harvest time & fresh bread baking...

Well, it's harvest time at our little garden.  Tonight is supposed to get into freezing temperatures and so in came all the green tomatoes we still have growing.  From quite a few people I've heard that this has been an odd tomoato season.  Many of us had tomatos hanging out green all summer and then ripening in Autumn.  Recently the plants have gone crazy with tomato production, just in time for a freeze.  Well darn, last year we were putting tomatoes on everything, giving some away plus I froze bags full.  This year not so much.  So, now I must decide whether to try ripening them inside or try some green tomato recipes. Green tomato pie anyone? 

We also had Thai basil still hanging on & a bunch of green peppers to pick. We'll definitely be having the last pesto of the season but what to do with all those green peppers?

It's always a little sad to cut everything down.  I've been working on it gradually.  This year I'm covering our gardens with pine needles.  A wonderful tip from the winter gardening class I just took at the retreat.  We had these needles piled and starting to decompose.  Now they will keep the soil covered so that our harsh sun and Spring rains don't dry it out and carry it away.  And what to do about our soil?  I thought it was nice, rich stuff until I volunteered at our local co-op farm.  Digging out weeds along a patch of earth I had ample time to study their beautiful soil.  It was so absolutely rich with compost and manure, it's hard to describe it's feel.  It was truly apparent to me that our soil is paltry & dry in comparison.  Next year I need to find some good, aged poo I think.  I'm also going to work on those weeds this season.  This is the perfect time to do it.  After the cold snap, it will warm again and then I can start digging weeds out.  I want to see a peaceful, sleeping garden when I look out or windows this winter, not a tangle of weeds!

The coziness of Autumn always gets me baking bread again. The summer here is just too hot to think about heating up the kitchen but Autumn is when it calls to me.  Usually I bake a loaf a week for awhile until I begin dreading the kneading.  I have a love/ hate relationship with kneading.  Well, after reading, "How to be an Extreme Eco Housewife in Just a Few Hours a Week",  at Old Recipe for a New World blog & hearing about the no-knead 5 minutes a day bread making method, I knew I had to try it.  This bread recipe is so easy (no knead) and makes a lot of dough.  After sitting out for a couple of hours it goes into the refrigerator where it is stored for up to 2 weeks.  You can then take a little dough every day and have fresh bread daily.  My first attempt was ok.  The bread was yummy, a bit chewy but the real issue was that I put the water (for steam) into a heated glass pan in the oven & it exploded!  It was no fun clearing my oven of hundreds of blue, glass shards.  Ah well, my oven is clean and ready for Thanksgiving baking.  Strike that from the to do list!  My second attempt was much better.  The loaves were much prettier if not a little small, but the crust, ooh that steam really does make a tasty, crunchy crust.  Anyway, I'm hooked on this recipe, my family loves it and I'm dying to make some homemade pizza with it.  Forget store bought, this bread is too good.

Until next time...

Plant Based Meal Planning

I'm sharing this, not as any kind of authority, in fact just the opposite.  This is all new to me and maybe someone out there will be interested in my newbie journey and maybe you, dear friends and readers, can give me some tips, advice, recipes, etc., along the way.

To be successful at eating vegan or plant based (I kind of like that term better) I knew I would need a plan. This way of eating is new to me and slipping back into old habits is easy when you're starving and not sure what to make for dinner.

I've never been good at meal planning.  Here and there I would try and it wouldn't go anywhere.  I now think it was because I was not eating the way I really wanted to.  Meat was always something I didn't feel comfortable with. I didn't like seeing it, buying it, or cooking it.  There was so much built up negativity around meal planning and cooking that no wonder I never succeeded.  These are all new realizations because I wasn't fully conscious of that frustration before now. I only noticed after it was gone.  What I was left with was a profound sense of relief and a new joy for planning and cooking, even shopping is more fun for me now!



So, I have an old binder with all my stand by & family recipes as well as recipes I wanted to try.  It's chuck full now, half with recipes I never tried. So, I bought a new green binder.  It's not pretty, there's nothing on the cover yet and I haven't put in tabs to organize it either but it's clean and full of potential!  The first thing I did was start collecting recipes on Pinterest. Then I began printing out the recipes I wanted to try that week.  After I had a clear idea of what I could make I wrote down a quick list of things I could make for all three meals.  This way if I ever I'm stumped for a meal plan I can look at my quick list and get ideas.  Some of the ideas are pretty obvious & general. At first I thought "ok, if I'm not going to eat meat, fish, milk, cheese, eggs or products made from these", what can I eat?!  I really wasn't sure at first.  Once I made my quick list I realized how silly that was, there's plenty to eat.  My quick list also has specific recipe titles as well.  I plan to add to the list as I go.

