tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65728301580963213792024-03-12T17:36:51.130-07:00my life without wheat and glutenjust me talking about my life as it stands without eating wheat and gluten. it's not easy and sometimes sucks but i love to cook and bake so that makes it a little easier. i love to share my creations here with you.cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-85288693683038829722015-03-03T17:11:00.002-08:002015-03-03T17:11:15.105-08:00brown bag lunch: a gluten free necessityI work VERY hard to keep a totally 100% gluten free diet. (It's funny that I just used to word "diet". My grandma drives me NUTS when she calls my "gluten free lifestyle" a "diet". LOL. none the less.) I have the privilege (/ curse) of having lunch provided at work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Which seems awesome but truly it blows...<br />
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I know I sound like a control freak (and a jerk) BUT it's really important for me to know ahead of time what's on the menu so I know if I need to pack my own lunch or not. Sounds easy enough. However, sometimes even if I think I can eat with the group I still get sick. <br />
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All the time I find myself saying things like, "No, I can't eat that. It's ok.", "Don't worry about me. I'll bring my own lunch.", "No, thank you. I don't want any cake." It's like people feel compelled to offer you food. I don't want your food. And I find myself constantly fielding, "Well, can't you eat that?!", "Well, why can't you just pick off the croutons?" and "Would you like some?" I know people think it's polite, but it also drives me nuts.<br />
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It is certainly NOT like I asked for this.<br />
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This is the best way I can express how being (not just eating) gluten free makes me feel sometimes: <a href="http://glutendude.com/celiac-rant/dear-world-here-is-why-i-eat-gluten-free/" target="_blank">http://glutendude.com/celiac-rant/dear-world-here-is-why-i-eat-gluten-free/</a><br />
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<i> "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px;">Dear Friends, Family, and acquaintances:</span></i><br />
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<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I am <strong>not</strong> eating gluten free as part of a fad, or because the latest celebrity has decided to jump on the G-free bandwagon.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I am <strong>not</strong> eating gluten free to annoy you, inconvenience you or to make things difficult when we go out to eat.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I am <strong>not</strong> eating gluten free to be the center of attention or to put a damper on your party.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I am <strong>not</strong> eating gluten free to pay outrageous prices for a single cookie, cupcake, or a tiny little pizza.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I am <strong>not</strong> eating gluten free to pay a lot more for a little bag of gluten free flour.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I am <strong>not</strong> eating gluten free to worry about what I can eat when I go out to eat.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I am <strong>not</strong> eating gluten free because I love to analyze every ingredient on every item I pick up to purchase.</i></li>
</ul>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I <strong>am</strong> eating gluten free because that little protein that you cannot see in your muffin, cookie, cake, pie, beer, pizza, soup, and yes, even your soy sauce makes me ill.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I <strong>am</strong> eating gluten free because that little protein hurts my stomach, my joints, my muscles and yes, even my brain.</i></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 2px;"><i>I <strong>am</strong> eating gluten free because I have a disease.</i></li>
</ul>
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<i>Any questions?"</i></div>
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I say all time that I'm going to just bring my own lunch. It sounds easy and it probably is but I can manage to make it hard somehow. It is especially hard when a room full of people don't understand why you need a special salad. Or they think you don't want to have what they're having. (Like I'm too good to eat the lunch provided. Yup, I'm too good all right. LOL. At least I can laugh about it.) </div>
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Well. Today, I put my big girl pants on and I bought my own lunch from home. YAH! I've been doing research (on Pinterest, of course!) and settled on the idea of making my own "Bento Box" style lunch. (See, I make it hard. Instead of just packing a simple lunch; I had to do research first.) </div>
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{slaps own forehead} </div>
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Yes, I ate ALL of that and it was spectacular. It was good; I'm going to make another one for tomorrow's lunch. :)</div>
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Do you have any tips, tricks, suggestions, or go to's for packing a healthy, gluten free lunch to take to work? </div>
cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0Springfield, MA, USA42.1014831 -72.58981142.0072496 -72.7511725 42.195716600000004 -72.4284495tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-44093771702516792912015-03-01T08:48:00.002-08:002015-03-01T08:51:42.902-08:00leftover use up quicheIt's been almost a year since I've blogged. No excuses; just busy and not making it a priority. It's something I like to do so, I'm doing it again.<br />
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I thought I would share a recipe that I made this morning from things that I had in my pantry, fridge and freezer. Earlier in the week I had made some "pesto chicken" for a Pesto Chicken Pizza (I just checked my Pinterest, so I could link to that recipe but I must have made it up, so the next time I make it I will blogg about that.) that was awesome! To make the "pesto chicken" I just took chicken tender pieces and baked them with store bought pesto, olive oil, salt and pepper. With the leftover chicken still in the fridge on Sunday and not wanting it to go waist... I thought QUICHE!! <br />
