August 12, 2009 was the 1st birthday for my blog!!  I have had a great time in the past year writing about all things gluten-free and sharing my experiences with my readers.  I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite posts & recipes from the past year with you. 

• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Bob’s Red Mill Pizza Review
• Perfect Pork Tenderloin
• Remarkable Fudge

Most popular posts over the past year:

• Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust…EVER!
• GF Candy List 2008
• Brunch at Panera Bread ~ Gluten-Free!
• Wal-Mart & Gluten-Free Shopping
• Hershey’s Peanut Butter Blossoms

I look forward to blogging for another fun year!!  In this coming year I have a couple of big events coming up.  I am running my first half marathon in October & if that goes well, I will run a full marathon in May 2010.  I hope to bring lots more gluten-free information to all of my fabulous readers.  If you know of a product or a restaurant that I haven’t reviewed and would like me to, please let me know!  I am always open to suggestions!  🙂 

Most importantly, thank you to all of my readers. 

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Also wanted to say a quick HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Gluten-free Homemaker!  Linda is also celebrating 1 year with her gluten-free blog. 

Okay, the time is here!  Are you all excited?  The winners of the Fiber One giveaway by My Blog Spark are:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

8	13	10

Timestamp: 2009-08-17 20:49:39 UTC

Elissa who said:

I love chocolate…Reese peanut butter cups are my favorite

Marybeth who said:

My snacking pleasure is: Tastycake Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes! Mmmmm

Missy from Missy Maintains who said:

My guilty snack pleasure is cookiesn cream ice cream!!

Congrats to all 3 of you!!  Please email me:  kbouldin@insight.rr.com with your mailing information. 

Thank you to everyone who entered this contest and to those who read my blog!  🙂 

10 days.  Anyone know what happens in 10 days?  School starts!!!  Yes, the day that has most parents dancing  in the streets and that most kids dread – the beloved first day of school.  If you haven’t seen it yet, check out my Back-to-School post.  This week has us running around getting things done for school.  Jon picks up his schedule on Tuesday, Hannah has an open house next Sunday.  I am going to try to fit in last pool and Zoo visits and maybe even head someplace to go blueberry picking! 

I bought lots of new, fun produce to cook with this week. Yucca root, red beets (to roast), acorn squash & spaghetti squash. (I have had the last 2 before, but I am doing new things with them). 

Sunday ~ Grilled chicken, baked sweet potato with cinnamon & Fage, fresh green beans & okra and salad

Monday ~ Mexican Pizzas (black beans & avocado for me; ground turkey for the kids), Cilantro/Lime Rice, corn & salad.

Tuesday ~ Honey Baked Lentils in Acorn Squash and large salad

Wednesday ~ Mediterranean Tuna Pasta (recipe to come this week), asparagus & salad

Thursday ~ Chicken Parmesan, quinoa pasta, broccoli & salad

Friday ~ Homemade Bob’s Red Mill mini pizzas (each picks their own toppings), veggies & salad

Saturday ~ Bday party & I have a fun night planned with a friend and some other GF peeps! 

Baked Goods

Pamela’s Bread

Bagels

Peach Cobbler

Cheryl over at Gluten-Free Goodness is hosting this week’s gluten-free menu swap & the ingredient of the week is peaches!  I love peaches!!  I like to chop them up for my cereal bowls, top my waffles with them, top my cottage cheese with them, top my Greek yogurt with them.  I really do love them.  I am going to attempt a peach cobbler this week, too! 😉  Thanks for hosting, Cheryl!!

Also, don’t forget to check out Orgjunkie for lots more menu plans. 

The new school year is upon us and having a child that has to eat gluten-free makes it all a little more stressful.  Fortunately over the past couple of years, things have become a little easier. 

Jon is entering into 8th grade, his last year in middle school.  How did I get old enough to have a child that is almost in high school?  The nice thing about this age is that there is not the worry of class parties with gluten-filled goodies from home being brought in to be shared.  Every once in a while, they will have a food party of sorts and I will send something in for Jon.  I usually ask him what he prefers.  Sometimes it is just a snack like yogurt or a Think Thin bar.  He doesn’t always have to have the equivalent of what the rest of the kids are having….that doesn’t seem to bother him. 

Even though Jon is well versed on the gluten-free diet and is old enough to explain to his teachers that he can’t eat gluten, I still send out an email at the beginning of the year so that they are all aware.  I not only do this so that they know that he can’t eat certain things if they have them in class, but so that they understand that if he is sick due to a potential incident with gluten, they don’t give him any trouble.  You can find an example of the letter/email that I send here and please feel free to use it and modify it to fit your needs.  Gluten Intolerance Group is another site that has all kinds of publications that may be useful this time of the year. 

