A Simple Salad and Lessons on Eating...

As you know, I just finished Meghan's fantastic Green Smoothie Cleanse program. I have learned so many things in the past 6 days. For instance at one point today I thought I was really hungry, I just wanted to munch on something... instead of instantly grabbing for a snack, as I normally would... I stopped and thought about why I was hungry.

Was I truly hungry? Was I thirsty instead? Was I bored?

I realized I had not had very much to drink so I decided to have a glass of water. After the water I wasn't hungry anymore. This revelation is a huge accomplishment for me.

Meghan is truly onto something when she talks about conscious eating. This one concept alone could change my life. I've always been a conscious buyer, being very aware of needs and wants... yet for some reason up until now I have never applied this towards how I eat. I know that you shouldn't eat when you are stressed, bored, or thirsty... and as simple as this is, I never truly understood how to put this into practice.

I love food. I always will... I can't deny that fact or try to change it. But I can change my relationship with food. How I eat, what I eat, how much I eat, and when I choose to eat. And for that Meghan, I will always be in your debt. I cannot thank you enough for your wisdom and encouragement! You have helped me to get on the right steps towards positive, life long healthy weight goals.

I am gradually adding whole foods back into my diet. Today I had a salad for lunch. It was the first time I had eaten foods in their whole form in 3 days. It amazed me how quickly a simple salad of all vegetables with an olive oil and vinegar dressing could fill me up! And it was so satisfying.




For dinner, I decided to make a large salad with some of my produce from the past three days. I had a salad of mixed greens with the following on top:

- 1 shredded carrot
- 1/2 an avocado
- 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 an apple
- 1 stalk of celery, chopped
- 1/2 of a medium zucchini, julienned
- 1/4 of an orange, juice squeezed over the salad
- drizzle of olive oil
- drizzle of sesame oil
- drizzle of red wine vinegar
- sprinkling of black sesame seeds

This was a delicious, fast, and filling salad! It was beautiful presentation, and it was a dinner I felt great about eating. How often do you leave the dinner table with a true sense of healthy wellbeing? Tonight I felt that way. It made me smile!

For dessert? Yes I wanted something crunchy, or sweet... but decided on a simple fruit smoothie with a banana, homemade almond milk, and a few strawberries! It was simple and delicious and instantly curbed my sugar craving!! I can do this... I know I can!

Here's to your good health!

Grillin' It up with Carol of Simply Gluten Free

Welcome to May/June 2008’s Hot Smokin’ Edition of:

For this edition, please welcome

Carol, of Simply Gluten Free!

Ginger Lemon Girl: Carol, welcome to the Grill this month! First, let’s start with why you decided to start a gluten free blog?
Carol of Simply Gluten Free: I started my blog primarily as a form of discipline. I wanted to start getting my recipes in one place and I felt that if I had a blog it would force me to work on it. Then I found that I really love the aspect of writing and food photography as well as the cooking. I never expected to find such a great community out there. Now I am hooked. I have made great friends through the world of blogging.


I love your recipes! They always seem fresh and simple! What inspires you to create recipes?
I think it really is what I say in my blog – celebrating the abundance of gluten-free living. I love to eat well and live well. I don’t like the idea of deprivation. By changing my viewpoint from one of deprivation to one of abundance a whole new world opened up for me.


What is your husband’s favorite gluten free meal that you prepare?
My hubby is probably the most appreciative person I have ever met when it comes to food. He always tells people I never cook the same meal twice – which of course is not true (but let’s not tell him!) But he really loves my lasagna style eggplant.


I know that your 9-5 career (or should we say 24/7 career) is an event/wedding planner. Have you ever had the opportunity to plan a gluten free party or wedding? If so, what was that like?
I haven’t yet. I personally like to entertain and I used to include gluten items when I would have people over but I don’t do that any more. I entertain for myself completely gluten-free. I also only bring dishes to others that are gluten free. Usually no one knows the difference unless I tell them. I would LOVE to plan a gluten free menu for a wedding or special event.


I believe your first post was about Thanksgiving! Was this your first gluten free Thanksgiving? What did you learn and what would you change for next year’s dinner?
Yes it was – WOW you are a great journalist! You did your research. This was my first primarily gluten-free Thanksgiving and the first Thanksgiving I was able to fully enjoy with no ill effects. Thanksgiving is HUGE in our house. It is our favorite holiday. My family threatens to go on strike if I change the recipes. The cool thing is they didn’t even notice it was totally gluten free and they liked the stuffing better than my original recipe. Just goes to show you. The only thing with gluten in that meal was the pie crusts. I would like to master a really great pie crust recipe that is gluten free. While I offer lots of desserts and always have gluten free options I like the idea of gluten free pumpkin pie!


You are a fantastic food photographer! What tips and tricks would you share with other food bloggers for successful photography?
Oh, thanks. This is what I work the hardest at. I really don’t know squat about photography but here is what I do – I keep the plating simple, I shoot outside in the shade, I place the food on a cheapo, white foam board from the office supply store and I bought a 50mm, 1.8 lens (inexpensive but it made the biggest difference in clarity of shots). Until this week I didn’t even have my own camera, I was borrowing my son’s. But I saved up and got a great, slightly used Nikon D200 from ebay for about ½ the price of new. Yeah – from now on my shots will be with my own camera!


Do you REALLY have to store your KitchenAid mixer in the guest house? Goodness, that must make baking very frustrating!!
YES! I have to walk across the back yard, up a flight of steps, get the mixer, walk back across the yard with it and then do the whole thing again when I’m done! Needless to say if I bake something the people eating it better appreciate it! On the flip side, I feel very virtuous getting all that exercise prior to baking so I eat all baked goods I make with abandon.


