Tell The Girl Scouts How Big the Gluten-Free Market Is!

I have to say that I was late to the party. I didn't understand how delicious Girl Scout cookies were until just adulthood. I don't know how I missed it...

However, I made up for lost time. There are three separate girl scout families that would vie for my business because if yesterday's post about my Costco shopping has taught you anything about me, I like to stock up. So the Riveras would buy multiple boxes of multiple flavors: Thin Mints would go right in the freezer for a cool treat in the summer, or mixed into ice cream (YUM!). I'd buy multiple boxes of peanut butter cookies of all types for my husband and for surprise treats when my brother would visit. I always love a basic shortbread cookie, so I'd get some Trefoils and All Abouts, and, lord help me, I'd get the Samoas and I'd hide them all over the place (some at work, some at home). I was a master at making them last the entire year, so that I'd be finishing up my last Thin Mints when the next year's order was coming in.

Then last year, in June, I was told I could no longer have gluten. I had to give away my Thin Mints. I had to give away all the cookies I bought - I could eat none of them. That wasn't surprising to me. I had to give away a lot of things. What did surprise me, however, was when I investigated the Girl Scout's gluten-free offerings this year and found NONE. I was heart-broken and confused. So many of the sites where I find gluten-free information are designed for parents of Celiac children or children on a gluten-free diet. I asked my husband, "What if your kid is a Girl Scout and they can't have gluten?"

Sometimes, when I ask questions answers come from unexpected sources. Here's the girl I was, unknowingly, thinking of on the day I did my own GF Girl Scout cookie search:

Petition for Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies: MyFoxNY.com

Her name is Elle. She lives right here in New York and she has Celiac disease. Her mom is helping her to tell the Girl Scouts that she, and others like her (ME!!) have been left out. So far all the Girl Scouts have to say about it is THERE ISN'T ENOUGH DEMAND TO INVEST IN SUCH A PRODUCT.

You know what that means - we're making today another TAKE ACTION TUESDAY! Ladies and gentlemen of the gluten-free community and our supporters, please take a moment now to sign this petition created by Elle's mother to let the Girl Scouts know THE DEMAND EXISTS and some of it is within their own troops!

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

(Petition Link in case the widget isn't showing up: http://www.change.org/petitions/encourage-the-girl-scouts-to-sell-an-allergen-free-cookie)

Please share this with others and spread the word!!

The Foods I Buy at CostCo

When I first got married I had a really serious cooking problem: there were only two people in the house and I kept cooking as if there were at least five! I immediately began to blame my CostCo shopping - How could I continue to buy in bulk and be expected to make sensible meals? I thought it was impossible, but I was wrong.

I can happily say that I have gotten my cooking portions under control and I am still able to shop at my local CostCo to get some deals and stock up on things we need without going back and forth to the grocery store every couple of days.

These are some of the staple items my husband and I buy at CostCo:

1. Pacific Natural Foods Organic Free Range Chicken Broth - This is my favorite chicken broth. It is organic and, for me, thankfully, it is GLUTEN-FREE. I use this daily and we go through it very quickly. At Costco we get a 6 pack of 32 ounces cartons for $10.99. Before they are opened they can be stored in the pantry, then the opened cartons must be refrigerated.



2. Nature's Earthly Choice Quinoa - We love quinoa in this house! I have written about quinoa a couple of times (a yummy salad recipe, learning about all about "the mother grain"), and probably should a couple more with the amount of plate-space it takes up in this house! When I look for it in regular grocery stores I keep finding very small boxes and/or bags that were perfect when I didn't know what I was getting into, but now that we moved to big time quinoa consumers, we gladly snag up the 4lb. bags for $9.39 each.

3. Premio Italian Sweet Sausages - I nearly fell over when I first realized that Premio Italian Sausages were GLUTEN-FREE. We are super fans of Italian sausage here - we have it with homemade marinara sauce and pasta, we have sausage and peppers and we've even had some sausage and quinoa meals that have been pretty yummy. When I had to go gluten-free, I thought I lost sausage forever and then I found Premio! Then I discovered that they are sold at Costco - so we get 4 six packs for $13.99. We keep them in the freezer until we are ready to use them!

4. FOOD SHOULD TASTE GOOD MULTIGRAIN CHIPS - I know I've written about these before! I love these chips!! I like to have them with salsa. My husband likes them with hummus. We eat them all the time and whoever dares to eat the last chip in the bag knows that he/she will receive the hairy eyeball until apologies are made. At Costco we get a nice giant 24 oz. bag for $6.29 that is more than enough for us to share for quite a while.

5. Nut Thins - We were super happy today to find out that Costco just started carrying another of our favorite snack foods: NUT THINS!! And they were in OUR FAVORITE FLAVOR (almond with a hint of salt)! They had a box with two 10 ounce bags for $7.89. I can not remember off-hand what the size or price of the regular box is in my regular grocery store, but we found it simply impossible to pass up such a large box of these yummy crunchies!

6. Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Frozen Filets - This makes things very easy for me. The package has eight 5 ounce individually wrapped filets. Whenever we are going to have salmon, I take two filets out of the freezer in the morning, put them in the fridge and then prepare them at dinner time. It is not necessarily cheap, but it is the one fish we eat regularly and it is nice to have them handy for a quick meal. The package costs $28.00, so we space out our salmon eating to make sure it lasts for a long time. Since there are just two of us, the package is good for four meals, so I guess $7 per meal isn't too bad, but it is one of our pricier purchases so we consider it a luxury!

There are more foods that we buy at Costco, but, aside from the snacks, those four items we buy exclusively at Costco to make sure we are stocked up!

Thank You, Dr. Oz from this Gluten-free Chick

I am CERTIFIED Gluten-Free (My Doctor Says So!)

I have been gluten-free since June 2010. I didn't want to be gluten-free. I didn't care that I might lose weight, but I was told I was "intolerant" and that gluten was making me sick. Sick is one thing I really don't like, so I took gluten out of my diet.

