Gluten Verboten

Willy's at GSU

2012-01-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

I feel like Georgia State is much cooler now that we have a Waffle House and a Willy's in the bottom of the new science building. Willy's didn't have the GF info posted (or not posted where I could easily find it), so I emailed them. Here is their response:

"Thank you for your interest in Willy's! Willy's prepares fresh food items

in its restaurants daily and has made adjustments to its recipes to be MSG

and gluten free.

With the exception of the flour tortillas and our cookies, everything on our

menu is now gluten free.

However, it is possible that cross-contamination can occur from the

tortillas used in the steamer and on the cutting boards. To help prevent

cross-contamination, please tell the manager that you are ordering a gluten

free meal and ask that they change gloves before handling your food. There

is a high risk of cross-contamination from the steamers, some utensils and

the gloves if they are not changed prior to making a gluten free item they

use at the counter.

We hope this is helpful and you'll keep coming back to Willy's!"

...and now I am full of burrito bowl and very happy. :)

Christmas

2011-12-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

We all have holiday traditions in our families. Some are things we as individuals due during a holiday; some are activities we do as groups. I like to start December off by reading David Sedaris' essay "Six to Eight Black Men." David's essay is one of my all-time favorites out of his library of humor. While the story makes me laugh, it reminds me of the quirks of cultural holiday traditions. I do find it a bit odd that the Christmas celebrators all cut forests worth of pine trees down to decorate and decompose in our living rooms over the holiday. And the idea that Christmas involves the economy.

Call me a cynic, but I wholeheartedly despise two pre-Christmas traditions. The first is laying out Christmas decor in stores before fall semester starts. All that is pointing to is commercialism, something I will address later. My second pet peeve is playing of Christmas music before Thanksgiving. Let's be real. Usually the music is used to get people into "the Spirit." Funny how I only hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving in stores, who are relying on this spirited music to get people to spend money. Thanksgiving is both my favorite meal all year and a day to give thanks- it should not fall in the shadows of Christmas.

Let's address the commercial aspect of Christmas. When Jesus was born, he was supposed to bring people closer to God. The Three Wise Mens' gifts to Baby Jesus lead to current traditions of gift giving. Society has made gift giving into a huge ordeal that involves stress, guilt, and large bursts of economic activity. So is gift giving wrong? No. I just believe giving should be within reason. I believe the focus of Christmas should be on community, family, sharing, love, and closeness with God.

You may be stunned after reading the above that I not totally hard-hearted. My favorite memories as a child involved the night when my sister would come home. My parents and us kids would spend time making ornaments from hand-made dough, baking them, and then painting them when they cooled. Often, we would enjoy loves of bread made from various members of the squash family that my mother or sister had made. There was laughter. Nobody had a knock-down, drag-out fight, and, most importantly, we all were together. As a family. That was as close as we would ever come to a vintage magazine add perfect day. Now that I am an adult with a mortgage to pay, its time to make my own Christmas traditions with my husband. I hope that once we have kids, ornament making over pumpkin bread with be involved in the mix.

My husband, an electrical engineer, has lit up the condo with lots of fun colored lights. We drive through the neighborhood looking at other homes and their light displays. His childhood in CT involved whole neighborhood participation, and he is always upset to see people without "the spirit." It seems like a silly tradition, lighting up your house, but I love it. The tackier the better. I love the absurd displays of giant mangers and blow up arctic friends in people's yards. Yes, its fun for the kids to look at, but I think it helps adults get in touch with their memories of childhood Christmas magic.

I set up our four foot tall fake tree this year, hung the stockings, and wrapped the gifts. I love wrapping gifts. Its fun. What I love more is seeing the surprise when my family opens their gifts. In my husband's family, the adults all draw names and buy for one person. We have a spending minimum. This is an idea I tried for years to get my family to do, because its much less stressful. This tradition also lets us all save money for traveling to see each other and to focus on the kids. Christmas for kids is so magical. Some eternally living saint drops down the chimney (or finds a random way in) tom homes and leaves surprises? Yup. Its crazy and fun. The magic for the adults, I think, is seeing the happiness on the kids faces when they open their presents.

Mayo

2011-12-13T18:13:00.000-08:00

I made mayo. Yes! from scratch. The mayo making was easy, and its very tasty. I used my beloved food processor. The recipe was in the last issue of my Living Without magazine. As silly as it may seem, making the mayonnaise was a goal of mine for this month off of school.

