Gluten-Free Review: Real Simple Delicious Soups

A few nights ago I got home from work and really had no intention of cooking dinner. I figured we'd probably graze from the fridge again or have scrambled eggs and toast (a no-cooking night staple!)... and then I remembered we had 3 soup samples delivered to us earlier in the week. One of the definite perks of food blogging... free food!

Cook! San Francisco is a small company that creates homemade gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free soups and stews. They also have a detox meal service that delivers healthy gluten-free meals nationwide for those following Dr. Mark Hyman's Ultrametabolism-Diet.

The soups and stews are quite simple and contain healthy, whole foods ingredients. That evening for dinner Michael decided to have the All Bean Chili. The chili contains water, black beans, pinto beans lima beans, onions, diced tomatoes, garlic, spices, salt & pepper. Michael said it tasted a lot like Wendy's Chili to him and he really enjoyed it.

For my own bowl, I had the French Onion Soup which contains: a homemade vegetable broth, onions, olive oil, sherry, thyme, bay leaf, salt & pepper. This soup is so light and delicious. It tasted homemade and it's like I could have made it in my own kitchen.  It would have been really awesome with a piece of gluten-free toast and mozzarella cheese melted over on top!

Real Simple Delicious Soup Pro's:

• Very healthy, all gluten-free AND vegan
• Low calorie, but filling with healthy vegetable protein & fiber
• Lots of variety, some soups can be served hot OR cold such as the Zucchini Soup
• Only 1 soup contains soy- the Thai Green Curry, every other soup is soy-free as well
• Eco-friendly packaging, very little to throw away, and all packaging should be recyclable

Real Simple Delicious Soup Con's:

• I don't know the actual retail price, but I'm guessing it's probably at least $5-$7 per package and each container only has 1.5 servings from 12 ounces (about the equivalent of your average can of soup), So, most likely pretty pricey for one meal (however homemade, REAL food, & healthy are generally worth the extra cost!) 
• Not shelf-stable. These soups need to be refrigerated or frozen after purchasing. Once opened, you can store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. 
• I'm not sure if the soups are available nationwide yet, but their website provides a form you can give to your the manager of your favorite grocery store 

Want to know more, please check out: Cook! Real Simple Delicious Soups & Stews.

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GLG Disclosure: 

Cook! San Francisco provided me with free samples of their soups and stews for the purpose of sharing an online review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

Gluten-Free Quick Meals 101: What to cook when you don't feel like cooking

Let's be honest... life is just BUSY. Our current lifestyle and culture thrive on busy-ness and often once we've gotten home from work or school or it's the end of the day for homeschooling or stay-at-home moms & dads... we're just tired. We don't want to cook (okay, make that CARRIE does not want to cook.) Maybe you don't feel quite the same way, but you also have times when you just don't have much energy or you feel frustrated or burned out with the gluten-free diet. Well here you go. Over 100 super fast and easy gluten-free recipes just for you.  With the help of some dear friends I've put together a go-to list with recipes that you can mix and match just for you. You have weeks and weeks worth of meals here. Need a meal plan? Pick five from the list and you're ready to go. Vegan meals, vegetarian meals, meat & potatoes meals, kid-friendly meals... whatever your dietary restrictions are there's probably at least 20 meals you can choose from on this list.

Many, MANY thanks to Clara Ogren and Cheryl Harris for offering their recipes, ideas, and insight. Also many thanks to Pema, Michelle, Kathleen, and Brooke, friends from the GLG facebook page, for offering their favorite quick recipes as well! 


Gluten-Free Quick Meals 101: Over 100 super easy gluten-free meal ideas for when you don't feel like cooking!
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1. Bacon and eggs. You can make each super fast in the microwave or traditionally on the stove! -- GLG

2. Scrambled eggs served over gluten-free toast or sauteed spinach. -- GLG

3. Microwaved baked potatoes with microwaved steamed broccoli and cheese. -- GLG

4. Baked beans served on top of microwaved baked potatoes. -- GLG

5. Tuna salad served on top of microwaved baked potatoes. -- GLG

6. Microwaved sweet potatoes served with heated ham slices and green beans. -- GLG

7. Deli rotisserie chicken with microwaved sweet potatoes and steamed green beans or asparagus. -- GLG

8. Gluten-free spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions and mixed with cooked garden peas, chopped carrots, butter, and parmesan cheese. -- GLG