As I took the gluten out of my diet, the weight melted off of me. For this reason many people - friends, acquaintances, co-workers and family - who were not quite interested in any other treatments I have received from any other doctors started asking questions and lots of them. It did not take me long to realize that the people that had all the questions were the same people that have always been looking for the next stage in their battle of the bulge.

Why Is Gluten-Free Becoming SO COOL??
 
Now that I have been living gluten-free and am always on the hunt for information and tips for this new lifestyle I keep stumbling upon websites, books, "professionals" all touting the new weight-loss trend: gluten-free. I can not deny that I lost weight when I took gluten out of my diet, but I have always felt when that happened that the weight I lost was more of a reaction lost - I felt like my body was no longer reacting to something it couldn't handle.

I didn't lose weight, I healed.

I have tried to explain this to others. I have even explained that eating gluten-free can be less healthy than a standard diet if you are not careful, but people do not hear me, they only see me. I was, therefore, overjoyed when I saw that the first segment of Dr. Oz's Show today was dedicated to the "Gluten Myth."

Dr. Oz Chimes In About Gluten

The first part of the video (Gluten Myth Part 1) begins with a brief description of the protein gluten. Dr. Oz and Dr. Mark Hyman discuss the reasons why some people need a gluten-free diet, and how even when medically necessary it can be unhealthy if not approached correctly.

Gluten-free Can Totally Be Fattening

The doctors are then joined by Samantha Cassidy (Gluten Myth Part 2) from Good Housekeeping (Dr. Oz is on the cover of the April 2011 issue which will also address the Gluten Diet) to discuss the three reasons gluten-free labeled foods can make you fat. In short, the three reasons are

• they contain more calories
• they contain less fiber
• they contain more refined carbs

This is why it is especially important to avoid boxed foods and, instead choose more whole foods or, as we've been saying as of late: EAT REAL FOOD. (Yes, I note the irony that this is coming from the same person who wrote a post all about gluten-free cereals yesterday!!)

The Dr. Oz/Dr. Hyman TWO WEEK Plan To Determine if You NEED to Be Gluten-free

In the final portion of the Gluten Myth segment (Gluten Myth Part 3), Dr. Hyman walks us through a healthy looking gluten-free diet. Not one of his options include something that was labeled gluten-free, instead, he selects ingredients that are naturally so.  He says that in order for you to determine if gluten might be the culprit in your weight and in other ill feelings, you need to eliminate it COMPLETELY for two weeks to see how it feels. When you reintroduce gluten, if you start to feel not-so-good, then you know you need to talk to your doctor about getting a blood test.

I think this is a very good idea for people to try. I had no idea I had this intolerance and I know my life has changed because of my knowledge of it. I miss gluten, but the trade-off is worth it. If you aren't feeling well, there is no harm in trying it for the sake of your own health, but please don't do this just because you are trying to lose weight. There are far too many deliciously healthy food items that can help you in that fight that you would have to eliminate just to be gluten-free! (Check out the Gluten-free Diet Plan provided on Dr. Oz's website!)

Do you have a gluten intolerance or know someone who does?

Have you thought that gluten-free was a sure-fire path to weight loss?

For you gluten-lovers out there - what do you think you would miss most if you had to go gluten-free?

Gluten Free Chex Cereals

It's Tuesday, so, for me , that means I have a Twitter party tonight. I signed up for it a number of months ago, just to see what a Twitter party was all about, but I had not considered the consequences of participating in a Twitter party hosted by MultiGrain Cheerios every week that the season of The Biggest Loser Couples is on.

This box arrived this Saturday.

I keep "winning" boxes of MultiGrain Cheerios (I am up to my fifth box now). Don't get me wrong, I love free things, but I can't eat Cheerios - they have gluten in them... big time. So, a couple of weeks ago I asked during the twitter party when Cheerios would be making their own Gluten-Free cereal line. The response was simple - you need to go try all of the Gluten-Free Chex cereals out there for you.

That was true. It was something I was planning to do anyway, so I decided my next cereal purchase would be a Gluten-Free Chex Cereal.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Chex

There is something about cinnamon that simply screams breakfast to me, so, when I saw my options, I decided the first Chex cereal I wanted to try was the Cinnamon one!

Upon opening the box I was overwhelmed with the delicious aroma. The taste of the cereal was delicious and brought me back to my childhood memories of waking up early on Saturday mornings with my little brother to watch Muppet Babies and the rest of our Saturday morning line-up.

This was fun for its nostalgic sense, but I immediately recognized it for what it truly was: sugar! I grew up on Fruit Loops, Honey Smacks and Cocoa Krispies - this cereal was just as "fun" as those cereals. Needless to say, I loved it!

As a long term addition to my pantry, I think I would have to say that the Gluten-Free Chex will definitely find a home as a sometimes snack when I am looking for something sweet. I haven't explored any of the Chex mix recipes yet, but I did eat them plain, without any milk while watching a movie one night and that was enough for me.

Gluten-Free Corn Chex

After my sweet introduction to the Chex cereals, I decided that my next purchase should take a more mundane path. I purchased the Corn Chex.

It wasn't until I actually started eating this cereal that I made a discovery about my own life-long cereal preferences: I don't really like "corn" cereals all that much, but I do love crunch!

As I ate the Corn Chex I was reminded of my grandfather's daily breakfast: a bowl of Corn Flakes with a half grapefruit. He lived for 96 years on this and seemed to legitimately enjoy it, so I have tried Corn Flakes a number of times figuring it was one of life's big secrets to longevity.

The Corn Chex had the same basic corn flavor as the Corn Flakes, with a little more crunch and a but more airiness (I think from all of the holes). As a personal preference, this is not my favorite Gluten-Free Chex, but I think it would be awesome for anyone who likes corn-based cereals and could also probably be lots of fun with some berries!

