How to have a Happy GFree Thanksgiving

This was taken from Heidi over at www.adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com.  It is an amazing post!!  She did an excellent job gathering and linking all this information just so others could know how in the world they, too, could eat and be happy on Turkey Day.  Please enjoy the tips and recipes you find here and have a HAPPY G-FREE THANKSGIVING!!


Whether you’re newly gluten-free or a seasoned veteran, there is always something new to be learned in this lifestyle.  Being gluten-free certainly keeps you on your toes, whether its the sudden (and unannounced) ingredient changes in processed foods or the serious concerns over cross-contamination of naturally gluten free grains.  Nope, the gluten-free diet is FAR from boring, especially when it comes to all the delicious food you can make!

My underlying approach to this blog is to show my readers how to make ingredient substitutions for any dietary need.  You give someone the necessary tools for successful {whatever-free} cooking and baking and you give them the world.  I can share my family’s favorite Thanksgiving recipes (and I will), but more importantly, I want to share the individual ingredient substitutes that my mixed-diet family really enjoys, so you can modify your family’s favorite traditional recipes in a way that everyone will enjoy them (gluten-free or not).  Thanksgiving is about coming together, enjoying great company and delectable foods…that’s what tradition is all about!

My first gluten-free Thanksgiving six years ago, was nothing short of a fiasco; the dressing was mushy, the gravy had the texture of something that belonged in a Kleenex tissue and the green bean casserole was, well – suffice it to say, inedible.  The situation was so bad, I did the worst thing imaginable…I cheated (which was easy to do since the rest of my family was eating the gluten-filled versions of my copycat failures).

Whatever you do, Do. Not. Cheat. (little sister, I’m talking to you specifically).  Even if you don’t feel any outward symptoms of being glutened (like myself), it is critical you understand that even the tiniest crumb of gluten has the power to ignite an immune response within your body that can take 4 months or longer to calm down.  Is one meal really worth that kind of serious damage?  Absolutely not!

That being said, life is too short to eat bad tasting food, so riddled throughout this post are my cooking tips, recommendations for ingredient substitutions and Thanksgiving favorite recipes from myself and my fellow bloggers (including recipes that are free from: corn, dairy, eggs, grains and refined sugar).  Last but certainly not least, we’ll share tips for navigating this holiday season’s social gatherings.  Are ya with me?  Good!  Now go grab yourself a warm beverage and let’s get to it! 

Let’s Talk Turkey

First, you need a turkey.  Sounds simple enough right?  Well, as with all things gluten…it has a funny way of sneaking into things.  Remember to read labels and if wheat is a hidden source of an ingredient, it must be listed on the label.  Barley and Rye however, do not need to be listed because they are not one of the top 8 allergens.  In my six years of being gluten-free, I’ve never come across any “hidden” rye, but barley is a different matter.

Hidden Sources of Barley

Malt or Malt Flavoring

Caramel Coloring (usually made from corn but *could* be made from barley and barley does not have to be listed on the ingredient list since it’s not one of the top 8 allergens (but companies will often disclose if barley is the source).

Read more about Barley Malt Ingredients in Labeled Gluten-Free Foods,Barley Enzymes in Gluten Free Products and from Tricia Thompson, MS, RDover at Gluten-Free Dietician.

Another important note is that the Sandwich ELISAs used for determining gluten content in food cannot adequately quantify gluten that has been highly hydrolyzed and one of the tests can underestimate barley protein. Read more from Tricia Thompson, MS, RD here.

That all being said, I’ve never come across a Turkey that wasn’t “gluten-free” but cross-contamination is always a possibility.   I think the bigger concern are the gravy packets included with some turkeys.  I would recommend throwing that out and make your own gravy instead, it’s really quite easy and tastes so much better.

I grew up on Butterball turkeys (you can read Butterball’s gluten statement here, question #4), but last year I made the switch to Mary’s Free Range Turkeys because there aren’t any flavorings, preservatives, irradiation, growth hormones or other funky ingredients to worry about.

