The Gluten-Free Homemaker

August is over and kids are back in school.  With sports and other activities, fall is usually a busy time.  When you’re busy, it’s important to have a meal plan.  If not an actual menu, at least a good list of meal options.  Hopefully this review will help.  You can see reviews of previous months here.   If you would like to participate in this weekly blog carnival, you can read the guidelines here.

August 25 - Spaghetti with Veggies

1. Gina (roasted chicken and vegetables)
2. Ali  (15-Minute Poached Salmon)
3. Gluten Free Gidget (Honey Baked Lentils)
4. Ellen  (Black Beans & Rice)
5. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Frozen Lemon Greek Yogurt)
6. The WHOLE Gang (Jamaican Jerk Feast)
7. Heather (Cilantro Rice)
8. Brian (Garlic-Dijon Roasted Potatoes)
9. Mikki (Steak Ceasar)
10. Daniel Munday (steak sandwich)

August 18 - Zucchini Crust Pizza

1. The WHOLE Gang (Spicy Mustard on Hamburger Stack)
2. Gina (gazpacho)
3. Brian (GF Pizza Review)
4. Ali  (Chocolate Chip Banana Teff Bread)
5. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Chocolate Walnut Flourless Brownies)
6. WendyGK (Pesto, Green Bean and Potato Salad)
7. Madison Papers (GF Pizza Review!)
8. Gluten Free Gidget (Socca It To Me Pizza)
9. Kim, The Food Allergy Coach (pizza bases)
10. Betsy (Mini Polenta Pies)

August 12 - Veggies on Eggs

1. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Blueberry Tiramisu  w/Greek Yogurt)
2. Heather (Easy Garlic Shrimp Pasta)
3. Ali (Whole Grain GF Waffles)
4. Mikki (Meatloaf and Pan-fried potatoes)
5. The W.H.O.L.E. Gang (Scrapple)
6. Gina (Forbidden rice, chicken)

August 4 (cold treats theme) - Jello Fruit Dessert

1. Jen ( Spinach Smoothie)
2. Debbie (Cherry Coconut Ice Cream)
3. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Cheese Blintzes w/Blueberry Sauce)
4. Brian (Frozen Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate)
5. Gluten Free Taste of Home (Cherry Chocolate Cookie Tart)
6. Mikki (Ben and Jerry's ice cream cake)

Labels: What can I eat?

In a previous post I told you how I  improved a cinnamon roll recipe by replacing some of the starch with sorghum flour.  The result was fabulous.  The rolls tasted just a good as they did before and were still very worthy of Christmas morning.

Well, I just had to try increasing the the amount of sorghum.  I wanted something that was more like a whole grain cinnamon roll.   That’s why I’m submitting this post for Amy’s new blog carnival, Slightly Indulgent Mondays – fabulous food made a little bit healthier.  Be sure to stop by and check out the other ideas.

Interestingly, I just received an email from Jen, one of my readers.  She increased the sorghum slightly and entered them in a county fair.  Her 10 year old daughter won best of the show for food preparation and Jen received 2nd place in the open category.

Our verdict with the change I made was that they tasted very much like a whole grain roll.  The family liked them, but said they were better the other way (with sorghum, but not so much).  These were fine for now, but they’d rather have the others for Christmas.  I really liked the whole grain flavor, but I understood what they meant.  The texture was nice and soft and the dough handled about the same. Note:  I have written an update here with a modification that we liked better.  I have the change in parentheses in the ingredients list.

Since I already have  the recipe posted and I only changed the flour amounts, I’m going to give you the double recipe here.  A single recipe makes eight rolls which is just not enough for my family.  I always make a double recipe, and you might want to also.  If you’re using the single recipe use 3/4 c. each of sorghum and corn starch.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls – Whole Grain Version
(double recipe)

Ingredients

• 4 Tb. butter, softened 
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/3 c. warm milk (reserve some)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
  
• 1 1/2 c. sorghum flour (3/4 c. sorghum & 3/4 c. millet flour worked better)
  
• 1 1/2 c. corn starch
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 4 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tb. instant yeast

Filling (enough for both rolls):

• 1 – 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 Tb. cinnamon
• 2/3 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Glaze:

• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• milk

Instructions
Using a mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Mix well. Add the milk (hold back ~1/4 c.), egg, oil, and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the wet mixture. (If you don't use instant yeast, you should add it to the milk.) Beat on high until well mixed with no lumps.  Add more milk if needed.  The dough should be soft but not like batter.  The first time I made these they were too wet and barely held together. They ended up not being distinct rolls in the dish, but they still tasted great.