Gluten-Free Honey Nut Chex

Not too long before finding out I had to cut gluten out of my diet I had my taste of Honey Nut Cheerios. Oh what fun they were! All the years wasted!! I was an avid plain Cheerios lover, but I had never explored the alternative brought to me by that silly little bee. When I saw that Chex had a Honey Nut variation, I knew I should not make the same mistake again - I would try them right away to know what my options were.

The honey is evident in every spoonful (as it should be) and, for me, makes this cereal a little bit better as a finger food than in a bowl with milk. I opted to write this post before trying any Chex mix recipes for any of the cereals I purchased, but I can definitely see the potential in this cereal.

I was surprised, at first, to find that this cereal has more sugar in it per serving than the Cinnamon Chex cereal, but I suppose that is due to the honey.

Gluten-Free Rice Chex

Once I had my epiphany about my lack of love for Corn flavored cereals, in general, I started to wonder, "What do I like, then?" And then it came to me, and it really was no surprise: RICE. Well, really, in terms of cereal it was rice and wheat, but one of those, medically, had to go. 

I was excited about getting the Gluten-Free Rice cereal, figuring it was exactly what I was waiting for! It kind of was. It is plain rice crunchiness. I do like it (I still miss my Special K) and will most likely have this cereal in my pantry quite often.

Since it does not have any overpowering flavors of its own, I do imagine that this will also be a fun addition to a Gluten-free Chex Mix.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chex

As I mentioned above, I was a big fan of Cocoa Krispies as a child, so chocolate flavored cereals are tasty treats that intrigue me. I was really looking forward to this part of my taste test. Each time I went back to my grocery store I searched up and down, but it could not be found!

I have not given up, but I did not want to hold up this post as I continue my quest! I SHALL FIND MY CHOCOLATE BREAKFAST TREAT!! ...and then I will return to share my findings with you, since that is the real reason I am so desperately looking for it!


MY CONCLUSIONS 

Overall Favorite for 

• Every-day Cereal: Gluten-Free Rice Chex
• Yummy Snack Fun: Gluten-Free Cinnamon Chex
• Chex Mix Ingredient: Gluten-Free Rice Chex (**this is based on an impression only, no tests were performed in this category yet)

Least Favorite: Gluten-Free Corn Chex

Have you tried the Gluten-free Chex Cereals yet? What are your impressions? Which is your fav? DID YOU FIND THE CHOCOLATE??

*If you are interested in The Biggest Loser/MultiGrain Cheerios Twitter Party head over to twitter when The Biggest Loser begins tonight and follow #MGCheerios. Here is a tweet from MGCheerios, inviting all in the twitter-verse:

Join us next week when @BiggestLoserNBC airs Tues at 8 PM ET on @NBC for more ways to help become the BL at Home #BL11 #MGCheerios

Quinoa, Black Bean and Tomato Salad: An Adventure in Hunger

I needed to go grocery shopping, but I was also starving. This is when I started to scavenge to see what was left that I could squish together into something yummy.

• Quinoa - since I have been buying this at CostCo now, I seem to always have some waiting in the wings. Possibility: I could just make plain quinoa... however, I could add some flavor to that if I just had some
• Chicken Broth - AWESOME! Just enough left in the fridge to make two cups of quinoa (in case my husband had some crazy idea he was going to steal some of my gluten-free goodness on this day!).

But, woe is me... while I do love my mother grain, wouldn't this be most mundane? My tastebuds cried out to me for more! I begged them to understand that I didn't think there was too much more to work with. Then I walked around the kitchen and there was a

• Tomato - well now... it seems like a nice red juicy tomato like that is just begging to join the party, but how? What to do with this red voluptuous fruit?

I went online and typed in quinoa and tomatoes in the search bar. The response that most intrigued me had one additional ingredient,

• Black Beans - these are the moments I am thankful for canned goods. However, traditionally I prepare black beans with a whole bunch of ingredients (ie. bell peppers, garlic, apple cider vinegar, etc.) that I simply did not have available. This recipe did not speak of such things, it did, however, mention a
• Lime - my husband LOVES these! I ran to the fridge - could it be? Would there be? YESSSS!! There they were - two lonely limes!!

I felt like I was on to something. My taste buds were all a-flutter. Then I read the rest of the ingredients - I had none of them. I felt betrayed, I was disenchanted by the internet recipe - How could it DO THIS to me?!What a TEASE!

I decided to compose myself and reevaluate my situation. I had a nice palette of ingredients to work with... Could these, along with some seasonings, perhaps, do the trick all on their own? And then it occurred to me: waiting in the refrigerator, holding out for its moment to shine was that little jar of

• SOFRITO! and this wasn't any old sofrito, this was homemade sofrito! Made by my Puerto Rican mother-in-law! (In case you do not have a Puerto Rician Mother-in-law, or do not know how to make sofrito yourself, I found this recipe, but there are TONS out there. You can probably tell by the pictures of my quinoa that I did not use the tomato/red sofrito for this.)

The crowd goes WILD!! The taste buds are tingling!! The stomach is grumbling!! We are ready to roll!! Here is what I did, so simple.

Quinoa, black beans, tomato, lime & sofrito.

1. I prepared the quinoa in my rice maker (I am lazy, I know). One cup of quinoa with two cups of chicken broth over it, stir, close up the top, put it on rice setting and got to the rest of my work.
2. I cut the tomatoes (I found another, so I used two) into cubes, or as close to cubes as possible.
3. I rinsed and drained the can of black beans.
4. Put the tomatoes and the black beans in a bowl together.
5. In a smaller bowl I put the juice of both limes (next time I do this I might do one or 1.5 limes instead) and two heaping tablespoons of the sofrito (I might kick this up next time!). Mixed well. 
6. When the quinoa was finished I added it to the bowl with the tomatoes and beans and mixed.
7. Finally, I added the "sauce" and mixed it in as well.