9. Chicken salad made from leftover deli rotisserie chicken served on gluten-free crackers or toast. -- GLG

10. Fried eggs served on top of sauteed kale, onions, and mushrooms. -- GLG

Bonus Recipe: Iris' Chickpea Tomato Sauce

11. "Leftover" omelettes -- omelettes filled with whatever veggies & meat leftovers you have in the fridge. -- GLG

12. Canned chili served over microwaved baked potatoes with shredded cheese, onions, and sour cream. -- GLG

13. Gluten-free pasta, cooked according to package directions and mixed with canned spaghetti or marinara sauce, and a bag of mixed vegetables. -- GLG

14. Cooked chicken breasts, diced and mixed with jarred pesto sauce, served over cooked brown rice. -- GLG

15. Cooked chicken breasts, diced and mixed with jarred salsa, served over cooked brown rice or tortilla chips. -- GLG

16. Cooked chicken breasts, diced and mixed with cooked garden peas and cooked, diced carrots, and cooked brown rice or quinoa. Add 1 cup hot gluten-free chicken broth over each serving for a quick and hearty. -- GLG

17. Corn tortilla quesadilla with black beans, cheddar, and sliced avocado. -- GLG

18. Corn tortilla pizzas with pizza sauce, pepperoni, and cheese. -- GLG

19. Cooked gluten-free pasta mixed with scrambled eggs, and finely chopped sautéed kale, and sliced cherry tomatoes. -- GLG

20. Quick Peanut butter or almond butter satay sauce over gluten-free pasta: mix together a few tablespoons of almond butter or peanut butter, gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, and a little sugar. Heat in a saucepan until pour-able and serve over cooked pasta with chopped peanuts or cashews. -- GLG

Bonus Recipe: Claire's Asparagus Salad with Strawberries

21. Sautéed zucchini with onions, olive oil, and ½ pound of high quality ground-beef. Need carbs? Serve over cooked gluten-free pasta or cooked brown rice. -- GLG

22. Quick tuna melt – Mix up a drained can of tuna with a few tablespoons of mayonnaise and a little mustard. Place on toasted gluten-free bread and top with baby spinach. Add cheese on top and place under broiler for 2-3 minutes or microwave for 30 seconds – 1 minute until cheese is melted. -- GLG

23. Cooked gluten-free fusilli pasta with garlic, parmesan cheese, and butter. -- GLG

24. Crudites with dressing: Chop a carrot, a green pepper, and celery stalk into sticks and dip in your favorite gluten-free dressing. For protein add a cheese stick or rolled up slices of ham or turkey. -- GLG

25. Snack dinner: serve ham, turkey, and cheese slices with gluten-free crackers. -- GLG

26. Stock up on canned Progresso Soups (lentil, manhattan clam chowder, split pea with ham, chicken corn chowder, hearty black bean, potato broccoli and cheese, new England clam chowder, creamy mushrooms, southwestern style chicken, southwestern style chicken chowder, chicken rice with vegetables. -- GLG

27. Gluten-free veggie burgers such as Sunshine burgers served open-faced on gluten-free toast or as a sandwich on gluten-free buns. -- GLG

28. Quick stir-fry: saute 2 sliced chicken breasts with 1-2 bags of frozen vegetables. Serve over 90 second  cooked brown rice. -- GLG

29. Store-bought or homemade hummus with cut-up fresh veggies or gluten-free crackers. -- GLG

30. Keep it old school: a gluten-free peanut butter or almond butter and jelly sandwich, with a sliced apple, and a cheese stick. -- GLG

Bonus Recipe: Sara's Bruchetta Pasta Toss

31. Saute two sliced zucchinis with a chopped sweet onion and 1/2 pound of ground beef or sliced flank steak. Serve over fresh baby spinach or cooked brown rice. -- GLG

32. Brown 1/2 pound ground beef with cooked black beans, 1/2 diced sweet onion. Season with gluten-free taco seasoning and serve over a fresh salad with cheese and sour cream. -- GLG

33. Use browned ground beef mixture in idea #32 and fold into omelets or a gluten-free brown rice tortilla. -- GLG

34. Add 1 pound browned ground beef 1 diced sweet onion, 2 cups cooked sweet corn to a casserole dish. Top with prepared or leftover mashed potatoes. Dot with butter and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with a salad. -- GLG

35. Make fresh or frozen ground turkey burgers and serve over a salad or baby spinach. Make a large batch of individual burgers ahead of time and freeze them. -- GLG

