Gluten-Free Book Review: Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free: A Whole Food Starter Guide & Cookbook

Back in December my friend Hallie Klecker asked me to review her newest e-book. A wonderful collaboration written with Alisa Fleming, author of Go Dairy Free. This book, "Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free: A Whole Food Starter Guide & Cookbook" is exactly that: a perfect place to start when you go gluten-free and dairy-free.

What I love about this amazing little book is that it not only gives you a full description of what gluten-free and dairy-free REALLY means... it also gives you list after list of foods you can eat, foods you should avoid, shopping lists, a menu planner, etc... this book is a one-stop-shop for learning how to fully become both gluten-free and dairy-free.

Hallie and Alisa have also created 75 delicious recipes that will get you started on your gluten-free & dairy-free journey. How do these recipes sound:

• Banana Cream Pie Shake
• Cranberry Walnut Breakfast Biscuits
• Maple Apple Turkey Sausages
• Weeknight Chicken & Vegetable Chili
• Fresh Salmon salad with Lemon Ginger Dressing
• Florentine Flatbread "Pizza" 
• Chicken Curry in a Hurry!
• Chewy Dark Chocolate Brownies
• Maple Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Then, in addition to all of the mouth-watering recipes, you'll also receive meal planning tips and hints which show you how to cut down on prep time and make weeknight gluten-free & dairy-free cooking fast and easy. 

Would you like a copy of this book? (And you absolutely should!)  I'm giving away one electronic kindle copy of this book! Simply leave a comment on this blog post letting me know why you'd like this book and what recipe you would try first! 

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The Giveaway:

• I am giving away one brand new electronic kindle copy of Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free: A Whole Food Starter Guide and Cookbook. 
• This giveaway is open to everyone. 
• One entry per person.
• Enter by leaving a comment below on this post AND please include a way for me to contact you -- your email address preferably.
• The giveaway begins March 27, 2013 and ends on March 31, 2013  at 11:00 pm eastern daylight savings time.
• No purchase is necessary.  Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.  
• The winners will be randomly chosen and will be contacted by email.  The winners will have 24 hours to respond.  If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be randomly chosen.

GLG Disclosure: 

Hallie Klecker provided me with an electronic copy of 'Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free: A Whole Food Starter Guide and Cookbook' for the purpose of sharing an online review, if I chose to do so. I am personally purchasing the new e-book that is being given away. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own. 

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.

December Sanity Challenge 2012 -- A Peaceful Holiday Season

Image created by the lovely Jennifer Yandle Photography & Design

December... a time actually meant for rest, reflection, creativity, and self-care. But is that what you think of when you envision December? I don't. It often can mean a never-ending to-do list. A focus on gifts, gifts, gifts... christmas cards, ornate decorating, doing everything possible to create a picture-perfect Rockwell holiday. And really, it was just a painting. A lovely painting... but it's not what the holidays are all about.

For me, December is a time to reflect on the journey of Christmas. As a Christian, it's a deeply spiritual time of remembering the miracle of Christ's birth. It's also a deeply spiritual time for many, many other religions and beliefs. It's a time to honor our friends & family. It's a time to rest and rejuvenate.

But so often with sparkly lights, weeks and weeks of Holiday sales starting the actual DAY of Thanksgiving now (ironic, no?), and holiday party after holiday party... it's no wonder we can lose sight of the serenity of the season.

Last year was the first year I participated in Cheryl Harris' December Sanity Challenge. It was truly a gift to realize that I didn't have to be a part of the "crazy-ness" of Christmas. That I really could stop worrying about being perfect, measuring up with the absolute "right" (ie.. expensive) gifts, keeping up with friends & relatives spending enormous amounts on gifts and food. The holiday didn't have to be about "keeping up."

So once again I'm accepting this December's Sanity Challenge. I want to enjoy a peaceful, less-stressful Christmas. And you can too.

Cheryl suggests making a few concrete goals for the season. So here are the goals that I want to work towards this December:

• I will write down three things I am thankful and grateful for every day. 
• I will enjoy a dessert/sweet treat/baked good only once per day and in a small portion (1 small muffin, 2 small GF cookies, etc...) 
• I will take a short 15 minute walk outside at least 2 times a week, both for letting go of stress and to encourage myself to exercise more. 
• To help with our budget this month, I will not buy anything new (used or thrift store items okay) for myself. See Leo Babauta's challenge this week for my inspiration to do this for the remainder of the year... and I would actually like to pursue this in 2013 as well. 

This year's December Sanity Challenge will be hosted also by the following bloggers:

• Dec 1st -- Valerie of City|Life|Eats 
• Dec 8th -- Kate of Eat, Recycle, Repeat
• Dec 15th -- Cheryl of Gluten-free Goodness
• Dec 22nd -- Iris of Daily Dietribe
• Dec 29th -- ME! Carrie of Ginger Lemon Girl

As a little added incentive, for each post on your intentions and your progress you link back here or one of the other co-hosts, Cheryl is offering a $50 Nuts.com gift certificate and I am giving away two brand-new signed copies of my "The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook" after our monthly event is over.

From Cheryl: "Last, but not least, we do have a FB group – if you’d like to join, you’re more than welcome. It’s a space to support and be supported, and it’s the same one we used during our last Self-Care Retreat."

To get a “flavor” of past retreats:
http://www.gfgoodness.com/2012/08/05/a-july-self-retreat-recap/
July Self-Care Retreat and the December Sanity Retreat.

I hope you'll join us in having a sane, peaceful, and joyful Holiday season!

Those days, those weeks...

Ever have those days?

I'm looking at my blog calendar and amidst the giveaways and the book reviews are blank empty spots to be filled in.

blank

empty

spots

Some weeks are like that. This blog is a big, wide-open, blank canvas and there are days, I simply have no idea what to fill it with.

The momentum has changed. I love cooking and I love writing... photography not so much. But that's no secret.