It can be served warm, room temperature, whatever you like! I don't particularly like things straight out of the fridge (and I had so much I have been keeping it in the fridge), so I throw a bunch in a mug (is this weird?) and microwave it for about 30 seconds - that has been my favorite temperature.

Want some?

As I am enjoying my last mug of this delicious quinoa salad that I have eaten as lunch, snacks and one night it was a side with dinner (yes, yes, overkill, I know! But I LIKE it, it is gluten-free, dairy-free and clean eating!!) I am wondering: Why the heck didn't I buy any more tomatoes so I could MAKE MORE?!

Quickie Gluten Free Breakfast Options

Everyone loves a good, well thought out, planned and prepared breakfast, however, being realistic, on some busy mornings that simply can not come to fruition. Since going gluten-free, I have been finding, bit by bit, those breakfast items I can have when on the run. Here are those I try to have in stock for exactly the occasions when necessity arises:

Udi's Frozen Bagels

Before finding out about my gluten intolerance, bagels were one of my absolute favorite treats. Nothing could be more delicious than a freshly baked, warm bagel with my topping of choice. I went six months without one, thinking I would have to suffer a bagel-free existence for the rest of my life when, on New Year's Day, my brother brought in a fresh bag of bagels for everyone to enjoy. I nearly cracked and dove into one of the gluten-y beasts, when I realized this would be the thing that would kill my gluten-free resolve if I did not find a replacement AND SOON. Enter: Udi's.

I found them in the frozen section of my Stop N Shop and decided to give them a shot. Very simple - put them in the toaster, let them heat on up or toast to your liking and add the topping of choice. I have had Earth's Balance buttery spread, honey, jelly, all different types of nut butters (when looking for a little more protein in my quickie breakfast), and one morning, when I had more time on my hands, I even made myself a nice egg sandwich.

Udi's has a lot of gluten-free products to choose from and they are even nice enough to give you a coupon! Check out the Udi's Gluten-free site to get your $1 off coupon right now.
  
Gluten Free Waffles & French Toast

Don't put that toaster away yet! (These are quickie-breakfast options, don't forget.) My first ever gluten-free quickie breakfast buy was Nature's Path frozen waffles. These are quick, yummy and with the right syrup just darn delectable! I prefer the Homestyle version myself, but there are options for you to choose from (Buckwheat Wildberry or "Mesa Sunrise").


On the Nature's Path website, you can check out all the other gluten-free products available, including a number of kid-friendly bars and snacks.

Another company to take note of is Van's Natural Foods. They also have their own gluten-free waffle options (I have not yet tried them), as well as gluten-free french toast. The Cinnamon French Toast sticks smelled absolutely wonderful as they warmed up in my toaster (I am a sucker for the cinnamon scent!). While the "toast" itself seemed thinner than your average slice of bread, it was large in flavor. I will be getting these again. To see what other products Van's has to offer, or where you can buy your own French Toast, check out the Van's Natural Foods website.

Cereal!!

Nothing says you're crushed for morning time like a good old bowl of cereal. I have come to like Barbara's Gluten free Honey Rice Puffins. I usually have them with either my hazelnut milk or almond milk, but, again, this is up to your own liking (and restrictions, if you have any). You can check out Barbara's bakery's website for more information on their product offerings, coupons, recipes and even a link to their appearance in a Bon Appétit article on healthy cereals.

Barbara's is not, by far, the only gluten-free cereal on the market. (Here is an article about various gluten-free cereals from About.com.) Also, while there are many labeled gluten-free cereals, don't forget the old standbys that just may be gluten-free by default. To illustrate this point, you made have noticed the recent ad campaign by Chex cereals stating, "Hey guys! Wait a second - many of our cereals are gluten-free, too!!" The point is read ingredient labels, and, to be extra vigilant, call the company of any non-labeled cereal that you would like to try out (always double-check for possible cross-contamination if you have a sensitivity or intolerance!).

Et Cetera...

As we get swept up in doing our capitalist duty of buying packaged products from the local supermarket, let's not forget all the other gluten-free wonders on the go in the produce aisle! Please don't forget your fruits, nuts and seeds that are always ready and waiting for you to just gobble them up no matter how crunched for time you happen to be.  Most require little to no preparation (a rinse, a peeling, maybe...) so they are the quickest, cleanest breakfasts that you can find and they are gluten free! So get out there and start finding out which fruits are your favs and make sure you always have them on hand.

What is YOUR favorite breakfast on-the-go?

Getting REAL About Food

After the holidays, in the month of renewing and rebirth of oneself, it is time for us to get REAL about our food, and to try to be as frugal as possible as we recover from our excesses. Here are three things I found out on the Internet that are going to help me toward that end in the weeks, months, and, yes, even years to come!

From GOOD magazine, the "How to Cook Real Good Cheap Easy Food" Transparency, is one I am seriously thinking about printing out and hanging up in my kitchen:

Click here to go to GOOD's Transparency
here

Second tool on the list comes from one of my favorite foodie bloggers on the net: Darya Pino from Summer Tomato. If you haven't started following Darya yet, then I highly recommend you do so. I have had her RSS feed on this blog from the moment I learned how to do such a thing! Anyway, enough with the gush! Darya created a flowchart to be used at the supermarket in order to find REAL food. I am going to give you a teaser of the flowchart, so that you definitely go to Darya's blog to witness her brilliance firsthand!

For the complete image, check out the post at Summer Tomato

Finally, I have a link of fun curiosity - the one ingredient ice cream! And, the key for me? It is both gluten-free and dairy-free! Curious yet?! It is a banana ice cream and I found it while stumbling around on StumbleUpon (my profile name is nrivera9, by the way, if you want to be SU buddies!). Here the picture of the delectable treat from Faith Durand at TheKitchn.com:

Check out this recipe!

Time for me to go throw some bananas in the freezer!

Until next time... happy eating!

