed cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

*I used a leek because I had one leftover from a few meals ago, and the Boyfriend doesn't like green onions. What you use is totally up to you, but green onions are definitely more potato-traditional.
**Prosciutto is not even remotely potato related, we just had some I thought I'd use.

What You Do
1. Prepare your crust as instructed on the label/packaging
2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until almost crispy (6-8 minutes)
3. Remove the bacon from the heat and drain on paper towel. Add the leeks to the bacon fat and saute until soft, about 5 minutes
4. Remove leeks from heat and drain on paper towel. The bacon should be cool by now, so chop in to small, bite size pieces
5. In a medium bowl, mix together the ranch dressing, sour cream, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Use as a sauce on the pizza crust
6. Cover pizza with leeks, then cheese (both kinds), then the prosciutto
7. Bake for 15 minutes in a 425F oven, or as directed on the pizza crust packaging

--

A lot of the other similar pizza recipes call for actual baked potatoes on the pizza, but I wasn't feeling it.

The Boyfriend swears up and down that it tasted like a baked potato. Alls I know is that the sour cream/ranch topping is super fucking delicious.

--

Also, no Superbowl posts from me, in case you didn't notice. I neither know about nor care for football - although the Boyfriend's father might slap me for uttering such sacrilege.

Kitchen Failure: Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Cookies (?)

2012-02-05T23:45:00.004-05:00

I don't even want to talk about this failure.

...
...
...

Okay, yes I do, because it's really funny.

I had a bunch of gluten-free oats left over from my recent baking forays, and I decided to use them to make cookies. But, it's after 11 and I'm feeling sick (gluted!) so maybe my brain isn't working.

My lovely individual cookies turned into um...this.

Oh heck yes! That's a large flat tray of gooey cookie mess, despite cooking for an extra almost 20 minutes.

AND it happened to all my trays because, apparently, I don't learn.

You know what's a good time? These cookies. When they do this, they'll make you laugh.

Then you'll be sad because you used cute mini chocolate chips and now you don't have any edible cookies.

P.F. Chang's Chicken

2012-02-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

I've never been to P.F. Chang's, but apparently this is a recipe that mimics an item on their menu. It's supposed to be served in a lettuce wrap, but I chose to serve it over rice.

I wish you could taste how great it is. I really, really do. I was super impressed because it was very fast to make but it packed SO much flavour.

It's so, so, so good. It's going to be in my regular rotation. I literally licked the bowl clean.

I'm done drooling, I'll share the recipe now.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Original recipe here

What You Need
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb ground chicken breast
1 cup water chestnuts, diced fine or processed
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar (unseasoned)
For the sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water + 2 tsp
2 Tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp mustard
2 tsp garlic chili paste

What You Do
1. Mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce until well blended, store in the fridge for later use
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and chicken and cook until chicken is browned
3. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar and rice wine vinegar
4. Add mixture to the chicken along with the water chestnuts and garlic, and saute for 5-8 minutes
5. Serve over rice and top with sauce

Product Review: Sweets from the Earth Gluten Free Walnut Brownie

2012-02-03T10:40:00.005-05:00

I'm in a weird mood this morning. A weird mood that required a trip to the grocery store and a 10:30am brownie break.

I don't really have a review because it's a brownie and it's delicious and gooey and excellent.

But if you want to read more, here's a rantorama about some random chest pains I've been having this week because I AM THE EPITOME OF HEALTH.

I went to an intense cardio class on Tuesday and halfway through, my chest started hurting pretty bad. I finished the class, and did yoga on Wednesday, but it's Friday and my chest is STILL sore. I can't decide if it's something to worry about, or just stressed muscles - I've done hard cardio before, but not the same movements, so maybe I just mucked with something.

ANY WAY, I've decided to play it safe and get checked out by my doctor. But can I get a hold of my family doctor? Of course not. Three failed attempts to get through to his office, a total of an hour and a half wasted on hold, I'm done.

I'm going for a run tonight and hoping to do a spinning class in the morning. If I keel over, hopefully someone will call 9-1-1 and then my doctor, to call him a dick.

Product Review: Fruit&Fruit Bars

2012-02-03T07:45:00.002-05:00

I was contacted recently by Fruit&Fruit to try out their new gluten free fruit snack bars. After the initial "WHO ME?" and development of a policies page, I agreed to receive a few samples and give them a whirl.

I'm not going to lie, I was excited for the samples but super hesitant about the product. I'm generally not an all-natural fruit bar kind of gal, with the exception of fruit leather (delicious). When the bars arrived in the mail, my first thought was "Oh shit, I'm going to have to reject my first product review". As it turns out, however, I have plenty to say.

First, a bit of information. Each bar is equal to 2 fruit portions (heck yeah, daily intake!) and they are 100% fruit. They are also allergen friendly and vegan. To guarantee a g-f status, the bars are certified through a third party lab test.

If you want to know more about them, like where you can grab a few to try yourself, or generally what the heck I'm talking about, check out their site here or their Facebook page here

Coconut & Raisins: Soft texture aside, and the fact that it doesn't really smell like anything (I was hoping for a strong coconut scent), this one is actually my favourite. There is a ton of flavour as soon as you take your first bite, and they are not overly sweet. Plus, I love the texture of coconut and you get a lot of that with this bar. There is not an overt coconut taste, which was a bit of a downfall, because the other fruit elements completely overwhelm it. Overall though, not terrible at all. I'd probably give this one an "A" grade.

Mango & Pineapple: This flavour falls pretty much smack dab between "alright" and "great" for me. I'm not a huge mango fan to start off with, so this bar had to work a bit to win my heart. The texture of this one was different from the others in that I found it to be a spongier - not necessarily unappealing. It wasn't too sweet, it wasn't too sour. I'm going to go ahead and say it's middle of the road. A nice snack, not something I'd travel far and wide to locate. That's why it gets a "B" grade.

The third flavour was Apple & Berries, which I thought would be a shoe-in for favourite. I don't have a lot to say about it because I found it very sweet and incredibly tangy, and ended up tossing it after a few bites because my teeth literally hurt. I mean, I did have a lot to say about it, but other people who tried pieces seemed alright with the flavour, so maybe it's just not my personal preference.

Overall, I was fairly pleased with the samples. I will definitely keep an eye out for the Coconut & Raisin bars, and if I happen to find the Mango & Pineapple, I will probably invest. The Apple & Berries is off my radar though.

(Image is copyright Fruit&Fruit - I definitely didn't get that many samples!)

Potato-Leek Hash with Pork

2012-01-31T21:54:00.001-05:00

The original recipe calls for eggs which I find very exciting and delicious-sounding, but I'm sure the Boyfriend would be appalled, so we're using lean ground pork.

However! Next time he's out of town, guess who's eating this breakfasty meal for dinner (again) COMPLETE WITH EGGS.

This guy.

But, you know, for now, this is totally cool.

Potato-Leek Hash with Pork
Original recipe here

What You Need
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pkg lean ground pork (approx 1/2 lb)
2 large leeks, sliced
2 cups fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, thinly sliced and trimmed
2 oz. shredded Asiago cheese
Creole seasoning

What You Do
1. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add pork. Brown, 8-10 minutes, remove from heat
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the leaks and cook for 8 minutes stirring frequently
3. Add the potatoes, garlic and a few teaspoons of water. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender
4. Add some of the creole seasoning and the swiss chard. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly
5. Add the pork, mix and let cook for 5 minutes or until heated through
6. Add the shredded cheese, cover and cook for 2 minutes or until cheese melts

Butterbeer Granola

2012-01-31T09:26:00.001-05:00

This was actually almost a kitchen failure. I dreamt up these incredible Harry Potter themed granola bars at work, but when I went to work in my lab (aka tiny apartment kitchen), I couldn't get them to bind properly. I didn't want to introduce peanut butter or some other sticky substance, so I just baked them and hope for the best.

Well, they did not bind. They crumbled, but in to nice sized snackable chunks. Also, they taste delicious. Very sweet and chewy for a pick-me-up snack.

Sure, they're not what I envisioned...but I will eat all the little bags of them we have. I'm sure HP would be proud.

As a side note, I only made these because I found "butter vanilla emulsion" at a Winner's store. If you're lacking a bottle of whatever that is, I would suggest using a reduced amount of vanilla extract - but I can't guarantee the same flavours.

Butterbeer Granola

What You Need
4 1/2 cups gluten-free oats (please see this post regarding the use of oats for people with Celiac)
1 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp butter vanilla emulsion
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup cream soda
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 Tbsp caramel spread
2 cups butterscotch chips
Pinch of salt

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a baking sheet
2. Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Stir in the butterscotch chips
3. Firmly press mixture into pan and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown in colour
4. Let cool, crumble. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer

Pesto Mac & Cheese

2012-01-30T23:04:00.001-05:00

So, uh, this is not my healthiest recipe. Actually, by my calculations, it's around 500 calories/serving. It is, however, absolutely perfect for a cold winter night, fairly easy to make and - surprise! - gluten free!

It's an amalgamation of recipes found here and here, so I can't fully take credit. I did tweak it here and there though, so that counts for something (right? RIGHT?).

Any way, as people who rarely (if ever) eat pesto, this was a welcome change to the dinner routine - calories be damned!

Pesto Mac & Cheese

What You Need
1 package uncooked gluten-free (small shapes are preferable, I got stuck with corn penne)
2 cups arugula
1 cup parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup grated asiago cheese
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp gluten-free all purpose baking blend
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1 cup grated mixed cheddar cheese

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a 9x11" casserole dish
2. Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente, drain and set aside
3. In a food processor or blender, pulse together the parsley, arugula, basil, garlic, olive oil, asiago cheese and salt and pepper (to taste) until well combined
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in the flour to create a roux, and cook for 1 minute
5. Add the milk, season with salt and pepper and simmer until thick
6. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and let melt
7. In a large bowl, combine the pesto, white sauce and pasta, and mix well. Pour in to the casserole dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until top is nice and brown

Carrot, Apple & Sunflower Seed Muffins

2012-01-30T08:15:00.000-05:00

These are more a case of "what all can I put in a muffin" than "these sound like a great idea". I was actually worried they wouldn't set because the batter is very liquid. Surprisingly, they rose quite nicely!

I think a few adjustments should be made to the following recipe if you are looking to make these. The muffins are a bit bland as they are, so I would suggest:

- add 1 tsp vanilla extract
- add a more flavourful ingredient, such as raisins or dried fruit OR use a small amount of fresh fruit
- use slightly more apple sauce (which may call for more flour)

In total, they are not terrible, but they taste a little bit too health nut to me. Not going to stop me from eating them though.

Carrot, Apple & Sunflower Seed Muffins

What You Need
3 eggs
4 Tbsp apple sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely shredded carrot
1/2 cup shredded apple
1 1/2 Tbs sunflower seed kernels
2 cups gluten free all purpose baking flour mix
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Extra sunflower seed kernels

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a muffin tray
2. Mix together the eggs, apple sauce, orange juice, brown sugar and olive oil
3. Add the carrot, apple and sunflower seed kernels to the mixture and blend
4. Add the flour, baking powder and pie spice and mix well
5. Fill the muffin trays about 1/2 way (will be more than enough for 12) and top with a sprinkle of sunflower seed kernels
6. Bake 25-30 minutes

Taco Wraps

2012-01-28T09:39:00.005-05:00

You know those nights where you're about to go out, and you realize that where you're going is not very gluten-free friendly, and you've only got about an hour before you've got to be there?

Last night was one of those nights and I had to ditch my grand dinner plans and make up some bullshit on the fly.

This bullshit was actually a good idea. It was quick, easy, tasty and relatively healthy - to make up for the copious amount of drinking that may or may not have happened after it was consumed.

Taco Wraps

What You Need
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp sriracha
1 head iceberg lettuce
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Any other desirable taco toppings (tomato, salsa, avocado, corn, beans, etc.)

What You Do

This one is fairly self explanatory so I am not going to break it down too much.

For the meat, brown the beef and then follow the directions on the spice package, using only half of the water amount required if you can get away with it. Add the sriracha, and stir often.

To use the lettuce as a wrap, cut off the base of the lettuce and then carefully peel off the leafs, or pull out the middle to make using the exterior leaves easier. You will rip a few, but I ended up having about 8 usable ones after getting into the flow.

That's all there is to it! Put the meat into the shell created by the lettuce leaf, top however you would like.

Buttermilk Chicken Caesar Salad

2012-01-26T12:52:00.003-05:00

No points for originality tonight, this recipe is straight from Martha Stewart with virtually no changes.

But sometimes you just need a little Martha in your life, you know?

Also, sometimes you need to eat salad for dinner because you're conked out from overdosing on sugar and sodium every other day.