I have a small kitchen too, do you have any good gluten free storage tips for others with very limited kitchen space?
Ha ha! I am laughing because if you could see my pantry you would probably run in horror. I am what I call a trasher and then organizer. Every once in a while I ruthlessly organize my pantry and that lasts about 5 minutes and then chaos! But I do put all grains and sugars in separate containers. Now if I was really smart I would have bought stackable containers. So I guess that is my tip. Do as I say, not as I do!

Make sure to be on the lookout for Carol's new post at Simply Gluten Free with her recipe for Bacon Asparagus Egg Soldiers!

Pick 3 of your best recipes that you have blogged about: Why are they your favorites?
Hmm, boy this is kind of hard. Well firstly I love the Mocha Macaroons simply because they are great and really fit in with my philosophy about gluten free cooking. Then I would have to say my Apricot Almond Tart just cuz it is so good and then probably egg crepes, so versatile, so simple, and so fitting with my way of cooking, such a basic in my kitchen.


I love that you often praise your husband and say kind words about him! This doesn’t really relate to gluten free cooking, but you obviously have a very successful, long-term marriage – which can be rare nowadays! Care to share any good marriage tips?
You know here is what I think – generosity of spirit is free, we should splurge on it. Meaning it costs nothing to be kind, to be appreciative, to love and care for someone. So I think that factors in. A few of the things that have made our marriage really great are commitment, communication and creating our marriage. We decided long ago that we married each other for life and it could be good, bad or indifferent so we may as well make it good! We communicate honestly with each other, we make it safe for the other to communicate and we know that really great things just don’t happen. We have to make it happen. So we don’t take each other for granted. We are each other’s safety net. Sometimes life is really hard and the world seems hostile. We create a safe and loving environment so that we feel we can take on the world together. And very simply, we are just crazy about each other!


You recently started writing a food column for a food website/network. What have you learned during this experience and what would you share with other bloggers who are interested in writing for a living?
I have learned that I like to write. I have also learned that I am not really good with deadlines, so I need to work on that. I just went to a few online magazines and asked if I could write for them. It was easy to get started. If you never ask the answer is always no!


Do you have a gluten free candy that you are absolutely addicted too? I happen to be in love with Peanut M&M’s.
I’m with you on the Peanut M & Ms!


Do you have any background working in restaurants or food photography?
No, completely self taught. I’ve never even been a waitress. I have eaten in a lot of great restaurants though!


Is there any one particular food that you have missed from your gluten-filled days that you simply have not been able to recreate and you truly wish was naturally gluten free? (Myself, I would have to say Kentucky Fried Chicken! ;-) I know that’s awful, but boy do I miss it!)
OK, this will sound really bad but I do miss those squishy hamburger and hot dog buns!


What are some of your favorite cookbooks?
Ok, confession time – I have a serious cookbook addiction! I actually read them like a novel. I have hundreds. Even some really old ones. But my favorite is my first. I got it for my 8th birthday. It is a kids cookbook from Betty Crocker. It was the start of it all for me. Who knew that a little birthday present when I was 8 would start such a massive addiction?


Does anyone else in your family have celiac disease or follow a gluten free diet, other than your husband?
My hubby is not gluten intolerant but I cook, he eats. I took one look at my sister after having not seen her for a couple years and just knew she was suffering from gluten so I told her to get tested and sure enough, she is intolerant. My niece too. When people eat at my house now, they eat gluten free. They never even miss the gluten. Good food is good food.


I love that you describe yourself as a passionate cook! I think that is quite obvious in your beautiful photography and excellent recipes! How else would you describe your cooking and baking style?
More and more I am becoming all about simplicity. Good ingredients, vibrant flavors – that’s what I like. I like simple cooking styles as well.


What was the first food blog you ever read?
I think it was Gluten Free Girl.


Do you remember the first food or recipe you ever cooked? I think my first cooking memory is making chocolate chip cookies with my dad.
I used to love to cook with my Mom but I clearly remember making a lime pie from the cookbook I got when I was 8 for my Dad. I did it all by myself. He had been away for almost a year at war and I wanted to make him a special Welcome Home treat!


Is Charlie the housepainter still employed as your baking guinea pig?
Ha ha! Charlie has finished up for now, but he will be back and he will have to taste for me! It is part of the job requirement for anyone who does work at my house.


What areas of cooking are you still mastering? For example, I have a really hard time being creative with vegetables! I wish someone could be in my kitchen every day teaching me how to be a better vegetable cook! (Any takers??)
As you can probably tell from my blog, I don’t do a lot with traditional GF baking – mixing flours and all. You are a master at that. I’ll teach you veggies, you can teach me to bake!


What has been your greatest discovery since you started the gluten free diet?
It seems pretty easy to me to cook and eat when you can eat gluten. The best thing for me has been to discover the creative side of cooking when you have a challenge like a food allergy and yet you love to eat. Honestly, finally making that final step and going gluten free for good has been the best thing. And good health is nothing to sneeze at either (pardon the pun!)


What is your favorite International Cuisine? Do you have a favorite restaurant that is able to make safe gluten free meals for you?
If I had to pick one cuisine to live on for the rest of my life it would be Mexican! I love Mexican! We love this little dive Mexican place by my house. No one speaks English and the food is amazing! Cheap too.