Lay out two pieces of plastic wrap and sprinkle them with sugar. Put half the dough on each piece of plastic wrap.  Follow the remaining instructions for each half.  Cover the dough with another piece of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 13 1/2 inch square. Lift the top piece of plastic wrap often and reposition if necessary. You can spray the wrap with cooking spray if the dough is sticking.  It might take two piece of plastic wrap on the top and bottom to accommodate the size.

 
Combine the filling ingredients. I used 1 c. brown sugar (divided between the two halves).  Remove the top layer of plastic wrap. Spread the filling on the dough leaving a margin at one side. As you roll the dough, the filling with get shifted. The margin keeps it from being pushed all the way out at the end. Roll the dough by lifting up the plastic wrap. Once you get the roll started, it will roll on its own. Once rolled, smooth out the edge. If you want nice clean end pieces, cut a little off each end. I leave them as is. Cut the roll into 8 slices by cutting the roll in half, then cutting each half in half, then cutting the quarters in half. Use a sharp knife. I find it helps to spray it with cooking spray. Spray or grease  two glass pie dishes or  a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Place the rolls in the pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.



Combine the glaze ingredients. Add milk a teaspoon at a time until the glaze is the right consistency. You can adjust the amount of glaze to your taste. Drizzle the glaze over the warm rolls and serve!

View Printable Recipe

For more holiday breakfast recipes visit Ginger Lemon Girl, and for more cinnamon recipes visit Friday Foodie Fix at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

Labels: bread recipes, breakfast recipes

Last week I received an email from Maggiano’s Little Italy, and wanted to pass the information on to you.  Although they do not have a gluten-free menu, they do offer gluten-free pasta, and “in-house chefs carefully modify authentic Italian-American dishes to meet any guest’s diet specifications.”

Maggiano’s Little Italy specializes in Italian-American cuisine served in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Each restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, offers a convenient carryout service as well as delivery, and also beautiful and accommodating banquet spaces for special occasions. Maggiano’s serves guests in more than 44 locations in 21 states and the District of Columbia.

I would love to hear from you if you give it a try, or if you’ve eaten there before. 

Labels: restaurants

 

Congratulations to Tiffany who won the Can Do Kid Bar sample pack!  Visit her at her blog In Love in D.C.

Labels: giveaway

I saved the chocolate cake mix for last, but for not particular reason.  Now I’m glad I did, because it was my favorite.  I’m not a huge chocolate fan so that’s not what won me over.  This cake had such a nice, soft, moist consistency, that I had to love it.  My kids said they couldn’t tell the difference between this gluten free cake and gluten-filled chocolate cake.  In fact, they said it was better.  If you haven’t tried it yet, you really should.

Remember, if you haven’t  found the mixes in a local store, you can always order from Amazon.  You can read my reviews of the other three Betty Crocker gluten-free mixes here:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Brownie Mix
Yellow Cake Mix

Labels: reviews

Last week we had quite a few pizza ideas.  I don’t know if that was coincidence or if people thought there was a pizza theme since my post was about pizza.  Either way I enjoyed it.  Just to clarify, there is only a theme on the first Wednesday of each month.  You can see the list of upcoming themes as well as read the guidelines here.   Even when there is a theme, it is only a suggestion. 
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the best meals are the ones where you just put together what you have and don’t follow a recipe?  This was one of those meals for us.  I’m still getting zucchini from my plant that I thought was done producing weeks ago.  I also have lots of tomatoes.  Therefore, I’ve been using those two vegetables in quite a few dinners.  Here’s what I did.

Cook a 12 oz. package of gluten free spaghetti noodles.  I used Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti.  It was very starch so I rinsed it and added a little olive oil after it cooked.
In a skillet heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the following:

• chopped onion
• sliced zucchini
• chopped tomato
• minced garlic

Add:

• leftover grilled chicken, cut
• leftover pizza or spaghetti sauce (or omit)

I had about 6 oz. of pizza sauce that needed to be used so I just threw it in.  When the veggies are cooked to your liking, and the meat is heated through, serve over spaghetti noodles.  My kids really enjoyed this meal.

