Runnin' runnin'...

Wow... have you ever had one of those morning where everything seems to be working against you? I had one hour to run errands before I needed to head home to prepare for a phone conference. On the "to-do" list were the pharmacy, my mom's house, and the library. Well (BIG SIGH) the pharmacy lost my prescription, it took literally 20 minutes to get through the security line at the back gate to my parent's subdivision, and I forgot half the things I needed to return to the library! The icing on the cake was when it started raining on me. It felt like the skies decided to open up and pee on my day... I am ashamed to admit what I did next. I called GF Guy and started crying. I think all the stress of the last few days finally got to me. It felt so good to let it out, take a deep breath, and start afresh. The rest of the day wasn't perfect, (for example, I baked GF Guy Vegan Banana Bread as a special treat and completely botched it!), but it didn't really bother me. Sometimes having a good cry is all you need! :-)
Breakfast #1 was eaten before running my errands. (or attempting to) I ate the last of the Greek Yogurt with Blackberries.

A few hours later I hit up a small bowl of Whole O's.

I don't normally buy specialty Gluten Free cereals because they are so expensive. Whole O's were on sale at work this week for $2.49! A-MAZING right?!
Lunch, was inhaled after scrubbing the kitchen from top to bottom. It was a repeat of yesterday's lunch,

plus some un-pictured watermelon. I also had a few snacks before work, but didn't photograph them.
For dinner I sauteed the last of our kale and spinach with half an onion and 2 garlic cloves in a bit of vegetable stock, steamed the last of the broccoli, cut up the last tomato and pulled out the leftover Chicken and Yellow Rice from Tita's house on Sunday.

The best thing about going out of town is the excuse to eat all the fruit and veggies in the frige! :-D

GF Guy tried one of the Monster-sicles we made Sunday.

He LOVED it! SUCCESS!!!! He was so wonderful all day helping me with my errands and calming me down when I started having a nervous breakdown. I don't know what I would do without him. He is the love of my life. (Sorry to be a sap, but it had to be said!)

I received something super cool in the mail today...

Vanessa Farquharson, an awesome chica from Canada, sent me her new book, Sleeping Naked Is Green, to read and review for you, my dear readers! I can not wait to dive into this new and intriguing read!

Tomorrow we leave for my best friend from high school's wedding. We will be gone the 1st to the 4th. I don't know if I will be able to blog, but I will do my best. Also, I lost my camera battery charger!!!!! NOOOO!!!! I don't know what I am going to do! Maybe I can commandeer GF Guy's huge camera for a bit. I hope you all of fun and exciting things planned for this Saturday, the Fourth of July! Be happy, healthy, and safe!

"Simple" Supper...

LE SIGH.... Today was one of the longest days EVER! I worked on my feet for 9 hours at the health food store with one 30 minute break then came home and made dinner, did laundry, and am now finally sitting down to relax a little.
My breakfast was a bowl of GF oats mixed with 2 teaspoons of frozen banana puree (courtesy of my fabulous mother in law!), frozen blueberries, and cinnamon. Open wide!


I also enjoyed a side dish of watermelon.


Lunch for work was packed while my oats cooked. My tupperware contained spinach, broccoli, and leftover Channa Palak "Gross-ala" sweetened with a little Agave Nectar.

The agave was the golden ticket! It turned the "Gross-ala" in to "Yum-ala"! On my 30 minute break, I micro-steamed this concoction for 2 minutes. YUMMY!



GF Guy and I weren't able to eat dinner until 10:00 PM. I didn't get home until 8:45. Then, dinner had to be prepped, etc.... Comfort food was in order. Tonight, that meant pizza! I used my favorite pizza crust mix by Chebe.

This mix, like all Chebe mixes, is foolproof and delicious and already has the spices mixed in! You simply add 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of oil, and 4 tablespoons of milk (or milk substitute) to the prepared mix, roll it out, and bake. I use a small glass as my "rolling pin"!

hahahahaha Sometimes it's about survival, my friends! :-D After rolling out the dough, stab it with a fork to prevent air bubbles from forming and bake in a 375 degree oven until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, top with your favorite ingredients, and bake until heated through. We topped our pizza with the basics: Muir Glen Pizza Sauce, fresh Basil, and a 6 Italian Cheese blend.