It seems like every season brings change.

Change to the leaves, to the scents in the air as I leave work in the afternoons. Change to diets, change to the list of books on my reading list.

What's next? I really don't know.

Some days I want to write stories. Some days I want to cook. Some days I'd rather just observe and watch. Lately I've picked up my crochet needles again. It's that time of year. Many afternoons I'm contemplative and I want to simply write out those thoughts and feelings. And more often than not these days, I'd rather stay away from any electronic device for weeks at a time. Who needs Facebook? Facebook can make you feel like others lives are more fulfilling than your own. And that simply isn't true. It's one of those tools of this day and age which needs to be used in great moderation or it can steal your joy.

My neighbor stopped me in the driveway yesterday. Came to return a dish. Apologized for not filling it with something in return. I smiled. And she sighed and simply said she was tired. She went on to talk about the things in her life that were extremely challenging for her right now. The frustrations that come from owning an old house. And just life in general. I listened, not really knowing what to say. But I wanted to help.

I wanted to invite her over for my grandmother's tea. To come into my messy kitchen. We'd push stuff out of the way on my overcrowded kitchen table and just enjoy the moment. Different families, same frustrations.

Life has just been like that... messy, overcrowded, days of frustration, days of absolute joy.

How do you sort it all out? Are you a contemplative type? Do you ever feel overwhelmed, even when things are good? Do you question what direction you need to be headed? If you're doing things right on your blog, in your journal, in your life?  What are you working through right now? Do blank empty spots face you as well? How do you work through those moments?

I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments below... and there's an anonymous option to leave comments, so you can be completely honest and totally anonymous if you'd like too.

It's Not All in a Name -- Finding a Food Plan That Works For You

Paleo. Primal. South Beach.. 17 Day Diet. 

Dukan Diet. Atkins. The Zone. 

Weight Watchers. Mediterranean. 

Specific Carbohydrate Diet. The Blood Type Diet. 

DASH diet. Ornish Plan. Engine 2 Diet. 

The Grapefruit Diet. The Hollywood Diet. 

etc... etc... etc... 

In some way or another people are generally following some type of "named" food plan. Specific names are important, especially in the world of American "DIET" marketing. It's a multi-BILLION dollar business. Guidebooks, cookbooks, shakes, protein mixes, pills, pills, pills. 

Recently on the Gingerlemongirl.com facebook page someone asked a very interesting question. I mentioned that for breakfast I had leftover roast chicken, yukon gold potatoes, and broccoli... what I coined "a sort of paleo" breakfast. A reader asked, "So do you tweak your diet? From what I've read potatoes aren't allowed on the paleo diet." It's a good question. Do I tweak? I sure do. 

Here's why: 

Since November 2011, I've been talking about a "Paleo" diet. But in all honesty... it's just a name. I use the word because it best captures the type of foods my body tolerates well.

• Little to no sugar
• Little to no grain-based foods
• Few to no legumes
• Very, very, few refined and/or processed foods  

My body just works best that way. 

But paleo doesn't describe my entire diet. 

It doesn't include that I'm allergic to most shellfish and especially shrimp. It doesn't say that while I can handle small amounts of caffeine, a large cup of full-blown caffeine-loaded coffee would probably send me to the hospital. It doesn't include the fact that the only fish I really like is salmon and I don't even make that every often because hubs isn't a fan of fish. It doesn't say that every now and then I'm going to want a Glutino chocolate cookie or have a craving for fresh homemade gluten free bread. And that when those foods are eaten in very limited qualities they work for my body... that's what "paleo" doesn't say. 

No matter WHAT "named" plan you may be following... you have to adjust it for your own needs. We are all unique individuals. Your own body. If I've learned anything over the past two years, it's that you have to become very aware of your own body, what it needs, how it feels, and how foods affect it. 

One thing that's frustrating to me as a food blogger is the prevalent notion that we must be rigid and judgmental about our diets. I think it's important to specify the difference between a "diet" that has specific boundaries and ones that do not. All the "diets" listed above? They have boundaries that can most likely be crossed without harmful effects to your body. The diets listed above are generally a choice you make, and therefore if you need to adjust them to suit your needs, you absolutely should.

BUT, when you're following a "diet" because of a disease, a food intolerance, or an allergy... YES you do have boundaries. You CANNOT eat gluten, or soy, or whatever it is that your body is intolerant of. Those are not "choices" you make if you want your body to be healthy. (And trust me, for those of you who have to give up gluten for health reasons? I know how hard a challenge that can be!)

But for everything else? You have to learn to adapt, change, or edit a diet or a combination of diets that work best for you. The best nutrition advice I've ever heard is from Cheryl Harris, a registered dietitian,  nutritionist, certified wellness coach, and author of the blog Gluten Free Goodness. In a nutshell Cheryl states: eat real foods, less sugar and/or sweeteners, and simply be mindful about what you eat. These sage words apply no matter what type of food plan, diet, or habitual nourishment practices you follow. 

So that's why this blog isn't "technically" a paleo blog and never will be. 

I'll never love cauliflower no matter how much I try and I'll probably always eat peanut butter even though technically it's a legume. Eat what works best for your own health and your own body. And if you need help figuring out what that means for you -- find a knowledgeable nutritionist (I happen to know of a really good one!) or doctor who can guide you in the right direction! 

'Cause You've Got... Personality!

I saw this little questionnaire on one my favorite blogs, "A Tasty Life" and I thought these would be fun questions to answer! How about you?

10 Questions about My Personality

1. When a cashier in the checkout line at the grocery store is being a grump for no reason, how do you typically react?

• I always try to smile, say hello, and ask them how they are. Then I always thank them for helping me. I was a cashier during my entire college career and I know how hard that work is. I also know how rewarding it can be when you have customers who appreciate what you do. 