Now, onto the fun stuff.  School lunch.  Jon is not the only child in his school with Celiac Disease.  Last year there were 7 or 8 and at least 1 staff member that I was aware of.  Because of this, the cafeteria staff is somewhat aware of the needs of the needs of those on a gluten-free diet.  I have not felt comfortable enough yet to give this route a try, though now that Jon is older, I may let him try it out this year.  I will meet with the head of the cafeteria & base my decision on his/her knowledge & explanation of how they plan to accommodate his needs. 

Packed lunches.  This is what we have been doing for the past few years that Jon has been on the gluten-free diet.  There are several different things that Jon will take for lunch.  Whenever I mention a sandwich, we are using Pamela’s Gluten -free bread mix that I make weekly. 

• PB & J (I toast the bread, let it cool, then spread each piece with PB and put the jelly on top.  This helps keep the bread from getting soggy from the jelly).
• Turkey or Ham & cheese
• Mac & Cheese in the thermos
• Spaghetti & meat sauce in the thermos
• Deli roll-ups (roll up cheese in deli meat..could use cream cheese, though Jon doesn’t like it)
• Pepperoni & cheese (Hormel regular & turkey says “GF” on the package)

Side items

• yogurt (Yopliat custard style Light says “GF” on the side)
• chips (we do Lay’s Stax or Lay’s Potato Chips)
• Blue corn chips & salsa
• applesauce (I do natural w/ added cinnamon)
• fresh cut fruit (whatever is in season, though Jon is picky)

Desserts

• GF Cookies
• GF brownies

Other ideas

• Salads w/ a protein (grilled chicken, steak, salmon, tuna)
• tuna salad w/ GF crackers
• Carrots & celery w/PB or AB
• Cream cheese w/ celery
• dried fruit
• fresh fruit
• Lara Bars, Pure Bars, Kind Bars, Think Thin Bars
• Greek yogurt + fruit + dried cereal or GF granola
• Cheese & GF Crackers
• GF Pasta or quinoa salad (add beans like chickpeas or black beans for protein)
• Apples or other fruit with PB or AB
• hard boiled eggs
• nuts or trail mix
• fruit leather (Trader Joe’s has a great 100% fruit, no sugar added variety)

There are countless options out there, you just have to get a little creative.  For more fun ideas, visit this site for 30 more school lunch ideas.  They aren’t all GF, but they can be modified to fit your needs. 

Jon does buy milk or yogurt from the cafeteria and as I mentioned above, I hope to be able to give him a little more freedom this year and hope I can get the cooperation from the cafeteria staff. 

I hope that this was helpful to you.  I wish everyone a safe & happy 2009 – 2010 school year!

As I was surfing the net looking for information on gluten-free flours, I just came across this awesome website by Conagra Mills and their new product Ancient Grains.  Ancient Grains is a new gluten-free flour blend that will soon be available to commercial bakeries & manufacturers!  How exciting is that?  Sadly Ancient Grains won’t be available to buy at your local grocery store, but hopefully in some of the products on those very shelves soon! 

The other day I mentioned Champagne Grapes in my post.  I have been enjoying these numerous ways, but I think my fav, by far, is on my salad.  Here is a picture of the most awesome salad I had the other night:

If that doesn’t just look like Summer, I don’t know what does.  In that salad was:

• Spring Mix
• chickpeas
• tomatoes
• cucumber
• zucchini
• carrots
• pine nuts
• feta cheese
• champagne grapes, the star!
• Light Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing finished this off perfectly & helped bring together all the amazing flavors.

Reminders

1. Don’t forget to enter my Fiber One 50 Calorie Yogurt giveaway. 
2. Green Dog Wine is running a Turtle Mountain giveaway.  Stop by to check it out!!!  Turtle Mountain makes a Coconut Milk PB Swirl Ice Cream that I am dying to try!!  PICK ME, PICK ME!!!!
3. Back-to-school post should be up by this weekend.  I have been diligently working on this. 😉

Thanks to all who entered the Nature’s Path giveaway this week!  If you didn’t win this giveaway, no worries, I am running another giveaway for Fiber One 50 Calorie Yogurt gift bags this week!  There will be 3 winners for this giveaway!!! 

I used the Random Number Generator to choose the winner.

And, the winner is…………….

Stephanie!!!! 

http://theskinnyplate.wordpress.com/

Stephanie’s comment:  Panda Puffs, the poor (wo)man’s version of Barbara puffins. Mmmm…. would love me some of those.

Congrats to you, Stephanie! 