Next I wrote out my meal plan for the week.  Then I went shopping. 

Meal Plan
breakfast (b), lunch (l), dinner (d)

Monday~ b. grapefruit & oatmeal, l. black bean tacos d. potato leek soup
Tuesday~ b. tofu scramble & potato burrito, l. left over potato leek soup, d. vegan lasagna
Wednesday~ b. oatmeal, l. hummus felafel pita, d. veggie burgers and oven fries
Thursday~ b. scones and tea, l. carrot ginger soup, d. grilled veggie tortilla wraps
Fri~ b. tofu scramble, l. pb & j corn tortilla & almond milk, d. asian vegetable pasta
Sat~ b. pancakes, l. salad, d. spicy sesame noodles

by Sunday I guess I was out of ideas because I wrote "cereal" and "eat out"?

So, I love my meal plans.  They've taken all the stress out of cooking. I always know what I can make. However, I have noticed that I don't get to half of what I write down.  There's usually so much left over that we eat what I've made for a day or two before going on to a new recipe.  So I haven't even tried some of the above recipes yet but I will get to them. 



Another great tip I got from a friend was to make a large pot of grain or beans for the week.  So the first week I made a pot of black beans and then we had black bean soup, beans & quinoa and veggie burgers made from them.  The next week I made a large pot of lentils and when my husband and I had falafel & hummus (which one of my boys won't try) , my boys ate lentils and rice.  This week I made a pot of pinto beans and today for lunch we had pinto beans and veggie quesadillas. 

The above pictured recipe is mine and my husband's favorite of the moment, Avocado Alfredo from Alicia Silverstone's website, The Kind Life.  So, the only real issue I'm having is with my boys.  They're eating lots of raw veggies & fruit, beans & veggie burgers.  They loved the potato leek soup but refuse to try some of the other things.  Does anyone have any kid friendly tips or recipes? 

Until next time...

Gone Vegan...

(My Grandfather's farm)

I've gone vegan. Vegetarianism is something I had flirted with for a long time but before two weeks ago I had never even considered veganism. What changed?  Watching this film called, "Vegucated", where I learned more about how factory farms & slaughter houses actually work.  How the animals are treated, the space they have, the way they're killed, etc.  I had heard things before and saw images of abuse here and there but this film convinced me.  After that I watched "Earthlings"  and if I needed any more convincing, this film surely did it.  "Earthlings" is not for the faint of heart, but I forced myself to watch most of it. If you see or have seen this film you'll understand why I say I watched "most" of it.  Wow, my eyes have been opened. 

This is an issue near and dear to my heart.  My grandfather was a dairy farmer and we lived next door.  I practically grew up on that farm, as did my brothers, who worked for him.  The cows lived long lives, they grazed all day long and were happy to come back into the warm barn at night. Looking back I remember one small farm after another in our area that went out of business and we were always told it was because of the big, factory farms.  My Grandfather stayed in business and prospered but so many others weren't as fortunate.  I guess all these years I've had the idealistic image of my Grandfather's farm as the idea of where my food came from. Sadly, overall, this just isn't so.

My husband is on board with making more vegetarian choices for the family but not going completely meat free.  So we are looking into ethical, local sources for eggs, dairy & meat.  We now have eggs delivered to us weekly from our dear landlady who has a chicken coup that rivals the size of her house.  We call them happy hen eggs.  Since we need less, because I'm not eating them or baking with them, it is very affordable.  Friends have come forward with local sources for beef.  A possible future goal is to buy a freezer and make bulk meat purchases which are cheaper in the long run.  I want my family to make their own choices about how they eat.  I won't force my ideas on them.  However I am going to cook mostly vegan and they will get the fringe benefit of this.

So, I have been vegan for two weeks now and am really amazed at how liberated I feel.  I never enjoyed cooking meat and if anyone mentioned the animal that the meat was from I would lose my appetite. Rather then center our meals around chicken, fish or beef, I am now centering our meals around a new veggie or grain and much more variety.  Somehow it has opened my thought about cooking and eating and I'm enjoying cooking & meal planning now.  I love the new flavors I'm experimenting with. It seems as if plant based food has more "pow" to it, lovely combos of flavor and spices so that the palette & appetite is absolutely satisfied.  So far I've made, veggie burgers that my sons now prefer to meat, creamy potato leek soup, falafel & hummus wraps, pesto quesadillas, black bean soup, vegan Alfredo pasta made with lemon and avocados, delicious cookie bars, and much more. In short, I'm having great fun with it and my family is enjoying the new flavors too! 