36. Gluten-free pancakes using Homemade master mix or GF Bisquick with gluten-free sausage. -- GLG

37. Mix 3 cups cooked gluten-free pasta with 1 jar of spaghetti or marinara sauce and 1 pound browned ground beef. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. -- GLG

38. Gluten-free french toast with scrambled eggs and sliced apples. -- GLG

39. Make a large batch of gluten-free meatballs and freeze them. Reheat meatballs over cooked brown rice, quinoa, or mashed potatoes. Serve with spaghetti sauce or pesto sauce. -- GLG

40. Brown 1 pound of ground beef and add a few mashed garlic cloves, 2 bags of frozen broccoli and serve over gluten-free toast or cooked brown rice. -- GLG

Bonus Recipe: Quick Chicken & Broccoli Skillet Meal

41. Prepare 12 ounces of gluten-free penne pasta and add a drained & rinsed can of white beans, 1 package of fresh baby spinach, and 2-3 tablespoons of butter and Parmesan cheese or a homemade non-dairy cheese sauce. -- GLG

42. Toast 2 slices of gluten-free bread. Add pizza sauce, pepperoni, mushrooms, chopped green pepper, and cheese. Toast again under the broiler until cheese is melted. -- GLG

43. Easy 3 bean salad: mix together 3 different types of canned beans that have each been drained & rinsed. Add 1/2 diced green pepper and 1/2 a diced sweet onion. Pour a little Italian salad dressing over the bean mixture. Refrigerate and enjoy for a quick and easy cold meal. -- GLG

44. Veggie quesadillas: fill corn tortillas with chopped zucchini, black beans, mushrooms, cooked spinach and a little cheese. cook on griddle until cheese is melted through. -- GLG

45. Quick mexican salad: drain and rinse 1 can of sweet corn kernels and 1 can of black beans. Quarter 20 cherry tomatoes, mix all together and serve. -- GLG

46. Lunch lettuce wraps: place large leaves of iceberg lettuce on a place and fill with sandwich ham or turkey, cheese if desired, mayonnaise, mustard, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, etc... wrap and eat! -- GLG

47. Refried beans spread on a corn tortilla and heated for 30 seconds in the microwave. Add chopped turkey or ham and top with cheese or Daiya cheese substitute. -- Clara O.

48. 90 second curry - heat up a 90 second microwavable curry (available in the Indian or International section of your grocery store) and serve over 90 second microwavable brown rice. Serve. -- Clara O.

49. Frozen vegetables (the 'steamable' kind in the freezer) heated according to directions and served over gluten-free pasta or cooked brown rice. Place cooked chicken or sliced ham or turkey over the vegetables. -- GLG

50. Boiled eggs, sliced and served on gluten-free crackers with salt and pepper. -- Clara O.

Bonus Recipe: Grilled Chili-Lime Tilapia with Peach Salsa

51. Protein wrap: place sliced boiled eggs, cheese, salt & pepper on slices of turkey or ham. Wrap and eat. -- Clara O.

52. Smoked oysters on gluten-free crackers with mustard. -- Clara O.

53. Quick egg salad: dice up boiled eggs and mix with mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and relish. Serve on gluten-free crackers or toast. -- Clara O.

54. Peanut butter or almond butter on sliced apples or bananas. -- Clara O.

55. Peanut butter or almond butter spread in a gluten-free wrap with banana slices and raisins. -- Clara O.

56. Hummus spread on lunch meat with sliced cucumbers and rolled up as a wrap. -- Clara O.

57. Gluten-free pepperoni slices and cheese slices on gluten-free crackers -- Clara O.

58. Pre-cooked, peeled & diced sweet potatoes served sprinkled with goat cheese and roast beef slices. -- GLG

59. "Sick soup" - 2 cups heated gluten-free chicken broth with 4-5 tablespoons potato flakes stirred in. Very easy to digest and very comforting. -- GLG

60. Gluten-free penne pasta, cooked and tossed with a few tablespoons of olive oil, garden peas, cooked and crumbled bacon, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. -- GLG

Bonus Recipe: Shirley's Meatloaf in Minutes

61. Pre-cooked, diced butternut squash, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries. Tossed together and drizzled slightly with honey mustard dressing. -- GLG

62. Canned pinto beans, heated and served with chopped onions and either gluten-free cornbread, or simple gluten-free toast. -- GLG

63. Cooked/rotisserie chicken, add a little mayo/mustard/relish for a chicken salad. Serve on crackers or in lettuce wrap, or on top of salad. -- Clara O.

