The Diva is dazzled

Once again, school life has taken over. The fourth and final quarter of the year has truly arrived. The students are getting buggy with Spring fever. The eighth graders are restless, yearning for graduation day (yes, here in the Midwest we do 8th grade graduation.) My dance club is performing in two weeks. The school play is the week after that. The chorus concert another week later. OMG!STRESS!!!

So in the battle against stress, I took off on a small road trip with the girls this past weekend. We were girlie and geeky. We were on the road longer than we were awake at our destination, but that was ok. You see, we had a purpose. This was not some idle trip. We were on a mission. We had a date with destiny. Robbie Williams was in Iowa. Who is Robbie Williams, you ask? Why only the biggest pop star in the world. You have never heard of him? Sure you have, you just don't realize it. See, he never really cracked the American market, despite signing a recording contract in England for 80 million pounds. Not dollars my friends...pounds. That is a hell of alot of money. Damn! Anyhow, I have loved him since his one and only US hit back in '99 called Millennium. I have all his music, both pop music and his swing CD (Swing While You're Winning. Go buy it!!!) He is am amazing musician and is SUPER SEXY!!! He absolutely never performs in the US. He lives in LA because he can be a nobody there. He is part owner of a soccer team over in England and has an LA version of the team that he plays on. So, long story short-ish, the LA Vale were playing an exhibition game in Des Moines. A six hour drive to see a musician I adore who will never perform live in the US? Hell yeah! Not only did I see him, but I got his autograph, talked to him, and HE TOUCHED ME!!! ehem. I was dazzled. I lost my cool. I giggled at him. oh lord. I acted like a little teenager. It was sad. Then again, I have an autograph and lots of pictures. If I was in England, this would never have happened. His concerts draw monstrous crowds of people who pay hundreds of dollars per ticket. You couldn't get within 20 feet of him. On Saturday I stood next to him. If I had been very brave (and wanted to risk the wrath of his security guys) I could have grabbed his ass. Oh yeah. Good times.

So yes. That is why I have been absent. I have been in a post-Robbie haze. It is a good thing. Cooking? Not done much of it. I baked some bread that I will share with you all later. It is tasty, but (typical) has almost zero shelf life. But that is for later.

Happy tummy = Yummy food

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A cup of probiotic kefir and a Bentyl before meals keeps the bloating away.

Knock on wood, but it seems that those tiny blue pills my doctor gave me are actually working. For the past few days my belly has been feeling better. Not perfect (although that may have something to do with the fact I have been eating foods a bit high in fat) but scads better. Even while my body is reminding me that I am female I have very little bloating. (Hmmm...where is my heating pad?) This gives me hope. This gives me energy. This gives me the urge to cook! It is amazing how, when my belly is being friendly, I want to cook up a storm. I want to bake, broil, grill, saute, and slow cook. The only problem is that I have no one to share these recipes with. No one to help eat up the leftovers. No one to wash all the dishes for me. I love to cook, I hate to clean. Sadly, they go hand in hand. This is the down side to living alone. Never mind needing a boy around for love and comfort, I need one to help eat food and hand wash dishes!

Luckily, I have been out at my parents' house alot lately. Their big, beautiful kitchen inspires me. All those bare granite counter tops just beg to be used for food prep. One of these days I shall post a pic of my sad little kitchen so you can see the challenge I face when it comes to cooking. My next apartment WILL have a better kitchen: more counters, more cupboards, a dish washer, laundry, a/c... Ehem, sorry. Kitchens. That's right. So I was at mom and dad's using their kitchen. The time their was fruitful. So much so, that I have a gift for you: product reviews!

Namaste Pizza Dough Mix: I must say that I was leery about trying this. I have had two GF pizzas in the past 5-6 months. Not good. I am sorry to those of you who like Amy's gf frozen pizza. I just did not like it. Da Lucianos (an incredibly GF friendly restaurant in the Chicago-land area) offers GF pizza on their menu. Four of the owners children have Celiac, so they have developed an extensive GF menu. Their pasta dishes are divine. Their pizza is not. I did not like the texture of the crust. Ew. So I did not have much hope for the mix from Namaste, but figured it was worth a try. Dad has been on a homemade pizza kick lately. Well, semi-homemade (dough purchased from Trader Joes). So I mixed up a batch of Namaste dough. Since Dad was making grilled pizza I shaped my dough and slapped it on the grill (they left an area just for me so there would be no cross-contamination). We topped the pizza with grilled eggplant, onion, zucchini, roasted garlic, cheese....Yum! And you know what? Best GF pizza I have had. No, it was not quite like the pizzas of my past, but it was darn good. Crusty, chewy, not that crumbly, grainy texture so many GF products can get. It may not look like the prettiest pizza around, but it was tasty! I am going to make some more later. A bit of a warning, though. Use your Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, this dough is thick! A hand mixer barely gets the job done and you may burn out the motor on it.