1. Gina (roasted chicken and vegetables) 2. Ali (Whole Life Nutrition) - 15-Minute Poached Salmon 3. Gluten Free Gidget (Honey Baked Lentils) 4. Ellen (I Am Gluten Free blog) - Black Beans & Rice

5. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (3 Tips for Perfect Frozen Lemon Greek Yogurt) 6. The WHOLE Gang- Good Food No Matter What! Jamaican Jerk Feast 7. Heather (Cilantro Rice) 8. Brian (Garlic-Dijon Roasted Potatoes)

9. Mikki (Steak Ceasar) 10. Daniel Munday, Sydney's Fat Loss Expert

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Labels: main dish recipes, What can I eat?

This giveaway has ended.  Thank you to all who entered.

 
Last week my kids and I were able to sample some Can Do Kid nutrition/energy bars.  While they are geared towards kids, adults enjoy them too.
Can Do Kids Bars are:

• 
  Protein / Energy Bars made with 9 Grams of Protein and 17 Essential Vitamins and minerals for nutrition
  
• 
  All natural and 70% Organic kids snacks
  
• 
  Available in three great flavors: Chocolate Crunch, Cookies and Cream, and CAN-illa Vanilla
  
• 
  Certified Gluten Free
  

What we thought:
A key protein source in these bars is soy so they have a definite soy taste.  The two chocolate coated bars, cookies & cream and chocolate crunch, tasted pretty much the same.  Can-illa Vanilla was our favorite.  We didn’t love them, but they were good and served the purpose of a nutrition/energy bar.   They contain 12 or 13 grams of sugar which is much better than many bars.
All of the bars are chocolate coated (white chocolate for the Can-illa Vanilla).  While the coating adds a lot to the flavor of the bars, it makes it difficult to travel with the bars in the heat.  The coating gets soft and messy quickly so I kept them in the refrigerator.  In colder weather that won’t be a problem.
The bars are  available at REI,  7-Eleven, Whole Foods Markets, many independent grocery stores, and through the Can Do Kid website.  Be sure to check allergy information before purchasing these if you have problems with other foods.  They all contain milk and either peanuts or almonds.
Giveaway!
If you would like to try these bars, the company is offering a sample pack to one winner.  To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling me which of the three flavors sounds the best to you:

• Chocolate Crunch
• Cookies & Cream
• Can-illa Vanilla

And please take a minute to visit the Can Do Kid website.  The giveaway will end at 11:00 p.m. EST on Friday, August 28th.
If your comment does not provide a link to your web site or email, please leave your email address.  If I have no way to reach you, another winner will be chosen.  The winner will be chosen randomly and I’ll contact them on Saturday,  giving them 24 hours to respond.
Can Do Kid bars are another great option for the gluten-free community.  Thank you Can Do Kid!

Labels: giveaway, reviews

None of the bloggers I know are in it for the money, but earning a little extra cash helps to compensate for the time and expense of blogging.  After reading a post on Problogger,  I decided to be up front with my readers about my efforts to monetize this blog.  There are ways you can support me and other bloggers if you are aware of how it works.

How I monetize this blog:

The Food Buzz ads are pretty obvious.  One reason I chose Food Buzz is because this is a food blog.  Another reason is that payment it based on page loads.  You can help bloggers with these types of adds by visiting their web pages often.  However, I’m all in favor of using a feed reader and I purposely have my entire posts published in my feeds because I understand that sometimes you just don’t have time to visit every blog. 

I use Google Adsense in my feeds and on my customized Google search page.  This has not been very profitable because payment is based on clicks, not page loads.  However, I’m not asking you  to click on ads.  You should only click on those that are of interest to you.

I also use the Amazon Affiliate program.   The way it works is I receive a small referral free for  purchases made through a link on my blog, no matter what items are purchased.  I think this is a great way to support your favorite bloggers.  When you plan on buying something at Amazon, just get there through a link on one of the blogs you read. 

Unlike Food Buzz and Adsense, I have complete control over the Amazon products that are advertised.  I use the Amazon program in a couple of ways.  The “My Store” link at the top of the page takes you to a page that lists some of my Amazon picks in several different categories including books, groceries, and kitchen items.  These are items I can personally recommend. 

I also include links to Amazon products or pages in some of my posts.  These links are generally for sales on gluten-free groceries some of which I have tried and some I have not.  I will only post Amazon links that are relevant to this blog.