Tell me how to buy and cook a really good eggplant! I have not yet figured out how to purchase one that is NOT bitter after being baked.
I look for an eggplant that has really smooth skin and feels heavy. I have heard about bitter tasting eggplant but I have not ever experienced it. I hear that salting the eggplant for ½ an hour draws out the bitterness but I think buying a good eggplant in season is the way to go. I always grill my eggplant unless I stuff it but even then I cook up the “meat” from the eggplant quickly over a high heat. I think that maybe the searing effect from the grilling or quick sauté might have something to do with not having it be bitter but that’s just a guess.


Carol, Thanks so much for being our Grill victim this month! What words of wisdom or advice can you give to those who are just starting out on the gluten free diet?
I think that when you start out to go gluten free it is best to stay away from substitutions for a while and let your taste buds adjust. Also just get in there and try new things. What’s the worst that can happen? You make something yucky and throw it out but at least you will learn from it.

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Many, many thanks to Carol from Simply Gluten Free for being such a wonderful and willing participant this month! Make sure to visit her fantastic blog on a regular basis for simple and delicious gluten free recipes!

Thanks for joining us today!!! If you haven't already, make sure to sign up for an email subscription to Ginger Lemon Girl for all the latest recipes and posts delivered right to your inbox!

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Make sure to check later this week for a delicious summer salad!

Gluten Free Grill April 2008 -- Melanie of The Gluti Girls

Welcome to April’s smokin' hot edition of:

April 2008

Melanie, of The Gluti Girls

Ginger Lemon Girl: Melanie, why did you begin a gluten free diet?

Melanie: I started a gluten free diet because my doctor suspected celiac disease. I have suffered from digestive troubles for as long as I can remember. I went in for a check up with a new doctor and she did a blood test on me for celiac, which came out positive. To make a very long story short, I did have a biopsy done, but the answers were not clear. I had a positive response to the diet along with the positive blood test, so my regular doctor thinks celiac disease is what I have, but I do not have a positive biopsy.


Why did you start blogging about being gluten free?

When I found out about celiac disease and the reality set in about how my life would change, I was really overwhelmed. I was so happy to finally know what was wrong with me, but how would I do this? Then I found the blogs. These people were not only living gluten free, but enjoying it. It gave me hope and confidence. I knew I had to do the same. I feel like it's my way of giving back.

Melanie and the other Gluti Girl, daughter Kati!

I will never forget your very first post! How much coffee do you really drink a day? Do you really drink it black? (I happen to like a little coffee with my sugar and cream!)

I love, love, coffee! How much do I drink a day? Well, not as much as I used to. When I was young, I could drink it all day long. Now that I am older, and have a stupid arrhythmia, I keep it to two to four cups a day. The only time I put anything in coffee is if I go to Starbucks. Otherwise, it's always black or straight up as I like to say. Coffee is like a fine wine don't you know! My children share this same coffee passion with me. I think it's a genetic condition. My husband Steve did not know anything about coffee when I married him. I had to teach him the finer points of coffee consumption. Making coffee is one of the things he is allowed to do in the kitchen.


Is your husband really not allowed ANYWHERE near the stove? What is his best grilled meal?

True! And if he is at the stove, I usually rush in the kitchen and with panic in my voice say, "what are you doing!!!!?" He does make the coffee. After several years of being on ice tea probation, he is allowed to make ice tea again. As long as he continues to follow the rules! One time about 18 years ago, I walked in the kitchen to find him there with every container I owned out all over the countertops. Both sides of the sink were filled to the top with water, almost ready to over flow. I think there might have been water on the floor here and there too. My brain was freaking out with all the water in the sink about to overflow and sooooooo many containers. I calmly tried to ask him what he was doing and he said, "making ice tea." That was when he was banned. I couldn't figure out what all the water in the sink had to do with ice tea. He is a mystery. This happened not too long after the burned chicken incident where he made a truly blackened chicken, blackened my pan and threw the chicken out into the bushes. Why the bushes? Truly a mystery. He makes really good steaks on the grill though. Probably better than I do! Don't tell him that though.


What have you learned since making that first gluten free Cherrybrook cake?

Not to make Cherrybrook cake! I'm just kidding! It really wasn't bad. It was pretty good. I was just so afraid to try making anything home made as far as baking for so long! Before all this gluten free, I was known for my baking. I was afraid of being a bad baker! I have learned to not be afraid to try new flours and recipes. And, that making a flop is not a big deal. Every time you try something new, you learn something!

Give us a basic idea of what is stocked in your gluten free cupboard.

I try to always have a Breads from Anna bread mix. My favorite bread is Natalie's, but I keep the Anna mix for when I don't have time to measure stuff and I'm in a hurry. I usually have Trader Joe's brown rice pasta. My new favorite thing is Corn Thins. I buy them on Amazon. I use them like crackers with cheese or hummus. I even make peanut butter sandwiches with them. I also have a stash of Enjoy Life Cocoa Loco bars for Kati. I am never without Gluten Free Pantry brownie mix!


Do you buy most of your gluten free supplies at local grocery stores or online?

I buy quite a bit online. Amazon is my favorite. I always shop there first and then fill in with local stuff.


I know you are a big pet lover… can you share a special story about one of your pets?