Would you take a look at that crust?

Yummy, right?!

I ate HALF of the pizza! Don't judge! I was a hungry, hungry bear! I cleansed my palate with a few cubes of watermelon, and am now contemplating chocolate chip cookies and milk!

I have soooo much to do tomorrow to prepare for our trip. Pray I'll get some extra energy to accomplish everything!

Giveaway Goodness: Michelle, at Healing With Juices, is hosting an awesome, raw giveaway. Check out the goodies here!

Sunday, Funday...

Just a typical Sunday... snack, work-out, breakfast, church, lunch at Tita's, play in the kitchen, dinner, blog, done!
Snack: Greek Yogurt and Blackberry Parfait



Breakfast: Green Monster- 1/2 banana, frozen mango, frozen grapes, one piece of kale, one handful of spinach 3/4 cup skim milk



Lunch: Chicken and Yellow Rice, Chicken and White Bean Soup, Salad, Watermelon and Cantalope (not picture)



Dinner: 2 Bowls of Rice Chex and more watermelon (again not pictured)




Two fun things happened in my kitchen today. This morning, I used what was left over in the blender from GF Guy and my Green Monsters to make popsicles! I am so excited about them!


Tonight's kitchen playtime was my favorite kind! A family in my parent's church is going through a very difficult time. I volunteered to cook a meal for them this week. Since I work both Monday and Tuesday and will be out of town Wednesday through Saturday for a friends wedding, I decided to make a casserole, Cozy Autumn Rice Bake with Beef and Cranberries. I borrowed this recipe from Karina's Kitchen. This is the perfect make-ahead meal for a large family.

Cozy Autumn Rice Bake with Beef and Cranberries


Ingredients-
- 2 cups of long grain brown rice
- 2 pounds organic grass-fed ground beef
- 1 onion, peeled, roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, sliced
- 2 cups Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- Italian dried herbs, to taste- basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
- A dash of nutmeg
- A dash of cumin
- 1 14-0z can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- A good splash of balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup whole frozen cranberries, thawed
- 1/2 cup sliced kalamata black olives
- 2 tablespoons rinsed capers
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
- A splash of extra virgin olive oil
- feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a large lasagna pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Begin by cooking the 2 cups of brown rice according to package instructions.
Prep the vegetables and herbs.


In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain the excess fat and set meat aside.
In another large skillet, saute the onions, garlic, pepper, and mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.


Add the dried herbs and spices to taste.
Add the tomatoes, vinegar, cranberries, olives, capers, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Combine and simmer until heated through.


Spoon the cooked brown rice into the prepared lasagna pan, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fluff with a fork.


Layer meat on top of rice.


Pour vegetable mixture on top of meat layer and sprinkle with feta cheese.


Cover with foil and bake about 1 hour until the center is hot.
***If you are making your casserole ahead of time and refrigerating it, like me, add an extra 20-30 minutes to the cooking time.***

Cooking for those in need is such a fun, fulfilling way to spend the evening. I hope they are as blessed eating this meal as I was to be able to prepare it for them.

Like I said earlier, I work all day tomorrow. GF Guy and I are planning on a simple supper of Homemade Pizza tomorrow night. Wait one minute! I just realized what I said... pizza with a homemade crust is considered simple. HAHAHAHAHA! Wow... we have a really strange view of "simple"! Well, putting that aside, pizza is our plan for tomorrow night. I hope everyone has a stress free Monday. I approach Mondays with this in mind:
It's the start of a new week. You haven't messed up or gotten in trouble for anything yet. You have a clean slate. What will you do to make the most of this opportunity?
Have a happy, blessed week!

Good Morning Giveaway...

Good Morning and Happy Sunday! The sun is shining, my coffee is warm, and I couldn't be happier. Would you like to know the reason for my early morning joy? Well get excited!