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Quiches are really the answer to leftover use up. Naturally, I went to my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/babybobbin/food-and-drink/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> boards and got to work finding a recipe that I knew I had pinned a while ago. <br />
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<a href="http://blackbirdideas.com/2012/10/30/basic-quiches/" target="_blank"><img alt="Basic Quiche Recipe! Nice to know just the basic ratios." height="250" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/0e/65/76/0e657656c430b0bcbb624920f80665f5.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Here is the link to the pin: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/73535406389244154/" target="_blank">Basic Quiche Recipe</a><br />
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With this recipe in mind I got to work... I knew I had a <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/gluten-free/gluten-free-products" target="_blank">Whole Foods GlutenFree Bakehouse Gluten Free Pie Crust</a> (since Thanksgiving, yikes. Great option if you don't want to, or have time to make your own pie crust) in the freezer, eggs, <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/939" target="_blank">Trader Joe's Original almond milk</a> (I don't usually keep regular cow milk on hand), the leftover chicken, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese.<br />
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The pie crust instructions tell you to bring the crust room temperature. In the mean time I preheated the oven to 350 degrees and got everything else ready.<br />
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Next, I began to layer the ingredients into the now room temp pie crust... first the leftover chicken chopped into small pieces, then halved tomatoes. I then seasoned the layers with salt and pepper.<br />
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Then, I topped that with the Parmesan cheese! Yum. (The recipe called for a cup of cheese but I just kind of eye balled it.)<br />
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After that, it was time to make the egg and milk mixture... I measured the one cup if milk into a two cup measuring cup and then added the four eggs. I used a fork to break the egg yolks and whisked to combine the milk and eggs. I added salt, pepper, and a couple dashes of Italian seasoning to the egg and milk mixture.<br />
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I did NOT want to carry a filled pie crust to the oven, open the door and risk spillage... so I opened the oven, carefully pulled out the rack and placed the pie crust down and then filled it with the egg and milk mixture. I carefully put the rack back into place, closed up the oven and set the timer for 50 minutes.<br />
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After a little while, I started to smell the quiche. It smelled amazing! (I checked on it a couple times to make sure it wasn't burning. It was fine.)<br />
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TADA! It looked and smelled delicious right out of the oven. Now to try and wait the 10 minutes to let it cool before eating! (Torture. LOL.)<br />
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The quiche cut nicely even though the tomatoes added some extra moisture.</div>
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It tasted as good as it looked and smelled. The seasoning was spot on and the texture was good. I get worried sometimes that the pre-made crust isn't going to match the flavor of the filling. However, it tasted great all together.</div>
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I hope you try making your own gluten free leftover use up quiche. Enjoy!</div>
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<br />cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0Springfield, MA, USA42.1014831 -72.58981142.0072496 -72.7511725 42.195716600000004 -72.4284495tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-53130893500495427972014-03-30T07:55:00.000-07:002014-03-30T14:38:30.984-07:00tada! presto chango... watch as i change this regular recipe into a gluten free recipe! ...it's magic.OK. I admit, it's NOT magic. <br />
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But it does take a while to get the hang of cooking your old favorites gluten free. I think you get better at it the more you try things. (Practice makes perfect.) Yes, you will for sure make some things that well... suck. But you learn from it and definitely don't make the same mistake twice. I try to keep a mental list of products I've tried and disliked so I don't waste my money on them a second time either. (Forget granola bars. I've tried a bunch liked one and can't remember which it was. For now, I've just stopped buying them.)<br />
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As far as gluten free recipes go... <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> is a gold mine!! I find it to be a wonderful community of people suggesting recipes, offering support and information. (Go ahead, check it out! (If you haven't already.) I'll be here when you get back. Fair warning: it's addictive.)<br />
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I have a gluten free board over there: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/babybobbin/gluten-free/" target="_blank">http://www.pinterest.com/babybobbin/gluten-free/</a> Where I "pin" gluten free stuff.<br />
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<a data-pin-board-width="900" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="120" data-pin-scale-width="115" href="http://www.pinterest.com/babybobbin/gluten-free/">Follow Katie Bobbin's board {Gluten Free} on Pinterest.</a><br />
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I also have a "FOOD and Drink" board: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/babybobbin/food-and-drink/" target="_blank">http://www.pinterest.com/babybobbin/food-and-drink/</a> Where I "pin" recipes that I wish where gluten free. <br />
