Trick or Treat

It's Halloween and you know what that means...candy and lots of it. For the first time ever, I checked the ingredients before I ate any candy. Kit Kats - yes (has gluten), Reese's Peanut Butter Cup - No (yeah), Butterfinger - yes, M&Ms - no.

We also had our friends, The Carpenters, over. We have been getting together for Halloween for about 5 years now - we usually watch a scary movie - but didn't work out this time. For dinner, to make things easier, we got 5 dollar pizza. I made my own pizza using an Udi's crust.

Thanks Mom & Dad

Tonight my parents had us over for dinner. My mom made chicken and vegetables, a pear and spinach salad, and mashed potatoes. It was all very good and gluten free. For dessert, she made a peach cake. It was delicious and you would never know that it was gluten free. She is going to email me the recipe and I will post it when I get it. I know you all will love it.

I ate too much tonight - I always do that when someone else cooks. It's a nice feeling to eat a big meal plus dessert and not feeling bloated - just full.

Thanks mom and dad

Pumpkin Pancakes

I have been craving pancakes ever since my friend Lindsey and I ate at Mickey's Diner (while at the Women of Faith Conference). She had pancakes and they looked so good. Ben's mom said she found a gluten free pancake mix next to the regular mixes at her grocery store in Medford. I have not found that here - only in the health foods section of a store. So today, I went to Coborn's and got a pancake mix Pamela's Products. I liked the cornbread mix that I bought before, so I figured the pancake mix should be good too. I added canned pumpkin...and they turned out very yummy!

I did look up gluten free pancake recipes and found one that I will try sometime - probably will be cheaper that way.

Noodles & Company

For dinner tonight, I ate Penne Fresca from Noodles & Company. But...instead of penne pasta, I asked for the rice noodles. It tasted so good - I am glad that I can substitute rice noodles for other noodles. I guess they also have a gluten free menu - but I didn't ask for it...next time.

I told Ben the other day that I missed a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich on soft wheat bread. I hope when I got to the Whole Foods store that I will find some good soft gluten free bread...or at least something close to it.

Whole Foods

Ben found this information for me from the Whole Foods store. They have a gluten free "bakehouse". There is a huge list of gluten free baked goods. I am very excited to visit the store and get some of these products. I never thought of going to Whole Foods before because there isn't one close to us. But I will make an exception if they have great baked goods.

I will let you know what I find and how they taste...and the price of course.

Comphy Jeans

Last night my friend Ali and I went shopping. It is always nice to shop without kids! I had a coupon for Clothes Mentor in Roseville, so we went there first. I have been in dire need of new jeans and it is hard for me to find the perfect length - since I am so short. I found a pair that fit perfectly in the waist and length!

And then Ali suggested going to Herbergers at the mall. She suggested a couple of brands - Hydraulic and Wall Flower. They have "short" sizes. So we went through piles of jeans to find my size in short length. With great luck, we found a couple of pairs. I tried them on and they fit! The length is still a little long, but that can be fixed. These jeans are so comfortable! They are stretchy and perfect for someone who sometimes get "bloaty". Usually jeans will fit in the waist, but have no movement...these are great - where have they been all my life? Plus...they are slimming in the legs and make your butt look great - try them out and let me know if you agree.

Tonight I hemmed one of the pairs and now they fit even better.

For dinner tonight, I made salmon. It turned out really good - I bought it from Trader Joes. Remember Salmon has omega-3 oil and that is good for you.

Fiber (TMD)

Back to The Maker's Diet.

Chapter 8 talks about protein, carbohydrates, saturated fats and fiber.

Fiber comes in two forms. Insoluble (cannot be broken down) while soluble (dissolves in water). Fiber is vital to the body because it promotes regular bowel movements, prevents constipation, increases the elimination of waster matter in the large intestine, and pressures the rectum muscles to loosen and expel waste without undue pressure on delicate rectal issues. 

I found the following very interesting...


