Lisa's Blogety Blog

Gluten-Free, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Candida, Elimination Diet

2011-04-14T14:59:00.000-04:00

Last week was basically the "week from Hell". I hate to start out a post on such a sour note, but I have to tell you the truth. I promise, it gets a little better.

I visited my neurologist for a follow-up appointment on Monday. I saw the P.A. (I never get to actually see the doctor), prepared with information on Celiac Disease and Small Fiber Neuropathy and the connection between the two. I handed the P.A. the folder, he scanned it and handed it back. When I told him he could keep it, he said, "Well, I can look that stuff up on the computer later". Then he politely told me to keep taking my meds and come back in three months.

On Wednesday, I met with the P.A. at my gastroenterologist's office (the person who diagnosed my celiac disease three years ago) for my annual check-up. I filled her in on my issues and before I could even finish, she stopped me cold with "Nope, the problems you are having are in no way related to your celiac disease as long as you are following your gluten-free diet". She told me to "stay off of the internet and stay on my gf diet". At that point, I just gave up trying. I felt totally defeated.

Obviously, it's all in my head.

On Friday, I had an appointment with an Integrative Nutritionist. I figured that I had pretty much exhausted all other avenues, so I decided to take a more holistic approach. Her office is located inside the Spa at the Roosevelt Baths in Saratoga Springs, NY. As I walked into the lobby, I couldn't help but relax. Calm music was playing, an indoor waterfall was trickling and a fireplace was welcoming. People were sitting around in padded lounge chairs in white robes and flip flops, waiting for their massages and mineral baths. I poured myself a cup of tea and waited. I couldn't help but wonder why doctor's offices weren't like this. Why do they have to be so cold and sterile?

Once in her office, we talked about the paperwork I had filled out and my symptoms and struggles. We talked about the brain-gut connection and how our gut controls a great deal of our bodies. I had been already researching about this before our meeting, so I was totally on board with what she was saying. She gave me instructions for an anti-inflammatory, anti-candida, elimination diet (which is also gluten-free). The idea behind the diet is to stop eating foods that contribute to inflammation in the intestine and replace it with foods that help the gut to heal. I won't lie, it's pretty strict. I've been on it for five days and I can tell you that it's not easy. I've had to give up red meat, dairy, soy, corn, white potatoes, tomatoes, sugar, chocolate, soda and pretty much everything I love. My diet has been consisting of chicken, turkey and fish, brown rice and quinoa, allowed vegetables and fruits, sweet potatoes, black beans and chic peas, nuts and nut butters (except peanuts), almond milk, flavored seltzer, 100% juices (no citrus), decaf coffee, green tea. I can use molasses, pure maple syrup, agave and stevia for sweeteners. There's also an added twist called "the egg challenge". I have to go without eggs for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, I eat five yolks in one day to see if I have symptoms. If I do, then I can write-off egg yolks permanently. In a couple of days, I do the same with egg whites. From what I gather, this will be the way it goes as I add restricted foods back into my diet.

All of my go-to snacks are gone. No popcorn, no M&M's, no ice cream, no soda. I admit, I'm going through some pretty severe sugar withdrawal. I had to sprint through Target the other day in order to avoid the HUNDREDS of aisles of Easter candy. It's been especially tough the last couple of days. My daughter came down with the stomach flu and my stress level is making me crave sugar all the more.

The other component to the plan is dietary supplements. I have four big bottles on my kitchen counter which contain probiotics, digestive enzymes and omega 3's. I have to work up to the recommended dosages slowly to give my system a chance to adjust. The probiotics cause the most distress. I've had some pretty bad cramps and "bathroom issues" after taking them. I was told that this may happen. Apparently, as the bad bacteria are taken over by the good bacteria, a little intestinal war can break out. Completely normal, but more than a little uncomfortable. Right now, I'm taking it slow with the probiotics, only taking the minimum amount and only using them every-other day or so.

I haven't felt much change in my pain level yet. I know it's still early and I get really impatient. I have lost a couple of pounds, I'm guessing because sometimes I don't really know what to eat. The lack of sugar probably is helping as well. I've had moments where I just stand in the middle of the kitchen and stare at the fridge. I'm finding that I have to cook two meals at dinner, one for my family and one for me. I haven't tried to eat in a restaurant yet, that will be interesting. I thought going gluten-free was challenging!

How long I will need to stay on this plan is uncertain. I guess it depends on my symptoms. In the meantime, I'm still taking my nerve meds and trying to "stay off of the internet". (Not!)

I will keep you posted!

Celiac Disease - More Than Just a Belly Ache

2011-03-08T14:28:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, I've been dealing with some pretty nasty neurological pain issues in the last several months. I haven't posted too much about it because, well, I really didn't want to talk about it until I had a little more information about what was causing it.

I've hidden my pain from most everyone. It's not visible to the human eye. Most days I get out of bed and go about my daily routine as best I can and just "fight through it".

The pain I'm talking about now has a name. Small Fiber Peripheral Neuropathy. This diagnosis was just confirmed about a week ago after visiting two neurologists and having way too many blood tests, MRI's and neurological exams. Well, actually, the diagnosis was "some kind of neuropathy, but we don't know what's causing it, so here take these pills and come back in four weeks". I only came upon the actual name of the neuropathy after much internet research.

Small Fiber Peripheral Neuropathy affects the small nerve fibers in your skin. These fibers receive signals from the brain and control skin sensations such as temperature and pain. When you burn your finger on the stove or feel a cool breeze, it is your small nerve fibers that transmit that feeling to your brain to tell you that you hurt yourself or need to put on a sweater. Damage to the small fiber nerves disrupts this process and basically all Hell breaks loose.

For me, this means that I feel like I have a bad sunburn all over my body. Clothes hurt. I get chills, even though my skin feels hot. I have trouble sleeping. It affects every part of my day and everything I do.

The reason that I am writing this post today is that I want to get the word out there that the probable cause of my neuropathy is my Celiac Disease. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out. I've been researching on the internet for months, trying to find an answer. Finally, this past weekend, I came upon it. It hit me like a ton of bricks.

I found this article on Celiac.com. It is entitled "Up to 16% of Patients with Small Fiber Neuropathy May Have Celiac Disease". Wow. I had considered that the cause of my issues were Celiac-related, but here it was, in black and white. Proof. It was written by The Neuropathy Association. The kicker....this article was written in 2003! Why do mainstream doctors not know about this???

"In addition, patients with celiac disease tended to have a type of neuropathy called small fiber neuropathy which often causes severe burning, stinging, and electric-shock like pains, but is often misdiagnosed as it is undetectable with routine tests used by neurologists to diagnose neuropathy. Approximately 16% of all patients with small fiber neuropathy were found to have celiac disease. Many of our patients were told that there was nothing physically wrong with them, and were advised to seek psychiatric care for presumed anxiety or depression, noted Dr. Norman Latov, Medical and Scientific Director of The Neuropathy Association, and senior author of the study. You too would be anxious and depressed if you were in constant pain, and no-one believed you or offered to help."

So, after finding that article, I dug a little deeper. I found this website Small Fiber Neuropathy.Net .

And this one: Center For Peripheral Neuropathy at University of Chicago.

Needless to say, I am printing out copies for every doctor I know. It makes me angry that I had symptoms of this since the time of my diagnosis in 2007. Not one doctor mentioned that Celiac Disease could be causing these symptoms. Since I had cervical disc issues at the time, the doctors just assumed that I was having nerve issues related to that. I just sat back and believed them. I had neck surgery. Instead of the pain going away, it just kept getting worse.

Now that I have a diagnosis and a cause, I have to find out what my treatment options are. For right now, it's LOTS of medications. I'm not happy with this option, but it's the only one available at this point. I also need to figure out why, since I am so careful about my gluten-free diet, that things are getting worse and not better. I'm sure it's going to take a lot more research, doctor visits and prayer to help me find a way to get through this.

So, I guess the moral of my story is, please, if something is not right with your body and you know something is off, don't just accept the first answer the doctor gives you. Don't just write it off. Investigate. Ask questions. You are your best advocate! It's taken me three years to learn this and it's been a painful lesson.

"Senior Moments" and Comfort Food

2011-01-25T14:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had a "Senior Moment". I was trying to update my post from a few days ago and somehow managed to delete the entire post. These kinds of things have been happening a lot to me lately. Like accidentally throwing away a pile of important medical paperwork and keeping a useless pile of "junk" paper that was supposed to go in the trash. I guess I'll just chalk it up to old age! Or, maybe add it to the list of weird, neurological "stuff" that's been going on lately.

I'm not going to try to re-write the post, but I do want to make sure I update you on the book I mentioned in it. I am currently reading "Super Nutrition for Women" by Ann Louise Gittleman PH.D. CNS. While I am fascinated by her recommendations for women not to follow the very popular "low fat, high carb" diets as we may be missing out on important fats and nutrients, I wanted to point out that this book is a little bit outdated when it comes to eating gluten-free. For example, Dr. Gittleman lists Original Sprouted Ezekiel 4:9 Bread as being gluten-free because it is "flourless" when it actually lists Organic Sprouted Wheat and Organic Malted Barley in the ingredients list. She even mentions that it is sweetened with barley malt. There are several other instances of this misinformation in the book. This book was written in 1991. We have come a long way in understanding gluten-free diets since then! So, while it is an interesting book to read and does have some valid points about nutrition and women, I do not recommend this book for anyone who needs to follow a gluten-free diet.

Now, on to something I've been wanting to post for a while now. I had to share that I made the most incredible mac n' cheese dish a few weeks ago! I was watching Rachael Ray's new show "Week In A Day". She made Spinach and Artichoke Baked Whole Grain Pasta. It looked really "Yum-O" and I knew it would be really easy to convert to gluten-free. (I know, this doesn't really fit in with my new "eating less carbs and more meat" approach, but what the heck?)

INGREDIENTS

2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen spinach (I only used one box)

Salt

1 pound whole wheat or whole grain penne' pasta or macaroni (any short cut pasta) (I used Schar Penne' Pasta)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

1 (10-ounce) box frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, halved, pat dry (I couldn't find frozen, so I used canned)

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons butter

3 slightly rounded tablespoons flour (I used sweet rice flour here)

2 cups milk

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

5 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

DIRECTIONS
Position the oven rack in center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Defrost the spinach in the microwave. Drain, then dry the spinach out as much as possible by wringing it out in a clean kitchen towel.

Bring a saucepot of water to a boil. Add salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the shallots and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook until they are lightly brown. Add the wine to deglaze the pan.

While the artichokes and pasta cook, in a saucepot over medium to medium-high heat, add the butter. When melted, whisk in the flour for 1 minute or so, then whisk in the milk and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, adjust the seasonings and stir in the Gruyere cheese. Combine the sauce with the spinach, pasta, and artichoke and stir until just combined. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and cover with the remaining cheese. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal.

Bake on a baking sheet 45 minutes or until brown and bubbly on top.

The picture above is from the "Week in a Day" website. I wish I could show you a picture of my dish, but I seem to be having problems uploading pictures to Blogger today! Ugh. However, it came out amazing!!! The only issue I had with making this dish was that it dirties a LOT of dishes! Otherwise, everyone gobbled it right up...including the leftovers!

Meal Planning and Grocery Shopping

2010-10-07T17:02:00.000-04:00

I know that I have confessed this in the past. I spend way too much money on groceries. In fact, our grocery bill has now exceeded our mortgage payment! Yes. I hate to admit it, but it's true.

The funny thing is, that even though I seem to buy an awful lot of groceries, I sometimes seem to have trouble putting it together for dinner. Dinnertime is most always a stressful time of the day. There's helping with homework. There's making sure piano and violin lessons have been practiced. Sometimes there's after school appointments or activities. I don't mind cooking, but let's face it, some nights I'd rather just go out to dinner! Since we try to only go out on the weekends (for both health and budget reasons), going to restaurants in the middle of the week isn't really an option.

I started several months ago making a weekly menu plan and grocery list to help me focus a little better. While it did seem to help me get dinner on the table a little easier, it really didn't help with my budget. I still find myself running to the grocery store at least two to three times a week. And, of course, every time I go into the store, I come out with more items than I went in for.

I have tried to cut our grocery bill several times in the past. I even took an adult education class on how to save in the grocery store a few years back. I cut coupons. I shop the sales. I joined BJ's Warehouse Club. Still, I believe I'm spending way too much. I'd much rather spend that money on other things. Like paying off bills or the new cell phones my family wants or the trip to Disney that I want...

Last week, I saw the Economides family on the Today Show. You may have heard of them. They are America's Cheapest Family. With their new book, they claim to be able to help you Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half. OK. So. I took the bait. I bought the book. I'm already trying to apply some of the techniques they discuss. I'm only a few chapters into the book.

I started this week by taking an inventory of everything already in my pantry, freezer and refrigerator. I sat down with my inventory and my recipe binder and made up a meal plan for the month of October using things I already have on hand. Then, I made a grocery list of the items I need to buy to fill in the menu, plus breakfast and lunch items, paper products, cleaners, etc. I looked through the store flyers and decided to go to two stores that had the best prices for the items I needed. I settled on Walmart (for the majority of my list) and Green Grocer (for my gf items and because I had a $2 off total of $20 coupon to use). I assembled my clipped coupons. I grabbed my calculator. I headed out to shop!

One of the ideas in the book is to put a shopping basket into the shopping cart and put all of the "impulse purchases" in the basket. Since I almost always pick up extra things when I shop, I decide this was a good way to keep track of what I'm buying that's not on my list. It really did help me stick to my list. I had just one item in the basket at check-out. That was one Enjoy Life Choco Boom Boom bar! I wasn't putting that baby back!!! A girl has to have her chocolate, right?

Since I used a pre-printed grocery shopping list (check-box style), I missed a few items in the store. I'm used to writing my own, listing items in the order they are arranged in the store. It will probably take a while to get the hang of it. Or, I may re-do the list to make it easier. In any case, this means I will have to make another trip to pick up the items I missed. I'm guessing I will have to make a small trip each week to pick up perishable items like milk, eggs, fruit...etc.

Also, since I don't have an extra freezer, I couldn't buy a lot of "freezer foods". As it is, my little freezer is stocked to the max. I hope that I've planned my purchases wisely so that I have enough to last the month. I guess we will see.

My total at Walmart after coupons was $127.11. At Green Grocer, it was $18.25. So, my grand total for today's trip was $145.36.

Now. I must admit. This was a lot of work. It took me most of the afternoon yesterday to get things together, over an hour shopping and then another 45 minutes to get everything put away. I even bought a large package of chicken breasts and a huge package of ground beef that I had to split up into freezer bags when I got home. I don't usually do this, but after checking the unit prices per pound, I could see quite a big difference in the cost. I'm guessing that with practice, the whole process will go faster. At least I hope so.

I'd love to hear any money-saving tips you all might have to share...

I hope you all have a great, gluten-free day! :)

My New Favorite Shampoo

2010-09-29T15:26:00.000-04:00

I know. I usually write about food. However, in this post, I decided to tell you about my new favorite shampoo. Yes. Shampoo.

It's called Desert Essence Organics Hair Care Lemon Tea Tree Shampoo.

There are so many reasons I love this shampoo.

First, I love the smell of lemon shampoo. This shampoo reminds me of a shampoo I used as a teen called "Lemon Up". Does anyone else remember it? It was right up there with "Gee Your Hair Smell Terrific" shampoo! OK. So I'm really dating myself now.

Second, I have really oily hair and this gets it soooo clean!

Third, it's Organic and clearly marked "Gluten-Free"!

I found this shampoo at The Green Grocer market in Clifton Park, but you can also check it out at CVS.com.

I like it so much, I may go back and buy the conditioner!

Have a great gluten-free day!

*Please note: I do not work for Desert Essence or have any other affiliations with this company. I just really love this product!

Gluten-Free Bisquick Oven Baked Chicken and Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Fries

2010-09-19T19:26:00.000-04:00

It sure was a busy, busy summer. I let a lot of things slide. My housework. My diet. My blogging.

So, now it's fall. Back to housework. My diet. My blogging.

I just have to tell you about the dinner I made tonight. It was that terrific.

I decided to make the Oven Baked Chicken recipe on the Gluten-Free Bisquick Box. I have made this once before and it was so good that I just had to make it again. You can view the recipe here. They also have a lot of other really yummy-looking recipes on their website that I'm going to have to try!

I used chicken thighs instead of a whole, cut-up chicken. I also added some red pepper to the flour mix to try to add a little zip to the batter as the batter alone is a little bland for our taste buds. I think next time, I would add even a little more, although it was very good just the same.

I even tried taking the skin off of one of the thighs before dipping to see if the batter would still stick to the chicken. It did, although I must admit, I liked the taste of the chicken with skin on much better. Again, maybe with more seasoning, this would be a good, lower fat option.

After the first 35 minutes were up, I flipped the chicken per the directions and threw a baking sheet with New Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Fries in the oven to bake with the chicken for the remaining 15 minutes. These are really good and are marked "Gluten-Free" right on the bag. Now, if you have some sweet potatoes, you can make your own sweet potato fries very easily yourself, it's true, but these are a nice, quick option if you don't mind the extra ingredients in them.

(SWEET POTATOES, CANOLA OIL MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, RICE FLOUR, TAPIOCA DEXTRIN, SEA SALT, LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE), XANTHAN GUM, ANNATTO (COLOR), DISODIUM SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE.)

Behold. A quick, easy, delicious Sunday night dinner.

If you haven't tried Gluten-Free Bisquick or Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Fries yet, you should!

Have a great gluten-free week!

Vacationing Gluten-Free in Cape Cod

2010-07-19T17:25:00.000-04:00

If you know me, you know that I love Cape Cod. I've been visiting the Cape almost every summer since, well, before I was born! That's 40....and then some years!

Anyone who has been there, knows that fried foods are a way of life on the Cape. Fried fish, fried clams, fried onion rings, fried everything! I even had a fried Snicker's bar before I was gluten-free!

When I was first diagnoses with Celiac Disease two years ago, I wondered how I would ever enjoy going to restaurants on the Cape again. I am pleased to say that navigating the restaurants on the Cape is becoming easier and easier for us non-gluten eaters.

This year, we visited several restaurants with gluten-free menus we had visited in the past, along with one new one.

The first on my list of "old stand-bys" is Seafood Sam's in South Yarmouth. This is a counter-service, fried food eatery. They do not have a gluten-free menu. However, I have been successful in the past ordering any of the broiled dinners without crumb topping and a baked potato. This year, we visited this restaurant twice, because my gluten-eating daughter loves their kids' fried shrimp. My husband and I ordered the "Sam's Broiled Platter for 2". It came split on two plates with the sides separated so he could have his french fries, while I had a baked potato. It also comes with Newburg Sauce (which I don't think is gluten-free and didn't eat) and cole slaw. It's a bargain at only $19.95 for two and a lot of seafood!

The next restaurant on my list is Chatham Fish and Lobster Company in South Dennis. We visited this fresh fish market/counter service restaurant last year for the first time and I couldn't wait to get back there this year! All and I mean ALL of their fried items are gluten-free. I can't get enough of their crunchy, delicious seafood. And talk about fried onion rings! My mouth is watering thinking about it!

Last year I ordered fish fry. It was excellent! This year, I decided to order the Fried Clam Strip Platter. As my tween daughter would say, OMG!

If there was one restaurant in the whole world that I would want if I were alone on a desert island, this would be the one!

We also ordered the Fried Shrimp Platter and shared both platters between the three of us. It was plenty of food!

I just love this place! I really liked the huge lobster in the front yard too!

Oh, and the "Celiac Friendly" sign on the door!

Another restaurant we visited was Sam Diego's Mexican Cookery and Bar in Hyannis.

Mexican food on the Cape? Si, Senior!!! This awesome place has wonderful food and a relatively new gluten-free menu! (The menu is NOT on their website...I wish it were so you could see all their wonderful menu items!)

I apologize for the glare on the picture, but the service was so speedy that I didn't have time to get it right! LOL!

I ordered the Gluten-Free Chips and Salsa right off the bat.

Then, I ordered their Gluten-Free Chili Con Carne...

Look at that cheesy goodness!!! Uh oh...drooling on my computer keys!

Then, I ordered the Gluten-Free Classic Cheese and Pepper Quesadillas.

Well, I couldn't finish all this food! It was soooo yummy good!

Are you hungry yet? I have more to go!!! LOL!

The one cloudy, sprinkly day of our vacation, we decided to head of to Cape Cod Mall in Hyannis to do some retail therapy. We stopped in at Not Your Average Joe's for lunch. This is the third year we have eaten at Joe's. The first time, well, there wasn't much on their gluten-free menu. It was your standard, plain hamburger on a bun with salad menu. This year, I was pleasantly surprised to find way more offerings. Including GLUTEN-FREE ONION ROLLS with olive oil/red pepper dipping sauce! Whoa!!!

And, if you do order the hamburger, I'm guessing you'll get one of these buns with it! :)

For my lunch, I ordered the GF Grilled Chicken Salad. Instead of the Creamy Ranch Dressing, I ordered the Lo-Cal Zinfandel, which was excellent and also GF.

We also visited BZ's Mexican Pizzeria in Dennisport. I apologize, I didn't bring my camera to this restaurant, but they have EXCELLENT gluten-free pizza. The best part is that it's made on site and you can choose from many toppings! I ordered mushroom and ground beef. Mmmmmm.

Last, but not least, I can't visit the Cape without ordering at least one boiled lobster dinner! We went to The Lobster Boat, which is a tradition in my family. They do not have a gluten-free menu, but I've never had a problem eating here. The twin lobster special is what we always order....it is well, lobster!

I hope you have enjoyed my little gluten-free tour of Cape Cod! I can't wait to go back again next year...or sooner! LOL!

Question: How do YOU heal your belly when you are "glutened"?