It's so important to know where our food comes from and what we are voting for with our dollar.  If you're interested in watching the above mentioned films they are both available to watch online. If you are interested in all the new recipes I'm trying please check out my "Vegan From Scratch" Pinterest board.  Also if you have any tips on going vegan, stories of your journey, opinions on the films, recipes, resources, fav vegan blogs etc.,  I would love to hear. 

Until next time...

Vegan, Pesto & Summer Squash Quesadillas

I've been making more vegan choices lately.  Perhaps I'll write about that soon.  I've been vegan for 6 whole days now, just a baby Vegan.  I'm trying it out and really enjoying it.  I feel very liberated in my choices oddly enough.  It seemed before like my dinner choices were beef, chicken or fish. Now my eyes have been opened to the many different grain or veggie options there are. I'm also working on flexible meal planning. All fun stuff! 

Anyway, I made these tonight and just had to share.  I know what you're thinking, Quesadillas are not vegan!  Well these are.  I made basil pesto pasta the other night from basil gathered in our garden and I saved a bit of it for this.  It will turn a bit dark over night but I haven't noticed a difference in the taste.  Still yummy.

Basil Pesto

2 large bunches of basil, you'll have to forgive me on the measurement, I filled a medium sized bowl with basil from our garden, I've also made this with 1 bunch of cilantro and 1 bunch of Italian Parsley
1/2 c. pecans, almonds, or favorite nut
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic
Kosher salt & or sea salt to taste

Pull basil leaves off the stems and add to a food processor. Add all other ingredients.  Process. If too oily add more basil.  If too dry add more oil.

Vegan, Pesto & Summer Squash Quesadillas
flour tortillas, 6 inch
pesto
pepper jack style daiya cheese or your favorite non-dairy cheese
spinach
1 summer squash (my son calls "sun" squash)

Saute your summer squash. Spread a generous amount of pesto on one tortilla. top with sauteed squash, layer spinach, & daiya (non-dairy) cheese.  I also added a crumbled, left over veggie burger to add a bit more protein. Throw in whatever you have. 

Add a dollop of salsa on top and you have a simple and yummy vegan dinner.  

Until next time...

Memories of Grandma & A Recipe...

I hope you all had a beautiful holiday!  I have lots to share but am too busy playing hookie with my littles to share just yet.  I'll be back in this space soon.  Until then, I'm over at Natural Kids blog writing about my Grandmother and our favorite holiday chocolates. 

  Come on over and visit me at Natural Kids. 

Construction Truck Party!

Owen is three & to celebrate we had a little party.  Owen is all about trucks right now.  One of his favorite things to imagine himself as, is a "worker".  (As he likes to say.) He has a construction hat & vest that my Mom made and he just loves it.  So we decided to have a construction truck party!

I love making favors out of paper cups.  I bought the above cups at the dollar store.  All I did was use a hole punch and tie a handle on them with string. They have chocolate animal crackers (dirt) gummy worms, homemade chocolate suckers & toy construction trucks.

Chocolate dipped pretzel rods are in the dump truck. Yah, I wasn't going for healthy here.  I found these great eco-trucks at Magic Cabin.

Here's the other "earth" moving truck.  I found all of these ideas & more on Pinterest. There is a little fruit in the back if you noticed.  I set out sticks to skewer their own melon & fresh pineapple.  Always good to have stabbing utensils at an all boys party, right?!!  Fun, but think twice about this idea!

And here's the Birthday cake, which is an orange, chocolate zucchini cake with Ganache frosting & Oreo cookie dirt on top.  Yum! My cakes are not usually all that pretty but they are ooey, gooey, good!  Here's the recipe. 

The boys were thrilled with their trucks.

Owen loved his presents.

The party ended with water balloons & fireworks.  What a lucky boy to have his birthday so near the fourth!  Our good friends brought the fireworks and the men had a great time with their fire & the boys loved watching.

Owen & Papa.

 

It was a good day.  Happy Birthday my little Owen! 

The Tastiest Summer Pesto

I'm over at Natural Kids Team blog today sharing one of my most favorite summer time recipes.  This is a very versatile Pesto recipe using cilantro/ parsley or fresh basil.  Check it out here. 

Until next time...

It's that time of year...