2. Are you the type that likes going out with your girl friends or staying in? 

• Definitely staying in! I love all my girl friends, but I'm a one-on-one kinda gal and my introverted personality gets easily overwhelmed if I'm out with a group of people. It's incredibly draining for me. And admittedly I'm a home girl. I love being home and hanging out with my husband. 

3. Do you sob and get emotional watching romance movies? 

• I'm not a fan of romance movies, they are too unrealistic. However, I LOVED watching Prince William and Princess Kate get married last year! 

4. What stresses you out the most?

• This one is hard to pinpoint. As one who lives with anxiety and depression on a regular basis, a lot of different things can stress me out depending on the day, on how I feel, etc... See #8 on my feelings about injustice & being respected. 

5. What do you think people think of you? 

•  That I'm quiet and reserved.

6. When you overindulge do you hit the gym to burn it all off, or just accept the indulgence and follow your same routine?

• Accept it and move on. Life's too short to beat yourself up over it. 

7. Are you easily annoyed? 

• Depends on the day. Of course there are things that will set me off like people who seem to be "know-it-alls" or insist on correcting others or giving advice when it's not asked for... lol

8. What do you think is your biggest personality flaw? 

• I can take things too personally and then get upset and really stress over it. I have a very strong sense of justice and if I feel that myself or others are being stepped on, disrespected, or being unjustly treated I feel the need to fix it immediately. And then I will share my opinion without filtering my words... which can get me into trouble... lol

9. What is one thing you don’t think people see enough of when it comes to your personality?

• Hmmm.... that I like to make people laugh and I think I have a great sense of humor. 

10. Can you feel relaxed in a busy crowd or messy room? 

• In a busy crowd? NO. I don't do well in crowds. I feel extremely uncomfortable and I want to hide! A messy room? Well... I think there's levels of "messy"... my house is generally somewhat messy and I'm okay with that. I don't mind the "lived in" look, I actually feel much more comfortable in that kind of setting. (If your house looks like a hotel, I will immediately feel out of place and very uncomfortable!!) But there's line when it gets TOO messy and I can't stand it. I like things put up, even if the house isn't technically "clean." 

How to Save Money on a Gluten Free & Paleo Diet

Image source

One question I've been asked a lot recently is "Isn't eating all that meat & fresh vegetables expensive?" Well... honestly it depends. It can be expensive. It can also be relatively inexpensive depending on what you spend your money on. There are a few tricks I've learned that can make it easier.

First you have to decide what's most important to you. 

If I had unlimited financial resources, I'd try to buy as organic, local, unprocessed, grass-fed as I could. But unfortunately that's not always realistic for us financially and due to where we live. The nearest Whole Foods, Earthfare, and/or Trader Joe's is a good 50-60 miles away in the direction opposite to where we live and work. Trying to make that a weekly shopping trip there would be way too time consuming and costly.  This means, the majority of our fresh vegetables and protein sources are going to come from a regular 'ol chain grocery store in our area. It means the food probably isn't going to be organic, and the protein will not always be the extremely high quality that I would like... but I have to work within my budget and area limitations. I'm good with that. It all depends on what you feel works best for your budget and your family. For me, buying fresh, whole foods that fit within my budget, even if they aren't the highest quality available, is more important than trying to live above my means. 

Work with the resources you have available. 

While I don't have any super cool, high-end grocery stores nearby (which I probably couldn't afford to shop at on a regular basis anyway)... I have researched and found some incredible local resources that I can occasionally use. When the budget allows for it, I will stock up on grass-fed beef from a local farm. It's expensive and we cannot afford buying meat from the farm every month. But I try to stock up on different cuts of beef, ground beef & turkey, and whole chickens. I also researched some of the products in our local grocery store and found out which items were locally made (in Eastern NC:  peanuts, fresh vegetables and starches such as sweet potatoes, milled corn products, honey, pork products) that I could eat.. such as a pork sausage that's made less than 30 miles away and is only sold in a few counties in Eastern NC. It's a little more expensive than major name brands, but I think it's worth the extra few dollars to buy a product at the grocery store that's made in North Carolina. 

Plan your shopping list around what's on sale -- you're shopping seasonally that way! 

For me, I basically shop at one store. With my hectic schedule that includes working full time and commuting I don't have time to shop at several different stores to try to get the absolute best prices. So every week I view the online sales flyer. My grocery store has a neat tool on the website which allows you to create a shopping list from the sales flyer. You can also manually add in any additional foods to your list, which can be printed out, emailed to you, or sent to your smart phone. I basically only shop the perimeter of my grocery store, so I simply look for the produce and proteins that are on sale for the week that can supplement what I have in the freezer from the beef farm. I generally budget $60-$80 per week for the two of us in our family. Another neat tool to use on the grocery store website is online coupons for toiletries, cleaners, dish soap, detergent, etc... I can see if there are any of those products on sale in the flyer & match that with coupons that I can add electronically to my frequent shopper discount card. I'm not a coupon clipper (I have no desire to carry around a notebook of coupons everywhere I go) and I don't use them often since I rarely see coupons for romaine lettuce, carrots, ground beef, or chicken! But it's a handy tool to use on the grocery store website to help me save a little bit of money on household products -- especially since the coupons are stored electronically on my shopper card. Use the tools that your grocery store provides to help you save as much money as possible. Often the vegetables that are on sale are seasonal vegetables in your area. If you have a deep freezer, stock on up meats & chicken when they go on sale! 

Plan your menu around the store sales items. 

Here's where you get to be creative. Often it means cooking without a recipe. Learn about different varieties of seasonings and find the ones you like. If chicken is on sale this week, we're definitely going to have chicken at least once with whatever vegetables were also on sale. Breakfast is usually eggs, sometimes sausage, turkey bacon, regular bacon, sometimes a hash with sauteed potatoes, spinach, peppers, and eggs, sometimes an omelet, sometimes a green smoothie if I'm not feeling up to par. Lunches are generally leftovers from dinner. Learn how to make & season about 15-20 meals that your family really likes. Learn how to adjust them according to your own unique tastes & preferences. 

