Gluten-free journey cont...

These items are the Staples of my diet. I eat much more, these are just a few of my "must-haves".

Breakfast

• Rice and beans- I make a large batch of beans and brown rice, enough for the week. I cook the beans on the stove after they have soaked overnight and my favorite spice I add to the bean broth is cumin. This dish is easy to heat up in the morning and great with cheese!


• Corn tortillas with scrambled eggs- this is also good with cheese.
  Yogurt and gf granola- I make my own yogurt now with Lactaid milk (VERY EASY!!!) . It has no sugar. I add honey and vanilla.


• Toast- using gf bread- Homemade. Either a mix (Gluten free Pantry) or by scratch.


• Gf cereal or granola with Lactaid milk and either honey or fruit on top.

Lunch

• Tuna with mayo and Kettle chips.


• Grilled sandwich using gf bread, lunchmeat, and cheese.


• Baked potato with field greens on the side.

Dinner

• Gf pasta and sauce. A small pot boiling for me and a large pot for the non-gf family!


• potatoes or rice with the main dish- usually chicken or meat. ( We bought a quarter of free-range organic Beefalo cow- for the second year in a row)

Snacks (My personal favorite!!!)

• Popcorn!!! Popped on the stove in canola oil with dry ranch dressing mix sprinkled on top.


• Tortilla chips with melted cheese


• Tapioca pudding- another BIG fave! Homemade on the stove.


• Ice Cream- light- with peanut butter

Seasonal

• Tomato sliced with fresh mozzarella and gf toast
• Yellow or green squash coins sauteed with dill seasoning
• Roasted root vegetables

I cant complete this post without mentioning my Ultimate Favorite of All time Dessert!!!

Pam's gf Dark Chocolate Passover Cake!!! Like fudge on a fork. To die for- AND Gluten Free.

My Gluten-Free Journey

It started this journey in fall '08, when I needed relief from the pain of suspected Endometriosis. I could have taken the medical route (birth control pills, surgery, etc...) but choose to treat it nutritionally. Health and wellness websites were advising to go gluten-free to control the pain. I was willing to try but disbelieving It would work. I barely even knew what gluten was! I found out gluten is a substance found mainly in wheat products but there are other sources as well, like barley and rye. Gluten slows down your cardiovascular system and basically makes your blood like sludge. It can cause migraines, aches in joints, intestinal problems, lethargy (sleepiness), pain in the pelvis, as well as myriad of other female issues. As soon as I cut out gluten, I was pain free. I was shocked! I had been doubled over in pain every month- so much so that I couldn't stand. It was debilitating. I also no longer needed to take glucosamine for my joints, and I had alot more energy! On the rare occasion that I do cheat, I pay for It. My joints get achy and I get really sleepy (It's like walking thru a fog ). These symptoms last a couple days too.

I have enlightened my sister Betsy and she too is gf and feels great! ( When she doesn't cheat...) Betsy symptoms were migraines and intestinal issues.My good friend Pam couldn't make sense of her many physical ailments and finally put the whole picture together when she went gf. She since has been diagnosed with Celiac dz.

So as you can see people go gf for a variety of reasons, not just Celiac dz.

Now I know you are thinking- "There is no way I could cut out bread and rolls!!! What a pain in the neck" Honestly It isn't that hard and It's sooo worth It.

Here is a website that is one of my favorites

http://gluten-intolerance-symptoms.com/

I still have alot to learn about being gluten intolerant. It is a journey...

In my next post I will list my staple foods and ways I substitute.

I hope this helps someone. If It does please let me know!

Our life with Olliver Twist

Finally blogging about our new 6 mo old Schnoodle puppy! For those of you who don't know - a Schnoodle is a cross breed between a Schnauser and a Poodle. That means he has hair not fur, so he isn't bothering our allergies. We adopted him from a friend of ours who does animal rescue. He's not a mini, but a small breed dog.
Erik named him Oliver Twist- aka "Ollie". It fits him nicely too!

Plus- He's a vaccumm cleaner after every meal! (He especially hangs out under Matthew's seat...wonder why?...)

Minus- No shoe is safe! (course that could be a plus...I do like to buy new shoes...)

Plus- Mike is doing more walking after work...

Minus- Webkinz beware! (course that too could be a plus...)

Plus- Children learning to think of something else besides themselves.

Minus- Wet dog smell! yuck!

Plus- Keeps the cat from being queen of the house! (wait! or is she still???)

Minus- Can't walk away from food...Ever! At All!

Plus- I can see the Living room floor-children keep their toys picked up at all times now! (Now that I see it I'm not sure I want to... note to self- check on prices for new flooring.)

Minus- Couch cushions getting used to hide raw-hide bones. (Watch out when you sit down!)

Plus- He rarely barks and when he does it is a nice deep bark, not like a "yippee" bark.

Always good to end on a positive note, so I'll stop here.

My Fridge is so bright...I need to wear shades...

This is going to seem like the weirdest blog post ever! But I feel like it HAS to come out, so it is.
We had a leak in our freezer/ fridge that Mike had to fix. I told him- the heck with it, just buy us a new fridge! But no - you know Mike...So last Sat. he took everything out of the freezer and got down to business. Come to find out it was clogged with too much ice build up- from not being defrosted in ...oh about 11 years!!! Because we werent sure how much damage there was, we had to defrost the whole fridge at that point. So he took everything out and put it in boxes in our garage. Meanwhile I am at the grocery store ready to bring home food...that we put in the garage. Now when you defrost a fridge you dont just stare at it till it's done, you have to clean it too! And It was NASTY!!! I put alot of elbow grease into it but It sparkles like a diamond now! I seriously can't beleive how awesome It looks. I keep opening It up to see Its beauty. It's a whole new appliance, really. It was very satisfying to get it done. Like washing dishes by hand- another thing I've discovered I like to do. It too is very satisfying- to see it come clean and sparkle before your eyes...I will end on this: It's so bright that when I open the door, I literally hear the 'Whaaaaaa" sound of angels singing!