Friday was my 37th birthday. I always loved having my birthday be 11/11 and this year with it being 11/11/11, I was super siked. My mom loves to tell the story that I was 12 before I realized the whole world didn't take off just because of MY birthday:). I was so excited I even got a lottery ticket at 11:11 am. Much to my dismay, I did not win. Oh well, what do you expect;). I have many friends who are doing alot of reflecting lately for various reasons. I thought this would be a good week to do a little reflecting myself. In this last year, my family came from Florida for the holidays, I had a virtual New years toast with my two best friends hoping to welcome in an amazing 2011. 3 days later I was in Little Rock with my oldest daughter being admitted into the children's hospital for the most amazing and most difficult journey we've ever had. January 25th she received the greatest gift that I could not give her and recovered as she has from everything she's ever undergone in her life, with lightening speed; grace; patience like I've never seen and continues to thrive each and every day. Then, I learned how to adapt and become an expert on all things celiac and gluten free. I started this blog and have kept everyone up to date on our lives and helped families with their new diagnosis. I have written two articles for a local magazine about the one thing I am most passionate about, my children. I have also lost an amazing friend to breast cancer that left us far too soon. Have been privelaged enough to travel some throughout this year, back home and to New York. I have had friends and family help me in ways I could never express enough gratitude. There are things that I endured that I never thought I'd have strength to face and then realized I was never alone in any of it. I have the most amazing family (dysfunctional as they are) and friends (sometimes more dysfunctional than my fam;)) who have made this last year, when it could have been the worst of my life, the best. I am so privelaged that each and every one of my children-chose me to be their mom. Lana's check up last week was great. She had one small med adjustment but otherwise is as perfect as she could be. We don't have to go back until January when they will celebrate and do her one year post-transplant check up and biopsy. Shelby has blossomed into such an amazing young woman, has her first boyfriend and is holding down an unquestionably difficult schedule of AP classes and gymnastics. She starts her competition season this weekend in Memphis and has started looking at colleges. Penn State is her top school for architectural engineering and gymnastics as it stands right now. Noah has become quite the young man who is so comical in everything he says and is so smart. He was in hip hop class and I think will start football, maybe martial arts and gymnastics next year. And then there is my baby angel, Isabelle. I cannot believe how big she has gotten in this last year. She has had her dental surgery from all the celiac nutrition definciancy, handled starting preschool amazingly and will have her echo and imuune blood testing on Friday. She is thriving and loves to ask people when they are handing her food, " Is that Gwuten fwee?" I am now excited to see what this next year holds for my life. I guess if you look back on all that has gone one, I would say I am definately one year wiser for all the experiences that have happened this year. Thank you to my family, especially my mom and dad and two of my sisters, Justine and Sam, who were able to help this year so much. Thank you to my whole family and all of my friends for praying, making this year so special and always being there. Thank you most of all for all the wonderful birthday wishes.
I'll leave you with the funniest thing Noah said to me today. We were taking Izzy to ballet and he was grumpy. He said to me from the back seat," Mom, I'm going on vacation!" I said, " Well me too!" Izzy pipes in with, " Me three" and Noah says, "No mom, you're 37"....Lord that sounds old:)
mom of 4 beautiful children. From teens to toddlers and every food allergy and culinary experience along the way...
My sweet celiac and youngest, Izzy
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Planning, Planning and more planning
When I was growing up there was some part of me way deep down that had the planning tendancy. If you ask my mother, she never saw it til I became a mom.:) But I am sure that somewhere between the two sides of my family, there was a semi-type A personlity waiting to emerge. My mom loves to joke about the differences between us, for instance when I was 3 or 4 she took me bathing suit shopping and while she was over looking at the teeny tiny bikinis for me, I was picking up the navy blue racerback one piece. I revel in these diffrences of personalities in my children today. it makes them who they are and my family is always interesting. In GF cooking and living planning is key. The ingredients aren't always readily available at every grocery store, so some times it is more than one stop or even ordering online, just for day to day things plus baking and making from scratch in some instances as well. SO, my friends that are all just about to embark on this journey or are newly diagnosed and trying to figure it out, if you can organize and come together one day a week or every two weeks to think about what you want to cook, menu plan, make a list and order ahead you will be better off in the long run. Today was my day to do that, I had some down time and quiet time after the toddlers went to preschool and was able to peruse some recipes. That's the main thing, my family goes back and forth, needing something new and exciting and then back to some comfort classics. So I am constantly looking back through cookbooks I've used for years or magazines looking for ideas. I've gotten pretty good at eyeballing a regular recipe and figuring out if it's something my family would like and if it's something I can convert to GF. It takes time and practice and patience. Don't give up, you can do it if I can!