Buttermilk Chicken Caesar Salad
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 slices of gluten-free bread (fresh or frozen - if frozen, microwave for about 30 seconds before use)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 head romaine lettuce
1/2 cucumber, sliced
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to season

What You Do

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon juice, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper
2. Place the chicken in a large ziploc bag. Keep 1/2 cup of the dressing for the salad, and add the rest to the bag. Refrigerate the chicken for 15+ minutes (I let it marinate for about half an hour)
3. Heat broiler with the rack 4 inches away from the heat. Line a baking tray with foil
4. To make the croutons, place your bread on the prepared tray. Brush both sides with the olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Broil until toasted, about 2 minutes/side. Remove and cut in to cubes
5. Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and broil for 14-16 minutes or until cooked through. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing for the salad
6. Add the mayonnaise to the reserved 1/2 cup dressing and stir. In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, croutons, lettuce, cucumber and the dressing

Beer Battered Fish (and Chips)

2012-01-26T08:59:00.005-05:00

We were eating relatively healthy this week, but the Boyfriend took control of the kitchen while I was out at yoga. I mean, sure, it's more calories than I wanted to consume, but can I really complain about it?

The answer is no. No, I can not.

I have made fish before, but this batter had the beer taste without the gluten hangover. Pretty darn tasty.

Beer Battered Fish
Original recipe here

What You Need
2 fillets white fish
3/4 cup gluten-free all purpose baking flour mix (+ a bit extra)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 egg
1 cup gluten-free beer (we used a Nickelbrook Gluten Free Alcoholic Beverage)
Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil (for frying)

What You Do
1. Fill a sturdy wok or sauce pan with enough vegetable oil to cover the fish, and turn the heat to high
2. Mix all of the ingredients (except the fish) together until smooth
3. Pat the fish down with some of the extra flour mix, and dredge in the batter
4. Once your oil is hot enough, fry the fish until it is golden brown on all sides (5-8 minutes)
5. Remove from oil and set on a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid

--

The accompanying fries are pretty easy to make as well. Grab a few potatoes, slice them to your desired consistency/size, and either bake or deep fry them until golden brown.

It was a good dinner, albeit heavy for a day of low cal consumption and yoga attendance (I am getting better at yoga, by the way). Also, the Boyfriend tried to get me to drink the beer when I got home so as not to waste it - when I declined his offer, he admitted that he had tried to drink it but couldn't, because he hated it.

Guess someone didn't read my review before buying...

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce

2012-01-24T18:50:00.001-05:00

I have only had spaghetti squash once in my life, when I was an undergraduate student and my roommate drove us to a cheap fruit market where I was coerced into buying the foreign object.

It sat in the fridge for probably about two weeks before I made it. I don't remember how I prepared it or if I even really liked it, but I do remember thinking that raking the squash to make the strands was fun.

So, we bought one on Sunday and we're eating it for dinner. Of course I let the Boyfriend join in the raking-squash fun.

I'm thoughtful like that.

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce

What You Need
1 spaghetti squash
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking tray with tinfoil
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place cut sides down on tray and pierce the skin with a fork multiple times. Bake until tender, 30-40 minutes
3. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until fragrant
4. Add the broccoli and celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes
5. Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, seasoning and red pepper flakes. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes
6. Using a fork, rake the squash pulp from the shell, making spaghetti-like strands. Mix in to the tomato sauce and serve

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

2012-01-23T20:10:00.003-05:00

I've made this recipe before (prior to going g-f), and it was enjoyable and easy. It only takes 2 1/2 hours in the crockpot, so you can throw it in on lunch or after work for dinner.

The first time I made it, I was unfamiliar with the cornstarch, so my "sauce" was more chunky than it should have been. We just ate around it.

Today I got it right.

Crockpot Sesame Chicken
Inspired by Slow Cooker Quick Fixes

What You Need
1 1/4 cups g-f chicken broth
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp g-f soy sauce
2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp chili garlic paste
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 lb skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups sugar snap peas
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds

What You Do
1. Whisk together the chicken broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, chili garlic paste, honey and sesame oil in your crockpot
2. Stir in the chicken
3. Cook on high for 2 1/2 hours, stirring about halfway through
4. Steam the sugar snap peas and carrots (I steamed them for about 15 minutes)
5. Stir vegetables and sesame seeds into slow cooker

--

So remember when I talked about eating pizza yesterday and how it was fine because I felt alright the rest of the day?

I'm not sure if it's pizza aftermath or just because I've generally been feeling low this past week, but I am paying for something today. It started with a headache and stomach ache last night, which continued on and off into today. I've also got a bit of a brain haze going on, so my focus is completely off.

This, of course, makes me anxious and I already know that I do not cope well with anxiety.

Sometimes I feel like I just can't win!

The remedy for today was healthy eating with a few deviances into sugary foods (I find sugar lifts my spirits, go figure) and some exercise. Coupled with a delicious dinner, I should (hypothetically) be on the road to recovery.

That's all that's on my mind today! Well, aside from the usual (money, dog, friends, boyfriend, Loch Ness monster plausibility, job, etc.).

Orange Chocolate Muffins

2012-01-22T14:47:00.007-05:00

For Christmas the Boyfriend and I both received Terry's Chocolate Oranges (of course). Every year I adamantly maintain that I do not like them, so the Boyfriend usually cracks them and eats them over the course of January. Occasionally I will sneak a piece and realize I DO like them, but they're almost gone so I've missed my chance.

I don't know why, but I literally do it every year.

So, any way, I decided to make up for it with some orange chocolate muffins. Yay!

Orange Chocolate Muffins

What You Need
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large orange, quartered (but not peeled)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and prep a muffin tray
2. Use a food processor or a blender to pulverize the orange. If you can't get the peel fine enough, pull out any large chunks of left-over zest
3. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients (brown rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, ginger)
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, vanilla, orange juice, butter and the pulverized orange
5. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just blended
6. Add the chocolate chips and mix in
7. Bake 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

--

I feel I should mention, I totally fell off the g-f wagon this weekend. I was sick all week and feeling awful, so my diet yesterday wasn't much more than whatever g-f goods I could scrounge from my (almost bare) kitchen.

Any way, I ended up eating two slices of completely gluten-filled pizza. I actually feel okay today. Not as terrible as I expected, but a bit bloated for sure. One thing I have learned on this journey, aside from the fact that going g-f makes my stomach ache less, controls my headaches and helps break me out of my brain fog, is that I don't do well with barley.

I'll chalk the pizza up to another experiment. I can eat it if there's nothing else available, as long as it's in moderation, and I probably shouldn't make a habit of it.

Baton Rouge Restaurant & Bar & SITE UPDATES!

2012-01-21T18:48:00.006-05:00

I don't know how or why I forgot to mention this, but my darling mother took my sisters and I out to Baton Rouge for lunch last weekend.

Their allergen information is clearly listed on their website.

I ended up having a sirloin steak (medium rare, of course) and coleslaw. I did order french fries, which are on the list for potentially containing gluten (cross-contamination), but I didn't end up having to touch them. The portions are MASSIVE and I was stuffed just trying to finish off the steak.

We stuck around for dessert which was a bit trickier. The chocolate mousse is the only dessert that is "gluten-free" (but still, potentially cross contaminated). My mom ordered it so I tried a few bites, and did not suffer any ill effects. However, I would definitely proceed with caution.

Regardless, it was a great lunch and I am adding the restaurant to the Restaurants page for future reference.

Oh, and no pictures because I ate all of my food before I remembered - and when I did remember, I was in a food coma and in no position to be thinking about food.

--

I also received an email today regarding a potential product review, so I decided it was finally time to create some policies for this blog. So, our brand new disclosure and privacy policies are available in the pages section if you would like to give them a read.

In sum, I will happily receive products and such to review BUT I am the final authority on whether they will be published or not. I am also not to be swayed into writing something favorable - all opinions and such will be mine, free of any sort of persuasion.

In terms of your privacy, the only information that will be collected is the generic non-personal information that is already collected by the Blogger site (i.e. browser, general location, etc.). Personal information will only be used if it is (a) submitted to me directly by you and (b) required for something relevant, such as an email response to an inquiry or an email message to notify of a contest win (if contests ever happen on this blog).

You can read and review them at your leisure and, as per usual, hit me up with any questions or concerns in the comments below, via the Contact Me page or by using smoke signals. Whatever works for you!

Product Review: Glutino Gluten Free Breakfast Bars (Cherry)

2012-01-20T11:02:00.005-05:00

I am out of muffins! THIS IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY!

Okay, maybe not an emergency but I have been hungry all morning because, once out of muffins, I am apparently useless in the morning and just stand around my kitchen whining and wringing my hands until it's time to go to work.

Thank God for the Sobey's downstairs from my office.

I actually saw these a few days ago and thought about purchasing them but decided not to until today. Read more to see my grading breakdown/review.

These breakfast bars are close to allergen free - gluten/wheat free, egg, casein, milk free, cholesterol free (it's an allergy now, shut up). They were in with the regular granola bars and such at the grocery store, so it was really the label that grabbed my eye and screamed "HEY, WE'RE SAFE TO EAT!".

Cost wise, the box was about $6, so it's slightly over $1/bar. This seems a bit expensive, because I'm fairly certain individual granola bars can be bought for like $0.50 each, but it's not terrible.

The bars look, feel and smell exactly like their allergen-filled cousins, the Nutri-Grain bar. That may also be part of the appeal, because gluten-eating Sarah loved those things.

In terms of taste, these are just okay. The cherry filling was surprisingly tangy and didn't taste like it was laden down with sugar, which was nice. The bread-like part of the bar was slightly less enjoyable. Decent texture but a bit denser than I anticipated, and it had a weird, lingering aftertaste. I assume this comes from the fact that it is allergen free, as I've run into this aftertaste issue before with similar foods.

They are fairly filling, but would need something else to be breakfast-y - I ended up eating two over the course of the morning (breakfast and er...breakfast snack).

Overall grade: B

The only negatives were the slight aftertaste, which wasn't a huge deal, and the cost. Otherwise, these breakfast bars weren't totally terrible and I enjoyed the filling. They are an easy option for an on-the-go snack. Otherwise, I'd stay stick to your own concoctions.

Gluten-free Minestrone Soup

2012-01-18T18:46:00.002-05:00

I am getting sick AGAIN, and I am none too pleased about it. Especially as I am on dog duty and all other areas of responsibility this week. If I'm sick, I tend to be more useless than usual and nothing gets cleaned, junk food is eaten and I don't work out at all. Plus the poor pup gets less exercise time than usual and I spend a majority of my time wallowing in self pity.

To circumvent a full blown illness, I have adopted a sick person diet. This primarily consists of Cold FX and orange juice, coupled with soup.

I have to say, this soup *almost* makes me wish I was sick ALL the time so I'd have an excuse for guzzling it down.

Gluten-free Minestrone Soup

What You Need
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
3 cups gluten-free vegetable broth
1/2 small head of cabbage, chopped
2 zucchinis, diced
3/4 cup small shell gluten-free pasta (I used brown rice pasta)
1 cup fresh spinach
1 can white kidney beans, drained
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp Italian seasoning

What You Do
1. Saute the garlic, celery, onion and carrot in the olive oil over medium high heat until tender (5 minutes)
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, bring to a boil
3. Reduce heat to medium low and let cook for 30-45 minutes, or until all vegetables and pasta are tendered and soup has come together

Product Review: Cookie it Up Gluten Free Blueberry Cookies

2012-01-18T09:47:00.006-05:00

It's not even 10am, and I am already craving sugar - so I whipped downstairs to get myself a fresh squeezed orange juice (+10 points for health) and a bag of these gluten-free blueberry cookies (-20 points for health).

I'm having conflicting ideas concerning these cookies, so I'll break down my review into a few sections to grade it. Can you tell I'm big on the points/grading system today? It's a morning thing.

Why I chose these cookies:
- they were something new that I do not see often. According to their website, they are a small, local company here in Ontario (actually, quite close to my parent's house!), so I am not sure how wide reaching their business is
- I like that the gluten-free cookies are differentiated from the other cookies by the actual name, so there's no confusion
- Part of the cost is donated to a charity, which makes me feel better about buying/mowing down on cookies

What I was surprised about:
- the price. $5.99 for the bag, which seems a bit steep for gluten-free cookies when you can buy the PC g-f cookies for $2 less. Also, as mentioned, part of the proceeds support Free the Children, which is (I think), a great partnership - but is my entire $2 extra going to them? I sure hope so.
- the lack of any mention on the packaging concerning the gluten-free title. No information regarding potential cross contamination, nothing identifying the facility, no word on whether they have ever been inspected to guarantee g-f. They are essentially relying on the name of the cookie to draw in the consumer which, referring to my initial point, it did
- the SIZE of the cookies. They are fat and very, very small. Based on the picture on the front of the bag, the size of the bag and the cost, I was really expecting average sized cookies
- the consistency of the cookies. Think shortbread because they have the same, dense consistency

Thoughts?