Breads From Anna: While at Fruitful Yield I picked up a package of banana bread mix. I miss bread liek whoa! Sweet, savory, yeasty, you name it. I am a bread girl. There was many a night that Dad and I polished off a loaf of crusty french bread topped with olive oil and parm, a good stinky brie, or smothered with Nutella. I was a breadaholic. Sometimes I could not wait until arriving home from the store before tearing into a warm, fresh loaf. Driving with one hand on the wheel and the other breaking off hunks of french bread is a tricky maneuver. Hmmm...perhaps Chicago drivers are safer now that I am GF. I eagerly mixed up a batch of banana bread. My bananas were not as ripe as I wished, but they were good enough. Super quick and easy to make the batter, much longer to bake. One hour!!! So long to wait. I wasn't sure how well the bread would raise up, but boy howdy! did it look good. The pan was full to the top with a nicely browned, fragrant loaf. Fast forward to the taste test (it was still piping hot from the oven, I could not wait). Lightly sweet, moist, yum! I will definitely get this again. Two days later the bread is still good, but (typical) is better when toasted and buttered. I am at this moment enjoying two slices with a cup of peppermint tea. The perfect Sunday morning nosh.

One last quick review: Mrs Leeper's Tuna Noodle...thing (can't remember the exact name.) This is one of those tuna mac/hamburger helper type deals. I have to say, not bad. With the added tomato and green onion I threw in I was actually quite good. Easy, too. It made enough for me to have dinner (and Dad to try it), lunch and dinner the next day. Basically, it would make enough for a family meal if you had a veggie on the side. If you need a quick, easy, tasty, low fuss meal...this is it.

OK, now that I have gone on and on about food...I want to cook more. Menu planning time, then grocery shopping. I'm on Spring Break, baby! I actually have the time to cook, bake, broil, and slow cook. Oh yeah!

Recipe help!

I am out in the suburbs tonight at my parents' house. Every time I come out here I cook. Their kitchen is WAY bigger than mine. Also, they have a dishwasher. (Have I even mentioned how much I loathe hand washing dishes?) Well, I ran a few errands before arriving at their house. I bought a new comforter, some window hangings, king size pillow cases. I has found everything I needed. Time to head home. Then I noticed the store next to Marshal's: Fruitful Yield. Woo hoo! I have been wanting to check that place out for months. Oh my darlings, there was much GF shopping to be had. I was a good girl and only bought a few things. I did find two items I have been dying to try for a while, but can not find near my apartment. Coconut flour and Quinoa flour. Yes!!! I must bake!

Here's the problem, I bought the coconut flour because I remember someone posting a recipe for coconut cupcakes that called for this special flour. Problem is...I can't remember who posted the darn thing. Help!!!Do any of you remember seeing this elusive recipe? Can you point me towards it? If not, do you have any suggestions on how I can best utilize said coconut flour?

What the...?

For the last month or two I have not been being very healthy. Yes, I have been eating gluten free, to the best of my knowledge. The truth is, I have not been eating good food. Eating out alot, high fat, unbalanced diet. Not good. This is typical, though. Whenever I get stressed out I eat junk. Just because it is gluten free does not mean it isn't junk food. Yes, overall the GF diet is healthier, but mango or dulce de leche ice cream is just as fatty as cookies n' cream.

In an effort to get back on the wagon of good healthful eating I have agreed to be part of a research study that Rush Hospital is conducting. They are investigating the economic impact of the GF diet. I need to keep a food diary for 28 days. In addition, I need to collect all food receipts for the same duration. I think writing down all of my food intake will make me eat better, if for no other reason than not wanting the doctors at Rush seeing how gross my eating habits have become.

The real reason I should be more conscious of what I am eating is that I am still having symptoms. The pain is gone. I don't have upper belly bloating. Lower bloating and a few other symptoms are still hanging around (I won't mention those in detail...ew.) The thing is, before changing my diet, the symptoms were chronic, constant. Now it is intermittent. Sometimes it flares up, other times I am fine. I started considering the possibility of Candida. I have heard from many folks online that individuals with Celiac often have a Candida overgrowth. No thank you! Talk about not being able to eat anything. I contacted my dietitian to inquire about this. Good news, bad news. She doesn't believe in the connection between Celiac and Candida. She did, however, say that 25% of females diagnosed with Celiac have residual IBS. This does not shock me. Stress related IBS is somewhat common in my family. The past 2-3 weeks have certainly been stressful: National Kodaly Conference (for which I was on the planning committee), grades coming up, grant deadline, project deadline...to name a few. Once my dietitian mentioned IBS I called and refilled the prescription for the pills my GI prescribed when I first went to see him. I remember that they had helped at the time (my GI was surprised they had worked since my tests came back positive for Celiac.) Well, when I make sure to take them 5-15 minutes before I eat a meal...little or no problems! So I think I am going to keep taking the pills, try a fiber supplement, and start exercising again (all recommended for individuals with IBS.) I have also heard good things mentioned about taking probiotics. Have any of you tried these? What do you think of them?

So yes, the journey to a healthy gut continues. Hopefully more successfully in the next few months. Months...wow, it has nearly been 6 months since my diagnosis. Nearly 6 months gluten free. Bot, time sure does fly.

Fabulous friends

For so many people with Celiac, that hardest thing to deal with is friends and family who "just don't get it". The folks who are supposed to be your support network can be the same ones who unintentionally throw up road blocks to healthy living.

"You can just pick off the croutons."
"It only has a little bit of flour to thicken it."
"You can cheat every once in a while."
"But Grandma made this cake for you. Do you want to hurt her feelings?"
"Well, it is just soy sauce!"