Making money on blogs used to be looked down upon, but things have changed and it is pretty common these days.   I hope this information was helpful to some of you, and please let me know if you have questions or concerns. 

Labels: blogging

I first published this post last October when many of you were not reading my blog. I thought I would republish it for this week's Friday Foodie Fix corn theme.
====================

I have a pretty bad memory so I'm often amused by the things that I actually remember. For example, I can tell you my 14 digit library card number. How many of you can do that? Here's something else I remember.

Back when I was single, I baby sat for a family with four kids. One evening I arrived in time to feed them dinner. Dinner was prepared; I just had to oversee mealtime. Well, I was shocked, not in a disapproving way just in a surprised way, to find that they were having popcorn with their dinner! Popcorn, I thought, was a great snack food, but definitely not a dinner food. The kids didn't have any problems eating their popcorn, though!

When I had my own kids, that memory came to mind, and I have occasionally served popcorn for dinner myself. In fact, I did it just the other night. I was very tired, I had meat thawed that I could easily cook, I had broccoli already washed, cut, and ready to steam, but I didn't feel like preparing potatoes or even rice. Popcorn to the rescue!

Personally, I will eat microwave popcorn, but it's not my favorite. I like the taste of it prepared the old fashioned way. That does take a bit more effort and time than popping it in the microwave, but even that didn't seem too overwhelming. I do have an electric corn popper (not an air popper) that we received for Christmas a couple of year ago. If you microwave yours, then popcorn is an even quicker, easier side dish for dinner.

Now for a quick food lesson. Many people think of corn as a vegetable. It's not. It's a grain like rice or wheat. Did you know that you can pop any grain? I've tried popped rice and popped sorghum. The sorghum looks like miniature popcorn and tastes almost exactly like it. What grains have you popped?

Corn is starchy like potatoes, rice or noodles. So why not use it in place of one of those once in a while? Your kids will love it!

For some great corn recipes check out this week's Friday Foodie Fix at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

Labels: miscellaneous

I received an email from Amazon about their Gluten Free August Specials.  There is a wide selection including these and more.

 

Labels: Amazon sales

Welcome to “What can I eat that’s gluten free?’ It’s a weekly blog carnival where bloggers share links to their gluten-free eating ideas. Hopefully, you will find some inspiration here, and please feel free to add your own link in the box at the end of this post. If you haven’t participated before, you can read the guidelines here.
A couple of weeks ago I thought my zucchini plant was done producing and missed one last zucchini which got really big. However, this week I learned that it wasn’t the last zucchini and I found one more huge one as well as a medium one. I placed the zucchini on a full size dinner plate to give you an idea of how big it was.
When I found this recipe in one of my favorite pre-celiac cookbooks, I thought it was perfect for using up lots of zucchini. I adapted it to be gluten free and it turned out well. The crust is sort of like a zucchini quiche, but thin. It had to be eaten with a fork, but it tasted delicious. Our only complaint was that because the crust was thin, one pan didn’t make enough. We got by on it, but we had to use other fillers. Remember, I’m feeding a family of five with three big boys. This recipe might be just right for you. I put leftover ground beef and chopped ham on this pizza. The ham went especially well with the zucchini. You can use whatever toppings you like.

Gluten Free Zucchini Pizza

Crust:

• 4 c. shredded zucchini
• 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tb. rice flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt

Mix the ingredients together and spread onto the bottom of a sprayed jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes until set. The mixture will be bit watery, but that’s okay. Just be careful when you open the oven because it will create steam. After you remove the crust, reduce the oven temperature to 375.
Sauce:

• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. sugar

Mix together and spread on the baked crust.
Toppings:

• 1/2 – 3/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 – 3/4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
• other desired toppings

Layer the cheese and then the other toppings over the sauce. Return the pizza to the oven and bake at 375 degrees about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Reminder: The theme for September 2nd is appetizers.

1. The WHOLE Gang (Spicy Mustard on Hamburger Stack) 2. Gina (gazpacho) 3. Brian (GF Pizza Review) 4. Ali (Whole Life Nutrition) - Chocolate Chip Banana Teff Bread

5. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Chocolate Walnut Flourless Brownies) 6. WendyGK (Pesto, Green Bean and Potato Salad) 7. Madison Papers (GF Pizza Review!) 8. Gluten Free Gidget (Socca It To Me Pizza)

9. Kim, The Food Allergy Coach (pizza bases) 10. Betsy (Mini Polenta Pies)

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Labels: main dish recipes, What can I eat?