Nearly all of my weekly menus are based around store sales and what I have in my freezer, here is what we've eaten this week: 

Breakfasts: eggs, seasoned ground beef gravy, thickened with a tiny bit of brown rice flour (not paleo), green smoothies with greens & fruit. 

Lunches: leftovers

Desserts & Snacks: nuts/seeds, dried fruits, dark chocolate (no, it's not paleo!), fresh fruit (usually 1-2 servings a day, as dessert), almond flour muffins sweetened with honey (not every week), nut butters with apples, carrots, or celery, etc... 

Dinners: 

• Monday -- Cube Steak Stew (cube steak from beef farm with veggies from the previous week)
• Tuesday -- low carb pizza (made from a base of ground chicken which was on sale and pizza toppings we already had on hand) + salad -- pizza was a treat for me since we were celebrating my husband's birthday with his family -- they all had regular pizza. 
• Wednesday -- chicken & broccoli served over creamed spinach (chicken & broccoli were on sale this week)
• Thursday-- meatloaf, mashed butternut squash, and Caesar salad (meatloaf made from beef in the freezer, butternut squash from sale last week, and salad from this week's produce)
• Friday-- breakfast for dinner -- scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, sauteed kale (perfect example of a grocery store "perimeter" meal -- also time to start planning for next week's menu) 
• Saturday -- slow cooker chicken at our friend Betty's house (who was awesome enough to email me ahead of time to make sure I could eat everything!) 
• Sunday -- roast beef or chicken with mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, and sauteed kale (chicken or beef from the farm with pantry green beans, and the last of the week's produce)

I hope this gives you a few ideas on how you can save money even when eating real, whole, naturally gluten free & paleo foods. What are your favorite tips? What grocery preferences do you have? Do you stick with organic, local foods? Do you plan your meals around grocery store sales? Do you use coupons? Please share your thoughts here on the blog! 

so about this whole "paleo" thing...

Everyday Paleo's ground beef tacos with purple cabbage slaw

I've known for a long time that my body just doesn't like sugar. Or simple starches. Or grains. Or soy. Or dairy....  Which to be honest...sometimes sucks. Especially when you like to bake. 

But a few months ago I realized how much I hated feeling like crap. And I spent a lot of days feeling like crap. Even with going to the gym, watching my "diet", losing a little bit of weight in the process, and even keeping a food journal... I still often felt like crap. 

So about 2 1/2 months ago I decided it was time to seriously change the way I eat... and bake. I've been working with nutritionist Cheryl Harris since February of this year. She is amazing and very intuitive. She already knew I needed to radically change the way I was eating. Me, though? I was resistant. Very. Very. Resistant. 

Who wants to change the way they eat? I knew I needed help. And I wanted advice... but this girl can be rather stubborn about actually accepting help and making real change. For many people it takes time and usually a rock-bottom experience to get to the place when you absolutely know it's time for change. That place when you are simply compelled to change. 

Cheryl understood that though. She didn't push. She suggested. She listened. She planted seeds of change. And eventually those seeds took root.

You may remember me talking about Overeater's Anonymous a month ago... the events that led up to that was my rock-bottom moment. That was when I KNEW I had to change. And so it began... I slowly started removing carbohydrates and grains from my diet. Gluten, of course, was already out. Dairy was already out (except for butter, which doesn't bother my tummy), soy was already out, I had been avoiding legumes (other than peanut butter) for months, so honestly this transition to meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts & seeds, healthy fats, and eggs almost seemed natural. 

Now... several months or so into this new "food" journey, I realized there was a name to the type of food plan my body likes best. "The Paleo Diet." I really hate labeling things, it seems like anything labeled becomes a fad. A trend. But it was kind of cool to hear a "name" for the way I need to eat. 

I've always had problems digesting grains, beans, and dairy. You know... the staples of the American diet. None of them liked me. Not one little bit. 

So with the help of my friend Heather, I jumped into Paleo. We both wanted to feel better. We both wanted our tummies to start behaving. So we just took the plunge and went shopping. Shopping for real food. For vegetables like kale, purple cabbage, celery, broccoli, carrots, onions, garlic, zucchini, and avocados (oh how I love avocados!). For proteins, meats like fresh ground beef, roasts, chicken, turkey, bacon... Mmmmm... bacon! And eggs, and lots of 'em! Fruits like mangoes, apples, raisins, cranberries, bananas, and pineapple. Healthy fats like almond butter, tahini, olives, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, and coconut milk. For the occasional treat -- baking with almond flour or coconut flour and sweetening with honey, dates, or fruit. We started learning simple ways to prepare food. I started using ingredients like balsamic vinegar, and different types of stone-ground mustard to flavor and season meats, chicken, and salads. 

I started using amazing books like newly published Sarah Fragoso's "Everyday Paleo" from Victory Belt Publishing -- chock full of healthy, easy, ONE dish meals that I could make in minutes to serve for dinner. I felt blessed to receive a review copy of this cookbook from Victory Belt at just the right time. I have truly NEEDED cookbooks like this for so long. Cookbooks that focus on using fresh vegetables, healthy lean meats, eggs, and fruit. SO many cookbooks, especially gluten free cookbooks focus on the starches. On the pasta. The bread. The muffins. The cake. The things that simply don't work for my body.  I'm so glad paleo-type cookbooks like this are finally becoming readily available! (Sarah's book in particular is so easy to use, focuses on EASY family meals, and even includes shopping lists, meal plans, and a workout strategy at the end. I highly recommend reading her blog, or purchasing her book for great recipes and ideas!) Sarah, your basic, real food recipes have helped me more than you could ever know!

I have loved the process of FINALLY finding meals that simply make me feel good. Fresh food, happy tummies, a better attitude, and great outlook on life... this paleo thing has been good to me. 