I like these cookies a lot. Whether I will buy them again is debatable. They are tasty - the blueberries really pack a punch and leave a lovely fruity aftertaste - but the consistency is very, very similar to shortbread (which I've never liked) and although they are sweeter and slightly less dense, they are very rich because of this.

Additionally, for the cost, I would prefer some kind of information on the package explaining what they do to make them gluten-free (aside from using rice flour). Are they made in a gluten-free facility? Do they come into contact with any other allergens? Has the facility been examined? Does the company itself feel any obligation to the g-f community, or is this an angle?

So many questions over a cookie!

Final verdict: B

Good taste coupled with too many surprises and a surplus of questions. I originally awarded them a B-, but I have to give some props for the local, growing business and the charitable donations.

Turkey Pineapple Curry

2012-01-16T19:25:00.001-05:00

So, I've probably mentioned before that one of my sisters currently lives and works in England. She's here for a visit, which meant a recreation of Christmas yesterday. It was a lot of fun AND it meant another turkey dinner - which, of course, means more turkey leftovers.

I've already made a soup, so I thought I'd try something new.

Something new and curry-licious.

Turkey Pineapple Curry
Inspiration here

What You Need
2 Tbsp curry powder
4 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth or stock
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups cooked turkey, diced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup cauliflower florets

What You Do
1. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and ginger with just enough water to cover to make a slurry. Set aside
2. In a large skillet, heat the butter and curry over medium heat, stirring for 2 minutes
3. Add the diced onion and cook until soft
5. Add the chicken broth, pineapple, and cauliflower to the skillet
4. Add the ginger and cornstarch slurry to the onion/curry mixture, stir, and let simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
6. Add the turkey, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and turkey is heated through
7. Stir in lemon juice and serve

Korean Seasoned Kale

2012-01-13T20:55:00.001-05:00

I needed a quick, easy side dish to accompany dinner tonight, so I turned to Tasty Kitchen and found this recipe.

I didn't change a thing and it was delicious.

Korean Seasoned Kale
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 lb kale
1 whole green onion
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sesame seeds

What You Do
1. Wash the kale and remove the stems. Cut the leaves into 1-2" pieces
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the kale. Stir to submerge
3. Return the pot to a boil and cook the kale for 4-5 minutes, until tender
4. Drain the kale and rinse in cold water. Gently squeeze to remove excess water and fluff with fingers to separate pieces
5. Place the kale in a bowl and add all of the ingredients EXCEPT sesame seeds. Toss to mix, season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve

Bulgogi

2012-01-13T20:51:00.002-05:00

I'm on for family dinner, and as I tend to do, I've made it entirely about me.

What do I love?

BULGOGI.

I used to work for a small financing company in a fancy building above a busy concourse. I was new to the city, and I went from being a big fish in a small (familiar, comfortable) pond, to a guppy flapping around the city like an idiot. There was a food court under the building, and my dietary repertoire was always very boring. I wasn't restricted back then, so I generally had (a) a sandwich from a popular coffee shop or (b) soup from the same shop or (c) a slice of pizza from a popular pizza parlour or (d) shitty Chinese food because the stand was familiar as it existed in my mall at home.

No wonder I gained a shit ton of weight working there.

Any way, one day a co-worker came back to the office with her food in a styrofoam container, and as soon as she opened it, the smell made me start salivating. I popped up out of my chair, wafted on the delicious scent to her desk, and demanded to know what she was eating and where it was from.

It was, in fact, some authentic Korean bulgogi, purchased from a weird little sandwich shop located downstairs that I had entirely dismissed because it was weird and little and not nearly as flashy or well-known as the chains I frequented.

After that day, however, I became a repeat customer. My job basically began to serve as a means to eat bulgogi. Sad, I guess, but so true! And so delicious!

I've been in withdrawal for a few months, having left that position over a year ago, so it's time for a fix.

Bulgogi
Original recipe here

What You Need
3 Tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb beef sirloin, thinly sliced*
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Coca-Cola (**optional)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp olive oil

*To get your beef as thin as you would want it for this recipe, a lot of websites suggest freezing it slightly and then cutting with a sharp knife when it is still frozen. You want to think paper-thin for these cuts

What You Do
1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic sugar, pepper and red pepper flakes in a large resealable bag
2. Add the beef, carrots and onions. Seal the bag and shake to coat
3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. **If you buy tough meat, the longer you marinate it, the better. I actually left mine in overnight. The addition of Coca-Cola (or similar soda) serves to tenderize your meat if you do not have a long time to marinate it, or would like it to be of a softer consistency
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place a few slices of beef in the skillet at a time (single layer) and fry for about 2 minutes/side or until cooked through

General Tso's Chicken

2012-01-12T19:58:00.001-05:00

I've been kicking around this recipe for a few weeks, so I figured it was time to just do it.

Boy, am I happy I did.

General Tso's Chicken
Original recipe here

What You Need
For the chicken
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
1 egg white
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
Vegetable oil for frying
For the sauce
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp finely chopped ginger root
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp chile-garlic sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar

What You Do
Chicken
1. Cut the chicken breast into bite size pieces
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white and cornstarch
3. Add the chicken and stir until evenly coated. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
Sauce
1. Add the Tbsp of oil to a saucepan over high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute)
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour into the garlic/ginger pot and stir until thick and shiny. Lower the temperature and cover partially to keep warm
Back to the chicken...
1. Heat the frying oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken pieces one at a time
2. Cook the chicken until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes/side
3. Remove the chicken pieces and drain onto paper towel
4. Add chicken to the sauce and toss to coat

Totally Unrelated

2012-01-11T21:14:00.001-05:00

I have nothing food-like to post because I survived on left overs today, but I felt the need to ask:

Anyone done yoga? Thoughts?

Part of my New Years resolution plan is to go to the gym every other day because I've had a membership for damn near two years, and going once a week isn't worth my money.

I tried my first yoga class today and although I liked it, and will consider attending again, I found I was supremely off-balance and so inflexible that some of the poses were basically the equivalent of asking me to detach my lower body and swing it around my head.

I am assuming this gets better with time, and yoga becomes a relaxing, rewarding work out? Or am I doomed to leave every class panting and avoiding all of the other yoga-goers who look as fresh as daisies when they leave?

Super Blueberry Muffins

2012-01-10T22:27:00.007-05:00

It's time for another episode of "Sarah is just makin' shit up".

Today, it's super incredibly blueberry-y blueberry muffins. Juuuuust because I can.

Super Blueberry Muffins

What You Need
2 6 oz. packages fresh blueberries
3 Tbsp sugar, divided 2 and 1
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk

What You Do
1. Put 1 package of the blueberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of the sugar, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until most of the berries have broken down and the sauce is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from heat
2. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 12 cup muffin tray
3. In a large bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar, brown sugar, coriander and cinnamon
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, butter and soy milk. Add the blueberry reduction, mix well
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing as you go until well combined
6. Stir in the second container of blueberries
7. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

Easy Pancakes

2012-01-10T20:41:00.004-05:00

The Boyfriend made these for me over the weekend - possibly because he felt bad about accidentally gluting me last week (ha, an undisclosed story, how could I forget to blog it?). He said they were pretty easy to make, and they were certainly tasty SO all is forgiven (for now, buahaha).

Easy Pancakes
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 cup gluten-free all purpose baking flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

What You Do
1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
2. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and oil
3. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir until just blended
4. Pour batter (pancake size is totally your choice!) onto lightly grease skillet over medium heat. Flip once bubbles start to appear

You're good to go when they're nice and brown.

--

In other news, I am ALREADY breaking my NY Resolution of the gym every other day. I did a strength circuit on Sunday and methinks I broke my legs.

Not really, obviously.

But shit son, the backs of my thighs HURT. Since I usually run or do circuits, our conversation about going to the gym today was kind of "Well, what do you think you can do there? Nothing? Nothing, okay...".

I think I am going to try out a yoga class tomorrow night which is exciting!! And I'll make up for my non-attendance tonight by going again on Thursday.

At one point in time, I was in love with going to the gym and I felt incredibly alive afterwards. Now I just feel sore and mad at the world. Goal for 2012 is to NOT feel like crap after exercising.

Gluten-free Sliders (Burger & Bun)

2012-01-10T20:26:00.007-05:00

The Boyfriend wanted burgers, and I have spent a majority of the week thinking about the buns I spied over at Celiacasaurus, so tonight's dinner was a meeting of the minds.

Oh, and ignore how much my buns resemble biscuits. They definitely have a bun texture, I'm just a dummy and can't work with dough (yay).

Gluten-free Sliders

For the Burger
What You Need
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 egg
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 Tbsp honey
Salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder to taste

What You Do
1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Form in to small (slightly smaller than palm-sized) patties
3. Grill over medium heat until cooked (on our grill, about 4 minutes/side)

For the Buns
Inspiration here
What You Need
1 1/3 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup white rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 Tbsp instant yeast
2 tsp unflavoured gelatin
1 Tbsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
4 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vinegar
Olive oil
Sesame seeds

What You Do
1. Turn oven on to 350F and turn off after 5 minutes
2. Mix together all of the wet ingredients until well blended (water, eggs, olive oil, vinegar)
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca flour, yeast, gelatin, xanthan gum, salt)
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix for 2 minutes. If dough seems too tight, add about 1/4 cup extra of warm water
5. Using the brilliance found over at Celiacasaurus, I used small jar lid rings but you can also use tinfoil to form circles to hold together the bun-shape. Place them on a baking sheet and spray them down with cooking spray
6. Fill each ring with dough, and pop into the warm oven for 30 minutes
7. Brush tops with olive oil and sprinkle on some sesame seeds and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400F or until tops are browned

Tuna Casserole

2012-01-09T19:20:00.001-05:00

This is not yo' momma's tuna casserole.

See, I've never actually had tuna casserole - let alone tuna - but I decided over the weekend that all I needed in the world was tuna casserole. If I knew why, I'd tell you.

Any way, this posed a few problems.

1 - I have never had or seen tuna casserole
2 - I HATE mushrooms
3 - Apparently all "Cream of" soups are full of wheat

Faced with these dilemmas, I did what I tend to do.

I made shit up.

Tuna Casserole

What You Need
4 cups uncooked corn pasta
1 small onion, chopped
2 (6 ounce) cans solid white tuna, water packed and well drained
2 (10 ounce) cans tomato with basil and oregano soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh spinach, rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Cook the pasta until al dente
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil until fragrant and transparent (about 5 minutes). Add spinach and let wither slightly (about 1 minute). Remove from heat
3. Transfer pasta to a large bowl and combine with tuna and onion mixture
4. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together soup and milk until smooth. Add the sour cream, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes and stir until combined. Add to the pasta bowl and stir to combine
5. Grease an 11x7" baking dish with g-f cooking spray
6. Add mixture to baking dish and bake for 30 minutes
7. Remove from oven, add cheese to top, return to oven for 4 minutes or until cheese melts

--

The soup type is totally up for negotiation. I literally bought two cans from a nearby convenience "grocer", so my options were supremely limited. The tomato/oregano/basil brand was the only gluten-free option I had.

It turned out surprisingly well. I added a bit more pepper as I went, to up the flavour. I had two helpings, but the Boyfriend only had one serving - he found the soup too sweet.

Next time I think I'll look for a more savoury gluten-free soup option so we can both enjoy.

Ribs & BBQ Sauce

2012-01-06T21:27:00.003-05:00

Friday night, ribs night! Well, this week only. We rarely eat ribs but when we do - they're the bomb.

Ribs
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 rack pork ribs
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp paprika
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp Jamie Oliver Szechuan Pepper, Chili & Ginger spice mix
1 tsp garlic powder

What You Do
1. Mix all spices together and rub liberally over pork. Let marinate for about 1 hour
2. Preheat oven to 300F and wrap the ribs in tinfoil. Place on a baking tray
3. Bake for 2 hours. Remove and add sauce and then cook for another 15 minutes before serving

BBQ Sauce
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp g-f soy sauce
2 Tbsp margarine

What You Do
1. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, excluding the soy sauce and margarine
2. Let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occassionally
3. Add soy sauce and margarine, mix well. Simmer for another 10 minutes before serving

Chocolate Blueberry Muffins

2012-01-03T21:44:00.008-05:00

I'm riding high off of my recent cupcake success, and I browsed through what feels like thousands of recipes today, before remembering that I need to make some muffins for breakfast. My most recent muffins of the cranberry variety were good, but I shared a lot on Christmas day and, in general, found them to be a bit heavy for breakfast.

My strawberry kiwi concoction tasted fine, but looked ridiculous and was dense due to my forgetting baking powder/soda.

Today - I shall make no mistakes!

Because I made chocolate blueberry muffins, and there is nothing wrong sounding about that.