Today it has been one year since I started blogging.  I didn’t even realize it this morning as I reflected on how this blog has been helpful to me.   Yesterday we started back to homeschooling, and today I was thinking about how my attitude towards it is much better than it was last year.  I won’t go into my homeschooling ups and downs but let’s just say I was experiencing burn out.  I needed a new hobby—something that was just for my enjoyment. 

Blogging has been rewarding in several ways:

• I’ve met many new people and become friends with some of you, even though we’ve never met in person.
• I’ve enjoyed the writing.  I don’t consider myself to be a terrific writer, but I do enjoy it and find it therapeutic.
• I’ve enjoyed the challenge and learning process of blog design.
• I’ve become more interested in creating new recipes and fixing new food.
• I’ve gained inspiration and knowledge from other people’s blogs which I might not have found otherwise.
• I’ve greatly enjoyed helping other people through the recipes and information on my blog.

When I started blogging, I thought I would write about everything—gluten-free recipes, celiac disease, homemaking, homeschooling, dogs, frugality, and anything else that came to mind.  I found out several things:

• I didn’t have time to write about everything.
• Many other people wrote about some of the things much better than I could.
• Having such a wide range of topics was not the best strategy for blog growth.

In January I think it was, I switched to writing only about the gluten-free diet and celiac disease.  It was a good move.  It keeps me focused and it helps people to know what they will find here. 

Thank you to all my readers.  This blog would mean nothing without some one to read it.  I appreciate your emails and comments.  I especially appreciate your encouragement that lets me know you enjoy a particular recipe or find my blog helpful in general.  It’s been a great year of blogging and I plan on continuing so let me know if there’s is anything you would like to see on this blog.  I’ll work it in if I can.  Thanks again.  You all are great!

Labels: blogging

I noticed a Blogger sidebar gadget called Seasonal Foods.  I added it to my page because I thought it might be useful for some of you.  If you click on “Maryland”, then click again you can choose your state from the dropdown menu.  Right now it is set to show what is in season in late August, but you can change that in the same way. After you make your selections, it will show you what foods are in season in your area.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

I also added a “What’s for dinner?” box.  I plan on using it to let you know what I’m having for dinner.  Since I’m not much of a menu planner, I’ll probably leave each day up as I go through the week until the following week.  It can serve as a menu of sorts if you’re looking for ideas.  I don’t promise that I’ll remember to post what we’re having every day, but I’ll try to do most days.  I’d love to get your feedback on that idea also. 

Any comments are always appreciated and I would love to hear from more of you!

Labels: blogging

After being gluten free for about five years, I found that I had recipes all over the place.  I had numerous cookbooks because I kept all my old ones and added new gluten-free cookbooks to the collection.  I had my old recipe box with index cards, and I had notebooks of recipes I printed from the Internet.  I wanted a system, a way to organize the recipes I used most. 
I decided to try using Microsoft Access database.  I had used a more simple database before, and since I had Access on my computer, I decided to use it.  I have to admit, it wasn’t easy to learn, and I only learned what was necessary to accomplish what I wanted.  In the end, though, I was happy with the results. 
1.  I created a form in Access that I use to enter new recipes.  It allows me to create categories and subcategories that I use for sorting the recipes.  I have drop down options for several things such as the categories and oven temperature.
2. I created a report which is used for printing the recipes.  I opted to print them on half a page so I could print two per 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. 
3. I bought two binders at an office supply store that hold 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 sheets of paper.  One binder holds only dessert recipes, the other holds all remaining recipes which are divided with tab pages. 
4. I used the database to create a table of contents for each book.  It is particularly helpful when I want to look over my recipes and decide what to make for dinner, or dessert.
I’ve used this system for several years now and I’m very happy with it.  Periodically, I type up new recipes that I’ve created or found on the Internet.  I included a place on my form for recipe source so I can remember where recipes came from. 
If you’re looking for a way to organize recipes, this is a great one.  The drawback is learning to use the database.  If you don’t know how already, see if you can find a friend who does or get a book from the library.  I’ve already forgotten much of what I learned when I set it up.
How do you store your recipes?