Emily over at Curly Top is hosting the most fabulous giveaway EVER!!!!!!! She is giving away a blog makeover! Who doesn't love a good makeover? She just redesigned Shelby's blog header, and it looks A-MAZINGLY FABULOUS! Just to let all of you know, I totally plan on winning.

Just a little FYI! ;-) HAHAHAHAHA
Have a lovely day!

Man Food...

This month is my first time participating in the blogger event Go ahead honey, it's gluten free! This month, the event is hosted by Carol at Simply... Gluten Free.The theme for the month of June... Man Food! I immediately thought of my Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Baked Beans BBQ Bonanaza.

PERFECT! Total "Man Food" and a real crowd pleaser.

Crockpot Pulled Pork

Ingredients:
Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon demura sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper

2 (3-4 pound) bone-in pork shoulders
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
1 cups Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce

Combine spices and rub all over pork shoulders. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate overnight or longer.
When ready to cook, place pork, liquid smoke, and 1/4 cup water in a slow cooker. Cook on low until fork tender, 8-10 hours.
Remove meat from crock pot and shred using two forks, or use your hands if you are feeling particularly "manly".
Discard crock pot liquid and any removed pork fat.
Place shredded meat back in the crock pot, combine with 1 cup of Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce, and continue cooking on low for 30-60 minutes.

Gluten Free Hamburger Buns

Ingredients:

1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup potato starch
1/2 cup millet flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/ 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon instant dry yeast

1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cup warm water (at 110 to 115 degrees F)- I warmed it in the microwave about 1 minute
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Shape aluminum foil into 4-6 hamburger bun shaped molds and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Place on a cookie sheet and set aside.
Combine the warm water and agave nectar. Add the yeast, cover with saran wrap, and allow to proof.
Whisk together the dry ingredients.
Add the proofed yeast and the rest of the ingredients.
Beat until a smooth, cake-like batter forms.
Pour batter into bun molds, cover with a kitchen towel, and allow to rise for 20 minutes in a warm spot. (I preheat my oven to 200 degrees when I begin the process. Once the oven reaches 200 degrees, I immediately turn it off. By the time I am ready to let my bread rise the oven is at the optimum temperature.)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the buns about 30 minutes, until they would hollow when tapped.
Allow to cool 10 minutes in molds before removing to a cooling rack.

Jenna's Baked Beans

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons ground mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons hot sauce
16 oz tomato sauce
2 15 oz can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed

Preheat oven to 350
In a large, oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for about five minutes or until soft and translucent.
Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.
Add maple syrup, agave nectar, tomato sauce, salt, ground mustard, hot sauce and ketchup and simmer for five minutes.
Add beans and bay leaves, stir, then cover the skillet with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, stirring once during the baking process.
Allow to cool and serve warm.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato for every two people
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cumin
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cover a baking sheet with foil.
Cut potatoes into wedges and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and spices.
Bake about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until fries reach desired crispness.

Round out the meal with a nice, fresh salad... that is, if a salad is "manly" enough for you! :-)
For desert, I recommend watermelon slices and a seed spitting contest. May the best man win!

Grassroots...

Hello! GF Guy and I hit up Grassroots after work tonight. Grassroots is an Organic, Vegan restaurant specializing in Raw Foods. The restaurant is a tiny little place in a not so nice area of Tampa. I was a little hesitant, but had heard so many A-MAZING reviews about this place, I just had to try it. GF Guy was very skeptical. In fact, he went to Chic-Fil-A this afternoon just to get some manly meat into his system! :-D hahahaha He was a real trooper though. The inside was very low key and chill, but completely packed. A good sigh, right? We sat down and perused the menu for a few minutes. Surprisingly, we were both ready to order within 3 minutes! Man, we were decisive tonight! I ordered the Raw Vegan Sushi with gluten free soy sauce.

It was not only beautiful, but so fresh and clean tasting. Oh, and the wasabi... WOW! This was potent stuff. My entire face and chest turned red! It hurt so good! GF Guy ordered the "Cheezeburger". It was a vegetarian burger with cashew cheese. He said it was actually good! I can't wait to go back and try more fun raw, vegan yumminess! I am totally wiped. Work was long today, but I got more free gluten free goodies to try! I love the little perks of my job! :-) Good night everyone. If you are ever in my neck of the woods, I will take you to Grassroots for some goodness!

