Graduation Galavanting...

I'M BAAAACK!!!... again... :-) It seems I just can't stay in one place! We left on Thursday for my little brother's high school graduation in Massachusetts. The entire family got to go, which is a rare occurrence. It was so much fun! I am obviously an old hat when it comes to traveling. But, this time, I knew I would only be gone a few days so I packed a bit differently. I portioned out individual servings of Laura's Cream Hill Estates Gluten Free Rolled Oats. I also brought my own cinnamon, a measuring cup to add water to my oats, a microwave safe bowl, and my own spoon. (I'm trying to do some small part to save the world by generating less trash.) A Dr. McDougall's Pad Thai soup also made it into the bag. These soups are perfect for traveling. You only need to add hot water!
Thursday morning, I ate an A-MAZING bowl of GF Rolled Oats with cinnamon and the last of my blackberries. Oh, oatmeal! How I have missed you! So yummy and filling. This batch of oats was so creamy and fluffy. In fact, both of the bowls I made for breakfast on the trip were, too. I guess this is just a superior box of oats. Thank you Cream Hill Estates! You rock my socks with your gluten free oatmeal goodness! Moving on... I ran around all morning getting my affairs in order and attacked my refrigerator around 12:30 for a quick lunch. I needed to eat off the leftovers before leaving. Lunch was the last of the General Tao's Tofu served over steamed broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower. It was just as good the second time! Chinese food is always better as leftovers. It's sort of like cold pizza for breakfast. It's like a throwback to college! My sisters and brother in law met me and the hubby and we car pooled to the airport. Our flight was at 6:00 PM so I packed the last of the Quinoa-sotto to eat on the plane. I added a few steamed veggies to bulk it up a bit. Once again... YUMMINESS! I always feel totally dork-tastic bringing a "sack lunch" places, but am always glad in the end when I see everyone else eating nasty fast food. (Speaking of fast food, my hubby and I watched Super Size Me tonight. CR-A-ZY!... but more on that later.) We arrived at our hotel around 9:30 and hit up a local grocery store for nourishment. The whole fam crashed in my older sister's room for a serious carrot stick and hummus nosh fest. Here we are!
Friday morning, we all piled into the car and headed to the graduation. I am so proud of my little brother! Here he is with my parents. Him and his Girlfriend The whole family again. We all went out to eat afterward at my little brother's favorite restaurant, the 111 Chop House in Worchester, MA. We called ahead and were told they had a gluten free menu! FABULOUS! My meal was A-MAZING! I had the Swordfish with Fennel and Eggplant: Grilled Swordfish Steak served with Herb Roasted Eggplant, Grilled Asparagus, a Fennel and Saffron Sauce topped with Upland Cress and Tupelo Honey Vinaigrette. HOLY YUM, right?! For dessert, I ordered the House Sorbetto, one scoop of lemon and one of blueberry. My husband ordered the Chocolate Mousse. Both desserts were gluten free. If you are ever in Worchester, MA do yourself a favor and dine at either the 111 Chop House or their sister restaurant The Sole Proprietor. We all had a marvelous time, but I couldn't wait to head home. I missed my apartment! Our flight home was scheduled to take off at 1:50 PM. Once again, I new I would be hungry for lunch at the airport. So, I marched my little hiney over to Starbucks and ordered a cup of hot water, poured it into my Dr. McDougall's Pad Thai soup, and ate up! (after I spilled some on my pants, of course...) We arrived home exhausted, but it was worth it. We had a great weekend!
This morning, I hopped out of bed at 7:00 AM and trotted over to the apartment club house to use the gym. I peddled my little heart out on the recumbent bike for half an hour. Then I sprinted back to my apartment and did an ab workout with Jillian via Hulu. My workout left me feeling energized, focused, and happy all day! At 11:00, we attended church with my parents, sisters, and brother in law. Then, the hubby and I headed over to his grandparent's house for the traditional Sunday lunch. Tita made Ropa Veija, a traditional Cuba dish. Here is my plate with a little rice, Ropa Veija, lettuce, tomato, and a little plantain. Yummy, Cuban goodness! I also had some fresh watermelon. I hadn't had watermelon in forever. It was the perfect end to the meal. Speaking of perfect things, my hubby took my to Whole Foods after lunch. I got to use some of the coupons I won in the Gluten Hates Me But I'm Surviving giveaway. Thanks Marlow! I also bought fresh organic Dinosaur Kale and Peaches. I used the Kale for dinner tonight. I tweaked a recipe by Lindsay over at Happy Herbivore for No Pasta, Pasta. I even made the Tofu Ricotta and a Fire Roasted Tomato Marinara sauce with Sauteed Kale! I served it over steamed broccoli and sprinkled a bit of Nutritional Yeast on top for a cheesy finish. It was a delightful vegan meal I will definitely be making again. My hubby ate his Tofu Ricotta and Marinara Sauce over Quinoa Spaghetti noodles and sprinkled with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. I just love all the colors. Don't veggies make you happy? Dessert was an old favorite I haven't had in FOREVER... fresh peach slices and blueberries. I'm actually getting hungry again. I'm thinking a bowl of Rice Chex are in order! CEREAL MONSTER TIME!
In other news and discussions: My older sister has recently switched all of her beauty products and toiletries to organic products. What are your thoughts on organic vs. non-organic toiletries?
In giveaway news: An Apple A Day is having her last May giveaway and boy is it a doozy! Check it out!
Ashley, over at Dancing Through Life, is also having a giveaway. Here is a hint. It involves a box!