Chocolate Blueberry Muffins
Inspiration here

What You Need
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin tray
2. Combine the brown rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix well
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, melted butter and milk
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing as you go until well combined
5. Fold in the blueberries and chocolate chips
6. Bake 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean

Picadillo

2012-01-03T19:49:00.002-05:00

This isn't really picadillo because I left out some main ingredients - namely raisins and olives. I just can't stand either of them, so decisions had to be made.

What I ended up with, ultimately, is kind of a spicy, sloppy joe-esque dinner, which I served over fresh baked cornbread. I'm not complaining, even if my picadillo isn't remotely authentic.

It was still awesome.

Also, no greens tonight. I don't give a fuck about salad! Today, any way.

Picadillo
Inspiration here

What You Need
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb g-f Chorizo sausage (check with your butcher if you're unsure)
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup g-f vegetable stock
1 Tbsp white sugar
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice

What You Do
1. Heat olive oil over medium in a non-stick skillet, and add the ground beef and sausage. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes
2. Drain off some of the grease and add the onion. Cook until soft, and then add the garlic. Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute
3. Add the tomatoes and stock along with the sugar. Set the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes
4. Stir in the vinegar and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the lime juice, stir and serve

Product Review: Bob's Red Mill Cornbread Mix

2012-01-03T19:40:00.004-05:00

I didn't have high hopes for this cornbread, primarily because I've never actually had cornbread and my last attempt was to turn this exact mixture into muffins rather than a loaf of bread.

I have to say, I am impressed.

I won't critique the cornbread since my experience in that department is severely lacking, but I will say that the recipe was incredibly easy to follow and the bread cooked very nicely.

Yay! Kitchen success!

Milestones Grill + Bar

2012-01-02T10:14:00.004-05:00

I totally forgot to take pictures/write a review, but we checked out Milestones Grill + Bar for lunch on Saturday.

They have a gluten free menu!

I was surprised and excited that there was a section specifically allotted towards gluten-free options. Although the allergy guide is easily accessible on their website (see "Restaurants" page for link), I didn't realize they would be so forthright with their gluten-free options.

I ordered the burger because I still have not tried a gluten-free burger bun. The patty itself was delicious, but the bun just totally disintegrated. I ended up having to eat the meat with a fork. I would suggest that they look at different bun brands - I'm sure not ALL of the g-f buns disintegrate upon contact with moisture.

I have read a few other reviews, and they all say generally the same thing. G-F menu is very exciting, but the bun disappoints.

If we ever end up back there, I'll stick to the pasta.

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-02T00:14:00.004-05:00

So, how was every ones January 1st?

Mine was uneventful. I slept in extremely late, just exhausted from the holidays in general, and then I proceeded to do nothing much all day, until the evening when I went to a friend's house (in sweats of course) to watch Jurassic Park (because it's great).

Then I proceeded to ring in the New Year by knowingly and willingly gluting myself.

I ate Chinese food. My choices were great - no soy sauce, no MSG, steamed rice, vegetables, plain old beef. But then I just HAD to have a bite of an egg roll, which I literally threw away after the single glorious munch, and I had to try some of the wonton, which I spit out after a few chews.

Still, it was stupid. I think my willpower must have been dissolved by my sheer exhaustion.

I'm still walking a fine line with gluten-intolerance. I know I am feeling better both physically and mentally, and I am eating significantly better than I was before. I'm also much happier, perhaps because a lot of my time is now dedicated to the kitchen and I actually love baking, cooking and trying new things.

But I'm still not feeling top notch physically and I do still look for reasons and remedies.

I know for a fact that there are certain foods that trigger me feeling majorly unwell, most gluten related, so I continue to avoid them. But every once in awhile, like tonight, I have a "So what?" moment and decide I just don't care.

I do, really. I'll feel guilty about it tomorrow.

Any way, my obvious slip started me on resolutions. I don't really ever make any because I rarely follow through, often forget, and in general have ongoing goals that I would like to achieve.

However, with this blog and the obligations I feel I owe the internet (nay, the world!), I thought I should write a few actual resolutions down.

1 - Stop with the gluten incidents. Commit fully if I am going to commit. No more reasoning around or hemming and hawing about what I can and can not do.
2 - Update the blog as regularly as possible to encourage continuous kitchen experiments
3 - Generally be healthier and feel better. Inclusive of sorting out my workout schedule, the aforementioned gluten items, and finding a new, not entirely lame, doctor
4 - Get my professional life in order. This is significantly more difficult as it does not depend entirely on me, but it is very important. I haven't blogged about it much, but in sum: I will most likely be out of a job come the end of January, which is very very stressful provided my current lifestyle and expenses (bills, student debt, groceries, dog, rent)
5 - Follow the chore chart I created so my house isn't always a disaster zone. As domestic as I can be in the kitchen, I absolutely abhor cleaning. It's difficult because the Boyfriend and I enjoy and thrive in clean, organized environments - our work spaces are always well managed - but we also both tend to pick up and drop items wherever. This leads to an overwhelmingly cluttered apartment, and although we tend to clean about once a week, it needs to be more consistent if we want to break our bad habits
6 - STOP INTERRUPTING PEOPLE. It's probably my worst trait

I think that's it. Really, they're essentially the ongoing goals I mentioned, but now they're in writing, so it's fact.

Mini Pizza Pies

2012-01-01T15:56:00.005-05:00

Yet another appetizer we made for NYE with friends.

These were so delicious, I can't even tell you how many I ate. It was the Boyfriend's project and they turned out surprisingly well.

We used frozen Glutino gluten-free pizza dough, which came in a pack of 4 small disks of dough.

Mini Pizza Pies

What You Need
2 packs Glutino gluten-free pizza dough, defrosted
1 jar pizza sauce
200g sliced Prosciutto
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetable oil

What You Do
1. Pour enough vegetable oil in a deep sauce pan to cover the pizza dough and turn on high
2. Cut pizza dough in to triangle shapes
3. Fry the dough, 2 minutes on each side
4. Turn broiler on high
5. Top pizza slices with sauce, cheese and a slice of Prosciutto, and lay on a baking pan
6. Broil for about 4 minutes, or until cheese melts

--

The dough is fantastic, it puffs up like those pita chips you get at restaurants. These were a huge hit. Kind of wish I had some left over, just writing about them is making me drool.

Baked Grapefruit

2012-01-01T14:41:00.005-05:00

I like the idea of grapefruit more than the actual fruit, but I still grabbed one on my way out of the grocery store last night.

Now I'm glad I did. Did you know that warm grapefruit is delicious?

So, if you ever have grapefruit on hand or a hankering for a warm, sweet and sour, bright breakfast, do this.

Baked Grapefruit

What You Need
1 grapefruit
Honey or maple syrup
Brown sugar
Cinnamon

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Cut grapefruit in half and score sections to loosen
3. Drizzle top of grapefruit with plenty of honey (or maple syrup)
4. Add liberal amounts of brown sugar and cinnamon to the top
5. Bake on a pan or in a baking dish for 15 minutes

Vanilla Champagne Cupcakes

2012-01-01T13:26:00.002-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I don't know if you guys know this, but I have had a lot of trouble making delicious g-f vanilla cupcakes.

I don't know why, but they always come out tasting off and not even remotely appetizing. That said, I went ahead and volunteered my cupcake making abilities for NYE festivities and, in the process of stressing, baked THE BEST G-F VANILLA CUPCAKES EVER. Seriously, they are absolutely delicious.

I am in love.

There are a lot of steps in this recipe for the cake, pastry cream filling and icing - but don't be afraid. All of the steps took me just over an hour, factoring in time to stop and eat, greet friends and get ready to ring in the new year.

Vanilla Champagne Cupcakes
Original recipe here

Cupcakes
What You Need
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup tapioca starch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup champagne
1/4 tsp lemon juice

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line cupcake trays
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each add
4. Add the vanilla, mix well
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking powder, baking soda and xanthan gum
6. In another medium sized bowl, whisk together the champagne, soy milk and lemon juice
7. Alternate adding the wet and dry to the sugar mixture, mixing well as you go. I would suggest starting with the dry and finishing with the wet mixture
8. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

Filling
What You Need
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 cup champagne
2 Tbsp cornstarch
5 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

What You Do
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream
2. Combine remaining cream, sugar and champagne in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, remove from heat
3. Beat the whole egg and egg yolks into the cornstarch/cream mixture
4. Pour 1/3 of the boiling champagne mix into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so that the eggs don't cook
5. Return the remaining champagne mixture to a boil
6. Pour the egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly until thick. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla

To fill the cupcakes, use a small knife to cut a hole out of each cupcake. Fill with the pastry cream, and replace the top part of the cupcake.

Champagne Frosting
What You Need
2 sticks butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp champagne

What You Do
1. Beat together butter and icing sugar until thick
2. Add champagne, mix well
3. If champagne makes consistency of frosting too loose, add more sugar until at desired consistency

Kitchen Failure: Chicken Fried Steak

2011-12-29T22:15:00.003-05:00

God love the Boyfriend, he's been a saint about my going g-f. He's also a great cook and enjoys baking, so he's been mucking around with recipes almost as much as I have.

We all know that I have had my failures, but he hasn't had any - until tonight.

When he made ...um ... chicken fried steak?

I mean, I didn't even know what chicken fried steak was until last weekend when I was watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and they showed them making it and I had an "OHHH, THAT'S what it is". I don't know what I was envisioning, provided the name is fairly straight forward, but mystery solved.

If you feel the need to further read about why this was a total flop, please, do continue.

So there were a few problems.

First and foremost, the Boyfriend does not eat steak (much to my chagrin, have I mentioned I'm a carnivore?). When he decided to surprise me with this new and oh-so-mysterious dish, he whipped out to the grocery store and basically bought the biggest, cheapest cuts of meat he could find. They were literally huge, like dinner plate or serving platter big.

He followed a recipe for the batter, which was an amalgamation of spices and g-f flour, and then he fried it all up while I slept on the couch.

I awoke to the smell of burning and smoke wafting around the apartment when he called, "Dinner's ready!". Mmm, how appetizing.

He served up the steak in smaller portions, cut to fit the bread he made and added a paprika mayo combination for some "delicious" sandwiches.

They were so incredibly weird. The texture of the steak was awful. The batter didn't crunch, but it looked deceptively crunchy. It had more of a flaky, fall away texture. The meat itself was like eating mush. There was no texture or structure to it, aside from random unappealing hunks of fat. To eat it required a combination of squishing, squelching, continuous chewing and swallowing.

We both managed about half a sandwich each, commenting as we went, trying to be polite. The charade was called off when the Boyfriend finally said, "I don't think I can eat any more of this" and my resounding response of "Thank FUCK!" sealed the deal.

We ditched the sandwiches. The Boyfriend at the rest of his bread, I ate some french fries and some ice cream and then went back to bed for a short nap.

So - has anyone actually had chicken fried steak? Is it weird in general, or should it actually be better?

Gluten-free Baguette

2011-12-29T22:02:00.008-05:00

This project initially started as an attempt at a gluten-free french baguette, and a baguette recipe was followed, but it soon turned in to a near disaster and a somewhat acceptable loaf of sunken bread.

On the plus side, it actually tasted quite close to a gluteny baguette, so there aren't really any qualms to be had with it.

First, the disastrous aspect:

Now, the one that actually worked:

...Kind of.

Gluten-free Baguette
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast (1 packet)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups gluten-free all purpose flour blend
1 egg
1 Tbsp water

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 200F and spray a bread tin with g-f cooking oil
2. In a small bowl, mix together the warm water, yeast and sugar and set aside for 5 minutes
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the g-f flour and salt. Slowly work in the yeast mixture and then beat for 2 minutes
4. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and remaining Tbsp of water
5. Place the dough in the bread tin and wash with some of the egg mixture
6. Cover the dough with parchment paper, turn off oven and set inside. Leave in warm oven for 20 minutes. Remove, and sprinkle with water.
7. Preheat oven to 410F and fill a pan with water
8. Place pan with water on bottom rack and bread on top rack(apparently the moisture from the water leads to a crunchy crust on the bread). Bake for 20 minutes, brush with the egg mixture, bake for 20 more minutes
9. Bread is cooked when an inserted toothpick comes out clean

--

Like I said, the taste was actually great. I think we'll probably make these again, but perhaps make more of an effort to follow the original recipe. Although the texture was nice and it was generally enjoyable bread, I don't think anyone would buy that I'm serving something great with a sunken top like that.

BUT neither of us have ever made bread before, and it was a valiant effort by the Boyfriend that I really appreciate.

Citrus Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

2011-12-29T17:01:00.004-05:00

We had a busy night last night, and the Boyfriend wasn't feeling too great, so I thought I should keep dinner light and easy.

Enter a stir fry full to the brim with vegetables, citrus flavours and, of course, garlic!