I have so many dog stories! Trinity is our smallest rat terrier. She is the one I have the crazy picture of on my blog. I have an unhealthy attachment to her. I call her my menopause baby. I got her just at "that age". My children were growing and I needed to baby something. She's about nine pounds, that's baby size! I got so attached to her that I told my husband I would not travel without her. So she travels with us sometimes. As you know, my husband has a band and she started going with us to some of the out of town gigs. She's been in all kinds of airports. She even has her own little band uniform. If she is with the band, she gets more attention than they do. The band used to play at the Wisconsin State Fair. For some reason, the fair did not want us driving ourselves to the fair grounds. Most fairs we go to will just get some big old passenger vans with drivers to get us to the fairgrounds. There are about 14 of us and large instruments. The place they hired to drive us was out of vans, so they picked us up in limos. To make it crazier, they insisted upon driving us through the fairgrounds in these stretch limos to our break rooms where we would keep our stuff. Of course this got all kinds of attention. People thought there had to be some big stars in these limos. When the limos had us to our destination and stopped, people were gathering around the limos just waiting to see who would get out. We are all inside just cracking up because we know it's just us. I had the dog with me. She had on a very cute dress, by the way. My husband grabs the dog from me, gets out of the limo. Everyone outside of it is just holding their breath waiting to see who was inside and out steps my husband, he holds Triniti up in the air and says, "it's just the dog, just the dog!" You could hear a collective, moan of disappointment. Of course we all howled with laughter!

The Gluti Girl's mascot, Triniti, dressed in band apparel!

How has being gluten free impacted your relationship with your gluten free teenage daughter?

I think we were pretty close before going gluten free, but it's probably made us even closer. She calls me a lot when she is out to see what she can eat at different places. I love it when I figure out how to make a previously favorite food at home for her. Her whole face lights up!


What are 3 of your favorite recipes you have posted on your site? Why do you like them?

Salmon Salad because it easy and very filling. I like Fish with Parmesan Caesar glaze. Again, it's easy. Every time I make my husband can't stop talking about it. And my last choice would be my slaw with oranges and walnuts. I love the fresh flavor of it and it's so darn healthy and easy!



Has Mia done the pizza dance anytime recently?

Tonight actually! She is the sweetest dog. She had a rough beginning in life after having spent the first 5 months of life in a puppy mill. We rescued her ourselves out of that puppy mill along with 5 other dogs who went to foster homes. We fell in love with her and had to keep her. Because of her beginning in life, she is very timid unless you have food! Since she was starving and underweight when we rescued her, she has an obsession with food. When ever she needs something, she dances. We also call it waving. She does this a lot at dinner time. We eat. She waves. When she waves, she makes the softest little clicking noise because the nails on her paws come together. She is very timid about asking for anything. She would never bark or whine. But she will dance or wave if she needs anything. The dogs all sleep with us at night. One night, Steve went in to bed just before I did and I thought he took all the dogs in with him. We have a gate across our door to keep them in our room at night. I went in to bed thinking they were all in our room. Mia will usually wait under the bed until I get in bed because she is afraid of my husband or anyone who is male. I thought she was under the bed. I got into bed and started to fall asleep. I thought it was weird she wasn't coming out from under and getting in bed with me. As I was drifting off, I kept thinking I heard a weird noise. Click, click, click. Then I would start to drift of again....and the faintest click, click, click. This went on for probably a half an hour. I kept drifting off and waking up thinking I heard something. Finally, I thought to myself....that sounds like Mia waving. But I couldn't figure out why she would be in the dark waving. Then it dawned on me. I sat up in bed and out in the hallway I could just barely make out Mia....waving her little heart out! She was on the other side of the gate and couldn't get in! You would think she would have whined or barked or something! No. She was just patiently waving. Hoping someone would see her. She is so precious.



You have some of the best food photography I have ever seen on a blog… care to share some of your secret tips and tricks?

Thank you Carrie. Honestly, dumb luck. Nothing special. My brother is a professional, and I'd like to think he rubbed off on me. But the honest truth is I don't really know much about photography. I use an automatic digital camera that does everything for me. I almost never touch up or change any of the photos because I just don't know much about that either! I take lot's of shots at different angles, load them on my computer and pick the one that looks the best. I do try to get lots of close ups and I almost never use a flash.



What is a cooking spice that you couldn’t live without?

I could not live without garlic, cilantro, parsley and rosemary. I love fresh herbs.



Do you have a favorite cookbook?

It's really hard to pick a favorite! I have an old antique cupboard filled with cookbooks. I also love to ready cooking magazines. My favorite cookbook are "The Bon Appetit Cookbook" and the "Southbeach Cookbooks". So many of the recipes in the Southbeach ones are already gluten free.



ON being gluten free: What was the biggest challenge you faced? How did you overcome it? What was easiest?

I think the biggest challenge is going out to eat. I think it will be an ongoing challenge. My husband and I just got to the age where we had the freedom to be able to go out a lot, and friends tend to ask us a lot. I don't do so well eating out. I hear of people who are gluten free that go months without eating out. That is impossible for me. I average eating out at least once a week. I want to be social with my friends. But I do think I suffer sometimes because of it. There is just too much cross contamination. I also think that so many restaurants use preservatives in their food. At home, I eat really pure foods without that and I think I am also sensitive to the additives the restaurants use. I think the easiest was learning to cook at home. I love to cook though, so having to make everything from scratch was not too different from what I was already doing. I never did like canned soup or convenience food anyway!


What is your favorite quick meal?

My favorite quick meal would be something I could grill, like salmon, along with a baked potato and grilled vegetables. I love to grill vegetables! I like simple, really fresh food.

Gluti Girl Husband Steve's Band, complete with Triniti!

What is it like being married to a musician? Do you have to travel a lot?