Gluten-Free Turkey List

K.C. over at G-Free Foodie shared a comprehensive list of turkey manufacturers, their gluten-free status (if available) and company contact information, be sure to check it out.

To Brine or Not to Brine, That is the Question

If you go with a mainstream turkey, such as a Butterball or Honeysuckle White, you won’t need to brine the turkey because water and flavorings have already been added to the bird.  Should you decide to go with a free-range turkey however, it will be VERY IMPORTANT for you to brine the turkey before roasting it, otherwise it will turn out drier than the Mohave desert.  And free range turkeys aren’t cheap my friend, so be sure to brine that turkey!

I use this turkey brine recipe and we love it (only I use Kitchen Basic’s Turkey Stock in place of the vegetable broth).  What I like about that turkey brine recipe is that it doesn’t call for any sugar (unlike many brine recipes).  After the brine has cooled, I pour it into a clean 5-gallon bucket (which you can buy at a hardware store) and place the thawed turkey in, breast side down.  Once that is all set up, I place the bucket in the refrigerator that I have in our garage (after I’ve removed a few of the shelves) and allow the bird to soak for 2 to 3 days.  If you don’t have the refrigerator space, you can also use a cooler, just be sure to monitor the temperature and keep it at 40° F. (add ice as needed) to prevent spoilage.  For another method, check out How to Brine a Turkey over at Savory Sweet Life.

Roasting the Turkey

I’ve been following Alton Brown’s recommended method for roasting a turkey for the past couple years and it not only makes the most perfectly browned skin, it caramelizes the turkey drippings, so you get a darker gravy.

Flip the Bird!

After cooking the turkey at 500° F. for 30 minutes and adding the aluminum foil triangle as Alton recommends, I do one other thing: I reduce the heat to 325° F. and flip the bird over (breast side down) on the roasting rack so the fat and juices from the bottom of the turkey trickle down to the breast meat (I picked up that idea over at Finecooking.com).

Gluten-Free Dressing/Stuffing

Once you have your turkey situation square, it’s time to move on to the dressing/stuffing.  Remember, if you have the right substitutions, you can make anything you want and never feel deprived.

Gluten-Free Ingredient Substitutions

There are two products that I have found to be essential in recreating my family’s Thanksgiving recipes:

1) Ener-G Light Tapioca Loaf

2). Tom Sawyer’s Gluten Free Flour

Ener-G Light Tapioca Loaf is actually the bread I used to eat before Udi’s and Canyon Bakehouse came along.  Warning: this bread is not edible straight of the bubble wrap it’s packaged in (makes a great prank on unsuspecting gluten-eaters though, LOL!).  You must toast this bread before eating it!  Even though Udi’s and Canyon Bakehouse make some awesome gluten-free sandwich breads but I’ve found that they don’t do as well in dressing recipes. At least not in my recipes which call for a good amount of liquid to be added and the gluten-free “sandwich breads” tend to breakdown and become mushy and grainy in texture.

Heidi’s Gluten-Free Sage Dressing  

Heidi’s Gluten-Free Southern Cornbread Dressing  **for a CORN-FREE version of this recipe, try substituting mock cornbread

Gluten-Free Stuffing With Apples, Sausage, Pine Nuts from Cook IT Allergy Free

*GRAIN-FREE Options: This will be my first grain-free Thanksgiving, so I’m going to try making the sage dressing (a small batch for myself, since my little one is allergic to eggs) using one of my friend Elana’s bread recipes over at Elana’s Pantry: either her Paleo Bread or Gluten-Free Bread 2.0.  Elana’s Cranberry Apple Stuffing looks delicious too.

Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy

When it comes to turkey gravy, I’m terribly biased: How to Make the BEST Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy

*GRAIN-FREE Options: You can always use arrowroot to thicken the gravy, but I’m not a fan of the texture of starch-thickened gravy (just be sure to make a slurry with water or stock first!)  My plan is to try Elana’s creative recipe for Herb Gravy over at Elana’s Pantry.