They mean well, really they do. It can be difficult to understand the effect of glutening on the body if you yourself don't have Celiac. So often it is associated with allergies, where there are short-term issues, but in the long run no damage is done. It can be easy to believe that, too. You see that hot, steaming slice of pizza. It tantalizes you with it's oozing cheese, sweet-savory sauce, and delicious toppings (of your choice.) Why not? Sure your gut will be painfully bloated for 24-48 hours. And no, there are no pills you can take. But it is worth it, right? WRONG!!! While the obvious effects are "short lived", the damage done to the small intestines can take 6 months to heal. That is six months of decreased nutrient absorption. We Celiacs have first hand experience with "brain fog", mood swings, and skin sensitivities. Really, not worth it.

Most friends and family are well meaning. They try so hard. They purchase foods labeled GF, get the GF shopping lists from local stores (Trader Joe's and Whole Foods), and look online for GF recipes. It is sweet and wonderful and loving. It almost makes you feel not so bad if they accidentally cross-contaminate your food. Hey! No one told them that their wood spoons could make you sick.

Then there are those people in your life who go above and beyond. At my parents house I have my own shelf in the pantry. Dad makes homemade salad dressing every time I come over. My best friend is getting married in a year and has already started asking the reception hall about making my food GF. She even has mentioned getting a super fancy GF cupcake from Swirlz so that I can have wedding cake. (Love ya, hon!) And then there is the friend who, whenever we go out to dinner, goes online to find a restaurant with a GF menu. Being able to choose from an entire menu of safe dishes is fantastic. (The ironic thing is that we have eaten out many times. When I choose the restaurants they have no GF menu. When he has chosen the restaurant they always do.)

What have the people in your life done to make living with Celiac a less challenging experience?

Help a Diva out! :)

Dearest readers, I have not forsaken you!!! Do not fear, I am still alive and kicking.

There are those times when life seems to take over. Busy does not even begin to explain it. Crazed, perhaps? I have been going non-stop for the past couple of weeks. This week starts the beginning of the Diva Stress Fest: full-time teaching, chorus rehearsals, dance club rehearsals, and play practice. Oh yeah, and attempting to have a normal social life. I am supposed to cook during all of this? My energy to experiment in the kitchen has vanished. I feel no inspiration. This saddens me. I love to cook! I love trying new flavors! I hate doing dishes. There are just so many piling up. Tonight I must wash some of those bad boys and work on a grant application (the life blood of a fine arts program.) I need to figure out some kind of easy, tasty dish to eat. I shudder to think of how many meals I have had lately consisting of apples, cheese, chips, and salsa. BAD Diva!!! Save me from unhealthy, if GF, dining.

So what quick and easy dishes do you make when feeling low on inspiration and energy?

Two Valentine's treats

It started like any other day. Well, maybe not any other day. I mean, how many days do you walk out to your car and the snow is piled so high that you have to shovel to get the door open? I have to give much MUCH love to my neighbor. He was out clearing the sidewalk in front of his building. He came to my rescue. He completely cleared away the snow so that I could actually drive to work. I owe him big time! I think I shall pick up a Starbucks card for him tomorrow. He earned it!

Now back to my normal day. I drove to school. It really took no longer than normal. Thank god they got the main roads cleared! I left early, so I had enough time to quickly stop at Starbucks for a chai (why didn't I think to pick up the giftcard then??!?!?!) Normal kids, although fewer of them since the school buses were not running. They were not too crazy considering. Lunch: leftovers. Yum! I taught fifth grade. Fine (even if it took them forever to do one of the activities. Think kids, think!) Then the fifth graders were lining up and I was paged to come to the office. I sent a student. As my kindergarten babies were lining up to enter my room she returned...with a florist box. What the what???!?!!?!?! Flowers? Surely not for me. I'm not in a serious relationship. I can't even say that I am in any relationship. A few dates, but dating? Nope. Hhhmmmm? I open the box and see a beautiful bouquet of tulips. ::sigh:: I adore tulips. I check the card. Well, bowl me over! How sweet and unexpected. How slightly odd. A boy I know, and have been out on two dates with, sent me flowers. Two dates does not a relationship make, but I guess this means he really likes me. Wow. Hrm... I need to think about this. Am I interested? Not so sure. Must consider carefully.

That was treat number one. Number two was one I gave to myself. Tonight's dinner: fancy mac n' cheese. But I did not want to make a huge meal. Too tired to do any "real" cooking. What is in my fridge? Ah ha!

Make Tinkyada pasta, drain
mix in three slices (minus a chunk for the dog) of gross Borden's singles
half of a package of goat cheese
great mounds of fresh grated parm
a good splash or three of milk
a couple good spoonfuls of pesto.

Eat.

Yum.

(I know, not very scientific, but what can I say?)

King of the cupboard

While the lion is the king of the jungle, and Prince Charles will someday be the King of England, coconut milk reigns supreme as the king of my cupboard. I know I have posted in the past about my love of coconut milk. I have slowly begun to discover the depth of that love. In particular, how much I love utilizing it for quick, easy seafood dishes. Used as a sauce base you can make so many flavorful meals. Want something thick and creamy? Regular coconut milk. Want the flavor, but a little less rich? Lite coconut milk. The flavor is not overwhelmingly strong and blends beautifully with spices from the far east. You can create luxurious meals with very few ingredients.

Tonight I needed to cook up some salmon that was sitting in my fridge. I hate to see a good piece of salmon go to waste. We had reached the moment of cook it or get rid of it. What to make? I have never poached salmon before. I'm not entirely sure tonight's meal would qualify as such, but that is where my idea came from. Take the salmon (two "portions"), a can of coconut milk, can of tomatoes, onion and spice. Simmer. You are done. So easy! The most time consuming part was slicing the onion.