2010-06-26T15:55:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week. It was the last week of 4th grade for my daughter. Which means the last week of freedom for mom until September, so I was busy getting "things" done before school was out. I don't think I finished half of the "things" on my list. Mostly because I felt sick.

This seems to happen every few months and lasts for a week or more. The belly ache. Feels like someone put my intestines in a vice and keeps cranking it tighter.

I can never really pin down the reason it happens. Did I get glutened? Was it the greasy burger I ate? Am I eating out in restaurants too often? Is it stress? Am I allergic or intolerant to another food? I don't know, but I'd sure like to figure it out.

So, this week I began the task of writing down everything I eat. I probably began too late to figure out the source this time, as I already had the belly ache, but I'm hoping that eventually I can find the answer. I've read that corn gluten can be a problem for some Celiacs or maybe dairy (I already use soy milk). I'm also trying to cut out (or at least down) on the diet soda. Yes, I know it's bad for me, but I have trouble giving it up. :(

I've been downing the Pepto Bismal in the meantime and trying to eat very carefully. I need to heal my tummy and feel better. Which got me to thinking....what do other Celiacs do when they get glutened?

So here are my questions for you all...

When you get glutened, what do you do to feel better? What do you eat while you're healing? What medications if any do you use? How long do your symptoms last?

I would love any advice you may have to give.

Thanks. And I hope you are having a great gluten-free weekend!

Two Gluten-Free Surprises for Mom on Father's Day!

2010-06-20T18:38:00.000-04:00

Ok. I admit it. I've been slacking on the blog posts. I'm blaming it on spring fever and a little bit of writer's block.

I did have two great surprises today. We decided to take my husband out for lunch for Father's Day. He chose Outback Steakhouse because, well, what's Father's Day without a little steak anyway??? I was happily looking over my gluten-free menu when the waiter brought over the little loaf of gluten-filled, brown bread. When my husband told him not to put it in front of me, the waiter said "Oh, sorry. Would you like a loaf of gluten-free bread?" Wow!

Outback had served gluten-free bread in the past. Then they took it away. I blogged about it here. Well, now it's back! I'm not sure that it's the same bread that they served before, but it was really good. It's lovely to have bread with my 6 oz. Special Steak, baked potato and green beans. Thanks, Outback!!!

My second surprise was later, when we decided to go out for soft ice cream. One of the pleasures of summer is going to The Country Drive-In on Crescent Road in Clifton Park. This is a very busy spot in hot weather and if you can find a parking space, you are in luck! We have been known to circle the lot many times on crowded nights, only to drive away without our ice cream! :(

Today, it was the middle of the afternoon and not terribly crowded. I ordered my usual. Small hot fudge sundae with fat-free, sugar-free yogurt. Today's yogurt flavor was "Very Berry". We stepped back from the window after placing our orders and there it was. On the window. Right there in front of us. "Gluten-Free Cones Now Available Upon Request." NO WAY! (I think I actually heard a choir singing in the background..."AHHHHH") The world is definitely changing right before our very eyes. Now, I'm not much of a "cone person", but you'd better believe that next time we go, I will be ordering one of the gluten-free cones! Just because I can.

Trip to Whole Foods

2010-05-27T20:09:00.000-04:00

If you are lucky enough to live near a Whole Foods, you probably already know what a great store it is. Unfortunately, the nearest Whole Foods to where I live is 2+ hours away!

On our way back from Boston earlier this month, I made sure we made a stop at the Whole Foods in Framingham, MA. I even brought an empty cooler to transport my goodies in! I had never been to a Whole Foods before and just had to check it out.

I was really happy to find several gluten-free goodies that aren't carried in the stores back home. These goodies included:

Bell & Evans Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets - Our local Price Chopper used to carry these and I really miss them! I can't even imagine why they stopped. They sure beat McDonald's so-called nuggets.

Bell & Evans Gluten-Free Italian Style Chicken Patties with Mozzarella - Had never seen these before! I served them with pasta sauce...they were yummy.

WF Bakehouse Gluten-Free Sundried Tomato Bread - Was pretty good, but a little dense, which is fairly normal for packaged gluten-free bread.

WF Bakehouse Gluten-Free Almond Scones - Loved these!

Udi's Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread - I left the best for last...

I couldn't wait to try the Udi's bread. I have heard so much buzz about it on many, many gluten-free blogs. Let me tell you...hands-down, this has to be best packaged, gluten-free bread on the planet. I am in LOVE. I have tried it plain with butter. I have tried it with peanut butter and jelly. I have tried it grilled with turkey and cheese. If I didn't know better, I would really think there was gluten in this bread. It is so fluffy and springy. I have only one regret in purchasing this bread....I ONLY BOUGHT ONE LOAF! I have considered ordering more on their website, but I calculated the shipping and it was around $17.00! Yikes! I may just have to do it though, I'm not sure how long I can live without my new love. I'd also like to try their bagels and pizza crust...The WF in Framingham only had bread.

I'm already planning another trip to Whole Foods on our way to (and maybe from) Cape Cod this summer. There just happens to be several on the way!

Note to self: Get a bigger cooler! (Even if it means I have to leave my suitcase behind! Who need clothes, anyway?) ;)

Have a great gluten-free day!

24 Hours in Boston

2010-05-12T17:22:00.000-04:00

I was so lucky this past weekend to spend Mother's Day in Boston. Even though it was very rainy on Saturday afternoon when we got there and very cold and windy on Sunday, we had a great time!

While we were in Boston, we had dinner at Legal Seafoods, Long Wharf. We stayed at the Boston Marriott, Long Wharf and it was literally right across the street from our hotel. It was a good thing because right at 5:25 pm, the skys opened up and the monsoon came down! (If you were watching the Red Sox/Yankees game on tv, you know this because the game was delayed!) Our reservations were for 5:30, so we ran as fast as we could across the street. We were drenched...but after the food came, we just didn't mind at all!

The view from our hotel window.

Legal Seafoods has the blue covers over the outdoor dining tables.

Legal Seafoods has a very extensive gluten-free menu. I started out my meal with gluten-free dinner rolls. These were soooo delicious, I didn't even need butter. Fresh and hot from the oven, crusty on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Wishing I had asked who made them!

For my main course, I ordered Sea Scallops, baked potato and steamed sugar snap peas. The scallops were fried in chick pea flour! They were very light, tender and EXCELLENT.

To top off the evening, I ordered the Chocolate Mousse. Oh my, oh my...

I was really sure I had died and gone to creamy, dreamy, chocolate heaven.

I have to say that since going gluten-free, this was one of the best dining experiences I have had. If you live near a Legal Seafoods...I am soooo jealous! If you are ever visiting a city where there is a Legal Seafoods...make sure you visit!

In my next post, I will review some gluten-free items I bought at Whole Foods on the way back from our trip!

Have a great, gluten-free day!

Eating Gluten-Free at 99 Restaurant

2010-05-04T16:21:00.001-04:00

I was nicely surprised today when my mom and I were out shopping and we stopped in for lunch at the 99 Restaurant. I had heard that they had a gluten-free menu, but hadn't been in to try it until today.

While it's not an extensive menu, the gluten-free menu has enough items on it to satisfy. There are salads, hamburgers, complete with gluten-free buns, dinners, such as prime rib (Sunday after 4pm), broiled sirloin tips, NY strip sirloin, top sirloin steak and salmon. There is a choice of sides which include garlic mashed potatoes, baked potato and loaded baked potato (after 4pm), seasonal vegetables and french fries. I asked if the french fries are fried in a dedicated fryer and was told that they are!

I ordered the Mushroom and Cheese Steakburger with french fries. The gluten-free bun was, I believe, a rice flour and tapioca bun. I know I have had these buns before, it tasted a lot like Gillian's Foods Plain Gluten-Free Hamburger Bun, I'm not totally sure and I didn't ask. The burger was a lot bigger than the bun, which was fine with me. The fries were very tasty! The only complaint I really had was that the burger was a little underdone for my taste. I ordered it medium-well and would probably order it well done next time. I apologize that I didn't get a picture to share, but I didn't really plan on going out to lunch, so I didn't bring my camera.

Another restaurant to add to my gluten-free list! If you have tried 99's gluten-free menu, I'd love to hear your comments! If you haven't, it's time to check it out! :)

Have a great gluten-free day!

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2010-04-27T17:49:00.000-04:00

This April weather has sure been crazy! This afternoon, I was busy baking cookies when I looked out and saw that it was sleeting! What the? It's about 46 degrees. One more day of cold and then temperatures are supposed to be up in the high 70's!

Now, back to the cookies! I've been trying to buy less processed items at the store lately. It's hard. Especially when you have a daughter and husband who are used to all the yummy snacks you can buy in the cracker and cookie aisle!

I decided to bake some gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies. Yes, they still have sugar and butter in them, but at least I can pronounce what's in them!

I used the recipe from the Bob's Red Mill website. I have used this recipe before and the cookies come out wonderful. I make a few modifications...

1. For the GF All Purpose Baking Flour, I use Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix.
2. I do not add the Baking Soda or the Xanthan Gum as Pamela's already has them in it.
3. Instead of the 1 cup butter, I use 1/2 cup Butter plus 1/2 cup Organic Unsweetened Applesauce. It cuts out some of the fat and makes them even healthier!

I use a cookie scooper that's bigger than a tablespoon, so I only get about 3 dozen cookies.

These cookies are a little crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy and sweet on the inside! I had one to "test" the batch and ended up scarfing down two more! My daughter ate three for her after-school snack.

If you love oatmeal raisin cookies, you must try this recipe!

I'm off to put the cookies away now, before they are all gone!!!

Have a great, gluten-free day!

What's in Your Fridge?

2010-04-21T17:17:00.001-04:00

I've seen several posts about this lately. There's whole blogs devoted to it. Pictures of peoples' refrigerators. Strange, but true. You can check one out here. Or here. So, not to be left out, I decided it might be fun to take a picture of our fridge. I've posted pictures of our freezer before, but never our fridge.

Now, keep in mind that this is grocery shopping day, so it's way more stocked and a little more organized than on other days of the week. Well, maybe it's not THAT organized. I'm trying to do better...

Since watching "Food, Inc." and reading Michael Pollan's book, "Food Rules", I've been really trying to buy more local and organic produce, whenever possible. I found a lot of organic produce at the market today however, none of it was local. I did buy organic tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, broccoli slaw and pears. Most of this produce is coming from Mexico this time of year, although some was from California.

I have begun my small, veggie container garden in the house and already have some green beans! I also planted yellow pear tomatoes and pickling cucumbers. It's a little tough to plant too many things as I have limited space and sun!

I plan on hitting some farmer's markets soon. I'm also sure that the local produce will be filtering in to the grocery stores soon as well.

I came home from the market to a kitchen full of unwashed dishes. Our dishwasher has been doing some odd things the last couple of weeks. At first, I thought it was just our very hard water. I tried everything to clean the dishwasher out, but the dishes are still coming out like this:

Pretty yucky, huh? So, needless to say, I've been handwashing. Ack. The repairman comes tomorrow, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be my last day of sore back and pruney hands!

After washing all the dishes, I decided to use some of the produce I purchased and make a pasta salad for dinner.

There are no measurements to this recipe, I just throw stuff in! I love these kind of recipes!

Ancient Harvest Quinoa Garden Pagodas Gluten-Free Pasta, cooked according to package directions

Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half longways

Cucumbers, cubed

Black Olives (I forgot I bought the Jumbo size...wow...these babies are huge!)

Vermont Cheddar Cheese, cubed

Olive Oil/Vinegar Based Dressing, to taste (I used Ken's Light Northern Italian w/ Basil and Romano, it's gluten-free!)

You could also throw some gluten-free meat, but I didn't this time. (Like cubed ham, turkey, chicken or Hormel Turkey Pepperoni, for instance)

Mix all ingredients together, chill and voila!

I will probably serve it with hot dogs and grape jello for dessert. Yes, I know, Michael Pollan wouldn't approve. Although, the last rule of "Food Rules" is:

"Break the rules once in a while."

Gotta love a book like that!

P.S. Have you signed the "Food Revolution Petition" yet? If not, you should. You can click on the link above left...

Have a great, gluten-free day!

Gluten-Free Icy Treats

2010-04-16T16:44:00.002-04:00

We've had some really nice, warm days so far in April. Of course, as I'm writing this today, it's cold and rainy, but I prefer not to talk about that! LOL!

When it's nice weather and my daughter plays outdoors, she loves to have an "ice pop" when she comes in. It's always nice to have a treat in the freezer for her and her girlfriends.

I've been noticing that more and more items are being marked "gluten-free". Every time I go into the market, I find something new. I always get a little excited when I see an item, clearly marked as gluten-free!

This week, I came across two icy-cold treats that I new my daughter would like.

First is Philly Swirls Cups. We have bought these in the past, but I never noticed the Gluten Free labeling on the box. They are also Dairy, Peanut/Tree Nut, Egg, Soy and Fat Free. They also just added CANDY SPOONZ! You should have seen my daughter's face when she saw those!

I really like these little frozen cups of ice. They remind me of the Italian Ices I used to buy from the Ice Cream Truck in the Summer.

They come in different flavors like Rainbow, Sunburst, Tie Dye, Hurricane, Bananaberry and Cotton Candy.

This week I also found Del Monte Fruit Chillers Frozen Fruit Sorbet. I had totally missed these before. They are in the aisle with the applesauce and canned fruit!

From the Fruit Chillers Website:

"One serving of Fruit Chillers sorbet contains 3/4 servings of real fruit. It does not contain high fructose corn syrup. Each serving of Raspberry or Strawberry Fruit Chillers sorbet contains 100% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C. Each serving of Mango and Peach Fruit Chillers sorbet contains 150% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C."

It's hard to see it in my photo, but the box is clearly marked "GLUTEN FREE".

They come in Frosty Peach, Artic Strawberry, Glacial Mango and Polar Raspberry. Fruit Chillers also come in Strawberry Snow Storm and Grape Berry Blizzard Tubes. (I need to find those grape ones!)

The peach sorbet is really yummy! I'm not much of a sorbet gal, I usually head right for the ice cream, but I would definitely buy these again.

So, if you are looking for a cold treat on a hot day, these will surely hit the spot!

Have a great, gluten-free weekend!

Allergies, Neti Pots and a Review of Gluten-Free Balance Pure Bars

2010-04-07T12:41:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it. I was so busy last week that I didn't get to post anything. Doctor's appointments, Spring cleaning, yard work, shopping. So much to do and so little time! I'm having trouble keeping up. Now, my daughter has a cough that just won't quit. I'm hoping it's just allergies and not another bout of walking pneumonia! Thank goodness for school vacations and cough medicine with codeine! LOL!

It's definitely the season for the neti pot! I think that it is possibly the best invention that ever was. I use it when I start to get that sniffly, headachy, allergy feeling. I can't take allergy medications because they give me heart palpitations, so this is a godsend for me. It really, really works.

For those of you who have never used o a neti pot, here is a quick little video on how to use one. I know, it looks gross, BUT IT WORKS. I wish I could get my daughter to try it, but being 10 years-old, I don't think it would go very well.

While I was at Price Chopper yesterday, I found two new Balance Pure Bars or at least they were new to me. Berry Berry Chia and Chocolate Cashew flavored. Bonus...the Chocolate Cashew flavored bars were on sale for $1 each! Score! These new Balance Pure bars are clearly marked Gluten-Free.

Each bar has 170 calories, 6 grams of fat and 4 grams of fiber. The ingredients are: Evaporated Cane Juice Inverst Syrup, Cashews, Soynuts, Dates, Cocoa, Soy Protein Isolate, Peanut Oil, Salt. If you have a nut or soy allergy, these are not for you...

Ok. I have a confession to make. It is 12:15pm on a Wednesday afternoon. I am still sitting here in my pajamas, writing my post, eating the Chocolate Cashew Balance Bar. There. I feel better now. And the bar is really good!

I'm going to throw one of these bars in my purse for emegencies and they will definitely be nice to bring along on road trips.

Now, I have a question for all of you. Does this happen to you?

I am in water bottle washing hell. I'm being so careful to be environmentally correct, that I find myself endlessly washing everyone's water and coffee bottles. In the morning they are filled and taken off to work and school, only to return to the sink in the evening, waiting to be washed. Over and over and over. Like Groundhog's Day!

I leave you now, with a picture of my daughter, taken over the weekend at Lake George, NY. Ahhhhhh....

I hope you all have a wonderful, gluten-free day!

Honest Tea. Gluten-Free....Honestly!

2010-03-24T11:53:00.000-04:00

I love soda. Recently, I've been trying to cut back on my beloved soda. Not because I've fallen out of love with it, but because I know that it's probably not the best drink choice.

As far as plain water goes...I'm not a fan. I'm sorry, I'm just not.

I've tried flavored waters, sports drinks, seltzer and juice. Nothing floats my boat.

Until now.

I've found a new love.

It's called Honest Tea. I picked up a bottle of Pomegranate Red Tea with Goji Berry at Honest Weight Food Co-op last week. I wasn't expecting much because, well, I also don't care for iced tea very much. Bottled ice teas are usually way too sweet for me and most of them have caffeine, which sends my heart into a pounding frenzy.

Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! This tea was amazing! The bottle states "Just a Tad Sweet" and they are right.

Honest Tea is USDA Organic, Gluten-Free, Caffeine-Free, Certified Fair Trade, No GMO's. It is sweetend with organic cane sugar and organic honeybush and chock full of antioxidants. There are only 70 calories in the whole bottle! Wow!

The down-side is that it costs a bit more than soda. My single 16 oz. bottle was $1.65. I might have to dig a little deeper to support my new "habit". ;)

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I would also like to mention that Heidi Kelly over at Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom is running a contest to win a free Easy Lunchbox System. This lunchbox system looks amazing! Head on over to Heidi's blog and check it out!

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Have a great, gluten-free day!

Belly Aches, Viruses and Gluten-Free Chicken Soup

2010-03-23T15:11:00.000-04:00

March seems to be "going out like a lion" in our household. My husband came down with a flu-like virus last week while he was out of town and still hasn't fully recovered. Over the weekend, my belly decided it wasn't having any of it, so I've been on the Aciphex, Citrucel and Imodium diet ever since. Then, to top it all off, I just returned from picking up my daughter from the school nurse's office. It seems she may have caught whatever it is that my husband has. *deep sigh*

So, I did what every good mother does when the family isn't feeling up to par. I made chicken soup.

I've made this recipe before. I don't really have any exact measurements to follow. Just a handful of this and a pinch of that. I like it that way. I don't usually make big batches to freeze, although you definitely could, just use a bigger pot and add more stuff! ;)

My recipe goes something like this.

In a saucepan, heat some olive oil. Throw in some chopped celery, carrots and onions and saute' until soft.

Add some minced garlic and a box of gluten-free chicken broth.

Throw in some pre-cooked chicken. I used some of a roaster chicken I had bought on sale, cut up and put in the freezer for just such an occasion. I put the rest back in the deep freeze to use at a later date.

Add some gluten-free noodles, any kind you like. I used Bionaturae Gluten-Free Spaghetti. I broke it up into pieces before throwing it in the pot. Sea Salt and Pepper to taste.

You can also add a bay leaf, if you can find it in your spice drawer. I couldn't. (Note to self: Do SOMETHING about that spice drawer!)

Let it all bubble away until the pasta is cooked. Serve nice and hot so that you can breath in the steam!

Hopefully, with a little rest, plenty of fluids and my homemade chicken soup, the family will be back to "normal" soon. (Whatever that is! LOL!)

Have a great gluten-free day!

The Ninja and the Green Monster

2010-03-18T18:00:00.000-04:00

Wow. It isn't Friday yet? I totally thought it was when I woke up this morning. *deep sigh*

I started out this Thursday morning by trying the Nature's Path Organic Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise Cereal I bought yesterday. I'm a big fan of other Nature's Path gluten-free cereals such as Whole O's and Envirokidz Koala Crisps and Panda Puffs. I was looking forward to trying this cereal because I knew it just had to be good! I was not disappointed. I love this cereal. It is light and crunchy with a very mild, yummy vanilla taste.

From the Nature's Path website:

NEW! A delicious warm real vanilla breakfast cereal taste with a variety of crunchy textures from flakes, puffs and crispies make this a genuinely tasty gluten free breakfast.

Made with love and ...

INGREDIENTS: Organic whole grain corn meal, organic evaporated cane juice, organic brown rice flour, organic yellow corn flour, organic inulin, organic quinoa puffs, organic flax seeds, natural vanilla flavor, organic buckwheat flour, organic quinoa, sea salt, organic amaranth, organic molasses, tocopherols (natural vitamin E). Produced in a facility that uses peanuts, tree nuts and soy.

For lunch, I decided to try something I've been seeing a lot of on many blogs, in books and on tv shows lately. They call it "The Green Monster". I've seen Dr. Oz drink it on his show, Montel Williams wrote about it in his book, I even saw it on an infomercial for the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer. Yesterday, while I was catching up on my favorite blogs, I saw many recipes from Jenna over at Eat, Live, Run. She even drinks them out of applesauce jars! She does! Check out her blog and you'll see!

I wanted to make a smaller version of the green monster, so I used 1/2 a frozen banana, a handful of fresh spinach, a handful of blueberries, a tablespoon of Chocolate Infusion Amazing Meal and about 1/2 c of vanilla soymilk.

I threw it all in my Ninja and gave it a whirl!

I even put it into one of my Irish coffee mugs...

I ate it with the rest of my Quinoa Salad I bought yesterday and a slice of Saratoga Gluten-Free Bakery Multigrain Bread with a pat of real, organic butter (yum).

I have to say, I wasn't sure what to expect from my Green Monster, but, it was delicious! What a great way to get your veggies! I will definitely be drinking these more often and playing with the ingredients!

While I was out and about today, I got a nice compliment on my Vincent van Gogh water bottle.