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<a data-pin-board-width="900" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="120" data-pin-scale-width="115" href="http://www.pinterest.com/babybobbin/food-and-drink/">Follow Katie Bobbin's board FOOD and Drink on Pinterest.</a><br />
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<i><b>Here's where the magic comes in... </b> </i><br />
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I found this recipe: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/73535406390122307/" target="_blank">http://www.pinterest.com/pin/73535406390122307/</a><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tFA7A7xbtr8/UzgkyfAaEUI/AAAAAAAAAMw/07f4-3UEPxg/s1600/Crockpot-Chicken-and-Stuffing-Recipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tFA7A7xbtr8/UzgkyfAaEUI/AAAAAAAAAMw/07f4-3UEPxg/s1600/Crockpot-Chicken-and-Stuffing-Recipe.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's a direct link to the recipe in case you're not on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>: <a href="http://www.isavea2z.com/crockpot-chicken-stuffing-recipe/" target="_blank">http://www.isavea2z.com/crockpot-chicken-stuffing-recipe/</a></div>
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Now that we've read the recipe, decided that it looks super delish and we want to make it... but we can't. Oh yes we can!! </div>
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Let's substitute a few of the ingredients and get cooking! (chicken not pictured. it was already in the slow cooker.)</div>
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1.) The original recipe calls for Stove Top Stuffing... not gluten free. I went with <a href="http://www.gilliansfoodsglutenfree.com/products/product_info.php?products_id=65" target="_blank">Gillian's Home-Style Stuffing</a> (because that's what my supermarket had.) I've used their products before and liked them so I wasn't worried about the stuffing.</div>
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2.) Next the original recipe calls for Cream of Chicken soup... not gluten free. I've googled "cream of ... soup" before to find a gluten free version. They are out there but I've never found them out and about while I was shopping. The best substitute I've found for "cream of ... soup" is <a href="http://progresso.com/Products/Gluten-Free" target="_blank">Progresso Vegetable Classics Creamy Mushroom</a>! (I use it in green bean casserole, too! YUM.)</div>
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3.) I have nothing against Lite Sour Cream. I just like to think I'm doing a good thing by buying "local" and I gave up gluten to feel better, not fat. So, I went with <a href="http://www.cabotcheese.coop/pages/our_products/product.php?catID=45&id=486" target="_blank">Cabot Sour Cream</a>, they even list it on their website as "naturally gluten free". It makes me feel better buying something that someone has given an extra thought about whether or not it's gluten free.</div>
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NOW... *make as directed. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8vPF0yNixeY/Uzgv6CUSEhI/AAAAAAAAANM/eWp4DZhOXm0/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8vPF0yNixeY/Uzgv6CUSEhI/AAAAAAAAANM/eWp4DZhOXm0/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Aren't you special?! You just made a regular recipe gluten free! Enjoy!!</div>
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katie :)</div>
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* My version came out wonderful! (Could have used only a half a cup of water, the stuffing mixture was SUPER mushy, and maybe salt and pepper on the chicken.)</div>
cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-4644795503436784462013-11-29T08:59:00.001-08:002013-11-29T09:07:03.713-08:00gluten free road block ahead<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">what's that saying?... "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"... this week my good intentions include planning meals, and making food ahead. my biggest gluten free road blocks are myself and my hunger, or my reaction to my hunger. sometimes i swear my stomach takes over my brain, hits cruise control and before i know it i'm elbow deep in a box of <a href="http://www.chex.com/Recipes/GlutenFree.aspx" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">gluten free rice chex</a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">my plan is have good gluten free food on hand this week, so i don't fall off the wagon, and hopefully be able to get my over eating under control. (<a href="https://annies.alice.com/products/1275924">annie's rice pasta and cheddar</a>, i love you, but have i have to get it through my head that a box contains more than one serving.</span>)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so today i've already made a batch of <a href="http://www.bumblebee.com/product-details/?productid=14&familyid=1">tuna</a> salad. my grandma make's the best tuna; i've got to ask for her secret.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> my secret is </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">a couple of tablespoons of relish. it gives it kind of a little hint of sweetness that i like. this will be great to have on hand for a quick sandwich o</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">r wrap. (check out the healthy living tab on <a href="http://www.bumblebee.com/the-real-scoop-about-hydration/">bumble bee tuna's</a> website for some good tips.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i also made a quick pasta salad throwing together stuff i had in my pantry. <a href="http://www.tinkyada.com/">tinkyada</a> brown rice vegetable spirals (1 bag), Italian dressing (1 cup), <a href="http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Herbs-and-Spices/Blends/Perfect-Pinch.aspx">mccormick</a> pasta seasoning mix (4 tablespoons), and one can of chickpeas.