Labels: tools of the trade

My youngest son wanted to grow tomatoes this year, so we have two plants in our garden. With the very wet spring we had, the plants did well and are now producing lots of fruit—more than we eat. I don’t eat raw tomatoes at all and while the rest of the family does eat them, they don’t eat a lot. I’ve given away some, but many people have their own plants or a neighbor who does. That left me thinking about how I could use the tomatoes. I didn’t want to get into canning or really anything that was a lot of work. I settled on trying to make sun dried tomatoes.

I’ll let you in on a secret right away—they were not dried in the sun, but in my oven. If you have a dehydrator that’s even better. Despite the fact that it was a hot August day, I didn’t notice the oven being on all day (about 9 hours) because it was set at 200 degrees. I’m sure it made some difference in the house, but it wasn’t noticeable.

Since I’m not a big tomato eater, I have never eaten sun dried tomatoes. Therefore, I’m not exactly sure what they are supposed to be like. I’m hoping I have dried them enough. I read instructions at several sites, all of which differed slightly, and ended up doing the following.

First, I cut the tomatoes in half, removed the stem part, and took out the seeds. I used my finger to scoop out the seeds and the liquidy part they are in.



Next, I cut the tomatoes in half again, cutting parallel to the last cut. This left me with slices that were about 3/4 inch thick. I then removed more seeds that the second cut exposed.



Then I laid the slices on cookie sheets that were sprayed with non-stick spray. I lightly brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with salt. For some, I added garlic powder and dried basil to the oil.



Finally, I baked the trays at 200 degrees for about 9 hours. After about 7 hours I started removing some of the smallest pieces and I kept an eye on them over the next two hours, removing pieces as they were done. By done I mean that they looked sufficiently shrunk and darkened, but not black. I expected them to be more dry, but that might be because of the oil.



I stored the tomatoes in a zip lock freezer bag. I removed most of the air by using a straw, and placed the bag in the freezer so we can enjoy tomatoes later in the year.


If you’re a fan of sun dried tomatoes, I’d love to hear from you. Have you made them yourself? What is your favorite use for them?

Check out Tutorial Tuesday for more step by step instructions on doing things, and be sure to visit The W.H.O.L.E. Gang for more tomato recipes.

Labels: other recipes

Last month I introduced you to Zeer, a food product database.  I’m happy to announce that they have cut their subscription price from $14.95 per month to $4.95 per month.  You can still access some information for free, so if you haven’t checked it out, you might want to use the above link to read my previous post and visit their web site.

Labels: reviews

Welcome to “What can I eat that’s gluten free?’ Everyone has trouble figuring out what to eat sometimes, but it can be harder if you’re on a gluten-free diet. Hopefully, you will find some ideas here, and please feel free to add your own link. You can read the guidelines here.

Back in May I told you about a Veggies on Eggs dinner I made. It contained asparagus and other veggies. Although we loved it, I hadn’t made it again until recently. Now it’s on my list of quick and easy dinners. The nice thing is it’s very versatile. This time I made it with broccoli, zucchini, onions, and garlic. I also added some bacon. A conversation with my 15 year old went like this:

Son: “Didn’t you make this before?”
Me: “Yes. It had asparagus the last time.”
Son: “Oh. Asparagus is always a plus.”
Me: “This time it has bacon.”
Son: “Oh! Bacon is always a plus.”

It’s not like he didn’t care for the veggies that were in it. He’s very fond of broccoli, but I hadn’t realized he liked asparagus that much. It’s always good to know these things.

Recipe/Directions:

Scramble some eggs. Fry some bacon. Stir fry some veggies. Cut the bacon and add it to the veggies. Place the eggs on a platter or in a baking dish. Top it with the veggies and bacon. Serve! Some fresh bread goes very well with it.

1. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Blueberry Tiramisu topped w/Greek Yogurt) 2. Heather (Easy Garlic Shrimp Pasta)

3. Ali (Whole Life Nutrition) Whole Grain GF Waffles 4. Meatloaf and Pan-fried potatoes

5. The W.H.O.L.E. Gang-Good Food No Matter What- Scrapple 6. Gina (Forbidden rice, chicken)

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Labels: egg, main dish recipes, What can I eat?