It always makes me smile when I look at it and I can't help but think of the song in my head...

Starry, starry night.

Paint your palette blue and grey,

Look out on a summer's day,

With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.

Shadows on the hills,

Sketch the trees and the daffodils,

Catch the breeze and the winter chills,

In colors on the snowy linen land.

~ Don Mclean

I hope you all have a wonderful, starry, starry night!

"Going Green" for St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T18:01:00.000-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

To celebrate, today I put on my green t-shirt and headed off to Honest Weight Food Co-op (HWFC). I thought it would be a great way to celebrate the beginning of Spring and pick up some local "greens"!

HWFC is owned and operated by members and is open to the public. It is a bit of a hike from my house, about a 30 minute ride. The last time I was there, the trip was a bit rushed as I was with my husband and daughter, who are not exactly enthralled when I drag them to "healthy food stores". It seems that the problem is mostly all of the "smells" that they are just not used to. My husband is definitely a "city" guy and my daughter is being raised in the suburbs. I was also raised in the "burbs", but every month we would go to my grandparent's house out in the country. I played in the barns, ran through the garden and watched the cows being herded across the road in the early evening. The sites and smells of farmer's markets and stores such as HWFC bring back great memories for me.

Yes. This is me in 1963, with my Grandma, God bless her wonderful sole, playing with her cat on the farm.

Ok, so, back to HWFC! I spent quite a bit of time there and brought home some great food.

Organic blueberries, strawberries, spinach, potatoes and beets. Locally grown spinach. I also picked up some frozen Cascadian Farm vegetables that they had on sale 2/$5, Amy's Tuscan Bean and Rice Soup (which I've never seen before), Nature's Path Organic Gluten-Free Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise Cereal, Food Should Taste Good Buffalo Chips and Glenny Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies. Since it was almost lunch time, I picked up a container of Gluten-Free Light & Lively Quinoa Salad at the Deli Counter and a bottle of Honest Tea Company Red Pomegranate Iced Tea with Goji Berry. I plan to review some of these items in upcoming posts.

One of the nicest things about HWFC is that nearly everything is labeled. Even the fresh produce. You can tell whether the item is organic or conventional, hydroponic, pesticide free. You can see where it came from, local, USA, Canada, Mexico, etc. You definitely don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what you are buying! The carrots above are from Schoharie, coinsidentally where my grandparent's farm was. :)

After I put all of my goodies away, I had some lunch.

It was 60 degrees outside, so I went out and sat on our deck.

I read all of the literature I picked up at HWFC.

I got my favorite flip flops out of the closet.

It was a good day and I can't wait to try all of the delicious, healthy foods I bought!

Reflection

2010-03-16T16:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the two-year anniversary of my neck surgery. I didn't have a party. I did however, take time to reflect on the struggles I've had and how far I've come. Recovery has been a long road. I still have a lot of days when I retreat to the sofa with my heating pad and my ibuprofen. I have to take nerve meds every day, just to feel somewhat normal. I still have nerve pain and strange, twitching muscles (especially my eyelids, which drives me insane!) Sleeping is uncomfortable. Many days I wake up feeling less than rested.

I do have many good days, though. For these days, I am very greatful. One thing this experience has taught me is to live life to the fullest on the good days. I've also learned I have limitations, even though I don't like to admit that I have any!!!

Instead of throwing myself a party (or a pity party), I celebrated today by going to the gym and making good on my New Year's resolution to run a mile. This is something I have NEVER done. Not even as a kid. I am very excited that I am 1/2 way there! I'm no spring chicken, as my mom would say and it's hard and it hurts, but I'm doing it. I'm not giving up this time. Once I reach my 1 mile goal, I've promised myself a brand, new, shiny pair of running shoes. :)

Be Still My "Peep"-ing Heart!

2010-03-11T17:10:00.000-05:00

Can it be true? I think I shall faint! Just Born has come out with Chocolate covered Peeps!!! And the word is out that they are gluten-free! Has anyone seen these in the stores yet? Have you tried them? I MUST get my hands on some!

You can read an article in the Huffington Post here.

Since we are talkin' sweets, anyone who knows me, knows that I love caramel corn! While I was shopping last week at our Price Chopper, I saw a whole display of Smartsnacks Caramel Popcorn!

The best part, other than that they were $1 a bag, was that the bag is labeled "Gluten-Free", right there on the front! I snagged five bags. The worst part is, well, I can't stay away from it! I'm seriously addicted. Just check my hands...they are all sugary and sticky!

Speaking of addictions, I am a pasta eater. When I found out I had Celiac Disease, my first thought was that I wouldn't be able to eat pasta again. At least not good pasta. The first few rice pastas I tried tasted horrible and my family wouldn't eat them because of the difference in texture from regular pasta. And then....I found Schar Pastas! I honestly can't tell the difference between regular, wheat pasta and Schar brand. My family eats it right along with me.

Last week, I found out that our local grocery store was no longer going to carry Schar Spaghetti. I was heart-broken. Luckily, there is Amazon.com! I was able to purchase my beloved Schar Spaghetti and it was delivered right to my door this week! I actually gave a loud "whoop" when the package was delivered!

I love how Amazon.com's boxes have a smile on them! Oh, and I also ordered a Tally Counter to help track my laps around the track at the gym (to work off all of that pasta!). The only problem is that it never shuts off, so I'm guessing the batteries won't last long. I've pulled them out for now, until I can hit the gym! LOL!

And just a couple more tidbits...

Have you seen the April 2010 Martha Stewart Living Magazine? There is a whole section full of gluten-free recipes! There is one for a Zucchini Lasagna that I will definitely be trying. If you haven't grabbed a copy yet...go get one!!!

Also...I am very excited to be listed in the Foodie Blogroll this week! If you haven't checked out all the wonderful blogs and recipes on this site, you really, really should!

I hope you all have a terrific, gluten-free weekend! Don't forget to set your clocks ahead! ;)

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake and Tubing

2010-03-10T17:15:00.005-05:00

Wow. I can't believe the week is almost half over already. Last weekend came and went and I was so busy, I didn't have time to blog about it! So, here's a little review.

Saturday, I made my family's favorite Gluten-Free Carrot Cake. Now, even though I am the only gluten-free person in the house, I try to bake almost exclusively gluten-free. That way I don't have to worry about cross-contamination of my utensils, pot, pans, etc. There are some times when I do make my family a special "regular" treat, but I make sure to line the baking pans with foil or parchment paper and wash them and all baking utensils very carefully.

Now, back to the carrot cake! I make the cake from Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix. You can view the entire recipe on Pamela's website here. I added raisins instead of walnuts and I frosted the cake with a can of Betty Crocker Cream Cheese Frosting. I used my Salad Shooter to grate the carrots. Boy, I love that thing! It was a hand-me-down from my mom. You can have your Cuisinarts and your mandolin graters, I like my Shooter!

The cake came out great, except for the center, which didn't bake all the way and fell when it started to cool. This isn't the first time I've made this cake and it didn't do that the other times, so I'm not sure what happened! I even tested the cake when the timer went off and left it in for an additional 10 minutes. I had to fill the sunkin-in middle with extra frosting. ;)

I didn't have a shamrock cookie cutter (which I will purchase next time I see one!), so I used a flower instead and filled it in with green sugar. I think it looks a little bit Irish, don't you?

On Sunday, we went to West Mountain to go tubing. It was a beautiful, sunny, 50 degree day and we all had a great time.

Now that I've reminised about last weekend, I'm wondering what we will do exciting this coming weekend??? Hmmmmm.....

A Gluten-Free Trip to BJ's

2010-03-04T14:00:00.024-05:00

Boy, did I have a great time at BJ's Wholesale Club this morning. I went in to buy garbage bags and tissue (yawn). I came out with several yummy, gluten-free finds. I thought about separating my reviews into separate posts, but naaaaaaaah. So, hold on to your hats folks...this is going to be a looooooong post! Mrs. May's Naturals Cran-Blueberry Crunch If you love crunchy, nutty treats, this one's for you! Mrs. May's is Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free Dairy-Free and Vegan and has no cholesterol and no preservatives. The ingredients in this snack are cashews, almonds, pistachios, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, natural flavor, sesame seeds, rice malt, evaporated cane juice and sea salt. The serving size is 6 pieces and each serving has 172 calories, 2 grams of fiber and 12 grams of fat, making it 4 WW points. It also has 5 grams of protein. The 20 oz. bag was $6.99. It even has the Celiac Sprue Association stamp of approval on the bag! I loved this snack. The crunchy, little fruity, nutty nuggets are really tasty. It's hard to stop at 6 pieces!!! Second Nature Wholesome Medley My family loves trail mix. When I saw this bag, I just couldn't resist. Who could resist "A naturally savory and sweet assortment of dark chocolate chunks, roasted and salted peanuts, almonds and cashews, tart red cherries and dried cranberries"? Well, obviously, not me!

This trail mix is not marked gluten-free, however, I didn't see anything in the ingredients that would make me suspect gluten. The allergy information does state however, that it is manufactured on equipment that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans, milk and wheat.

The Serving size is about 3 tablespoons. Each serving has 130 calories, 2 grams of fiber and 9 grams of fat. 3 WW points. It has 4 grams of protein. What I really like about this trail mix is that it has big chunks of antioxidant-packed dark chocolate! Yum! (Now, if my daughter doesn't pick out all of the chocolate chunks and leave only nuts and berries! LOL!) Oh, and the 32 oz. bag cost me $9.99.

Sunkist Fruit Gems Naturally Flavored Soft Fruit Candy

If there's anything my daughter likes more than trail mix, it would be gummy candy. I definitely had her in mind when I saw these.

Sunkist Fruit Gems are from the makers of Jelly Belly. They are made with 5 fruit juices, 100% Daily Value of Vitamin C per serving, Naturally Flavored, Naturally Fat and Gluten-Free and are OU Kosher Certified.

They come individually wrapped and come in Lime, Lemon, Orange, Raspberry and Grapefruit flavors. A nice little treat for in a child's (or adults) lunch box!

They do have sugar and corn syrup in them, if you are sensitive to either of those ingredients. The service size is 4 pieces. There are 130 calories, 0 fiber and 0 fat per serving. 3 WW points. The 2 pound bag cost $7.99.

Classico Pasta Sauce

I buy Classico Pasta Sauce all the time. We really like the taste, especially the Four Cheese and the Cabernet Marinara with Herbs. So when I saw a three-pack that included these flavors, I had to grab it! The three pack included two jars of Four Cheese and one jar of Marinara.

This sauce is labeled gluten-free right on the back.

The Cabernet Marinara with Herbs has 70 calories, 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of fat in one 125 gram serving. Which I think is about a 1/2 cup. 1 WW point.

The Four Cheese has 80 calories, 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of fat. Also 1 WW point.

The three-pack was $5.99, which isn't really much of a savings over the Walmart price. :(

Other Notes:

~ Did you all see Jillian mention Larabars on The Biggest Loser Tuesday night? :)

~ I was very disappointed earlier this week to find out that one of our local Price Chopper stores actually REMOVED their gluten-free section (and items) from their store. Wow. There are some items still located throughout the store, but you have to hunt for them.

~ Along with the disappearance of the gluten-free section, I am also no longer able to find my favorite Schar brand spaghetti at Price Chopper. First, they get me hooked on Bell and Evan's Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets and then stop carrying them and now my pasta!!! Shame, shame on them!

~ I was happy to find that Amazon.com carries Schar GF Spaghetti for $18.92 for a 5 pack ($3.78 ea) . Which is cheaper than the $4.49 each I was paying at Price Chopper. So...pfffffffttttt! :P

So now I come to the end of my really looooong post! I hope you stayed with me!

Have a healthy, gluten-free day!!! :)

Thoughts for the Week

2010-03-03T10:34:00.011-05:00

This has been an interesting week for me. I started running. Yes. Running. Now, I have never, ever considered myself athletic...at all. I hated gym class in school. I even skipped so many gym classes my Senior year that I had to make them up before I could graduate. I could never run without getting a "stitch" in my side. I was once told by my very "manly" gym teacher that I should consider race-walking, because I had the right "gate" for it. I took it to mean that I ran funny. It stuck with me all this time. My husband began running a few years ago. I've now watched him run several 5K races and two half-marathons. I've seen him come home drenched in sweat and panting. I've seen him have to ice his shins. I've seen his black toenails. I've heard him groan when he tries to climb the stairs. I've asked myself a million times, "why would anyone put themselves through all that pain?" Last week, I began to change that question to, "why not?" And better yet, "why not ME?" And so, I started. I'm going slowly, so that hopefully I won't get injured. I bought some cool running clothes. Because, after all, you have to look good while you're sweating! I started logging my workouts on Dailymile.com. And you know what? I started to feel GOOD. I find myself smiling a lot more now. It's really strange. I guess it's true what they say about "runner's high". It's real.

I even took a picture of myself in my crazy new running tights. Wanna see? OK.

The picture is a little blurry. Couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Must be something to do with the self-timer thingy. Now, not to get too carried away with all this running stuff, I do have some news on the gluten-free front to share. I stopped into Walgreen's yesterday to pick up my husband's allergy medicine and there, right on one of the end counters, was a display of Walgreen's Spice Drops, Gum Drops and Spearmint Leaves. Yum! I had heard that Walgreen's marked their gluten-free candies and I was happy when I saw "Gluten-Free" right there on the front of the bag! Of course, I picked up a bag of the Gum Drops and a bag of the Spice Drops. Pictured are the Spice Drops. The Gum Drops are looooonnnng gone! LOL!

When my daughter got home from school, I took her books out of her backpack and found a PTA fundraiser package. This fundraiser is Joe Corbi's Family Favorites. A catalog full of gluten-filled pizzas, cookies, brownies and cheesecakes. I immediately said to my daughter, "Well, I can't eat ANY of this stuff!" Then, as I was leafing through the pages, I saw this:

Yep. I read it right! Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! Whoa! I nearly fell right off my chair! THE WORLD IS CHANGING!

The allergy warning states that the cookie dough contains eggs, and soy and is manufactured in a facility that uses wheat, dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts. Each cookie dough tub contains 48 frozen cookies and each cookie has 130 calories, 1 gram of fiber and 7 grams of fat. That's 3 WW points per cookie.

Even though I know I don't need the extra calories, I'm thinking I should order a tub just to see what they are like and maybe review them???

I also had a little gluten mishap this week. I mistakenly put my Van's Gluten-Free Flax Waffles in the "family" toaster, instead of in my gluten-free toaster. Ugh. I had to throw them away. I think this is the first time I've ever done anything like that in the 2+ years I've been gluten-free. Have any of you ever done something like that??? I'd love to hear about it!

I just realized that while I was sitting here writing, I opened the bag of Spice Drops and ate almost half the bag!!! Bleck. Now my tummy feels icky. I'd better sign off and get my crazy new running tights on and get to the gym!!! LOL!

Have a great gluten-free day!!!

Oh, and I apologize for the spacing issues I'm having on my blog. Every time I use the spellchecker, it puts a whole bunch of spaces between my paragraphs! **%$%$##$%%^!!!

Snow and Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-02-24T08:34:00.013-05:00

It's the last week of February! Wow! How time flies! We finally are getting the snow we should have been getting all winter...in two days! We have a foot on the ground this morning and are expecting another 4-8 in the next 24 hours. I'm OK with it. As long as we don't lose power!!!

As always, when the weather is cold and snowy, I like to bake something yummy. I decided to try a recipe my mom had copied from our local news station, Capital News 9. They have a "Cooking At Home" segment with Dan Eaton. I always giggle a little when I see his last name, "Eat- on". Easy to remember! LOL!

It is a "naturally" gluten-free peanut butter cookie recipe and requires only FIVE ingredients. No special flours. Ingredients most folks have on hand in their pantry!

You can find the recipe here:

Peanut Butter Cookies

I made my cookies bigger than Dan made his and so I only got about 16 cookies. But they are GOOD! You really do have to follow the directions though, and don't try to move the cookies off of the cookie sheet before they are cool! They are very fragile.

My daughter smelled the wonderful, peanut buttery smell when she came home from school yesterday. She scarfed down one cookie before going out to play in the snow and had two more with hot cocoa, when she came in. Of course, I had to test a couple as well! ;)

This recipe is a "keeper"!

Letter From Walmart Regarding Great Value Brand Gluten Free Labeling

2010-02-15T08:38:00.010-05:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! My daughter and I made these delicious milk chocolate-dipped strawberries! They were out of this world!!! I wish we had made more! We also made sushi, which were delicious, but not very pretty or picture-worthy. ;)

A few weeks ago, I bought a box of Great Value Brand Au Gratin Potatoes at Walmart. I had bought these before and never noticed that while the box clearly states "A Gluten Free Food", the allergy warning says "May contain wheat". I was perplexed. So, I emailed Walmart. Here is their response.

Thank you for your message.

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for your contacting us regarding our Great Value Au Gratin Potatoes. We recognize the importance of labeling gluten-free products appropriately and apologize for the confusion caused when a secondary allergen warning is placed on a product labeled "gluten-free." It has come to our attention that a small number of Great Value products contain both a gluten-free label and a statement indicating that the product "may contain traces of wheat.

"While the products contain no gluten or gluten derivatives as part of the ingredient list, they are processed in plants where products containing wheat are also processed. Although the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) allows a product to be labeled "gluten-free" if it contains less than 20 parts per million of prohibited grains, it is not our intention to confuse customers. To that end, we are reviewing labeling on all "naturally gluten free" products and will take appropriate remedial actions.

The health and safety of our customers is paramount. Should you have any concern about a "gluten-free" item purchased at Walmart, please return it to your local store for a full refund.

If you have any additional questions about the product you have purchased or if we can be of any further assistance, you may contact us by visiting www.walmartstores.com and clicking on the contact us link or by phone @ 1-877-505-2267. For future questions regarding product ingredients, nutritional facts, preparation instructions and more, click the grocery link at www.walmart.com.

Sincerely,

Miranda Wright

Great Value Customer Contact Team

I was very pleased with their response. Especially the fact that they are reviewing the gluten-free labeling and hopefully will clarify the cross-contamination information.

I have eaten several of Walmart's Great Value Brand items and haven't had a problem and now that I have clarification, will probably continue to do so.

Thanks, Walmart!

Review of Gluten-Free Multigrain Puffins Cereal

2010-02-12T09:35:00.013-05:00

Another Winter week gone by and very little snow has fallen in Upstate NY. We only have about a 1/2 inch on the ground. Very strange for mid-February! It has been brutally cold, though. Highs only in the 20's most days with bitter wind chills.

I'm very excited about the Winter Olympics starting tonight. I've been watching the "Today" show all week and it's making me wish I was in Vancouver! Well, maybe we will visit sometime when it's a little warmer. The last time I got the bright idea to go to Lake Placid, NY for Valentine's weekend, several years ago, it was 30 degrees below zero when we woke up in the morning! We were afraid our SUV wouldn't start...thankfully it did. Lake Placid is a beautiful place and we had a great time, but I swore I never wanted to be that cold again...EVER!

Now, getting down to my review of New Barbara's Bakery Gluten-Free Multigrain Puffins

Cereal!

I had heard about this cereal from my friend, Kimberly. She had written to Barbara's Bakery to find out if the oats in the Multigrain Puffins were truly gluten-free. You can read Barbara's Bakery's response to Kim here.

When I saw this cereal in our local Hannaford market yesterday, I was really excited to try it! It's sometimes hard to find anything gluten-free that is "whole grain". Most gluten-free foods are made with rice, corn or potato. So, that explains my excitement in finding another multigrain item!

Puffins Multigrain Cereal is Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Low Sodium, Vegetarian, Whole Grain, Fat Free with No Artificial Flavors, Color, or Preservatives. There are also No Hydrogenated Oils, Trans Fat or Cholesterol. It is also Kosher! Along with all of this, it is fortified with Vitamins C, and D and has Calcium and Iron. Wow! Score!

This cereal has 110 Calories, 3g of Fiber and 0g of Fat per 3/4 cup serving. 2 WW points.

This cereal was simply delicious! It's crunchy and sweet and hold up well in milk. I hate cereals that go all squishy when you put the milk on them! LOL! The best part is, I didn't need to put any sugar on this cereal. It is sweet enough right out of the box! In fact, I'm thinking it would be great just by the handful for a snack!

My daughter, Amanda, loved reading all about Puffins on the back of the box. She wants to "Adopt-A-Puffin". I think it's a really cool idea!

I have a feeling that this cereal will be on my grocery list permanently! :)

I hope you all have a great time watching the Olympics and a wonderful Valentine's Day Weekend! XXXXOOOOO!

This & That Plus Two Gluten-Free Food Reviews

2010-02-02T13:43:00.020-05:00

With all of the cold weather we've been having in Upstate, NY the last few weeks, I felt I needed a little bit of Spring, so I bought this organic basil plant at the grocery store yesterday. Isn't it pretty? And GREEN! Let's hope I don't forget to water it...I have a habit of killing indoor plants! So first, I have to tell you about my favorite breakfast. Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats. I add raisins, ground flax seed meal, a little real maple syrup and then top with Almond Butter, fresh blueberries and some Lite Vanilla Silk Soy Milk! Heaven, sheer heaven! I've been trying a lot of the new gluten-free items I bought last week at the market. Some have been good, some not so good. Here's the run down: Glutenfreeda Gluten-Free Vegetarian Bean & Cheese Burrito I'm not a big burrito lover, but when I saw this in the freezer case, I decided to give it a try. It's not too bad calorie and fat wise, only 4 Weight Watcher's points. The bonus is that it can be microwaved for a quick lunch or snack. The burrito had a nice flavor, not too spicy and had lots of yummy beans, rice and corn inside. I had this for lunch and it did keep my tummy happy for quite a while. I would definitely buy this item again. Che'be' Gluten-Free Sandwich Buns I totally had my expectations up for this one. The picture on the box looked so delicious! Not to mention that there are cheese in these buns! The calories and fat are a little high for this one. One "bun" is 6 Weight Watcher's points. Well, right away when I opened the package, I wondered how these little white frozen discs could turn out like the picture on the cover. So, I put one in the oven. I set the timer for 35 minutes, which was way longer than it took to cook my Sunshine Burger. I could have timed it a little better!