Citrus Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
Inspiration here

What You Need
2-4 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli
1 cup snowpeas
1 zucchini, chopped
1 cup g-f chicken stock
1/2 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1/2 Tbsp grated orange rind
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

What You Do
1. Whisk together 1/2 cup chicken stock, the lemon rind, orange rind, lemon juice, orange juice, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Set aside
2. Heat about 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil over high heat in a wok or skillet until very hot (almost smoking). Cook the chicken in 2 batches until browned (about 4 minutes/batch). Transfer to a bowl
3. Add a bit more vegetable oil and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir fry for about 1 minute
4. Add the broccoli, snow peas, bean sprouts and remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover and steam for 10 minutes (or until tender)
5. Return the chicken to the pan and add the sauce. Cook, stirring, until coated and the sauce has thickened (about 5 minutes)

--

This was pretty tasty and very fresh, so it will probably be in the rotation for awhile. The only suggestion I do have is to top it with a sprinkle of red chili pepper flakes, or some sweet chili Thai sauce. Something to give it a bit of an extra kick.

Left-Over Turkey Soup

2011-12-29T16:54:00.005-05:00

In my world of totally irrelevant problems, holiday feasts pose (what I consider to be) a significant issue. See, while the amount of people present at holiday dinner seems to diminish over the years in my family due to other commitments, the amount of prepared food stays the same. Plus, the Boyfriend is an only child, so we always have left-overs from his family.

I love holiday dinner, and all of it's accoutrement. But I do not love that we will quite often arrive home with several thousand containers and bags containing leftover food that will clog up the refrigerator. Plus, the Boyfriend doesn't really eat leftovers, so I have to suffer through it all.

I'm a HUGE whiner, but I've eaten Christmas dinner four times for lunch/dinner already, so I need a solution.

I found it in the form of soup!

Left-Over Turkey Soup
Inspiration here

What You Need
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey
4 cup g-f vegetable broth
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chile peppers
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil

What You Do
1. In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent, approximately 5-8 minutes
2. Stir in the cayenne, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste and fry for 1 minute
3. Add the turkey, broth, tomatoes, chiles, lime juice and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes
4. Stir in the chopped cilantro and continue simmering for 15-20 minutes

--

This soup is very tasty but very spicy. I made it to pack for lunches, tried one today for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. Well, minus the fact I had a significant lack of sleep and a raging hangover. That made spicy soup not the most fun today.

Look, I made you a drawing of what my morning felt like:

Yay.

Merry Day after Christmas!

2011-12-26T14:27:00.006-05:00

I hope everyone is having a very happy holiday. I know I am! Enjoy this crappy drawing I did to illustrate how awesome my Christmas was:

Yes, I am very spoiled. Well aware!

I did have a few g-f slips yesterday though, so I wasn't surprised to be woken in the middle of the night by a stomach ache. Fortunately, I feel a bit better now so maybe my mistakes were really that minute.

What did I eat that I shouldn't have? A single breakfast sausage and two chocolates (containing wheat, didn't realize until after).

Aside from that, we attended both house events fully equipped with g-f treats and goodies, and both sides of my family (my parents and the Boyfriend's parents) were excellent enough to accommodate my needs for both breakfast and dinner. I even have an entire bowl of g-f stuffing left over, all for me!

I have spent today eating leftovers, lounging in new pajamas and reading new books/playing new video games.

I love the holidays.

Cranberry Muffins

2011-12-24T21:18:00.007-05:00

Oh hai. Can you tell we're doing some baking around here?

I tried something new/weird tonight. I made cranberry muffins...using a mix for cornbread.

Originally, I intended for them to be cupcakes. After I hauled them out of the oven, however, I realized that it was totally implausible. They rose very nicely, but very high - and would be impossible to make look pretty or elegant without mounds of icing. Add to that the fact that they are very dense and still taste vaguely of cornbread, and a muffin was born.

Cranberry Muffins

What You Need
1 bag Bob's Red Mill g-f cornbread mix
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup half and half
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a muffin tray
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add the sugar bit by bit, continually mixing, until dissolved
3. Add the vanilla, half and half and vegetable oil and mix well
4. Add the bag of cornbread mix, blend well
5. Stir in the cranberries
6. Fill the cups and bake 22-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean

--

I don't know why I felt the need to invent these, but I don't totally regret doing it. I think the addition of cranberries makes anything/everything delicious.

Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge

2011-12-24T19:17:00.001-05:00

My BFF makes the best fudge in the world. I'm not even kidding you. Her peanut butter fudge is probably the most addictive treat in the universe. I have fond memories of mowing down on fudge and truffles at her house in high school around the holidays. My access to such decadent desserts is limited now, however, because we live quite a ways apart and obviously, making fudge isn't always top priority when we have a chance to hang out together.

She did bring some in the summer as part of a fundraising effort for her dragon boat team, and she also brought some "Birthday Cake" fudge she invented (with marshmallows and sprinkles). I don't think I have ever inhaled anything quicker than I did that fudge.

I saw her the night before last, remembered I had a can of evaporated milk in my kitchen last night, and decided to make fudge today.

Can I get a "thank fuck" for chocolate being gluten-free? I know I'm relieved.

Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge

What You Need
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
12 Tbsp butter, melted
3 cups sugar
1/2 bag large marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla

What You Do
1. Melt the marshmallows in a large microwave proof bowl. I usually nuke 'em on high 30 seconds at a time, with a stir in between each go, until they're a good consistency
3. Grease a 9x13" pan/baking dish (make sure the edges are raised!)
3. In a medium sized pot over high heat, bring the sugar, milk and butter to a rolling boil, stirring constantly
4. Reduce the heat to medium and continue boiling for 4 minutes, stirring constantly
5. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate chips until melted and well blended
6. Add 2 cups of the melted marshmallows and the vanilla, mix well
7. Pour into greased pan and let cool at room temperature before cutting into squares

--

If you want to be fancy, feel free to add decorations. I divided my tray into three sections. Two sections got the sprinkle treatment, while the third I covered in crushed candy canes. Since the fudge sets fairly quickly, you may have to act fast and use a light touch to press the toppings into the fudge a bit.

Once they have set, you can store them individually or in large chunks in the fridge. They are a lot easier to transport when rock solid. If you need to cut after they are frozen, just heat the knife under hot water.

Cutting when they're frozen or at least cold from the fridge also makes for smoother lines than I gave mine. But hey, what can I say - I can't wait to devour chocolate when it's available.

Cranberry Lime Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-12-24T17:04:00.005-05:00

The Boyfriend was feeling festive and creative last night, so he invented these little guys.

Cranberry Lime Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You Need
1 bag fresh cranberries (about 2 cups)
3-4 Tbsp lime juice
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup gluten-free baking flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 bag milk chocolate chips (about 12 ounces)

What You Do
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the cranberries and lime juice until the cranberries start breaking down
2. Once a majority of the cranberries have popped (about 5 minutes), blend them in a food processor to get a nice juice free of large lumps
3. Preheat oven to 375F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
4. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugars
5. Stir in eggs, vanilla and cranberries
6. Mix in dry ingredients. Add more gluten-free flour if you feel the batter is too runny. We had a few issues with consistency
7. Stir in the chocolate chips
8. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are browned. Let cool before removing from baking sheet

--

The cookies turned out very soft, chewy and tangy from the cranberries. The texture is a bit bizarre because they are cake-like, but they are quite tasty.

We do have some differing opinions, however. Although I enjoy the cookies, I said I would cut back on the cranberries, increase the lime and get rid of the chocolate chips all together. The boyfriend, alternatively, thinks that they might taste better with chunks of white chocolate.

Regardless, we've still been eating them all day.

Oh, and happy holidays!

Cheesy Broccoli Bites

2011-12-22T19:10:00.001-05:00

I stumbled across this recipe a few weeks ago and have not been able to stop thinking about how delicious they looked. I'm exhausted and I could use some comforting. From food. So I made finally made these. Because I can't do anything like a normal person, I also added some left over back bacon.

I'm so glad I did. So very glad.

Cheesy Broccoli Bites
Original recipe here

What You Need
2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed/steamed in the microwave (follow package instructions)
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
3 slices back bacon, diced
Salt and pepper

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Mash up the broccoli and mix in the cheese, Parmesan, eggs and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper
3. Form small patties and lay on the baking sheet
4. Bake for 25 minutes, turning after 15

--

So, you can probably tell, but I had way less cheese than I thought I did so mine kind of turned into bread-bacon-broccoli patties with minimal cheesiness. They were still tasty and filling, but I will make sure I have more cheese on hand next time to up the delicious factor.

Reminder: Snowman Brewing Night

2011-12-22T16:48:00.003-05:00

Hey guys -

Don't forget to check out Snowman Brewing night tonight!

Original post and information can be found here.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it out tonight. I am still incredibly unprepared for Christmas, and I have too much on my plate this evening.

I'm really bummed because I was super looking forward to it. If anyone goes, let me know how it is?

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

2011-12-21T22:35:00.003-05:00

I had a rough day. Well, it was alright, I'm just exhausted right now so everything seems bad. I think I am exhausted out of disappointment.

You see, I was totally riding high from last night's festivities, and I had my first physical in over three years today with this new doctor and oddly enough, I was PSYCHED. I had an entire list of questions to ask the doc, and I wanted to talk about going g-f, but most importantly - I wanted to address a few unresolved issues I have.

I know that my iron is low because it's always low, I wanted to talk about my heart since I have had some problems in the past and, more recently, have been having chest pains, and I wanted to talk about anxiety because it is, occasionally, something I still struggle with.

What happened? I was ushered in to the room, asked to guess my own weight and height, advised to go to an optometrist to get my eyes checked, poked and prodded in a brute manner and then sent on my merry way.

You see, my doctor fancies himself a blogger - which is fine, because I clearly fancy myself one too. But as soon as I opened my mouth to ask my first question - when he already had the door partially propped open to leave - he just told me to check his blog. Then he left.

Yep. That was my long awaited physical. I felt so, so, so disappointed and unresolved when I left.

I need a new doctor.

In the meantime, to lift my spirits, I tried the pumpkin spice syrup I made a few nights ago to gift to friends.

It almost worked, in that it's delicious, but it somewhat failed because I STILL NEED A NEW DOCTOR.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

What You Need
3 cups water
3 cups sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg
6 Tbsp pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla

What You Do
1. Cook the water and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients
3. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, but do not bring to a boil
4. Strain in to a large measuring cup and pour into a bottle of your choice. Store in the refrigerator

--

To make my "latte", I heated milk on the stove and whisked the crap out of it. I don't drink coffee any more, so I just drank the syrup and milk with some whipped cream and pumpkin spices on top.

Like my cute mug? I got it for Christmas :)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Cranberry Brown Butter Sauce

2011-12-20T23:46:00.003-05:00

I was in charge of bringing a veg to dinner tonight. Since I'm too fancy for beans, peas or a salad, I thought I'd try this recipe as a side dish for dinner tonight. Plus, brussels sprouts are absolutely delicious and I am trying to convert the world to my way of thinking.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts in a Brown Butter Sauce
Original recipe here

What You Need
4 lb brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
6 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup cranberries

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Toss brussels sprouts with oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay out on 2 large baking sheets and roast for 40 minutes, stirring after 20, until tender and browned
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix together the maple syrup, cranberries and orange zest. Cook over medium low until thick, about 10 minutes
4. In a medium skillet, cook the butter over medium high until a deep golden colour, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add the shallot and thyme, and stir in to the maple syrup sauce
5. Toss the sauce and brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper and serve

--

I used a bit too much butter with too few sprouts, but the result was still delicious. The cranberries add a nice tartness and it all tastes rather candied. Who doesn't love candied vegetables?

Gluten-free Yorkshire Pudding

2011-12-20T23:33:00.006-05:00

Today has been a good day. Nay, a great day! I was very alert this morning because I am in go-go-go Christmas mood, I had a decent day at work, the Boyfriend got a new job, and we celebrated early Christmas with close friends and enjoyed a turkey dinner - which my friend made entirely GLUTEN-FREE! I feel so extremely loved.

Plus, I totally swept in the gift department. I received an awesome serving platter with Napoleon's face on it (bomb), a book about walking tours of Toronto which is awesome and full of old photos of downtown AND the Hark, a Vagrant book which I have wanted FOREVER.

I'm super satisfied. Also, super full.

We made two sides for dinner tonight.

The Boyfriend pulled out his kitchen skills and made two kinds of Yorkshire puddings.

I love the Boyfriend.