Crazy. Musicians are crazy. I can say it has never been dull or ordinary. The group has on average 3 to 4 out of town gigs every year. I go on at least one of the trips. It's hard finding someone to watch all the dogs. They have been as far away as China and France, and many States here in the US.


What would you consider your cooking style to be?

Simple. I don't like complicated recipes. I don't really like to use recipes! I like simple things that you can guess at or change along the way.



What is your favorite restaurant? Has this changed since being gluten free?

I had two places I loved to eat sushi. I still feel very sad when I think of sushi. My favorite was anything tempura. I have tried several times getting it, but there is so much cross contamination. Last time the owner made mine. He had a clean area and made it away for the others. I got sick anyway. As I thought about it later, Steve had ordered a shrimp tempura roll (and had the nerve to eat it in front of me!) but the guy who was making Steve's and the owner making mine, were getting the vegetables and everything from the same place. You know the guy making Steve's had to have crumbs stuck all over his gloves because there were crumbs all over from the tempura. That's how cross contamination happens. It's just so disappointing. My new favorite places are Stir Crazy and Bonefish. At Stircrazy I can create my own stir-fry and watch them cook it in front of me. They have gluten free sauces and always clean their woks well. I feel fairly safe there. I love our local Bonefish not only because they have a really nice gluten free menu, but our local manager is a stickler when it comes to training his staff for people with food intolerance's.


Does your daughter cook often? I still love her gnome bowl!

I think if she was home more she would! Teenagers! She is pretty good about cooking eggs for breakfast and making things like tuna salad. She is always on the run. And, that was my gnome bowl! She tries to claim it for herself! She did make dinner for us tonight. I worked in the yard all day so she decided to make chicken salad, miso soup, edemame and watermelon. It was very good!


What is your favorite thing about blogging? What technical things have you learned since becoming a blogger?

My favorite thing about blogging is meeting other bloggers. There are so many wonder people out there blogging! I have learned so much from others. Oh geeze, technical things? I am so bad about technical things!


What is your favorite gluten free convenience food?

I used to keep Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, but since I got a rice cooker I make my own and freeze it. But pretty much anything on Trader Joe's list of gluten free food.


What is your favorite kind of international cuisine? Do you have a favorite recipe for that cuisine?

Well, I love Japanese, Chinese and Greek. But, I really don't cook any of those very often at home. I have made sushi, but it's a lot of work. I love Greek salad and make that quite often in the summer and winter months.

Melanie's Greek Salad:

• Tomatoes, cut in wedges
• Sliced onions
• Sliced cucumbers
• Olive oil
• Feta cheese
• parsley
• lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Add vegetables in fairly equal amounts in a bowl. Crumble a good amount of feta cheese into the bowl (we like a lot!). Throw in about a tablespoon of fresh parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and add a squeeze of lemon. Mix well. See, simple. No measuring!


Are you a member of a local celiac support group?

What do you enjoy most about being part of that group? I am not a member of a local group except through email. We have a local group here, but every time they have had a meeting I have had something else going on. Sometime I would like to go.

Melanie and the other Gluti Girl, her daughter Kati!

What advice would you give to someone who has just been diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance?

My advice to someone new would be to cry first. You do mourn the loss of food and freedom you had before. And like other losses I think it's normal to be sad about it. But then, get over it. Read all you can and educate yourself so you know what you can have and cannot have. Get in touch with others who are in the same boat, whether it is in person or over the internet. Then take the bull by the horns and move on with life. Don't be afraid to make mistakes in the kitchen and most importantly don't let them upset you by giving up. Take it as a challenge. An adventure! Also, you will not find a bread that tastes like gluten bread. Get over that too. Don't compare gluten free to that which has gluten. Learn to compare gluten free to gluten free. Then you will start to appreciate it when you find something really good and find you really like it. You might even find something better than gluten bread! You must have a sense of humor. It's like the time I made the jello bottom pizza. You know I had to laugh about that. I still crack up when I think of my son's girlfriend trying to get the piece of pizza chewed and told me it wasn't so bad! I am still on the quest for a pizza crust I like. Now when I try a new recipe, we all compare it to the jello bottom. It's become a running joke. Embrace your mistakes. You will learn from them. You might even laugh about them for a couple years!

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Please give a big hand to Melanie of the Gluti Girls for being our Grill Victim this month! Melanie, thank you so much for your thoughtful responses, a fantastic interview, and your willingness to participate!! We love you and your blog!


For more information on the Monthly Gluten Free Grill, click here.


Make sure to visit again on Friday for a great dinner recipe and for the announcement of the winner of Monday's "Essential Gluten Free Restaurant Guide" Giveaway! If you have not entered for the giveaway and you would like to, you have until Thursday April 24th at midnight to enter! For details, click here.

Grillin' it up with Karen, of Gluten Free Sox

Welcome To February’s Hot Smokin’ Edition of:

Our Grill victim this month is Karen of Gluten Free Sox! We've caught Karen, just in time as she has switched her blog over to her new home at Wordpress. Her new address is at: http://www.glutenfreesoxfan.wordpress.com! Don't forget to update your favorites and readers!

February 2008

Karen, of Gluten Free Sox

Ginger Lemon Girl: How long have you been gluten free Karen?

Karen: I have been continuously gluten free since approximately May 20, 2007. Before that, I have been gluten free for a couple of months but then had to go back to eating it for testing. (Stupid thing to do, as the tests were still negative, but I’m sick when I eat it, healthy when I don’t.

How long have you been a Red Sox fan?