It's that time of year when we get out all the old family favorites to make again! Michael and I always have fun making sugar cookies. He loves every part of making them from batter to frosting. This year he frosted many of them on his own. I love seeing the gobs of frosting and piles of sprinkles. It's too fun! Making sugar cookies always reminds me of making them with my Mom. Only we made them for practically every holiday! And I have quite a few cookie cutters thanks to her.


Another family favorite that takes me back to when I was a little girl are these Chow Mein Chocolates. My Gramma Ortel and I always made these together. We lived right next door to her and my Grandpa's farm and she would always call me to help when she was baking. We'd make these and then put them in metal cookie tins and store them in her ice cold stairway. I can still smell her house and feel that cold air.

This year I'm sending some of these to her and I hope they take her back to those days.
Here's the recipe.

Chow Mein Candy

12 ounces Chocolate chips (I like Ghiradelli)
12 ounces Butter Scotch chips
4 Tablespoons peanut butter
Large can of Chow Mein Noodles
2 cups of Spanish peanuts

Melt, then dump large can of Chow Mein Noodles & 2 cups of Spanish Peanuts and stir.
Drop on wax paper and freeze until cold. Keep in a metal cookie tin and store in a cool place.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I wish my camera was working. We are festively decorated here in these beautiful melted crayon hearts and feeling the love. I made these and then strung some little hearts together to make garlands. One for over the bar in the kitchen and the other for along the fireplace. I made Michael a little blue and red, heart, felt baggy with felt cookies inside. There were also a box of Sweethearts and a little strawberry sucker tucked away as well. He's loving his treats! I wrote hubby a little love note and gave him a sucker too. And a few days ago Michael painted a lovely, red, orange and yellow watercolor painting that we turned into all manner of Valentine's.

Later on I plan on trying these heart pizzas made with tortillas. They look like so much fun! Though, I'm going to make them with this gluten free flat bread recipe.

My favorite Grecian Flat Bread
from "Wheat Free- Worry-Free"

1 c. gf flour (I use 1/4 c. garbanzo bean flour and 3/4 c. brown rice flour)
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. water or less (I use less)
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. basil
dash garlic powder ( I never have garlic powder so I add 1 clove crushed garlic)

Sift flour and salt, stir in herbs & garlic. make a well in the center and gradually add water, mixing well with a fork. The recipe says knead the dough for 5 min adding flour mix as needed. Set aside 10 min and then roll or pat out. Instead of kneading I just mix with the fork and throw it in a skillet. I find the kneading unnecessary and difficult with the wet dough. Fry in olive oil 2-3 minutes on each side. This only makes 4 flat breads so I often double the recipe.

I make this flat bread to have with hummus and as a quick individual sized pizza crust.

I also made some more of these yummy, flour-less peanut butter cookies. This time I doubled the recipe as it doesn't make very much and I added a teaspoon of vanilla and a 1/4 cup less sugar. I also tried to shape them into hearts. Which didn't work as well as I thought it might. Some of them look more like apples. Anyway, it's shaping up to be a fun V-day! Hope yours is filled with beauty and love and celebration!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Wow! These are the best peanut butter cookies I've ever had. Delicious and flour less too, so naturally gluten & dairy free.

My Favorite Pumpkin Muffins, gluten free of course

These muffins are low in sugar, made with honey or molasses. Made with honey the taste is very mild. Made with molasses, cloves & chocolate chips, the flavor is stronger & chocolaty delicious.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 c. pumpkin, canned or pureed
1/4 c. apple sauce
1/2 c. garbanzo bean flour
1 1/2 c. brown rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c. honey
2 eggs
1/4 c. oil
dash salt
1/2 c. currants or nuts

Molasses & Chocolate Chip Version
This version is my favorite because I have a thing for cloves and chocolate.

Use molasses instead of honey, add 1/8 tsp of cloves, instead of currants or nuts add 1/2 c. or more, Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips

Pumpkin Stew & Biscuits, Gluten free

This is my favorite season! I love the cooler weather, the leaves turning, my birthday, and the fall holidays. And, it's the season of pumpkins. Yum! This stew is so delicious and even better with biscuits. Great comfort foods.