What else have I done? I made photo tags for my gifts again this year. This time, I did them in color and used wedding photos. I caught up on the pile of laundry and ironing that has been sitting in the laundry room. Nick and I decorated for Christmas two weekends ago. He hung the lights and I did the little tree and stockings. Today, I made a card tree. I had wanted some crafty way of displaying everyone's Christmas cards, so I walked outside and gathered some sticks from outside. I stuck them in a bucket of dirt, and WHALLAH! Insta-card tree.

I worked on my craft-for-charity project today. I am making magnets out of the plastic caps that come off of medicine vials from work. About two months ago, I put up little collection bowls (made out of washed micorwave noodle bowls). I had no idea how many of those little caps one small hospital could collect so many of those plastic things! The idea of how many of those are sitting in landfills is totally disturbing, and I am not a crazy recycling tree hugger girl. The idea is that I am going to sell them for a few bucks at work and give the money to the adolescent team (my team of patients) for outings and such.

For my birthday, my hubby got me a new android phone! I am officially a woman of the present. I downloaded a free recipe app. So, last week I made white chili and this week, turkey chili. Last week the chili action seemed more appropriate, because it was actually cold. Today it was 62. Ha. Both chilies were stellar! The turkey one was surprisingly spicy.

Coupons & Butter

2011-11-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

Right, right. It's been a while. It seems like the story of my life is a stream of consciousness. Things just happen when they have time to happen.

I've been clipping a few coupons a little bit to save some cash. The first place I checked out is Southern Savers. But, let's be honest, coupons for GF foods aren't so prevalent. You could waste a lot of time hunting them down. I just went straight to the source today, and found a great Udi's coupon. Udi's a a great bread, and my new fav for sandwiches.

In watching the Today Show this morning, I was the Neely's cooking up some delicious steakage. This weekend, we're going up to a cabin in North Georgia with three other couples. (Its the annual trip we take... the trip Nick proposed on!) Since we're grilling steaks this weekend, I thought I might bring this awesome butter to go with. Below is the butter section, but here is the link to the whole recipe.

Roasted Shallot and Herb Butter

Roasted shallot and herb butter
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Pinch of crushed red- pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roasting the shallot gives it a deep, sweet flavor, and the lemon zest lightens the whole thing up. This butter would also be an excellent topping for fish or chicken.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the shallot on a square of foil, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Fold up the foil into a little packet, and place in the oven for 1 hour. Let cool completely.
Pulse the roasted shallot and remaining ingredients in a food processor until combined but still coarse. Scrape the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap, spread it across lengthwise, and roll into a log. Twist the ends to seal. Place in the fridge to firm up for at least 35 minutes before serving.

Periodicals of Note

2011-09-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

I was looking for an old posted recipe, and realized I haven't posted a recipe in quite a while! Honestly, I was hoping to post a recipe from Gluten-Free Living magazine. I've been so busy I haven't done any of them. First it was because the issues was about grilling (we're limited on that on with the condo), then it was cupcakes, this month's I haven't finished reading. Here is the bottom line. When I received the magazine subscription as a gift, I was not sure that I would fin much enjoyment in it. This thin mag is chock full of goodness; it has everything from the latest research studies summed up to product reviews to recipes. Yes, it is quite pricey. That'll give y'all something to think about.

I have cooked a few Real Simple recipes. My husband and I have had a subscription for a while now. He even gave it to his mother and sister as Christmas gifts last year. This one was deemed by my husband as a "you can make this one again!" I love this recipe for apple season! I served it over rice, but I bet it would have been stellar over some GF noodle-age. This week I have my first exam in graduate school, so I will be working the slow cooker. Bon appetite!

Real Simple Recipe Link

Chicken Sautéed With Apples

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 25m | Total Time: 25m

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 firm apple, such as Braeburn, cored, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup apple juice
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Place each chicken-breast half between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until about ¾ inch thick.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
Add the apple slices, apple juice, onion, garlic, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Simmer, covered, 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender.
Remove the chicken, apple slices, and onion to a serving platter and keep warm.
Bring the sauce to a boil for about 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Whisk in the mustard. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

By Jane Kirby and Kay Chun, October 2002

Cancer & Food Link

2011-09-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

I get asked with some frequency by the people in my life "How is school going?"

I don't really know. I'm still adjusting to my work schedule, trying to figure out what to study and when to study it, learning time-management skills for projects/papers, and still keeping relationships going. So I'm not sure. I guess its going okay. Although I don't feel particularly stressed, I have been very tired lately. I am going to bed/waking up at the same times, but closer to the end of my rest, I have weird dreams that wake me up and the back of my neck, shoulder, and into my scap aches.

