Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Parfait

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Parfait 

Who needs pumpkin pie? As much as my family loves it, this Thanksgiving I didn't have time to play with a new crust recipe.  Previous crusts that I have made ranged from disappointing to inedible.

I created this parfait last minute on the day we were celebrating Thanksgiving.

For 6-8 Parfaits:

In a large bowl,whisk together:

2. 3.4 oz boxes of Jell-o instant vanilla pudding 

1  30 oz can of Libby's Pumpkin Pie mix

2  cups of milk

Pumpkin pie spice (not required)

Next, break up gluten free graham crackers and blend in a blender to make crumbs.

The rest is easy, layer pumpkin pie pudding, graham cracker crumbs, Cool Whip and repeat and top with a peak of Cool Whip.  I used clear plastic disposable cups for easy clean up.  

Cheating on gluten free diets (tough love)

This is my tough love article for celiac's who cheat or who are tempted to cheat on their gluten free diet.

So I preface this by saying, I understand.  I understand that you are in mourning.  I understand being frustrated to have to research everything you put in your mouth.  I understand that you can't have a decent bagel, pizza or doughy doughnut.  Sometimes I drive past a Taco Bell and just let out a big sigh.  Especially at first, there is that realization that this isn't just a temporary "diet".  You can NEVER EVER have those things again.

Ok, lets all take a minute to be sad and have a pity party. 1...2...3...4...5...Ok, Time is UP!  Let's get real for a minute.  You do have a disease, and yes, in extreme situations, it can actually be fatal.  Here is the deal, it is totally treatable.  Just don't eat gluten.  You don't need to fill your body with chemo chemicals to recover, you don't need to be on dialysis the rest of your life, you haven't lost a limb...just don't eat gluten.

So, it may sound very black and white with me.  One of the reasons is that I was so sick before diagnosis, I had to stop working and honestly couldn't leave the house.  I was sick, depressed and not feeling to optimistic about my future.  You can read my diagnosis story here.  When I finally figured out what was wrong, I was actually quite happy.  I literally went cold turkey off of gluten.  My blood test was positive for celiac and when I had to do a 2 day bowel prep for my colonoscopy, I decided I would never eat gluten again.  End of story. It was not a happily ever after fairy tale.  It does suck sometimes, but we, or at least I, need to put it in perspective.

People are curious and mostly sympathetic about my celiac.  Some people give me their condolences.  That must be about the worst thing in the world, they are so sorry.  I always pipe up with, "At least I don't have cancer!"

Let me give you a personal insight.  At the time I was the sickest. before, during diagnosis and transition of going gluten free, I had a friend my age (early 40's) that was battling terminal cancer. Cancer that was brought on from his anti-rejection medication from having to have a double lung transplant.  Did I mention he was a police officer, married to a school teacher and had a 5 year old? So, I am not going to bitch about having dietary restrictions.  My friend and I did bond over text where we made it through the day without "sharting" and who threw up more. Mine from celiac and his from chemo.  I was diagnosed in March and my friend passed away in August.  So if you think celiac is the worst possible thing that can happen...it's not.

I am sorry-ish if that comes off harsh.  It is a big transition and yes if does effect the rest of your life.  But, you know what, beyond celiac and leaky gut, I am pretty dang healthy.  I am super grateful for that! My husband has the triple threat; type 1 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  He is on an insulin pump and it is just as obtrusive, if not more than my celiac disease. I also have 3 kids who are doing fairly well & my parents are still doing well.  Well, dad had kidney cancer, multiple bouts of basal cell carcinoma and knee surgery.  Mom has had her share of surgeries also.  HEY!  We are all still here.

So I have to cook a lot more, I have to plan our vacations around my food, I don't eat out much because I am sensitive to cross contamination....honestly if that is my biggest complaint, I am a lucky girl.  You have choices.  You have a sensible treatment plan.  CC happens, and trust me, I have ended up in the emergency room more than once. 

My dad...see above, told me that it isn't happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy.  Wise words.  Here is a little inspirational message you can pin or post to your facebook.

My son's best friend who was 21 when he passed away suddenly, once posted, "Take a look around and realize what you have now"  His mom made bracelets for us to wear with that message, to remind us that we are here and there is always something to be grateful for.  I wear this and any time I may be having a crap day.  It is a good reminder.

We all have bad days.  Life happens.  Bad work days, fights with partners, stresses of parenting, financial difficulties, mental illness, PMS....it is a very real.  Just remember that isn't the ONLY thing in your life.

