Gluten Free Cooking

So here's a post about what I eat as a gluten free(GF) addict. I don't often cook with gluten free items, so I may have a boring meal plan :) I tend to eat items that are naturally gluten free..... here's some ideas

Dinners
Chicken breasts with potatoes and veggies
I typically will put this all in the crockpot in the AM with nothing but prebought gluten free chicken broth. Or, if I'm out of the broth, I will use orange juice, or just water. I will also a variety of spices/herbs to season it

Stew - meat, carrots, potatoes
I put this in the crockpot as well, with prebought GF beef broth. Also will ad GF ketchup and spices/herbs.

Chicken/beef stirfry
I cut up uncooked chicken or beef and cook it on stove with veggies and rice. Again, these are all naturally GF foods.

And yes, those are the typical dinners we eat. Not much variety. Most of our dinners consist of variations of meat, potatoes, and veggies.

Lunches
I usually have a sandwich or tortilla

GF rice tortillas - add GF peperroni, GF lunch meat, cheese and spices/herbs
GF Bagels - add the same topppings as listed
GF pizza crust - same toppings as above. Usually add GF beans as well

All my pizza crusts, bread, bagels etc are  prebough GF items. I have had no sucess with making my own. The taste and texture is just to aweful when its homemade and I usally end up having to throw it out.

Breakfasts
GF oatmeal
GF cereal

So there is my exciting meal planning. I have very little variety, but when I lived at home, I didn't have space to store gluten free food makings. Now that I have my own place I might try to get more variety. But we shall see : ) I would love to make my dinners more exciting, since my husband eats it with me even though he doesn't have the allergies. No way am I making 2 different dinners a night! :) Up to this point, I haven't found a reciepe for good GF lasanga or spagetti. I personally think the noodles taste really bad and the consistency is usally runny.

Vacation 101

How do you go on vacation, have everything not go as planned, and still have a good time? The answer: appreciate the upheavel cuz it makes for a good blog post :)

 

Here's what can happen in 20 min when you are on vacation.....

• Room service called 5 times
• Stirring my meds in a glass, only to have the spoon break
• The shower flooded the bathroom
• Coffee spilled
• Milk spilled

 

And there's more......

• Start for dinner at 5:00 pm, but don't get served until 8:30
• Endure the freezing cold hotel room, only to finally find the heater nob after 24 hours
• Couldn't figure how to turn of the bathroom light, so it stayed on all night     
• Asked by the cashier why we'd want to vacation in her crummy town
•  Hotel alarm clock going off thoughout the night even though we didn't set it and turned the power off. I finally smothered it with pillows
• Asking for direction to the nearby cemetary, only to be given directions by a gas station employee who knew about it cuz "he once got arrested there"

 

But here's a good picture of the falls and our hotel :)

 

The Spring of 2007 ~ how it all started

Last night was the start of softball season. As I walked across the field to watch my man play, I got nostalgic thinking about how softball brought us together 4 years ago. So here's our story!

Matt had decided to join my church's men's softball team. I was on the coed team. After 1 game I had to drop out due to a foot injury. But I secretly was rather glad about it, cuz this meant I could watch Matt's games! I was getting interested in this guy who was confindent, could carry his own in a conversation, was into finances, and had a great sense of humor (and was 6 ft w/ black hair - my ultimate dream man). Only problem was, he didn't know I existed. So some careful planning was put into place (but I'll just stick with the softball facts this time around :D ).

I started attending every game he had. Sometimes he'd talk to me afterwards, but mostly not. Then came my big break, the Border Bash game!! An all day event where they played ball nonstop. I got up at 6:00 AM to get to this - even curled my hair for if! That was one long day - sitting in the rain and cold watching game after game. During one game he hit a home run and as he ran past the fence where I was standing he said "that was for you". That was my first real sign after months that he might be interested.

But alas the games ended and we walked to our cars. As I was pulling out he waived me down and said he'd go to the post game party if I would. Of course! Off to the party we went, caravan style. But alas, the party ended and again nothing else concrete said. Within minutes of leaving my cell rang....yep, him again. He asked if I'd like to drive past his work. 

And so as we stood in the pouring rain on the road looking at his work, with rain drenching my gorgeouse curls and mascara running down my face, he simply said "You came to every game for months, and today you watched every game in the rain. You must be sombody special. Would you be my girlfriend?"

and of course I said yes :) FINALLY!