Coconut Poached Salmon

2-3 salmon portions

olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1-2 T Asian spice blend (I used the Silk Road blend from The Spice House)

1 can lite coconut milk

1 can diced tomatoes (drained)

In a large saute pan, saute the sliced onions in enough olive oil to coat the pan. When the onions begin to become transparent add the spice blend, toasting the spices (approx. 1-3 minutes). Pour in the coconut milk and tomatoes, mixing thoroughly. Bring sauce to a simmer. Place the salmon portions in the sauce, submerging completely. Cover the pan and simmer until salmon is cooked through. Serve over rice or rice noodles.

Sadly (for you), it was so yummy that I forgot to take a photo before devouring it all. Try flaking the salmon once it is cooked. You can get a wonderful mouthful of salmon, sauce, and veggies every time. I will definitely be repeating this recipe. Next time, red bell peppers!

Gluten Free Product Review

One of the items that I have missed the most since going gluten free would have to be cookies. Sure I could bake some, but I don't always have the time or energy. Sometimes I just want to open a box or bag and start munching. Oh lord, the oreo cravings are bad! I tried some Glutino chocolate sandwich cookies, but that are just not the same. I suppose they are fine cookies, but...where is the crunch? Where is that indefinable quality that makes you eat half the package of oreos with a tall glass of milk even though you know you will be queasy in an hour? Sadly, I fear I will never find it in a gluten free cookie.

As for chocolate chip...homemade is still best. A couple of weeks ago I tried the Enjoy Life Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were ok. Completely soft. Iffy texture. Passable flavor. I have to admit to being a Toll House girl.

Today I decided to brave the Enjoy Life and their cookies again. This time I tried their snickerdoodles. Now these are tasty. They probably have the same texture, but I am used to my snickerdoodles being soft. The flavor is sweet and strong. Yum! I finished the two-cookie snack pack and wished I had more. My only beef is that they are tiny! Tiny, I say! But oh so good.

I'm published!!! (sort of)

So local gal, Jenni of Chronic Babe, and I were talking a few months back. She is a contributor to the Chicago website, Gapersblock. While she does not have Celiac, she does understand the issues faced by individuals with a chronic illness and/or dietary restrictions. After a few months of "will we, won't we" an article was written. It is a focus on Celiac, food allergies, and eating out in Chicago. I am the "tasting expert" and contributed a little sidebar of helpful hints. Go read it! She did an excellent job. I am very proud of what we put together. Hopefully it will open a few new eyes to the gluten free lifestyle.

Quick and delicious

Sometimes when I get home from work I am just too tired to cook. I stare at the contents of my empty fridge and wonder "What the heck am I going to eat?" I mean really, what kind of meal can you possibly make from blackberry yogurt, a wedge of parm, and some slimy looking spinach? It used to be so easy. I would pick up the phone and order any number of tasty (if not healthy) meals: pizza, crab rangoon, fallafel sandwich. These days? Not so much. The concept of fast food has turned from picking something up at a local eatery, to what I can throw together with minimal effort and maximum flavor that will provide enough leftovers for my lunch the next day. Oh yes, and not get sick from eating it. All of those lovely prepared sauces and meals are loaded with gluten: wheat, modified food starch, malt flavoring. Yikes? So what is a gluten free diva to eat? Peanut Coconut Shrimp, that's what.

I am getting a bit ahead of myself. See, I finally was fed up with lazy-night meals consisting of apples, cheese, GF crackers, and dried mangos. I turned to my pantry. It is not stocked as well as it should be. I have to admit that. I am long overdue for a major shopping trip. (My apartment is a mess right now and the thought of bringing bags of anything into it is not inspiring.) It has been interesting to witness the evolution that has taken place in my pantry over the past three and a half months. So many of the items that were once staples have disappeared to be replaced by new, shiny items. The following is a list of must-haves for my pantry. What do you always keep on hand?

coconut milk
canned tomatoes
cans of beans (usually black, but Great Northern is a common sight)
Tinkyada pasta
quinoa
brown rice
sushi rice
quick cook polenta
can of pumpkin
pine nuts
peanut butter
cans of green chilies
pesto
a jar of minced garlic
a jar of ginger paste
jarred pasta sauce (there are so many ways to doctor this up!)
frozen chicken breasts
frozen, pre-cooked shrimp

I know there are things I am forgetting. Making this list has highlighted just how badly I need to hit the store. No wonder I have been unable to cook lately! I my perusal of the pantry last night I decided to pass up the pesto and make something with coconut milk. What, you ask? I had no clue. I just knew at that moment I must use coconut milk. Now usually my store only carries the low-fat variety. This was the real thing. Wow! So different! This stuff was thick. So incredibly rich. Gah! I could eat it with a spoon! ehem. I was trying to think of ways to utilize this decadent ingredient. Chicken or shrimp? Curry? Green chilies? Soup or sauce? Then I looked at the label. hmmm...recipes on the website? OK, why not? A Taste of Thai was already one of my favorite companies due to the fact that they label all of their foods GF (when applicable). Now I love them more for their website. All my favorite Thai dishes are on there. You can order their products online (there are so many my store does not carry!) I browsed the recipes and found Peanut Coconut Shrimp. I made a few modifications since I did not have all of the exact ingredients on hand. So with no further delay, the omg-yummy-so-good dish.