Simply Organic Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Jennifer Esposito, actress model and dancer, probably most known for her role in Samantha Who recently recounted the moment when her gluten-free diet nearly broke her. It was nine months after she was diagnosed with Celiac disease and she decided she wanted, no needed carrot cake. When I saw this interview, I yelled at the TV, "YESSSS!! Carrot cake!! Me too!!" I had been wanting carrot cake for MONTHS! Ms. Esposito, marched into her kitchen and, being a better natural baker than I, made it happen. I have been waiting for the release of her gluten-free cookbook and "Butter and Sugar" products that she has been perfecting ever since her carrot cake epiphany. In the meantime, however, I have finally found something in my very own Stop N Shop to satiate my own craving.

Simply Organic Carrot Cake Mix. I had purchased their spices before, but I had no idea they were making cake mixes, let alone gluten-free cake mixes! It was so easy to make and so delicious that I have regular gluten-eaters asking for more! The only ingredients needed in addition to the mix were eggs (2), grated carrots (1 cup, which worked out to 2 carrots) and water, it was really simple. I decided to make carrot cupcakes instead of one large cake and I sprinkled them with powdered sugar rather than icing. Warm out of the oven was amazing, but they were still as tasty after they had completely cooled (I think I might have to grab another one after writing this post, in fact!).

Other reasons besides the simplicity of the recipe and the amazing taste that this Simply Organic turned out to be such a cool find are:

• the flexibility of their mix. While I am sure this is true of all mixes once you familiarize yourself with its flavor(s) and texture(s), the good people over at Simply Organic actually provided four different recipes to be used with the mix right on the box - carrot cake (of course), a quick switch for a spice cake, an Apple Carrot Cake (Vegan), and a Pumpkin cake. If you go to their website, there are even more..

• As I suppose their name implies, the product is certified organic. 
• The product is also fair trade certified. This is one label that has not yet been addressed on this blog and needs to be. The Fair Trade Principles are Fair Prices, Fair Labor Conditions, Direct Trade, Democratic and Transparent Organizations, Community Development and Environmental Stability. I, personally, can not think of a better set of principles to give my support to. To get more information about fair trade, or see where you can find it near you check out www.fairtradecertified.org. 

So you're reading this and thinking, "Hmmm... carrot cake does sound good, maybe I should have some!" But I haven't even shown you any pictures yet!

It started with a box and some carrots,

then I got my pan ready.

After some quick mixing, I poured my batter into my cupcake holders.

About 25-30 minutes after baking, they came fresh out of the oven looking so nice.

I decided to powder them up and put them on a tray for any and all visitors.

Then I got to the serious business of having one myself!

It has been over a week since resolution time, have you given yourself a treat yet?!

Happy eating!

It's Party Time!! (Baked Buffalo Wings!)

We're all getting ready over here for a night of partying. Of course, one of the main components of any party I am going to attend is: FOOD. In order to not overwhelm the hostess each guest has volunteered to bring a dish that can please the masses. Our contribution this year? Bob's Baked Buffalo Wings.

About a year into our marriage I asked my husband to list all of the foods he would really like to be eating that I had not been cooking for him. He responded, "All the things I want are bad for me, so I don't think you want to hear them..." I assured him that I wanted to hear of all of his wishes and desires so that I could make him happy and look for a way to make his greatest food loves a part of his long, healthy life. One of his great loves was, of course, Buffalo wings, however, he had only been exposed to deep-fried, greasy mini heart attacks covered in a spicy sauce. I decided there must be another way and set off to finding it! What I have found has become my husband's favorite wings, which is why I call them Bob's Baked Buffalo Wings! The wings are delicious and, I think, a much healthier option for wing lovers than the typical fried wings.

Bob's Baked Buffalo Wings

Yummy!!

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup Frank's Red hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Earth's Balance buttery spread (you can use butter or margarine if you are so inclined)

Directions

1. Fill a large pot half way with water. (Make sure you have a lid for this pot!)

2. Add the first 4 ingredients.

Important note about McCormick's spices: They do not add gluten to their single ingredient spices (Read here for more information about their gluten and allergen policies.)

3. Bring water mixture and wings to a boil and then boil for 15 minutes. (During this time you may want to get out of Dodge! Put the lid on the pot, if you can without it overflowing, because the steam this mixture kicks up can be quite powerful!!)
**An interesting, and accidental, discovery: if you want some KNOCK-YOUR-SOCKS -OFF fiery-hot wings, extend this boiling time (I did this once while my husband went out to the store so the wings would be fresh out of the oven when he came home and we were teared-up, hysterical laughing, and talking about the wings for weeks!)**
4. Put the wings on a sprayed cookie sheet, or some other oven-safe dish. Make sure the wings are not on top of one another. 
 
5. Bake wings on "Broil" (high) for 15-20 minutes on each side. (The longer you keep them in, the crispier they get, but watch them as you get close to the 20 minute mark, or longer, so that they don't burn. 
 
6. While the wings are in the oven, get a sauce pan on the stove top  to combine the Hot Sauce and buttery spread over a medium heat. Stir continuously until butter melts and is evenly mixed. (The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker the sauce). 
**Also, if you wish to play with the sauce's hotness scale, simply play with the "butter" to hot sauce proportions. More "butter" = milder; more sauce = hotter.**



I swear by that Frank's Red Hot Sauce!! (But you can use your own favorite hot sauce if you like.)

7. The last step is the most fun!! Find a container that you can safely put wings and sauce in to shake up. If you have to do it in batches, so be it, but have fun shaking what your Mama gave ya!

My Lock & Lock container is perfect for this job!!

This batch is ready to go! We're ready to party! My husband is out foraging for bleu cheese for the dairy eaters that are sure to be at the party tonight and I am off to chop some celery sticks.

I wish I could just give one to you right now!!

I wish everyone a wonderful, healthy, happy and delicious New Year!

