Endings

Last Friday was the last day of Early Morning Seminary. 

We were all more than excited to be able to sleep in again.  I couldn't wait to delete my 5:40 alarm clock on my phone.  We celebrated the last day by making incredible crepes (that were gluten free even) and we covered them in nutella, strawberries, bananas, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.  It was a lovely ending to a such a great year with my students.  They also gave me the sweetest card and flowers - they really are the best. 

This week I am finding the shift to no early morning seminary more of a mix of emotions than I initially thought.  I was sure the sleeping in would trump it all, and maybe it has, because the sleeping in has been really lovely.  What I miss the most is: seeing them every day.  It was so fun to be involved with their lives, listen to their testimonies, and see them flirt with each other.  I loved hearing about their upcoming games or concerts and then surprise them when Jeremy and I showed up to support them. I have loved studying the scriptures with them, even when it has been the Old Testament which can be tough.  I loved really getting to know them - which definitely happens when you only have four students.  It has been great. 

They are incredibly unique and talented and spiritually strong human beings.  They have great things ahead and I am so grateful I could be a very small part of their journey.  I will always cherish this year, even with it being some mixture of challenging, rewarding, exhausting, testimony-building, and of course... lots of fun. 

Gluten Free Apple Crisp (!!!)

After picking all of those wonderful apples on Saturday, we had to make an Apple Crisp last night. I got the recipe from my dear friend Laura and knew I could make it gluten free.

Gluten Free Apple Crisp
10 large apples thinly sliced 
2 T lemon juice
2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c GF flour
1 c butter (cut in cubes)
2-1/2 c GF rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350. Peel and slice apples into a 9x13 pan. Pour lemon juice over apples. Combine brown sugar and flour. Add butter cubes and rolled oats to sugar mixture. Lay sugar mixture on top of apples and pat in. Bake for 35 min or until apples are soft. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

We decided to cut it in half and looking back on it, I am pretty sure we ended up halving only the apples and the butter.  Oooops!  So our version had lots of sugar and oats. And it was delicious.  I guess we will have to make another one.  Good luck with yours!  I know you will love it!

Refueling

Jeremy and I have been playing a lot in the mountains now that we live in beautiful Vermont.  It is crucial to refuel after that sort of thing because we always get so exhausted and hungry.  And we know if we ignore those things it leads to the dreaded "hangry", so we rely on great snacks to get us through.  Nutritionally, it is good to have a snack that has a mixture of carbohydrates and protein to really replenish what your body needs.  Here are some of my favorites (which are of course Celiac Friendly):

Chocolate Milk
You can buy it on the way home from a convenience store after you sweat out in nature or you can just make it at home the old fashioned way with milk and chocolate syrup.  We always have chocolate syrup on hand for that sort of thing (and for topping ice cream, of course).  Chocolate milk is notorious for being the perfect combo of all the things you need after working out and it is super delicious!  It's my go to beverage.  I have been having it so often after our bike rides that Jeremy is finally converted to the goodness and bought a 1/2 gallon at the store the other day.  Keep it coming!

Trail Mix
I have really been loving trail mix lately.  It is so tasty and I love the variety of mixes that are out there.  The sky is the limit on trail mix so if you are getting bored of one combo you can let your creativity go wild to make your own.  You just need some nuts, dried fruit, some chocolate if you are up for a real treat, and whatever else you feel like throwing in, and voila... perfect snack.  Trail mix is packed with protein and a bag of it can easily be thrown into your car, pocket, or backpack for your outdoor fun.  Whenever we go hiking or mountain biking, I like to have trail mix on hand for quick energy.  My favorite combo right now is almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, golden raisins, and craisins. 