64. Cucumber boats: cucumber cut in half and middle scooped out, filled with lunchmeat, mayo, etc. -- Clara O.

65. Open-faced, Super quick "Manwiches" - Mix 1 pound browned ground beef, with 1/2 chopped onion, 3/4 cup gluten-free ketchup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoons mustard, and 2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce. Mix all together and spoon ground beef mixture over gluten-free toast. For an instant melt, add a slice of cheese and place under the broiler for 2 minutes and serve with a salad or green beans. -- GLG

66. Coconut or almond milk yogurt with granola, sliced/diced nuts and dried fruit. -- Clara O.

67. Chef salad—romaine lettuce, arugula or spinach, carrots, tomato, cucumber, peppers, etc. with leftover meat, cheese, a hardboiled egg, nuts or beans, with olive oil and vinegar dressing. - Cheryl Harris

68. Salsa soup-heat a can of salsa, a can of black or pinto beans, a 2 C thawed corn & add in some broth (Herb ox®, Imagine® and Pacific® ). Serve w/ cheese (optional) &/or plain tortilla chips. -- Cheryl Harris

69. Bean and Tuna salad—Drained can of chickpeas, a drained can tuna fish, 1 C cherry tomatoes, 1/4 C feta (optional), 2 TBSP olive oil, 2 T balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Sprinkle w/garlic salt &pepper. -- Cheryl Harris

70. Baby Greens Salad with Garbanzo Beans: 3 C baby green mix w/herbs, sliced avocado, ¾ C garbanzo beans, 1 C tomatoes, 2 TBSP pecans & Parmesan (optional). Mix w/1 TBSP balsamic vinegar/ lemon juice &1 TBSP of olive oil right before eating. - Cheryl Harris

Bonus Recipe: Kat's Chicken with Artichokes

71. Corn tortilla or lettuce leaf wrap with tuna, hummus, avocado, roasted veggies, cold cuts or cheese (Boar’s Head® meats and cheeses) lettuce, tomato, pickles, condiments, etc. -- Cheryl Harris

72. Arugula salad: 2 cups arugula or spinach, ½ can salmon, ½ avocado, ½ chopped green apple & a few walnuts. Squeeze lemon on top right before eating. (keep the remaining halves for tomorrow) -- Cheryl Harris

73. Quick Black Bean Salad: Can of black beans, 2 ears raw sliced or 1 C thawed corn, 1 C tomatoes, ¼ C cilantro, a pinch of cumin and lime juice on top. -- Cheryl Harris

74. Hummus salad: hummus with romaine, tomato, cucumber, red peppers or onion. -- Cheryl Harris

75. Quinoa & beans: rinse 1 C quinoa, cook w/ 2 1/4 C broth (Imagine®, Pacific®, Herb Ox®), add in 2 tsp of chili powder & 2 C black beans & 2 C chopped tomatoes. Serve w/lime. (several portions) -- Cheryl Harris

76. Baked salmon: put salmon on parchment paper on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt & pepper, & herbs (rosemary, thyme, tarragon, etc.) or slices of lemon. Drizzle w/ olive oil, bake for 12-15 minutes at 425°. Serve w/ steamed veggies. -- Cheryl Harris

77. Grill chicken, fish or shrimp and peppers, onions, zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, mushrooms, etc. (many stores sell veggies pre-skewered) -- Cheryl Harris

78. Grill or broil steaks and serve with a baked plain or sweet potato. -- Cheryl Harris

79. Flounder, sole, red snapper: bake 4 filets with ¼ tsp of Old Bay® seasoning, ½ tsp garlic salt, squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of oil, & a pound of frozen veggies at 375° for 25-30 minutes. -- Cheryl Harris

80. Brown 1lb ground turkey/lean beef & drain, or use 2 cans kidney beans. Add a can of tomatoes, 1 TBSP oregano & 2 C thawed corn. Simmer until done (about 15 min) & serve w/ brown rice. -- Cheryl Harris

Bonus Recipe: Rebekah's Samon Croquettes

81. Sauté ¼ C minced garlic w/ 2T olive oil for 1 min & add 1 C of white wine, simmer 2 min. Add 1.5 C cooked shrimp & 3 C thawed chopped broccoli, carrots, peppers, etc. & heat until warm. Sprinkle w/Parmesan cheese & black pepper, serve w/ quinoa, GF pasta or rice noodles if desired. -- Cheryl Harris