If making your own gravy ain’t your cup of tea, you can read my 2009 reviews of a few gluten-free store bought gravies.

Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls

Crescent Rolls and Cinnamon Rolls: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free

Also check out Jeanne’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls over at The Art of Gluten Free Baking.  Jeanne is my go-to gal for all things gluten-free baking.   (Jeanne was the inspiration behind the gluten-free powdered donuts and her Tres Leche Cake is to die for…speaking of which, I really need to try making that cake dairy-free!)

Mashed Potatoes

Wanna know the simplest trick for making the BEST mashed potatoes ever?  Find out in my post forEventually Instant Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes!

Don’t eat potatoes?

Try Sunny’s Twice Baked Vegan Mashed Paleo Potatoes over at And Love It Too!

Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole

If you are newly gluten-free, I’ll just take a guess at what you’re craving most: Green Bean Casserole!  Yep, I did too.  So much so, I OBSESSED over finding the perfect gluten-free condensed mushroom soup recipe for TWO YEARS so I could have my beloved green bean casserole again.  2009 was the first (and last) year I’d had “real” green bean casserole since my diagnosis in 2005 and guess what?  My kids wouldn’t touch it, they wanted green beans almondine instead, LOL!  How weird is that?  Turns out, they don’t dig “foods that touch.”  BUT if I really wanted it, I could still have it and that is the point, right? Right!

Gluten-Free Ingredient Substitutions

I Can’t Believe it’s Gluten Free! Condensed Mushroom Soup

*For Dairy-Free: I definitely recommend trying the recipe in Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook (Alisa’s recipe is not gluten-free, so just be sure to use your favorite gluten-free flour blend).  This is the recipe I’ve been using since we went dairy-free and it’s delish, you can see a picture of it here.

Gluten-Free French Onion Rings

Now that you have the right gluten-free substitutes, you can just follow the recipe for Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole (we never added soy sauce growing up but if you do, just make sure it’s gluten-free soy sauce).

More Gluten-Free Side Dishes

Green Beans with Balsamic Onions from Simply Gluten-Free

Green Beans with Shallots and Mushrooms from Two Sisters Gluten Free

Heidi’s Candied Sweet Potatoes

Candy Carrot Coins from Gluten Free Easily

Cold Green Bean Shallot Salad from Cook IT Allergy Free

Cane Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce from Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen (this is what I make and it’s awesome).

Fennel and Red Onion Salad from Book of Yum

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

I hate making pie crust, even before going gluten-free.  Pie crust and Heidi Kelly definitely just don’t belong in the same sentence.  I’m the type of person who wants her pie crust to look Martha Stewart worthy and in order for that to occur, one must possess a certain level of patience.  Sadly, I do not fit the bill in that regard!  The few times I’ve actually tried making my own pie crust, I used this recipe forGluten-Free Pie Crust by Bette Hagman and it was delicious…albeit very ugly. 

If dairy and eggs are allowed in your diet, Whole Foods makes a really good pre-made gluten-free pie crust and they also have a recipe for one on their website.  This crust would be great for someone who is making a pie for a friend or family member on the gluten-free diet, no flours to buy and a little less risk for cross-contamination.

Last year was my first year sans pumpkin pie (we were newly egg-free), but all was not lost once I discovered Elana’s Vegan and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Custard (my kids absolutely LOVE this stuff!).

More Pie Crust (and Pumpkin) Recipes:

Best Pumpkin Pie Ever and its Crustless, Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free from Gluten Gluten Free Easily

Pumpkin Pie Foolery from Lexie’s Kitchen (also dairy-free and egg-free)

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie and Pie Crust from The Spunky Coconut (also dairy-free, egg-free and no-bake)

Grain-Free Almond Flour Crust from Elana’s Pantry

Gluten-Free Pie Crust from Johnna’s 52 Sweets

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Pie Crust from Allergic Adventures

Gluten-Free Pecan and Oat Crust from The Witchy Kitchen

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies from Beyond Rice and Tofu (these are melt in your mouth delicious).