Peanut Coconut Shrimp

1/2 - 1 cup peanut butter (depends on how much you like PB)
1 can Coconut Milk
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp ginger paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
approx. 20 frozen shrimp (precooked, tail off)
2 cups water
1 cup sushi rice

In a medium pot bring water to a boil. Add rice. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15-15 minutes (until rice is tender). While the rice is cooking, combine all remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Stir in frozen shrimp. Let sit as the rice finishes cooking. To serve, just spoon shrimp and sauce over rice.

God, so good. For the last five years I have been trying to find an at home version of the peanut sauce from my favorite Thai restaurant. Who knew it would take developing Celiac to finally find the right recipe? Go make this dish. Add veggies (I know I will next time). Use it as a dip, put it on rice, or just eat it with a spoon. Yes, it's that good. So good that I ate it too fast to take a picture. Maybe next time.

The GF word is spreading

Exciting news! Gluten free eating is in the news. It is just a short blurb, but there is a much longer report out there covering the material from the Department of Health and Human Services. This is exciting. The first steps towards reliable GF labeling on foods. Yay!

Actually, the word really seems to be getting out. I was at a workshop this past Saturday. I was picking over the snacks trying to find something safe. It struck up a conversation about dietary issues and being gluten free. One of the women asked "Oh! Do you have Celiac?" Whoa! She knew three people who had just been diagnosed. Two other women there each knew someone who has it. We are many, apparently. (Well, we already knew that. Now the rest of the world is starting to figure it out!)

Adobo Grill

Yes, it is a chain restaurant. I should feel opposed to the place. The thing is...they were wonderful! Last night we had superb service. Our waiter very quickly bought me a gluten free menu when we requested it. An entire menu of GF options! Everything looked fantastic. He was incredibly helpful for both of us, pointing out vegetarian options for the Veggie Dude (thank you Lynn). We had started off with a drink at the bar while we waited for our table. Mojitos. Fantastic and not made in a tiny glass. I ordered the Enchiladas en Verde Mole. I actually chose a vegetarian option, it just looked so good. Enchiladas filled with butternut squash and mushrooms. Veggie Dude ordered the Vegetarian Platos. It included such dishes as Corn Flan and (I believe) Pumpkin Tamal. It looked amazing, even if I couldn't eat it. For dessert we ordered Mango en Mango: frozen mango mousse with mango slices topped with mango sauce and raspberry puree. OMG! So good. (We discovered a shared love of all things mango.) Now, Adobo is not cheap. This would not be an every weekend sort of dining experience. The thing is, how many restaurants can you go to and know without question they will be able to accommodate your dietary needs? Not many. The extra money may just be worth it. I would highly recommend this restaurant to any person with dietary needs, GF or otherwise. They did a truly exceptional job of working with us in a friendly manner.

Oh, and the Veggie Dude was great. :) Much fun was had. Keeping my fingers crossed that it continues going so well.

Alright, off to take some photos of the goings on in my neighborhood. They are filming a movie on my street! Exciting, but it plays havoc on the already tight parking situation.

Challenges can be encouraging

Oh baby, it has been a long time since I last posted. Where has the time gone? I can hardly believe we are half way through January. I guess it is a good sign that 2007 has started off with lots of activity. Positive, fun activity at that.

I have been a dancing fiend! This New Years was the first time I went out to a big party. Usually we gather at someones house and celebrate together. This year most of the people I regularly celebrate with had plans with significant others. It all worked out perfectly. I was able to go swing dancing to ring in the New Years and I didn't feel guilty for ditching my long-time friends.

Something that I have come to realize in the new year is a new challenge to being gluten free. It takes a special guy (or girl) to date a person who is gluten free. Dating in your late 20's/early 30's is frustrating enough. (Don't let anyone tell you it is an easy task!) You are already dealing with the typical problems: commitment phobes, pressure to become intimate too quickly, or both of you being way too busy with your careers. Now add in trying to go on a dinner date with someone with dietary restrictions. It becomes a major planning event. If the person is only casually interested, are they really going to put forth the effort to accommodate your eating needs? If they aren't going to put forth the effort, is it worth your time to go out with them? It seriously narrows the field. This whole gluten-free thing can make even the most Low-Maintenance gal into someone considered to be High-Maintenance. Man! I always prided myself on being LM. Grrrr! Stupid immune system!

Tonight I am heading out to dinner. On a date. I picked the restaurant the first time. (Much easier that way.) He made the plans this evening. He made a suggestion yesterday that I was on board for: a nice restaurant downtown. I have never been there and there would be live music. Also, it is a pretty swank place. I figure that at a place of such high quality the chefs could make me something without any problem. I was quite looking forward to this meal. See, as a die hard Chicago lover I have this thing about eating out. I would far prefer to go to one of the millions of small independently owned establishments than to a chain restaurant. I even avoid some of the bigger, well-known independent places. Sorry Frontera Grill, you get too much buzz. Rick Bayless may be good, but I taught his daughter. They don't get my money. (And the one time I went there was OK, but not fantastic.) Anyhow, the gentleman in question called this evening. He put in the effort. Apparently, he could not find out any information about the menu at the place he wanted to take me. What did he do? He popped online, did a little research, and found a restaurant with a gluten free menu. (Here is where my small establishment rant comes in.) We are going to Adobo Grill. I have heard good things, particularly in regards to how they handle Celiacs and our dietary needs. I was just leery of suggesting the place since it is part of a restaurant chain. Silly, I know. But he made the effort! He looked into options and took into consideration what I would need. Huh. I haven't had someone do that in a long while. It's really nice.