I am learning quite a bit, though, in pathophysiology, and seeing how it applies to my patients.

Right now in patho, we're studying cancer. I'm reading the blurbs about diet in cancer as I type. I thought some of this was quite interesting. A fewe nutritional causes of cancer include ingestion of xenobiotcs (synthetic chemicals that may be found in food), vitamin deficiencies (particularly vitamin D), ingestion of alfatoxin molds (found on corn, peanuts, and rices stored in hot, humid places), and low intake of folate with a high intake of alcohol.

Well, Celiacs, this is particularly interesting for us. We have problems with synthesizing vitamins from our food. When I was first diagnosed, my dietary counselor had me on a regimen of vitamins, folate included. Although I am not particularly scared of cancer, or think research has it all down about the causes of cancer, it can only be helpful to take care of ourselves nutritionally for the long-run. There's a fun little box in my patho book* entitled "Components of a Cancer-Prevention diet." Note, whole grains are mentioned quite a few times, and are not necessarily on our diet. Here is what it lists:

Increase

* Fruits and vegetables (especially broccoli, caulifloer, cabbage, spinach, onions, garlic, bok choy, brussels sprouts, kale, chard, collard greens, chicory, romaine, blueberries, and grapes)
* Fiber (limiting glycemic index)
* Foods containing vitamins A, C, D, and E; mineral selenium (not to exceed 200mcg/day)
* Vitamin B6 (grains, beans, liver, avocados)
* Vitamin D
* Vitamin C
* Foods containing folate (fruits, vegetables [asparagus, broccoli], legumes, whole grains)
* Epigallocatechin gallate (found in green tea)
* Spices (curcumin [tumeric], garlic, cloves, capascin, ginger, coriander, fennel, fenugreek)
* Whole grains instead of refined grains (wheat, rice, maize)
* Legumes (lentils, peas)
* Nuts

Decrease

* Fat (especially large amounts of omega-6 fatty acids)
* High-glycemic index carbohydrates
* Foods with high amounts of preservatives
* Alcohol
* Grilled, blackened foods
* Fried foods
* High levels of calcium (>2000mg)
* Refined grain products

So, my friends, lets just surmise that eating a diet free of processed "crap" (which is a good bit of what Celiacs on the whole eat) is way better than what you were probably eating before your diagnosis. Just because it looks good on shelves and in ads, does not mean it is good for anyone. Here's to eating real food, not processed in a plant or created in a lab somewhere. Cheers!

* Source: Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children, sixth edition (2010), page 413. Written by Kathryn L. McCance, RN, PhD.

A Funny

2011-08-27T19:13:00.001-07:00

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/index.php?date=082511

Grad School & Cupcakes

2011-08-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

I started grad school this week! I am going back to school to be a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). I am now working Monday/Thursday/Friday, and having class on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. The new schedule is throwing my off a bit. Monday seemed like last week; I thought Thursday was Wednesday. My body has been protesting getting up at 0500 on Mondays. I am sure, just like any change, I will get used to it.

With everything going on in our lives, we've found a few new food short cuts. Trader Joe's Thai noodle bowls (just $1!) have been lifesavers. They have rice noodles and are super delicious. Those portion packs from Perdue have gone into quite a few dinners for us this week- Italian stir fry, pasta, with a side of rice & veggies. If the deli line looks to long, I've been grabbing the Applegate Farms lunch meat packages right off of the shelves of "normal" grocery stores. I love their oven turkey. It just melts in your mouth.

I tried out the Kinnicknnick's chocolate chip cookies (they were on sale), and was a little disappointed. They aren't as chocolatey as I had hoped. (Mind you, their "oreos" are so so so good.) My favorite cookies are still Trader Joe's ginger snaps and the "homemade" Betty Crocker chocolate chip ones I've been baking one at a time from out of my freezer.

For breakfast, our pantry is stocked full of "kid cereals"- chocolate pebbles, cinnamon chex, Rice Krispies. Nick's new thing is the Trader Joe's GF frozen waffles. To me, they taste a bit too fruit-sweetened. They are better than other GF waffles as far as toasting is concerned. They come out crispy and soft (versus cold or burnt). You still can't use the "frozen" button on your toaster (or they will burn), but who cares?