Gluten-Free Yorkshire Pudding
Original recipe here

What You Need
2/3 cup gluten-free all purpose baking flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 orange
Marmalade
Whipped cream
1/4 cup sugar

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Put 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in each cup of a metal muffin tray. Place tray in oven until oil is heated (we left it in until the batter was prepared)
2. Mix dry ingredients
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs
4. Add eggs to dry ingredients and mix well
5. Add milk to mixture, whisk for a few minutes until smooth
6. Carefully remove tray from oven (if it's still in there) and put a 1/4 cup of the mixture in 6 of the cups

For the dessert puddings...
1. Add the zest of the orange to the remaining batter, stir
2. Add sugar and mix well
3. Put 1/4 cup of the mixture into the remaining 6 cups

Bake for 15 minutes, carefully remove. Pop the puddings out of the tray using a spoon - be careful about the oil!

To serve the dessert puddings, top with a spoonful of marmalade and whipped cream.

Opinions & Myths

2011-12-20T11:14:00.006-05:00

Another text-ridden update - boring, I know. I've just been so busy trying to cram a bunch of Christmas in before a celebration with friends tonight that my kitchen time has been very limited.

I will have a new recipe/recipes tonight, I promise.

In the meantime, a co-worker that I have not met just held a loud conversation lamenting the fact that he is hosting Christmas dinner and his daughter-in-law has self-diagnosed herself with gluten intolerance. Since going g-f, I have honestly never encountered someone so angry about an intolerance or allergy. His basic argument was that she's probably not really, and she's imposing a belief on him that he has to abide by (to appease her) that makes entertaining extremely difficult.

He also said that people with allergies and intolerance just need to expose themselves to whatever it is they are allergic to to develop immunities - using peanuts as an example. Having known people who carry EpiPens because of the severity of their allergies, I am inclined to lend zero weight to this guy's opinion. I mean, the Boyfriend's father is severely allergic to bees but the Boyfriend has only been stung once - I would never, ever, ever suggest he go and expose himself to it to test the water or "build up immunity". Actually, I'm the one that didn't want flowers on the balcony because if they attract bees and he gets stung, we're totally fucked if he has an allergy.

It wouldn't just be "Oh, shoot, dang, that hurts a bit, yep, still allergic".

Any way, most of what this guy said was bogus but he voiced a few interesting thoughts and opinions so I thought I'd address them. 'Cuz that's what I do. Argue via the internet.

1. "You can just go to an allergist and get a scratch test for gluten"
No, you can't. Gluten intolerances, sensitivities, allergies and Celiac all require a bit more than a simple scratch test. I mean, check with your primary health care provider, but to my knowledge it's a blood panel and a look at your innards if need be.

2. "Her self-diagnosis inconveniences my entire family"
No one should be self-diagnosed, says the self-diagnosed girl. Regardless of this, self-diagnosed or diagnosed by a medical professional, the gluten-free lifestyle should NOT be an inconvenience to outside parties. In my experience, here's how to avoid making it an issue:
- be very open about it and willing to answer questions
- always inquire (politely) about ingredients if eating someone else's food
- don't be afraid to decline food if need be
- ALWAYS offer to bring your own items, or items to share, if attending an event at someones house
- if going out for dinner to a restaurant, be the one to research and suggest a venue
I have not only my family, but my close "family" of friends and the Boyfriend's family to worry about when we plan holidays or celebrations. So far, I have not been met with any resistance or reluctance. Everyone is curious about what I am doing, and I have never had anyone feel angry or inconvenienced if I brought a dish to share or declined an offering. Maybe I am fortunate because I surround myself with the right people, but I really don't think it's a massive issue with the right attitude and proper planning.

3. "She's never able to eat anything at my house"
Such a lie, unless he's purposely throwing wheat into everything he's making. I'm not even remotely concerned about Christmas dinner because, although I will have to bypass a few favourites (stuffing and gravy, you break my heart), there will be a ton for me to eat. Like the turkey (just the innards if I'm worried about exterior seasoning), and the plethora of vegetables available. Is it really an inconvenience if I fill my entire plate with vegetables? It's not as though I am not thankful for the entire meal being made, despite my ability/inability to enjoy it all.

4. "She basically uprooted her entire family and forced them into a hardcore lifestyle change"
I don't know about the methods she used to change her diet to being g-f, but damn. That's excessive.

Going gluten-free is NOT difficult.

It is, however challenging.

It will change the way you think about food, yourself, your health and even your social life. The biggest changes for me, for example, were learning to eat a quick dinner before going out with friends to the bar and to really consider all of the places where gluten can hide. It is a lifestyle change. You have to be wary and on alert, and willing to read labels.

The good news is, with the availability of the internet, you can find help anywhere. Going g-f is not, by any means, a task of isolation and it should not create complete turmoil for an entire family. It should just start to change the way everyone thinks about food. That's what has happened for me and the Boyfriend, any way. We are significantly more aware of what we're consuming than we ever were before, and he's not even gluten-free!

5. "I had a friend tell me he was gluten-intolerant and I told him to just eat gluten, and he did and said he felt fine"
Okay. This one is tricky. Obviously intolerance is very different from Celiac. If he ever told someone with Celiac to just suck it up and deal with it, he deserves a punch in the face.

Intolerance and sensitivities seem to vary greatly. For example, a quick comparison between myself and a friend:

She can eat a certain amount of wheat before she feels ill. If she is eating pasta or bread, the fresher it is, the less sick she feels afterwards. If she orders a pizza, she doesn't have to worry about a gluten-free crust. If she accidentally eats gluten, she doesn't notice massive consequences but she feels uncomfortable immediately.

For myself, on the other hand - I have become very aware of when I eat gluten, but my reactions vary. If I eat a small amount indirectly (i.e. as a component to something else), I do not feel very ill or have consequences that last more than a day or two. Alternatively, if I eat a medium to large amount of the product, I feel it within a few hours and have to deal with it for longer. I also often get a kind of "brain fog" going on - this will usually last for a day or two depending on the amount I eat (and it is miserable). This said, I do not react to all sources the same.

So it's tricky. It's still difficult for me to explain to people why I am gluten-free because I don't want to get in to the details (WELL, I frequently had intense stomach pains, practically lived in the bathroom, noticed increased anxiety, felt like I was struggling through a haze every day of my life, etc.) but it's also not very helpful when I say, "It just makes me feel sick". It's more than that. It effects everything about me, from my personality to my mental state to my physical being.

I have occasionally considered that I may just be feeling better because I am eating more vegetables and varying my diet. Then I accidentally consume gluten and feel like shit, or have a weekend living off of gluten-free pizza and corn chips, and realize hey, I'm not that much healthier after all.

Gluten.

It's a bitch.

Bad Monday Morning

2011-12-19T10:56:00.008-05:00

It's Monday again, which is bad enough, but my day has gone surprisingly well. I woke up at a decent time and didn't have to drag my ass around the apartment - I actually felt awake.

I left on time, got to work slightly early (which never happens), and got my day going. Unfortunately I soon had a morning gluten incident which slightly soured the way my day was going.

During our morning meeting, a co-worker offered up some cookies her mom made last week. This co-worker and I are close, and she is very aware of my gluten-free diet. She even offers advice as she has family members who are Celiac, and has tried her hand at baking/cooking gluten-free to accommodate friends and family alike.

She assured me that 2 of the 3 types of snacks she had brought in were gluten-free so I, like the pig that I am, at 3 cookies over the span of forty minutes or so.

As I was biting in to the third treat (my second of that kind) and raving over how good it was, my co-worker told me the recipe. Which contained Rice Krispies.

When I, surprised, said, "Oh, those have gluten in them!" She countered that there was not much, and that she had seen me eating Rice Krispie squares before.

I can only assume that she meant the gluten-free Sunrise Marshmallow Bars that I made a few weeks ago, as I had brought a couple to work as snacks.

I'm bummed. I know/think her intentions were fine, but I really let my guard down on that one. Although I doubt her actions were malicious in any way, it makes me feel as though my personal decisions/life are undervalued or unimportant, as if I am eating gluten-free as a fun hobby rather than a decision to positively influence my health. How do I express that this diet is really a life choice for me? Or should I even have to vindicate it to others?

For comparison purposes, I feel that it's like seeing a vegetarian eating a veggie burger, which resembles a burger made with meat, and then providing them with a snack or meal that contains meat because "It's not a lot, and plus, I've seen you eat burgers before". That does not justify jeopardizing someone's health, beliefs or choices. Although I am often the ass in the case of assumptions being made, being aware of my diet has made me a lot more curious, understanding and accommodating. I guess I am just disappointed that the same courtesy was not extended.

I don't think I will feel very sick based on the quantity that I ate, but of course Rice Krispies have barley malt and of course (of course!), barley is one of the things I have specifically pin-pointed as making me feel ill.

I already feel questionable but I am not sure if it's just the weight of disappointment or an actual reaction.

Happy holidays!

Product Review: Nickelbrook Gluten Free Alcoholic Beverage

2011-12-18T23:05:00.006-05:00

So, I didn't make much this weekend because I was busy prepping for Christmas, but I did try Nickelbrook's Gluten Free Alcoholic Beverage on Friday night.

I am a beer drinker. Well, I WAS a beer drinker. Now, being gluten-free and such, I don't partake. While grabbing a bottle of wine at the LCBO a few weeks ago, I came across Nickelbrook's Gluten Free Alcoholic Beverage and snatched up a can without thinking twice.

When I finally drank it I was ... well. Here's what I have to say.

It doesn't get a head on it like a regular beer does, so it kind of looks like soda when you pour it. It also has a strong scent. I'm an expert beer drinker but no tasting afficianado, so for lack of a better explanation, it smells very floral. VERY floral.

I tasted it and, not surprisingly, it also tastes floral. It also has a not so great aftertaste.

Did I drink it all? Yes. But it took me the course of a few hours, and I felt more obligated to finish it (it cost money!) than I was enjoying it.

Will I buy it again? Probably not, aside from as a gimmick to show people the gluten-free side of things. It wasn't enjoyable and it didn't quench my thirst for beer.

I applaud the attempt made by Nickelbrook to appeal to an often sidelined community of people, but offering a subpar beer does not make up for lack of beer in one's life. Just sayin'.

Snowman Brewing night is coming up soon and I am really hoping I can make it out - based on everything I have heard, I am expecting better and some serious hope for the beer-loving gluten-intolerant community.

Hearty Chickpea Soup

2011-12-16T19:30:00.004-05:00

The Boyfriend is at a Christmas party tonight and I wasn't invited :(

It's okay though. He's not a fan of soup but I AM! So I made myself some hearty chickpea soup for dinner.

Totally makes up for not being invited.

Totally.

Also, if you know anything about dogs, please read after the jump and HELP ME.

Hearty Chickpea Soup

What You Need
4-6 slices bacon
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups raw spinach
1 cup raw kale
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1L g-f vegetable broth
1 small can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil

What You Do
1. Bake the bacon on a foil lined try at 400F for 20 minutes - make the soup in the meantime
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft/transparent (3-5 minutes)
3. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, spinach, kale, paprika and cumin and stir for about 1 minute
4. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, celery and carrots. Pour in the vegetable stock, reduce the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes
5. Drain the bacon on paper towels and chop into smaller pieces. Stir in to the soup when it is nearing completion. Use salt and pepper to taste

--

I love soup. Soup, soup, soup.

On to the larger issue at hand.

I have a dog. Some of you may know this already. Her name is Lola, she's an 8 month old Chinese Shar Pei x Boston Terrier and although I love her dearly, she is not quite the light of my life.

Puppies, man. WHAT THE FUCK.

She's very pretty, she can be incredibly adorable, and she's very smart. She is also very stubborn and determined to do things her way.

Before I get in to the "help me!" part of this post, a little background:
1 - We do not crate her for two reasons. First, because our apartment is way too small to get her a crate we would feel good about size-wise. Second, because we have baby gates and I begrudgingly gave up my kitchen to be her "bedroom". She is very good about the noise level in the kitchen, and about "going to bed" - ain't no thang.
2 - She has a million toys. We don't want her getting bored of them, so we rotate them out. She's a very spoiled little girl.
3 - She has been to training classes. We took her to a highly recommended positive reinforcement type training school where she passed her first five classes with flying colours. Like I said, she's very smart. She can sit, shake, lie down, settle on to her side, bark on command and whatever else she feels like doing (with and without instruction, heh)
4 - She is very well exercised. Monday-Friday she gets either a 25 minute run or a 35 minute walk in the morning, a 15-20 minute walk after work and usually another walk afterwards as we bring her around on errands. On the weekends she either gets to go on an extremely long off leash hike with three other dogs (belonging to the Boyfriend's parents), an afternoon to run amuck in my parents backyard (sometimes accompanied by my sister's puppy), and if neither of those options are available, we make it a point to take her for an extra long stroll, a run or set her free at a nearby dog park.

We have two main problems. I've researched them extensively, and I asked our trainer about them, and his solution was basically "Stop her". Um, YEAH, I'M TRYING.

Problem 1:

Lola is destructive as all hell. It comes and it goes but I can not figure out the pattern that switches it on or off. She slept in our bedroom for two weeks, everything was fine, and then while we were sleeping one night she decided to find a way to climb on to a dresser where she proceeded to destroy the Boyfriend's brand new expensive sunglasses I had gifted less than a month earlier. I mean, they weren't even on a low table. She had to work to find them.