What came out of the oven looked NOTHING like the picture on the box. It was a hard, brown, heavy disk of "bread". When I bit into it, it had a rubbery, cheesy middle. I was not impressed at all. I think a Frisbee would be tastier. I was wondering if I did something wrong. Has anyone else tried these? I would love to hear all about it.

I will review some of my other purchases in my next post... Until then, have a great gluten-free week!

I Took a Little Break!

2010-01-28T15:28:00.033-05:00

Well, I guess it was more than a "little" break from writing my blog. There are a few reasons why. Number one. I didn't really feel like writing. It just wasn't in me. I didn't think what I was writing was very interesting anymore. Number two. There are so many great gluten-free bloggers out there who write WAY better than I do. I guess I was feeling a little bit intimidated. But I'm over it. Number three. It's really hard to find the time to sit down and actually write something worth reading. I'm going to try harder from now on to schedule writing at least once a week. Number four. I've been struggling with some medical issues. Ulnar nerve problems that affect my fingers on my right hand, making it hard to sit and type with my arm bent. Back and neck pain, acid reflux, heart palpitations, constant eyelid twitching, anxiety attacks. All most likely brought on by a combination of nerve damage, medications for nerve pain and stress. So now you know more about me than you ever wanted to! I try not to dwell on my health issues, I'm trying to learn that I just have to get over it and move on! So! Lots of things have been going through my mind the last few weeks. I've begun Weight Watchers again. Yes. I gained all the weight back that I lost two years ago. All 20 lbs. I'm so angry with myself. I blame it on three things. My neck surgery. It's been a long, two year recovery period. I'm still not 100% and don't know if I ever will be. I eat when I'm stressed and feeling down. Lack of activity. I'm not a person who craves exercise. I have to force myself. Really. Force. Myself. I'm still trying to find something I like to do that doesn't end with an emergency room visit. I tried a little swimming the other day and have been paying for it ever since. I love the pool and used to swim like a fish when I was a teen. I have to remember my age and that I have limitations now. Walking is good, but gets a little boring. I will find something. I swear. My gluten-free diet. This is a sticky wicket. Eating gluten-free can be a very healthy way to eat. If you eat things that are good for you. Fruits, veggies, chicken, fish, lean red meat, whole grain rice, quinoa, are all naturally gluten-free. The problem is that I have a HUGE sweet tooth. Just because M&M's are gluten-free, doesn't mean you should sit down with a family size bag and eat the whole thing! In addition, many of the gluten-free products on the market are full of fat and calories. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad there's gluten-free options out there. And that there are more and more on the shelves every day. It's great. I'm just saying that I need to look for some healthier options. I also watched the movie "Food Inc." last night. Wow. It really changed me. No lie. If you haven't seen it, you must. Right now. You won't be the same person afterward. After watching that movie, I've decided to try to limit the amount of processed foods and mass produced, corn fed, caged-up meat and poultry I buy. This feels like it's a huge mountain to climb. I know of one store in my town that actually sells local, farm raised, grain fed meats. And it is expensive. I bought three chicken legs with thighs attached today for close to $7. They are frozen and I plan on using them in next week's dinner plan. I can't help but wonder if it will taste any different. You know, I once had fresh grouse, with the buckshot still in it at an ex-boyfriend's house and let me just say that I'll never forget it. Along with the chicken, I also bought a bunch of other healthy items.

1. Sunshine Southwest flavor Veggie Burgers

2. Misty Knoll Farms (New Haven, VT) Chicken Leg Quarters

3. Diamond Almond Butter

4. Sweet Cactus Farms Blue Agave Syrup

5. Chebe' Frozen Pizza Dough

6. Chebe' Frozen Sandwich Rolls

7. Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips. I heart these.

8. "Living Without" Magazine. Yes, I'm going to ignore the yummy looking cake on the cover.

7. A free copy of "Energy Times". I can't wait to read the article on Alicia Silverstone. I tried to get her book at the library today, but as I suspected after her appearance on Oprah yesterday, all the copies of the book are out.

If anyone has tried any of these products, I would love to hear your thoughts!

I see by the clock and by the fading light coming through the window that I've rambled on long enough!

Having soup and salad for dinner tonight. Thinking about trying one of the Chebe' rolls. Hmmmm.

Have a GREAT evening!

In Search of Gluten-Free Weight Loss Shakes

2009-09-09T11:12:00.008-04:00

Over the past year, I have been struggling with not only eating gluten-free, but trying to drop quite a few extra pounds. I've tried to start on Weight Watchers again, which I have had success with in the past, but have found it more difficult this time. I've tried eating healthier, which is great, but still haven't lost weight. I have given up all snacking after 7pm. I still find myself snacking way too much during the day! Even too many healthy snacks can pack on the pounds. I suppose my chocolate addiction isn't helping either! I got to thinking about my BCD (Before Celiac Disease) days and how I used to keep my weight down. It dawned on me. Slim-Fast Shakes used to be my go-to diet food. Quick, easy, no preparation or thinking involved, GRAB AND GO! I knew that the regular Slim-Fast Shakes are not gluten-free. I wondered if by chance Slim-Fast may have a gluten-free version out there. The Slim-Fast website shows "New Easier to Digest" Lactose-Free, Gluten-Free Shakes. Eureka! Since I hadn't heard any buzz about these shakes, I wondered if I was the only one who didn't know that these LF GF shakes existed? So, of course, I had to get my hands on some of those shakes! First, I tried Amazon.com. They have EVERYTHING, right? Three shakes were shown, Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla. All "Out of Stock". Hmmm. Next, I poked around my local drug stores. Nada. I finally emailed Slim-Fast. Here is the response I received. Hello Lisa, Thank you for contacting us recently. Our company no longer markets this product, since consumer demand does not warrant its continued production, and there are no plans to reintroduce this product into the market. We are sorry if it was one of your favorites. We hope you will be able to find another one of our products that meets your needs. If you are lactose intolerant, we suggest trying our Slim Fast Optima Powder Shake mixes blended with lactose-free milk or low-fat soy milk to make a 99% lactose-free shake. In addition, the Slim Fast Meal On-The-Go Bars are lower in lactose with 2 grams of lactose or less per serving. Thank you for your interest in Slim-Fast. Please contact us at 1-800-SLIMFAST (754-6327) if you have additional questions, or visit us online at www.slim-fast.com. Sincerely, The Slim-Fast Support Team Seriously? Consumer demand does not warrant its continued production? Huh? Where have they been lately? Ok, so, I sent them an email thanking them for their quick response and telling them I have Celiac and that I am disappointed that the shakes are no longer available. Then I shrugged my shoulders and decided that I needed to find another way to shed the fat. Until.... The other day when I was at Walmart, I decided to take a look at their EQUATE version of the shakes. There, right on the box, next to the Allergy Info, clear as day, it said, "Does Not Contain Gluten!" Wahoooo! I was so excited I bought two boxes of them! The bonus is that they are cheaper and have more fiber, less sugar and fewer calories than the Slim-Fast version. HA! You guys probably already knew all of this stuff, didn't you? Oh, well, just in case there's someone else out there who was also alone in the dark, I thought I should share! Have a great gluten-free day! :)

Gluten-Free Product Review: Schar White Dinner Rolls

2009-09-03T18:43:00.009-04:00

Whoa! It's been a while again, hasn't it? As usual, I have several excuses as to why I haven't blogged. The most important one is that I've been dealing with Ulnar Nerve problems. Basically, it means that the nerve that runs through my elbow (my funny bone) is wreaking havoc with my computer time! I've been told I need to cut down, use my left hand to move the mouse around (yeah, right!) or, if necessary, cut out using the computer all together! So usually by the time I check Facebook and Twitter and my email for the day, my elbow, arm and hand are really hurting and I have to put my elbow pad on and rest.

Well, elbow issues or not, I just had to blog tonight about my latest gluten-free find.

When I saw Schar Gluten-Free Classic White Rolls at Price Chopper this afternoon, I nearly did a back flip. All of the Schar products I have tried, with the exception of one, I have just loved. They really seem to have a handle on making great gluten-free foods!

I brought my package of rolls home and decided I couldn't wait another day to open them. The directions say to heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the rolls for 4-5 minutes. After I heated the roll, I sliced it in half with my bread knife and saw lots of airy, white bread. Instead of buttering the roll, I dipped it in a plate of olive oil, Parmesan cheese and black pepper. These rolls are amazingly good! No funny aftertaste and they aren't heavy like some other gluten-free breads I have tried. It was a nice complement to the Quinoa Pagoda Pasta "goulash" I had for dinner.

The drawbacks are:

1. The price. Four rolls for $5.99.

2. It is not recommended that you freeze the rolls, once they are open. You have to eat them within 4-5 days of opening. That means I have to eat one every day for 4 days.

I am anxious to try them toasted, maybe with some garlic butter on them. Since they are also about the size of a hamburger bun, I want to try them that way too!

Ok, now that I've told you how good these rolls are, I have to go put ice on my elbow and try to drink my green tea with my left hand....

My First Try At Sushi Making

2009-07-31T11:03:00.009-04:00

So, it ALWAYS happens. I plan dinner. I defrost meat. I have a meal plan in my head. And then....life happens. Take Wednesday night for example. Had the pork chops defrosted. Was planning to bake them in the oven, maybe with some gluten-free bread stuffing on top, like my mommy used to make. Maybe with apples, onions and sugar...hmm...which is another great recipe that I haven't made in a while. First, the phone call from my husband. He HATES pork chops. I think it comes from long ago when his mom used to burn everything. That's another story. My daughter, who used to love my pork chops, now tells me that because of her loose tooth, she won't be able to chew them. It's now past the time when the pork chops should have gone into the oven. Then, my daughter comes running down the stairs. "Do something!!!", she's shouting. I turn around to see her mouth stuffed with blood-filled tissues. Ugh. I hate this part of parenting.

I panicked. I picked up the phone and called my husband. "Have her rinse with salt water", he said very calmly. Why didn't I think of that? It worked. Crisis over.

Now, it's really late.

I shuffle things around in the fridge to see what's left-over from other nights that doesn't have green stuff growing on it.

I see left-over rice, tuna and some veggies.

All of a sudden I remember the beautiful sushi making kit my husband bought me for Christmas. I had picked up nori sheets and sesame seeds several months ago, but was chicken to try it. Tonight, I thought, "why not?"

It also helped that I read how Jenna from Eat-Live-Run had just tried to make sushi. It looked GOOD. Check out her blog. She has a lot of great, healthy food ideas.

So I took the nori sheet and placed it on the bamboo rolling thingy. I put the cooked left-over rice on the sheet. Then I put a row of tuna and carrot strings along the middle of the rice. I started to roll. When I was done rolling, I wet the end of the nori sheet with a little water and voila! I cut the roll into slices...this is where it got tricky. I didn't used "traditional" sticky rice, I used regular Minute Rice, so it didn't hold together too well. Anyway, I think it came out pretty good for my first try!

It tasted pretty good too, even though it was a little messy and I ended up eating the rest with a fork! :)

What did I end up doing with the pork chops? Stay tuned!

Product Review: Schar Gluten-Free Chocolate-Dipped Cookies

2009-07-31T10:52:00.002-04:00

I LOVE Schar products. I was so excited to see a whole batch of new Schar products (or at least new to me) on my last trip to Price Chopper! I had never seen Schar Gluten-Free Chocolate-Dipped Cookies before! Wow. These are just delicious! They have a light and flaky shortbread cookie top and a chocolate dipped bottom! They reminded me slightly of the Keebler Fudge Strip cookies my mom used to by when I was a kid. Only better. Fancier. My gluten-eating daughter and husband loved them. *Note to self* Hide the box next time!

Product Review: Trader Joe's Gluten-Free English Muffins

2009-07-31T10:36:00.004-04:00

Boy, do I wish we had a Trader Joe's in our area! Even more so now that I have tried Trader Joe's Gluten and Dairy Free English Muffins! I had heard buzz about these on other gluten-free blogs, so I picked up a package on the second day of our Cape vacation. I took them back to the hotel, sliced it in half and toasted it up in a "Toast It" bag in the toaster oven. Oh my gosh! These babies are delicious. They have a crunchy corn meal coating and are light and fluffy on the inside. I had the first one with just butter on it to see what it tasted like. Since then, I have used them for peanut butter and jelly and ham and cheese sandwiches. Next, I want to try making an egg, ham and cheese breakfast sandwich...I think it would be excellent! I loved these muffins so much that persuaded my hubby to swing by Joe's on the way home to pick up another package to bring home. I bought TWO. There are only four muffins in each package, so I'm already wondering what I will do once they run out, which won't be long! I only have two left!!!

BTW..do you like my Tweety glass? I've had it for AGES. Tweety used to be yellow, but has turned white after many dishwasher washings. I affectionately call it my "Albino Tweety" glass.

Cape Cod Vacation 2009 - Part 2

2009-07-21T08:42:00.004-04:00

Part of the fun of vacation every year is trying new restaurants and returning to our "old favorites". The good thing about being gluten-free and vacationing on the Cape is that just about wherever you go, you can order baked or broiled fish, a baked potato and a vegetable. Then there's also scallops and my very favorite LOBSTER! I had several great meals and I don't think I got glutened. I did have one faux pas, where french fries were put on my plate, but it was my own fault for not specifying. There are two restaurants we visited that serve gluten-free dishes with a smile. The first is BZ's Mexican and Pizza. This is the second year we have visited BZ's and again, they did not disappoint! I had a wonderful gluten-free pizza topped with sauce, cheese, black olives and bacon. Yes, bacon. The waitress told me that I could order any topping except meatball and sausage. The crust was very crispy and very good. My family ordered "regular" meals and loved their dinners as well. The prices are very reasonable as well. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are in Dennisport! The second restaurant is the "Chatham Fish and Lobster Company". This restaurant has been around for a while, but we had never stopped in before. This restaurant is part restaurant and part fish market. It is an "order at the counter, grab your drinks out of the refrigerated case, pick your own seat" kind of place. The kicker? All, and I mean ALL of the fried items are gluten-free. They don't say so on the menu boards, but their batter is traditionally gluten-free. SCORE! I ordered the fish fry platter, which included a HUGE piece of fish, a side of coleslaw, a pile of french fries and three fried onion rings on top! I was in HEAVEN! The fish was white and flaky and the batter was crisp and light. It was awesome! They also sell some gluten-free desserts, but I was so full that I didn't purchase any. Here is a picture of the outside of the restaurant and of my fish fry. My husband and daughter had already stolen two of the three onion rings off the top and I had eaten the other one and some of the fish before I reached for my camera.

If you are on the Cape, don't miss the Chatham Lobster and Fish Market!

Cape Cod Vacation 2009

2009-07-19T19:30:00.023-04:00

Wow. I can't believe it. How can our summer vacation on Cape Cod be over already? Eight wonderful days spent looking out on the Atlantic Ocean. Falling asleep and waking up to the sound of waves. *sigh*

My husband brought his iTouch and we had free WiFi at the hotel, but he decided not to get a password to use it! He wanted to completely disconnect from the outside world. I have to admit, I was missing my Facebook after about 2 days, but I did get used to it. I did have a lot to catch up on when we got home!

This year, we stayed at the Corsair and Cross Rip Motel in Dennisport. Ahhhhh. It was wonderful.

We had a room with a full kitchen, so I was able to whip up breakfast and lunch without leaving the ocean. We did this several days while we were there. I had also baked a bunch of gluten-free snacks to bring with us so that I would have some safe things to eat.

Chocolate Chip Cookies, made with Betty Crocker's New Gluten-Free Mix . They were yummy, although crumbled a bit in transit.

Blueberry muffins, made with Pamela's Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix. Because what is morning coffee without a muffin?

Peanut , Chocolate Chex and Pretzel Bars. These were awesome! I plan on making some again real soon!

I also brought a loaf of Saratoga Gluten-Free Bakery's Hearty Country Bread along. I sliced it, wrapped each slice individually and then froze them. It was great to have bread to make toast and sandwiches with! I brought along a package of Toast It bags which worked out perfectly in the hotel toaster oven!

While on the Cape, I visited Trader Joe's. We don't have a Trader Joe's where we live, so it's a real treat when I get to go to one! Unfortunately, on the day we visited, my daughter was itching to get to the pool and decided to act out while I was trying to shop. So, needless to say, I didn't get to look around as much as I wanted to, but I did manage to pick up a package of Trader Joe's Gluten-Free English Muffins, which I will review at a later date. Let me just say that I've found a new love!!!

We also visited several restaurants and I had many wonderful gluten-free meals! I will also post about this later!

For now, I have to sign off and resume the endless vacation laundry duty! *sigh*

Peanut, Pretzel and Chocolate Chex Bars

2009-07-07T18:55:00.015-04:00

I've been a bad girl. I had vowed to give up sweets for a couple of weeks. I wanted to look a little better in my swimsuit at the beach. Hmmm. Let's just say it hasn't been going well. Last week while grocery shopping, I picked out some snacks for my daughter to take to summer camp and the town pool. I figure that anything I can pack for her is healthier than what they sell in the vending machines. My daughter loves Kellogg's® Special K® Bars. You know, the cereal bars that have chocolate or vanilla frosting drizzled on them. Well, there's a new flavor combination that just couldn't miss, in my opinion. Chocolatey Pretzel. As fate would have it, my daughter was hungry after shopping, so I opened the box and gave her one for the ride home. I knew right away I was in trouble. These bars are NOT gluten-free. I knew that I wouldn't be able to taste them. I could tell from the smell of the chocolate pretzel breath coming from the back seat that I was going to have to come up with a gf alternative to this yummy treat! I remembered seeing gf Chex cereal bar recipes on their website. I followed the recipe with a few modifications... 4 cups Chocolate Chex® cereal 1/2 cup salted peanuts (instead I used about 1/2 cup crushed Glutino GF Pretzels) 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (since I didn't add peanuts, I used Skippy Natural Extra Chunky PB) 1/4 cup candy-coated chocolate candies (I used one "Tear-n-Share" size bag of M&M's) 1. Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch square pan, or spray with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix cereal and pretzels. (To make cutting and clean-up easier, I lined the pan with aluminum foil and sprayed it with cooking spray.) 2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat corn syrup and sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, just to boiling. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter until smooth. 3. Pour over cereal mixture in bowl, stirring until evenly coated. Stir in candies. Press firmly in pan. Cool 1 hour. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store loosely covered. (I pressed a little too firmly and some of the M&M's cracked...oops!) Oh My Gosh!!! These are so delicious! Chocolatey, Peanut-buttery with the taste of salty pretzels! Does it get any better than this??? Ok...so, mine didn't turn out as pretty as the ones on the Chex website, but who cares? I think if I were going to make them again, I might add a few more pretzels... Whether you are gluten-free or not, you have to try this recipe. I guarantee, they won't last long! I've been trying to pace myself... :)

Mindful Ordering From "Gluten-Free" Menus

2009-06-23T17:13:00.007-04:00

Wow! I can't believe my last post was so long ago! I guess I've been busier than I thought! Summer is finally here! The past few weeks, I have eaten out at several restaurants with either gluten-free menus or gluten-free "options". I have had good experiences along with some not so great ones! A couple of weekends ago, we visited Uno's Chicago Grill. Now, I love Uno's. What's not to love? They have gluten-free pizza and Diet Caffeine-Free Coke. Well, on this occasion, it was lunch time and my husband, daughter and I stopped in for a bite before going to a movie. I didn't want to order the gf pizza, because I didn't want to eat the entire thing and I couldn't doggy bag it and take it into the theatre. So, I ordered the Cobb Salad. I made sure I pointed to the gf menu and told the waiter I was ordering from it. Well, when it came, I didn't even think to really look at it. I should trust them right? About three bites into my salad, I saw it. Blue Cheese. I stopped dead in my tracks. Hmmm. I've never seen a gf salad with blue cheese on it! I thought, well, some blue cheese is safe, others aren't. So, usually I would ask the waiter about it and probably send it back. This day, I just decided to eat around it. Luckily, I didn't have any adverse reaction from it, but it was still bugging me. So, I decided to email Uno's customer service. I don't have the email I sent, but I described what happened and asked if they could confirm whether the blue cheese they serve in their restaurants is gf or not. Their response follows:

Dear Lisa,

You should not be having the blue cheese dressing. Sorry. Sincerely hope you did not get sick. We should have known better if you told the server you are ordering from the gluten free menu.

Kacey Bogue
Senior Hospitality Representative
Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30 EST
1-866-600-8667

Now, aside from the fact that it was crumbled blue cheese and not the dressing, I'm assuming that neither are gluten-free. That was not the only restaurant I had an experience at this month. This past weekend we visited Chili's. Chili's doesn't have a gluten-free menu, but they do have gf "options" listed on their website. Now, I have had other experiences at Chili's, for instance, they brought me a salad with croutons on it and soup with crackers, so I know that this particular Chili's doesn't really get it. Sometimes the family wants to go there, so I suck it up and go. In any case, when we got there, we asked for a gluten-free menu. They pulled a dirty, dusty binder from a little cabinet under the hostess stand. I immediately got a bad feeling about this. The hostess flipped to the "Suggested Menu Items for those with Gluten Allergies" page and plopped the dirty binder on the table in front of me. I ended up ordering the grilled salmon with broccoli and rice. When the plate came. There it was. A huge gluten-laden french fry sitting right on top of my broccoli. Argh! So, we sent it back. The waitress said she would replace the broccoli with fresh, but who knows whether she did or if they just plucked the fry off the plate and returned it to the table. At this point, I really wasn't very comfortable about my gluten-free meal at all. So, I ate the salmon, which was very good and left everything else. To top it off, my daughter got down to the bottom of her mac n' cheese only to discover a huge piece of artichoke heart at the bottom. What the heck were they doing back there in that kitchen??? So, bottom line. Be careful at EVERY restaurant, even the ones with gluten-free menus.

