I eat sweet potato fries all the time.  Sweet potatoes are one of those veggies that I didn’t touch as a child.  I wouldn’t even eat them in casserole form topped with marshmallow, syrup & nuts.  Nope.  I was only interested in your “normal” mashed potatoes as a child.  I didn’t even really try, or remember trying, sweet potatoes until just a few years back.  Now, I eat them several times a week.  My new favorite way is to eat them in steak fry form.  I used to make them in rounds, more like thicker chips, as you can see here.  Friday night, I tried the new, better way and love them!!

These are so easy to make, it isn’t even funny.  I sliced a single sweet potato into steak fry shapes first.  Then, I sprayed with Pam and seasoned to my liking (I just used sea salt, pepper & cinnamon).  I tossed into the oven at about 375 – 400 and let them go.  I checked on them every 10 minutes or so and flipped about half way through and then towards the end again to brown up on all sides.  They ROCKED!! 

I served them along side of an open-faced fried egg sandwich.  I toasted 2 slices of Kinnikinnick’s Many Wonder Multi-Grain Bread  and then topped with fresh baby spinach, fried eggs and fresh chopped basil.  So good and went perfectly with the sweet potato steak fries!! 

If you like sweet potatoes, give these fries a try! 

Phew, hot one out today!  96 with a heat index of 104.  It wouldn’t feel so bad if we had been having this weather all season, but it has been unseasonably cool here in Ohio.  I have to admit that this warmer weather has left me uninspired to cook much.  Too hot to turn the oven on, even with A/C.  There has been a lot of grilling going on.  School starts in 17 days.  I will miss having the kids around, but I look forward to being back on more of a structured daily schedule.  Plus, the arguing is getting a little much.  I declared one day last week “National No Arguing Day”.  The kids didn’t buy it.  Darn!  LOL!! 

A friend of ours gave us some cucumber & zucchini from their garden the other day.  You have to see this zucchini.  Jon was pretending to use it as a baseball bat, it is that big!!

This is a 12 inch ruler and a 750ml bottle of wine, for reference.

Look how big around this thing is!

Not sure what I am doing with this monster yet, but I see some zucchini bread in our future!!

In My Box is hosting this week’s gluten-free menu swap.  The ingredients of the week are lentils, beans & pulses.  I had no idea what pulses were, so I went to my trusty Wikipedia site to find out.  Basically they are legumes, but if you want more explanation, click here.  I eat lentils, beans & pulses all the time.  I add chickpeas and/or black beans to my salads all the time.  I also enjoy black beans with some red quinoa and other grilled or roasted veggies.  I don’t have any dinners planned using these items, but they will be in my salads & lunches.  😉 

Sunday ~ Rotisserie Chicken, baked sweet potato w/cinnamon  & Greek yogurt, fresh green beans & mixed greens salad.

Monday ~ Spaghetti & meat sauce (ground turkey), roasted asparagus & salad

Tuesday ~ Baked Chicken Fingers, butternut squash fries, broccoli & salad

Wednesday ~ Leftovers or fend for yourself night (skating)

Thursday ~ Herb Roasted Pork (got bumped from last week), Brown Rice or quinoa, zucchini/yellow squash & salad

Friday ~ Pizza and salad

Saturday ~ Filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted veggies & salad

Baked Goods

Pamela’s Bread

Zucchini Bread

Thanks to Cheryl at Gluten-Free Goodness for hosting the temporary GF Menu Swap HQ. 

For more great menu ideas, visit Orgjunkie. 

Reminder:  Do you want to write for The Examiner?  Check out this post for more information.  A great way to reach out to others, have fun & make a little extra money!  They are nationwide!  Make sure to mention where you heard about The Examiner.  My referral Examiner number is 15655. 

I hope you all have a great week!!  Make sure to check back tomorrow & later in the week for some awesome giveaways!! 

Hi guys!  There were only 3 people who commented/entered the contest for the Mary’s Gone Crackers & coupon.  I still used the Random Integer Generator for fairness and the result was:

#1 ~ Erin!  Erin said not the most creative answer to your question but I would like to win because I have never tried the black pepper variety or the sticks/twigs!