Fruit and Nut Butter
Fruit and nut butter is the best!  It is another great combination for what nutrients your body needs especially after a good workout.  My go to is the classic apple (Galas for life!!) with peanut butter.  I probably have it almost everyday since is also such a solid afternoon snack.  To change it up a bit, I recently got some almond butter which was certainly different than peanut butter and still delicious.  Now I am out to try cashew butter and sunflower seed butter, just so I can be a truly informed consumer when it comes to nut butters.  You of course can change up the fruit as well, although I can't think of many options besides the apple or the banana, but who needs anything else!!

Yogurt and Granola (and Blueberries)
Yogurt, granola, and fruit is my typical breakfast, so naturally it becomes my port-workout fuel if I workout nice and early.  I have recently switched to 2% plain Greek yogurt, with some GF granola, fresh berries, and drizzled honey on top.  I have left that flavored 0% yogurt in the dust to embrace the creamy goodness of the plain 2% with honey, and I haven't looked back.  It is a great way to start your day or get that energy back up after making your body work.  Try it out!!  Your body will love this classic, nutrient-dense combo!

Hummus and ANYTHING
I tried hummus about a year ago at my in-laws and I have been inhaling that stuff ever since.  I have landed on my favorite flavor - roasted red pepper - and now have a hard time branching out.  I typically just dip some GF crackers in hummus for a great snack to refuel after an outdoor adventure.  Hummus is a great protein and mixing it with some carbohydrates is just what your body needs.  I recently made the most amazing cheese crisp after a bike ride with a brown rice tortilla, shredded cheese, salsa, I randomly threw on some of my favorite hummus for good measure and it was quite a delicious combo.  Salsa and hummus TOGETHER are top notch, my friends... top notch! 

Ta-da!  That's what I eat basically all of the time, especially after a sweat session in the mountains.  I'm telling you, aren't snacks the best?!!  What are your favorite snacks? Any Gluten-free ideas get gold stars!  Check out Nuts.com for more great snack ideas - they also have a great selection of all sorts of nuts, dried fruit, and trail mixes that are looking delicious.

Gluten Free Homemade Oreos

I was reminded about the existence of homemade Oreos on Friday and I thought, "I haven't had those in years... I bet I can make them gluten free."  So we did.  And they rocked.

After our dinner out on the town, I googled the recipe and we bought the 2 ingredients to make it happen - GF Devil's Food Cake Mix (I use Betty Crocker) and a tub of Cream Cheese Frosting.  We already had the other 2 ingredients at home.  As you can see, it's a quick and easy recipe.

1 box of GF cake mix
2 Eggs
1/3 cup of oil

Mix and bake for 8 minutes at 325 F. **Warning... these expanded like crazy.  I typically prefer little cookie sandwiches, if you do too, then roll the dough out to the size of nickels.  Seriously, nickels. Then you get more and more cookies!**  Also, they won't look done - pull them out anyway.  Let cool... or not (we didn't because I just couldn't wait) and use the blessed store-bought cream cheese frosting to finish off your Oreos.  Jeremy and I are loving them.  ENJOY!

Over the Weekend

Saturday

We started our Easter weekend watching some wonderful General Conference.  I love conference!  We stay home in comfy clothes and listen to inspired leaders all weekend long.  Dreamy!

I also made a gluten free wafer cake from scratch for Easter dessert.

 It tasted delicious and I am so happy to have good old wafer cake back in my life.  I made the cookies from this recipe.  The wafers didn't expand and soften like they typically do when I put it in the fridge over night, but Jeremy accidentally double baked 2 dozen of them, so that might have been why.  I would totally make it again.  Who doesn't love cookies and whip cream?  I might try this wafer recipe next time to compare.

Saturday night I gathered with some buds and we painted away while our husbands were at the priesthood session.  Painting is so fun and something I really need to explore more!

Here's my sketch:

And then the final product:

I stenciled the words and painted the rest.  Not too shabby for an amateur. 

Sunday

Happy Easter Friends!  We did the traditional hide the goods and follow the yarn to find them game for each other.  It's one of my favorite Easter traditions that I remember happening in our home when I was just a little tyke, so we did it for each other.  Jeremy got way into it and I was rolling my yarn out in the hallway and up and down the stairs.  It was pretty fun.