I know it's not for everybody. Some people really do perform and feel better with more carbohydrates in their system. Yet, I believe everyone can benefit from more fresh, real foods. For me though, it's been realizing that my body TRULY cannot tolerate processed carbohydrates. No more white sugar, no more baking with gluten free grains & starches, no more gluten free pasta. And finally, I can honestly say I rarely miss those things anymore. I've enjoyed the challenge of baking with almond flour and coconut flour. I've enjoyed wholesome, real meals without the starch. And the vegetables? I don't think I'd be able to function very well without them now. Fresh vegetables have become a true daily staple. 

So that's why I'm doing this... to feel better. To be better. To be on the right track for my body. And I finally feel like I'm heading down the right track... how about you? 

And if you're wondering about the husband.... well he's slowly adjusting. He's still in that lovely little resistance phase... so I understand... and I appreciate that he's being a good sport! :-) All good things take time. And I'm thankful he's at least willing to try!

blessings

This year is about honesty. Honesty with who I am.

Sitting in my living room this evening, in my grandmother's hand-me-down pink 'La-Z-Boy' recliner. A cat is laying above my head on top of the furr-covered cushion looking out the window into the dark street.

Michael is washing dishes, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is being read aloud by Jim Dale on CD... The soft swishing of water being turned off, then on again as Michael rinses forks, knives, spoons, cast-iron skillets, and plastic lunch boxes.

I sit this evening in awe of my blessings. Of a house that didn't leak through Hurricane Irene (although a lot of sleep was lost worrying about it). Of an incredible husband who loves me... for me, even when it's hard. Of healthy cats who make me feel needed.

I've spent a lot of this year contemplating. Working through negative thoughts and attitudes. I've realized lately that I can have quite a low opinion of myself. Not purposefully. But that I can "talk" myself into being fearful, sad, frustrated, concerned, overly worried, stressed.... and even jealous.

The past few months I've been slowly coming to terms with a lot of my own character defects (thank you Overeaters Anonymous for cool terminology!) And one of my biggest faults is jealousy. I admitted that to myself a few months ago. And it wasn't easy. It was ugly. It was tear-filled with snotty tissues. Who wants to be that type of person?  I flat out looked at myself and said...you're ruining your life being jealous of others. It happens so simply, so innocently. Feelings of inadequacy. And it's more than just a little green monster. It's a big monster. An angry monster. It's not pretty. Jealousy over the success of others. Jealousy over book deals. Jealousy over facebook "likes" and twitter followers. Jealousy over those who can lose weight without even trying (I realize they are few and far between - but it seems like they are everywhere in the midst of struggles!)

And really? Jealously sucks. Literally. It will suck the life out of you. So one of my goals for the remainder of this year is to find contentment. Just where I am. Just as I am.

So what does it mean to be content? For me it means acceptance. It means finding joy in the small moments... moments of dishes being washed by a loving husband. Accepting that losing 80 pounds in one year may have been a little too large of a goal -- and being thankful for the 17 pounds that have so far come off. It means letting go of fear. Fear of not being enough. Fear of not meeting goals. Fear of failure.

Contentment is embracing the blessing of every. single. day. Not living in fear of what may or may not happen. Acceptance of the beauty of today.

The beauty of today.

Are you content? Are you blessed? How are you overcoming the internal struggles you deal with? What do you fear?

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Peanut Butter Pie for Jennie & Mikey

Yesterday I read the news of Jennie's husband on Gluten Free Girl. I sat at my desk at work and cried. I don't even know Jennie. To be honest I had only read her blog a handful of times, but to read Shauna's description of her amazing friends and then to hear how the life of Jennie's husband Mikey had ended so suddenly, so unavoidably... my heart simply broke for her. 

One reason this hit so close to home for me is that my own husband is a "Mikey"... to see her husband dancing with his daughter, to read Jennie's tribute to her Mikey... it made me stop and call my husband immediately to let him know how much I loved him. 

Then I read these words in Jennie's post, "...I kept telling myself I would make it (peanut butter pie) for him tomorrow. Time has suddenly stood still, though, and I'm waiting to wake up and learn to live a new kind of normal. For those asking what they can do to help my healing process, make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love. Then hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on."

So I made a peanut butter pie. Because it was what I could do. 

And this weekend I am also making chocolate chip cookies for my Michael. I've promised him the past few months I would make those cookies, his very favorite... and I haven't. I've forgotten. I've been too busy. I haven't made time. And it is now time to change that pattern.... this man I love who makes so few requests... the least I can do is make him a batch of chocolate chip cookies to show him how much I love him. 

In memory of Mikey and to honor sweet Jennie and her children, here is a peanut butter pie. If only there was more I could do... 

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

free of gluten, dairy, soy, and eggs

created by Carrie Forbes

printer-friendly recipe

makes one 9" pie

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup crushed gluten free cookie crumbs (I used Enjoy Life Vanilla Graham Cookies)

1 tbsp. cocoa powder (omit, if using gluten free chocolate cookies)

2 tbsp. palm shortening

Pie Ingredients:

1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons chia seeds mixed with 1/3 cup hot water, set aside for a few minutes to gel

To make the chocolate crust: Mix crushed gluten free cookie crumbs with the cocoa power. Cut in the palm shortening and mix with a fork or with your fingers until the crumbs stick together slightly. Pour the crumbly mixture into a glass pie pan and press into the pan until it evenly covers the bottoms and the sides. Set aside.

To make peanut butter filling:  A) If you have a high powered blender like a vitamix or blendtec, add all ingredients to the blender and blend on high for several minutes until thoroughly combined and super creamy. Pour into pie crust. Top with chocolate chips if desired and place in refrigerator for several hours to set. B) For a "regular" ol' blender, add the chia seeds mixed with water to the blender and blend on high until the mixture has been thoroughly pureed. Pour pureed chia seeds & water into a large bowl and whisk in the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and coconut milk. Whisk together until super creamy. Pour into pie pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top if desired and then place in refrigerator for several hours to set before serving.