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">11/29/13 i found this post saved as a draft from 2011. i think it's kind of funny that i'm still having similar struggles. however, i really think it's important to put out there that it is a struggle to completely change how you eat and think about food. it gets better. for me i really had to dig deep and commit to change. i think i've been staying away from the blog because i felt like a jerk making it sound like being gluten free was ok. it is OK, but it's not awesome; and it's ok to feel that way about it. </span> </span>cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0Springfield, MA 01119, USA42.1277525 -72.51456742.105375 -72.5302065 42.15013 -72.4989275tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-41986029023184865992012-01-13T17:03:00.000-08:002012-01-13T17:03:34.624-08:00gluten free... mac and cheese me, please!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i can only remember one time when my mom made homemade mac and cheese... she used a recipe from my brother's god father's mother who was a school lunch lady. i think we had it at party and my mom asked for the recipe because we ate it and really liked it. NOT so much when my mom made it at home. we were very happy "blue box" mac and cheese kids.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i remember when i started to go gluten free having a panic attack over never being able to eat "blue box" mac and cheese again. i tried a couple gluten free dairy free boxes and they just plain sucked. until i found <a href="https://annies.alice.com/products/1275924">annie's gluten free rice pasta mac and cheese</a> (and <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/">trader joe's</a> has a good rice pasta and cheese too.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">last friday at lunch one of the girls was eating homemade mac and cheese, we had a whole discussion about how its not hard to make and is really good homemade. i told them my homemade mac and cheese story and vowed to make my own delicious gluten free version. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it went something like this:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the other night at <a href="http://www.stopandshop.com/">stop and shop</a> i found a package of shredded cheese that was labeled "mac and cheese" blend! (i recommend reading the package while you're at the store so you buy the right ingredients. there is a recipe right on the package, duh.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">to make my mac and cheese gluten free i only really had to substitute a couple of ingredients. gluten free pasta obviously... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">instead of "all purpose flour" i had <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/tapioca-flour-mtx1532.html">bob's red mill tapicoa flour</a>, it said that it was good for thickening soups and such. i had never used it in this kind of application before but i figured i had to use something so why not?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">other than that and only having half and half in the house for the milk and cream, i followed the recipe pretty much as directed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i wanted to stick a piece of gluten free bread into the cheese sauce and eat it, just to make sure it was good, but i didn't.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">next i got my brand new, never been used <a href="http://www.target.com/c/home/-/N-5xtvd">target home</a> baking dish ready for action...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION... CHEEEESE!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i only baked it for 12 minutes. the directions called for 15 minutes and bubbling cheese. i really did not want it to dry out so i was a little careful. also i left my mac and cheese naked... no bread crumbs. i thought i had some gluten free bread crumbs but i couldn't find any when it came time to top it off. i wasn't too worried about it, because the "blue box" never came with any bread crumbs.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i literally could not wait to try this!! it was SO good. it was like a i died and went to mac and cheese heaven!! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">not pictured: i added ketchup because i just think it adds something to the mac and cheese, not that it needed it. i think i would add one less teaspoon of the flour and try some nutmeg next time... and there will be a next time. i'm not ditching the boxed mac and cheese for good, it still can serve a purpose in the pinch... but this was nothing short of gluten free awesome! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">enjoy!</span></span>cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-29537131151162300452011-10-01T18:21:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:00:59.721-08:00gluten free SOUP'S ON!!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the weather out</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">side is just willing me to make soup. it's all cold-ish and rainy-ish. it's just kind of yucky outside if you ask me; perfect soup weather. (i've even got my fuzzy slipper shoes on!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i've chosen corn chowder for this evening. i'll be using a "cheat" soup mix: <a href="http://www.frontiersoups.com/p-IL-Corn-Chowder-Soup.html">Frontier Soups Illinois Prairie Corn Chowder</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i've used this mix once before and it was awesome. this time i'm using some fresh corn as the recipe on the package suggests as an optional ingredient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">here we go! i used one container of vegetable stock and the rest water to make up for the 8 cups of chicken broth; only because it was what i had in the house. it is definitely the end of corn season, because the ears of corn are only as big as the palm of my hand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">brought to a boil and added the soup mix and fresh corn. it is corn-tastic!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">...and now for the 45 minute covered simmer (aka time to do the dishes and watch tv)</span>.<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">now time for the heavy cream and another simmer uncovered 30 minute wait...