Stephanie, please email me your mailing information kbouldin@insight.rr.com

I was sent a fun package & a coupon by My Blog Spark for Yoplait Fiber One 50 Calorie yogurt.  I got to try their new product.  I was really excited to try this product out!!  Not only was it only 50 calories, but gluten-free, to boot!!  I am so easily amused, I know.  😉 

I chose the Key Lime flavor.  Wow….this stuff was pretty good!  Non-fat, 50 calories & 5 grams of fiber!!  The real test was Jon….if he likes it, you know it rocks! 😉  LOL!  It passed the “Jon” test!  He ate the other 3 in the package before I could get to them!!  These are great for a quick afternoon snack to hold you over until dinner or even after dinner as a nice little dessert treat. 

From Fiber One

Best-selling author and food expert Lisa Lillien, AKA Hungry Girl, has given her “seal of approval” to the new Fiber One yogurt, the only leading nonfat yogurt with 50 calories and 5 grams of fiber (20 percent of the Recommended Daily Value). It is also a good source of calcium and vitamins A and D, making this an all-around great choice for dieters and those watching their weight. Each cup includes the creamy, delicious taste you expect from Yoplait, and you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying it. Fiber One is available in a variety of flavors including, Strawberry, Peach, Vanilla and Key Lime Pie (see what Hungry Girl thinks about the new yogurt:

Now, are you ready for the fun stuff?  My Blog Spark is going to send out gift bags to 3 lucky readers!!!  Each of the 3 readers will receive exactly what is pictured above.  The cooler bag and other items to carry your snacks & yogurt.  Also, you can go here for a $1.00 off coupon for Fiber One 50 Calorie Yogurt. 

What do you have to do to enter this giveaway?  I am going to tell you.

1.  Answer this:  What is your guilty snacking pleasure?

2.  If you have a blog, post about this giveaway & link back.

3.  Add me to your blog roll if I am not on it.

4.  Good luck!  You have until Sunday, August 19, 2009 at midnight to enter this giveaway!

The other day I mentioned that I had ordered some Pure Bars.  I reviewed Pure Bars a while back.  You can read my review here and here.  I received my variety pack order of Pure Bars yesterday!  I was so excited!!  I took one along with us to the Zoo today in case I was hungry.  Well, guess what?  I was hungry!  Training for a half marathon will do that to you!!  Today I sampled the Wild Blueberry Bar.

The first thing I noticed when I opened this bar was the awesome scent of blueberries!!  I couldn’t wait to dive right in!!  Do you see all those nuts in the picture?  There were also chunks of blueberries in the bar.  I was very pleased with this bar.  I honestly can’t tell you which of the 3 flavors I have tried is my favorite at this point in time.  I love them all.  🙂

Onto my next new yummy find!!  Blue Diamond Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Breeze!  I usually drink the Unsweetened Vanilla, but once I spotted the Chocolate, I knew I had to give it a try.  Oh.My.WOW.  Tastes like chocolate milk!  This stuff is so good!  If you like almond milk, or heck, even if you don’t, try this stuff!  45 calories/cup, too, BONUS!  I have been using this in my coffee & will try in my cereal this afternoon. 

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Notes:

Today is the last day to enter my Nature’s Path giveaway.  You have until midnight tonight (August 12th).

New post is up on The Examiner.com.  🙂 

Do you Tweet/Twitter?  If so, make sure to follow me!

Enjoy your hump day!!

Do you have any special plans this weekend?

I have lots of tidbits of info circling around in my head about Celiac Disease.  They aren’t enough to put in a post of their own, so I will lump them all into this post. 

1.  Betty Crocker Gluten-free Mixes have been spotted at Meijer in Columbus, Ohio.  They are in the baking section, but not on the same shelf as the mainstream baking mixes.  They are on the opposite side of the aisle with other health related baking mixes from Bob’s Red Mill, Arrowhead Mills, etc.  They are priced at $3.99, which seems to be just about normal. 

2.  While waiting for Jon to get his hair cut yesterday, I was browsing through Women’s Health Magazine and happened upon an article talking about tummy trouble.  The first potential cause or thing to rule out was Celiac Disease!  I am so happy that Celiac Disease is getting more press.  The more it is out there, the more people can get diagnosed & get to feeling better!

3.  As I have posted in the past, I am training for a half marathon that takes place in less than 10 weeks!  ACK!!  Now that my long runs are 8+ miles, I really need to fuel during my runs, not just before & after.  I posted about Sharkies & Sport Beans before, but have been looking for something simpler.  Gu Gels have been recommended to me by many people.  I went to Fleet Feet yesterday and browsed their gels selections.  I ended up buying 6 Gu Gels.  The Roctane Gels are labeled “gluten-free” and “dairy-free”, which I loved.  The others were not labeled, but I was assured via email (and a super fast response) that all the Gu Gels are gluten-free and they are in the process of changing all of their packaging to say that.  I will review these after my long run this week & let you all know how I liked them.