Carrie's Notes: In hindsite to make this again in my vitamix I would first puree the chia seed/water mixture then add the coconut milk, blending again on high and finally adding the peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla... this is a very THICK batter and I had to blend it on high using the tamper consistantly to blend the ingredients well! But this pie is so worth the effort! Tamper away and enjoy this awesome, vegan pie! 

Charlotte, NC Gluten Free Allergen Free Expo 2011

On Saturday April 30th I had the pleasure of attending the 2011 Gluten Free/ Allergen Free Expo in Charlotte NC. This event was organized primarily by Nikki Everett, a member of the Charlotte gluten free community. Nikki's 10 year old daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago and ever since Nikki has lead the way to offer the community a yearly gluten free expo to share the gluten free & allergen free products that are available. This year's event had incredible speakers such as Dr. Alessio Fasano, Director of the Celiac Disease Research Center at the University of Maryland,  Dr. Peter Osborne, Founder of Gluten Free Society & Town Wellness Center, Chef Peter Reinhart from Johnson and Wales University, Chef Pamela Roberts, and Jules Shepard celebrated gluten free cookbook author and creator of Jules Gluten Free Flours. Please make sure to watch Channel 14 Carolina's story on the GF Expo!

Saturday morning Michael and I drove into downtown Charlotte for the event. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. While I've lived in North Carolina since 2000, I don't often have the chance to visit the beautiful city of Charlotte! This was a treat!

On Thursday night (before the Expo) I baked 8 dozen of my signature gluten free chocolate chip cookies to give away at the event. While I was not a vendor, I looked forward to meeting people in the Charlotte community and hopefully introducing my blog to them! Next year look for my booth where I'll have lots more gluten free cookies in tow!!

Handing out cookies at the Expo. I can't believe how fast they went!

The entrance to the gluten free allergen free vendor's hall at the Expo. For a full list of vendors please visit the Charlotte GF/AF Expo website complete with links for more information and to purchase gluten free products!

My favorite gluten free "store bought" bread Rudi's was there, along with Udi's, Joan's Great Bakes (yummy English muffins!), and even Luce's beautiful gluten free artisan bread. A local bakery in Charlotte Polka Dot Bakeshop was there with lots of mini-cupcakes and other delicious gluten free products!

One of my favorite finds at the Expo was a local pizza restaurant called "Fuel Pizza" which has several locations in Charlotte and in surrounding South Carolina cities. They served several different flavors of gluten free pizza and it was absolutely the best "gluten-free-restaurant-pizza" I've ever had. It tasted like thin crust "fair" pizza. If you ever have the chance to try out Fuel Pizza, I highly recommend them! I also had the opportunity to try Redbridge gluten free beer for the first time. As you know, I don't drink and it just tasted like "beer" to me, but for those who like to enjoy a cold one every now and then, it's great to know this product is available!

One of the major highlights of the Expo for me: Meeting gluten free cookbook author Jules Shepard of Jules Gluten Free and new blogger Pam of  I'm a Celiac. Pam was such a sweetheart and it was so much fun to meet a fellow gluten free food blogger from North Carolina! I look forward to getting to know Pam in the upcoming year to discover more gluten free options in the piedmont area of NC!  Jules was absolutely adorable and just so friendly! As Pam said in her post, it was like meeting old friends!  I don't know how Jules does all that she does! She was sharing gluten free muffins and fresh focaccia bread along with selling her awesome cookbooks and she even had a gluten free cooking lesson nearing the end of the Expo.  Make sure to check out Jules big event this weekend: 1in133.org and please sign the petition to encourage our law makers to require companies to test their products for gluten if they want to label them gluten free.

There were fantastic restaurants represented at the Expo such as Posana; a completely gluten free establishment in Asheville NC! Another place cool place was Nothing But Noodles, which is available at several locations in Charlotte NC. They serve up really creative gluten free dishes using thai rice noodles!

A really lovely product at the Expo was Luce's Gluten Free Artisan Breads. The breads were so beautiful and rustic that at first I had a hard time believing they were gluten free! Make sure to check out their website for information on ordering!

Lindy's Gluten Free Goodies was a new discovery to me, thanks to Pam of I'm a Celiac. Lindy has a gluten free bakery in the Greensboro area of NC and also offers a cookbook, gluten free cooking classes, and more!

One of my favorite parts of the Expo:  The awesome variety of demonstrations and talks offered. We attended Chef Peter Reinhart's demonstration of low carb, gluten free baking.

2nd row seats!! :-) We sampled Chef Reinhart's gluten free low carb breadsticks which were made with almond flour, sesame seed flour, almond milk, eggs, a tiny bit of xanthan gum, and garlic. They were delicious!

Chef Reinhart is currently working on writing a low carb, gluten free cookbook with fellow author Denene Wallace, founder of Proseed Flour Mix (a high protein/ low carb gluten free flour). The book should be available in the spring of 2012! I'm looking forward to having a copy!

More vendors at the fair included Canyon Bakehouse breads, based out of Colorado. Walden Farms gave out samples of gluten free, sugar free chocolate syrup and pancake syrups. Against the Grain shared gluten free pizza, baguettes, and rolls. Gluten Free By Beverly also shared delicious gluten free pizza!