Restaurant Review...

Good Morning! I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning... until the hubby started snoring in my face! hahahaha He is so helpful! :-)
Yesterday was a my mother in-law's birthday. She wanted to go out to eat. (ugh!) So, I spent the afternoon mentally preparing. Lunch was a simple affair of the disastrous Black Bean soup (which was surprisingly yummy by itself) and a thin slices of Homemade GF bread. I also had a few sticks of celery dipped in Chachie's Peach and Mango salsa for some color. I NEED COLOR IN MY MEALS!!!! I also did the Jillian Michaels "butt kicker" from hulu and some ab stuff. According to the video, I should be able to crack walnuts on my butt soon. I'll let you know if this ends up happening! hahahaha Okay, enough of the inane happenings of my day. Here is the part you are interested it... THE RESTAURANT REVIEW...
For my MIL's b-day we went to GrillSmith. My Father-in-law called ahead to make sure they could accommodate gluten free, which they said they could. When we arrived, I double checked with the hostess that my GF status was noted on the reservation before we headed to our table. The restaurant was your typical steakhouse with nary a vegetarian menu option in sight. Now, we all know I am not a full fledged vegetarian. I just prefer not to eat meat, and last night I was NOT feeling the meat! Our waiter was a bumbling, hot mess. He approached me and said "Hmmmm... I think everything on our menu has wheat in it." To which I responded, "Well, we called ahead and were told it wouldn't be a problem. May I speak to the chef?" I also handed him my Triumph Dining card and asked him to take it back to the kitchen. At this point, I was starting to get a bit nervous. Kris, the head chef, put all my fears to rest when he came out. He grabbed a chair from a nearby table, plopped down next to me, opened the menu, and said "Alright, let's see what we can make you today!" He made me feel instantly comfortable and relaxed. I told him what I was interested in, but then decided, heck he already has to make something special for me. I am going to see if he will make me what I really want, grilled portobello mushroom caps. Guess what! He said, "No problem"! It was actually easier for him to make GF than most of the other menu options. Choosing my sides was not quite as easy. Kris had to come out to the table twice to change my order due to "small amounts of flour" in the ingredients. His one "oops" moment was suggesting I try the Macaroni and Cheese! I politely informed him that noodles contain gluten. His response, complete and total chagrin. He looked so embarrassed! I instantly "forgave" him and settled on the grilled asparagus and fresh seasonal vegetables. My plate arrived safely and on time, I did not have to send anything back, and I did not get sick! My only complaint was the veggies were drowned in butter. I should have requested no butter though. I know better! Oh well! I clearly hated my meal. Hahahaha! (Actually, I did share my mushroom caps with my father-in-law) All in all we had a delightful evening. My MIL enjoyed her gifts and cards and a good time was had by all. Here's the card we got her: So funny, right?! And here is my hubby with his mommy.
Tonight we will be flying to Massachusetts for my little brother's high school graduation. I am NOT excited about the cold weather! I had the cutest little dress picked out for the outdoor ceremony! Now, I have no clue what I am going to wear! LE SIGH... my life is sooo hard! ;-) So for all of you who loved my travel posts, get ready, because they are coming back for a few days! I still need to pack. It shouldn't take long though. I am kind of a "master packer". Until later then!

The Beans Strike Again...