Now perhaps I should add in a tidbit of info that I have not yet shared. He is probably more sensitive to my dietary issues that the average bear because he is vegetarian. He can understand the difficulty of finding food that fits your diet. Although I have to say, finding a restaurant that can cater to GF and veggie...fun times. Yup. We will be the most HM pair there.

So yes, any suggestions for GF, veggie meals would be appreciated. I am excited by the fact that this is a guy I could cook for and use ingredients like eggplant and endive and he will be happy. (I swear I have a few friends who would rank as the pickiest men on earth!) This could be fun. Wish me luck tonight!

Merry Christmas

Happy holidays, my darling friends! I hope yours has been as enjoyable and delicious as mine. I am currently awaiting dinner. Christmas dinner. One that I do not have to cook. That just makes it even better. We are being very un-Christmas-y this year and will be dining on Salmon, Green Chili mashed potatoes, and fondue for dessert. Yum!

This Christmas was a cooking jackpot. My mom outdid herself with the gifts. I received an All-Clad sauce pan, Kitchen Aid can opener and tea kettle, silicon spatulas, wine bottle opener, martini glasses, gluten-free cookbooks, and so much more. My mom loves to cull through all of the housewares at T.J. Maxx and Homegoods to find great deals on high quality cooking equipment. She did good. She even ordered me a little extra something from Cafe Press. Yes, that's right, she bought an apron from Karina's designs. Gluten Free Diva! She thought it was silly, but I love it. Karina, too fantastic.

So for you, my friends, I give the gift of recipes. (I know, not too creative on a food blog, but what can I say?) I have to admit to not being a clean cook. I make quite a mess. It drives mom crazy. The idea of cleaning up as I go along is a foreign concept for me. We started with macaroons from Mike's book. Very good recipe. I liked the addition of cinnamon. You want the recipe? Buy his book! I made Kolachkis with apricot filling. My faves! I used the Kinnikinnick pastry flour. Nice and light for the delicate dough. Sorry, the recipe is a top secret family recipe. No sharing allowed!

I did make two treats I can share. One was posted on Fancy Toast (Erielle's blog). Chocolate Cherry Cookies. I substituted Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix for the flour and such. They were great. If you make them be sure to keep out only the amount you will eat in two or three days. They get stale fast! The dried cherries aren't cheap, but they are worth it.

The other recipe is for Pumpkin Gingerbread. I found it on recipezaar. I wanted to bake bread for all of my friends for Christmas. I couldn't make it full of wheat flour and taste test it. No sireebob. So of course I made a GF version first. Pamela came to the rescue again. (You know, one of these days I am going to get ambitious and make my own flour mix.) I made mine in muffin tins so that it would be easier to freeze them in single serving sizes.

Pumpkin Gingerbread

1/2 cup soft shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup sour milk
1/2 cup thick pumpkin (strained)
1/2 cup dark molasses
2 1/4 cups Pamela's Pancake and Baking Mix

1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix thoroughly shortening, sugar and egg.
Blend molasses, sour milk and pumpkin together.
Sift flour, soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon together.
Combine all mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour into well-greased and floured 9-inch square pan.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 325 degrees F.

Enjoy!

It is over!

The holiday craziness at school is over...sort of. Well, mostly, anyway. For the last three days I have been in performance mode. On Monday and Tuesday my school had the all-school holiday assemblies. Think: every class stands on stage and sings their prepared holiday song. I felt that I had finally begun to truly put my mark on this holiday tradition. Why? Because there was some diversity at last! My school is predominantly Polish-Catholic. If you are not familiar with Chicago, there are very defined ethnic and economic neighborhoods. My school is located in the Polish and cop/firefighter area. (Chicago cops and firefighters [and teachers!] are required to live within the city boundaries. You can't go much further than my school and still be officially in the city.) In the past, the holiday program contained many religious Christmas songs. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, I was taught that it is important to show the school's and the city's diversity when choosing repertoire for a performance. (And, hello! Cultural education is important in developing a well-rounded, open-minded student.) Ehem...sorry, I'm off my soapbox now. This year we had a one or two religious songs, many non-religious Christmas traditional tunes (12 Days of Christmas, etc.), many generic winter songs ("Snow Pants"), a recitation of "Twas the Night Before Christmas", a Hanukkah song, some humorous Christmas ditties ("The Everlasting Fruitcake"), and a multi-holiday December song (it mentioned Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and La Posada.) It was the best, most smoothly run program in the three years I have been at the school. Yay! And the best part? I wasn't nearly as stressed out this year as I had been in the past! (Stress exacerbates my stomach problems and last year was bad. This year I had no problems.)

Last night was the holiday chorus concert. We have two choruses at my school. The "big kid" (5th-8th grades by audition) which has been directed by the kindergarten teacher for over 10 years, and my Junior Chorus. It is open to 3rd and 4th grades and is y'all come sing. Anyone who wants to join can come and sing with me. I was so proud of my little ones last night. They sounded fabulous and my soloists/duets were wonderful. I love the sound of young, unchanged singing voices. I am actually quite happy that I do not have to direct a chorus of adolescent changing voices.