82. Baked trout with almonds: Sprinkle 4 trout fillets w/salt &pepper. Drizzle with 2 T oil&1 T lemon juice. Sprinkle w/ ½ cup sliced almonds. Bake at 400° for 20 min &serve w/seasonal veggie. -- Cheryl Harris

83. Hot dog (bunless, with a gf bun, or lettuce wrap) with plain potato chips. (Hebrew National®, Applegate Farms®). -- Cheryl Harris

84. Pour a large jar of tomato sauce over chicken pieces and cook at 350° for 35 minutes or until done. Serve with veggies and gluten-free pasta. -- Cheryl Harris

85. Steamed crabs (check seasonings) with corn on the cob. -- Cheryl Harris

86. Cannellini beans, tuna in olive oil (optional), drained canned diced tomatoes, a few Kalamata olives and a few fresh basil leaves. -- Cheryl Harris

87. Fajitas—Sauté 1 chopped onion & 1 sliced red pepper with 2 TBSP of oil. Add package of precooked chicken (Perdue’s Short Cuts®) &Mc Cormick’s® fajita seasoning. Serve w/corn tortillas. -- Cheryl Harris

88. Prepare 3 cups instant wild rice. Add in 1 lb precooked chicken, a chopped apple, 2 chopped celery stalks, 1/2 cup of pecans, 1 Tbsp of honey Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup oil and 3 T of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Mix. -- Cheryl Harris

89. Cuban Beans & Rice: Sauté 1 chopped onion in 1T oil. In 2 min, add chopped pepper, 2T minced garlic & ½ tsp chili powder. Cook 2 min, add in 15 oz diced tomatoes w/ juice & simmer 15 min. Add 3 C beans & heat until warm. Serve over brown rice, add seasonings & cilantro to taste. -- Cheryl Harris

90. Sauté garlic until golden. Add tofu, cooked shrimp or chicken and thawed mixed vegetables, &warm. Add several tablespoons of soy sauce &serve over rice/rice noodles (San-J /La Choy®). -- Cheryl Harris

Bonus Recipe: Anna's Bacon & Egg Baked Chard

91. Brown 2 GF cooked sausages (Applegate®, Trader Joe’s®). Add 2 C chopped green/red pepper &cook 2 min. Add 2 C corn, 1 C tomatoes, 3 C of cooked rice & 1 T Cajun seasoning. -- Cheryl Harris

92. Make rice noodles according to package.  Add broccoli halfway through cooking or 2-3 minutes before the end, drain, and add a can of baby corn.  Pour peanut sauce on top* (Thai Kitchen® sauces). -- Cheryl Harris

93. Pan-seared haddock or other white fish (like tilapia) with lemon pepper seasoning and drizzled store-bought reduced balsamic vinegar. Serve with steamed veggies (like Steamables) with potato chips on the side. -- Kathleen Duquette

94. Quick crust-less quiche: Mix 10 eggs, little milk, salt, pepper, and thyme together. Pour into a large heated-cast iron skillet. Top with cheese, chopped leftover veggies (whatever you want to use). Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Favorite toppings on this are: chopped cherry tomatoes, green onions,  and feta cheese. Serve with fruit smoothies or a salad. -- Brooke Ruzek

95.  Butter Chicken: Cube 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, put in a large ziplock baggie with a little rice flour and a pinch of salt. Shake around. Melt butter or butter substitute in a large skillet. Saute or stir-fry chicken and serve over rice with vegetables or a salad. Super fast, easy, and yummy. -- Michelle Soruco

96. Add 1-2 cubed and cooked chicken breasts to 1 can of Progresso Creamy Mushroom soup and add 1-2 packages of steamed broccoli. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes and serve over 90-second cooked brown rice. -- GLG

97. Serve poached eggs over gently wilted spinach or argula with a side of crispy bacon and gluten-free toast or hashbrowns. -- GLG

98. Cook a box of gluten-free macaroni and cheese as make as directed. Mix in browned ground beef, peas & carrots, or green beans & chopped ham for a quick homemade "Hamburger Helper" type meal. -- GLG

99. Chocolate Protein Smoothie: 1 cup  COLD coconut milk, 1 frozen banana, 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1 scoop gluten-free chocolate protein powder or 1 tablespoons cocoa powder. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth and enjoy! -- Pema Sony-la

100. Almond Banana Smoothie: 1 cup almond milk, 1 ripe banana (preferably frozen), 2-3 drops liquid stevia (if needed), 2 drops almond extracts, sprinkle of cinnamon, handful of ice-cubes. Optional: spoonful of ground flax, protein powder, or chia seeds. Pour all into a blender and blend until very smoothe. Serve and enjoy! - Clara O.