      

Quinoa: The Mother Grain

See more info at EcoLibrary

Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-WA, has been on my radar for quite some time. It is an ancient grain-like food from the Incas, prized for its ability to increase the stamina of their people. Although quinoa is often thought of as a grain, it is actually a green leafy plant like spinach or chard. What has become popular, commercially, is the seed of the quinoa plant, even though the full grown plant can also be consumed.


Quinoa Is Awesome

The quinoa seed is an excellent source of iron, calcium, magnesium and fiber. It has served as a gluten-free grain. It is simple enough to prepare and getting easier, by the day, to find in mainstream stores. However, possibly most importantly, the quinoa seed is one of the very few complete proteins available to us. This means that the seed contains the correct balance of the 9 essential amino acids the human body thrives on.

Learning all of this in my quest for a diverse menu of healthy meals to choose from, I began exploring quinoa as a possible addition about a year ago. At first, I had great difficulty finding it outside of health food stores or shopping online. Then my own grocery store began to shelve it and now they even have red and black quinoa as well. Since it has become easy enough to acquire that I can now. realistically, include it in our weekly meals, I have started exploring some ways to prepare it.

I had practiced the basic preparation of quinoa, adding various ingredients, preparing it much like a rice dish as a side to my dinners, or creating warm quinoa dishes for a quickie lunch. During November, I discovered a great recipe for a breakfast quinoa dish - a hot apple cinnamon quinoa cereal that was absolutely delicious. However, regardless of the preparation, my husband still was uncomfortable with the texture of the dish. I had all but given up on sharing quinoa with him when I found out about a technique I had not yet tried: Toasting the quinoa.

Toasted Quinoa

Toasting quinoa is not a recipe unto itself, it is a preparation of the seed that gives it a rich flavor and does, in fact, change the texture as well. The technique is simple, all you require is:

• rinsed quinoa seed
• a pan

Put the rinsed quinoa into your pan on medium heat. Either shake the pan or stir the quinoa continuouslyfor 15 minutes. The quinoa should turn a golden brown color.

The smell of the toasting quinoa was similar to that of popcorn.

When the toasting is complete, take the pan off the heat and allow the quinoa to cool. This quinoa can now be stored in an air-tight container for up to one month and used in any recipe you would use regular quinoa for.

Quinoa Pilaf (Now Toasted)

I am happy to say that my first experiment with this "new" quinoa was a wonderful success. I prepared a simple quinoa pilaf from the back of the box of quinoa I purchased (Ancient Harvest Quinoa) and my husband actually liked it! He noted the difference in the texture and thinks toasted quinoa may be the secret he has been waiting for. My cousin, who has been staying with us for the holidays, also tried the pilaf and enjoyed it as well. It was her first ever experience with quinoa and she called home to Miami to tell her fiancee about it. Needless to say, toasted quinoa will be a mainstay in our house and for that reason I really wanted to share it with you as well!

Here is the recipe for the pilaf, if you are interested in giving it a go as well:
(*Note: This made A LOT of quinoa pilaf! You may want to adjust the recipe before diving in with all 6 cups of your quinoa!!)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Diced Carrots
• 1/2 cup Onions, Green
• 1/4 cup Celery, raw, diced
• 1/4 cup Diced Green Peppers
• 1/4 cup Red Peppers
• 6 cups Ancient Harvest Quinoa
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 clove Garlic
• 1 cup Almonds, Sliced
• 1/4 tsp Oregano

Directions

Sauté chopped vegetables in olive oil until clear, yet crisp: stir in oregano. Add sautéed vegetables to cooked, hot quinoa, mixing well. Add salt to taste. Dry-roast almonds in heavy skillet until lightly golden. Add almonds and mix. Serves 6-8. Quinoa pilaf served as a side dish with fish or chicken is delicious. Vary the pilaf using your favorite vegetables, or by cooking the quinoa in chicken, fish or vegetable stock instead of water.

Question for Commenters: 

What are your great recipes/uses for quinoa? Now that I finally have my husband back on board, I am ready to experiment!! 

   

My Gluten-Free, Dairy-free Baking Helpers

One of the things I have always loved doing during the holidays is baking. Whether it is for my own guests, or to bring to a party as a shared yummy treat for everyone to enjoy, it is the one thing over the past couple of years I have felt confident in contributing. Since going gluten-free AND dairy-free, I truly thought this was one holiday tradition I was going to have to replace. The whole idea of finding a replacement flour combination that could stand in for my typical All-Purpose Flour AND finding suitable replacements for the milk and butter in all of my baking adventures seemed utterly impossible! I had decided that I should resign myself to a life of pre-packaged gluten-free/dairy-free baked goods, since this "new" type of baking seemed largely out of my depth.

Then, one day, while shopping around in my Stop N Shop, my eyes fell upon some packages from Cherrybrook Kitchen. I can't be blamed - their boxes are simply adorable! I grabbed a a box of brownie mix, a box of sugar cookie mix and a yellow cake mix with chocolate icing. I thought, Maybe I can't bake from scratch, but at least I can have something freshly baked! To be honest, the mixes hung out in my cabinet for a while, because there was still something mising from grand plans: WHAT SHOULD I USE FOR BUTTER?

Enter Earth Balance buttery spread and buttery sticks. I kept scouring the Internet for dairy-free butter substitute suggestions, and Earth Balance was the one that came back with the best reviews. I decided to give it a go. I bought it right before Thanksgiving to use for myself and I was pleased with its taste AND texture. I began to think I might really be on to something...

So far I have made both the brownies and the sugar cookies. They were both a great success! Whenever milk was needed I used (my favorite) the Pacific Hazelnut milk. I made the brownies for just my husband and I, at first sure that gluten and dairy eaters would have no interest and then sure I didn't want to share any because they were so delicious! I brought the sugar cookies to a Holiday party this weekend and everyone cheered them on (my husband thinks it is the addition of the hazelnut milk that puts them over the top... I think he might be right).