Product Review - French Meadow Bakery Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

2009-06-05T19:21:00.009-04:00

As you know from my last post, I scored a French Meadow Bakery Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake at the GF Food Fest I attended last night. Well, of course, we waisted no time trying it!

My husband's birthday just happened to be today, so I stuck a candle in that cute little cake! My husband blew out the candle and my daughter and I scarfed it down! Hubby had been treated to cake and ice cream at work, so he wasn't really interested in having any more! There was just enough cake for two people.

I haven't had real chocolate cake in quite a while and let me tell you, this one was wonderful! The frosting was very fudgy and there was plenty of it! The chocolate cake was a little drier than I would have liked, but still terrific! I would definitely buy one of these cakes again. From their website, I see that their products are available at our local "Green Grocer" and "Honest Weight Food Co-op". I could have sworn that I picked the cake up at the "Price Chopper" table, but I can't remember, it's all a GF blur! By the way, I didn't see the chocolate cake on their website...maybe it's new? Also worth mentioning, the cake is dairy and peanut free as well!

Gluten-Free Food Festival

2009-06-05T14:51:00.013-04:00

I had the extreme pleasure of attending the Gluten-Free Food Festival, put on by the Albany Celiac Support Group at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, NY last evening. I found out about it through the local newspaper and also from their website.

http://www.celiacresource.org/ - (Hmmm. Something is going wrong with my computer and I'm not able to be fancy and link it in anywhere!)

This was the first event I have ever been to since being diagnosed. Boy, was I ever surprised. I had no idea how many vendors or how much food there would be! If I had known, I surely wouldn't have eaten so much dinner before I went! There were many, many GF food companies represented, several local restaurants and several local health food stores and grocery stores. Lots and lots of gf goodies!

Luckily, I brought a tote bag. That baby was loaded up when I left! I couldn't fit another yummy snack in there to save my life! When I got home, I unloaded my loot onto the dining room table to take inventory. Whoa!

In my bag was:

2 pkgs. EnerG Wylde Pretzels

5 pkgs. Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty GF Hot Cereal

1 pkg. Pamela's Chocolate Chunk Pecan Short Bread

1 pkg. Pamela's Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2 pkgs. Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

2 Larabars, 1 Pecan Pie and 1 Cinnamon Roll

2 French Meadow Bakery Fudge Brownies

3 pkgs. Bakery On Main Extreme Fruit and Nut Granola

2 pkgs. Mary's Gone Crackers, 1 Herb and 1 Caraway

3 pkgs. Food Should Taste Good Multigran Tortilla Chips

and the bonus score:

1 French Mountain Bakery Chocolate Cake!

We will be opening this cake tonight for my husband's birthday. Great timing, huh? I will get better pix and a review out as soon as I can.

This doesn't even count the unwrapped, homemade and restaurant goodies I ate while I was there!

The support group apparently holds these events once a year and you better believe I will be attending next year's!!!

Product Review - Wallaby Organic Yogurt

2009-06-03T14:18:00.009-04:00

I found this Wallaby Organic Yogurt in the local Hannaford Supermarket. I had never seen it before, but I thought the name and the packaging was irresistibly cute, with it's little kangaroos jumping around on the front! The fact that it was organic and low fat was also a bonus. I didn't, however, know if it was gluten-free. I ended up putting two containers in my cart anyway and decided that I would look up their website when I got home. Wallaby Organic Yogurt is indeed gluten-free! (Even if you don't like yogurt, you have to check out their cute website!) I tried the Maple flavor first. While being a little bit "soupier" than some organic yogurts I have tried, it was so sweet and mapley that I just fell in love with it. This afternoon, I got to try the Blueberry. Again, a little thin, but delicious! I would definitely recommend this yogurt if you come across it in your grocery store!

Product Review ~ Glennys Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-05-28T14:42:00.011-04:00

After a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend, it's been really COLD and really RAINY here in Upstate NY. Ugh. I so want the sun to come out. Yes, I know, we need the rain. Can I help it if I prefer sunny days in the 80's?

Well, with all of the rain, it's been a good week for shopping. I took a trip with my mom to The Christmas Tree Shop in Colonie Center in Albany, NY. Boy! Did I ever hit the jackpot on gf food! Who knew? I had no idea how many gf goodies they stock! I bought many items that I haven't ever seen before.

I opened the first item while we were still in the store parking lot!

"Glennys All Natural, Non-Dairy, Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies". The box reads "Moist & Chewy" and they definitely are that. These little gems taste like homemade oatmeal cookies. I purchased the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip version and they are so good I'm sorry I didn't pick up a box of the Oatmeal Raisin to try! The only problem I had with these cookies is that they are small and there aren't enough in the package! LOL! I picked up these babies for the bargain price of $2.99. I think there were a dozen cookies in the box...to tell you the truth, I forgot to count them before I inhaled several of them! I will definitely be going back to CTS to get more of these soon!

I will be reviewing some of my other gf purchases in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

2009-05-04T12:20:00.010-04:00

I've been meaning to post this for over a week now, but things have just been so busy that it took me that long to get the photo out of my camera on to the computer! A good friend of mine came for dinner a couple of Fridays ago and I served Mr. Food's Flourless Chocolate Cake. Mr. Food has a cooking spot on our local news at noon here in the Albany area. I saw him demonstrate this recipe and knew that I would just have to try it! Well. It was awesome. Very, very, very rich. If you are a true chocoholic, you will love it. It's oooey, gooey! Kind of like a cross between fudge, chocolate pudding and brownie. This is what it looked like fresh out of the oven. The center doesn't set all the way and you have to refrigerate it for a while so that it will firm up.

And here is the finished product...all decorated with whipped cream and strawberries.

If you are looking for that chocolate "fix", then try this easy to make chocolate cake!

An Attitude of Gratitude

2009-05-03T20:09:00.016-04:00

Happy first weekend of May! It's a little chilly here in the Northeast, 60 degrees but cloudy and breezy. Still, everything is blooming (especially my allergies!) and the grass is really, really green! I logged in this morning to find that Kimberly of Gluten-Free Is Life had nominated me for "An Attitude of Gratitude" award! Wow! Thank you Kim, you really made my day. It makes me happy to think that maybe, just maybe, someone gets some enjoyment out of what I write. I was nominated along with nine other great Gluten-Free bloggers. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in November of 2007 and have been living gluten-free ever since. It was very hard at first. Especially because I had always loved to dine out in restaurants. What the heck was I supposed to do now? No fried food. No burgers on a bun. No stopping in the mall food court for a slice of pizza. Oh no, is there gluten in the movie popcorn? Would my family have to suffer because of my new "disability"? I was so confused at first. Then I began to find wonderful bloggers who were gluten-free and seemed to have it all down to a science. I realized that it could be done and that it even could be fun. Learning how to cook new meals. Learning what restaurants had gluten-free menus. I'll never forget baking my first loaf of gluten-free bread! It smelled and tasted wonderful! I wish to nominate the following Gluten-Free bloggers for Attitude of Gratitude Awards: (in no particular order) Easy Gluten-Free Baking - Elizabeth Barbone, author of "Easy Gluten-Free Baking" has a wonderful blog with recipes, reviews and tips. And, well, her recipes are to die for! Kat's GF Kitchen - Kat gives great GF product and restaurant reviews. A Year of Crockpotting - Stephanie "The Crockpot Lady" has wonderful, easy recipes. All are or can be made gluten-free! Dust off your crockpots and have a ball! A month after I had been diagnosed, I began having trouble with the discs in my neck and found that I needed surgery. I've had my ups and downs with recovery and am still trying to find my way through life with aches and pains I've never had before. During this time, I have found hope and inspiration reading the following blog that I also wish to nominate: Live Love Laugh - Blogger Lacie Heiser's inspiring journey through Chiari surgery. I have known Lacie personally for several years. I have great respect for her strength and spirit. She is always reaching out to help others who are dealing with their own challenges. Thanks, Lacie. Your instructions are: * put the logo on your blog or post * nominate at least 10 blogs that show an an attitude of gratitude (*note* I was only able to come up with four, but they are a fantastic four...don't you think?) * link to your nominees within your post * comment on their blogs to let them know they’ve received this award * share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award * tell us how you’ve come to have an attitude of gratitude

When Life Gives You Lemons...Make Lemonade!

REVIEW: riceworks - Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps

2009-04-23T12:56:00.011-04:00

I have a lot to do today. We have company coming tomorrow night for dinner and I have to make dessert! I am going to make my first flourless chocolate cake. The recipe says it has to set in the fridge 6-8 hours or overnight, so I have to do it this afternoon! Anyway, I had to take time out to tell you about these awesome snacks I found today at Walmart! Last Sunday's paper had a coupon for $1.00 off of these new snacks. I thought, "Hmm. Rice Crisps. Wonder if they are GF?" Well, guess what? THEY ARE and they say so right on the package!

OK. So, I'm not a huge chip eater. I'm not one of those people who sit down with a bag of chips to watch TV. I'd much rather have a bag of M&M's. However, these "crisps" are fabulous! I bought two bags. One is "Salsa Fresca" and the other is "Sweet Chili" flavor. I opened the "Salsa Fresca" bag before I even unpacked the other grocery bags. Oh, man. They are tasty. I ate quite a few. This could be trouble. I hurried up and closed the bag before I devoured the whole thing. They are salty, spicy, tangy and very crunchy! They are also make from natural whole grain brown rice with no preservatives or artificial flavors. They are a little pricey, but with the coupon, not so bad. I paid $2.66 for each 5.5oz bag. Of course, things settle and there's not many chips in the bag, but I think they are definitely worth the price!!!

I plan to open the "Sweet Chili" bag tomorrow...if I can hold out that long! I will give you my opinion when I do. Walmart only had these two flavors, but I would love to try the other ones...Sea Salt, Parmesan, Baked Cinnamon. There's also Wasabi...not sure I'd like that one, but I would be willing to give it a go.

Click here if you would like to check out their website. There is a $1 off coupon you can print if you give them your name, address and email address.

Try them out! Enjoy!

So....What's New?

2009-04-19T14:22:00.006-04:00

Ho Hum. So. I haven't blogged in quite some time now. I guess, well, I don't have much of an explanation other than I just didn't feel like it! There. Now you have it. I've been a lazy blogger woman. So. What's new with me? Hmmm. Well, I still have my pain in the neck. It's been a pretty tough few weeks. I actually feel a lot like I did before my surgery last year. Talk about frustrating! So. I had another MRI. Know what it showed? Not much actually. The surgery site is still looking good. I do have a small "bulge" on the disc above the discs where I had the fusion done. Splendid. They told me this could happen. Unfortunately, when you stabilize a disc, it makes the discs above and below take on more of the load and stress of things. The doctor said that he doesn't think that this small bulge would be causing my pain. I'm not saying he's wrong. I trust him. I am saying that "something" is causing it. So, I sit with my alternating ice and heat packs and take as much Tylenol as my tender stomach will allow. Another interesting tidbit of medical drama is that about a month ago I had my annual GYN visit. Just routine? No. During the breast exam, I noticed the doctor spending a little more time on one side than the other. Then she said she thought she felt a "little something" on that side. Ok. So I tried not to panic. I took a deep breath. I had just had a normal mammogram. I do monthly self exams. I had felt nothing. So, she told me to cut out coffee, chocolate and soda for a week and then come back for a re-check. I tried not to worry too much (not easy to do), gave up all the good stuff, and went back for the re-check. What happened? She said, "All gone!" All gone? Seriously? Well, I was relieved, but suspicious. Not that I don't trust her, but what was that all about? So. Two visits and two copays later, I'm clear. Until I got the bill. Yes. The bill. Apparently the doctor decided that she had spent a little more than her usual 10 minutes with me (she may have spent 12 minutes this time) and billed me for an additional "visit" copay. Is that even legal to charge two copays for one visit??? I started having flash backs of the movie "The Firm". I was about to call Tom Cruise to catch them at "double billing" their clients! Where is Tom Cruise when you need him, anyway??? I was more than a little upset by this. So. To make a long story as short as possible. I called the office and told them this was crazy and got the office manager to wave the second "visit" copay. Well, anyway, on the lighter side.... I've been a gluten-free baking fool. I sent to Amazon.com for three bags of Pamela's Gluten-Free Pancake and Baking Mix. It was on sale. They are BIG bags. With lots of yummy recipes on the back. So far, I've made blueberry muffins and chocolate chip cookies. Both came out excellent. I'm going to possibly try to make carrot cake this week. And scones. Of course, I am starting Weight Watchers *again* this week, so I guess I'd better make sure there's someone else around to eat the goodies after I make them! ;) We've been doing a great deal of eating out this past week. We went to Manchester, Vermont over Easter weekend and ate some yummy food at some yummy restaurants. We even ordered three hot fudge sundaes from room service at the hotel on Saturday night. Three sundaes...$30. Yep, stop rubbing your tired eyes, you read it right. $30. Oh well, you only go this way once, right? Anyway, I'm not sure if I got "glutened" or not over the weekend. I didn't seem to have any symptoms. All three of us did come down with a 24-hour stomach bug though. Not fun. We also visited P.F. Chang's on Tax Day. They were running a 15% off the bill deal for that day. The lettuce wraps were divine as usual. I wasn't really happy with my entree' though. I ordered the Singapore Street Noodles. It wasn't as good as I remembered from last time. I'm not sure what they did different, but no likey. I ate some and brought the rest home thinking I could doctor it up with something, but I ended up throwing it out! Yesterday, we visited Outback Steakhouse. Usually, my fave. Usually, they have GF bread. Know what I found out? No more GF bread. Apparently, the bakery that supplied them with the bread raised their prices so high that Outback made a corporate decision not to carry it anymore. Dang! Big step backward for us GF folks! No one asked me. I would have paid extra. Hopefully, they will reconsider or maybe find another bakery to deal with. I hope you all are enjoying the beautiful Spring weather...well, at least it's been nice here. I hope it's nice where you are!

New Gluten-Free Corn Chex

2009-03-26T19:42:00.003-04:00

After much excitement and anticipation, I finally found the new boxes of Gluten-Free Corn Chex and our local Walmart today for $2.98/box! Not having to spend $5.00 for a tiny box of gluten-free cereal at the health food store is really exciting!!! I promptly grabbed my $1.00 off three boxes coupon and piled the boxes into my cart. I can't wait to try them!!! Maybe I'll have a bowl tonight before bedtime instead of my usual ice cream???

Belated One-Year Anniversary

2009-03-16T13:31:00.004-04:00

Well, it's was one year ago on the 12th of March that I had my neck surgery. I remember it like it was yesterday even though it's been a long, painful year. Things are better now. I still have occasional issues with nerves buzzing, hands shaking, sore muscles and weak limbs. Not anywhere near what I had before surgery or in the long months following. Yes, I still have to be very careful. Over the weekend, I helped my husband clean up the yard from the December ice storm we had. I was well aware that I can't do the things I used to do, the same way I used to do them! But, it felt soooooo good to be working outside!!! We haven't taken a long car trip since last July. I'm wondering what will happen this year when we take the five-plus hour drive to the Cape. Time will tell. I do know that sitting around for long periods of time is not my friend. No more couch potato! With the weather getting warmer (finally!!!) and that joyful sun shining, I know that I will be outside walking around the neighborhood as often as possible. I'm looking forward to all the activities that Spring and Summer bring and hoping that I'm up for the challenge!

Grocery Savings

2009-03-15T20:06:00.011-04:00

Well, it's Monday. I decided to look back at lasts week's grocery receipts and see how I did. From 3/11 - 3/15, I ended up spending $204.97 for groceries. Groceries includes food items, paper goods and bathroom items. I used $25.20 in coupons. I also used Couponmom.com to match the coupons with store sales and got some pretty good deals along the way. Some of my best deals were buying four packages of four O-Cel-O sponges (regularly $2.49 each or $9.96/4) for 99 cents each and then using two, $1 coupons. So, I really got four packages for $1.96. 49 cents/package. I also bought six boxes of Wheat Thins (regularly $1.89 each or $11.34/6) for $3.00. These will be going to the local food pantry. I do try to donate food on a regular basis. It's the right thing to do! 50 cents/box. I actually made 75 cents on a big tube of Colgate toothpaste that was on sale for 2.99 at CVS. They gave me $2.99 in Extra Bucks (so item was free) and I had a 75 cent coupon. Cool. 75 cents in my pocket plus $2.99 Extra Bucks to spend on something else! My total grocery bill Month-to-Date is $470.08. I have used $58.25 in coupons. I guess that's pretty good so far. I'll be trying even harder in the next few weeks. I'd love to see the store end up owing me money at the check-out! If I could only find a store in my area that would give double coupons!!!

Clip...clip,clip...clip, clip...clip, clip...

2009-03-10T16:23:00.005-04:00

That clipping sound is the sound of coupons being clipped out of the Sunday paper. If you come to my house, you will hear a lot of that going on. Still in my never-ending sinus headache hell, I decided to do something constructive and try to get my mind off of my throbbing head! After doing a little Quicken report the other day, I realized that our monthly grocery bill has crept up to almost $1,000 last month! Eeeek! I'm not even sure how that could have happened! There's only three of us! I need to get our grocery bill down to a reasonable amount this month. My mission....cut our monthly grocery expense in half. Yes, half. Hopefully more than that at some point, but, baby steps.... So, I've been doing a lot of research. After Stephanie Nelson, "The Coupon Mom", was on the "Today" show last week, I decided to re-visit her website and try to come up with a plan. On the "Today" show, Stephanie bought over $100 worth of groceries for 25 cents. Yep. I was hooked. Now, I've always clipped coupons. I've always used coupons. I even took an adult ed class several years ago on grocery shopping strategies. But...I've never saved as much as I think I probably could. This time, I'm getting serious. I bought 3 copies of the Sunday paper and scarfed up my mother's copy. I pulled the list of local store deals from Stephanie's website. I sifted through the list for items we use and found coupons to match the sales. When I go shopping on Thursday...I'll be ready. Stay tuned!

An "Off" Week

2009-02-24T15:02:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry readers for not posting last week's menu! I've been having an "off" week. Well, maybe and "off" few weeks. Between the cold weather, my S.A.D. (my winter blues) and wicked sinus headaches, I can't seem to get an organized posting out!!! I also haven't been cooking anything very exciting to share. Just easy foods, chili, roaster chickens, eggs and bacon. Boy, do I sound like a broken record! I need to try some new recipes!!! I will try harder next week...please bear with me!!! I know you understand! ;P

Clean out the Freezer Challenge - Week 3

2009-02-09T20:22:00.022-05:00

Finally, after all of the cold, snowy weather here in Upstate NY, a February thaw! Thursday it was in the 50's!!! Love it!

Tuesday, I happened to look out in our back yard and catch a Pileated Woodpecker, hammering the heck out of our neighbor's oak tree! I couldn't get very close as I didn't want to scare it away. The picture above was taken from my window.

After three weeks of my "Clean out the Freezer Challenge", I finally feel that I'm at the point where I can actually buy some new freezer items on grocery day. Yippee! I am still trying to use up some "old" items that have been in there a while, but otherwise things look pretty good!

Sunday - Spaghetti and Meatballs. Green Salad.

Monday - Spiral Ham slices - leftover from Christmas. Yes, it was in the freezer. It was delicious...why do I always wait until Christmas to bake a ham???? Anyway...with the ham we had baked sweet potatoes, and whole green beans. Yum.

Tuesday - Chicken tenderloins marinated in Balsamic Vinegar, brown rice, green beans.

Wednesday - Price Chopper Rotisserie Chicken, roasted garlic red-skinned potatoes, green salad.

Thursday - Pizza night. Walmart cheese pizza for my husband and daughter...they were'nt impressed. Gluten-Free Kinnikinnick frozen pizza shell, brushed with olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning, topped with mozzarella and grape tomatoes. These pizza shells aren't the greatest, they are really flaky, more like foccacia and burn very easily so you really have to watch them...they come in a package of four shells...I now have one left.

Friday - Breakfast for Dinner. Scrambled eggs, bacon, blueberries. Toast for family. Little frozen GF bread loaf from our last trip to Outback Steakhouse. Yum.

Saturday - Valentine's Day. Outback Steakhouse. It was PACKED...but they didn't dissapoint!!! :)

Used from the freezer:

10 frozen meatballs (still have a lot left!)

1 bag frozen green beans

6 chicken tenderloins

1 package chicken nuggets

1/2 package french fries

1/2 bag frozen corn

1 container of Edy's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

1 Kinnikinnick pizza shell

Since my freezer is pretty well cleaned out...this will probably be the last week of my challenge! Have a great week!