Pumpkin Stew
1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper, divided
2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed
2 T vegetable oil
2 T butter (leave out if dairy intolerant or use gf substitute)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
4 cups of water
1-2 bay leaves
1 to 2 tsp beef bouillon granules (make sure it's gluten free)
1 to 11/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ginger
1 T corn starch mixed with a little water
3 cups cubed peeled pumpkin

Combine flour, salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Add meat, a few pieces at a time to coat. In a dutch oven, cook meat in oil and butter until no longer pink. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in carrots, celery, water, bay leaves, bouillon, thyme and remaining pepper. Add to a crock pot at this point and let it slow cook for at 4-6 hours, adding pumpkin and corn starch half way through. Or if not using a crock pot, then, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover & simmer for 1-1/4 hours.

Stir in pumpkin & corn starch. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 min or until meat and pumpkin are tender. Discard bay leaves. Salt and pepper to taste.

Biscuits
I adapted this recipe from La Leche Leagues, "Whole Foods for the Whole Family", which I love.

2 cups gluten free flour (1/2 c. garbanzo bean flour & 1 1/2 c. brown rice flour)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/2 c. butter or margarine (gf and/or dairy free)
2/3 c. milk (I use almond milk)

Stir together dry ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add milk until dough forms into a ball. Knead, (if gf stir gently) 5-10 times- do not overwork. Roll or pat out on a floured surface about 1/2 inch thick. (for gf I always wet the counter and then put plastic wrap down, br rice flour or tapioca starch on top of that. This makes it easy to peel off the biscuits.) Cut into rounds with a floured glass. Bake on an uungreased cookie sheet at 400- 450 degreees for about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Drop Biscuits. Use 3/4 c. milk, stir dough just until blended, then drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.

Gluten free Lavender Cake

If you love lavender like I do, you'll love this cake! It has a dense, pound cake like texture. If you're not aware of Lavender's properties, it's a wonderful stress reliever, among it's many other properties. With a nice cup of lavender tea, double relaxation tastiness! This cake actually stopped a fight, between my husband and I. Yes, it has super powers!

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 c sugar, white, brown or honey
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 c garbanzo bean flour
1 c brown rice flour
(or 1 1/2 c. regular flour for non-gf)
1tsp xantham gum (leave out for non-gf)
1 tsp baking powder
2-3 tsp dried, minced lavender
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 T milk

Glaze
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1-2 tsp dried, minced lavender
milk or non-dairy substitute to thin to desired consistency

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease & dust bundt pan with rice flour. Cream butter & sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, until mix is glossy and thick. Mince lavender with a mortar and pestle, fold in lavender, vanilla and milk. Add dry ingredients. Pour into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. A tip from my friend Monica- put a small cookie sheet with water in it, on the lower metal rack to add moisture. Let cool 10 minutes, then turn out onto plate to cool further. Make glaze and drizzle. Garnish with Lavender.

How delicious does gluten free look?

We're having the best time cooking out this summer. We haven't had a grill for a few years, so we are loving it!

This is presented in a hurry up and eat style as we were really hungry! I managed to snap a picture before it was devoured. We happened upon the best combo of flavors. Gluten free Cilantro pesto pasta with grilled steak and goat feta cheese . Also grilled zucchini topped with Zergut's , mild Ajvar and feta cheese. All gluten free. Wow! Symphony of flavors! Pesto Recipe here

Gluten free Strawberry, orange muffins topped with peach, mango, lime jam.

My mom taught me how to make freezer jam last summer and this was my first, lone attempt. I made a batch of peach jam and then a batch of peach, mango, lime jam. Really, really yummy! Especially the peach/ mango which only came about because I didn't have enough peaches. Hmm, how about mango? I didn't have another lemon. How about lime? Necessity is the mother of invention, but it didn't set very well. Ah, well, I will try this one again for sure!

Gluten Free Strawberry Orange Muffins

Whisk together
1/2 c. garbanzo bean flour
1 1/2 c. brown rice flour or
(2 c. all purpose flour for those not gf)
1-2 tsp xantham gum (leave out if not gf)
1 T baking powder, (yes that is Tablespoon)
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk together in another bowl
2 large eggs
1 c. milk (can make dairy free by using 1 c. almond or soy milk)
2/3 c. sugar or packed light brown sugar
6 T melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 c. strawberries, sliced

Add to flour mix & mix together wth a few strokes. Don't overmix
12- 15 minutes at 400F

Being Gluten Free

I love to help people who first begin their gluten free journey and so I find myself writing this same information often. Now that I'm blogging, I thought I could write it down here and refer people to my blog entry when they need it.