Since she hangs out in the kitchen during the day, she has completely ruined it. I'm talking cupboard doors chewed, handles gone, paint off the walls, baby locks eaten and everything in our lower cupboard (sugar, flour, oil) destroyed, eaten or spilled. It's becoming a nightmare to come home to AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.

I used to be home a lot during the days, so I originally thought she was acting out. We exercised her more (the vet told us to stop because we were being crazy about it), bought more toys to rotate in and out, and tried to remove all temptation (any dried food kept under the counters). Apparently it was all for naught because she has since then knocked over a 3L bottle of oil and chewed off the lid (and then puked everywhere), destroyed two of her own beds, eaten more toys than I can count, and basically caused a mess.

Among her casualties, aside from her own beds and a surplus of dried food, are the aforementioned sunglasses that we can't afford to replace, an irreplaceable hat belonging to the Boyfriend (also somewhere we had no idea she could reach), numerous books, pretty much anything belonging in the bathroom (we now keep the door closed after she got the shampoo, tissues and garbage bin) and who knows what else.

I am very nearly at my wit's end. I recently imposed a mandatory 15-30 minute training session every day because I know that tires her out, but she's very much so determined to respond when she wants to respond. She'll be fantastic at leaving things alone when she knows we're in focus mode, and then two seconds later when you tell her to leave whatever she's eating, she'll give you a "Nah, go fuck yourself" look and run away.

Oh, and it's all positive reinforcement. We don't do anything to scare her (although the Boyfriend FLIPPED over the sunglasses and hat) so we don't make harsh motions, yell at her, smack her, etc. Thought I should mention that.

Any advice? At all? Do I just keep doing what we're doing and it will get better, do I need a new approach? Both?

Problem 2:

This one isn't so bad. She is very easily distracted, so we're currently working on building her attention. The problem is that she is a jumper.

This is entirely the fault of our location. Living in an apartment downtown means she is completely socialized and fabulous in that aspect, but it also means that total randoms and old neighbours felt the need to pick her up when she was a baby. Without asking. The people on the street who would grab her to coddle (yes, this happened multiple times), we could ask them to stop as long as we weren't totally caught off guard. The people in our building, on the other hand, tend to be a bit older. Some of them literally do not/can not hear you when you say stop, and some of them are "Oh, don't WORRY, I had a dog and he did this ALL THE TIME" type people.

It got tiring to explain why we didn't want it.

Now, she will jump on anyone out of excitement EXCEPT US because she knows that is not how to get attention. We just need to work on expressing that NO ONE will give attention if she's being a jumping bean.

Any way...

Help would be appreciated. Came home to a ruined kitchen for the second night in a row this week, so I'm a bit tired.

Strawberry Kiwi Muffins

2011-12-15T23:57:00.004-05:00

About five minutes ago the Boyfriend "reminded" me that I had no more muffins left. I don't think I knew this originally but he swears up and down we talked about it in the morning.

Moral of this story? DON'T EXPECT ME TO RETAIN ANYTHING IN THE MORNING. I'm usually still sleeping, dammit.

Any way, I invented these because I don't have much on hand, it's almost midnight and I'm tired.

Strawberry Kiwi Muffins

What You Need
2 cups gluten-free baking flour mix
1 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
6 strawberries, chopped

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 400F and grease or line a muffin tray
2. Mix together the flour, xanthan, salt, cinnamon and sugar in a large bowl
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg, milk and oil
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and blend well
5. Add the kiwi and strawberries, stir until just mixed
6. Bake for 20 minutes

--

I fucking forgot to put in baking powder or soda so um...these are interesting. They're very dense.

The fruit makes them taste good though. Nice save, fruit.

Fettucine with Spinach, Zucchini and Italian Sausage

2011-12-15T19:45:00.002-05:00

Bad news. I don't think oatmeal sits too well with me. I've been feeling alright but slightly off since I ate/mowed down on the granola bars. BOO-URNS. I made what feels like a million of them.

Good news, it's pasta night! With some corn pasta because it's my favourite.

Fettucine with Spinach, Zucchini and Italian Sausage

What You Need
Corn pasta (it doesn't necessarily need to be fettucine)
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Italian sausage links, casing remove (double check these are gluten-free!)
1 small zucchini, shredded
2 cups fresh spinach
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp dried basil
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

What You Do
1. Heat the water for your pasta & cook it while preparing the sauce
2. Fry sausage links in a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat until almost cooked through
3. Add onion and garlic, fry until translucent (about 3 minutes)
4. Add spinach and zucchini to sausage mixture, cook until soft (3-5 minutes)
5. Add the diced tomato, basil, oregano and Italian seasoning and bring to a boil
6. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes
7. Drain the pasta, dump it in the skillet with the sauce and mix together

--

I used a new brand of canned tomatoes today and found them to be VERY watery, so I also added a cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with a bit of water).

ILY Druxy's!

2011-12-14T12:18:00.004-05:00

Druxy's Deli offers gluten-free bread! It's not the perfect situation: a multitude of items on their menu (including all deli meat) do not indicate their g-f status, so picking and choosing can still be a questionable.

BUT! They have the bread!

So I got a grilled cheese.

I'm very happy right now.

The location information for g-f is available on their website, but is not entirely accurate. For example, the location near my work (Bay/College, don't stalk me) isn't listed but the option is clearly available in the store. I would suggest checking out the deli location of interest to you to make sure you're not missing anything.

The bread itself isn't anything to write home about, but it's a great option for a quick, cheap lunch.

Homemade Granola Bars

2011-12-13T19:20:00.002-05:00

Granola bars are often my go-to snack. There is not a brand or flavour I haven't tried at least once. Going g-f meant I stopped eating mainstream granola bars. I read too many posts, reviews and comments on other sites to fully trust oats.

They're still a tricky contender - as far as I am aware, people with Celiac can have poor reactions to oats (whether they are "pure" and "gluten-free" or not). Please keep that in mind when considering this recipe!

These bars are peanut butter banana chocolate - but you can definitely substitute other ingredients to come up with your own flavour profile. As long as the quantity of butter-like substance sticks to about 1 cup, and the sticky stuff (in this case, honey and peanut butter) ends up around the same quantity, your results should be pleasing.

Homemade Granola Bars

What You Need
4 1/2 cups gluten-free oats
1 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup honey
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a baking sheet
2. Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips
3. Firmly press mixture into pan and bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown in colour
4. Let cool, cut in to bars. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer

--

I think it may be time for me to become a real food blogger nerd and start staging my photos/not using my iPhone to take them. The further I get in to this blogosphere, the more I realize that blogs do not necessarily have to be well written: the photos have to look good.

Also realizing this since my Food Gawker photos got turned down. Which, really, is fair enough - and my opinion of my photos is totally jaded, I know how the food tastes so it all looks awesome/delicious - but still. Would you believe I used to seriously be in to photography?

Maybe I can break out my skills.

Not now though.

I'm eating granola bars.

Oven Fried Chicken & Chicken Gravy

2011-12-12T22:09:00.003-05:00

I know I said we're going Southern, but I had to health up the chicken a bit if I was adding gravy - I mean, traditional Southern recipes seem to call for cooking in Crisco. While I am sure that that is absolutely delicious, I just can't make myself do that. I want to go to the gym tonight, not give myself a heart attack.

So here's some OVEN fried chicken that's deliciously crispy and, of course, gluten-free.

Oh, and did I mention the gravy? Because I totally made chicken gravy.

...I'm realizing after taking the photos and eating the food that the blue towel in the background is stealing the show. IGNORE IT! The food is better.

Oven Fried Chicken
Original recipe here (thanks Oprah!)

What You Need
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in to 4 pieces
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk (OR 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tsp lemon juice left to stand for 5 mins)
1 1/2 cups g-f bread crumbs (I used Aurora)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder

What You Do
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the salt in the warm water. Add the chicken, cover with cold water and refrigerate (covered) for 30 minutes or so (original recipe calls for much longer, I have no patience)
2. Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking tray with foil. Spray the foil with g-f cooking spray (original Pam is fine). Drain the chicken and pat dry
3. Whisk together the egg and buttermilk
4. In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes
5. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture and then shake in the bag
6. Pop the empty tray in the oven until hot, about 2 minutes
7. Coat the chicken on both sides with the cooking spray and bake for 30-35 minutes
8. Turn on your broiler to brown the top of the chicken, about 5 minutes

Chicken Gravy

What You Need
2 cups g-f chicken broth
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
Milk

What You Do
1. Bring the chicken stock to a boil
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of milk and add to the stock
3. Add seasoning and cook until thickened

Sauteed Collard Greens

2011-12-12T22:05:00.001-05:00

We're going a bit Southern for dinner tonight. I think it's because I watched The Help on the weekend, but who needs to vindicate good food?

By the way, this is my first time every buying/preparing/eating collard greens. The Southern belle in me is politely annoyed I waited so long before indulging in their delicious-ness.

Sauteed Collard Greens
Original recipe here

What You Need
1 bunch collard greens
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

What You Do
1. Remove and discard the stems and centre ribs of the collard greens, and cut the leaves into bite sized pieces
2. Cook the greens for 15 minutes in boiling water, drain well
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat and add the oil. Stir in the garlic, collards, salt and pepper
4. Saute until heated through, about 5 minutes
5. Toss with lemon juice

Product Review: Patsy Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-12-12T11:53:00.006-05:00

I didn't pack any snacks or lunch and even though I ate breakfast before leaving my house, I was starving around 11am at work.

I wandered down to the grocery store and picked up these non-sensical items: pistachios, chai tea, a red apple, red curry noodles and these Patsy Pie gluten-free, wheat-free chocolate chip cookies.

Om nom nom nom.

These cookies were exceedingly difficult to find in the store (Sobey's). They weren't in the cookie aisle, the specialty snack aisle or near the bakery. Nope, they were on the bottom shelf near the checkout counters. I still don't know how I spotted them.

I debated not buying them but I was really craving cookies so I had to make a tough choice: forgo the delicious, delicious cookies and suffer through my day on pistachios/tea/noodles/apple, or grab the cookies and spend a ridiculous $8 on them.

I paid $8 for them.

The cookies are great. Huge chocolate chunks, nice crunch, don't taste any different from normal chocolate chip cookies. There's not as much give as I usually like (I tend to lean towards the soft cookie side of things), but they're still very tasty and a nice snack with tea.

I am not even remotely happy about the price. Listen, Patsy Pie: I don't care if they're "Artisan-baked" or have a cute little package. The fact of the matter is, I can go buy those PC brand Smart Cookie for literally half the cost.

I know. I'm being a jerk and I'm comparing apples to oranges: of course a huge organization can offer product for less.

I forgive you Patsy Pie, I forgive you.

I will not be buying these regularly due, primarily, to the cost (and because I can make them for less at home), but they are tasty, they make for a great snack in a fix and I am curious to try the other products offered by the company.

Snowman Brewing Night

2011-12-12T09:21:00.004-05:00

I have yet to try a gluten-free beer since going g-f, mostly because I haven't been able to find one worth trying based on reviews I've read. I do have a Gluten-free Drink by Nickelbrook Brewery sitting in my fridge, but I'm a bit hesitant to give it a go.

A few weeks ago, Jax over at Gluten Free Ontario wrote a post reviewing different types of g-f beer, featuring Snowman Brewing - which is not yet widely available.

Provided I spent a majority of last summer drinking beer in the sun, and have been on too many brewery tours to count, I occasionally miss beer (but not the massive hangover/sick feeling I'd have the next few days, regardless of quantity consumed). I immediately signed up for the Snowman Brewery mailing list, and received this this morning:

Hey everyone, thanks for signing up for our mailing list! As promised we'd let you know when some delicious Snowman Beer would be available to try, and that time is coming soon! On Thursday, December 22nd, 7pm at The Burger Bar in Kensington Market (319 Augusta Avenue Toronto, ON M5T 2M2), Snowman Brewing has managed to produce some of our Pail Ale for sale that people can come by and try. Quantities are limited (we're growing as fast as we can!), so come early and try a gluten free beer like no other! You can check out the event on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/events/288300334544606/

Hope to see you all there!
The Snowman Brewing Team

SO! On Thursday, December 22nd, go to The Burger Bar in Kensington Market if you're as curious as I am and would like to try their gluten-free beer. I will try my best to be there - no guarantees since I am insanely behind on Christmas shopping and it's very close to THE BIG DAY - but let me know if you plan on going. Maybe I'll be a bit more motivated to show :)

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

2011-12-11T17:12:00.001-05:00

Don't be fooled - there's not pie or pie crust in these guys. Instead, they have the delicious, delicious taste and consistency of the pumpkin pie filling - which is obviously the best part.