Jordin S Rubin talks about bran fiber...you would think that bran was good for you - raisin bran and all of the other bran cereals...but I guess it is not. You would think that bran fiber from whole-grain wheat would help prevent colon cancer, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and colonic polyps. He says that the truth is that bran fiber actually aggravates many of these conditions - it has a high amount of mineral-blocking phytates and phytates is the primary cause of intestinal disease and other diseases.

Low-carbohydrate and high fiber foods include:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Celery
Lettuce
Berries and other small fruits and vegetables with edible skins
Mucilaginous fiber found in chia and flaxseeds

For me personally, it is very important for me and my digestive system to get as much fiber as possible. I eat fiber gummies - hopefully that isn't bad - I do try and eat what he suggests too.

Gummies

Ben's parents bought the kids some Halloween gummies from Trader Joe's. I love gummies, so of course I have been eating them too. I didn't even think to check the ingredients but the kind I was eating has wheat in them. Boo! I am very disappointed.

I decided to check my "gummy vitamins" - yes, I eat gummy vitamins - they are yummy. I hate swallowing pills. The Vitafusion Omega 3 gummies and the Up&Up brand Fiber gummies do not. It even says on the bottle "contains no wheat (gluten)". I am glad to know that.

Tonight I did the Zumba 20 minute workout and 20 minute ab workout. Wow! The ab workout is great. If I don't get great abs in a couple of months, then I am doing something very wrong. Remember to keep me accountable.

Also - I got my period and this is the second month that I didn't get cramps - great feeling. My emotions were also a lot better this month too.

I Cheated

This morning Ben went to Cub to get some donuts for breakfast. While he was gone, I got out of the freezer, a gluten free chocolate muffin (Udi's brand) and I made some scrambled eggs. While we were eating breakfast, a donut kept calling out to me. I finally gave in and ate half of one...I cheated... but boy did it taste so good! I have actually been really good about eating gluten free. But I stumbled this morning and it is okay.

Women Of Faith

I attended the Women of Faith Conference at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN this past Friday and Saturday. What an amazing event! A lot of laughing and crying. The speakers were amazing - wonderful stories and transformation in people's lives. God can do anything! I would recommend this event to anyone - I only had one complaint - and that was that they did not provide a gluten free option for lunch like I was told.

The lunch was a sandwich (meat and cheese) no mayo or mustard, an apple or orange and a cookie. I just ate the meat and cheese and the fruit. I also had brought with me a baggie of banana chips and squash chips. I am so glad that I did.

Supposedly there were about 10 - 15 thousand women at this conference (amazing right?)... you would think that they would have had the gluten free option available.

Zumba 1st workout

So I learned the dance steps and did the first 20 minute workout last night. Just learning the dance steps alone is a workout. It was a lot of fun to do and the most fun is learning new dance moves. It worked my arms, abs, butt and legs - if I keep up with this workout and do it at least 3-5 times a week, I will definitely see a change - how can I not! I wrote down my weight and measurements. I am excited to see the difference it makes - I will let you know after the first month.

I will not be making an entry tomorrow night - I will be gone and without a computer. I am attending the Women of Faith conference. I will let you know how that goes. For the lunches - they offer a gluten free option. I am interested in seeing what it is...

Zumba Fitness

I think I told you that I ordered the Zumba Fitness for my birthday present. It showed up on our front door step today. I told Ben that this is the last "fitness" dvd that I am going to buy. No more! I hope that I really enjoy this video, get a good workout, and get fit in all the right places. Remember, exercise is very important for your GI system. It keeps everything moving correctly.

It is just hard to make time to workout. But I am determined to make time - especially this winter.

I will let you know my thoughts about Zumba...

Sweet Potato Chips

A lot of potato chips are "gluten free" because they are made from potatoes, but some are not and have flour in them. My favorite type of chips to eat are Sweet Potato Chips. And they are best eaten with hummus. Try them, you will like them!

BSF Fellowship

What is BSF - Bible Study Fellowship. It is a world wide study of the books of the Bible. I first attended last year and loved it.