Although no one in Sue’s family has celiac disease or is gluten free, she was told many years ago that she had a wheat sensitivity.  She tried to eat wheat free but it was difficult, and she gave up.
Fast forwarding to this year, Sue was only eating a small amount of gluten per day, usually at breakfast.  When she would try eating gluten in the afternoon, she gained several pounds, so she continued eating only 1/2 bagel for breakfast.  Then one day she had a few slices of bread in the afternoon.  She ended up craving sugar, bloated, and gassy.
Sue had digestive problems off and on for years, but this year it was on.  She went to her doctor who told her she was very low on vitamin D.  That information combined with the fact that she has Graves Disease, an autoimmune thyroid disorder, caused the pieces to begin coming together.
Sue went home, finished the last package of fettuccini and and began eating gluten free the very next day.  Now, her digestive problems are gone.  Last year she caught every bug in town, but is hoping that this year she will be healthier.
Thanks for sharing your story, Sue!

You can visit Sue at her blog, Gluten Free with Pizzazz.

Labels: gluten free stories

The other day the kids had some friends over to watch a movie. I thought it would be a good time to try the Betty Crocker gluten-free brownie mix because it would both keep me from eating too many brownies and give me feedback from some gluten eaters.

The mix was easy to prepare, and for the sake of time, I put the brownies in a 11 x 7 in. dish. I was pleased with the way they turned out. They were nice and moist, held together well, and tasted good. The kids all liked them. However, my youngest son said he didn’t like them as well as my brownies. (That’s my boy!)

Have you tried the brownies yet? What did you think?

Labels: reviews

Have you ever watched a movie where a kid whose mom has died says, “I’m starting to forget her,” or something similar? It’s always so sad.  I’ve been feeling the same way about gluten except I think I’m past the “starting to” point and have almost completely forgotten.  It’s going on nine years since I’ve taken a bite of gluten filled food.

There are still the smells as I walk past an Auntie Anne’s shop or the sights when I walk past a bakery, and even occasionally the feel when I make a sandwich for one of my kids.  But really that’s all that’s left to help me remember.  I can’t remember the exact taste and texture in my mouth. 

I’m left with simply saying, “Do I like this?” rather than “How does it compare?”  I’m dependent on my family for making comparisons, but they are not real food critics.  They are mostly thinking about whether they like it or not.  Besides, they have been eating my gluten-free cookies and cakes for almost nine years.  They do eat gluten counterparts at the houses of friends and family, but the majority of what they get it gluten free.  Sandwich bread and crackers are the exception.  I do buy those things for them as well as the occasional package of cookies. 

My point is, I sometimes wonder how much they have simply gotten used to gluten-free baked goods.  Are they forgetting about gluten a little bit too?

Unlike the movie scenario I mentioned above, I don’t consider this a sad situation.  It does make it harder to review products and recipes, but if the food tastes good, does it matter how it compares?  I’m glad I’m forgetting.  Gluten wasn’t good and kind and loving to me, like a mother.  It was a thief, a destroyer.  Good-bye gluten memories.

Labels: celiac disease, gluten-free diet

In April, Iris started on a gluten-free diet in hopes of alleviating digestive problems, and unexpectedly found that it cured her of depression.  The day after she stopped eating gluten she woke up feeling happy.  It only got better from there.  Iris said,

“Over the next 2.5 months, I felt better and better every day. On June 28th, my birthday, I remember feeling as if it was the happiest day I could remember in years. Life suddenly seemed exciting and I felt once again that I had a purpose. “

Last month she started eating gluten again in order to be tested for celiac disease.  Any doubts she had about whether eliminating gluten was what had made the difference in her life were quickly erased.  She fell apart.

She called her doctor and told her what was going on. The doctor listened and said, "Please stop eating gluten today."  Iris had a blood test done, but the doctor told her, "It's just a test.  You're the real authority on your body."

Iris is back on a gluten-free diet and improving slowly. You can read more of her story at her blog  The Daily Dietribe.  Thanks, Iris, for sharing your story with us.

In a previous post I asked you to send me your gluten-free story.  I’ve since gotten a few responses.  You can read more gluten-free stories here.

Labels: gluten free stories

Here’s a meme that seemed like fun and lets you get to know me a little better. The problem is that I really don’t have “favorites.”  I just chose things that would be high on my list.

The pictures answer these questions:

1. What is your name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What is your hometown?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. What is your favorite movie?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What is one word to describe yourself?
10. How are you feeling right now?
11. What do you love most in the world?
12. What do you want to be when you grow up?