Other amazing vendors included (please Google them for more information): 1-2-3 Gluten Free, Allerenergy (pretzels! Yum!), American Key Foods Products, Bakery on Main, Bath Nook, Beth's Acupuncture, Bone Suckin' Sauce, Brain Balance, Carolina Digestive Associates, Cecilia's Marketplace, Celiac Disease Research Center, Charlotte Gastroenterology, Chebe, Clear Allergy Labels, Cupcakistry, Custom Choice Cereal, Delight Gluten Free Magazine, EarthFare (including a variety of GF products they carry), Elle Palmer, Farmo, FFarms, From Scratch, Full Flavor Foods, Gallolea Organics, Garden Spot Distrubutors (including a variety of GF products they carry), GIG Piedmont Triad, Glutino/Ian's, Healthy Home Market (including a variety of GF products), Bob's Red Mill, Healthy Meals from Home, Healthy Priorities, Jason's Deli, Juice Plus+, Katz Gluten Free Bakery, Kettle Cuisine, Kinnikinnick Foods, Labrems Cookies, Lake Norman Health & Wellness, Living Without Magazine, Mary's Gone Crackers, Matthews Family Chiropractic, No Nuttin', Outback Steakhouse, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Pro Pack Group, Resves INC, Tasty of Sunrise, Tasty Yo LLC, The Thoughtful Baker, Total Nutrition Technology, Twin Cakes Bakery, Whole Foods Market.

Last but not least, one of my favorite vendors was Judy of Coconut Treasures, Inc. I'll share more about Coconut Treasures in another post, but these little bites of coconut, hemp, and honey goodness are truly delicious! They are mostly organic and are made locally in Charlotte and are highly nutritious!  I bought a package of these coconut treats home with me and honestly wish I had bought several more to put in the freezer! I had one last night as my "dessert" and it was such a satisfying sweet treat that met my chocolate & sweet craving head on!

Next year I plan on being a vendor at the 2012 Charlotte GF/AF Expo and I would love to hear your thoughts on this truly incredible event if you attended this year! Many, many thanks to coordinator Nikki Everett and all of the Charlotte area volunteers who put so much time and energy into this event! It made me very proud to be gluten free in North Carolina!

Real Food VS. Processed Food VS. Balance

You all know the argument... should you eat real foods or processed foods? And we all know the answer. Of course we should eat as many whole, real, unprocessed foods as possible. But we also live in a very "real" world where the real foods we would like to eat are not always as available or affordable as we would like.  I've read some interesting comments lately about foods I've mentioned in my meal plans and foods I've mentioned on my facebook page and I wanted to address the issue.

First, I absolutely think it's best to base your diet around real, whole, unprocessed foods. When I began a gluten free diet in 2007, I was truly appalled at the amount of  "white" flours used in most gluten free baked goods & recipes. It had been preached to me since I was a child that you based your diet on whole grains, even when you were baking. So I created lots of recipes using whole grains: brown rice flour, millet flour, and sorghum flour. 5 years later: I'm using a variety of even more whole grains like teff flour, quinoa flour, and buckwheat flour.

But this post isn't necessarily about baking and using gluten free flours. (Although I am quite passionate about gluten free baking as you well know!)

While I believe it's essential for diets to be based around healthy, whole foods... I also believe it's perfectly acceptable to eat processed foods in moderation. I have practiced & preached both extremes. Especially after becoming gluten free, I learned the nutritional value of eating whole, unprocessed foods, while in my college years I lived on mostly processed foods.

I also understand that finances, living space, and your personal environment can play a HUGE role in diets. Whole foods are expensive. Especially high quality and/or organic whole foods. What I've come to realize is that like in all things, nutrition is about balance.

Financially some months are better for my husband and I than others. We live on a steady income, but as you well know, life & financial burdens are not always steady. During prosperous months we buy fresh vegetables, organic chicken, fresh meats & fish, as much as we can. When I know I can spend more during a those months, I often try to stock up on healthy foods (such as frozen vegetables, high quality meats/chicken) so that I can store as much as I can in the small freezer space that we have. During prosperous months when fresh foods are easily available, it is most likely that we eat healthier.

Other months are much leaner financially. On those months I tend to rely on low sodium and/or "no salt added" canned vegetables & beans, canned fish such as tuna & salmon, and our freezer supply of meats/chicken. Other pantry items such as gluten free pastas, brown rice, millet & quinoa are used a lot as well. Which means on leaner months we tend to eat more "processed" foods.

Since mainstream gluten free products like Udi's bread & Rudi's bread have become more readily available, I also tend to have a loaf or two of gluten free bread in my freezer. Especially in the more prosperous months.  During leaner months, I generally make gluten free bread from scratch and freeze it because I have a supply of gluten free baking ingredients in my pantry.

Other processed foods we generally have on hand?

• Condiments: ketchup, mustard, gluten free barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, A1-sauce, relishes, salsa, hot sauce, etc... 
• Gluten free lunch meats like smoked turkey and ham
• Cheese/ Yogurt
• Peanut butter/ Almond Butter/ Jams/ Jellies/ Honey
• Frozen gluten free treat (like donuts or ice cream) 
• Cereal (My husband's go to meal for any time of the day! lol)
• GF Rolled Oats and gf hot cereal in individual packages
• Almond Milk
• Hemp protein powder
• Chocolate Syrup

Does this mean we eat these foods all the time? No. It means they are available if/when we need them or want them. Does it mean I think processed foods are necessarily healthy? No. It means that often when I'm in a hurry and/or if we are in one of our "lean" months we have provisions that are often still a healthier choice than junk food or using money we don't have for fast food. 

My point in this post is that one thing I've learned over the past few years is that BALANCE in our diets is necessary and important.  It means that while I truly want us to eat healthy, whole, real (even organic and ethically raised) foods... I also have to be content to live within my means. And some months that means depending more on processed foods than whole foods. 

It also means that occasionally I can eat that small serving bag of cheetos and know that because it's not something I do daily or even weekly... that it's okay. It's all about balance.  

What are your thoughts? I know this is an extremely controversial subject, especially in the food/blogging world... I'd really love to know how you stand on this issue? Do you think a balance between whole foods and processed foods is acceptable? 

Gym Hamster - Week 8 Update

Bad to the Bone!