So today, to relax and celebrate that the performances are over I will bake. I am playing hookie and am out at my parents' house. Mom and I will be heading to the store shortly for ingredients. Shortly thereafter baking will ensue. So far we are going to make Chocolate Cherry Cookies (thanks to Erielle's blog, Fancy Toast) and Kolatchki's. I think both GF and "regular" versions are on the docket. We shall see what time allows.

Communication is the key

What a long week! Grades, progress reports, preparing for holiday assemblies and chorus concerts. It has been a week full of stress and very little cooking. Sadness!!! This time of year is always hectic at work. Never mind the holiday social and family obligations.

After the long week, I was very much looking forward to last night. It was my friend Fernando's birthday. He called me earlier in the week and asked if I would join him and some friends for dinner. He gave me the name and number for the restaurant (Fonda del Mar) so that I could call them. I did. During this phone call I was assured that there were many items on the menu that were wheat free. All I had to do was let my server know and the cooks would tell him exactly which items on the menu were safe. "This will be no problem." Perhaps a little naively I walked into the restaurant thinking this would be a great culinary experience. I quickly discovered differently. I was informed that this would be extremely difficult. The server brought me an appetizer: guacamole with veggies for dipping (cucumber and jicama). Actually, that was delicious. I have never dipped those veggies into guac. So tasty. Perhaps one of the better guacamoles I have ever had. Everyone else placed their orders and the food was brought out.

"I'm sorry, but all of our meat is marinaded ahead of time."

"Your marinade has wheat is it?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. We could give you rice and beans."

"But I called ahead of time to make sure. I was told there would be no problem. I was told he was writing a note in the reservation book about it so that you would know ahead of time."

He just shook his head.

"I'm disappointed because I did my part and checked ahead of time. If I was told this would be a problem I would have eaten before I arrived so that I would not be hungry while everyone else was eating."

"I'm sorry." and he walked away.

Here's the kicker: I ditched out on my staff holiday dinner because they were going for Italian. After the call I made to the restaurant, I chose to attend the birthday dinner because there would be food I could eat. Now I look antisocial to my coworkers for not attending. So after all of that I had a dinner of guacamole and flan. Did he bother to let us know the flan was safe? No. We had to ask. (I sure as hell wasn't going to assume.) In the end he didn't even have the courtesy to comp my appetizer. I literally had to excuse myself for a minute so I could go the the little girl's room, I was so upset by this. I was starving!!! To add insult to injury, the place was BYOB. I couldn't even order the margarita I was craving. GRRR!!!!!

So today will be better...damn it. It has to be. This whole week has sucked. Stress, food issues, emotional crap biting me in the butt. (When everything gets crazy I get super sensitive. All of my personal issues gang up on me and make me a very weepy girl.) As the young kids say: I was incredibly emo this week. Today will be different. I will do a few Christmas shopping errands, wrap gifts, relax, perhaps watch White Christmas, and go to my friend Margaret's house for holiday movies. Well, movies that take place during the holidays: Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. :) I love Margaret! I need to stop and get some food, though. They will be ordering pizza. At least this time I know ahead to bring my own meal. Tomorrow is family holiday party number one (Dad's side). We have to travel far. Very far. Crystal Lake. Oy! I am going to bring a side dish. Mom in her infinite wisdom suggested a quinoa dish. She is so smart. At least if I can't eat the other food I can have a very healthy quinoa dish and the salad that Dad is making (with homemade dressing.) I may even dig a brownie out of the freezer so that I can eat something sweet while everyone else is enjoying the Christmas cookies.

So...yeah. A sucky week. It is now behind me, and behind me it shall stay. OH! Very good news! Mike's book arrived! I am so excited! It looks beautiful. I am dying to bake. So many things I want to try. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies! Cinnamon Marscapone Flan! Coconut Pudding! Mike, you are going to make me fat!

Culinary nirvana

Have you ever made a recipe that leaves you speechless? You finish eating and, while you know you are full, you just want to keep eating so that you don't have to stop tasting the food. It is just that amazing. I did that tonight. I can not take credit for the recipe. I really wish I could. It is a recipe that Erielle post over on Fancy Toast a few weeks back.

I started off by roasting the butternut squash that I bought at my local veggie market. There is just something so homey about roasting squash. Warm, sweet, smooth. So very orange.

Now, as much as I cook and experiment in the kitchen, there is one thing I have never been able to do with regular success. I struggle with caramelizing onions. About a quarter will caramelize, half will be transparent (nicely sauteed), and the remaining quarter are solid brown and dehydrated to the point of being tough. I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. They still taste good. They especially still taste good when you add garlic, fresh sage, and goat cheese. ::drool:: Goat cheese! Everything is better with goat cheese.

Roasted Butternut Squash Purée with Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Sage

~adapted from Butternut Squash Ravioli Recipe at epicurious.com

1.5 pounds of butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press

1-2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped finely

3 oz. goat cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Cut the squash into two halves and scrape out the seeds. Discard seeds (or save for garnish). Place the squash cut side down onto a baking sheet. Bake for about an hour, until the squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the onions by cooking them over medium-low heat in the butter for about twenty-five minutes. Add the sage and garlic about halfway through the cooking time. When the onions are soft, dark, and caramelized, take them off the heat and stir in the goat cheese. When the squash has cooled, scrape the flesh into a bowl. Add the onion mixture. Using a hand mixer, blend the squash and onions until smooth and creamy. Season to taste.