What makes them even better is that the middle sinks slightly, making them a perfect shape for whipped cream.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes
Original recipe here

What You Need

2/3 cup gluten-free baking flour mix
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup half and half

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin tray with cupcake liners
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour mix, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and half and half
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well
5. Fill each cup and bake for 20 minutes
6. Chill before serving

--

The consistency is more custard-like than cake like, so if you're worried about the doneness, go ahead and cook them 5-10 minutes longer.

A few quick tips:

1 - line your trays. The lack of cake-like consistency means that these little buggers will not come out of trays otherwise. Make sure you're prepared and you'll be happy to avoid a potential mess.

2 - ensure the pumpkin you buy is indeed pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. I had a ton of left over 100% canned pumpkin due to a Thanksgiving mix-up with the Boyfriend (wherein we both bought 4 cans of pumpkin thinking we were responsible for it). I happened to check out the selection at the store out of curiosity, and realized that the pumpkin PIE filling cans contain wheat. So, as per usual, double check the ingredients!

Otherwise, these are totally worth it and thoroughly enjoyable.

I've already eaten two...

Easy Fried Rice

2011-12-11T08:55:00.006-05:00

This past week has been my absolute worst week for gluten avoidance since starting this diet.

I think it may be because I have been extremely tired and stressed about work, but that shouldn't be an excuse. Really, I have no idea where my knowledge about eating g-f and my label reading skills disappeared to.

On Wednesday I knowingly gluted myself with BBQ sauce, but the results weren't terrible - just a slight stomach ache in the evening and morning after. On Friday, I gluted myself by eating a ton of jujubes. Not sure why I was even eating them or what I was thinking (aside from "these aren't even real food!"), but I read the label after a truckload had already been consumed and TAAAA-DAAAAAAH! Wheat. Yesterday I ate a mini bag of chips and halfway through saw that they contained soy sauce containing - wait for it - WHEAT!

Seriously. 3 times in a row. I've been feeling pretty off and awful this weekend, but at least I have an idea why. Regardless of whether I'm celiac or not, I think that not eating gluten has heightened my reactions to when I do consume it. Or, maybe because I've been so used to feeling better, I am just more aware of how I feel after eating it.

Sigh.

Any way. Need an idea for left over rice? I've got it right here.

Easy Fried Rice

What You Need
1 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I used left over Citrus Rice and about 1/2 cup cooked brown rice)
G-f soy sauce
G-f sweet red chili sauce
Lime juice

What You Do
1. Melt butter in wok over medium high
2. Add eggs, scramble them in the pan using a spatula
3. Add rice and mix well. Let cook for about 3 minutes or until heated through
4. Add soy sauce. I usually add about 2 1/2 pours, but add as much as required to be able to coat rice without too much excess
5. Let cook in soy sauce for another 3 minutes, stirring often
6. Add about 1 Tbsp of the chili sauce and a squeeze of lime juice
7. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes or until all sauces are incorporated and rice is thoroughly re-cooked

Citrus Rice

2011-12-09T07:56:00.007-05:00

Another tasty dish invented by the Boyfriend, I could literally eat this rice all day and be a happy camper.

Citrus Rice

What You Need
1 1/2 cups brown rice, cooked
2 Tbsp butter
1 bunch broccolini, ends sliced off
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 clementines
1 lemon
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted and shelled
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

What You Do
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat
2. Add garlic, carrots, and broccolini and saute for a few minutes until the garlic is nice and fragrant
3. Add the sesame oil and squeeze in the juice of 2 clementines and 1/2 of the lemon. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
4. Add sunflower seeds and let simmer for about 10 minutes over medium-low
5. Add cooked brown rice, mix well

Crispy Oven Baked Pork Chops

2011-12-09T07:49:00.007-05:00

I am exhausted this week - hence an early morning update about dinner last night rather than my usual late night one. I even drafted a post about cupcakes that I never made because by the time I got home, I was about ready to fall asleep.

TGIF

Because I was so out of it, the Boyfriend commandeered dinner. As per usual, it means delicious food and a sub-par recipe since he's an eyeballer rather than a measurer. Fortunately, he did volunteer to write everything down as he went - if he could remember it.

Crispy Oven Baked Pork Chops

What You Need
4 pork chops
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup brown rice flour

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet (line with foil or spray with non-stick)
2. Rub the pork chops with salt, pepper and garlic powder
3. Mix together the eggs and milk in one bowl, and the cornmeal and brown rice flour in another
4. Dip the pork chops in the egg wash and then coat them with the cornmeal mixture
5. Bake for 25 minutes

Orange Molasses Ribs

2011-12-07T23:15:00.004-05:00

Okay, okay. They look delicious. They taste delicious. But you all know I glutened myself from them.

Ignoring the consequences, they got eaten. I'll deal with it tomorrow.

Here, however, is the recipe I SHOULD have followed upon realizing the sauce I was using had barley in it.

Orange Molasses Ribs

What You Need
Baby back pork ribs (I used a full slab)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

For the sauce:
Use either 1 cup g-f BBQ sauce OR mix 1/4 cup yellow mustard, 3/4 cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar together

What You Do
1. Turn on broiler and place ribs on roasting rack about 5" down. Spray with cooking spray and broil for 10 minutes
2. Mix together the BBQ sauce, molasses, salt and orange juice
3. Put the ribs in the slow cooker and cover with the sauce
4. Cook on LOW for 8 hours

--

They turned out really well - fall off the bone delicious.

A few hours after I ate, I noticed I was feeling a bit off but it wasn't anything too terrible. I know from previous incidents that I don't normally cope well with barley - so I might feel it in the morning, or it was such a minimal amount that I'll be able to tolerate it.

I still wish I hadn't been a moron though and corrected the recipe as I went. I guess that's what I get for 7am crock pot cooking though.

I served the ribs with some baked zucchini and asparagus, and cheddar garlic biscuits.

I'm Stupid

2011-12-07T08:03:00.005-05:00

After raving about a woman with celiac knowingly eating gluten and a ridiculous kitchen failure last night, you would think I would pick up the slack and be on my game.

Alas, it is not to be.

I'm making ribs for dinner tonight (recipe to follow when I see how they turn out), and I bought store made BBQ sauce instead of making my own. Stemming from my inability to pay attention - I thought the recipe said "1 BOTTLE" of BBQ sauce so I thought it would be easiest to buy it. Turns out, it says 1 cup. I could have whipped that shit up last night.

But I didn't - because for the first time since October, I forgot to read a label.

I know BBQ sauce usually has malt vinegar in it, but I was so distracted by the thought that it was $1.99 rather than $4.99 that I grabbed it and went. I didn't even think of reading the label until around midnight last night - when I was already in bed, the other ingredients were already purchased and the ribs had been prepared.

I read it this morning and surprise! Barley malt vinegar.

Unfortunately for me, I'm using it any way. Primarily because I'm actually making dinner for four tonight and the ribs need eight hours - since I'm due at work in about 20 minutes, I don't have the luxury of remaking it.

A smart person would have substituted ketchup for the sauce in the final moments.

I'm not so smart.

I hope this impending cloud of "you're gonna get gluted tonight!" doesn't ruin my day.

Kitchen Failure: Pie-less Chicken Pot Pie

2011-12-06T22:12:00.002-05:00

So, I made this tonight:

But then I made this:

So I wound up eating this:

I usually love pizza but I was actually really bummed over tonight's kitchen failure. I invented this recipe today for Pie-less Chicken Pot Pie and got to cooking after work - and it smelled fantastic. The chicken and veggies cooked perfectly, the onion and garlic made my apartment smell divine.

A little while ago I stocked up on boxed g-f broth so I pulled it out of the cupboard and poured it in without even thinking. Aaaaaand it was a bit chunky and expired. SO! The entire plan was cancelled and we were forced to order a pizza as most of the grocery stores in our neighbourhood had already closed.

Also because I decided to quit the kitchen for the night after making such a stupid mistake.

I'll be making this one day though, so here's the recipe for reference.

Pie-less Chicken Pot Pie
What You Need

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

What You Do
1. In a saucepan, combine the chicken, carrots, beans and celery. Add enough water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and drain
2. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter over medium heat until soft and translucent
3. Add the flour, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Stir in the chicken broth, milk and mustard and let simmer until thick
4. Add the chicken mixture into the sauce, stir well and let cook, covered, for 15 minutes

Neapolitan Cupcakes

2011-12-05T19:54:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, as I'm drifting off to sleep, I think of the most ridiculous things ever and how fantastic they would be in real time. Often they are implausible things - like how awesome it would be to discover the city of Atlantis, or how great it would be to see the Loch Ness monster.

Seriously, my bedtime thoughts are this varied.

Last night, my stroke of brilliance came in the form of baking Neapolitan cupcakes. I think I was inspired by the ice cream I purchased earlier in the night, a weekend dud effort at red macarons (think pink and flat) and my general love of cupcakes. I repeated it in my head until I fell asleep and woke up with one goal today.

Neapolitan. Cupcakes.

Neapolitan Cupcakes
Original vanilla cupcake recipe here

What You Need
2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 pint strawberries
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 drops red food colouring

What You Do
1. Hull the strawberries and mash using a fork. In a saucepan, bring them to a simmer over medium-low heat. Let cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool
2. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a muffin tray with cupcake liners (or by greasing the sides)
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt
4. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, milk, eggs and vanilla. Add to the dry mixture and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes
5. Evenly divide the batter in to three bowls. Bowl #1 will stay vanilla. Add the cocoa powder to bowl #2 for the chocolate layer - if you find the batter too thick after the addition, add about 1/2 Tbsp milk. Add 1/4 of the strawberry syrup to bowl #3 for the strawberry layer. If you find the batter too runny, add up to a Tbsp of the g-f all purpose flour
6. Layer the cupcakes chocolate, vanilla, strawberry from the bottom up
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

--

I topped them with whipped cream.

They taste great, but as the photos demonstrate, they're prettier inside than out. Here's what I would do differently next time:

1) Add more red food colouring to make the strawberry portion very pink
2) Add a full two Tbsp cocoa powder to make the chocolate stand out more
3) Add an extra 1/2 tsp vanilla to the vanilla section
4) Bake them in cups. I decided to pop them in my silicone baking sheet which sounded like an awesome idea, but they cooked slightly brown on the outside so the effect was lost
5) Give them a shake down before baking. As the photos demonstrate, the layers didn't gel well together. The batter was a bit sticky, probably due to the xanthan gum. If I kept the gum in next time, since it gives them a nice texture, I would make my layers and then shake the shit out of the pan to get rid of any bubbles/lumps

Despite the disappointing look, I'm really enjoying them. Of course they looked better in my pre-sleep haze though...

Also, apologies for the photos. I was in the throes of making dinner so I didn't even bother moving them outside of the poorly lit kitchen.

A Conversation

2011-12-05T12:31:00.004-05:00

Something weird just happened to me. Well, I think it's weird.

For lunch, I was totally unprepared and grabbed a container full of left-over cooked quinoa. When it was time to eat, I decided I needed to add something to my plain quinoa and wandered downstairs to the new grocery store that recently opened in my work building. I meandered around for a bit and then decided I needed some meat - some kind of substance.

At the ready to eat bar, I saw two options: a completely plain grilled chicken breast, or seasoned skewered chicken/pork.

So I asked the deli attendant what the seasoning was on the skewers. She left, and came back to inform me it was "garlic, rosemary and stuff". So I casually said, "Oh, I'm just curious because I can't eat wheat. Any idea what the 'and stuff' is?"

The following conversation ensued:

Deli Attendant: "I can't eat wheat either!"
Me: "Oh, really?"
Deli Attendant: "Yeah, I have celiac disease. I can't touch anything with wheat."
Me: "No way! I have a gluten intolerance, so we're in the same boat!"
Deli Attendant: "Mine is pretty bad - I can't touch anything that even comes in to contact with gluten, and I get sick from yeast sometimes."
Me: "That's definitely rough. So would you recommend I stay away from the seasoned meat?"
Deli Attendant: "Well, I couldn't tell ya. I eat whatever I feel like. I don't really care, if I'm going to die, I'm going to die. It's too hard to try and avoid wheat so, whatever."

It's too hard to try and avoid wheat?

I am not celiac (not diagnosed any way), but I know that I am intolerant of gluten and I have made my quality of life significantly better by taken the dive in to a g-f diet. It is not always easy, but it is definitely not too hard.

All I could think after she told me was, "How uncomfortable are you, every day, if you're chowing down on something you know for a fact makes you ill?"

I was surprised. I still kind of am.

Who does that to themselves, to their body, all so they can what - have it a little easier ordering in a restaurant?

It is not that hard. It is entirely possible.

Any way, I chose the plain chicken breast with a knowing nod. I take that to mean I either avoided gluting myself, or I'm in for a rude afternoon surprise and it was a nod of, "See? You agree with me".