I haven't made it to the shower yet. I opened up my refrigerator to get my breakfast and found a hot mess. Apparently one of the containers I used to hold leftover Black Bean soup didn't like it's job. Picture black liquid dripping from shelves and pooled under the fruit drawer and you've got a pretty good mental image. Needless to say, I just spent the last 15 minutes or so with my head inside a refrigerator. FYI- it's hard to breathe in there!
Oh well, at least breakfast was lovely. FF, Organic, Plain yogurt with lots and lots of blackberries. I had more berries on the side. I am trying to eat them all before we leave tomorrow. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it! :-) Now lets see if I can make it to the shower.

It's Bean Crazy...

Hello again, friends! I can't believe I have been living in one place for a week and a half! We hung some pictures yesterday, which made it feel even more official. Curtains still need to be found, but we're getting there. Yesterday's food wasn't really that interesting. I am BIG on finishing leftovers vs. throwing them out. Lunch was leftover Quinoa-sotto (again), 1/2 an orange (which I finished later for a snack), and a tiny bite of a VeggieGirl Blondie.
I attempted to make Black Bean soup with dried beans for dinner using one of my husband's family recipes. I say attempted because it just didn't seem quite right. The beans were soft enough to chew, but didn't seem quite done. The soup also remained very broth-y and thin, instead of thickening like BB soup normally does. Oh well, it still tasted good spooned over the leftover Chicken and Yellow Rice Tita sent home with us on Sunday. I added fresh, diced tomato to my serving. We both also had a piece of homemade GF bread to "push" the rice with and finished with frozen (Thanks for the suggestion, Jenna!) VeggieGirl Blondies. Just to let you guys know, (and so I don't look like such a piggly-wiggly) I cut the Blondies into 1-2 bite pieces for portion control. :-)
I started my new, "current" job last Thursday. I am officially an Au Pair for a little girl with pretty severe ADHD. I have read a few studies claiming a gluten free/casein free diet helps control ADHD and Autism. This sparked an idea in my mind and prompted me to begin a little experiment (with permission, naturally). I have been monitoring the behavior, focus, etc... of the child after each meal. Interestingly enough, after she eats gluten free she is calm, focused, makes intelligent conversation, and has no "melt-downs". In contrast, whenever she eats gluten her behavior becomes erratic. She goes from extreme highs to extreme lows. She is unable to focus on simple tasks. She runs around in circles screaming for attention, or just sits staring vacuously into space. She is an exceptionally brilliant, gifted child when her ADHD is controlled. I am going to continue to try to feed her gluten free. Unfortunately, I can't control everything she eats. She does not live in a gluten free household, and is a VERY picky eater. She is also extremely tiny and can use all the calories she can get! I will keep you updated with her progress.
In other news, I WILL BE TRAVELING AGAIN... but only for a few days. We leave Thursday for my little brothers high school graduation. He goes to a boarding school up in Massachusetts. It's not a long trip, only a few days, so I will be back in sunny FL by Saturday evening. (I told you I don't stay in one place for too long!) Well, I should probably shower and get my day started. Later!

Ouch....

I haven't gotten around to eating anything yet, but I just wanted to share... MY BUTT HURTS! Yesterday morning I did a quick Jillian Michaels butt lift workout I found on Hulu. Let me tell you what, that sucker worked! I didn't think it was working while I was doing it. But man, I can really feel it today. SCORE! I love that good sore feeling. IT HURTS SO GOOD! :-)

All Hail the Mighty 'fu Conqueror...