Since birth! LOL! That really isn’t a lie - when I was younger, I had a huge crush on Jim Rice, the left-fielder for the Sox from 1974-1989. In recent years (last 10 years, maybe) I’ve started following them more closely.

Do you have a favorite player right now?

I have several, but I love Big Papi (David Ortiz). Dustin Pedroia is on the list too.

Do you have a favorite international cuisine?

If I had to pick just one, I’d say Italian. My Mom is half Italian, and I learned to cook from her.

What foods can you make in that cuisine?

I make a mean linguine with white claim sauce. I’m slowly mastering gluten-free ravioli.

Are you the only person in your family who is gluten free?

As far as I know.

How well does your family accommodate for your diet?

Quite well. At home, it’s just me and my husband. I love to cook, so I do 99% of the cooking. And he’ll eat what I put in front of him. lol! When I visit my family, they are great about accommodating my diet.

Who taught you how to cook?

My mom. Although it was my Dad who taught me how to bake bread. I just remember helping out a lot in the kitchen when I was younger and picking it up that way. One of the first things I knew how the make was gravy. Weird, huh?

I am always amazed at the challenges you take in cooking dishes like homemade pasta, French bread, etc… what other big challenges are you planning to tackle in the kitchen soon?

I saw a really good Portuguese Sweet Bread recipe that I would love to try converting to gluten free. I’m still having some trouble with baking, so I’ll be working more on that in the future. My husband wants me to make Beef Wellington, so that will be attempted at some point too.

If you had to pick only 3 of your best recipes for someone new to the gluten free diet, which recipes would you choose and why?

It’s hard for me to say, because I don’t seem to have a lot of “basic” recipes up there. But I’m rather partial to my English Muffins because they actually toast up like real English Muffins. If you have the right kind of pan (which you can order), they are really quite easy. And they are also casein free. They also double as hamburger rolls. J Second, I would say the pizza crust. It took a little while to figure out how to spread it out right on the parchment paper, but you end up with three crusts that can be pre-baked and frozen for those nights when you really don’t have time to cook. Third, I’ll throw in my cookie recipe – the Forgotten Cookies, because they are naturally gluten free and very easy to make.

How many dogs and cats do you have?

I have one dog, a Great Pyrenees named Loki, and three cats, named Mercutio (orange short-hair), Tybalt (black long-hair), and Peeves (black short-hair).

Does your dog like your cats?

I think the dog likes the cats better than all the cats like each other. The breed of dog is one that protects herds of sheep or goats, so the cats are her little “herd.”

How many Red Sox games have you attended? Do you REALLY plan vacations around the games?

Probably 15-20, although only about 3 at Fenway. I’ve seen a lot in Atlanta and Baltimore. I’ve also been to Pittsburg to see a series (and to visit a college friend) and to Fort Meyers Florida for Spring Training. One summer they played a weekend series in Atlanta, so we got a hotel room down there and saw all 3 games. J So yes, we really have planned vacations around games! The spring training trip was actually a birthday present for my mom – my sisters and I flew her down there and met up with her for the week.

What is the most fun thing you have ever crocheted? When did you teach yourself? (I love to crochet too!)

I taught myself to crochet about eight years ago, starting with basic afghans. Family members keep getting blankets for all occasions, and any new baby gets a blanket. Eeyore was by far the coolest thing I’ve crocheted. Tigger and Pooh were fun too. These were stuffed animals that are about 14-18 inches tall.

Does your husband do much cooking? Does he still eat gluten?

He does a little cooking, but not much – maybe some grilling in the summer, or fixing a quick meal if I don’t feel well. He can cook fine, but since I like to cook and get home from work earlier, it makes sense for me to do most of it. He still eats some gluten. The few things we have in the house are bagels, beer, burger rolls, and maybe some pretzels or crackers from time to time. But we certainly don’t have separate dinner menus. And he does eat gluten if we eat out.

What was the biggest challenge for you when you first started a gluten free diet?

Eating out. We like to go out once a week with friends to the local brew pub for drinks, pool and a cheap meal. Fortunately, because we go there so often, I didn’t feel bad about educating the staff. And now we always get the same waitress, who knows how to place my order (and the kitchen knows how to cook it). But it really does limit choices of restaurants. I used to eat out at lunch time with my co-workers, and that has been cut back drastically.

What is your favorite gluten free dessert?

We really don’t eat dessert. I’m happy with a piece of really good dark chocolate. Lindt’s or something similar.

How do you like that new toy of yours? (your new car!)

It’s so much fun to drive! And it’s amazingly comfortable too. I love little cars – I’ve always had something small – my last car was a Honda Civic Hatchback (not quite as glamorous as my new car, but it was a good little car).

In your experience, what is the best restaurant that is most accommodating for gluten free patrons? What have you ordered there?

As far as chains go, I’ve had good luck both at P.F. Chang’s and Carrabba’s. At P.F. Chang’s, I’ve had Chang’s spicy chicken and the lemon scallops – both excellent. At Carrabba’s, I’ve had the Chicken Bryan, the Pollo Rosa Maria, and the Sirloin Marsala. Again, all very good.

Do you make most of your gluten free baked goods from mixes or from your favorite flours? What would you consider your favorite flours to be and why do you like them?

I bake from my own flours, not mixes. I haven’t settled on any particular blend of flours yet. I don’t do enough baking to really experiment. I hope to change that. We finally have a new store near us with more choices in fours. (I can finally buy good quality brown rice flour and find glutinous rice flour.) I like sorghum and brown rice flour in breads and muffins. I use a bean flour mix in my pasta – it seems to give it a good consistency and I don’t notice and weird taste. I’ve yet to try teff or millet.