Here is my list for this week things I'm going to make. It's shorter than most weeks because I am taking Lana and Izzy to Little Rock tomorrow afternoon and we'll be gone til Thursday afternoon and we have some exciting festivities this weekend that will create some time I don't have to cook-YAY ME!
*Tonight I made my sister's meatless monday go to fav: black beans and rice but created a twist...
Here's the original recipe:http://mommy4livingwithout.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-sisters-awesome-meatless-monday-go.html
But I added a little cilantro and lime juice to the beans as well as a can of Rotel tomatoes and chilis and my rice was Basmati rice made with chicken broth and lime juice a dash of salt and a handful of fresh cilantro. It was so yummy and had everyone asking for more!
*Next I took the recipe for Deviled pork chops with apples and squash and converted it: original recipe is http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/deviled-pork-chops-with-apples---squash and the only adjustment was ensuring the dijon mustard was GF AND the subbing the panko bread crumbs for GF panko bread crumbs such as Kinnikinnick brand panko style bread crumbs. (You can get them at whole foods or on Amazon)
*Third meal for the week is-Ground turkey sour cream supreme:
1 pkg Quinoa Fusilli Pasta
1 TBSP Olive oil
1.5 pds ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c green onion, chopped
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce ( I use 16 oz of homemade marinara that I made back in August but any 16 oz of tomato sauce you prefer, just make sure it's GF)
1 tsp sugar or Agave
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 C Tofutti Better than sour cream for the DF version or regular light sour cream for those that want to have dairy
3 oz of Tofutti better than cream cheese or 3 oz of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 c grated Monterey jack Diya cheese for DF or regular grated cheese
1 c grated cheddar Diya cheese for DF or regular cheese
Cook GF pasta according to directions on box and set aside. Preheat oven to 350. In saute pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and brown, 7-10 min. Add garlic and green onions and cook and additional two minutes. Add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for 2 min. In a large bowl, combine pasta and ground turkey together well. Add sour cream and cream cheese and stir together well. Transfer to a 9X13 baking dish and top with grated cheese. Bake for 30 min until bubbly!
*Last but not least on the dinner menu is Grilled Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables:
2 c grilled GF chicken
1 c quinoa rinsed
1/2 onion
1 c chopped vegetables ( I used a combo of carrots, cauliflower and broccoli)
2 c chicken or vegetable broth
3 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
heat oil in frying pan, when hot add onion and cook 4-5 until soft and translucent. Add remaining vegetables and cook 5-10 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat. heat the liquid in a medium pot; add quinoa when boiling. Cover tightly and cook 15 minutes. Remove fromheat. Combine vegetables and quinoa. Add salt to taste. Add chicken and serve hot or at room temperature.
Here is my list for this week things I'm going to make. It's shorter than most weeks because I am taking Lana and Izzy to Little Rock tomorrow afternoon and we'll be gone til Thursday afternoon and we have some exciting festivities this weekend that will create some time I don't have to cook-YAY ME!
*Tonight I made my sister's meatless monday go to fav: black beans and rice but created a twist...
Here's the original recipe:http://mommy4livingwithout.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-sisters-awesome-meatless-monday-go.html
But I added a little cilantro and lime juice to the beans as well as a can of Rotel tomatoes and chilis and my rice was Basmati rice made with chicken broth and lime juice a dash of salt and a handful of fresh cilantro. It was so yummy and had everyone asking for more!