I have been a busy little bear in the kitchen today! I baked bread in my Breadman Pro Breadmachine, which has a gluten free setting. Convenient, no? This adventure began shortly after I stumbled out of bed. I have been having all sorts of problems baking a successful loaf of bread lately. (Okay... today was only my second attempt in two days. But still! I'm a perfectionist!) I think my dough has been too wet. The center keeps deflating after I take it out of the pan. If anyone has any suggestions they would be MUCHO appreciated. The bread still tasted divine and was super soft and springy. (a fine feat for any gluten free bread!) It was a pleasant surprise after such a sad, deflated appearance. While the bread baked, I ate a small bowl of fat free, organic, plain yogurt with blackberries. I recently bought some "green bags" (except mine are yellow for some reason...). I am pleased to report they have kept my produce extremely fresh! My hubby and I spent the rest of the day running various errands all over town, getting poured on by sporadic monsoons, and looking at every floor lamp for sale within 100 miles! (okay so I'm exaggerating a little) Lunch was a quick bowl of leftover Quinoa-sotto and an organic, Gala apple. With all our running around, I was starving by 4:00 PM. I snacked on some carrots, Peach and Mango salsa, and homemade hummus. (Yes... I made hummus. Thank you, thank you...)
Now, the entire day was merely a prelude to the gloriousness that was... The Evening of The 'Fu. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to report I cooked tofu for the first time tonight... AND IT WAS GOOD! My husband loves Chinese take-out. I used this weakness to lure him into trying Vegan General Tao's Tofu. I was a bit intimidated, but it was very easy! Here is my 'Fu mid process. (My hubby set up a little computer station in the kitchen for me so I can easily see my recipes as I cook!) Here is the finished product. I served the tofu over brown rice and steamed broccoli. SCRUM-DIDDLE-E-UMPTIOUS! Dessert was even better. VeggieGirl picked out one of her famous Blondie recipes for me to christen my new kitchen. I give you VeggieGirl's Almond-Fig Blondies. HOLY YUMMINESS!!!!!!!! Seriously, everyone should make theses. They are so simple, yet so complex. This was my first time ever having a fig. They are so strange looking! Thanks for an A-MAZING recipe, Liz! I served them to our first guests at our new apartment tonight. They were friends visiting from Portland, both vegetarians, and they LOVED them! YAY! I have to get up early tomorrow, so I should probably get to bed. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! Goodnight! :-)

IKEA is the devil...

AGH!!!!! I am suffering from IKEA overload! I was soooo excited to visit the new IKEA store in Tampa. I had heard so many wonderful things and practically drug my hubby there this afternoon. We pulled into the parking lot only to be greeted by a sea of cars and theme park-esque parking lot attendants. We walked in to find masses of screaming children and crazed house wives grabbing fuzzy blankets and patterned dinnerware like actors when presented with free food! It was mass chaos! Being an introverted, non-confrontational person, I soon clutched my husbands hand and tried to make myself as small as possible. But, I was determined to find the lamps we needed for our apartment, so I swallowed my misgivings and bravely soldiered on. We weaved through crowded aisles of linens, showrooms stuffed with every kind of couch imaginable, and cafes of collapsed, exhausted husbands stuffing their dazed faces full of Swedish meatballs. It was with great relief that we ran into my husbands Aunt and Cousin. They were fully committed to the MADNESS and somehow enjoying it. It was nice to have a semi-normal conversation though! :-) It sometimes seems my husband and I can't go anywhere in Tampa without running into someone he is related to! After our brief respite, we found the lighting department. The problem with IKEA is there is too much to look at. It is overwhelming! I almost had a nervous breakdown! My hubby bore it all with great patience and humor. He entertained himself by attempting to run people over with his shopping cart! (hahaha! I love him so much...) We ended up finding 2 bed side lamps. Mission = successful!.
Earlier today we went to church. I was speaking with the reverend after the service and the conversation moved to my inability to eat gluten. It turns out the church has quite a few members with the same problem so they have Gluten Free Communion Wafers!!!!! I haven't been able to take communion in 2 years! How cool is that?!
After church, we picked up my little sister-in-law from the airport (She was competing at a national crew competition.) and headed to Tita's (my hubby's grandmother) house for lunch. First though, I had to "test drive" the Harley at the airport! hahahaha
Okay... Tita made the usual comfort foods. They aren't very photogenic, but ohhhh man are the YUMMY!!!! She has always been so sweet about my gluten free lifestyle. She is always so careful to make sure everything is safe and uncontaminated for me! I love her so much! We had Chicken and Yellow Rice and "Katrina Soup". It is a chicken and white bean soup she converted to be "me-friendly". The family ended up liking the gluten free version better than the original version! Imagine that!
Now, we are home for the night. The weather here has been crazy and stormy all week! Hopefully it will clear up tomorrow for Memorial Day. I hope you all are having a wonderful, relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

A Triumphant Return...