What advice would you give to someone who has recently started a gluten free diet?

Read Danna Korn’s Living Gluten-Free for Dummies. It’s a great starting point, and makes you realize that 1) you are not alone, and 2) while there are a lot of things you can’t eat, there are even more things that you can eat. And learn to cook. You don’t have to be a gourmet chef, but you need to learn to do more than heat up pre-packaged meals. Food will actually start to taste better!

Are you part of a celiac or gluten free support group? Are there any in your area?

There is a very small support group in my town – I went once and was not all that impressed by it. It may have just been that I really didn’t like the speaker that they had, and it turned me off the group. I really ought to go back. I consider our little blogging community to be my support group! I love you guys!

What are your favorite cookbooks? Why?

I like cookbooks with pictures. Currently, I’ve been getting a lot of recipes from my Food and Wine Magazine. I finally have a couple of Bette Hagman’s books, and those are great, particularly for baking.

What is a recipe or dish that your husband LOVES for you to cook?

I make a chicken dish where I pound out the cutlets then wrap it around mushrooms and cheese. Very tasty.

How easy was it to eat gluten free in Australia?

It was a lot easier to eat gluten-free in Australia than it is in the U.S. A lot of restaurants there, even pubs, have gluten-free selections marked on the menu. The grocery stores also have a much better selection of foods. The labeling laws are also better.

What is your favorite Australian dish?

It used to be fish and chips. I did have an excellent dinner of seared tuna with a wasabi mayonnaise served with a side of fries. Lots of good seafood there. They also have a lot of good Asian food. Traveling through the middle of the country, though, I ended up eating a lot of steak and potatoes since that was safe and available.

Have you met any of Red Sox players?

Unfortunately not.

Do you play baseball yourself?

I’m way too uncoordinated! LOL! I’ve tried playing softball in the past with very little success. I play a little golf now, but that’s easier – the ball doesn’t move when you are trying to hit it.

What is your favorite baseball stadium food?

It used to be the Italian sausages sold at Fenway. I’m not sure what is gluten-free at stadiums – this past year I’ve just brought in snack bars.

What have you learned about yourself since being gluten free?

I need to take charge of my life and speak up for what I need. I know plenty of people who won’t go out to eat because they are afraid of being “too much trouble.” I was worried about that too, but I realize that there is a difference about asking for something to be altered a little to be safe and being a pain the in neck. If I’m worried about a place, I call in advance. I’ve had no trouble with places letting me talk to the chef or manager. (at least at nicer places) So basically, I’ve learned to look out for myself and be a little more assertive when necessary.

What is your favorite post so far on your wonderful site?

Probably my ravioli. Or my pizza.

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Karen was also kind enough today to share her recipe for General Tso's Chicken!
I can't wait to try this! Make sure to check Karen's site later this week for a step by step guide on making this fabulous dinner!

Karen's General Tso's Chicken

Ingredients

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

¼ cup gluten free soy sauce

1 egg, beaten

1 cup cornstarch

2 cups green onions, sliced

8 small dried chilies, seeds removed (chili pepuin, bird’s eye, etc.) (Adjust amount depending on taste and heat of particular chili used. And be careful handling chilies – use gloves and do not touch the seeds with your hands. I learned this the hard way.)

Sauce

½ cup cornstarch

¼ cup water

1 ½ teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

1 ½ teaspoons fresh garlic, minced

¾ cup sugar

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup white vinegar

¼ cup sherry or white wine

14 ½ ounces chicken broth (equals one can)

Place all sauce ingredients into a jar with a lid and shake to mix. Refrigerate until needed, shaking it again when you are ready to use it.

Directions

1. Mix soy sauce, egg and cornstarch well and add chicken, tossing to coat.
2. Deep fry chicken, 7 to 8 pieces at a time in hot (350 degree) oil until chicken is crispy. (I do this in the wok in about an inch of oil). Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.
3. Placed a small amount of oil in wok or large skillet and heat to 400 degrees. (Just guess.)
4. Add green onions and hot peppers and stir fry about 30 seconds.
5. Stir sauce and add to pan with onions and peppers, cooking until thick. If the sauce gets too thick, simply add a little water.
6. Add the chicken to the sauce in the wok and cook until it is hot and bubbly.
7. Serve over rice.

Karen's Note: I tend to add a vegetable in when I add the chicken to the sauce, even though General Tso’s Chicken does not contain vegetables. It makes the meal a little healthier and saves me from dirtying another pan.

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Karen, thank you so much for being a willing participant this month!!
We wish you the best of luck at your new blog home on Wordpress!!


For more information on the Monthly Gluten Free Grill, click here.

Grilling it up with Natalie, the Gluten-Free Mommy!

Welcome to the 1st installment of the newest feature on Ginger Lemon Girl...

Every month I will surprise one of you gluten-free bloggers out there with an invitation to get "gluten-free grilled" by yours truly! If you agree to get grilled, you will get a smoking hot email with a grueling list of questions to share all about your gluten-free life, blog, cooking skills, etc..! I'll also ask you share some fun stuff about yourself!

So without further ado...

January 2008

Photo courtesy of Natalie's hubby!

Natalie, The Gluten Free Mommy

Natalie, Thanks for taking the time to be grilled today!
Why don't we start the interview:

Ginger Lemon Girl: How long have you been on a gluten-free diet?
Natalie: Exactly three years this month!