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">as an aside: the heavy cream i'm using is from <a href="http://www.maplelinefarm.com/">Mapleline Farm</a> in Hadley, MA. (i just think it's cool to use local products.) </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i also purchased most of my ingredients from <a href="http://www.randallsfarm.net/">Randall's Farm and Greenhouse</a> in Ludlow, MA. they are an awesome resource for gluten free products and hold several gluten free tasting nights throughout the year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">read for it's close up...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">this soup certainly did the trick to make me feel warm and cozy on this kind of yucky day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">for good measure i added a hunk of gluten free bread.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">these rolls are from Italy!! (they sell them at </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ranfarm.com/">Randall's</a> also.) five minutes in the oven to fresh baked crusty bread. i used them for all kinds of things like sandwiches and homemade garlic bread.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">gluten free soup night was a perfect way to beat the yucky day blues. have a happy gluten free day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">what's your favorite food to make on a yucky day?</span></div>
cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-865417166236888842011-10-01T14:36:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:06:27.787-08:00doughnuts are a girl's best friend<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">literally</span>, <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">doughnuts from <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=HJn&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&biw=1422&bih=676&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=chmura%27s+bakery&fb=1&gl=us&hq=chmura%27s+bakery&hnear=0x89e6e62c08e4b81f:0x1d1808da41b9aabd,Springfield,+MA&cid=11861846319274911851">Chmura's Bakery</a> in Indian Orchard, MA are my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kryptonite">kryptonite</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">they are truly my ultimate physical weakness. my all time favorite are the classic chocolate frosted with rainbow sprinkles. just the sight and smell of them are enough to brighten my day. <3 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><insert angels singing here.> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">my goal in gluten free life now is to literally only "cheat" on gluten food with these babies. i can live without a lot of things... but trying to imagine the rest of my natural life without ever having another one of these fresh made tasty beauties is just too much to bare.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">have a happy (almost) gluten free day!! you know i did if it was doughnut day!! hahaha</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Do you have a "cheat" food, that you can't live without? </span>cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0Springfield, MA 01107, USA42.121412 -72.612160142.097857 -72.6516421 42.144967 -72.57267809999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-73028664297993696882011-09-28T18:19:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:05:56.524-08:00our daily bread... does that come gluten free?<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">[FAIR WARNING: i think this is going to be a whiny one.] </span><br />
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<i>"</i>When I first moved to New York and I was totally broke, sometimes I would buy Vogue instead of dinner. I felt it fed me more." - Carrie Bradshaw <i>Sex and the City</i></div>
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As much as I LOVE food... sometimes i wish one of two things: 1.) that i didn't <i>need</i> to eat. and or 2.) that i didn't need to worry about what i can and can't eat ALL the time.</div>
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i should feel grateful that there <i>are</i> a ton of things i can eat without too much worry. fresh fruits and veggies, meat, most cheese, nuts, and best of all chocolate. i should also feel grateful that i'm a great cook and very creative at turning things lurking around my cupboards into wonderful meals for myself. </div>
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however, sometimes i just want to go through the <a href="https://www.dunkindonuts.com/">dunkin donuts</a> drive thru and get an egg and cheese croissant, eat it, enjoy it, and not be sick. sometimes i just want to be able to go to a pizza party and not have to ask for a special pizza from a special shop, (even though it is super delicious.) sometimes i just want to not have to worry before going out with friends to eat and frantically google the menu the night before and pray for something gluten free i can eat and not get sick from. sometimes i don't want to have to explain why i want to go to <a href="http://www.unos.com/menus/glutenFree.php">uno's</a> a second time in a month and why i don't want to try a new place. sometimes i don't want to feel so hungry that in the moment i don't care what i eat as long as i'm not hungry anymore, and then feel so terrible about myself afterward. sometimes i just want to be like everyone else. </div>
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i know i'm not the only person with food allergies. i'm very grateful that i don't have to carry an <a href="http://www.epipen.com/">EpiPen</a> to save my own life. But sometimes it just sucks not being able to just go somewhere and eat. it sucks to have to read every food label before buying something at the store. it sucks sitting at lunch watching other people eat things i used to eat and still want to eat. it sucks when people offer me new things to try and i have to say no. it sucks to have to say, "no, i don't like the pot pies, because i can't eat them." it sucks when you think you've been good and eaten "safe" foods, but you get sick anyway.<br />
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oh well. i'm glad i had years of being blissfully unaware of food contents. i think this is going to be my new gluten free mantra:<br />