 This is the Easter loot we came away with from each other and from my parents:

(I looooove getting holiday packages in the mail from my mom.  She's the best!)

Then we watched more conference.  I folded some origami bunnies to keep my hands busy and my eyes open.  It is so tough to not nap during those afternoon talks.

We used the bunnies as a center piece for our Easter dinner we had with friends.  Holiday dinners are easy-peasy when you each bring a couple of things.  It was tasty and fun to be with great people.  

And that was our weekend.  It was quite enjoyable, relaxing, and spiritually rejuvenating.  What a solid combo!  Hope yours was the same!

Let us all rejoice!

For Kane's has gluten-free donuts!! Amber texted me yesterday with the good news, so naturally we had to go this morning to check them out. 

 And they are AMAZING! Jeremy tasted some of the gluten-free version and even he thought it was delicious.  I think we will have to go back on Saturday to hopefully get the chocolate version (they were out today).  Kane's donuts are one of the things that I have missed the most after being diagnosed with Celiac and I am so grateful they have expanded their menu.  After not having one for over a year it was such a tasty treat! 

Spaghetti Squash

Jeremy and I made this masterpiece last night.  

It was chock-full of veggies and so delicious!

We browned a pound of ground beef and sauteed 2 red peppers and 2 zuchinnis (sliced and diced) in some olive oil and chopped onions.  I also sprinkled some garlic salt with parsley on the veggies. We prepared the squash according to the sticker that was on it, which was really helpful (cut in half, mircowave in 9x13 face down, water covering the bottom, for 12 minutes, then fork out the squash).  Then we layered it all in the dish: squash, meat and veggies, spaghetti sauce, cheese, squash, meat and veggies, spaghetti sauce, and cheese.  Baked it at 350 for 30 minutes and BAM... done!

I would probably double the spaghetti squash to make it a little more hearty, those layers were kind of weak - or maybe just buy the biggest spaghetti squash. Otherwise I wouldn't change a thing.  We loved it.

We altered the original recipe (here) a little bit to simplify it and add more veggies that we like.

it's a winner!

i made the trusty raspberry pineapple pie (with this gluten free crust) for the pie contest at the ward christmas party on Friday night. we had some hiccups in the decorating department; i wasn't a happy camper. but i think it turned out better than the original design anyway.

it is so easy, totally delicious, and a WINNER.  i won three awards in the pie contest: most unique taste, best texture, and i tied for best overall.  so this is your recipe if you are looking for something new to try.  it's a slam dunk!

oh and happy 12.13.14!!

candy making

sunday afternoon, i tried my hand at making english toffee... 

i am happy to report, it was quite the success!

i will survive

this story begins last night when someone mentioned candy cane joe-joe's on instagram.

i imediately called my local trader joe's to see if they had them in stock and if they by chance had a gluten-free version.  to my surprise they totally did.  i was ecstatic on the phone... you would have thought the women on the line offered to pay my student loans.  

like any sane person, i went to trader joe's right after work today (they didn't open in time to go before - i asked) and i bought 6 boxes.  a girl's got to get her supply.  jeremy and i had some after dinner tonight and they were a slam dunk.  they taste amazing.  the texture of the cookie is a little different than the non-GF version (per jeremy's report), but the taste is truly spot on. 

i think the first year has got to be the hardest with any sort of life-changing diagnosis, especially if it relates to food in any way.  traditions have to be re-thought and changes have to be made, some are certainly harder than others.  it has been almost 9 months since being diagnosed with celiac disease.  we have gotten through our anniversary, our birthdays, summer camp outs, fourth of july bbqs, many date nights, and eating at friend's and family's houses.

this holiday season may be a little rocky.  there are lots of things i can't have that i have always had and those traditions are something i really enjoy.  so i will be searching for replacements and little treats that will help me get through.  luckily, there are so many things i can have (they just typically cost more and take work to find. urg!!).