What inspired you to begin blogging about your diet?
Karina . It wasn't until I found her blog that I really got the hang of the diet. Once I was thriving on the diet, I was having a great difficulty keeping track of my new recipes, so I also decided to blog! I gain a lot of support by blogging.


What would you describe your "cooking style" as?
I love cooking family friendly recipes. If my husband and/or my kids won't eat what I am cooking, I won't make it. Food should be eaten!


What was the first gluten-free baked good you ever made? How did it turn out?
I was very intimidated by flour mixes at first, especially ones containing xanthan gum. My mom and I made Bette Hagman's gluten-free, casein-free "Impossible German Pie" (from this book) and it turned out great! The recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of rice flour and no xanthan gum, so it was the first one I made!


Did you have a hard time adjusting to using gluten-free flours and baking ingredients at the beginning of your diet?
At the beginning of my diet, I tried to eat only naturally gluten-free food. I found that I really missed baked goods. Once I started experimenting with flours, I was excited at how well things turned out, but it was really tough at first!


If you could pick 3 of your best recipes listed on your site to recommend for people to make, what would be they be? And why do you like them?
Lighter than Air Chocolate Cake
No Frills Chocolate Cake
Shortcake Dressed Up for Fall


What advice would you give for people who are just beginning a gluten-free diet?
Two things.
1) Don't try to eat just naturally gluten-free foods. It makes the adjustment harder.
2) Become a better cook. Then everything will be better than before going gluten-free!



I think your site especially appeals to moms who have to adhere to a gluten-free, casein-free, and maybe even egg free diet for their children. Do you create many recipes based on these needs? What are some of the top questions you receive from these moms and dads?
I did not start out my "Gluten free mommy" blog with the attention to cater to gluten-free, casein-free, and egg-free diets. In my ignorance, I didn't realize that roughly 50% of those that are gluten-free are also casein-free. One of my goals in the New Year is to to identify those recipes that are naturally casein-free and egg-free. I will continue to add notes as I learn about these diets. I get lots of emails from people who have altered my recipes and I will try and add their notes to my posts to help those with casein-free and egg-free restrictions. I have really gotten an idea of my audience now (mostly through emails with readers), so hopefully I will be able to cater my posts to them a little better!


Do you have any special talents or abilities you want to want to share with our readers?
Special talents... if you want silly, I guess my ability to wiggle my ears fits the bill then.


What kinds of qualities do you think makes a successful food blog?
Good food photography and easy-to-follow, well organized recipe instructions.


What kind of camera do you use for your excellent photography? Have you learned any good tips or tricks for food photography since you began blogging that you would like to share?
I just got a Canon Digital Rebel Xti for Christmas! I try and use natural light as much as possible. My recommendation would be for everyone to read the manual to their camera. Subscribing to Digital-Photography-School.com might not be a bad idea either. I have a long way to go myself, but it is exciting to have a new hobby.


What is your favorite gluten-free dessert recipe?
Creme Brulee or my Lighter than Air Chocolate Cake


What are some of Jude's favorite foods that you have created?
Jude loves my gluten free quick breads, especially my banana bread with chocolate chips.


Is your husband going to be sharing any more of his cooking creations with us this year? He made some killer grilled cheese sandwiches!!
He will definitely be making a guest appearance on the blog this year! He has some ideas in the works. He does a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff for my blog. He is very supportive.


What is your favorite thing about food blogging?
Sharing recipes/experiences with other gluten-free cooks- readers and bloggers alike!


What are some of your favorite cookbooks (gluten-free or other)?
Quick Recipes, Crazy for Casseroles, and the Mayo Clinic Cookbook


Who was most influential in your life in how you learned to cook and bake? Can you tell us of a memory or experience with that person that you still remember today?
My mother is the most influential person in my baking. She was an army wife and can throw amazing parties. I remember helping her in the kitchen at a very young age and that hasn't stopped! I still love to bake with her whenever I am in town, but it is all gluten-free now.


In November, during our afternoon of baking, you felt as if you may also have a corn allergy in addition to a gluten-intolerance. Have you stopped using corn in your diet? What other dietary changes have you made since going gluten-free?
I have greatly reduced the amount of corn in my diet but I seem to be doing ok right now. I don't want to eliminate corn before having a round of allergy tests.


In ways other than the obvious ingredients, how do you think your cooking abilities have changed since you began a gluten-free diet? For example, have you learned to enjoy different kinds of cuisines or styles of cooking (that you didn't like before going GF)?
I have become a better cook, which has made me desire to cook different cuisines. I am not sure that going gluten-free did that alone. My mom and my grandfather made sure to introduce me to a variety of amazing food at a young age, so I learned to love food early. I suppose I probably desire cooking Thai food more now that I am gluten free.


Natalie, thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me! You have no idea how much I learned (and still am learning) from you as I adapted to a gluten-free diet. Your basic gluten-free flour mixture is still the mixture that I usually rely on and I can't thank you enough for that! (1 part brown rice, 1 part tapioca, 1 part sorghum) What words of wisdom would you like to leave with our readers for a brand new gluten-free year?
Try and be more organized. I curse the diet the most when I am disorganized and don't have something in mind for dinner (or something to feed my hungry toddler).

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Thanks again to Natalie, Gluten Free Mommy for her willingness to be my first Grill participant!! Make sure to visit her site for incredible down to earth recipes, great photos, and lots of fun!


Check back this weekend for a delicious sugar-free dessert!


For more information about the Monthly Gluten Free Grill, click here.