Congrats Erin!!!  I will ship your crackers & coupons out early this week!

Thanks to all who entered & keep checking back this week.  I have  another fun contest going up Monday morning and yet another towards the end of the week!  If you like cereal and yogurt, you are in for a treat! 😉

I wrote in my new Examiner post yesterday about Think Thin & Think Fruit Bars.  They are on sale at Kroger this week for $1/each!  That is 50% off!!  I stocked up, as I know the Think Thin Bars are great to have on hand in a situation where there is no safe food available for Jon.  They don’t replace a meal for him, he is a growing boy, but they do hold him over with the 20g of protein they have per bar. 

I bought some Think Fruit Bars for myself and gave the Cashew Acai Protect bar a try today.  I was very impressed!  These taste very similar, if not the same, as Lara Bars!  The bar had a great flavor & texture.  It was full of nuts and has 160 mg of Omega 3s per serving!  They are dairy & gluten-free.  This bar has only 8g of fat, as compared with Lara Bars, which have 10+ grams of fat.  The fat is coming from nuts, so not a bad thing.  The bar has 190 calories, 6 grams of fiber and 3g of protein.  The regular price on these bars at Kroger is $2/each, which is a little steep, in my opinion.  I don’t mind paying between $1 – $1.50 for bars like this.  I would recommend this bar.  🙂  Another great go-to product for those on a gluten-free diet.

See all the nuts?

Now, for some FUN!!  I have a box of Mary’s Gone Crackers Black Pepper crackers to give away to a lucky commenter!  Also, I have a coupon for a free 8oz bag of Mary’s Gone Crackers Sticks & Twigs to go along with it.  All you have to do to enter the contest is:

1.  Leave a comment here telling me why you would like to win.

2.  Blog & link back or tweet about this contest & leave another comment telling me you did.

3.  That is it!  Have fun!

The contest is open until midnight tomorrow night, August 7, 2009.  The winner will be chosen and announced on Saturday AM. 

Have a great night! 

Today my baby girl is 7 years old.  She was born on August 6, 2002 at 1:17 P.M.  I can’t believe that she is going into second grade!  Time sure does fly by.  Hannah had a wonderful family cookout this past weekend and has a party set up for 5 of her closest gals this weekend.  Talk about having a birthday week!!  Today she is having her buddy, Regan (who is also my youngest sister, 7, and Hannah’s Aunt….got all that?), spend the night.  We asked Hannah to choose the menu and she chose Pizza Hut.  Not exactly gluten-free, so Jon & I will make our own pizza.  We will most likely hit up Cold Stone Creamery for some yummy desserts. 

Here is a picture of Hannah on her “birth”day. 

Here she is with me just this past weekend before her party.

Happy birthday, sweetie!  We love you! 

Today was an off day from running which usually means that I will eat more & be hungrier than on the days I run.  Weird, but I think it is my body recovering from the torture! LOL!  I had to have Jon at the orthodontist by 7:30, so I still had to get up early.  I was up by 4:55 and downstairs & eating by 6 AM. 

My breakfast today was a 3 egg white frittata with spinach & Roma tomatoes, decaf w/ vanilla Almond Breeze, brown rice cakes w/ Trader Joe’s Creamy Almond Butter with Sea Salt & Superfood Fruit Spread.  This was my first time trying this AB….OMG…I don’t know which I like better….the raw unsalted that I tried or this stuff.  They both rock!!  And, at $4.99/jar, they are the best deal in town (or on the internet)!

Like my mug? 

Frittata (not super pretty…had some egg cooperation issues today)

Rice cakes w/ AB & Fruit Spread

The star…

Guess who didn’t take a picture of her snack?  LOL!  That would be me!  I had a bowl of cereal (I mixed Brown Rice Crispies, Corn Chex & Honey Kix) and topped with a large spoonful of Fage Greek yogurt.  Love cereal & could eat it for every meal! 