101.  When all else fails, or just because you want too: Dinner at a restaurant with a GF menu (Uno’s®, Outback®, Bonefish®, PF Chang’s®, etc.) -- Cheryl Harris

Bonus Recipe: Alta's Egg, Zucchini, Red Pepper, and Spinach Wrap

Enough, 100 Words

I found this writing prompt through the blog "LouCeel" today and I was intrigued and challenged! It's a weekly writing challenge that is prompted by simply one word. This week's word is: enough.

While I love to cook and bake... I feel like my real gift is writing. And sometimes it's just fun to use a creative prompt to get the "literary juices" flowing.  So here is my entry for this week's 100 Words.

Enough:  

He’s been there 12 years.  Through 11 “ Saint Valentine’s Days.”  In the beginning I needed reminders. I needed the reassurance, flowers, and chocolate.

There were years he forgot. No flowers at work… oh the fury of scorned women.

Expectations were unmet, I didn’t  feel loved, respected. Pouted for days.

Silly, now. 

I wake up to him nudging me.  Turn off the alarm. Cats purring.  His warm smile. We’ve made it. There’s no actual NEED for schmaltzy gifts.

Staring at those beautiful dark brown eyes who have always loved me back, it’s all I need. So much more than enough.

Happy St. Valentine's Day M! 

To read more entries from the "100 Word Challenge" please visit this weeks' edition at Velvet Verbosity. 

RAK - Random Acts of Kindness Week, February 11-15

The college campus I work at has made a point to celebrate this special week the past few years. I think it's such a great idea. So often around Christmas we have feelings of giving, the awesome charitable love for others and just wanting to help... but then as the holidays fade, those kind thoughts can often get lost in the shuffle of getting back to everyday life.

I speak from experience. We just seem to sort of "forget" to be nice sometimes... and I'm probably more guilty than most. So I hope to find ways of being a little kinder this week! I'm hoping to bake some gluten-free cupcakes or cookies and sharing them with my co-workers. I also made silly valentine's to share with everyone.

For more information on this special week every year, please visit the foundation's website: randomactsofkindness.org.

This Week's Gluten-Free Menu: Back to a Plan

Okay, admittedly it has been MONTHS... really MONTHS since I stuck a menu plan. It's so easy to get out of the habit... and then it kills our grocery budget when we do!

So it's time to get back in the habit. The meals we have cooked over the past few weeks have been mostly pantry meals. I'm trying to clean out my freezer and our cabinets and rotate out foods that are getting close to date!

I'm going to continue that this week, although I probably will stop by the grocery store to pick up a few things like eggs and milk (almond for me, organic dairy for hubs). Our meals will also be very quick and easy, as life has been pretty hectic lately and I just haven't had time to create or make meals with tons of ingredients or that take a long time.

And as you probably know, this week has a couple of special days in it: Shrove Tuesday and Saint Valentine's Day. So I think we'll have gluten-free pancakes on Tuesday night and for Valentine's Day, M & I will just have a small meal at home followed by a glass of this chocolate wine! I saw it at the grocery store yesterday and had to pick it up! How perfect for Valentine's Day!

This Week's Gluten-Free Menu: 

• Monday - Italian Chicken Sausage served over gluten-free spaghetti with marinara sauce and green beans or a simple argula salad
• Tuesday - Shrove Tuesday: Gluten-Free Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon 
• Wednesday - Carrot Apple Curry Soup (but will use butternut squash instead of carrots) and steamed broccoli
• Thursday - Valentine's Day: Light finger foods like bacon-wrapped dates, homemade hummus with tortilla chips, deviled eggs (hubs favorite!), maybe fresh veggies with ranch dressing, along with chocolates and chocolate wine! 
• Friday - Comforting Chicken and Rice soup from "The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook" pg. 120
• Saturday - Kale & Bacon Quiche with an easy fruit salad
• Sunday - Eggplant Lasagna -- my friend Betty made this for us a few months ago and it is SO good! We use zucchini instead of eggplant and I make my half without cheese. 