Tonight I hosted a fellowship - where our group gets together and we share about what we have been learning from our studies and it is just a wonderful time to get to know each other better. We shared appetizers and desserts. Everything was very yummy. I even had a tiny bite of the foods with gluten in them. I made a reuben dip and served it with sourdough bread, wheat thins and then the Diamond brand almond nut thins.

I found out that one of the other girls had just found out that she has a gluten and dairy problem. It has been fun doing this blog - learning so much and to be able to share it with others.

It was a wonderful night with the ladies.

Life Balance

Today we didn't go to church - I know, I know...

So I watched an old sermon online called I've had it with Busyness. Which was perfect because I feel like I can never catch up with anything and there isn't enough time in a day to accomplish everything I want to accomplish.

Our pastor went over 4 key components:
1. Take ownership for my actions. How many "things" do I want on my "plate?"

2. Identify my top 5 values. Pastor Bob said that the average person needs 40hrs/day to accomplish everything they want to in a day.
His top 5 values are: a). Have a close relationship with God -agree b). have a great marriage - agree c). have a strong family - agree d). Be physically fit - yes, I'd like to be and e). Have a purposeful career - right now I am home with the kids - I help Ben out when I can - keep track of files and business expenses.

I have been thinking a lot lately about going back to work. But I do not know what I want to do. I was so stressed at my last job (caused a lot of my "episodes") In a perfect world, I want a job that I enjoy and can make decent money. I want to be able to balance a job and my "job" at home.

3. Schedule your year - family is important, make some memories - don't let life pass you by.

4. Replenish your bucket - what puts holes in your bucket? For me, extra "things" that come up that are not expected. which happens a lot it seems. That's life I know.

Starting this blog was very important to me. It does take up extra time to write, research, trying new recipes, download photos, but I have gained a lot of knowledge and I feel a lot better - which is most important. I don't want to waste time being sick and not having the time to do the things that I want to do.

How do you value your time? What puts holes in your bucket and how can you replenish it?

Ephesians 5:15 So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ.
Pslam 23

Trader Joe's

I love going to Trader Joe's. I wish there was one closer to us. The closest location is in Maple Grove. Today as a family we went shopping at a bunch of different stores. Trader Joe's was one of them. I have not been there in a very long time, since I have become gluten free. I found that they have pasta for only $1.99. Great deal and they are big packages. At other health food stores, gluten free pasta range from $3-$5 per box or package.

I also found gluten free tortillas. I am very excited to try those. I was actually looking forward to seeing what kind of GF breads they carried, but was disappointed in the variety and how small the packages were. I think I will just stick with Udi's for now. I do want to try ordering from grandmaferdons.  I had mentioned in a previous post that they have pre-made gluten free products that you can order online or find in a store that carries their products.

Happy Birthday to Us

Tonight my sister-in-law, Michele, and I celebrated our birthdays by going out to dinner and doing a little shopping. We both have birthday's in October. Ben and Jason (Ben's brother) both have their birthdays in May and they celebrate by golfing together.

We ate dinner at The Good Earth in Roseville, MN. It is sooooo good! I recommend it to anybody! I ordered the Coconut Chicken Curry and Michele got the Squash with a  Spinach Salad. All wonderful!

I think I told you before that Michele is also gluten free... and dairy free. She told me that it has been easier to be dairy free than gluten free. For me it is the opposite! I know I have trouble with dairy, but I don' t know if I can give it up completely. I will keep trying to work on that.

Hold Me Accountable

When I first became gluten free, I lost a couple of pounds right away. I thought to myself, this is fantastic, I have always had trouble with belly fat (yes, I am a small person, but I have belly fat - I try to hide it well). I thought eating gluten free would help me keep those pounds off and even lose a couple of more. Lately, I feel like I am gaining my belly fat back - I am disappointed in myself.