Gluten and Grain-Free Pumpkin Muffins from Glugle Gluten Free (these would be great to nosh on during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!)

Don’t Like Pumpkin?

If you have an “Uncle Norm” in your family (I do: my dad), try one of these recipes instead!

Heidi’s Gluten-Free Cranberry Apple Crisp

Candied Apple Cranberry Upside-Down Cake from Cook IT Allergy Free

Toffee Pecan Apple Streusel from Cook IT Allergy Free

Pear Cranberry Almond Crumble from Simply Gluten Free

Helpful Dairy-Free Substitutes

Heavy Cream: use an equal amount of Cashew Cream, canned Coconut Milk, So Delicious Original Coffee Creamer or MimicCream

Whipped Cream: MimicCream Healthy Top this stuff is really good, reminds me of Cool Whip…but it contains corn and I’m allergic so now I make Homemade Coconut Whipped Cream

Cream Cheese: use an equal amount of Cashew Cream Cheese

Cream Cheese Frosting: Dairy-Free, Soy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting from No Whey Baby is spot on!

Dairy-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk from And Love it Too!

Dairy-Free Evaporated Milk

Print

Recipe type: Dairy-Substitute

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 60 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (13 ounces) can Full Fat Coconut Milk
• 14 ounces So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

Directions

1. Combine both coconut milks in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the volume is reduced by half, or 14-ounces (the same amount as one can of dairy evaporated milk), about 1 hour.

Google Recipe View Microformatting by Easy Recipe

Egg Replacers

Eggs are tricky to replace and there’s not one hard and fast substitute.  The type of egg replacer you use will ultimately depend on the recipe (and loads of trial and error).

Print out the comprehensive EGG SUBSTITUTE CHART over at Chef in You and tape it to the inside of your cupboard (that way it’s always handy when you need it).

My two favorite egg substitutes are the following (I used a combination of both to make an Egg-Free version of King Arthur’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix):

Chia Egg Replacer

For each egg called for in a recipe (I’ve successfully replaced up to 3 eggs with this substitute):

1 tsp. ground White Chia Seeds

3 Tbs. Water

Combine and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until mixture thickens.

Water/Oil and Baking Powder “Eggs”

For each egg called for in a recipe (I wouldn’t recommend replacing more than 2 eggs with this substitute):

2 Tbs. Water

1 Tbs. Oil

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

Combine water and oil in small bowl or measuring cup.  Right before you’re ready to add the “egg” to your recipe, dump the baking powder into the oil/water mixture and stir to activate the baking powder.  Use immediately and get your recipe in the oven A.S.A.P.

Last Bites

How to Cook for Gluten-Free Guests from The W.H.O.L.E. Gang

Five tips for a Safe Gluten Free Thanksgiving (or other group event) from Gluten Free Easily

Most Important Ways to Stay Healthy This Holiday from Cook IT Allergy Free

My Story

Making the Switch: Moriah's Story

Happy Friday everyone! Today on Making the Switch, Moriah—mom and avid road biker—shares some of the unexpected health and diet-related twists and turns her family has faced over the years—namely type 1 diabetes, food allergies, Lymes and celiac. It's been quite the journey for this Colorado family. I admire how they've tackled it head-on and the suggestion Moriah has for responding in a positive way to some of the unexpected turns we navigate in life. Thank you for sharing your story, Moriah!

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Our family's journey “from processed to pure” has had its twists and turns.

Some turns were steady, planned and calculated—like adding pureed veggies into meals, replacing high fat dairy with yogurt, and buying fresh instead of canned. These were dietary changes and turns of our choosing, and were easy to implement and adapt to.

Then there have been the turns and medical diagnoses that have brought us to immediate and screeching halts. These unexpected and crazy turns have nearly caused me to crash and burn—all because of the way I RESPONDED.