For Mitten

I'm sitting in the small community college library. I've been reading the latest issue of Good Housekeeping and Southern Living. The entire issues mind you. I can't tell you the last time I've done that. Just sit down in a quiet space with magazine and read it cover to cover. No worries, no work... just the quiet hum of the air conditioning and the occasional ring of someone's cell phone (despite the mute-it sign.) It's peaceful here and I've needed these quiet hours for weeks. Weeks. Libraries are in many ways my "church", my safe place... I seek them out constantly even though I work at one. I accompanied my husband to his work this afternoon to spend a few hours near him. We needed to be close.

The past 24 hours have been a blur. Really though, the past 6 weeks, 6 months have been a blur. Michael and I are happily married with no children, but we love our furr-kids. I don't desire children like many women my age do. I've struggled with that for much of my adult life, people seem to find it very wrong for an adult woman not to want children. Don't get me wrong, I love kids. I love YOUR kids. I love kids that I get to give back! I love being an aunt and a neighbor who bakes cookies... but I don't have a desire for my own 24/7 kids. So my kitties? They truly are in many ways our "kids." We have had four cats all uniquely special and we have a tight bond with each of them. They are all rescues. I don't believe in buying pets (even hamsters! Check out your local rescue organization, they nearly ALWAYS have small "pocket" pets that need good homes!) and I love animals so much I've bordered on being a vegetarian/vegan the past several years. I can't bear to see them hurting or hungry.

Six months ago I shared about the scare we had with Mitten. My first furr-kid as an adult. I was a year out of college and living with my sweet friend Betty (you've seen her recipes around these parts) and I was getting ready to move into my very own first "apartment." It was a small (maybe 400 square foot) renovated part of a home. It was tiny, but it was mine! And Mitten came along with me. He was only 3 weeks old when I adopted him from a family who's "something + Persian" cat had just had a litter of kittens. I only went to look, but the lady's sister immediately came to the front porch with two kittens in her hands and just said "which one do you want?" Flustered, I just grabbed the one with longer hair and held him. He nuzzled my hand and sat quietly on my palm. He was tiny. I had had NO intention of taking a cat home. I hadn't officially moved into the new apartment yet and Betty didn't want any more pets. But the next thing I knew, I was sitting in my car with this flea-covered long, haired white kitten sitting in the brand-new cat carrier I had bought for the FUTURE cat in my FUTURE apartment.

I remember sitting in that car looking at him and panicking... what the heck was I going to do with this cat? He just sat quietly in the carrier looking at me contentedly. I was sitting in the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly in a tiny little town called Elm City, a few miles away from Wilson, where Michael's family lived... I called Michael's mom and told her I didn't know what to do. I was too scared to tell Betty I was bringing home a cat, but I had to do something with him.

She told me to come over and we'd figure it out from there. So I drove to Michael's parents house. We took him to the bathroom first thing and washed him with Dawn, no less than 3 times to get all the fleas off and then took him into the kitchen. Carol (Michael's mom) was weary that SHE would end up having to take care of this rascal, as I had tried and failed to take care of a hamster, which Michael wouldn't let me donate to an elementary school. Instead he took the hamster named Sunny, tamed it, and he lived happily for 3 years on their dining room buffet.

After talking with Carol, I called Betty and asked her to meet me in Wilson at a Chinese restaurant for dinner. I drove over and when I saw Betty in the parking lot I asked her to come see my car. I showed her the cat and with a wry smile she said, "Well I guess you have to bring him home..." Crisis averted. I still had a month with Betty before I was going to move into the apartment.

So "Mitten" came home with me. I don't even remember how or why I named him Mitten... it just seemed appropriate for some reason. And after that, all of our future cats had names that started with an "M." Betty named all her animals with an "S." So I followed her tradition.

The first night Mitten was there I put him in the bathroom. Immediately he started howling. I thought he would stop after a few minutes, but he didn't. After 10 or 15 minutes I decided Betty was not going to be a happy camper if she had no sleep that night, so I moved the cat, the litter box, and his food and water to my room. A few minutes later, I heard him clawing his way up into my bed and the next thing I knew he was curled up next to my face on the pillow. He fell asleep in minutes. And that's where Mitten slept until I got married. Either on the pillow or right next to me. Every night. He would nuzzle into my back, or in my hair, he would squeeze my arm in a hug with his paws, purring gently, and fall asleep.