I had mentioned before that I was doing the Jillian Michaels Ab workout. I was doing good keeping up with it in the beginning, and I was feeling great but now I feel like I don't have time or I am too tired to workout. Please keep me accountable! I am going to try and promise to workout at least 2-3 times a week. For my birthday, I told Ben that I wanted the Zumba fitness workout. I want to be fit, but I need to do the work!!!

JBF Sale

Yesterday I made broccoli cheddar soup for dinner. Lia and I loved it, but Ben was not a huge fan. He likes anything that has meat in it and this soup did not. Also, it had sweet potatoes (another food item he doesn't care for). I tried hiding it, but he questioned what was in the soup - because it was pureed.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Food Network Magazine)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups half and half
1 large russet potato peeled and chopped
1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper 
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 1/3 cups shredded cheddar
croutons for topping (optional)

Heat oil in a pan and cook onion and celery until softened. Add the chicken stock, half and half and both potatoes, bay leaf, 2 cups water and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, put broccoli into a microwave safe bowl, add 3 tbsp water and season with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave about 4 minutes.

After potatoes are tender, remove bay leaf and transfer soup to blender (or if you have an immersion blender, use that). blend the soup and add back into the pan. Note: Soup is hot - puree in blender in parts - and keep the cap slightly open to let steam escape.

Add cooked broccoli to soup (I diced it up more before I added it). Add the cheese and more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with croutons.

If you do want meet - cubed ham would be a good option.
I also thought it might be good with wild rice added to it.

Last night was also the JBF (Just Between Friends) Sale. It is a huge children's consignment sale. It runs twice a year and I always look forward to going to it. If you consign or volunteer, you get to attend the pre-sale the night before it is open to the public. My friends, Tona and Kendra were also at the sale. After we bought our items, we were starving! It was about 9:00 pm. We decided to go to Applebee's to get something to eat. We hit it at the right time for Happy Hour - all of the appetizers were half off. I asked our waitress if they had gluten free buns. She said no, but they offer a gluten free menu. She brought me the menu. It actually had a lot of options, but none that I wanted at the time. I ended up getting the cheeseburger sliders and I didn't eat the buns. I saved one burger for Landen to eat for lunch the next day, but he ended up not wanting it, so Ben ate it.

It is nice to know that restaurants are becoming more aware of people needing to eat gluten free. It is nice to have the option.

Dr. Berg

Today I went to the chiropractor - Lauderdale Wellness Center. I wish I could go everyday - I feel so much better after getting worked on. I told you before about Dr. Berg, how great she is, and that she is also gluten free. She has been gluten free for over 2 years now. She told me that she recently made her own Yogurt. She has her own Facebook page Essence Health I think she said that she will post the recipe on her page. She also sent me a couple of great links.

This website has recipes and explains what different ingredients are (that are not normal to everyone). Take a look!  www.elanaspantry.com

This website is a company that makes gluten free products that  you can purchase online or find a store that carries their products. www.grandmaferdons.com

Before I left my appointment, I bought more Ortho Biotics (Probiotic) and I bought the powdered kind for the kids. Why not start the kids early correct?

Chicken Corn Chili

Today I made Chicken Corn Chili. You can make it stove-top, but I made it in the crock pot. The crock pot is so wonderful for so many reasons. (sorry no photo)

Chicken Corn Chili
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 jalapeno pepper chopped
4 oz can green chiles
1 tsp cumin
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups shredded chicken
1 can white beans (yes, I used a can for this one)
1 can black beans - used dry beans I cooked
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional - add when serving)
1 cup shredded cheddar (optional - add when serving)


I served this with Tostito  chips and sour cream. Fritos or cornbread would be great too.

I found gluten free animal crackers for Lia K-Kritters by Kinnikinnick Foods. They taste really good! I found them at Coborn's.

Psoriasis

I haven't shared with you that I have psoriasis...probably because I am embarrassed by it. Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes skin redness and irritation. I got it in college - probably due to stress and the terrible way I ate. It is very annoying...very itchy and is an  upset to my life. I have it only on my head (some people have it all over their body). It flares up monthly around my period (I still haven't figured that out - maybe the hormorns) and when I am stressed or when I get my hair colored.