THIS is a cool hamster!! :-)

It's week 8 at the gym. That's hard for me to believe. It seems like more of a habit now than something I'm forced to go too! I'm proud that I've made it 3 times this week and I'm going again after work today!

One thing that stands out to me this week is I'm starting to gain some confidence in myself and my abilities. On days that I cardio alone, I do a full 60 minutes. I started with 20 minutes!

I'm pushing myself harder, I'm trying more activities, and I look forward to the gym (well, most days anyway! )

My attitude is better than it has been in years. I've lost 12 pounds since January 1... it's slow progress, but I'm okay with that. I hope that slow progress means permanent progress!

The past few weeks I've also had the help of nutritionist Cheryl Harris. She's been coaching me each week on the positive progress I've made and focusing on challenging areas I can work on. This week we talked about mindless eating. She recommended reading "Mindless Eating" by Brian Wansink. Amazingly with Amazon Prime my copy came in one day, so I've started reading. So far the book has started talking about the "cues" that we don't think about that can encourage us to eat more without thinking about it: a larger plate or container, a fancy label, other people eating/drinking around us, etc... It's been a really interesting read so far and it's really making me think about why I eat more than I should at times.

And you. Thank you for reading these updates. I know recipes have been few & far between lately and I really appreciate all your support in this journey I'm making. I know eventually I'll be able to make time again to focus on baking and creating recipes... but I so appreciate your patience as I figure this healthy living lifestyle out! Knowing I have a huge group of cheerleaders behind me is huge and makes a world of difference.

I appreciate you!

This Week's Menu - A day late

I've learned over the past few weeks that my body seems to handle small amounts of white cheeses & greek yogurt very well. I'm thankful for this as it's an additional source of gluten free lean proteins in my diet. 

Breakfasts this week:

My nutritionist of awesomeness Cheryl Harris' Millet Cereal, soft-boiled eggs, rice and/or hemp protein shakes. The chocolate shakes, I simply mix the protein with almond milk & a few ice cubes. For the berry shake, I like to make Ashley's Morning Smoothie and just add a few tablespoons of this protein powder. It's delicious!

Snacks: 

Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds, Babybell Cheese and/or cheesesticks, greek yogurt, apples, bananas, carrots & hummus, rice and/or hemp protein shakes

Lunches: Dinner leftovers or gluten free sandwiches + apple slices

Dinners: I've got the ingredients for all these dinners this week, so we can pick and choose which dinner we want! Somehow we're eating a lot of turkey this week! lol

• Turkey Burgers on homemade GF buns with green beans, and carrot sticks
• Grilled Halibut? (I think that's the fish I bought?? lol) with broccoli & steamed brown rice or millet
• Mock Chicken Parmesan with Angel Food chicken and spaghetti sauce. Served with green beans or salad and brown rice pasta
• Turkey hotdogs (since I made gf hotdog buns this week!) served with baked beans & homemade coleslaw
• Breakfast for Dinner: scrambled eggs, fruit salad, gluten free toast, turkey bacon 
• Friday Homemade Gluten Free Pizza night! 
• Easy Tuna Melts using my husband's tuna salad of awesomeness. Served with an easy spinach & mandarin orange salad. 

Sunday night preparations for the week:

1. Made 2 batches of dough of my honey oat bread. With the first batch I made an actual loaf of bread. After it cooled, I sliced it, wrapped it in plastic wrap, placed it in a ziplock bag and then froze the entire loaf. With the second batch, I made 4 hamburger buns using english muffin rings (or you could use emptied & washed tuna cans) and I made 4 hotdog buns using heavy duty foil shaped into oblong rings (like this great example). 
2. Placed my frozen fish & frozen turkey burgers in the refrigerator to defrost so they would be ready for cooking any night this week. 
3. Sliced 4-5 apples and placed them in bags so we could just grab them in the mornings as we headed out the door. 
4. Prepared the millet cereal & the boiled eggs in my rice cooker and then placed everything in sealed serving containers so I could just grab these items for breakfast as I headed out the door this week. 

What's on your menu this week? What have you done to make meals easier to prepare for your family this week? 

Gym Hamster - Week 2 Update

So I'm not exactly a "gym rat" yet... but we'll settle for gym hamster with itty bitty weights... I'm getting there.

It's week two. The novelty of the gym showers has worn off, but I do look forward to going! My goal is 3-4 days a week: 45 minutes of cardio each time + this week I'm adding a strength training routine for at least one day a week.

This gym has a cool system that tracks your progress & keeps a routine scheduled for you.. so basically you just have to show up and do it.

If anything, this is something huge I'm learning: Just show up. Don't think about it, don't question it. It doesn't matter if you don't want too.  Just do it. Nike makes a lot of money for a reason.

I've already had several days when I really haven't wanted to go. I'm tired. It makes my already busy life even busier... it means less time with my husband in the afternoons. It means meals are even simpler than they already were and not anything exciting. It means this week I haven't been able to keep up with those dishes that are always haunting me... but I also know eventually I'll figure it all out.

I know eventually I'll figure out how to balance all of it and it will eventually just become a way of life. But it doesn't happen immediately. I think most of my life I've expected "immediately."

Sign up for Erin's Newletter & Updates here: GlutenFreeFitness.com

One person who has really helped me over the past two months is Erin Elbertson of GlutenFreeFitness.com. She's been a constant email support. She's answered every question I've had. She's been my cheerleader & advisor. She's an amazing woman. I will soon be sharing my absolute praise for her & her gluten free nutrition and wellness program. I highly recommend her program if you need help getting your fitness & nutrition back on track. Trust me, it will be worth EVERY penny. Erin, I can't thank you enough my friend. You are such an inspiration to me.

So, as life changes, so will this website. I apologize in advance that I won't be able to update you with new recipes nearly as often as I have in the past... I will as I have time and as always, I'm ever thankful that you are reading, baking gluten free, and enjoying the recipes here. There will be more!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Thoughtfully,
Carrie