Lunch was so good today.  I am in love with pears and these apple pears that I discovered last week.  I made a sandwich with turkey, provolone, spinach, basil, apple pear on Pamela’s bread & dipped in Grey Poupon.  YUM!!  I also had a spinach salad with grape tomatoes & Fat Free French (I normally don’t like the Fat Free, but Walmart didn’t carry the Light, so I tried this and love it!), Baked Lays, celery sticks & the rest of the apple pear.  The celery ended up back in the fridge….my eyes were bigger than my stomach.

Up close of the amazing sammie…

And one more, because you need to see it…

I am never too full for chocolate, so I had a small handful of dark chocolate covered blueberries & cranberries.

Around 4:30 or so I was hungry and knew dinner would be later because of Hannah’s skating class, so I grabbed a bowl of Daisy Cottage Cheese and some leftover grilled pineapple.  This was amazing together!

Went to skating and I don’t know about you, but I always have to have Tic tacs in my mouth in the car.  These are my Tic Tacs of choice right now:

Dinner was late & I was starving while cooking.  I hate that!  It leads to lots of nibbling…tonight it was on fresh cherries.  🙂  I decided on Artichoke burgers tonight.

If you have not tried these, you have to!  They rank right up there with Sunshine Burgers, and may be better!  They are not only gluten-free, but Vegan, too!

Large salad had to be made…I love my salads.  I just realized that I forgot my tomato on my salad….duh!

I had a small pour of this awesome Pinot Noir from Trader Joe’s

Dinner was an Artichoke burger on a Trader Joe’s French Roll topped with Swiss cheese, sriracha & raw spinach leaves.  On the side I had some thin-sliced pan-fried zucchini slices & grape tomatoes.

See the sriracha on the cheese?

Veggies close-up

Last, but not least, fresh blueberries & cherries w/ mini chocolate chips & a
tiny scoop of Turkey Hill Banana Split Ice Cream.

Was a great day!  Tomorrow is my baby girl’s 7th b-day!  I am starting the day off with an 8 mile run at 5 AM, so wish me luck! 

Fun stuff coming tomorrow…more product reviews & at least one giveaway tomorrow and one later this week and early next week!  Can’t wait!  Night!

What an exquisite dinner.  I don’t think that I have had a better dinner in a long time, and great company too!  I met up with a good friend that I haven’t seen in a while for a nice girls’ dinner out.  We chose Cameron’s American Bistro for a couple of reasons.  I have eaten there before and love their food.  Also, they have a gluten-free menu & as most Cameron Mitchell restaurants, they are well versed on the gluten-free diet. 

From Cameron’s  website:

An American road trip for your palate, Cameron’s American Bistro brings home to Columbus delicious dishes familiar and unfamiliar, from places coastal and landlocked.

Scallops from the Bay Area.  Duckling from Indiana.  Low country shrimp and grits.  Local beef, pork and poultry. It’s ever changing, and brought to Columbus by some of America’s finest chefs, that has inspired a loyal following of diners at this neighborhood favorite and original Cameron Mitchell Restaurant.

We started with a nice bottle of Chateau St. Michelle Riesling.  This wine is the perfect pairing for seafood, which is what I was planning on having.  The wine has a very slight sweet, but crisp taste.  We both really enjoyed this wine.  For our salads, we both ordered the Chop Chop salad.  The salad is a wonderful combination of field greens, asparagus, sweet corn, hard boiled egg, smoked bacon, gorgonzola, red onions, grape tomatoes, dried cherries and golden balsamic vinaigrette.  (I omitted the onions & egg).  I neglected to get a picture of our salads (bad food blogger!).  The combinations of all of these different flavors went together so well.   I loved the smoky bacon flavor paired with the tart sweetness of the cherries & corn. 