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thanks for letting me vent. i think i just have to listen to my grandma on this one... she has two comments that will always sick with me. 1.) there is always someone who is worse off than you. and 2.) how's your diet going?<br />
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the first one is very true and makes me feel like a jerk for whining. and the second one pisses me off at first and then i just smile and say something to the effect of: it's going ok. i think to myself: she's so cute and she'll never understand. on that note.<br />
have a happy gluten free day! :)</div>
cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-29685560432802738072011-09-15T18:03:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:05:00.909-08:00let's get ready to crumble!!!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">to be more<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> accurate... tonight i'm making a "crisp". here is the recipe i used as my starting point: <a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/peach-crisp-00000000017215/index.html">peach crisp from real simple</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">here is what theirs looks like:</span></span><br />
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<img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ukNPaxBXjU0/TnKVWmc1EbI/AAAAAAAAABM/JkeprUlAWAw/s320/ripe-peach-crisp_300.jpg" height="320" width="268" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">for my gluten free about 1/2 the size varriation this is what i did:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1.) instead of peaches i used nectarines and blueberries (simply because they were the only non rotten fruits in my house.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2.) i used 3 and a half table spoons of sugar and NO flour to coat my fruit. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3.) for the topping i used 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, a "healthy" pinch of salt, about 6 table spoons of butter, 1 cup <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-rolled-oats.html">bob's red mill gluten free rolled oats</a> (love these), and 1/2 cup of trader joe's almond meal.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">before the oven ready for it's close up...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and now baking for 30 minutes and then a look see to see how things are going...</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tTpV0oJ9uVM/TnKbT_049ZI/AAAAAAAAABY/vj5TgDp6PIo/s1600/Photo0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tTpV0oJ9uVM/TnKbT_049ZI/AAAAAAAAABY/vj5TgDp6PIo/s320/Photo0051.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">30 minutes was plenty long enough...</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it is bubbling and HOT from the oven!! i can't wait for it to cool down so i can try it!! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i'm only trying a "taste" since it's late. but i have a pretty good idea of what i'm having for breakfast...</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p_2wVLWMnJc/TnKeRLyMYUI/AAAAAAAAABk/OqokkXg6xQE/s1600/Photo0054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p_2wVLWMnJc/TnKeRLyMYUI/AAAAAAAAABk/OqokkXg6xQE/s320/Photo0054.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">HOLY MOLY... i am good!! and so is the crisp... hahaha. i expected it to be good, but it is nothing short of gluten free magic!! my only change for next time would be that i might take the skins off the nectarines, because they got a little weird after baking.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">a crisp success!! YAH!! have a happy gluten free day, and make yourself this crisp!</span></span>cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-4514473711254617002011-08-20T16:50:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:04:36.476-08:00it's gluten free (pizza)... and I helped! hee hee<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so... i've had this box of gluten pizza crust mix in my pantry for a while now and tonight i finally made it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it was a <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/glutenfree/">king arthur flour gluten free</a> pizza crust mix. (if you have never been to king arthur flour in vermont it really is worth the trip. they had a TON of amazing gluten free items, and it was just cool if you like to bake and eat things. they had nice cafe for snacking at too. i think we got something flour less and chocolate; maybe it was a cookie... all i remember is that it was good.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">as the box claims it was (fairly) quick and (fairly) easy. the only super annoying part was the two 30 minute wait for it rise sessions. which, btw, it didn't really even rise... i was expecting a show. not so much. however, it did make 2 pretty big pizzas... (i'm going to share one with my mom and freeze the other one for a later date.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">... ta da!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it tasted good, not the best and not the worst i've had... (if i made it again i think i'd bake it longer, it had a slight uncooked taste. i followed the directions exactly as stated on the box and used the middle time between the 2 suggested baking end points.) if you have a free evening with nothing to do: make yourself some gluten free pizza!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">have a happy gluten free day! :)</span><br />