To play, visit Big Huge Labs.  Set up your mosaic to be 4 columns by 3 rows.  To answer the questions, go to Google image search.  Put your answer to each question in the search box and choose a picture from the first three pages.  You can right click the picture and then copy image location.  When you have filled in all 12 image URLs, click the “create” button.  If some of your pictures don’t show up, click the edit button above the mosaic and try a different image. When you’re done, click save to save the mosaic to your computer.

If this sounds like fun to you, play along.  I’m not going to tag anyone, but thanks to Jen at Feeling Better Gluten Free for tagging me.

Labels: miscellaneous

Welcome to “What can I eat that’s gluten free?” It is a weekly blog carnival where bloggers share links to their gluten-free eating ideas. This week there is a theme of cold treats, but that’s just a suggestion. Any gluten-free eating links are welcome.

My mom has made this recipe for years and I doubt she remembers where it came from. It’s one of my favorite summer time treats. It’s versatile in that you can change the Jell-O flavor and the fruit, though I tend to use the same ones.

Jell-O Fruit Dessert

Ingredients

• 6 oz. Jell-O (large box)
• 16 oz. canned fruit
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 8 oz. cool whip

Instructions

Dissolve the jello in two cups hot water. Use juice from the fruit and enough water to make 1 1/2 cups. (I add ice to the juice to help speed the cooling process.) Add the juice/water mix to the Jell-O. Stir and chill until slightly firm. It shouldn’t be watery any more, but not well set.

In a blender, combine about 1 cup of the Jell-O and the cream cheese. Add the remaining Jell-O and mix well. Cut the fruit into bite size pieces. Add to the Jell-O, then stir in the cool whip. You have to stir it well so the cool whip doesn’t stay in big lumps. A few small ones are fine.

Put into serving dishes, a large bowl, or a rectangular dish and chill.

Note: I like using canned pears the best. They go well with most flavors, but I particularly like them with cherry or raspberry.

Please join in and add your link below.

1. Jen ( Spinach Smoothie) 2. Debbie (Cherry Coconut Ice Cream)

3. Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free (Cheese Blintzes with Blueberry Sauce) 4. Brian (Frozen Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate)

5. Gluten Free Taste of Home (Cherry Chocolate Cookie Tart) 6. Mikki (Ben and Jerry's ice cream cake)

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Labels: dessert recipes, fruit desserts, What can I eat?

I have ordered gluten-free products from Amazon but have never taken advantage of their subscribe and save program.  It is definitely something worth considering.  The program offers an extra 15% off, plus free shipping. You subscribe to have the products delivered ever one, two, three or six months, but you can change your delivery schedule or cancel at any time.
The extra 15% savings and free shipping can really make a difference.  The catch is figuring out how often you will need something and making sure you don’t end up with too much. 
They have a great list of gluten-free products that are eligible for their subscribe and save program, including the new Betty Crocker gluten-free mixes, as well as gluten-free mixes from Bob's Red Mill, Pamela's, and The Gluten-Free Pantry.
Do you use the subscribe and save program?  If so, how do you like it?

Labels: miscellaneous

In a previous post I explained why I usually don’t menu plan. A menu can be helpful, though, and since a friend of mine is hosting Menu Plan Monday this week, I decided to join in.

Sunday – Hamburgers, spinach and cucumber salad

Monday – Roast beef, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli

Tuesday – Easy Rice Salad – recipe from The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Fast & Healthy. It uses brown rice, ham, green onions, almonds, mayo, and Italian dressing, and can be served warm or cold. I’ll have some type of veggies with it.

Wednesday – Spaghetti with meatballs, salad, French bread.

Thursday – Potato, zucchini, and ham skillet dinner. Something like this without the eggs and with ham added.

Friday – Pizza, salad

Saturday – Waffles, turkey bacon, fruit salad

Remember, Wednesday’s “What can I eat that’s gluten free?” has a theme of cold treats. With that in mind I’ll be making a Jello-fruit dessert. I might also try the Betty Crocker gluten-free chocolate cake mix this week.

For more menus visit Gluten-Free is Life and The Happy Housewife (who is filling in for Organizing Junkie).

Labels: menu plan

Liz from The Good Eatah is our winner! Congratulations Liz! Be sure to keep an eye on her blog for a review of the service.

If you missed the giveaway, you can read about Gfree in this post.