For dinner I ordered the special of the night – blackened sea scallops served with goat cheese & thyme Yukon mashed potatoes, broccoli rabe & a whole grain mustard cream sauce.  Our very knowledgeable server, Christy, was quick to mention that she would check with the chef to see if the special was gluten-free right after she got done telling us about it and she saw the “I have  to have that dish” look on my face.  I have one word.  E.X.Q.U.I.S.I.T.E.  I have always been a fan of scallops and these were done perfectly.  Not overly seasoned & so tender.  The mashed potatoes were to die for.  They were so creamy & flavorful.  I had never tried broccoli rabe before and I loved it!!  Almost a cross between broccoli & asparagus.  The whole grain mustard cream sauce was the perfect way to finish off this dish. 

For dessert there were 2 gluten-free choices on the menu – CL ASSIC CRÈME BRÛLÉE (Chantilly cream & seasonal berries) or MEYER LEMON GRATIN (Lemon cream & raspberries).  Stacey & I decided to split the Meyer Lemon Gratin.  The dessert came out & looked so enticing!  I couldn’t wait to dig right in!  The top was a crisp sugar that had been torched like a creme brulee; the middle was an amazing lemon cream that reminded me of a crustless cheesecake.  Best dessert I think I have had in a long time. 

I highly recommend Cameron’s American Bistro to anyone and especially to those needing to eat gluten-free. 

Over the past few months I have had lots of ideas, thoughts & comments swirling around in my head about gluten-free food & companies.  I think back to where the gluten-free food market was when I first went gluten-free in January 2006 and cringe.  There are so many more options now and those options are much easier to get your hands on than they used to be.  I can do all of my grocery shopping in a mainstream grocery store, including specialty items like bread, pasta & flours, for the most part.  Yes, I still frequent the health food store, Trader Joe’s & Whole foods, but mainly because I like options and I have an addiction to those stores & can’t help myself! LOL!  My point is that I don’t have to if I don’t want to. 

Many companies make it very easy to buy their products by either having a blanket statement that they will call out any gluten ingredients on their labels; gluten will not be hidden under “natural flavors” or any other ingredient.  You can find a list of those companies here.  One company that I have just gotten an update from is Campbell’s.  Previously you had to email them to get their GF list.  Now it is listed right on their website!  I love this!!  I will absolutely support a company by repeatedly purchasing their products when they make my life easier.  If I don’t have to track down information on the GF status of their food, things are much easier for me.  I have a list of links down the right side of my blog with lots of gluten-free product information. ————–>

There are also many services out there that do a lot of the legwork for you.  There is Clan Thompson, with lists available for purchase.  There is also Zeer, an online database that has over 30,000 food products (and 500 new ones added every week!  The cost for Zeer Select is $15/month.  I had the opportunity to try out Zeer Select, the upgraded version of Zeer, and it is amazing!  Even if there isn’t a clear cut answer, the ingredients are still listed on the site, as well as the manufacturer’s contact info. 

Then you have other companies who make it very difficult for you to buy & eat their products.  I currently have an email out to Emerald regarding the GF status of their Cocoa Roasted Almonds.  I sent the email over a week ago and still haven’t received a response.  Additionally, I have been unsuccessful at locating a phone number to call them.  I purchased the almonds because they were on sale, but won’t touch them until I can verify.  They may end up being eaten my my husband if I can’t get an answer.  So, if anyone out there knows, please let me know! 😉 

Restaurants are another area in the gluten-free food market that has come a long way.  I don’t feel like I am nearly as restricted as I was in the beginning.  I have options all over, even when I travel.  Usually I pack my food for long trips, but that is based on personal preference, not the fact that I don’t have any options.  I have a list of gluten-free restaurant links down the right side of my blog with a lot more specific information.  ————>

Quick Notes:

From now until August 15th when buying Pure Bars from the Pure Bar website  enter the Promotional code “PURESUMMER” and receive 30% off your order AND free shipping on any variety and any size order.  Yes, I was sucked in.  I couldn’t help myself.  I ordered a variety pack, because as I mentioned yesterday, I need to try the other flavors.  The total for 12 bars was $20.29 with free shipping! 