Clean Out The Freezer Challenge - Week # 2

2009-02-02T19:27:00.019-05:00

Phew! This seemed like an awfully long week! I think it must be the weather. Just seems like everything is dragging. It was 45 degrees today and that was nice! I'll take more of that please!!! The old freezer is looking much better this week. I think by shopping day on Thursday, I may actually need to buy a few things as I'm getting low on some "staple" items! Sunday - Superbowl. Kim's Buffalo Chicken Dip (see previous post). I halved the recipe for my husband and I. It was very good and there were no leftovers! Monday - Turkey Cutlets, mashed potatoes, baby sweet peas. I can remember ever trying to cook turkey cutlets before, but I just salt and peppered them and sauteed them in a little olive oil. Then, I poured a little chicken stock over them to make a little sauce. Not bad. There was one cutlet left over, so I cut it up and had it on green salad for lunch the next day. Tuesday - Leftover turkey chili, leftover frozen pizza, GF Eggplant Parmesan from KD's Fish Fry. I was busy all day, so I decided to just heat up a bunch of stuff that was already made. The GF Eggplant Parm was pretty good. The eggplant was sliced so thin that I couldn't believe it was actually eggplant. There was a good two servings in the container, so I only ate half. Wednesday - Just us Girls. Hubby was out of town, so my daughter had the last of the frozen Bell & Evans Chicken Nuggets along with a green salad. I had grilled salmon on a green salad with Caesar dressing. Thursday - Breakfast for Dinner. Second night without Hubby. Scrambled Eggs, bacon, cinnamon toast for my daughter, grits for me. Yes...I love grits. Friday - Late Dinner. My husband had a eye exam that went late, so we didn't get home until almost 7pm, which is late for dinner for us! So, I did what every good, health-conscious mom does....made hot dogs! ;) Oscar Meyer All Beef Hot Dogs, leftover mashed potatoes, leftover sweet peas, homemade GF pumpkin bread. The pumpkin bread is a recipe from Elizabeth Barbone's Easy Gluten-Free Baking. It is absolutely delicious! It makes two nice loaves, which I cut into slices, wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap and put in the freezer. A warmed-up slice makes a nice little snack with tea in the afternoon! I've made it several times and it always comes out amazing. Well, except for the time I tried to make it in those little baby loaf pans and it exploded and ran all over the oven... Saturday - Dinner at Chili's. Now, we've been to Chili's before and each time I come away with the same opinion. They have an online gluten-free menu., however, apparently none of the waitstaff is even remotely aware of what gluten-free means. For example, one time I ordered the Chicken Caesar Salad from the GF menu. It came with croutons and I had to send it back. I always order the Baked Potato Soup. It always comes with saltine crackers (they are wrapped and on the side, but still...) It just doesn't give me a good feeling about the rest of their "gluten-free" items. Last night I had the Baked Potato Soup, a 1/2 rack of Honey BBQ Ribs and steamed broccoli. They were delicious and I haven't had any belly issues yet, so I'm guessing everything was ok. I guess my other gripe about this restaurant is that the corn tortilla chips are not GF. They are fried in the same oil as everything else. So, while you can have the salsa and the guacamole, there's nothing to have them on! I have brought my own Tostitos with me, but why can't they offer some GF chips???? Outback Steakhouse and Uno's definitely have them beat. Gone from the freezer this week.... 1 bag frozen sweet peas 3 leftover pieces of pizza 5 chicken tenders 1 package turkey cutlets 1 container GF Eggplant Parm 1 package chicken nuggets 2 salmon fillets 1 container Edy's Fudge Tracks Ice Cream Several breakfast waffles Several bagels Have a great week!

Clean Out The Freezer Challenge - Week #1

2009-01-27T14:28:00.018-05:00

So, another snowy, cold week. It's getting old. Or maybe it's me who's getting old. At least January is over and hopefully February will be a little better! We are still watching our ever-changing icicle. This week, it morphed into what looked to me like dinosaur bones. Very cool.

Sunday - Spaghetti Night. Tinkyada Spaghetti with Newman's Own Marinara Sauce for my daughter and me. Barilla Penne Pasta with Newman's sauce for my hubby. Green tossed salads for all.

Monday - Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole. See Jenn's recipe. Instead of making my own cream sauce, I used a can of Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup. I also sprinkled in some shredded cheese I had left in the fridge. Talk about comfort food! Thanks again, Jenn!

Tuesday - Breakfast for Dinner. Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast for family, Glutino GF cinnamon-raisin bagel with light cream cheese for moi. Yum.

Wednesday - Soup night. Left-over Sausage and White Bean Soup. (See January 22 post.) Green tossed salad.

Thursday - Monday night's leftovers...

Friday - Turkey Chili. This is a staple at our house. I usually use a can of diced tomatoes, chopped onion and green pepper, then add my own spices...chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper...but this time I used a can of Great Value (Walmart brand) "Chili-Ready" tomatoes. It was awesome! All the stuff I usually add, it's all in there! Just add meat and black beans and *poof*, chili in a flash! (I also added a can of GV tomato sauce, but that's optional.) The great thing about Great Value brand is that they say "Gluten-Free" right on the label. Thanks, Walmart! Served with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese on top and Tostitos corn chips.

Saturday - Outback Steakhouse. Oh baby! My very favorite place to eat. Warm, GF bread with whipped butter, 6 oz steak, loaded baked potato, fresh steamed green beans. Pure heaven! The waitress even gave me a full frozen loaf of GF bread to bring home. I'm in love.

So, gone from the freezer is:

6 chicken tenders

1 bag frozen broccoli cuts

1 GF cinnamon-raisin bagel

3 freezer bags of left-over sausage and bean soup

1 package ground turkey breast

Also - used for lunches - 1/2 bag frozen strawberries for strawberry/banana smoothies, 1 salmon fillet, several bagels (thus the need to buy more), the box of vanilla ice cream and a bag of old, Hormel Chili that I actually threw out because it looked gross.

I did buy 1 loaf of bread and two packages of Ray's NY Bagels (for the family), 1 package of Oscar Meyer Beef Hotdogs and a carton of Edy's Double Churned Fudge Tracks ice cream for the freezer, so I broke my rule of not buying anything new. But these are things that are in constant rotation at our house, so they won't get pushed to the back...never to be seen again.

Hope you all had a good week and have a great Super Bowl Sunday! Go Steelers!

PS...am planning to make Kim's Buffalo Chicken Dip. It's supposed to make 20 servings, but I'm making it for just my husband and I. Oink! I'm guessing I'll have leftovers. Maybe I'll have enough for the freezer.... ;)

"Hey You! Food Hoarder!"

2009-01-26T10:51:00.012-05:00

So, for some reason, when the weather gets cold, I tend to buy way too much food. Hello, my name is Lisa and I'm a Food Hoarder!

I know when this is happening when I open the freezer door and something falls out and hits me in the head. It happened Saturday. I was knocked in the noggin with a box of frozen chicken nuggets. See it, right there on top, the black "Bell and Evans" box teetering on the edge???

After I came to, I decided that my challenge for the next couple of weeks is to try to use up everything in my freezer before I buy anything else to put in it. Look! I don't even have room for the ice-maker tray! My box of Light Vanilla Ice Cream is taking a nap there!

Oh, and it's not just my freezer, it's the pantry as well. Especially the GF shelf, the one with the half-eaten box of Nut Thins, several different baking mixes, bags of GF oats....

I'm not even brave enough to show you the other cupboards where the boxes of cereal and canned goods are kept!

I have vowed for the next couple of weeks, to only buy perishable items at the store...milk, salad stuff, fresh fruits and veggies...

I started unloading the pantry yesterday. I actually made that box of Gluten-Free Pantry Truffle Brownie Mix. I must say, it was delicious! My family and I gobbled up more than half the pan. So, one box gone...a few inches gained on my backside.

Tonight I'm making Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole, inspired by Jenny. I'm going to substitute a can of Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup and bake it in the oven. We'll see how that goes. That will take a few of the individually frozen chicken tenders out of the huge package we bought at BJ's Warehouse several weeks ago. Slowly, whacking away at the shameless pile of food I have crammed in every crevasse.

Hey guys, wish me luck!!!

The Week's Eats

2009-01-22T19:39:00.023-05:00

The past week sure was a crazy one! Snowfalls, icicles the size of stalactites hanging from the house, water main breaks, boil water advisories, two lost white-tail deer in our back yard.

Dinners this week were meant to be quick and easy.

Sunday - Sausage and White Bean Soup - courtesy of "The Crock Pot Lady". This soup was so easy and so good! Leftovers are in the freezer!

Monday - Stouffer's Frozen Lasagna with Meat Sauce for the family, Gluten-Free Lasagna for me. Tossed Salad for all. KD's Fish Fry, a local restaurant that serves delicious GF fish frys and such, just started carrying home-made GF dinners in their freezer case! The lasagna was a little light on sauce and heavy on pasta for my taste, but it was ok in a pinch. I also picked up a GF Eggplant Parmesan while I was there and will have that another night!

Tuesday - Breakfast for Dinner. Scrambled eggs, bacon, GF bagel for me, toast for the family. Easy and always a big hit.

Wednesday - Beef Tacos with all the fixin's, green salad. Old El Paso Stand 'n Stuff Taco Dinner Kit. Hubby likes soft tacos, so for him, I use flour tortillas. I forgot that my daughter had tacos for lunch in school, so she had her favorite...warm bagel, two slices deli ham, slice of cheese, green salad.

Thursday - Bell & Evans Chicken Nuggets, Oreida Shoestring French Fries, green beans - We have these nuggets quite often and we all love them! They are WAY better than McDonald's and they are Gluten-Free so I can eat them too!

Friday - Summer in Winter! Oscar Meyer hot dogs, deviled potato salad, Lays potato chips. It was a whopping 42 degrees here, so I decided to have an indoor, Winter picnic. The best part was, no bugs!

Saturday - GF Pizza at Uno's! YES!!! We finally got to go and try the new GF pizza at Uno's. I have to say, it was really nice to be able to go out with the family and order a pizza. The pizza was good. The crust was very thin and crispy, but a little bit crumbly. In fact, I couldn't pick up the pieces, I had to eat it with a fork. Nevertheless, I was still in heaven. I ordered the plain cheese pizza, ate three of the six slices and brought the rest home for another meal. It was very tasty and will definitely be going back for more! My hubby had the Buffalo Bites appetizer. My daughter had the Tiny Dinos chicken nuggets with a side of apples and mandarin oranges and ate every bite....Hubby and I both had the House Salad minus the croutons and red onion. Hubby and daughter had dessert (The Brownie Bowl), while I sipped a decaf. I made the comment that they should make their brownie flourless, like Outback Steakhouse. My hubby said something like "You GF freaks can't have everything!" What a guy! All in all, a very nice dinner out!

My Gluten-Free Week

2009-01-16T18:46:00.003-05:00

Food-wise, this was a good week. I made some yummy, tummy warming meals that my family gobbled up. It's been very cold her in Upstate NY. It hardly reached above the teens all week. When the temperature dips this low, I love to cook. The down side is that it's very hard for me to diet at this time of year. I know, the New Year's Resolutions and all of that jazz, but I just can't eat cold salad on a cold night! This week's menu consisted of: Sunday - Goulash. Both GF and regular. I can't get my gluten-eating family to embrace rice pasta. So, I make the meat sauce in one skillet, GF elbows in another pot and wheat elbows in a third pot. I drain the pasta pots and add the meat sauce to each pot. Works out fine, but makes lots of dishes to wash! Monday - Breakfast for Dinner. Scrambled eggs, bacon, whole grain toast with cinnamon sugar for the gluten-eaters, GF bagel with butter for me. Delish. Tuesday - left-over goulash. Put both kinds in separate casserole dishes, added more tomato sauce and loads of shredded mozzarella. Baked in the oven until bubbly. Yum. Wednesday - Homemade Mac 'n Cheese with regular pasta for the family. Made in a skillet, started with a butter and flour roux, made a cream sauce with milk, added lots of sharp cheddar cheese, added cooked elbows and some cut-up spiral ham I had frozen, left over from Christmas Eve dinner...family said it was fantastic. I had frozen Amy's Rice Mac 'n Cheese...it's my favorite of the GF variety. Yes, I microwaved it first...it's no good frozen! Thursday - Rotisserie Chicken from local Price Chopper, boiled white potatoes, corn. I contacted Price Chopper and was told that the "plain" rotisserie chicken is GF and they even claim to roast it on the top of the oven so that the juices from the other chickens don't drip down and contaminate the plain ones. I don't know if I really believe that or not, but I haven't had any bad reactions to it yet... Friday - today. Pork chops with apples and onions, baked maple and brown sugar acorn squash. This recipe I got a long time ago from a cookbook that I probably don't even have anymore, but I remember the recipe. Cut up an onion (I like sweet onions) and put it in the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add a few sliced up apples on top of the onions. Add a sprinkle of white sugar on top of the apples (yes, I know)...Add a few pork chops on top of the apples. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Finally, top with more sliced apples and a few pats of butter. Cover and bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours in a 350 degree oven. As for the acorn squash, slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, put the halves in a casserole dish, fill the squash "bowls" with about a tablespoon of light brown sugar, a tablespoon of butter (yes, I know again) and a drizzle of REAL maple syrup. Cover with foil, bake right along with the pork chops. You can also do this in the microwave, minus the foil, on high for around 15 minutes or until you can flake the squash "meat" with a fork. My husband doesn't like pork chops or acorn squash, but will eat both of them made this way. I'm sorry that I don't have any pictures of my meals. I got a new camera for Christmas, but keep forgetting to take the pictures! I guess I'm just too hungry to take the time!!! I will try to do better next time! I'm also so excited that I bought two new Cuisinart stainless steel sauce pots last night. It was time to retire our 10-year old non-stick cookware we got for a gift the year we were engaged. The non-stick coating was starting to flake off into our food! That can't be a good thing. I can't wait to try the new pots!

Just to Follow-up

2009-01-16T12:02:00.002-05:00

So, I know I said in my last post that I was going to call my doctor...again...and ask for a new script for a different antibiotic. Well, I ended up having second thoughts and taking the drug that evening. Guess what. Leg pains again. So, yesterday afternoon, I left another message for "phone nurse". Again, no return call. I didn't take the Avelox last night and the leg pains are pretty much gone this morning. However, the sinus problem is still there. "Phone nurse" called this morning and actually asked how I was feeling! Then she told me that she had called in a script to the pharmacy for Zithromax. I thanked her and told her that I was sorry that I was being such a pain, but I didn't want to take any chances!!! I will be picking up my script after I have some lunch. The sun is shining, it's Friday, and even though it was -3 degrees this morning when I woke up...life is good.

Medicine - A Bitter Pill

2009-01-14T12:16:00.003-05:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to try not to whine so much about my medical issues. I swore to "let go and let God" take care of things. Then, this week happened. After suffering with a cold that has been lingering since late November, I decided that my home remedies (saline rinses, humidifier, decongestants) were not working and that I'd better get to my PCP for the inevitable script for antibiotics. Now, first of all, I hate taking medicine. It almost always sends my stomach into a burning, churning frenzy that can take months to resolve. And then there's the warning labels. Being the "good" patient that I am, I ALWAYS read the warning labels and list of possible side effects when I receive a new script. So, Monday I gathered up the courage to go to the doctor. After a nice little chat with the nurse and my doc, I left with my script for the antibiotic "Augmenten". Now, my daughter takes Augmenten every time she gets a sinus infection, so I didn't think much of it. I went to my local drug store to get the script filled, came home, and as always, read the patient information that came with the meds. Well, right off the bat, I noticed that the info warned not to take the drug if you are allergic to Penicillin. RED FLAG! I am allergic to Penicillin and have been for as long as I can remember. So, I call my doc. Leave a message on the "phone nurse" line. No call back. So, I don't take the meds. Tuesday morning arrives. 9 AM. I call and leave another message on the "phone nurse" line. No call back. Finally, at 2 PM, I leave a third, not so friendly message on the "phone nurse" line. About a half hour later, I get the phone call. The annoyed-sounding "phone nurse" tells me that a new script has been called in to the pharmacy. I politely ask if this new med is related to penicillin in any way. Nurse says "no". In fact, annoyed nurse tells me that "they didn't know I was allergic to penicillin". Keep in mind that I have been seeing this doctor since I was in my teens. I am positive that there was a big, red, sticker on my chart, warning of my allergy. So, anyway, by this time my infected, sinus-head was pounding! Later that evening, my wonderful husband went to the pharmacy to return the first meds and pick up the "new" meds. Upon his return, I again read the patient information that came along with the script. This antibiotic, "Avelox", has MANY serious warnings about causing tendinitis, nerve damage, heart palpitations and other awful sounding problems. RED FLAG again! I already have nerve damage and heart palpitations...do I want more? So, what did I do? I shrugged it off and took the medication. I figured it would either kill me or cure me. Later, while helping my daughter with her shower, my ankles started to hurt. The pain slowly went from my ankles, up to my lower legs. Now, I often have nerve pain these days, it's just a byproduct of the neck surgery I had last year. This seemed a little different. So, today is Wednesday and I am still in pain and I am about to leave yet another message for the "phone nurse". Hopefully, I will get a call back at some point and maybe they can come up with a script I feel comfortable taking!

Just As Promised....

2009-01-03T10:39:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year, Everyone! I told you I'd eventually get around to posting a picture of my super cool hand warmers! All right now, try to keep the laughs down!

It's Been A Long Time!

2008-12-18T15:01:00.004-05:00

OK. So I haven't posted anything since December 1st. I really have no excuse except that I just haven't been "feeling it" lately. I've had a cold since the weekend after Thanksgiving and I must admit, this one is really hanging on and dragging me down!!! Hopefully, this cough and headache will end soon!

A few things have happened since my last post.

1. I backed into a mailbox with my car. The mailbox fared much better than my car and I just got it back from the repair shop. Thank goodness for insurance!

2. We had a HUGE ice storm last weekend. It was brutal! We lost several trees in our backyard, but luckily none hit the house and we never lost power!

3. I had my EMG test at the Neurologists office. Basically, they wire parts of your body up with electrodes, in my case, my right arm and hand, and zap you with electrical shocks. If your body parts jump and it's very uncomfortable, then you pass the test! I lit up light the 4th of July. They also did a muscle test, where they put tiny needles in your muscles and make you move the muscle to see how it functions. Not the most fun way to spend 20 minutes, but not as bad as I had envisioned either. You kind of get used to the shocks and your fingers jumping without you telling them to!

The results of the test were that I have some muscle "changes" in my arm, caused by my surgery. The doctor told me that this is what is probably causing the weakness. I also have an irritated nerve in my elbow. Basically, my funny bone is funny all the time! Tennis elbow, without the tennis part. So, I am to rest my elbow on a pillow whenever possible and try to keep my arm straight while sleeping!

As for the "shakes" that I experience periodically, no answer was given. I'm just going to hope that it goes away as fast as it came! I must admit, I have been feeling better the last week or so. Let's hope it's a trend that lasts!

Oh, and I haven't forgotten, I owe you all that picture of my funky, fingerless gloves!

The "It is what it is" Prayer

2008-12-01T15:02:00.005-05:00

My husband is always saying "It is what it is". Truly, it does take the pressure off of worrying about things you cannot control. In the past several weeks, I've been experiencing a lot of nerve pain. Burning, stabbing, aching pain in my hands and arms that is not relieved by any medication I have been prescribed. The times I can spend sitting watching t.v., I spend with the electric heating pad wrapped around my hands. In desperation on Friday, I went out a bought a pair of "mittens without fingers". They are heavy knit, with a warm, fleece lining. They are also electric pink with black butterflies on them. (I will post a picture later.) I've been wearing my day-glo mittens around the house to help keep my hands warm. They really have helped soothe the pain, if only in my mind. They also take me back to the 80's...so Madonna-ish! Anyway, back to my husband's saying... "It is what it is" really reminds me of the Serenity Prayer. I am posting it here today, in it's original form.

Full Original Serenity Prayer

by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Uno's Gluten-Free Pizza

2008-11-18T20:11:00.005-05:00

Yes, you've heard it right! Uno Chicago Grill is test marketing gluten-free pizza! Click here to read an article from QRS Magazine.com. Click here for Uno's online Gluten-Free Menu. Unfortunatly, I do not live in the test market area, but might be willing to travel a little to get to one!

I would be interested to hear from anyone in the test market areas who have tried it!

Living Well

2008-11-12T16:27:00.014-05:00

Celiac never made me skinny. I have heard that many people with severe cases lose lots of weight. No, I'm not saying that it's a good thing to be sick. I really wouldn't want that. I'm just saying that having Celiac disease has never stopped me from eating and gaining weight.

Before my Celiac diagnosis last year, I had joined Weight Watchers and had shed about 16 pounds. I was looking and feeling much better about myself, although still having "tummy troubles". After I began eating gluten-free, I still was able to shed another 4 pounds to get to my goal weight. It took a total of nine months to lose the 20 pounds.

Well, as they say, "life happens". I kept the weight off until I had my cervical fusion in March of this year. Recovering from surgery made me think that I had an excuse to eat anything I wanted and sit around a lot. Sure, this excuse worked for about the first month after surgery, but I find that I'm still using it today.

Yes, I'm still hurting. Yes, I'm still going through more tests to see what's going on. Yes, the doctor's have told me I'm still "recovering". They have also told me that "moderate" exercise such as walking helps with recovery.

I had been doing a lot of walking until about three weeks ago when I had a set back and wound up in a lot of pain again. Now I'm having trouble getting started again. I can always find an excuse why I should stay home instead. I have laundry to do. I have to finish my book because it's over due at the library. I have to read one more email.

Then, there is my huge sweet tooth. I had it before my surgery and I still have it! Too bad they couldn't remove it along with my herniated discs! Can you believe I actually make bowls of chocolate frosting and then eat it? This is something I'm not very proud of, but there it is. I'm coming clean. I will eat anything sweet. The sweeter, the better!

I've also found that since being diagnosed with Celiac, I seem to fill my pantry with all of the gluten-free snacks I can find. I guess I don't want to feel deprived. I have cookies, brownie mix, snack bars, sweet cereal and my all time favorite food group in this world...M&M's!!!

I've been reading a book by Montel Williams called "Living Well". Montel has Multiple Sclerosis which is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the nervous system. He is managing his disease by eating healthy and exercising along with taking his meds. The main thrust of the book is that by eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, less processed foods and red meat, you will feel better. You can see a nice little video about the book on You Tube by clicking here.

Now, I didn't have to read his book to know all of this. I know that eating more fruits and vegetables and less sweets is right. I tell my daughter this every day. I make sure she has healthy meals and snacks. Luckily, she loves fruit and eats many vegetables.