I am sharing this now, because I hope changing the way I eat will also help with my psoriasis. Once you have it, you will always have it, but at least hopefully I can control it better. I hope to follow The Maker's Diet (slowing still reading the book and haven't got to the "eating" part yet), and hope to feel even better and hope that it helps control my psoriasis.

No More McDonalds

I have decided that I can not eat McDonalds at all anymore.  A couple of weeks ago, I told you that I ate McDonalds and asked them if they had gluten free buns (and the one I went to does not). So I ate a salad. Then next day I felt "off". But I only ate a salad...it did have their grilled chicken on it but who knows what oils they used to grill it.

The other day, I was out with the kids running errands and I didn't want to make lunch when we got home, so I stopped at "Mickey D's" Instead of getting Landen the usual happy meal (just comes with a toy that he plays with for one day and then forgets about it and I end up throwing it away), I got the 2 cheeseburger meal and we shared it. I ate some fries and then just ate the meat out of the hamburger. Big mistake...the next day I felt sick and I knew why.

I know now to stay away...better for me and probably better for the whole family. (I know they will still want to eat there once in a while, but I will not).

Empanadas

Tonight I served empanadas for dinner. I had made them at Let's Dish. At Let's Dish you can pre-make your meals, freeze them and then cook them as needed. I had one meal left (the empanadas). They are so yummy, the crust is extra flaky. Of course I couldn't eat one...so I decided to just eat cereal...and then I ended up eating half of one, but only ate the innards...gross,  I know, but so good!

I am at a point now where I can start "fresh" with my fridge and freezer...and pantry. I have used up food that I don't want to have again in my house. The empanadas were the last item in our chest freezer that I wanted to use up.

Is Gluten Intolerance Hereditary?

I have always wondered if having gluten intolerance (or celiac disease) is hereditary. I do not want Landen or Lia to go through life experiencing the pain that I have gone through.

Landen is 3 years old and currently he does not seem to have any problems with gluten or dairy (I am also lactose intolerant). But according to a lot of articles I have read, a lot of times, it doesn't effect someone until they are older. I have already been giving Lia some gluten free food items. I guess I am a little more worried about Lia because she is a girl like me. It doesn't make sense but I just worry. Ben has an iron stomach and I hope they inherited his genes.

I found this article on this website Susan Solomon, MD . She says "Gluten intolerance is a spectrum disorder that can affect anyone at a given time depending upon their innate health. Gluten Intolerance is NOT genetic, but a function  of gastrointestinal health."

"Every symptom that is experienced by a Celiac or gluten-intolerant is related to missing elements in the diet.  Brain function is impaired by the lack of the body's ability to absorb essential fatty acids.  The addition of enzymes, bile and acid will aid absorption not just of fats, but protein as well.  Minerals are also vital - every enzymatic reaction in the body has a mineral as a cofactor.  Minerals are not easily absorbed if the stomach is not producing acid - hence the need for easily absorbable minerals in an ionized form (as a food source preferably)." 

 Please read the whole article for more information or search for yourself - there are a lot of different articles of information available. It makes sense though...we (as a nation) eat so horribly...Our bodies weren't created to eat this "modern day diet."

Thank You All

I just want to thank all of you for reading my blog. It means a lot to me. I have been learning so much and I know there is tons more to learn and share. What a wonderful change it has made in my life and thank you for sharing it with me.

More information and recipes to come!

Curry Chicken Salad

For lunch today, I made Curry Chicken Salad. It was very tasty! (I forgot to take a photo)

2 cooked cubed chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup chutney
1 tbsp curry powder (less if you don't like curry that much)
1 large celery stalk chopped
2 scallions chopped
1/2 apple chopped
salt & pepper
cashews

I remember the days when I used to eat a sandwich everyday for lunch, meat and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. The last grocery shopping trip I made, I didn't even buy lunch meat (first time) I usually have a lot of lunch meat in the fridge. It's nice not to eat sandwiches everyday...even though I love them.