I Am a Mad Scientist...

Welcome to my lab. I have creation that will terrify some and intrigue others. Ladies and Gentlemen... I give you...

OAT-GURT!!!!!

My inspiration was Heather of Heather Eats Almond Butter. (Are you proud, Heather?!) I almost scrapped the whole project because it took my oats TWICE as long to ferment as hers. This was probably because I did not have a hot plate. Instead I stuck my little bowl, covered with a plate on my window sill and hoped for the best. To make Oat-Gurt, I placed 1/3 cup Gluten Free Rolled Oats and 3/4 cup water in a ceramic bowl, covered it with a plate, and placed it in a warm area (my window sill). Fifty-two hours later the oats had formed a "crust" on top and began to smell like Sourdough Bread.

They were finally ready! I cooked them in the microwave for 2 minutes at 70% power and 2 minutes at 30% power. Then, I stirred in a little PB2 and Homemade Apple Butter, sprinkled the top with cinnamon, and bravely took my first bite.

GF Guy captured my hesitant first bite. I was scared, people!
Here it is...
Going in for the kill...



It's good!



Yummy!


I was seriously surprised that it tasted good. It was like a PB and almond butter sandwich on Sourdough bread! For all you brave souls out there, go ahead and try it! It's a bit too much of a process for me to make often, but it was fun to try a new food! Thanks Heather!

Before the grand morning experiment, I ate a snack of Greek yogurt and blackberries

and hit the gym. GRRRRRR....

Look at those fierce muscles! hahahahaha
I also packed my lunch for work. I work from 12-7 today. My salad is HUGE!!!!
Green Leaf Lettuce, Spinach, Carrots, Broccoli, Quinoa, and Peach and Mango Salsa



After work, GF Guy and I are going to Grassroots for dinner! I AM SOOO EXCITED!!!! I can't wait to post about the experience!
Have a Super Saturday, everyone!

Nearly Normal...

Hello! Today was nice and normal. I started with breakfast and one of my favorite past times, a crossword puzzle!

My breakfast bowl was comprised of Gluten Free oatmeal, cinnamon, and blueberries. Like I said earlier, nice and normal. I worked job #1 until noon, then I met GF Guy for some errand running and lunch. We decided to kick it old school and had PB & J sandwiches! Talk about nostalgic!

Our sandwiches were built on my Homemade Gluten Free bread and smeared with PB2 and Seedless Blackberry All Fruit spread. DE-LICIOUS! I didn't get to work-out this AM, so after my food settled I hit the gym for a quick afternoon sweat session. It is seriously HOT in Florida, you guys! To rehydrate, I downed a Coconut Water.

Dinner was a twist on a recipe I borrowed from Lauren at Food For Living...

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with a Shallot and White Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 ounces garlic and herb goat cheese
- 3 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, rinsed and chopped
- a handful of fresh basil, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)

In a small bowl, blend together goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and basil.
Cut a pocket in the thickest part of each chicken breast and stuff with the goat cheese mixture. Fold shut.
Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat a dash of Oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
Cook chicken in skillet until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Transfer chicken breasts to an oven safe dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until done, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add a dash more oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium.
Add shallot and cook until soft.
Add wine and scrape skillet to deglaze.
Reduce heat to low, add vegetable stock and a little salt and pepper, and simmer until just reduced, about 5 minutes.
Plate chicken, drizzle with sauce, and garnish with fresh basil.
Cheers!

I served this with quinoa and steamed broccoli. The meal was A-MAZING!!!! GF Guy and I both cleaned our plates.
I rounded off my night with a bowl of fresh organic peach slices and blackberries.

These blackberries were HUGE! Look at that thing!

It's the size of a small planet!

Tomorrow, GF Guy is taking me out to dinner at Grassroots, a small vegan restaurant with lots of raw food options. I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I have been looking forward to it all week! I will be sure to take pictures!
Goodnight everyone! Have a great weekend!