So why don't I care enough about myself to practice what I preach? I'm not sure I know the answer to that. I have never loved fruit. I'll eat a half of banana in the morning with my cereal and call it good. The only meal I have that includes vegetables is dinner, unless I have soup with vegetables in it for lunch. I have to force myself to eat salads. I'm definitely not getting my 5-a-day and definitely not eating the amount that good, old Montel recommends!

Since I started reading "Living Well", I have been trying to eat at least one fruit or vegetable per meal. Today, I had hot rice cereal with dried cranberries and walnuts for breakfast. I ate chicken and wild rice soup with gf crackers, an apple and natural peanut butter for lunch. Green tea with honey and soymilk for afternoon snack. No candy, no soda, no home-made frosting in a bowl.

It's now dinner time. My belly feels so full and so, excuse me, GASSY, that I don't know what to eat for dinner! Does everyone who eats "right" have this problem? I feel terrible!

Still, I am going to try to stick with my fruit and veggie plan for a while. I want to see if my tummy will eventually get used to it. I want to be healthy. I want to feel well. I want to shed the 16 pounds I've gained back since March!!!

Enjoy Life Soft and Chewy Caramel Apple Snack Bars

2008-11-03T15:03:00.011-05:00

One of my blog readers asked for a review of the Enjoy Life Caramel Apple Snack Bars I bought on my gf shopping spree last month. Time is passing by and I've been really slacking on my blogging! Sorry, guys!

Now, I actually hadn't gotten to the box of bars in my pantry until this afternoon. I was looking for something to throw in my purse for a quick snack in between errands today. The day ended up being so hectic that I didn't actually get to try the bar until I just sat down to start this post! So, my memory is very fresh!

The Enjoy Life Caramel Apple Snack Bar wrapper states that it is gluten-free and free of the eight most common allergens: wheat, dairy, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish or shellfish. It's also made without casein, potato, sesame and sulfites. The bar is made in a dedicated nut and gluten-free bakery. It has 110 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber. That's 2 points per bar, for those of us on Weight Watchers.

When I first unwrapped the bar, it seemed a little smaller than I thought it would be, but still pretty good size for a snack. I broke the bar in half to take the picture below and noticed it was a little crumbly, but nothing that I wouldn't expect from a soft cookie bar. I wouldn't recommend cramming it into your purse, as I did with mine though, I was lucky it was still in one piece.

I found the bar to be kind of dry, but chewy, with the texture of maybe a regular oatmeal-type breakfast bar. Definitely more like a cookie than a granola bar. The bar was slightly spicy with a hint of caramel and apple. I think it would be really great with a glass of milk or a cup of tea! Unlike some other gf bars I've tried, this one wasn't overly sweet or too gooey.

You can check out their website for all of the ingredient information and there's even a coupon you can print for $.55 on Enjoy Life products! Their pictures are also way better than mine!

All in all, I would definitely purchase these bars again. I will probably even try their other three flavors.

Pamela's Favorite Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread Mix

2008-10-23T16:30:00.005-04:00

As a follow-up to my last post, I thought I would share a picture of my fresh loaf of bread, straight out of the bread machine. Oh, and by the way, that slice is history!!!

Now, I've made several loaves of bread in my Breadman since I got it as a Christmas present last year and I've never had any trouble. The loaves always come out perfect, just like today. However, today when the bread was done, I unplugged the machine, grabbed my pot holders and began to pull out the bread pan. It wouldn't budge. I tried again. Still not budging. I pulled the machine back in. Strange signs and half-numbers came up on the program screen. I tried again to get the pan out. No luck. I unplugged the machine again. Finally, after a couple of rounds like this, I was able to pull out the pan and remove the bread. I waited for the machine to cool and then plugged it in again. This time the numbers and words were normal on the screen. Strange! Something was definitely possessing my bread maker!

Gluten-Free Shopping Blowout

2008-10-23T14:39:00.017-04:00

So, today was grocery shopping day. I decided that I was going to go to my local Health Foods Store, The Green Grocer, to get a good supply of GF foods. I was armed with a $5 off of $40 store coupon. Awesome! So, I ended up spending a total of $48.69 for the GF items pictured above. I bought: Perky O's Cereal $4.89 Panda Puffs Cereal $4.99 Koala Crisps Cereal $4.99 Bakery On Main GF Granola $6.99 Enjoy Life Caramel Apple Breakfast Bars $4.49 Pamela's GF Flour Mix $4.49 Pamela's GF Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix $6.19 Pamela's Chocolate Almond Biscotti $5.19 Foods By George Personal Size Cheese Pizza $7.19 (Not pictured, it's in the freezer) Enjoy Life Boom Choco Boom Dark Chocolate Bar $1.99 (Not pictured...OK, so I ate it on the way home) Silk Hazelnut Coffee Creamer $2.29 (Not pictured) I'm hoping that by stocking up on my GF foods and taking advantage of the store coupon, instead of running into the store every week to pick up a couple of things, I will save time and money in the end. Except for the chocolate bar, which is long gone...this stuff should last me several weeks...at least I hope so. I have the Bread Mix in my bread machine, baking as I'm writing this. I can't wait to have some warm, homemade bread tonight with our roasted chicken dinner. By the way, one little tip I've learned from making fresh GF bread and having it get "icky" in a couple of days on the counter...I cut the loaf into slices, eat what I want while it's fresh and warm, then individually wrap each slice in cling wrap, slide the slices into a freezer bag and put them in the freezer. Then when I want a slice, I grab it out of the bag and microwave it for around 15 seconds. Taa Daa! Warm, fresh bread, anytime you want! So, after stopping at the health food store, I went to on Walmart to do the rest of my shopping. I bought a jar of Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter. Man, is that stuff good! The bonus is that it states "Gluten-Free" right on the label! I had it with a sliced Macoun apple for lunch. This peanut butter boasts of all natural ingredients and at only 3 points for 2 tablespoons, if you are counting, it's a great way to get some protein and feed your chocolate craving as well. As always, I have marked the jar with a GF sticker to keep any stray knives out of it!

As a side note, I purchased the peanut butter at Walmart for $3.48. I noticed that on their website, it goes for $6. I guess I got a bargain without even realizing it, huh?

10 Years

2008-10-22T15:44:00.013-04:00

Friday will be our 10th Wedding Anniversary. Wow. Ten years. I can hardly believe it. Seems like just yesterday when we were planning our special day and our life together. Our wedding was so wonderful... I know, all brides say that, but it really was spectacular. A full day at The Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, NY. It was a beautiful 70 degree day in October. There were still some colorful leaves on the trees on the grounds surrounding the Hall. Our first dance went smoothly. We had taken ballroom dancing lessons prior to our wedding and waltzed to our first song. Everything was great, the food, the music. Then there was our honeymoon at Sandals Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Hurricane Mitch had missed us by mere few miles. The weather was overcast, but steamy. We drank blue tropical drinks and ate nachos with cheese on the beach. I don't think I'd ever been so relaxed and don't think I have been since. That was the life. The view from our hotel room. My blue drink near the blue water. Oh, all the wonderful food. I sampled it all! (BCD...Before Celiac Disease diagnosis.) We've been through a lot in our ten years of marriage. Parenthood, two moves, three surgeries, loss of loved ones, job changes, weight changes, sickness and health, good times and bad. Through it all, we've had each other. For my husband...I know that you don't like to read my blog, because you say it's too depressing...well, this ones for you, Honey. I love you!

The Spoon Theory

2008-10-21T12:40:00.004-04:00

It's a cold, rainy day in upstate NY. I was sitting at my computer, reading my daily blogs, when I came across a link to a website called "But You Don't Look Sick". On this website is an article, written by Christine Miserandino entitled "The Spoon Theory". Christine has Lupus. Even though I do not, I could really identify with her story.

As I go through my daily struggles with nerve pain, I have wondered many times what will happen if I don't get any better. Will I have to live with the pain, numbness, weakness and lack of energy for the rest of my life? Will it get worse? How will other people treat me? Will they understand what I'm going through? Will I lose friends or family who are just too tired of dealing with me?

Awful thoughts, I confess. But I do have them. Especially on days like today.

Back to the article. It pretty much describes how I have to plan my days so that I have enough energy to do the things that are "necessary". To conserve my "spoons", so that I have enough left to help my daughter with her homework and her shower that day. To rearrange my tasks so that I can spend an hour at school to help out in her class.

I think for anyone who lives with chronic pain, this story will strike a chord. For those who love someone with chronic pain, it helps explain what it is like.

Weekend In New England

2008-10-16T15:55:00.015-04:00

Time in new england

Took me away

To long rocky beaches--and you, by the bay...

*Barry Manilow*

Ok, so we really weren't near any "long rocky beaches", but I couldn't help think of this song this weekend while we were in Manchester, Vermont. I just LOVE New England. Maine, Massachussetts, Vermont, New Hampshire. Any time of year. It's probably what has held me in Upstate NY for all of my 46 years. It's certainly not the snow!

So, our Columbus Day Weekend trip to Vermont began with a stop at Zoey's Double Hex for some late lunch. We stop here every time we visit Manchester. My hubby and I both had the Garden Salad with a Hex Burger on top. It was excellent. My daughter, had a hot dog with homemade potato chips off the kid's menu. She even took a picture of it...not gluten-free, mind you, but she said it was pretty good. Sorry, we didn't get a picture of my salad w/burger. ***Note to self...next time take picture of your own meal!***

So, after lunch, we did the usual "outlet crawl"at the Manchester Designer Outlets. Ralph Lauren Outlet for the best bath towels on earth, The Gap Outlet for kid's clothes and some for mom and dad too, Coach...don't get me started! Northshire Bookstore to browse around. Not to forget my daughter's favorite Claire's Outlet, where we purchased 15, yes, 15 pairs of pierced earrings. Shopping for her is second of course to scuffing through the fallen leaves. She loves the crunching, swishing sound they make. Then, after we were all hot and tired, we stopped for ice cream. I have to admit, I don't remember the name of the place we stopped at. We even paid cash, so no receipt to check. However, I had a dish of PUMPKIN ice cream. YUM! Hubby had a waffle cone, one scoop of chocolate, one coffee. Daughter had her favorite kid's cone with scoop of mint chocolate chip. The perfect ending to the perfect day. Of course, I've been paying our little adventure quite a bit this week, with back, neck, head and shoulder pain, but I consider it the price I'm willing to pay for a wonderful Fall day with my family. That Upstate NY snow will come much too quickly...then it will be days, sitting by the fire, wrapped up in an afgan for me!

October is Celiac Awareness Month

2008-10-05T11:09:00.010-04:00

Yes, we all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it is also Celiac Awareness Month!

The need to get the word out about Celiac-Sprue Disease is great. Even though there are approximately 1 in 133 people living with this disease, it is amazing the number of people who haven't been tested and diagnosed. It is also amazing to me that many people have never even heard of the disease. I can't count the puzzled looks I've gotten when I've told others that I have Celiac Disease and can't eat that pizza, bread, cake...

It is a gluten-filled world. Every party, wedding, family get-together, is just loaded with gluten-filled food. It's everywhere. It is unavoidable. The most that I hope for is a fruit platter or a green salad.

Not that I expect every host/hostess to adjust their menu for my diet. I don't. I have learned to expect the strange looks I get when I pull out my little lunch bag and start eating the gluten-free snacks I've packed. As many times as you explain it to people, they still ask why you aren't eating the pizza.

So, in an effort to help spread the word, I am printing a page from the Celiac Sprue Association's Website. Please take the time to read through it. There are some pretty heavy-duty "Grey's Anatomy" doctor-type words in here, but please bear with me! Your Celiac friends, family, co-workers and classmates will love you for it!!!

What is Celiac Disease? Celiac disease (CD) is a genetic disorder. In people with CD, eating certain types of protein, called gluten, sets off an autoimmune response that causes damage to the small intestine. This, in turn, causes the small intestine to lose its ability to absorb the nutrients found in food, leading to malnutrition and a variety of other complications.

The offending protein, gluten, is found in wheat, barley, rye, and to a lesser extent, oats (WBRO). Related proteins are found in triticale, spelt, kamut. Refer to grains and flours Glossary for a more extensive list of both safe and offending grains. Celiac Disease is: *a genetic, inheritable disease.

*linked to genetically transmitted histocompatibility cell antigens (HLA DR3-DQ2, DR5/7 DQ2, and DR4-DQ8).

*COMMON. Approximately 1 in 133 people have CD, however, only about 3% of these have been diagnosed. This means that there are over 2.1 million undiagnosed people with celiac disease in the United States.

*characterized by damage to the mucosal lining of the small intestine which is known as villous atrophy.

*responsible for the malabsorption of nutrients resulting in malnutrition.

*linked to skin blisters known as dermatitis herpetiformis (DH).

*not age-dependent. It may become active at any age. Celiac Disease is NOT: *simply a food allergy.

*an idiosyncratic reaction to food proteins (mediated by IgE).

*typified by a rapid histamine-type reaction (such as bronchospasm, urticaria [hives], etc.).

The Damaging Proteins The term "gluten" is, in a sense, a generic term for the storage proteins that are found in grains. In reality, each type of protein - gliadin in wheat, secalin in rye, hordein in barley, avenin in oats, zein in corn and oryzenin in rice - is slightly different from the others. The "gluten" in wheat, rye, barley, and in a much lower amount, oats, contains particular amino acid sequences that are harmful to persons with celiac disease. The damaging proteins are particularly rich in proline and glutamine (especially the amino acid sequences which are in the following orders: Pro-Ser-Gln-Gln and Gln-Gln-Gln-Pro). As peptides, some such as 33-MER, cannot be broken down any further.

In people with celiac disease, 33-MER stimulates T-cells to produce antibodies. The antibodies, in turn, attack the villi in the small intestine, reducing their ability to absorb nutrients. It is important to note that these sequences are NOT found in the proteins of corn and rice. The Nature of the Injury The damage to the small intestine (the jejunum) caused by this disease is very slow to develop and is insidious. It is:

-almost certainly mediated by the immune system. -associated with ANTIBODIES to gliadin, reticulin and/or endomysial (smooth muscle) proteins. -probably not directly caused by the antibodies, though they may be signals for cell-mediated immunity. -probably produced by the cellular immune system (T cells) - but only when gluten-type prolamins are present. -reversible, in most cases, to completely normal bowel function, if the injurious protein is excluded from the diet. How Does One "Catch" Celiac Disease? Celiac disease cannot be "caught," but rather the potential for CD may be in the body from birth. Its onset is not confined to a particular age range or gender, although more women are diagnosed than men. It is not known exactly what activates the disease, however three things are required for a person to develop CD:

-A genetic disposition: being born with the necessary genes. The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes specifically linked to celiac disease are DR3, DQ2 and DQ8. -A trigger: some environmental, emotional or physical event in one’s life. While triggering factors are not fully understood, possibilities include, but are not limited to adding solids to a baby’s diet, going through puberty, enduring a surgery or pregnancy, experiencing a stressful situation, catching a virus, increasing WBRO products in the diet, or developing a bacterial infection to which the immune system responds inappropriately. -A diet: containing WBRO, or any of their derivatives.

Walking Through The Rain

2008-09-26T16:40:00.009-04:00

Today was a gray and rainy Friday in the Northeast. Even though the temperature was around 60 degrees, it seemed to chill me to the bone.

However, in order to keep my promise to myself to try to walk EVERY DAY, I headed out with my rain gear on to see how far I could go before getting too soaked and cold. I didn't get as far as earlier this week, only around the block, but I did have to time think and listen to a few songs on my iPod. I got thinking about how much has changed since last Fall.

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in November last year. A pretty big deal, having to totally change the way I've eaten for 46 years. Also, a big deal for my family, who have had to change their habits as well, such as trying new and "interesting" GF foods and finding restaurants I can eat in. They have also had to listen to me whine a lot about the foods and restaurants that I miss. The good news is that I guess I am feeling better, in the tummy area, but I need to schedule my annual follow-up appointment with my gastro doc to see what the tests show.

In December, I began my journey of the dueling herniated discs, which led to my cervical fusion surgery in March. Another big change for myself and my family. The recovery has been slower than we all expected. I guess I'm a work in progress. Lots of lingering nerve issues. More whining. More missing things that I used to take for granted, like sleeping comfortably or finding a comfortable position anywhere for that matter! The heating pad is a permanent fixture around my neck. Taking medication has not been something I've ever liked doing, not even Tylenol for me unless absolutely necessary. Now it's become a normal, daily event to take my little nerve pills, just to be able to function in a "normal" way. Some days, I even have trouble signing sales receipts when my hands are particularly shaky. Is that my signature or a 90 year-old woman's???

Walking through my neighborhood makes me feel my "most normal". Even in the cold rain. Even when my feet feel like I'm wearing lead boots. I'm still here and I'm still walking....

I have family and friends who are battling much larger challenges than mine. Walking reminds me of that with every step I take.

Speaking of family, my wonderful, (currently stinky) husband just returned home from running another 5K. Yes, at dusk in the cold rain. He has had more than his share of spinal surgeries and medical issues. He ran his first half-marathon a couple of weeks ago. Whether he realizes it or not, he is my daily inspiration and that voice in my head that says "come on - just one more step!"

Bat Update

2008-09-16T14:37:00.004-04:00

Well, after spending a good part of the afternoon yesterday trying to no avail to find someone to come and take my squealing bat away, it seems that the little guy must have been feeling ok once the darkness fell. The bat is gone. It makes me feel a little uneasy, not knowing where he went. I don't step out the door without taking a good look around first! I had heard that Animal Control Agencies were saying that the big wind storm we had on Sunday night had blewn a lot of little creatures out of there nests in trees and such. I'm hoping that my little visitor found his way back home!

The photo above is from a site I googled. It's almost exactly what our little guy looked like. He really had some teeth!

"The Vampires Have Found Me!"

2008-09-15T18:24:00.003-04:00

So, ok. I was trying to do a little weed-pulling in my badly neglected garden this afternoon, when all of a sudden, I heard something hissing and squealing at me. I jumped back and threw down my garden tool! Snake? No. Chipmunk? No. Bat? YES! There was a bat on my neighbor's porch, hissing at me! Right out there in broad daylight! Well, I ran as fast as I could right back into the house! I've been reading the Stephenie Meyer series,"Twilight" and now "New Moon", which is about VAMPIRES. I'm guessing that they've found me and now I'm in serious trouble! Actually, I think this little bat has been injured and can't fly away. It's definitely more scared of me than I am of it. I'm also guessing that it may be dead by morning. It has crawled under the bench on the porch and hasn't moved or hissed in quite a while. It did give me quite a fright!

National Celiac Awareness Day

2008-09-12T16:09:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow, September 13th is National Celiac Awareness Day. This day was chosen in honor of the birthday of Dr. Samuel Gee. Gee is credited with being the first to identify the link between celiac disease and diet. To read more about it, check out the Celiac-Sprue Association's Website .

In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has scheduled a public hearing on allergen advisory labeling on September 16, 2008, at the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's Harvey W. Wiley Building in College Park, Maryland. Formal notice of the Hearing published in the Federal Register on August 8, 2008. Please click here to read the Federal Register. "The FDA is developing a long-term strategy to assist manufacturers in using allergen advisory labeling that is truthful and not misleading, conveys a clear and uniform message, and adequately informs food-allergic consumers and their caregivers."

As someone who deals with living a gluten-free life everyday, clear product labeling is necessary and should be required on all food items. Many manufacturers are already listing the possible allergens on their labels. Many, still are not. For those of us with food allergies and intolerances, a trip to the grocery store is sometimes very tiring and confusing. I find that when "regular" brand items are not clearly labeled, it forces me to buy the much more expensive "Certified Gluten-Free" labeled items in the Natural/Organic Foods section of the store. While these foods are usually very healthy, they are not so "budget friendly". Organizations, such at the Celiac-Sprue Association are working to improve labeling so that Celiacs can shop without fear of being accidentally "glutened".

Glutenfreeda Is Now Free

2008-08-29T07:49:00.004-04:00

I just got through reading my emails this morning and came across my monthly Glutenfreeda newsletter. To my delight, access to the recipes on Glutenfreeda no longer require a password! Previously, you had to pay a fee and become a member to benefit from all of the great recipes on this site!!! I plan on trying several of these recipes...some of them look really yummy and don't require a lot of ingredients or a chef's degree to prepare.

A Beautiful Late Summer Day

2008-08-19T15:51:00.007-04:00

The sunflowers I planted a couple months ago are finally blooming! Since I have so few sunny spots in our small yard, I decided to plant them in a big pot by the driveway, where they get almost full-day sunshine. I have babied them along, watering them every day, staking them up when they got very tall and the buds got very heavy, and spraying them to try to keep the beetles from chewing the leaves. While they are not the most beautiful sunflowers I have ever seen...my neighbors have much nicer ones... they are mine and bring a smile to my face every time I drive up the driveway.

Well, I can certainly say that my mood is much better today. The weather is just beautiful this afternoon. Partly sunny, nice breeze and about 75 degrees. Definitely not like most Upstate NY August days I remember! It is a nice reminder of the hopefully cool, crisp fall days ahead.

I also think that my post from yesterday helped me release a lot of bottled-up feelings. I guess that's what writing is all about. I am feeling much more optimistic this afternoon. (Maybe it also has something to do with the bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I just scarfed down?)

Fixing Things

2008-08-18T16:12:00.009-04:00

As the summer winds down and I think about school starting in a couple of weeks, I've been trying to make sure I spend time with my daughter having fun and just "hanging out". I know that once school starts, she will be gone seven hours each day and that the time she spends at home will be full of homework, practicing piano and catching up on shows she missed during the day.