I will never forget hearing the words, “he has Type 1 diabetes,” when our son was four (he just turned 19). There was so much to learn, so much to REMOVE, and so much of his health on the line. To say that I was overwhelmed is an understatement. It was not a turn I had anticipated and it was one we had to make in an instant. As far as our pantry was concerned, it was a “White-Out.” Out with the white sugar. Out with the white flour. Out with the white milk. And in with the REPLACEMENTS—raw fruits and veggies and fresh-ground whole wheat flour.

Then it was our daughter. Fatigue, headaches, brain fog, acne, mood swings, and an upset belly led to the diagnosis of a slew of food allergies—another unexpected turn. Talk about a kitchen and pantry overhaul; this turn took the cake, literally. Out with the gluten, out with the raw milk, out with the eggs.

Moriah and crew at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado.

The only thing that saved me from spinning completely out of control was the change in my RESPONSE to these challenging turns. In my own battle with Lyme disease, Celiac, food allergies, and a chronic leaky gut, I have learned how to RESPOND with a plan. My plan for a successful transition now begins with determining how to REPLACE the foods which need to be REMOVED prior to removal and ends with a time to REMORSE over what has been ”lost.” This step has been instrumental in my 13 year old daughter’s journey to health—she, as we all do, needed time to grieve, time to accept the new and say goodbye to the ‘old.’

And just this past week we have two additional hairpin turns that we've had to navigate—the most unexpected to date.

Test results came back showing my gut is still a total mess despite all our efforts to REMOVE and REPLACE so my body can be REPLENISHED (thank you, Lymie bugs). And further tests show that our entire family carries the Celiac gene.

To be honest, I spent two days REMORSING (ok, wallowing in self pity) saying goodbye to my favorite foods. Then I spent another two days asking God for wisdom as I searched for REPLACEMENTS and new recipes, which will bring health and healing to this family.

The hope is always that with the changes, our bodies will be REPLENISHED and RENEWED. REMOVE the ‘harmful-to-us’ foods and REPLACE them with ‘good-for-us’ foods—foods our bodies need to get back in balance.

If there is one thing that I know to be true, it is that obtaining vibrant health is worth overcoming any and all obstacles. If our crew can do this, so can yours. You are stronger than you think; and the benefits of traveling the road “from processed to pure” are worth it no matter why you are on this journey.

For more about Moriah, visit her blog and website:
Blog: www.g-freeliving.blogspot.com
Store: www.laviechocolat.com

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Type 1 diabetes and G-Free living

Due to one of my son's developing Type 1 diabetes at the age of 4, my A1c knocking at the door of becoming Type 1 diabetic (thanks to Lyme), and all of us carrying at least one of the celiac genes, I am very concerned about the potential for any of us to develop either celiac disease or diabetes or both.   I have been consulting with Dr. Vikki at HealthNow Medical Clinic in San Francisco and wanted to pass along some information she has been educating me about.  Dr. Vikki Petersen’s Gluten Blog, it’s packed with great information.  She writes in a way which one can easily understand - it's not filled with medical terminology only physician's can comprehend. I encourage you if you or a loved one has either Type 1 diabetes or Celiac, I encourage you to check out her recent article: Gluten Intolerant Report: If you have diabets, reade this!.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6Ov8iXQzlvI


Also, reading Dr. Vikki Petersen's book, The Gluten Effect, is very informative and educational for anyone suffering from any health issue or auto-immune illness.  More later from me on all of this.  It's my passion to learn and share with others what I'm learning about health and nutrition so they, too, can recover what they've lost and get back in balance - to live a life full of energy, joy, and wellness. :)

Autism and the G-Free lifestyle

Dr. Vikki Petersen, co-author of The Gluten Effect, and co-founder of HealthNOW Medical Center in San Francisco has released a very informative video on the connections of gluten and autism.  If you or a loved one has autism, this is a must see!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pIDBWLr34Ds


Be blessed and be well!