Time for Chili?

It's a warm hot day and what do I make for dinner? Chili. Not quite a day for it, but it still tasted good.

When I used to make chili, I would brown up some hamburger and then dump in 5 cans - one each of (tomato sauce, kidney beans, black beans, chili beans, and diced tomatoes). I also added a packet of chili seasoning. Sometimes I also added a cup of cooked elbow macaroni. I never thought about adding macaroni into my chili until I met Ben. It's a Medford, WI thing...or maybe it isn't?

This time, the only can I opened was a can of diced green chilies. I browned up some hamburger along with half an onion and 4 small peppers. I cooked my own beans and used the home made tomato sauce that I made from our garden tomatoes.  I still used a packet of chili seasoning. I think it turned out great. I served it over rice. I also made gluten free corn bread (Pamela's Products). I think it tasted better than the regular corn bread that I used to buy.

Are Tostitos Chips Gluten Free? Is Kix Cereal?

Since I have become gluten free, I have been eating a lot of chips and salsa. The chips I eat are the Tostitos brand.  I have always assumed they were gluten free because the ingredients are basically corn and oil. Just to make sure, I looked it up and found on their website a list of all of their types of chips and other brands. Frito-Lay.com explains which types are gluten free, contains dairy or wheat. They also provide recipes which is nice.

Tonight I went grocery shopping. In the cereal isle, I bought more Chex cereal (on their box, it says gluten free). Then I noticed Kix cereal. It is made of corn and I wondered if that was gluten free also (doesn't say on the box). I looked it up. I found this awesome gluten free informative website Triumph Dining - check it out!

General Mills Removes Gluten-Containing Ingredients from Kix Cereal

General Mills, it appears, is on a roll. First it released its gluten-free Chex, then it unveiled those Betty Crocker gluten-free Baking Mixes, next it expanded its line of gluten-free Chex to include six flavors and now, as Gluten-Free Philly first reported Saturday, gluten-free Kix? Well, almost,  a customer service representative told me today. Kix has been reformulated so that it no longer contains oats. However, the company has decided not to specifically label Kix gluten free nor claim it to be so, as cross-contamination is still a possibility. I’ve contacted a media representative for more information, particularly about whether production lines are washed between runs of gluten-containing and gluten-free products. This type of practice is pretty standard with a large company like General Mills, and it would most likely allow many on a gluten-free diet to add Kix to their breakfast cereal options. Expect more updates in the next few days, and while you’re waiting to know for sure, you can already eat gluten-free cereals from 20+ brands, according to the Grocery Guide.

I learn something new everyday!

Girl's Night

Yesterday I could have missed out on a fun girl's night - not the type of "girl's night" downtown, going to the bars and dancing, etc. It was a nice night out with my friend's Tona and Megan. We went shopping and out to dinner. It is a wonderful feeling to shop and eat without children!

Why would I have missed out? Friday night, we (the family) at dinner at a place called Pappy's. They make home cooked food. It was wonderful! I had a breakfast skillet. Probably the best one I have ever eaten. It was kind of greasy though. On Saturday, I felt sick and kind of had one of my "episodes". The first one in a very long time. I was so disappointed. Not feeling so great, I was contemplating on going out with Tona and Megan. I decided to go...I didn't want to miss out just because of my dumb stomach problems. It wasn't because of gluten...it was from the grease...or too much butter in the food...I will still eat at Pappy's, but be more careful of what I eat.

We had a wonderful time. We shopped at the Maplewood Mall. I am in dire need of new winter clothes and we ate at Red Lobster. It's our place to eat when we go out. (Ben doesn't care for the place, so I eat there with my ladies). I was very careful about what I ordered. I usually get coconut shrimp or scampi. This time I got salmon with broccoli and rice pilaf. It was so good and I ate it all. Afterwards, I didn't feel bloated or full. I did miss eating the cheddar biscuits - they are yummy...more for Megan and Tona.