The life of a gluten free addict

I'm walking down the grocery aisle and my eyes zoom in on a brand new product. A gluten free Mint Chocolate Chip power bar. Can it be?!! It's been years since I've tasted such goodness. And now it's in the gluten free form so I can enjoy it again! I spend the high price and eagerly ripe the package open. My teeth sink in. The goodness crumbles in my mouth (as opposed to melt). The chalk-like substince sprinkles from the edge of the bar around my driver's seat. So much for a freshly vacuumed car. I try another bite. It is confirmed. This bar is has nothing in common with a real mint chocolate chip bar then the name on the wrapper. And so again I must live with just a long ago memory of Mint Chocolate Chip.

And yes, I intend to return the half eaten power bar due to consumer dissatisfaction.

God's promise

The Angel of Prayer

In memory of baby Michael

 

God's promise to me.

A day with no more dying, no more loss, and no more tears.

Happiness is delayed for a time, but it shall come.

For one day I will see my babies and hold them close to me.

"For you are held in grievous bonds, while he's forever free"

I think I have yet to truly post a Small Rambling on this blog :) Here's another long one, you history buffs will love it.

This was a letter writen by my ggg Grandfather during the Civil War. His friend had just died in the death house of Camp Chase when the friend received word that his fiance has been unfaithful. Here is what my Grandfather wrote back to the unfaithful fiance.

"Your letter came, but came to late. For heaven had claimed its own. There are sudden changes from prison bars unto the Great White Throne. And yet I think he would have stayed for one more day of pain, could he have read those tardy words which you have sent in vain.

Wy did you wait, fair lady through so many a weary hour, had you other lovers with you, in that silken dainty bower? Did others bow before your charms and twine bright garlands there?And yet I ween in all that throng his spirit had no peer.

I wish thatyou were by me now as I draw the sheet aside. To see thee look how pure it were awhile before he died. Yet the sorrow that  you gave him still had left its weary trace and a meek and saintly sadness dwells upon his pallied face.

"her love", he said, "could change for me the winter's cold to spring". Ah, trust of thoughtless maiden's lvoe, thou art a bitter thing. For when these valley fair in May-once more with bloom shall wave and the northern violets blow above his humble grave. You dole of scanty words had been, nut one more pang to bear. Though, to the last, he kissed with love this tress of your soft hair. I did not put it where he said, for when the angels come, I would not have them find the sign of falsehood in the tomb.

I've read the letter, and I know the wiles that you have wrought to win that noble heart of hisand gained it - fearful thought. What lavish wealth men sometimes give for a trifle, light and small. What manly forms are often held in follie's flimsy thrall.

You shall not pity him, for now he's past your hope and fear; Although I wish that you could stand with me besides his grave. Still I forgive you; Heaven knows. For mercy you'll have need since God his aweful judgement sends on each unworthy deed. Tonight the cold winds whistle by as I my vigil keep. Within the prisons dead house were few mourns come to wheep. A rude plank coffin holds him now, yet death gives always grace. And I would rather seem him thus, then clasped in your embrace. Tonight your rooms are very gay, with wit and wine and song; and you are smirking jsut as if you never did a wrong. Your hand so fair that none would think it penned these words of pain. Your skin so white, would god, your soul, where half so free of stain.

 I'd rather be the dear dear friend then you in all your glee. For you are held in greivous bonds while he's forever free. Whom serve we in this life, we serve in that which is to come. He chose his way; you, your's. Let God pronounce the final doom."

How would you respond?

Your friend is going through unexplained health challenges. Your friend faces financial ruin. Your friend is in a car accident. Now, lets say this all starts happening after your friend has made a decision for his/her life that you don't agree with. How would you respond? Honestly.

If we were honest, we'd probably have to admit that we would be wondering if God was punishing them, or trying to get their attention, or giving them grief/consequecnes for their decision that you think is a bad choice.

"To him who is afflicted, kindness should  be shown by his friend" Job 6:14

A simple truth, but yet one we may not follow in thought or deed. When Job was stricken with calamity, his friends came to comfort him. But after a while, and more things happend to Job, they started to lecture him and told him his afflications were the conequences for something he must have done wrong.  What did Job do? Sounds like he was quite stunned for a time. What he needed was a reason to hope, for kindness, and words that showed that his friends believed in him. And thats what Job told his friends.

So the next time you see afflication happening to your friend, show kindess to them - in thought and deed. Don't presume that they are in sin and under punishment by God. Leave it to God to make the call on that.

When someone is grieving, listen, don't lecture.

*there have been no recent circumstances that spur this post. Just something I have observed in mankind :)