With two pre-made mix baking successes under my belt, I decided that maybe, just maybe baking from scratch might not be too difficult, IF I could find the right gluten-free ally to aid me in my endeavor. I thought of one company that I already trusted to get me the ingredients I needed: Bob's Red Mill. Bob's Red Mill doesn't just carry gluten-free stuff, but their selection of gluten-free mixes, flours and other baking supplies is like no other that have been readily available to me. I purchased the Gluten-free All purpose flour a little while ago thinking I could use it in any recipes that called for flour, last night, however, I decided to see what they had on their website in terms of baked goods recipes. The selection was amazing! When I got to the site I was in awe of all they had to offer in terms of recipes, information and also other products that I haven't even seen in my store yet. (I informed my husband that a Bob's Red Mill gift card wouldn't be a bad idea for a last minute Christmas gift for me after this find!) One of the most useful bits of information for me was the Xanthan Gum Use Chart given on the site:

The xanthan gum is very important to the process. It is my understanding that it serves as a stand-in for gluten providing much of the texture we rely on gluten for in recipes.

I searched for a recipe to use for another holiday party we will be going to tomorrow. I settled on the Gluten-free Oatmeal cookies since I had all of the necessary ingredients on hand (as long as I replaced the raisins with chocolate chips). I just finished baking them and I nearly made myself sick (I was under the impression that I had to try at least one cookie from each freshly baked tray that came out of the oven!!). Here is the recipe, from Bob's Red Mill, as I adjusted it:

Just a couple from the batch.

Gluten-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients 1-1/2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour  3 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats  1 cup Earth Balance Buttery sticks 1 cup Brown Sugar  1/2 cup Granulated Sugar  1 tsp Vanilla  1 tsp Baking Soda  1/2 tsp Sea Salt  1 tsp Cinnamon  2 large Eggs*  1 tsp Xanthan Gum  1 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate chips (**Contains some dairy... I will regret this later!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter and sugars together until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. In a separate bowl, blend flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and Xanthan Gum. Stir flour blend into wet ingredients. Add oats and raisins and mix well. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool one minutes then transfer to wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

I hope the gluten and dairy eaters enjoy the cookies, because now I have a ton of them and I can't eat them all myself!

I am happy to have had this success with the new products I have found. I now feel brave to move forward and try to switch some of my old favorites over to gluten-free, dairy-free goodies I can enjoy!

My Allies in the Baking Battle:
 

What Was I Thinking?!

A couple of days ago I wrote a post to my readers asking them a bunch of questions. Strangely, it has skyrocketed to become my MOST POPULAR post EVER to date and, yet, only one person responded. When faced with a parallel situation in my classroom, I try to model the behavior I am looking for, so the intimidation factor is lost. Today, I will do the same.

Since I wear many hats in my search for sustenance: foodie, food politician, environmentalist, gluten-free & dairy-free eater, blogger, and the unfortunate hat of IIH & Crohn's disease sufferer, I will venture to answer all of these questions. My readers, on the other hand, should select whichever they identify with most. Here it goes...

My Interview With Myself...

As a Foodie:

• Have you had the opportunity to try any of the recipes posted on the blog thus far?

Yes, I have tried them all, which is what led to me writing about them in the first place.

• Have you been hoping to see a particular recipe, or ingredient, tackled on Searching for Sustenance? If so, what is it?

YES! I have been really hoping to transform some of my favorite cookies (Grandma's greek cookies, for example) into Gluten-free/Dairy-free goodies. My traditional tastes of the holiday have gone missing and while I am squeaking through this first year without them, I know I will crack eventually.   

• Did you participate in the meatless Mondays challenge? Or do you eat meatless regularly, anyway?

I participated, and I am still working on a way to incorporate meatless meals into our regular program.

• Who (and how many) do you cook for?

Most of the time, I cook only for my husband and I. Since this occasionally gets boring, I sometimes cook for my furry children, Buffy, the beagle and Champ, the ShihTzu. During the holidays. I could be cooking for tables up to 6-8 family members. 

• What is your greatest kitchen success?

Oh no. Did I ask this? I don't know. Well, I had two instances where I cried for joy after cooking. The first was (don't laugh) French Toast. It was shortly after my mom had passed away and she was the only person who ever made it for me. I had no idea what to do (not being much of a morning person, I was never in the kitchen when she made it). I pulled out the Joy of Cooking (YES! I USED A COOKBOOK!!) and made French Toast for myself. It was amazing, it was just like mom's. 
The second was a similarly emotional story about my marinara sauce. I tried to make it numerous times after my mom passed away, for my brother, for my fiancee, for other family members, but I kept messing something up. Then, one night, in frustration, I tried making it again for myself. I did it. It was a quiet, beautiful night and I am pretty sure Mom was in the kitchen with me then. 

• What is "your Everest" - recipe, ingredient, technique, etc. - in the kitchen that continues to plague you?

I have already written about this. I want to make perfect eggs. Eggs that could be photographed, put on TV and still be delicious. My eggs are ridiculous looking.
  
As Food Politician:

•  What is your major food issue? (genetically modified foods, local foods, organic foods, food safety, farming laws/regulations, or something else...)

My major food issue is food TRUTH. I want my food to be true to itself - I want corn to taste like whatever corn is SUPPOSED to taste like and I want it to have all the vitamins, nutrients and minerals it is supposed to have in it. I want to the truth about how food is brought to my plate. If I am not getting my food directly from a farm, if I am relying on someone else to bring it to me, then I would like them to be transparent enough that I can find out the truth of the process and where the food comes from for myself.

• How do you try to enact change?

By telling people about what I learn (both face to face and through my blog), writing to my representatives (I am pretty sure Chuck Schumer is about to add my e-mail address to his personal e-mail directory) and President, signing petitions and supporting organizations that fight for the causes I believe in.