Today was a beautiful day and we decided to take a walk to the neighborhood drug store. We have done this many times over the summer and it has proven to be a nice time just to talk and be together. The highlight for my daughter is picking out a cold bottle of flavored water or juice from the refrigerated case at the drug store for the trip home. For me, it's a little bit of exercise and a lot of realizing how much she has grown over the summer. I feel like time is rushing past and I have to stop and look at her before she grows again!

However, since I know that I cannot stop time and that soon I will be alone all day, I've been making a mental list of things to try to accomplish. My list mainly consists of chores around the house that didn't get done in the spring while I was still recovering from my surgery and that I have put off all summer.

1. Fix the stain on the dining room ceiling where roof leaked over the winter when ice backed up on the roof and the snow melt had no where else to go.

2. Fix my daughter's bedroom by trying to organize the many toys she has outgrown, but still cannot bare to part with.

3. Fix the attic by cleaning out the many boxes of crafts I just had to start and never finished.

4. Fix my car. I need four new tires and I must make an appointment to get that done.

5. Fix myself.

Wait. What was that last one? Fix myself. Am I broken? Well, maybe not totally broken, but definitely in a state of disrepair. While most people would not know it just by looking at me or talking with me, I have not been feeling like myself for the past few months. Sure, I go about my day, doing the things I'm supposed to be doing, following the routine, taking care of everything and everyone like a good wife and mother is supposed to do. Inside, I've been feeling like I have lost little pieces of me.

I lost a big piece over the winter when I realized my health was being taken by two squashed discs in my neck. I have had several surgeries and health issues in my past, but none have taken the bite out of me that this one did. Before those discs began misbehaving, I had lost 20 lbs, was following my gluten-free diet, was feeling better, was full of energy and had many plans for future adventures. Now, here I am, up 10 lbs again, having stomach troubles even though I'm still following a strict celiac diet and just going to the grocery store seems like a huge adventure.

I have let fear sneak into my life. Fear that if I do something too active I'll have shooting pains in my arms for the next week. Fear that if I go out to a social event there will be nothing safe for me to eat. Fear that someone will notice that I'm afraid.

Before I hear choruses of "stop whining!" and "why don't you get a job?" or "get a life!", I want to clarify why I am writing this blog today. It's to make a written promise to myself to snap out of this funk I've been in and do something about it. I need to fix what's broken.

While fixing the stuff around the house seems fairly easy, I'm not so sure how easy fixing myself will be. I'm almost certain that it has to begin with my inner thoughts. My intestinal fortitude as they say. I keep going back again and again to Dr. Randy Pausch's speech to the graduating class. (See my earlier post)

"You have to decide, early in life whether you're going to be a Tigger or an Eeyore. "

I'll let you know what I've decided....

AAAA

2008-08-07T09:11:00.004-04:00

No, I'm not talking about Alcoholic's Anonomous or Automotive Association America, I'm talking about AAAA...Annual August Allergy Assault! Yep. It seems that every year from the last week of July to the middle of September, I suffer from what I call A4. I'm not sure exactly what the culprit is. Grass pollen, mold? All I know is that my head is full, my ears hurt, I'm exhausted and I am so dizzy!!! With all the rain we've had here in the Northeast this summer, I'm making a guess that it's MOLD. Tried to take Claritin D yesterday and wound up on the sofa with a blanket, hot tea and the heating pad, trying to get warmed up! I have that reaction to decongestants and I'm guessing that's not a good thing, so I've decided to just suffer through it. It's definitely cramping my lifestyle! I guess I'll have to find another planet to live on!

A Great Loss

2008-07-26T11:39:00.007-04:00

On Friday, I heard of the loss of Dr. Randy Pausch. Dr. Pausch was a Carnegie-Mellon professor who delivered "The Last Lecture" speech about the importance of achieving your childhood dreams. He died on Friday after a long battle with Pancreatic Cancer at the age of 47. His story is told on the Carnegie-Mellon website and also on his own website. Links to his wonderful speech are on these sites. Donations in his honor can be sent to PANCAN: Pancreatic Action Network This is a wonderful organization to which we have made donations in honor of my father, Robert Collins, who died of pancreatic cancer in 1993 and my husband's grandfather, Robert Henderson, who died of the disease in 1999. This organization was not around when my father was diagnosed and there was little support for us as we went through it with him. As any doctor will tell you, if you are going to get cancer, this is not the one you want to get. My thoughts are with Dr. Pausch's family. He leaves behind his wife and three children.

Home Again

2008-07-14T19:12:00.007-04:00

Well, back home after a wonderful week's vacation on the Cape. My brain is still in a vacation fog. I actually forgot what I was doing this morning while I was making breakfast and lunch for my husband! I got so used to just throwing on some clothes and heading downstairs to the "breakfast room" in the motel. Oh well, back to reality.

My daughter absolutely loved the ocean this year. In the past years, she has only walked along the edge of the waves, being careful not to get in too much. This year, she was in up to her shoulders, swimming and diving in the waves! We even bought her a boogie board, after she shared a new found friend's at the beach one day. The water was warm and the waves not too strong and she had a great time.

The weather was great...no rain except the day we arrived. The ride was a little tough on me, although I think I fared a little better this time than on our Boston trip. I had a couple of days of arm pain, but not too bad that I couldn't function. In the car, I had my U-shaped neck pillow on most of the ride. We stopped three times on the way there and back to get out and walk. I did my neck exercises every day to try to strengthen and stretch my neck muscles. I even brought my special S-shaped bed pillow. I think all of these preventative measures really did help.

I did pretty well ordering gluten-free food at the restaurants on the Cape. I pretty much stuck to broiled seafood, without breadcrumbs, baked potatoes, salads with oil and vinegar, too many hot fudge sundaes and LOBSTER OF COURSE! We even tried out a couple of restaurants that catered to Gluten Free diets. Not Your Average Joe's in the Cape Cod Mall in Hyannis offers a small but tasty GF menu. I had an Angus burger served on lettuce and tomato with garlic mashed potatoes. BZ's Mexican and Pizza in Dennisport had a delicious GF pizza. I ate the whole thing myself! Only twice was I not exactly sure of what I was getting and that was my fault in not asking the right questions. I had a pre-made burger that I believe had some kind of filler in it and cauliflower augratin, which had breadcrumbs all over the top of it (which I didn't eat, I just picked at the food around it on the plate). Neither one seemed to bother me.

Now my only question is...when's the next vacation????

Painful Reminder

2008-06-17T13:57:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I had a very painful reminder that I am still healing from my cervical fusion surgery. While walking around Walmart in the afternoon, I began to experience pain up and down both arms. So, I hurried up, made my purchases and got myself home. Not long after I returned home, the awful, burning pain started from between my shoulder blades, up the back of my neck, up to the top of my head. I can honestly say that I freaked out a little. I hadn't experienced pain like this since before my surgery in March. Had I dislodged the plate or screws that hold my neck together? Had the new bone they inserted where my disc used to be moved somehow? I have read about fusions that didn't take and required a second or even a third surgery. I was getting really nervous!

A call to my surgeon's office put my pain in perspective and helped to ease my mind. I had done a lot of car riding over the weekend. In addition, we rode the trolley all over Boston on Sunday. Apparently, your neck takes quite a beating during car rides. It acts like a little shock absorber for your head. While you are bumping up and down, turning and stopping, your neck is busy keeping your head balanced. That's a lot of work for a few vertebrate and some muscle tissue! Anyway, after surgery like mine, the muscles are not as toned as they used to be and the discs above and below the fusion take more of a load than they used to when all discs were mobile. So, I ended up really stressing my neck during our little vacation and am now paying the price.

I am feeling a little better today after a Lyrica and some Aleve, but I can still tell that my neck is very tender and weak. The doctor said it could take a couple of weeks to subside. I also have to remember that things don't totally heal until 6-9 months after surgery. I've only just past 3.

I only hope that I'm better for our trip to the Cape in a few weeks! That's an even longer car ride, so I guess I'd better bring my meds!

Bean Town

2008-06-16T10:37:00.009-04:00

Hey NORM! Yes, that's us, at the bar at Cheer's in Boston, MA this past weekend. One of the many sites we saw while in Beantown. Mark and I have been to Boston before, several times, but without a child in tow. This time was definitely a bit different. We tend to forget how tired our little one gets. By the time we had driven the 3+ hours to get there on Saturday, taken the "T" downtown to the NE Aquarium, saw the Aquarium, walked around Quincy Market, ate, shopped and walked some more, our poor little girl was so tired, she started crying big crocodile tears during the IMAX movie "Dolphins and Whales in 3D"! We ended up leaving the movie early to catch a cab back to the hotel in a hurry! Phew! On Sunday, we took it a little slower, ordered in room service breakfast, let Amanda take a swim in the indoor pool and took the trolley tour of the city, before hitting the road back to Albany. In any case, we did have a great time, even though we were all exhausted! I must mention what I thought was the coolest part of the Aquarium. Along with the penguins, harbour seals, sharks, turtles and other marine life, they have an exhibit of jelly fish. Such graceful creatures. The Aquarium had several different species, swimming around in the tanks. My very favorite tank was one that you could change the color of the lights shining on the jelly fish. It was just beautiful.

You can check out a little video clip of the jelly fish on the New England Aquarium's website Amazing Jellies.

Cape Cod Dreaming

2008-06-13T09:32:00.007-04:00

The Beachcomer Webcam. A live cam pointed directly at the surf on Cahoon Hollow Beach in Wellfleet, MA. A few weeks away from vacation and I find myself returning to this website at least once a day. I know it's probably not normal, but it helps keep me sane! Yesterday, I even spotted three surfers, trying to catch some waves. Enjoy!

The Beachcomer

The Recital

2008-06-09T10:50:00.010-04:00

Amanda's piano recital was on Sunday. She did just wonderful, playing the three songs she and her teacher had chosen. She's only been taking lessons since last September and I'm amazed at how much she has learned. We are so very proud of her!

Out of Touch and Out of Focus!

2008-05-20T18:27:00.005-04:00

Wow. I knew I was addicted to my computer, but I had forgotten how hard it would be to be without it for a couple of days! Not since two years ago, when we moved to this house, have I gone a day without logging on. We had our house painted this week. Three upstairs rooms, including the office where our computer is kept. Everything, including our cable phone and high speed internet, has been unplugged since yesterday morning. I finally figured out how to hook it all back up about an hour ago. After reading and responding to my thirty-three emails, checking friends' blogs and "googling" something for my daughter's homework, I decided it was time to update my blog.

As for our newly painted rooms. They are wonderful. Nothing is a better boost to a room than clean, new paint. The painter did a great job. One man, three rooms, two days. Including ceilings, wood trim, closets! Amazing. Very costly, but amazing. Now, all there is left to do is move all of the "stuff" back into the rooms. Since my hubby is away on business, I have a feeling that it will be done very slowly.

I've also been trying to get used to my new bifocals. These things certainly do take some adjustment! The stairs are fuzzy. I have to remember to turn my head toward an object to actually see it in focus. By the end of the day, I have a bit of a headache. Or maybe it's just the smell of fresh paint? It is really nice to be able to read without looking under my glasses, though!

Lots of News

2008-04-28T13:56:00.003-04:00

Oh my gosh. I have so much to post that I don't know where to begin. I will try not to ramble on! First of all, an update on my surgery. I had my six-week post op appointment with my surgeon this morning. More x-rays. Everything is healing well. My nerves seem to be healing and my "bad" days are fewer and farther between and not quite as "bad" as they were pre-op! My incision is healing well and I'm told it will be almost unnoticeable in a few more months. I really only have one complaint at this point. My throat still feels swollen inside, like a swollen tonsil or a "frog" in there when I swallow. It gets worse when I eat, especially hard or hot foods. My surgeon was not sure exactly why this would be happening this long after surgery. Apparently, most patients feel the swelling go away by 4-6 weeks. Perhaps I just take a little longer. In any case, I guess we'll just have to see if it improves on it's own. If not, it was suggested that I go see an ENT specialist. In the meantime, I'll just keep eating that cold ice cream! I've had to switch to "Skinny Cow Fat Free Fudge Bars" now that I'm back at Weight Watchers! My family and I finally went to dinner at KD's Fish Fry this weekend. Wow! I was so happy, I could hardly contain myself while I ate. I ordered the GF NE Clam Chowder, GF Fried Clam Strips, GF Onion Rings and for dessert, GF Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!!! I was totally in heaven and made a huge pig of myself. Their GF Menu is posted right along side their regular menu on the wall. Bless these people for caring about people with food allergies and for coming up with such wonderful food! The very best part was that the restaurant is clean and nicely decorated in nautical theme...I almost thought I was on the Cape...and my family loved their food as well. We will definitely be visiting again soon!!! Next time, I think I'll bring some of that cake home!!! I have been having so much fun emailing restaurants on the Cape and here at home to inquire about allergen information. I received a very nice response from Cooke's Seafood. They are located in Hyannis and Mashpee, MA. http://www.cookesseafood.com/. I had inquired about the hamburgers and other items on their menu. Below is there response. Thank you for your interest in Cooke's Seafood. Please excuse the lateness of this reply but our server was out for the last five days. As to questions regarding your dietary restrictions, we will be more than happy to accommodate your needs. Both menu items that you mentioned are possible as are a number of other grilled items (Grilled Salmon or Grilled Chicken Sandwich). Our lobsters are steamed in a commercial steamer in which only lobsters, corn and carrots are cooked. As you suggested the sandwiches can all be served minus the bread and our various broiled items without the crumbs and accompanying toast points. Please do keep in mind that cross contamination can occur as you pointed out but we will do our best to make your meal a pleasant experience. We look forward to serving you soon, The Owners and Staff of Cooke's Restaurants, Inc. I will keep posting restaurant information as I find out more...

Gluten-Free Cape Cod, MA

2008-04-23T09:21:00.008-04:00

Every year around February, I begin planning our summer vacation. It has been a long standing tradition in my family to visit Cape Cod, MA. I went every summer as a kid and I like to think of it as my second home. I have continued this tradition with my husband and daughter, even though my husband laments that he would like to visit other places at some point. I love the Cape for many reasons. The ocean (of course!), the quaint little villages, the shopping, the many, many family activities found there and of course, the restaurants.

For a good six months before vacation, I spend time googling places to stay, places to visit, making lists of things to pack, gazing at webcams, dreaming of that first day when I can stick my bare feet in the sand. Since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I have added emailing some of our favorite restaurants to find out if they are willing to give out allergen information for their menu items. Some restaurants reply by happily providing a list of items where no gluten ingredients have been added. Of course, there is always the disclaimer that cross-contamination may occur and that they can't always rely on their suppliers for complete allergen info. Other restaurants never reply at all. I'm guessing they probably don't want to be held responsible for making someone sick. I have even heard stories of restaurants who, upon finding out that someone has a food allergy, have refused to serve them. In any case, I have been able to find two Cape eateries that I will be visiting this summer.

BZ's Mexican Pizzeria - 682 Main Street, Dennisport, MA.

http://bzspizza.com/glutenfree.html

They advertise gluten-free pizza on their website. They even state that they have specially trained their staff about cross-contamination. You can bet I will try it!

Sundae School Ice Cream - 381 Lower County Rd., Dennisport, MA

They also have locations in Harwichport and East Orleans.

http://www.sundaeschool.com/

We visit here every summer and there is no place like it. Homemade ice cream, hot fudge, real whipped cream and a bing cherry on top! I received at email response to my request for allergen information this morning. As I suspected, all their ice creams are gluten-free, with the exception of those with mix-ins such as oreo cookies, brownies, etc. Also, cones are out. The ice creams and hot fudge are sweetened with corn syrup and there is only vanilla and sugar added in the whipped cream. Now, my disclaimer is that I didn't ask about whether the vanilla used in the whipped cream or the cocoa used in the fudge is gluten-free. If you are super gluten sensitive you would need to ask more questions along with asking for a clean scoop to be used. For my needs, this information is good enough. I'm lucky that I don't become seriously ill from ingesting a small amount of gluten.

As with any of us who are gluten-intolerant, we have to use our own judgement when dining out in restaurants. Lord knows, I have eaten more salads than I have in my entire lifetime since being diagnosed last year, simply because it's just easier. No croutons, no dressing, no blue cheese, has become my mantra.

I am also looking forward to visiting Trader Joe's. Since there are none of these stores in our area, it is always a special treat. This year, it will be especially fun to look for their gluten-free items. I plan on taking a small cooler just in case I find some goodies to buy on the last day of vacation to bring home. Hopefully, there will be room in the car.

Now, where's my flip-flops?

Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Websites/Blogs

2008-04-20T19:49:00.004-04:00

I have been doing a lot of internet surfing this weekend (when I wasn't outside enjoying the beautiful, unseasonably warm weather!) and came across some new and old websites/blogs dealing with Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free living.

A good starter website for all you ever wanted to know about Celiac Disease is The Celiac Disease Resource, Inc., Albany, NY site at http://www.celiacresource.org/.

There are also a couple of restaurants in the area serving gluten-free selections. I have not tried these places yet, but plan to very soon!!! The first is KD's Fish Fry in Saratoga, NY. They apparently serve gluten-free fish fry, french fries and other items. Their website is http://kdsfishfry.com/index.html. The second is Nunzio’s Pizza and Deli @ The Pink Store at 119 Clinton Street in Saratoga Springs, NY. Gluten-free pizza made-to-order. They do not have a website that I know of, but their phone number is 518-584-3840.

For more information on these establishments and more, see http://blogs.timesunion.com/glutenfree/ , a blog set up by a local blogger, former bakery owner, Suzanne Mangini, who now follows a gluten-free diet.

Happy reading!!!

Accommodating Allergies

2008-04-14T10:02:00.008-04:00

Since I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease last November, I have become very aware of restaurants who are willing to accommodate persons with food allergies. Just about every restaurant will give you a salad without croutons or dressing, but I find there are few with actual "Gluten-Free" options. When I do find an establishment service GF items, I squeal with delight! For example, there is a wonderful little bakery on Hoosick Street (Route 7) in Brunswick, NY, called "Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free Bakery & Cafe". It is run by a husband and wife team who, along with their kids, live gluten-free. Absolutely EVERYTHING in their restaurant is gluten-free. Pizza, pasta, cookies, breads, doughnuts...everything! They bake a gluten-free layered dessert bar (the kind with the M&M's on top) that is, in my opinion, to die for. Well, the only problem for me is that the cafe is a little far out of my way. Much to my surprise, I found that a natural foods store in Stuyvestant Plaza carries some of Sherry Lynn's baked goods, including her doughnuts, pizza and layered bars! Yes, that was an audible squeal you heard!

Which brings me to my next latest find. On our trip to Stuyvestant Plaza, I grabbed a container of Sherry's layered bars and headed over to the Starbuck's located a few storefronts down. With great joy in my heart, I ordered my decaf with skim and sat down and devoured my coffee and GF goodies! I have often wished that Starbuck's would offer some gluten-free options. I would also love them to make their allergen information available either on their website or in-store. Well, seems I am not the only one secretly wishing for this! While surfing my usual GF blogs and sites this morning, I found a new one. Celiac Chicks, which I will be listing among my favorites, contained a link to "My Starbuck's Ideas" where you can vote for all kinds of things. Among the brilliant ideas others have posted is one for GF goodies! So, if you can find it in your heart and have a couple of minutes to go through the account sign-up process (it's free), please vote for all of us who want to enjoy treats at Starbuck's!!! Thanks!!!

Hired Help

2008-04-09T17:05:00.005-04:00

I must admit that I am never one to spend money on things that I feel I can do myself. I guess you could call me frugal or a penny pincher or cheap or any other number of names. I'd rather save my money for things I feel are important like family vacations, pool memberships, clothing for my ever-growing daughter, not to mention my mounting medical bills. It's only been recently that I've begun to realize that I can't do everything around the house like I used to.

When we moved into our house two years ago, we decided to continue the lawn service that the previous owners had hired. It's really nice not to have to spread fertilizer, weed preventer and grub killer ourselves. It spares a lot of time lugging bags of poisonous stuff from the store into the garage every spring.

Since my surgery, I have also realized that some of the house cleaning chores are almost impossible for me to accomplish. I can no longer crouch in the shower to scrub the soap scum or push the vacuum over the carpets without hurting myself. Never before this time would I even consider hiring a maid service to do what I consider to be my job as a stay-at-home mom. I'm hear all day, what else am I going to do? Sit around, watch soaps and eat bon-bons? I don't watch soaps and I don't even know what a bon-bon is. Well, today I hired a maid service to come in every other week. Perhaps only until I feel I can manage the chores again myself.

I also determined that I am unable to paint the three bedrooms that desperately need painting. So, tomorrow I have a painter coming to give an estimate. I can't even imagine how that's going to go. Last fall, for fun, I got an estimate for the job. I nearly fainted when I saw the total. At that time, I decided the price was way too high and that I would paint the rooms myself in the spring. Who knew what was to come?

Back to Life

2008-04-07T14:01:00.004-04:00

Since we didn't get to go anywhere for Easter this year. No Easter church service, no visiting family, no Easter egg hunts. My daughter didn't get to wear her Easter dress until yesterday. I couldn't resist taking pictures of her all pink and girly. Every day when I see her, she reminds me that life is wonderful and that I am so lucky to have her in my life.

This weekend I re-entered the land of the living with a bang. We were so busy all weekend, I barely had time to remember that I am still recovering from surgery. Shopping, dining out, shuttling our daughter to birthday parties, going to church for the first time in weeks and visiting family. It was all exhausting, but lots of fun. Things felt as though everything was back to normal. Well, at least as normal as possible.

I've been trying to ignore that my pre-surgery symptoms, the ones that led me to have surgery, have returned. The weakness in my arms and legs is back with a vengeance. The electric buzzing feeling began again this morning. I keep telling myself to be patient, that it's only been four weeks since surgery. I have been told that nerves take a long time to heal. That is if the nerve damage hasn't gone too far and they are going to heal. Patience!