this is the first year trader joe's has offered gluten free candy cane joe-joe's, so i am counting myself blessed.  super blessed.  they will certainly help me survive my first gluten-free holidays.  please send any gluten-free tips, recipes, or resources my way that might help me make it through the next two months.

quick quiche

last night i whipped up this crust-less quiche in no time. 

i basically threw a bunch of things together and voila!  dinner was served.  i tweaked the original recipe to fit my needs - simplified some things, added others.  you know... made it mine.

here's what i did:  preheated oven to 350. steamed some broccoli and put it in a 9" glass pie dish. sprinkled mozzarella cheese over it. heated some canned chicken on the stove, mixed in some seasoned salt, and spread the chicken over the broccoli and cheese. whisked together 6 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 2/3 cup of heavy cream and added some salt and pepper. poured the egg mixture over the chicken. and baked it at 350 for 40 minutes.

it was perfect. jeremy declared, "this tastes like summer."

you will most likely want to add a grain component to make this a complete and balanced meal.  grains for brains, people! don't skip 'em.  we added baked potatoes on the side and they seemed to complement the dish well. 

looking back it might not have really been that quick, but at least it was easy.

salad talk

this is a picture of my first homemade salad.  well as homemade as it will ever get around here.  

i put a "spring mix" in my cart at costco and immediately called my mom to ask what the heck i do with it before i actually bought it.  she told me to add peppers and cucumbers to start or other veggies i had on hand. i totally had peppers and cucumbers at home (which is a miracle in itself), decided maybe i could really do this, and bam! purchased it.  

when it came down to throwing something together, i got nervous and kept adding random things. i'm not sure they really go together.  i ended up throwing in some chicken, cucumbers, peppers, blueberries, and strawberries, with some italian dressing.  some bites were delicious (salad, delicious??...weird and so true at the same time) and some bites definitely clashed.

this salad making thing is truly an art.  an art at which i have zero expertise in, or even any experience with for that matter.  so i have some questions for you... what ingredients make up your favorite salad?  what are some good combinations to try?  any tips or tricks?  i desperately need your expertise... i just bought a "spring mix" in bulk.

a dirty oven door

and warm GF chocolate cookies long after the sun sets makes for a great night.

they taste just like brownies.  and if you eat them while they are warm they have that fudgy consistency to match. find the recipe here. it's a keeper!!

the treats continue

today in between conference sessions we went on a little walk outside.  it's in the 50s today with sunshine out the wazoo!  there is hope; spring is here! so naturally we had to get out there.  i rolled around on my long board while jeremy chatted with some friends.  my skills are a little rusty which is expected since i haven't been on it for a good six months, but its starting to coming back.

we also made some crepes!

which were of course gluten-free and delicious.  my favorite combo is pictured above: nutella, chunky peanut butter, bananas, and strawberries.  i like to pack them full!!  which makes it a little difficult to wrap up, but i can deal.

it was our first time making them and the recipe was super easy! the first couple were pretty sad looking, but we improved immensely each time.  so really, if i can do it, you can do it. 

just whisk together:

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons melted butter

pinch of salt

 and bingo! you have batter for 10(-ish) gluten free crepes.

i think these will become a conference tradition... because why not??  i love traditions.  well, enjoy the last session of conference! it's such a wonderful weekend!

treats!

conference weekend calls for treats!  

we need something to help us stay awake and alert through the 8 wonderful hours of counsel from those called of God.  so there will be lots of treats this weekend.

 first up, these caramel chocolate drizzles:

 they are gluten free and delicious.  i got the recipe right off of the corn chex box.  you can find it here.

i love conference weekend! listen in. get your questions answered. feel God's love. make a change for the better.  3 sessions left!

ripe bananas?

hey, us too!

so we made some banana bread even i could eat. 

and turns out

it's delicious!

gluten free baking can be a doozy and we certainly lucked out with finding the perfect recipe.  it's definitely a keeper.  bring on the ripe bananas.