Also, speaking of the lovely Pure Bar, don’t forget to check out Kristin’s giveaway.  You have until midnight tomorrow night (the 5th) to enter. 

I have some fun plans tonight that I can’t wait to share tomorrow!  🙂 

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Kristin over at Iowa Girl Eats is having a massive Pure Bar giveaway!  I love, love, love Pure Bars, but can only find the Chocolate & Cherry Cashew around here.  I am dying to try the Wild Blueberry, Choc Chip Trail Mix, among others.  So, I am writing this post in hopes that I will win some of my beloved bars. 😉  Make sure to head over & check it out!!

While I am here, might as well share my new post over at The Examiner.  Make sure to read about where to find chia seeds and you too can make some yummy Blueberry Chia Muffins!

Have a great Monday! 🙂 

It is August!!!  Holy moley, time flies!!  This week I am hosting the Gluten-free Menu Swap!  I chose cherries as my featured ingredient.  I adore cherries and have been eating them like crazy this summer.  You can find great info on cherries on Wikipedia.  I have used cherries in many different ways this year.  I top my salads with them, I eat them in yogurt, I eat them in cereal, I eat them in ice cream, I eat them straight out of the bag.  Last week I had planned on making a cherry cake, but ended up making Blueberry Chia Muffins instead because I had blueberries that needed to be used up.  What is your favorite way to eat or use cherries? 

This week is Hannah’s birthday!  She will be 7 on Thursday!!  Again, time flies!!  We had a family cookout yesterday for her and she will have a small party for her friends from school this coming weekend.  Talk about a full week of b-day fun!

Sunday ~ Rotisserie Chicken, red quinoa, grilled corn-on-the-cob & salad

Monday ~ Barbeque chicken breasts, Garlic Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, broccoli & salad.

Tuesday ~ Tacos, black beans, corn & salad (I am going out with my gal friend!)

Wednesday ~ Grilled Salmon, grilled asparagus & sweet potatoes, grilled pineapple & salad. Cherry Cake for dessert.

Thursday ~ Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans & salad.

Friday ~ Pizza night!  Bob’s Red Mill veggie for me, pepperoni for the family & salad.

Saturday~ Leftovers or breakfast for dinner.

Baked Goods

Pamela’s Bread

Cherry Cake

More Blueberry Chia Muffins

Heather at Celiac Family  has a great looking menu this week!  I can’t wait to hear how the pizza crust goes on Monday, I have that cookbook, too!!  Please make sure to let us know!

Sea at Book of Yum always makes me drool with her recipes & pictures.  She has a great recipe up on her post for Garam Masala Indian Tofu Scramble.  She also has Chebe grilled pizza on her menu for Friday. YUM!!

Elizabeth at Modern Gal has a great looking menu this week.  She has an awesome peach & tomato salad planned for Friday that I may have to try! 🙂

Wendy at Celiacs in the House has lots of amazing produce from the farmer’s market!  Look at all of those tomatoes!  I can’t wait to hear more about the homemade cherry ice cream she is making this week!

Linda at The Gluten-free Homemaker has a great looking menu!  I am interested in the Easy Rice salad!! 🙂  YUM!

Amanda at Asparagus Thin has a mouth-watering menu planned for the week!  Raspberry polenta pie?  Sweet Chili Pumpkin Salad with Pistachio Crisps?  I might be moving in!! 

Cheryl at Gluten-Free Goodness has a wonderful looking menu planned for the week!  She even has a recipe for cherry pudding!  I am dyinn to try that!  🙂

JoAnn at My Experiment in Gluten-free Living has a great menu!  Lots of fun crockpot meals!  I love cooking with my crockpot!  I am bookmarking these recipes! 

I want to thank Cheryl for running the Temporary HQ for the Gluten-Free Menu Swap.  🙂 

Don’t forget to head over to The Happy Housewife to check out lots of other menu plans.  She is filling in for Orgjunkie  this week.  🙂

Anyone who wants to participate in the Gluten-Free Menu Swap, please email me at: kbouldin@insight.rr.com and I will edit this post with your link.