<br />cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-9618494469179131232011-07-21T15:28:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:04:07.750-08:00on again, OFF again...<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">UGH!!</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><over share alert!!></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">well, wheat and i were on again the last couple weeks... i was going hot and heavy with Subway, Dunkin Dounuts, and Panera!! YUM.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">but alas we were not meant to be. i woke up this morning and i felt like i got run over by a truck. now i feel like i have a knife in the back of neck. and to top it off last night i literally wanted to kill myself over something i knew was super super dumb. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">NOTHING tastes as good as feeling good feels. I guess i just have to keep telling myself that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">this morning, as part of my rehab, i went into Dunkin Dounuts and didn't order anything but my coffee. i said good bye to Subway today for lunch... ham and cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, banana peppers and extra mayo on WHITE... GOOD BYE!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the great part about my wheat detox/ rehab is i can make a fresh start with my next bite and i can be in total control of how this goes from here. i am so a food addict. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i feel better just for getting it out and know with absolute certainty that i'll feel better in the morning... and maybe my pants will fit better too. i am SO bloated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">UGH!!</span>cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-59492219707866261082011-03-20T09:56:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:03:30.437-08:00to share or not to share...<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so i've mentioned my gluten free difficulties at work before... which i am VERY happy to report have been resolved when i changed jobs in mid february. now i'm a receptionist at the allergy and asthma center (a.k.a. dr. walker's office) in springfield. where we have a designated lunch time and eating outside of that time is discouraged. no more constant snacking, yah!! i lost like 5 pounds in the first 2 weeks of working there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">however, i have a new gluten free work dilemma... i take A LOT of phone calls from people wondering if they have celiac disease. my dilemma is that although i have a TON of personal experience on the subject of trying to go gluten free; i'm no medical expert on the subject (and i'm self diagnosed.) frankly, beyond diagnosis... no one else in the office seems to be a celiac expert either... you are diagnosed, sent back to your pcp, who is supposed to send you to a nutritionist, end of story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">just this past week i spoke to a parent looking for testing for their child because of headaches. they explained at length that they had tried everything and as a last resort they were coming to us for help. i asked very casually if they had thought about eliminating wheat. the parent admitted considering that as a possibility but not trying it yet. i told them in my experience ditching wheat was the trick. they seemed more open to the possibility and excited to hear that i had success with out wheat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> i was overwhelmed with a feeling of pride (i guess) that i might have helped someone with my words of encouragement and experience. but then all i could think was: yikes! am i going to get in trouble if someone in the office finds out i'm passing out advice to patients?? i instantly decided to be more careful with my personal information sharing. not in an embarrassed way, but in a "the receptionist does not have a medical degree" kind of way... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">however, i can't help but be compelled to at least offer a kind word, or a "hey, this website, or store has great gluten free stuff," to someone really looking for the answer to why they have pain, headaches, or "tummy trouble". it sucks to feel crappy; i know that first hand. like this parent said about their child, they're 16, they don't need to have headaches like this. it sucks to be looking for answers and come up short, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">another patient said their spouse was just diagnosed after an endoscopy... only after their doctor told them they were bloated because they were swallowing too much air!!!! after hearing that story i sat at my desk shaking my head, and thinking about how far celiac awareness has come in the past few years but also about how far it clearly still needs to go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so, careful sharing from now on i guess... honestly, no one has made a peep at my current job about my sharing; where i make a point of not hiding my gluten free status. i think these are carry over feelings from the last job where i felt as if i wasn't capable of doing anything right, especially answer the phone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">oh well. have a happy gluten free day! :)</span><br />
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cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-14930580608108481202011-03-19T07:35:00.000-07:002013-11-29T09:02:54.704-08:00an amazing gluten free moment<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">last weekend<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> my parents and i attended the <a href="http://www.mtholyoke.edu/news/channels/22/stories/5682735">mount holyoke college annual flower show</a>. it is seriously one of my favorite events of the year. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">before that we ate lunch at another of my favorite spots: <a href="http://www.barstowslongviewfarm.com/">Barstow's!</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the amazing gluten free moment came when i placed my order for a chicken salad sandwich, and asked the girl to "hold the bread please!" she looked at me kind of funny, and then i explained that i had brought my own gluten bread!! (yes, i'm now that girl. who carries gluten free bread in a sandwich baggy in her purse. hahahaha and damn proud of it.) after confirming with another girl what the best course of action would be... my mom and i were served two scoops of chicken salad and a plate of sandwich "toppings". </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i have never been so satisfied with a meal or with myself. the chicken salad was awesome!! and as for myself... i was super pumped that i thought ahead and didn't allow myself to be sucked in by the "regular" fluffy white bread that would have only caused me tummy trouble and a headache.