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.