*Next I took the recipe for Deviled pork chops with apples and squash and converted it: original recipe is http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/deviled-pork-chops-with-apples---squash and the only adjustment was ensuring the dijon mustard was GF AND the subbing the panko bread crumbs for GF panko bread crumbs such as Kinnikinnick brand panko style bread crumbs. (You can get them at whole foods or on Amazon)
*Third meal for the week is-Ground turkey sour cream supreme:
1 pkg Quinoa Fusilli Pasta
1 TBSP Olive oil
1.5 pds ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c green onion, chopped
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce ( I use 16 oz of homemade marinara that I made back in August but any 16 oz of tomato sauce you prefer, just make sure it's GF)
1 tsp sugar or Agave
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 C Tofutti Better than sour cream for the DF version or regular light sour cream for those that want to have dairy
3 oz of Tofutti better than cream cheese or 3 oz of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 c grated Monterey jack Diya cheese for DF or regular grated cheese
1 c grated cheddar Diya cheese for DF or regular cheese
Cook GF pasta according to directions on box and set aside. Preheat oven to 350. In saute pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and brown, 7-10 min. Add garlic and green onions and cook and additional two minutes. Add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for 2 min. In a large bowl, combine pasta and ground turkey together well. Add sour cream and cream cheese and stir together well. Transfer to a 9X13 baking dish and top with grated cheese. Bake for 30 min until bubbly!
*Last but not least on the dinner menu is Grilled Chicken with Quinoa and Vegetables:
2 c grilled GF chicken
1 c quinoa rinsed
1/2 onion
1 c chopped vegetables ( I used a combo of carrots, cauliflower and broccoli)
2 c chicken or vegetable broth
3 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
heat oil in frying pan, when hot add onion and cook 4-5 until soft and translucent. Add remaining vegetables and cook 5-10 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat. heat the liquid in a medium pot; add quinoa when boiling. Cover tightly and cook 15 minutes. Remove fromheat. Combine vegetables and quinoa. Add salt to taste. Add chicken and serve hot or at room temperature.
Playin it safe
It can be so overwhelming all of the products Gluten can be in. Shampoo/Conditioner; make up; lotions; sunscreens– it’s not just foods you need to watch out for! A lot of people do not realize this but depending on how sensitive you are, it could be a big deal. You have to read labels on EVERYTHING! Whether you are GF for behavioral and focus issues, have a GF intolerance or celiac disease, it’s important that you are aware of this and read labels on everything. When you are trying to eliminate Gluten you can have absorption in other ways that can keep you from achieving your goal or getting better. Because products constantly change and their formulas change to suit the needs of the economy, consumer and the company it’s equally important to spot check once you do find a product you like. For instance, Aveeno lotions did not use to have anything with Gluten in it and when they reformulated it, it popped up on a list and when I went to check the label, there it was. It’s something you really have to check for, dairy and peanuts (which Isabelle is also allergic to) can be found in these types of products also so CHECK< CHECK< CHECK those labels!
I decided to share two GF/DF/peanut free recipes for Playdough. But there are a few premade items on the market: aroma-dough.com; discountschoolsupply.com and there is a product out now called Moon Dough which is silicone based and says it’s hypo-allergenic and wheat free. This does not mean it’s gluten free but I did allow Isabelle to play with it for a little while and she had no reaction whereas when she plays with regular Play dough she looks as if someone has burned her.
Play Clay :
1C potato or corn starch
2C baking soda
1 1/4 C cold water
1 TBSP oil of choice
2-3 drops of food coloring (optional)
Mix together the starch and baking soda. Mix together wet ingredients. Pour dry ingredients into sauce pan follwed by the wet ingredients and heat until clay holds together into a ball (approx 3 min) and then turn heat off. Spoon dogh onto parchment paper and let cool slightly, roll dough in parchment paper forming a cynlinder and cool completely then knead a little before using.
Salt Dough:
1 C table salt
1 C white rice flour
1/2 C water, more as needed
2 drops food color, optional
1 tsp vegetable oil, if needed
Mix dry ingredients together in a saucepan. Pour in water and food coloring if using. Cook over medium heat until dough forms into a ball. If dough is too dry to hold, add more water 1 TBSP at a time. Spoon dough onto parchment paper and let cool slightly. Knead until smooth and shape into a ball. If dough is too hard, knead in 1 tsp of oil until it's well distributed
"Play" Doh
3 cups flour (corn flour or rice flour, depending on your needs)
1/3 cup salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
A few drops of food colouring (I find that 3-6 work fine for this amount of doh).
Mix the flour and salt together with the vegetable oil in a large bowl. Add food colouring to water in a separate cup, and mix together. Bit by bit, add the coloured water to the combined flour, salt and oil mixture. Mix the combined ingredients together with a spoon, turn the mixture out onto a flat surface sprinkled lightly with a little more flour, and knead the doh until smooth and evenly-coloured. You're done, and ready to play!