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the other AMAZING part about <a href="http://www.barstowslongviewfarm.com/">Barstow's</a> is that they make gluten free cookies!! they usually have peanut butter, and coconut macaroons. this time i took home some coconut macaroons. :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">unless you are gluten free, or are in a similar situation, it is really hard to understand how meaningful a small gesture (like "holding the bread") can mean to someone. thank you <a href="http://www.barstowslongviewfarm.com/">Barstow's</a>!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">have a happy gluten free day!! :) </span></span>cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-39864484991995709372011-01-24T08:36:00.000-08:002013-11-29T09:02:21.359-08:00dining out: gluten free...<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">a while ago, on our way to get some breakfast, after finding our favorite gluten free</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> spot closed for remodeling. we pasted a restaurant with a sign out front that read: GLUTEN FREE PIZZA AND BEER.</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">since then i've been dying to try it out!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">well saturday night my parents and i went out for GLUTEN FREE PIZZA AND BEER!! at <a href="http://patsysel.com/">Patsy's Pizzeria & Ristorante</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the service was great and the food was awesome. they had what i would consider a large gluten free menu with a variety of options. as i scanned the menu the thought occurred to me: wow, i can order a pasta dish!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">i had my heart set on gluten free pizza so that's what i ordered. i was super surprised and excited that my topping options were not limited to a small list either! i ordered the 'combination', hold the hamburger, and green peppers, add onions. my mom ordered baked ziti and my dad ordered "regular" pasta a la stephania. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">my pizza was a pre-made 10 inch crust with exactly what i wanted on it ...and it was nothing short of gluten free pizza magic. (like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Pray-Love-Julia-Roberts/dp/B0042816YK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1295886391&sr=8-3">eat, pray, love</a> style: unbutton your pants and eat til you can't eat anymore good.) my mom's baked ziti was probably the best baked ziti i've ever had, gluten free or not. there was super creamy ricotta cheese mixed throughout and the sauce was really flavorful (no jar sauce involved here.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">whether you're looking for gluten free fair or not Pasty's is a must try!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">enjoy something today, i mean: really enjoy something today, and have a happy gluten free day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">p.s. it was a really nice feeling to come home feeling full but not like i'm going to sick full... you know what i mean!!</span></div>
cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-39756080269953833222011-01-20T06:53:00.000-08:002013-11-29T09:01:53.849-08:00the return of the cheese cracker<a href="http://www.thegrainlessbaker.com/products/CheeseSnackers.html" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">GLUTEN FREE CHEESE CRACKERS</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">so the people that i work with are constant snackers. the classic <a href="http://www.cheez-it.com/">cheez-it</a> is a very popular snack around the office, and i really miss them. :( </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">however, i found a pretty good gluten free alternative. <a href="http://www.thegrainlessbaker.com/products/CheeseSnackers.html">cheese snackers</a> from <a href="http://www.thegrainlessbaker.com/">the grainless baker</a>!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the box feels like it weights 5 pounds. hee hee but they are well worth the heavy lifting!! they have a super cheese-y crunch-y taste/ texture. my only complaint is that they are very salty, but that keeps me from sitting down and eating the whole box. (so it's a good thing i guess.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">well enjoy cheese crackers again, and have a happy gluten free day! </span><br />
cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6572830158096321379.post-10848172860734247952011-01-19T13:10:00.000-08:002013-11-29T09:01:26.629-08:00no croissant tastes as good as feeling good feels.<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it has taken</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> me a long time to get here... but i've gone gluten free. this year for new years when i thought about making resolutions something just clicked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">a couple of years ago i bought the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Girl-Found-Loves-Back/dp/0470411643/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295470822&sr=8-1">the gluten free girl</a> ...and it's taken me til now to be ready to read it. i highly recommend it. after reading a few chapters all i could think of was: why am i allowing myself to eat food that hurts my body so badly? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">no croissant tastes as good as feeling good feels. or at least that's what i'm telling myself now. and i DO feel a lot different.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">my goal for this blog is to be a place where i can get it all out, and share recipes that actually taste good. (there is nothing worse than buying all kinds of weird ingredients and having a recipe come out like crap.</span>) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">maybe some product reviews too! (i just found some gluten free cheese crackers that are super.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">thanks for reading and have a happy gluten free day!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">:)</span>cookie.joy.bobbinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03000573618424822303noreply@blogger.com0