• Is there a certain topic you would like to see addressed here on Searching for Sustenance? 

 Well, IS there??

• What is your go-to source for all news and updates in the world of food politics?

I have a bunch. I have a gadget for Marion Nestle's Food Politics blog on my homepage, so I always see what her latest topic is, but I am also on the mailing lists of many of the sites I have written about in the Take Action blog posts.

Fellow Tree Lovers:

• What is the environmental issue at the forefront of your mind RIGHT NOW?

'Tis the season for me to worry about waste. Every year around the holidays I am personally plagued by all the "traditions" that hurt us in the end: the buying of STUFF, the WRAPPING and PACKAGING of STUFF, the AIR POLLUTION from the excessive traffic (I live near a Shopping Mall), the ENERGY WASTE from the glowing lights to celebrate the season, the list goes on.... I contribute to some of these ills, but each year TRY to think of what I can to do to create NEW traditions.

• What can WE DO to help fix it?

For now, since everyone but me seemed to have finished their shopping, rethink your wrapping! Or shave an hour off the time your lights are on (this will save you on your electric bill, too!). 

• Where can WE GO to support the cause?

I don't know if there is one place in particular to go to support THIS cause... I will look into it.

• Do you see the future of our planet as one of filled with hope, or one that is hopeless?

I am an optimist. I always see hope.

• If you could enact one MAJOR change right now, globally, what would it be and why?

Wow. I wasn't joking around with these questions, now, was I? If I were some magical being that could enact one MAJOR change right now, I would somehow transform EVERY motor vehicle on the planet to run on some more sustainable energy source than oil.

As A Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Peep:

• What are the reasons that you are following a gluten-free and/or dairy-free lifestyle?

I was told by a nutritionist that I was sensitive to both. Since I am looking for ALL ROADS to health, I decided to follow this one to see where it took me.

• How long have you been doing so?

Since the end of June 2010.

• What have been the most difficult parts about it? What have been the best parts about it?

The difficult parts about it: people don't understand, going out to eat is difficult, going to other people's houses for food is difficult. Best parts about it: I lost 30 pounds and I feel SO MUCH BETTER!!

• What is the best tip you can think of giving someone who must start out on your diet restriction?

Don't cheat. You will never get to know how beneficial it can be for you, if you don't give it 100%.

• How has the Internet helped you with your diet?

I always have my iPhone with me everywhere I go. If I am not sure if something is gluten-free, I just type into Goolge: "Is ______ gluten-free?" I usually get a number of sites where the question has been asked and answered and I can know right away whether or not I can eat whatever has been offered to me, rather than saying. "No," investigating later and finding out I went hungry for no reason.

• Where do you for the latest and greatest information concerning your diet?

Currently, I have been building a bunch of relationships on Gluten-free faces which has been helpful. Also, there are TONS of gluten-free bloggers out there, as well. I follow a bunch on twitter.

As A Blogger:

• How long have you been blogging?

Longer than I have been documenting. I have had a number of blogs created for my students, I have at least three other personal bogs that I started and didn't really continue on.  

• What is your blog and what is its topic?

I have two active blogs right now, this one, about my search for good food and all types of sustenance. And I have Math Daze, which is a blog about, well, Math (I AM a math teacher after all!!).

• Do you blog for fun, finances, or a mix of both?

Maybe someday it will be for both, but right now, it is still  just fun!

• Do you have more than one blog? If so, why?

Yes. It would be weird for me to start writing about math in the middle f this blog. The topics don't mesh well.

• How did you get into blogging?

I was looking for a way to extend the classroom conversation about the topics in class. Especially in my AP Statistics class - 45 minutes, was not long enough, so I thought, if I could get the kids to get on their computers to write about the Stats, that would be better than nothing. (Holy Cow! It turned out to be A LOT of WORK!!)

• Are you on blogger, wordpress, somewhere else and how did you make that choice?

Now I am Blogger. I don't remember what my school blogs used. I am really curious about WordPress, though.

• What is your favorite blog network/community?

I've got to give the love to BlogFrog! Best Blogging community I have found so far!!

Fellow IH (PTC) or Crohn's Disease Sufferers:

• How does food help/hinder your condition?

I have become less symptomatic in both diseases since going gluten-free and dairy-free.

• Do you have "trigger foods"? If so, what are they?

Gluten hates me, in general, but if I have any oily and/fried foods, I find that can trigger the Crohn's (duh!).

• Have you made any changes to your diet/nutrition since being diagnosed? If so, what were the affects?

Stopped Gluten and Dairy in June 2010.

• Have your doctors ever given you specific advice about nutrition and its relation to your condition(s)?

Nope. Just, "maaaaybe losing some weight will help.... maybe."

• Which do you believe bears a greater influence on your symptoms/condition as a whole: your nutrition or the medicines prescribed to you? 

Not sure. Today is my first day decreasing one of my medications (YAY!), so let's see how this goes. I want to say nutrition, but I am pretty sure it is a balance between the two. Problem is, if you go to a medical doctor, they only talk meds and if you go to a holistic or a nutristionist, they only talk food/nutrition. It is difficult to find the person who can balance them!

• What one thing would you like people, not familiar with your disease, to know about it?

For IH (PTC): even if I LOOK fine, that doesn't mean I FEEL fine - my brain is getting squished!! 
For Crohn's: Sometimes I really, really DO want to enjoy that super yummy treat with you, but I KNOW that if I DO, my night is ruined... please don't call me a "party pooper" (you don't even realize how punny you are!) if I say no! 

• Tell us where you've been going to get all the breaking news about your condition.

For IH www.ihrfoundation.org AND there is an AWESOME support group over at dailystrength.org!
For Crohn's ccfa.org.

Now, if you haven't already done so, get over to the What Are YOU Thinking?! post and let us know YOUR TAKE on these questions!! The reason WHY that post is so popular is because EVERYONE keeps checking in to see what you have to say!!