Non-cook Play Dough recipe:
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup boiling water
Add to the water: 1 teaspoon cooking oil, a few drops of food colouring
Mix all dry ingredients together, add boiling water with added ingredients and stir until it blends into a ball. Put onto a bench sprinkled with rice flour and knead till no longer sticky. Add extra corn flour and rice flour till you get doughy yet not sticky dough (usually an extra 1/2 cup of rice flour and 1/2 cup of corn flour are required for this process).
Make ure in all of these recipes you don't overdo or add too much food coloring (make sure your food coloring is also GF - McCormick and Wilton says they are) as it may stain the hands. All of these recipes you store in an airtight container when not in use.
Hope you have fun and enjoy a fun play day with the kiddos!
I decided to share two GF/DF/peanut free recipes for Playdough. But there are a few premade items on the market: aroma-dough.com; discountschoolsupply.com and there is a product out now called Moon Dough which is silicone based and says it’s hypo-allergenic and wheat free. This does not mean it’s gluten free but I did allow Isabelle to play with it for a little while and she had no reaction whereas when she plays with regular Play dough she looks as if someone has burned her.
Play Clay :
1C potato or corn starch
2C baking soda
1 1/4 C cold water
1 TBSP oil of choice
2-3 drops of food coloring (optional)
Mix together the starch and baking soda. Mix together wet ingredients. Pour dry ingredients into sauce pan follwed by the wet ingredients and heat until clay holds together into a ball (approx 3 min) and then turn heat off. Spoon dogh onto parchment paper and let cool slightly, roll dough in parchment paper forming a cynlinder and cool completely then knead a little before using.
Salt Dough:
1 C table salt
1 C white rice flour
1/2 C water, more as needed
2 drops food color, optional
1 tsp vegetable oil, if needed
Mix dry ingredients together in a saucepan. Pour in water and food coloring if using. Cook over medium heat until dough forms into a ball. If dough is too dry to hold, add more water 1 TBSP at a time. Spoon dough onto parchment paper and let cool slightly. Knead until smooth and shape into a ball. If dough is too hard, knead in 1 tsp of oil until it's well distributed
"Play" Doh
3 cups flour (corn flour or rice flour, depending on your needs)
1/3 cup salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup water
A few drops of food colouring (I find that 3-6 work fine for this amount of doh).
Mix the flour and salt together with the vegetable oil in a large bowl. Add food colouring to water in a separate cup, and mix together. Bit by bit, add the coloured water to the combined flour, salt and oil mixture. Mix the combined ingredients together with a spoon, turn the mixture out onto a flat surface sprinkled lightly with a little more flour, and knead the doh until smooth and evenly-coloured. You're done, and ready to play!
Non-cook Play Dough recipe:
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup boiling water
Add to the water: 1 teaspoon cooking oil, a few drops of food colouring
Mix all dry ingredients together, add boiling water with added ingredients and stir until it blends into a ball. Put onto a bench sprinkled with rice flour and knead till no longer sticky. Add extra corn flour and rice flour till you get doughy yet not sticky dough (usually an extra 1/2 cup of rice flour and 1/2 cup of corn flour are required for this process).
Make ure in all of these recipes you don't overdo or add too much food coloring (make sure your food coloring is also GF - McCormick and Wilton says they are) as it may stain the hands. All of these recipes you store in an airtight container when not in use.
Hope you have fun and enjoy a fun play day with the kiddos!
Tailgate Dip
I had to share this dip that my husband brought home from a SkyMall magazine that I swear has crack in it, it’s so addicting. I will warn you now that this is no low cal, dairy free dip and you HAVE to have it at a party or to take to a party or for tailgating because if you make the whole recipe and leave it at the house……..Let’s just say it isn’t going to be a pretty picture – HAHAJ.
2 8 oz pkg cream cheese (Philadelphia is GF)
1 8 oz container of blue cheese dressing (look below for info about this ingredient) or you can sub for Ranch if you prefer
1 12 oz bottle of hot sauce (or to taste, we don’t use the whole bottle and make sure you verify it is GF)
2 Cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
2 Cups sharp cheddar cheese, shreddedCrunchmaster crackers or Frito Scoops
Celery SticksPreheat oven to 350
In a bowl mix cream cheese, blue cheese dressing (or ranch), hot sauce and chicken breast. Spread in a 9X9 pan and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm with crackers, Fritos and celery sticks!