I am back!!! My week off to move has come to an end. The hubby and I are just about settled in our new place, and we LOVE it! It is the first time we have had an actual home of our own. Seriously, we have been touring and living in hotel rooms since we got married (almost a year and a half ago)!
On a side note... I am sipping a vat of organic coffee as I write this. Why does organic coffee taste so A-MAZING?! It is soooo much better than that crap Starbucks tries to pass off as coffee! Don't get me wrong, Starbucks has good espresso. It's just the coffee that tastes like it could eat through lead! It is so acidic.
We actually have real furniture: a kitchen table and chairs, an Entertainment Center, a couch! It's the little things, like a place to hang your keys, that make a place feel like home. LE SIGH... I have a few (like 50) pictures from the last day of tour until today. Some are of my eats and some are random photos of the happenings of this past week. Once we get pictures hung, etc... I will take a few pics of our new place and post those. But... before we get to the photo montage I have a few things to share!
I received 2 A-MAZING things in the mail today! It felt like a mini House-Warming party! hahaha
First: (For some reason this photo is rotated in my iPhoto, but not here. Hmmm....) Delight Gluten Free Magazine! It has over 60 recipes, tips on planning a Gluten Free/Dairy Free wedding, even tips on how to plan an affordable gluten free vacation! I sent my older sister a subscription, too. (I love sending random surprises to people!) She was so excited! :-) YAY!
Second: Cream Hill Estates Gluten Free Rolled Oats! Do you all remember a few weeks ago when I somehow bought a defective box of oats? Well, I contacted Beth over at Cream Hill Estates and she sent me a whole new box. The surprising part... THIS BOX IS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!! I have gluten free oats coming out of my ears and I LOVE IT!!!!!!! She also included some recipes and information about the product, which I really appreciated. Thanks again, Beth!
Next on the agenda... A RECIPE! I made an awesome "Quinoa-sotto" (Risotto using Quinoa) whose recipe just begs to be shared. FYI- Quinoa is an excellent alternative gluten free grain. It is high in protein, low in fat, and one of the "top 10 foods everyone should eat". Okay, enough blabbering! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you "Quinoa-sotto"...
Quinoa-sotto
Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed)
2 1/4 cups vegetable stock, warmed slightly
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
8 sun-dried tomato halves, julienned (reconstituted in water; or rinsed if packed in oil)
2 cups baby spinach, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (or to taste)
Fresh, Italian Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

1. Toast Quinoa in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned.
2. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion and cook until soft and translucent.
3. Add garlic and Quinoa and cook about 1 minute more. (Do not let garlic brown!!!)
4. Add warm vegetable stock about 1/2 a cup at a time. Slowly stir Quinoa until the stock has been absorbed and add another 1/2 a cup of stock, etc.... (Just like Risotto!)
5. Just after adding the last of the vegetable stock, add the carrot, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and chickpeas.
6. Allow to simmer until the liquid has been absorbed.
7. Stir in the salt, pepper, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese.
8. Plate and sprinkle with fresh Italian parsley.
9. Enjoy! (Especially yummy with a small glass of Organic Riesling!) :-)

And now for the photo montage!
The usual suspect
Veggie sushi that was too good to photograph before eating (FYI- this particular sushi restaurant used gluten containing vinegar in their regular sushi rice. Mine had to be made with freshly steamed rice. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check! Never assume anything is safe. We ALL know what assuming does...)
Edemame
My Hubby LOVES his Edemame
Red Bean Ice Cream
This was a first for me. The verdict? I LOVED IT!!!!!! OH MY GOSH SO GOOD! In the words of the immortal VeggieGirl: "Holy Yum!"
My Hubby got Mochi Ice Cream. Again, the rice contained gluten so I couldn't try it. The presentation was lovely though!
This picture takes a little explaining. Our head costumer lives on a farm in his off time. They were adopting a new black lamb and were holding a mini contest to name it. And... MY NAME WON! The new lamb was named... get ready for it... BEHOLD! That way, they could say "Behold, the lamb"! HAHAHAHAHA (I know, I know, a bit irreverent, but you have to admit it's funny!) They didn't have any photos of the lamb, so they drew me one and pasted wool from his first haircut on it! Slightly gross, but again funny!
Closing night with "K"
A kiss for the Birthday Boy
Fruit and Yogurt goodness x 2
Freshly baked Moving Day Banana Nut Muffins (I was itching to get in the kitchen!)
The beginnings of a pot of Chicken and Yellow Rice, a family tradition from my husband's side
Rice Chex in a mug
The mess that greeted me the morning after "Move-In Day"
The mess x2
Steamed Broccoli and Carrots smothered in a Pumpkin Marinara sauce with Cannelini Beans (I didn't follow a recipe. It was all instinctual.)
A Veggieburger topped with salsa, steamed broccoli and corn
Another Moving-Day Banana Nut Muffin (enjoyed by moi last night... note the chipped manicure. That's what moving will do to a girl!)
That's all she wrote for now. I'm off to church and the traditional Sunday lunch at my husband's grandmother's house! TTFN!

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