Ok, one more inspirational message:

Viva Las Vegas GF style

For my 42nd birthday, my husband surprised me with a trip to Vegas.  After my initial excitement, the reality set in.  Oh crap, I have to figure out food.

My husband booked us a room at New York, New York and when researching the hotel, they actually had a few GF options.  So I packed my bag, complete with Imodium, zofran, an anti stomach spasm medication, probiotics and digestive enzymes....and hoped for the best.

To supplement my meals, I bought a few Go Picnic meals.  Think shelf stable lunchables for celiacs.  I didn't have enough time to buy them online, but I found that my local Walgreens carried a couple of options.  I purchased a couple each of the Hummus one and turkey peperoni one. They have several snacks in each box.  I opened up the boxes and emptied the contents into a zip bag.  Here is what the boxes look like.  Please be aware they make other meals that are not gluten free, so be sure to check you packaging.  Often you can find deals on Groupon.
http://www.gopicnic.com/

I used a groupon and purchased more, because they don't need refrigeration, they are perfect to keep in the car in case of a celiac emergency (starving but no where safe to eat)

We arrived in Vegas by 8:00 am and started looking for somewhere to eat.  My Find Me GF app gave good reviews for Il Fornaio, however when I asked, they didn't have a GF breakfast menu.  Bummed, but starving, I picked what I was hoping would be a harmless fruit plate with cottage cheese.  I stressed to the waitress how sensitive I was and my concerns about getting ill.

A few minutes later, the manager came to me with my fruit plate.  They had made sure to use a clean cutting board & knife, which they also had sanitized.  That made me feel so much safer.  And they brought me a beautiful fruit plate, which included dragon fruit, mango, papaya, banana, Asian pears, berries, kiwi and pineapple.  It was perfect. 

 http://www.ilfornaio.com/

That night, we went to another restaurant within NY NY that had good reviews within the Find Me GF app.  The restaurant was called The Nine Fine Irishmen.  I spoke with my server, stressed my concerns and we spoke about options.  They did have a gluten free menu.

After speaking with my server, I decided upon grilled salmon, grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes with goat cheese, bacon and chives. All were outstanding.  My favorite was the mashed potatoes.

http://www.ninefineirishmen.com/

Most of the rest of my meals were supplemented by my Go Picnic meals.  However, our last night there, we did go to Il Fornaio again.  The hostess had told me that all of the pastas could be gluten free with GF pasta.  We had a great server and when I explained my concerns to him and placed my order, he told me that pasta sauce had flour in it.  Yikes!! I asked him what he would recommend and again, the manager came to my table.  Honestly, to me, that is a sign of a good restaurant.

He and I spoke and I asked him what he recommended for me.  He made a few suggestions, and I ended up going with a Salmone con Spinac, which is grilled salmon over organic baby spinach salad with red onions, mushrooms, toasted walnuts and warm vinaigrette.  It was beautifully presented and again, yay, I didn't get sick! 

Then comes my biggest mistake and it was my own damn fault.  After a long night of gambling, cocktails and fun, I went back to my hotel room at 1:00 am and was hungry for something hearty.  So I looked at the room service menu and chose what looked like the safest bet.  Potato skins.  They were so cute and they hit the spot....then they didn't.  When I woke up my guts were not happy.  It was the morning we were going home, and between frequent bathroom trips, Imodium, and fluids,  I made it home safely.  I was down and out for 5 days though, with fatigue and that general just feeling poorly I get when I get glutened.  So, stay away from room service.

On a side note, I highly recommend going to see The Frank Marino's Divas show.  The  female impersonators were fantastic and the back up dancers were pretty amazing too.

Overall, I consider it a successful trip.  The trip also had a lot of meaning to us.  We brought along some ashes of my son's best friend.  He was 21 when he died suddenly in a car accident in August 2013, so we sprinkled his ashes all over Vegas for his family.  RIP Layne.

McMenamins Deliciousness

Before going GF, I did love me a communication breakdown burger from McMenamins.

McMenamins is a cool local Pacific NW chain of restaurants, hotels & venues. One thing I love about McMenamins is that they are a local company that supports other local companies.  They get all of their food sources from Oregon & Washington based companies. 