Seriously amazing food. Unfortunately, this does not make a full meal. I needed to make another dish. No problem. I had extra goat cheese! Boil up a pot of Tinkyada. Toss it with olive oil, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, goat cheese, and... black currant vinegar. Yes, that's right, black currant vinegar. My aunt gave me about a 1/2 cup of it to try out. It is amazing. Sweet, strong, zippy. I'd venture to say it is better than balsamic, and I love balsamic. I emailed her for the name of the store she purchased it from. If they have a web site I will pass it along.

So tonight I ate an at-home gourmet meal: Black Currant Goat Cheese Pasta and Roasted Butternut Squash Puree with Caramelized Onion, Sage, and Goat Cheese. If you couldn't tell, my belly is feeling better :) It is a good thing. And best of all? Leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Something is amiss

Miss Clavel (of the Madeline books) and I have something in common: we both feel that something is amiss. She feels that the little girls who live at her school have run amok in the dormitory. I feel that gluten has run amok in my gut. I don't know where is came from, how it got there...but it is there. Bloating, cramps, heartburn, nausea. It is all back in full force. All I have wanted to do for the past couple of days is curl up in a ball and rub my tummy. Ever since I made that yummy tuna. The thing is, there were no offending ingredients in the dish. It should be completely safe. Maybe there was something wrong with the fish itself? Could bad fish cause the same exact symptoms as a glutening? Ugh. It feels like gluten.

I would not let my gut rule my life. I forced myself to go out. Here's the funny thing. I have noticed that when my gut is making itself known, being active helps take the edge off of the discomfort. I don't feel like going dancing, but at least 50% of the time the physical activity helps me to feel better. It probably just takes my mind off of it, keeps me from dwelling on the symptoms. Perhaps the endorphins ease the discomfort. I just have to remind myself that despite how my belly feels, I need to maintain my activity levels.

So after two nights in a row of dancer parties (darn good parties, at that), I am staying in today. I will be responsible. I will grade 800 papers. I will eat healthy foods. I will rest for the coming week so that I can dance another day. And I will go eat that tasty Kinnikinnick bagel I have toasting. Cream cheese and lemon curd? YES!

I am a geek

A food geek to be precise. Seriously! I'm not kidding. I know it may not come as a surprise to learn that, but let's just say this was a bit of a revelation to me. It's not that I used to hate cooking. I would never go that far. But there was once a time where I would have killed to have someone else cook for me.

Today I get excited by the smallest culinary moment. This morning I walked into the office at school. On the bench sat a shipping envelop. It was big, obviously holding a large, rectangular object. I rushed over to read the shipping label. Clutching it to my breast I danced around the office. It had arrived!!! What could cause such excitement, you ask? Why the copy of Starting With Ingredients that I ordered from Amazon. It is this enormous tome organized by...you guessed it, ingredients. You purchased some quince when it was on sale at the veggie market and have no idea how to prepare them? No problem, look up the chapter on quince. You get a section that includes information about the ingredient, hints/tips on everything from purchasing to preparing, and about 3-8 recipes. The page count comes in at just over 1050. This sucker is hefty.

You would think that would be enough excitement. Oh no, more was to come. My Kinnikinnick order was delivered! Bread mix, 4 bags of pastry/pie crust mix, and a package of GF bagels. As soon as I arrived home I busted out the bagels. Toasted and slathered in cream cheese...so...darn...good. Perhaps not like the New York bagels they claim to emulate, but these suckers are good. My dietitian recommended the pastry/pie crust mix for making kolachi cookies (a staple in the Mueller family Christmas baking.) Mom and I have a baking date planned.

No all of that excitement is understandable. The average foodie would be thrilled by both deliveries. The two things that tip me over the line into geek territory are thus: 1) I still have the forthcoming excitement of a delivery from Gluten Free Pantry and additional cookbook, and 2) I am having to seriously talk myself out of being a bad friend. I bought a book for one of my friends for Christmas. It is a food related book. I want to read it. I could buy myself a copy or borrow it from the library. OR...I could read the copy I bought him before Christmas. I can be careful with the book. He would never know it had been read. But that would be bad. Not a good friend. Damn. Must exert self control.

One thing that became clear to me is that in the midst of geeking out, finding new recipes, try new techniques, we often forget an important rule: KISS. Keep it Simple Stupid. Fancy is not always better. Of course it is fun, fulfilling, and compelling to challenge ourselves with complex recipes. I think in all that complexity, we forget how amazing the simple seasoning of a basic ingredient can be. Tonight I made pan seared tuna. Sounds fancy, but could not be more simple.

Rub tuna with olive oil. Rub with a coating of salt and Argyle Street Asian Spice Blend from the Spice House. (It is premixed. All you do is sprinkle and rub.) Pour 2 T of olive oil into a hot pan. Place seasoned tuna in the pan and sear until the edge begins to turn opaque. Flip tuna. Sear for another 1-3 minutes (depending on how rare you like you tuna). Move tuna to a plate. Eat. You basically season the fish and fry it up. EASY!



Ok, I made a rice dish that was slightly less simple.

Mandarin Almond Rice

In a medium sauce pan combine:

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup brown rice

2 t. Argyle St. Asian Spice Mix

1 t. salt

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. When rice is cooked and render mix in:

1 can Mandarin oranges

1/2 cup slivered almonds