Part 3- Leaky Gut

As I continue to research on how to heal my belly, it's my desire to pass along with you what I've been learning.  I find the information fascinating and actually quite helpful.  What I am personally doing is a bit different due to having a unique set of problems associated with Leaky Gut which have been caused by Lyme disease.  Soon, I'll post that information in case there's any Lymies out there who are searching for the same remedies and I.  However, this information is beneficial to most people and I do hope that means you, too!  To your health and happiness - 

Science-Guided Nutrition - taken from Dr. Akiba Green's Blog

When the lining of the small intestine becomes too porous, it allows entry of toxins, microorganisms, and undigested food particles into the bloodstream and triggers an inflammatory immune response. Intestinal barrier compromise has been associated with multiple food sensitivities, increased inflammation, autoimmune reactions, chronic fatigue, and diverse gastrointestinal symptoms.
RepairVite is formulated to provide key nutrients to help support intestinal barrier integrity. It contains scientifically researched nutrients such as flavonoids, antioxidants, plant sterols, glycoproteins, and saponins to address the complex nutritional needs to support intestinal lining integrity.

• Provides glycoproteins to cover mucosa called mucin to support mucosal membrane
• Supports the regeneration and restoration of the intestinal lining as it relates to nutritional balance
• Provides natural compounds that may aid in reducing intestinal pain and discomfort
• Provides extracts with high mucilage content to soothe and help the intestines heal
• Provides phyto extracts to help modulate gastrointestinal motility and secretion of digestive enzyme

Increased Intestinal Permeability Leaky Gut

When the digestive tract mucosa is inflamed, the tight junctions of the intestinal mucosa are compromised as they become widened and permeable to large, undigested compounds, toxins, and bacteria. This is also known as “leaky gut.” The large compounds of undigested proteins that are absorbed are reacted against by the underlying intestinal immune system and promote exaggerated immune response. This creates a vicious cycle of further intestinal inflammation and greater loss of intestinal barrier integrity.

Therefore, as the intestinal tract becomes inflamed from diet, lifestyle, medications, and infections, it causes further intestinal inflammation, feeding this vicious cycle promoted by intestinal permeability. After the intestinal mucosa becomes damaged, the damaged cells become unable to properly digest food and produce the enzymes necessary for digestion. This leads to malnutrition, further intestinal inflammation, further permeability, the development of food sensitivities, bacteria and yeast overgrowths, and impaired intestinal immune integrity. These self-promoting cycles become difficult to unwind unless aggressive dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle strategies are employed.

An Anti-Inflammatory diet means the elimination of any and all food which can cause inflammation in your body and/or brain.  Your personal set of foods causing your system irritation can be identified by taking a Food Sensitivity Test, like the one my chiropractic neurologist Dr. Brad Gulla at n8 Wellness  performs from NeuroScience.  Some main Inflammatory foods are:

Sodas, Coffee and Alcohol

NASIDs
Sugars - cane sugar, corn sugar, honey, agave, candy
Fruits - basically anything but cranberries and Granny Smith apples
Grains - gluten, soy, corn, quinoa, oats, etc..
Dairy
Eggs
Soy
Lectins - nuts, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers
Vegetables - excluding the night shad family
Meats
Processed food
Coconut - milk, oil, etc
Fermented foods - kimchi, pickled ginger, mixed pickles, kombucha tea, coconut yogurt


The supplement Program from Apex Energetics which Dr. Gulla recommends are:


RepairVite - to repair
ClearVite - to remove and replace
Strengtia - probiotics to support the intestinal flora
GI - Synergy - anti-bacterial, anti-yeast, and anti-parasitic
DHA Omega 3
And perhaps NeuroFlam for neuro disturbances like brain fog


And before you freak out thinking you're going to starve for the next few weeks.  Hang on!  There's hope!  Below is a link to all kinds of recipes for the RepairVite diet.  YOU CAN DO THIS!!  It's essential to your health and your immune system depends on a healthy gut system.  Better to endure this for a few weeks than to develop an auto-immune disease which you'll have for life! 