On a side note, we have stayed at Edgefield and it was wonderful.  We have also had my husband's union banquet there for the past few years.  It is just a cool place.  Even if you don't stay the night, go check it out for the funky artwork!

http://www.mcmenamins.com

I went into the Happy Valley/Clackamas area on at:

9757 S.E. Sunnyside Rd.

• Clackamas, OR 97015
  
  
  I was pleased as punch that the server was knowledgeable about gluten free food. I was seriously hoping I could get their delightfully delicious shoestring fries with my meal....and I could! They have a dedicated for their tater-tots & if you ask really nicely, they will put a batch of fries in there for you. Yay! They even brought me a local GF ketchup. 
  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  I decided to try their GF bun. Normally I get burgers lettuce wrapped because I don't care for most GF buns. Our server told me that their buns were different so I decided to give it a try. 
  
  
  My mouth was watering when I got my meal. Beautiful!
  
  
  
  
  
  Because I was on a date with my husband and we had a lot of errands to run that day, I decided not to get my much loved communication breakdown burger.  It is delicious, but not the best for your breath.  I got the Dungeon Burger (mushroom & Swiss cheese) instead. 
  
  
  The bun was very different. It was more like ciabatta bread than a traditional bun & I really liked it! 
  
  
  
  
  
  On a non-GF note, we took my son there for his 22nd birthday. He had never been. He decided to try a beer sampler. McMenamins originally started out as just a brewery and they brew some pretty awesome beer. (They do offer a couple of GF beer and hard ciders) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He was so impressed with the seasonal Kris Kringle that he bought one of their famous growlers. It was $4 for the refillable jug and $13 to get it filled. He can take it into any McMenamins for refills. Our server told us that every Monday they offer a discount on the bartender's choice for refills as cheap as $8 for the gallon!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  As always, please ask your server about their fryer and GF options at each location. You know what they say about assuming..
  
  
  

Thanksgiving Traeger Turkey

This is the bomb-diggity. Oh, sorry, so awesome I flashed back to the 80's. My husband smoked this puppy on our Traeger. This is the most beautiful turkey I have ever seen.

Rubbed down raw with olive oil, onion powder, granulated garlic & Penzy's Northwoods Fire seasoning. We always cook breast down so that all of the yummy juices run into the breast, not away from it.

Almost all of Penzey's seasonings are GF! You can order online at:

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/penzeysordering.html?id=LYF5VDFX

We are super lucky to have a Penzey's store locally at

11322 SE 82nd Ave
Happy Valley, OR

 

I am visual, so I love going in and looking at all of the spices.  There are SO many! Here is a link to see if you have a store nearby you. 

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/penzeysstores.html 

We put the turkey on the Traeger on smoke for 5 hours, then cranked it up to medium for just over 3 1/2 hours for a 20lb bird. Time really depends on your bird and how cold it is outside.  

Pretty much anything off a Traeger is delicious, but my husband out-did himself tonight! 

http://www.traegergrills.com/dealers 

Udi's frozen GF French baguette review

As my regular readers know, I don't eat a lot of GF bread, mostly because it disappoints me.

I did love a little brushetta back in the day, so when I saw these baguettes, visions of antipasto danced in my head. 

This bag was at Safeway for $5.99 and each bag has 2 baguettes. They are about 12" long and 2" in diameter. Just to let you know, they are dairy, soy and nut free also.

http://udisglutenfree.com/

I cooked 1 baguette as directed. From frozen, 400° for 10-15 minutes. I cooked mine approx 14 minutes. It was crispy, but in a good, crusty sort of way. 

Tonight I picked up some creamy garlic & herb goat cheese and vine ripened hothouse tomatoes. We usually grow our own tomatoes, but it is November...you take what you can get. 

I sliced my baguette in 1/2" slices, smothered them with goat cheese, topped with tomato and I was in heaven. I shared the baguette with my son. Ok....he had 3 pieces and I ate the rest. 

I think this was good enough to serve to my gluten loving friends and family. Next time I am picturing olive oil, mozzarella, fresh basil and tomato. I will post updated photos. I have only seen these once at Safeway, so I am going to buy a few if they still have them.

**update**

I cooked it a little less, approx 11 minutes and I liked the texture better. Then I topped them with a generous helping of pesto and goat cheese. 

Udi's frozen Gluten Free Uncured Pepperoni Pizza review

I have only tried 2 gluten free pizza crusts in the last 8 months, and both left me underwhelmed.

I saw this frozen Udi's pepperoni pizza on sale at Safeway, so I figured I would get one and save it for a rainy day. 

Last night was a rainy day (literally, I live in Oregon), so I thought I would give it a try. 

It is a small pizza and, well, it looked like a frozen pizza. I cooked it exactly as directed. 400°, directly on the rack, 6" from the bottom, for 12 minutes. This is what came out. 

Not too shabby. I picked up a piece to snap this photo to show the thickness and the pizza was limp, however the instructions say to let it sit for 5 minutes and it firmed up. 