4.  Top Chef Masters goes Vegan & Gluten-free!!  Did anyone see?  I love Zooey Deschanel and especially loved her in Elf, one of my all-time favorite movies.  All of the food that the Top Chef Masters prepared looked amazing, but Michael Chiarello’s quinoa pasta dish had my mouth watering!!  He ended up winning!  Here is his interview.  I can’t wait to make this meal!!!

5.  Champagne Grapes.  Have you tried or seen them?  They are the tiniest little grapes I have ever seen!!  So cute!!  They are so sweet & have a wonderful flavor.  They are smaller than peas!  Best feature about champagne grapes?  Naturally gluten-free!!

6.  Gluten-free Fox posted a great article on hidden gluten.  I wanted to share this because if this helps just one person not suffer, I am all for it. 

7.  Quick mention of a tweet that I saw come across Twitter this AM:  Rice Chex is on sale at CVS for 2 for $5.00.  This tweet came from @GlutenGossip.  Thanks for spreading the word!  No mention of when the sale ends or if all CVS stores are participating, but worth a shot if you are close by. 

8.  Watch for my Back-to School post coming later this week.  This post will include letters to the school & teachers, information on packing lunches & ideas on what to pack.

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!!  Don’t forget to check out my contest to enter for a chance to win some awesome Nature’s Path products!   It is running until Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at midnight. 

A few weeks back I was contacted by Nature’s Path and asked if I would like to sample some of their gluten-free cereals/products.  Of course I said that I was interested.  I love cereal and feel like I could eat it for every single meal.  Not only that, but Nature’s Path is going to be giving away a fun gift to one of my lucky readers!!  How fun is that?  Details on how to enter & win will be explained below. 

My package arrived on my doorstep & I was eager to dive right in.  I had 4 different cereals to sample: 

• Nature’s Path Honey’d Cornflakes
• EnviroKidz Peanut Butter Panda Puffs
• Nature’s Path Mesa Sunrise
• Nature’s Path Whole O’s

Normally I like to mix my cereals together, at least 3 different kinds at a time.  I have an entire selection of at least 6 cereals at any given time.  This doesn’t really make my husband happy, in fact, it may even drive him a little crazy.  Anyway, I digress.  I took a break from my craziness to get a good taste of these individually.  My thoughts are below:

Nature’s Path Honey’d Cornflakes

I really enjoyed these cornflakes.  They had a great crisp & light sweetness to them, but nothing over the top.  Great alone or mixed with other cereals.  Also would be great to cook with.  I used them as topping on a hash brown casserole and they worked wonderfully!  Another nice thing about this cereal is that there are only 4 ingredients!  2 thumbs up!

EnviroKidz Peanut Butter Panda Puffs

We all know that I am a kid at heart, right?  Well, this cereal is great for kids & adults.  These little cereal balls, which look a lot like Kix, are bursting with peanut butter flavor.  Great alone, or mixed with another cereal or topped with some banana slices.  I also loved these topped with Almond Breeze or Greek yogurt.  Another great cereal with only 6 ingredients.  A much welcomed change from those mainstream cereals with lists longer than Rapunzel’s hair.  2 thumbs up!

Nature’s Path Mesa Sunrise

This is one of my favorite gluten-free cereals.  This cereal was recommended to me by a friend who had been diagnosed with Celiac before I was and I was looking for a way to fill my cereal void.  I love to eat this with fresh fruit cut up on top.  This cereal is a blend of corn, flax, buckwheat, quinoa & amaranth.  Nice crunch to the flakes & great texture & flavor.  2 thumbs up!

Nature’s Path Organic Whole O’s

I was so excited when I saw this product on the market!  I was never a huge fan of Cheerios, but I did like to eat them occasionally.  Now, tell a girl she can’t have something and she wants it even more.  I had tried other gluten-free Cheerios in the past and had been very disappointed.  This cereal did not disappoint.  The Whole O’s were crispy & had a great crunch, but were not overly crunchy like some of the others I had tried.  They were the closest thing to Cheerios that I have tried since embarking on the gluten-free diet.  And, once again, only 5 ingredients in this cereal.  Well done, Nature’s Path!  2 thumbs up!

If you asked me to pick my favorite out of the 4 cereals here, I couldn’t do it.  I like them all for different reasons.  I like to combine flavors, as I said above, so would eat them all at different times for different reasons. I know, I am weird.  😉

Now for the fun giveaway details. 

1.  Go to Nature’s Path  to see what products they have and comment below which ones you would like to try. 

2.  Share this blog post on your blog & link back.  Comment below telling me that you have done this. 

3.  Add me to your blog roll for an extra chance at winning! 

4.  That is it!  Have fun!!

Contest is open until Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at midnight.  A winner will be chosen & announced on Thursday.