Mitten was with me through countless "firsts" as an adult. First pet. First big expense (hello vet bills and cat food!), first companion in my first apartment. When he was little he loved riding in the car, he would walk on a cat leash, and he managed to squeeze himself into the smallest possible places and get stuck. We "rescued" him from behind a washer and dryer (at least twice), from the top of the refrigerator too many times to count, from behind a bathroom WALL (that's a whole 'nother story in itself!), from being lodged shut in a drink cooler, and who knows how many other places.

Mitten was also deaf. We didn't realize this for about a month. I just thought he was insanely stubborn. I could say NO until I was blue in the face and he went right on doing whatever he wasn't supposed to be doing. I could shout it. I could sing it... nothing worked. Clapping didn't work, shouting didn't work, NO didn't work... and one day it finally dawned on me that he couldn't hear me. I took him to the vet and they confirmed it. We had a deaf cat. Which immediately meant he was even more special. I had a special-needs cat.

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Over time we developed a kind of sign language. He learned a flat "stop-sign" palm and a hard stomp meant NO. We learned to step into a room and lightly tap the floor, so it would send vibrations for Mitten to feel so wouldn't be startled when he woke up. We learned to talk to him when he was laying on our bellies or on our chests, he would start purring as soon as you started to talk to him. If we patted our chest with our hand, he learned that meant it was okay to come up into our laps. Mitten was a true "lap-cat."

Mitten was one of the most non-aggressive cats I've ever known. He didn't have a "mean" bone in his body and when our other cats joined our family through the years, he always welcomed them. He was the first to sniff and welcome without being afraid or mad. The other cats are a different story! If he ever got mad about being brushed (he hated being brushed!) or being snuggled too long, he was over it in about five minutes and was purring and back for more. Some cats can hold a grudge... we have two in particular who are very good at this... but Mitten never did.

Mitten loved to snuggle. You could hold him in nearly any position, and he didn't care.  He would just sit there and purr. He would nuzzle, grab you hand, and squeeze with his paws until they shook. It was his was of saying "I love you." He loved a paper bag. He would push it over and crawl inside, and then try to dig his way out the bottom. He didn't know (or care) how loud it was, but he loved it. He loved to sleep in tiny boxes. We caught him sleeping in a casserole dish on the counter once. When he was younger, he would climb anything he could. He ended up on top of the kitchen cabinets, up on a shelf in a closet. We never could figure out exactly how he did it. He could sit and look up at something, and you could tell he was planning out a way to get to the top of it. He loved to look out the window.  If the blinds were closed, he'd stick his head in between them. Once he figured out that this wasn't allowed, he learned to tap on them to tell us to open them. He liked to play with flashlight spots and lasers. He was shy around strangers, but he loved Michael's parents. He was full of joy.

So six months ago, Mitten had a major scare. We came home one day to find his nose and ears blue and he couldn't breathe. It sounded like he had fluid in his lungs. Turns out he did. But got through it. He was okay... for a while. Over the following six months, we had at least 3 visits to the local Emergency Vet for related medical issues and slowly Mitten's health continued to decline. A few weeks ago we realized that his remaining time with us was probably short.

What do we do? When do we decide? DO we have a right to decide "for" him. It was a continuous struggle. It caused many an argument and a frustration over vet visit after vet visit. Over daily medications that just didn't seem to work, over a poor cat who wasn't the same cat he was a year ago. It had probably been a year since he was seriously interested in playing. He slept a lot more. He didn't volunteer to jump up onto the bed or chairs as he once did so easily. We played much of it off... we teased him and called him the "grumpy old man." But in my heart I was afraid he wouldn't be around much longer.

But finally, on Wednesday January 30th the night had come. He was showing signs of increasing pain and a true struggle to breathe, he no longer had the energy to into the litter box (this poor boy NEVER had litter box issues, he seriously was the most well-behaved, down-to-earth, low maintenance cat ever) and we both knew it was time.

I won't go into the hard details of last night. It's too hard to write at this point. But our boy gently moved onto a pain-free life in Heaven. I miss him more than words can describe. I always will. I know that "time" generally does heal, the sun will keep on setting and rising as always, and that life will get easier.

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Right at this moment though... I'd do just about anything for one more of those white-pawed arm squeezes from my beloved friend.

It was an absolute joy and honor to be your human parents my sweet boy. We love you Mitten. We always will.

-- Michael co-wrote this post with me.