http://www.neurologichealth.com/repairvite-diet-recipes/

Comfort in the Kitchen

After a pretty tough week last week, I found myself in the kitchen recreating recipes in an attempt to comfort myself with food.  And the goal was to replicate foods I once loved but can no longer have.  I spent most of the summer trying to do this for my daughter so that when it came time to go back to school she could have 'copy-cat' foods.  I didn't want her to ever feel that just because she has food allergies that she's different and has to live life without. It's been a challenge to make something that brings a smile to her face as she's a very picky eater, but we have had some wonderful successes. :)

Over the weekend, I made some Gluten Free Vegan Crusty Bread from Ginger Lemon Girl along with some Magic Sauce from 101 Cookbooks.  Oh, my, was my belly in heaven!!  The Magic Sauce was so good, I made another batch to take to some of my GFFs (gluten-free friends).  My daughter said the bread was "yummy," which I know she thought so for it disappeared quite quickly. :)  Plus, one of my GFFs said the bread was the best she's tasted since going gluten-free.  It's always fun when you spend that much time, energy, and money into your creations and they turn out better than you could have ever imagined.  I know the days of taking a single bite and spitting "it" out in the trash aren't over, but it's nice that it's no longer the norm.

I also made some Paleo Spiced Nuts from Elanas Pantry.  These were such a hit with all the kids that I had to make three batches!  Half my kids don't even like plain nuts so this non-verbal fact is saying I hit the jackpot....which doesn't happen often enough with now 6 in the mix.  I'm excited to have found such health-ful foods for my family and friends.

Today, I was back in the kitchen trying to recreate graham crackers for my daughter.  She used to love them and I want her to love them once again.  I followed the Grahams Plain and Fancy Recipe from The Sensitive Pantry.  (You should note that I make adjustments as necessary whenever I follow a recipe to adapt them to our likes and allergies so my version may not be exact)  My daughter isn't home from school yet, but I know she will not like them.  The molasses has overtaken the taste and she doesn't care for molasses.  So, tomorrow I will try again, omitting the molasses, or at least toning it down, and using more honey.  However, they taste very similar to my Great Aunts' molasses cookies and, once again, I am a very happy me.  Not just because my belly is happy, but because I found comfort in the memories I have attached to one of my all-time favorite cookies.

My Great Aunt Aggie and Aunt Laura used to make molasses cookies every Christmas.  It was my Grandma's job to ice them.  Since as long as I can remember, that we a task she shared with us grand-kids. I remember anxiously awaiting the day when the cookies were baked and ready to frost.  It was almost like waiting for Christmas morning without knowing which morning Christmas would come.  When 'the day' would finally come, we'd go over to Grandma's house where she had the card table set up with a table cloth, different colored powdered sugar icings and sprinkles.  I remember being in awe at the great job she did decorating her cookies and she would tell us that ours looked better than hers.  For those cookies which we felt didn't make the cut, we quickly ate so that no one would ever see our 'mess ups.' :)

My Great Aunts have passed away and my mom has carried on the family tradition with now my children frosting the cookies.  My Grandma comes over to help 'oversee' the baking activities and to eat some of the 'mess ups.'  Since developing Celiac, I can no longer be around when white flour is in the air or even touch something made of gluten with my bare hands.  So I've missed out on some of the family traditions as I've had to live without - without favorite food, without family fun, without making memories.  And that sadness often led to me hiding out in the bathroom with the Kleenex box.  As time passed, it became easier.  Yet, I still longed for those Christmas molasses cookies and being able to decorate them with my girls and with  my mom as "Grandma."

Today - the graham cracker 'flop' is my Christmas molasses cookie replica!  I have struck gold and couldn't be more excited!  Dancing in the kitchen once again :) And with the successes over the weekend, I realize that I am actually cooking and baking myself to a place where I am just as healthy as I am happy.  I am finding joy in the sorrow - I cannot wait to make these with Christmas cookie cutters in 8 weeks or so - and a hope for brighter tomorrows for the foods I'm now creating and eating actually bring health to our bodies.

With all this said, I hope you, too, find that living the g-free life is truly living!  I must run off now as my GF neighbor is coming over to share a little smackeral of crackers and nuts - the perfect afternoon 'pick-me-up.'