This dip is addicting and one to share!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Love fall but dread some of what comes with it......
So by now you all know how much I love this time of year. Birthday season, football season, Halloween, Thanksgiving and then.......CHRISTMAS! But with all of the love of this, there is one thing I cannot seem to escape no matter how hard I want to.....RAGWEED!!!!!!! I'm allergic to it, Isabelle is really allergic to it and we both end up being down for the count for a few days. She has been snotting and sneezing and wheezing for a week now, I started with the last cold front on Thursday as my best friend arrived from Florida. Poor baby, nothing worse than to see your child not feeling well or able to breathe. We've been on inhalers, and meds for a week and now are starting nebulizer treatments to get her some relief. Lots of TLC for her right now. I'm on meds and may go the the doc for some antibiotics tomorrow just as a precaution due to Lana. Speaking of the amazing gift from God, we have her check up in Little Rock on Thursday this week and I'll be posting an update afterwards. All is expected to go well though. I've had alot of friends reecently become more interested in the GF/DF lifestyle recently due to a number of reasons but I'll be posting some more helpful tips and info starting tomorrow but tonight in my crazy foggy head phase, I wanted to share a link to an article I wrote for a local magazine on our story of adoption....enjoy: http://www.peekaboonwa.com/?p=565
The article is called Sitting at a Crossroads
The article is called Sitting at a Crossroads
Frosted pumpkin cookies
A sweet friend posted a recipe that was easy and sounded so good on Facebook. I was dying to try to make them GF and DF and see how they'd turn out.....to my surprise, first time worked and a certain little 3 year old I know couldn't stop eating them!!!! So I thought I'd share with all of you!!!
1c sugar
1 egg
1c butter or shortening (my friend likes the butter taste better so I subbed butter for the earth balance buttery spread sticks but spectrum also makes an organic non hydrogenated certified GF and DF shortening)
1tsp GF Vanilla
2 cups GF flour blend, this time I used c4c blend from Williams Sonoma to see how it would work
1 tsp each of baking soda, banking powder, salt and cinnamon
1c pumpkin purée
1/2c raisins (optional and I did not add but I think you could also use Craisins as well)
1/2 walnuts (optional)
FROSTING:
coconut milk or milk substitute of choice and powdered sugar mixed to desired thickness
Preheat oven to 350 and grease or line cookie sheets
In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment cream together sugar, egg, butter and vanilla
Sift dry ingredients together and slowly add into creamed mixture
Stir in pumpkin, raisins and walnuts (if using)
Drop dough by teaspoonful onto prepared cookie sheet
Bake 10-15 minutes
Let cool a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack and cool completely
Once cool, frost. Easiest way is slide some wax paper under the wire rack and drizzle frosti g over the top of each cookie
1c sugar
1 egg
1c butter or shortening (my friend likes the butter taste better so I subbed butter for the earth balance buttery spread sticks but spectrum also makes an organic non hydrogenated certified GF and DF shortening)
1tsp GF Vanilla
2 cups GF flour blend, this time I used c4c blend from Williams Sonoma to see how it would work
1 tsp each of baking soda, banking powder, salt and cinnamon
1c pumpkin purée
1/2c raisins (optional and I did not add but I think you could also use Craisins as well)
1/2 walnuts (optional)
FROSTING:
coconut milk or milk substitute of choice and powdered sugar mixed to desired thickness
Preheat oven to 350 and grease or line cookie sheets
In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment cream together sugar, egg, butter and vanilla
Sift dry ingredients together and slowly add into creamed mixture
Stir in pumpkin, raisins and walnuts (if using)
Drop dough by teaspoonful onto prepared cookie sheet
Bake 10-15 minutes
Let cool a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack and cool completely
Once cool, frost. Easiest way is slide some wax paper under the wire rack and drizzle frosti g over the top of each cookie
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Top 25 Allergy mom blogs - vote for me now!
Please vote for me!
http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/top-food-allergy-blogs-2011 - under mommy4livingwithout!!!
http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/top-food-allergy-blogs-2011 - under mommy4livingwithout!!!
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