My Background
I have been gluten free for over four years now. I realized I had Celiac disease and stopped eating gluten three months before getting pregnant because I felt sick every time I ate. I listened to a good friend who had gluten & dairy intolerance and said she thought I was intolerant as well. I bought books on the diet, read them all and then began. I didn't know how to bake gluten free, I just stopped baking and was a little heart broken when I thought I'd never be able to eat my favorite foods again. I was wrong but didn't know that then.

A week after being strictly gluten free I was amazed at how great I felt. I had boundless energy, I remember jumping and running around my apartment because I suddenly felt so energized. My digestive problems went away, I lost 35 lbs in 3 months with little exercise, other than the jumping around my apartment. My personality even changed. I was so used to feeling ill, it effected everything, my personality, my outlook on life. I went from being a very high strung and anxious person to being way more relaxed and having less problems with anxiety and depression. When I became pregnant I learned I had a common vitamin deficiency associated with Celiac disease and also I had low bone density, another common side effect. I finally had a blood test about half way through my pregnancy but had been without gluten too long and it came back negative. Regardless, I don't need a doctor to tell me I have Celiac disease. Everytime I accidentally eat gluten it's clear. Since then I've learned I'm intolerant to dairy and soy as well. When I first learned about Celiac disease I was overwhelmed by how many products contained hidden gluten. Since then, I've learned so much about how to cook and bake. I love to share my experiences and make the process easier for others. Don't be afraid to try going gluten free. I've met so many people who weren't willing to make the effort or thought the food was going to be terrible. Your health and how you feel is worth the effort and the food is amazing!

Gluten free Tips
Buy or Borrow the book, Wheat-Free, Worry-Free, by Danna Korn, It's the best book I've found on the diet. It talks about hidden gluten, how to get tested and talk to your Dr, how to manage the diet within your family, recipes, etc. It's comprehensive. Also, become friends with this website, http://www.celiac.com/, it's also indispensable. Great current information and research. Recipes too.

Find a forbidden foods & food additive list and keep it with you while you shop. There's a list in the afore mentioned book as well. Before I became gluten free I ate a lot of processed foods. Once I became gf I was so frustrated because all the processed foods I ate contained hidden gluten. For awhile it's a pain to read every label of everything you buy. Soon, though you won't have to refer to the list because you'll know what the common gluten additives and ingredients are and you'll get to know the products that are gf. Also, many more companies are listing the 7 major allegens on their labels or carrying the gluten-free label.

Eat mostly whole foods. I learned to eat whole foods quickly. You can eat meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, rice and other grains like quinoa plentifully. Other alternatives like Tinkyada brand rice pasta is delicious and easily found at health food stores. Tinkyada brand sells all different kinds of pasta including lasagna noodles. Besides that I eat fairly simply. What I can't find at the store, I make from scratch.

Use all your old baking recipes. Gluten free baked good recipes are sometimes wonderful and sometimes not. The long list of different flours to mix together has always put me off and often taste too dry and starchy. So I buy garbanzo bean flour (it doesn't taste beany) and brown rice flour. I use
1/4 Garbanzo bean flour
3/4 c brown rice flour
& 1 tsp xantham gum for every cup of flour called for in your old standby recipes. (use less for cookies)

The only recipe this hasn't really worked for is my Grandma's dinner rolls. I haven't perfected that one yet.

Give up on sandwiches. Sad, maybe, for some. Sandwiches are such an American standby, but eating them is habit, not need. Gluten free bread is so expensive and making your own is time consuming. I've come across one great gluten free bread recipe. It's so good right out of the oven. The next day it's a bit crumbly and dry if not taken out of the oven right on time. Instead think tortillas! Rice and flax seed tortillas are sold at heath food stores and are a great, very tasty alternative. Stuff any sandwich fixings in there and yum! More often than not I use plain old corn tortillas. I make quesadillas smothered in salsa, peanut butter & banana "quesadillas", ham & avocado wraps. My friend even uses corn tortillas for individual size pizzas. I eat wraps now, not sandwiches, and when I do have a sandwich it's a wonderful treat.

Use pecan meal or other nut meal for bread crumbs in meat loaf, meatballs, hamburgers or breaded chicken, etc. It's rich in protein and adds wonderful flavor.

Some people have said to me, "Oh, how sad, you have all these intolerances." I have to say having Celiac disease and the intolerances that I have, makes me eat healthy. I'm not someone who ever learned self-control when it came to the foods I love. Now, if I want a treat, I have to make it. While I love baking, sometimes it gives me enough time to think, do I really want to make the effort, do I really need it? It's opened up a whole new world of healthy eating for me and now I'm able to pass that on to my family. For that, I'm very thankful.