Let me remind you, this is a frozen pizza. I did not have the expectation that it would be some amazing, life altering meal, but you know what? It was pretty darn good. 

My husband and I have an inside joke. Once we were starving and all we had to eat was a package of very stale Ritz crackers. When we ate them, it was the best damn Ritz cracker we had ever had. So, the joke it, it can be a crappy meal, but if you are deprived, it will be the best thing in the world. 

So I was unsure, was the pizza really good, or was this the best damn Ritz cracker situation? I had my gluten loving husband take a bite & he agreed, for a frozen pizza, it was pretty good!

I cook almost every night and try to limit my processed food, but I will be buying this pizza again for another rainy day. 

Happy Halloween!

Be sure to check those candy labels for gluten! Have a fantastic Halloween!


How to have a safe, gluten free Halloween! (Link)

My Halloween Costume 2013

OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

 

One of these things is not like the other one

I don't eat much GF bread, mostly because it sucks. I was extremely hungry for something hearty and I came across these babies.

They looked delicious and I had a fantasy of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits. I've never heard of Chebe brand, but it was all fancy, expensive and I was starving....so I bought them. 

http://www.chebe.com

I cooked them exactly as directed on the package. They didn't quite come our as advertised. 

They were flat. Not sure...here is another angle..

I cooked them as directed for 30 minutes & didn't want to cook them any longer because they were so hard. 

So here is the DL (down low) The flavor is very good, but they are very thick, dense and pretty firm while still warm. You could use them as a discus after they have cooled off. 

I certainly would not buy them again. 

Super easy taco salad! Family pleaser!

This is SOOOO easy and a family favorite.  I used to throw everything together in a giant bowl, but now I just let everyone build their own....even easier for me!

Today I used seasoned lean ground meat (we actually use elk, which is super lean), bag of iceberg salad, low fat shredded cheese, sliced olives, a can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed) and of course my secret dressing.  Are you ready for it? Light sour cream mixed with salsa.  I do about 50/50, but you can use less salsa for a milder dressing.  We also crumble baked cheddar flavored chips over the top (check label for GF!)

On other occasions we have used onions, jalapenos, guac, tomatoes...whatever.  This is also a good, easy way to do a taco night!

As a time saver, once a month or so, I cook up about 4 lbs of ground meat that I season with taco seasoning.  I divide by the pound into zip bags and freeze.  So this time, I stuck it in the fridge to thaw overnight.  No need to heat it, as it is a salad.

The chips we used tonight are the Baked Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles.  Frito Lay's website has these listed as gluten free.

I can not stress the importance of checking your ingredients for gluten.  The taco seasoning we safely use is McCormick.

This took me about 5 minutes to throw together (mostly just open packages) and mix the dressing.  Doing the build your own feeds more people also.  I've easily fed 7-9 people with this amount of food.

Super easy (Gluten Free) meatballs

My version uses gluten free ingredients, but you could easily use regular ingredients also.

1 1/4 pounds ground meat (I used ground elk)
2 teaspoons Gluten Free Worcestershire sauce

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian Gluten Free bread crumbs (see recipe here)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic finely chopped (I use jarred)

1/4 cup finely diced onion (I find it easiest to use a small food processor)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  I just used my hands to mix.  Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place on greased cookie sheet (I used GF olive oil spray) Bake at 350° 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink

They freeze really well.  I am craving some meatballs in homemade GF Teriyaki sauce!  Yum! You could also spice them up with crushed red pepper.  Maybe add GF BBQ sauce.  Lots of options here!

By the way, I did freeze a batch of 20 meatballs.  I just reheated in the microwave at 50% power till thawed, then added them to the sauce to heat through.  This time, I added them to a corn/rice pasta and garlic Alfredo.  YUMMY!

Review Pamela's gluten free chocolate cake mix

I've had this cake mix for a while, so I decided to give it a try. I may have out-chocolated myself. I bought this mix at New Seasons. 

It is a rich dark chocolate, which is my favorite. I followed the directions on the package and added about a cup of mini chocolate chips. Yum. I had a can of milk chocolate whipped frosting. All of my ingredients are gluten free of course. 

I used my brownie pan to make square cupcakes, just for fun :-)  I didn't really try to make the frosting pretty. Sorry! 

They are very moist and delicious! Super duper rich & chocolatey...not for the faint of heart. I recommend this cake mix. I didn't frost all of them, because I am going to freeze them. I will post an update about how well they freeze. 

I would love to make these again with some homemade peanutbutter frosting.