Let's talk about this whole cupcake craze thing. I find that just about everywhere now has either a frozen yogurt or a cupcake place on the corner. I do love our local Yogli Mogli (all but 2 flavors are GF!), and most fro yo comes effortlessly GF. My problem with this tend is that not too many bakery/cupcake places are into the GF cupcake making. The big deal cupcake place near work is Cami Cakes. People bring them to work for shower's, patient graduations, or for no real reason at all. Cami Cakes are adorable looking cupcakes with a tower of fluffy icing... but they don't have a single GF flavor. I do understand that baking GF and glutenous food in the same place is more difficult due to contaminants. Dedicated cookware and staff members who are serious about allergen sensitive cooking is more expensive. Only, I feel like there is a market for GF cupcakes that is being missed.

The past 2 times that I've driven by Gigi's Cupcakes for GF cupcake Wednesday, I've gone before 11:00am. Both times all of the GF cupcakes have been eaten. Gigi's has left me only with a faint memory of a carrot cake cupcake that I achieved a higher level of taste-being with oh so long ago. I went to The Cup in Brookhaven this past week (thanks to a Scoutmob) and picked up 2 red velvet cake GF cupcakes. While they do have a GF cupcake every day, they aren't all that close to me. When I went in after a long while since I got the Scoutmob, my only choice was red velvet cake. Red velvet cake is also (gasp, I know) my least favorite cake, so it was hard for me to really gauge the goodness of their baking. I will say the cake was very moist, and the cream cheese frosting very smooth and delish. My other latest GF cupcake experience was at our friend's wedding, where the bride ordered all of the chocolate cupcakes GF. I made sure to enjoy the first one (it was perfect) and hide one to take home for later. Too bad I can't just drive up to that baker's house and have one of Lily's wedding cupcakes whenever I want. Let's all hope this new trend leads to more GF goodness in the world.

Cleveland Eats

2011-08-02T17:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend we made the trip up to Cleveland for my husband’s uncle’s Celebration of Life. His uncle passed a few months before the wedding and was cremated. The family was waiting until we all could be together in Ohio to celebrate him and spread his ashes. In true Mazzolini family tradition, we had a free for all of good food, grilling out, and a few cocktails during Happy Hour. Nick and I stayed an extra day to pass the time quietly together before returning to the mayhem of life in Atlanta.

On our family-less day, Nick and I ventured into Cleveland. We wandered Little Italy (nothing was really open on Monday), then drove forever to the area just out of the eastern part of the city. I really wanted to try this new Latin cuisine at Paladar. Paladar has two locations, one in Cleveland and one in Maryland. They host a large menu of various Latin flavors, spanning form the Caribbean to Brazil, have a rum bar, and a GF menu. We both selected our meals form the GF menu. To start, we had the garlic mango guacamole. As an antree, I chose tacos; Nick enjoyed a traditional Brazilian stew. My tacos were perfect. I chose to leave off the aioli sauce (I find it messy and distracting), and enjoy the flavors of the shaved potato circles, cabbage, sausage, and goat balance, enhanced by a squeeze of lime. The Cuban rice on the side was amazingly good. The guac was served with the mélange of dippers. While I dipped jicama, carrots, and corn tortilla wedges, Nick was served a basket of tortilla chips, plantain chips, and sweet potato chips. (Despite them being fried in the communal fryer, I did break off a tiny taste of each dipped in guac for “quality control” purposes.)

I think the next time I make guac, I will for sure use the mango-garlic inspiration served with a mix of chips and veggies. I also discovered last week that Whole Foods has hand made chorizo sausage, GF, that won’t break the bank. (Up until this week, Nick and I have been unable to find chorizo that is for sure GF.) Maybe sooner or later we’ll get around to having tapas for dinner again, along side of a tall glass of malbec. Until we make our next pretend escape to Latin America, it’s back to the grind in Atlanta. This coming weekend: Lily & Sung’s wedding. Next weekend: Melissa & Brian’s wedding in Savannah.

Sorbetsicles

2011-07-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

When I received my ice cream maker as a gift, nobody took it seriously. They thought I'd use it a few times and then it would grow a warren of dust bunnies in my kitchen cabinet. I've been on quite the ice cream/sorbet making kick this summer. Maybe I'm wrong, but didn't Atlanta feel unseasonably hot in May and June? Its still so hot. Nothing is better than cooling off with sorbet- its so rejuvenating!

What have I been making? There have been so many deals on strawberries, I feel like I will be strawberried out by the end of the summer. I started with raspberry sorbet that I was supposed to take to my BFF's BBQ... but then forgot it... and ate it. I've made two batches of strawberry sorbet, and one strawberry ice cream (which got rave reviews from the wedding shower I brought it to). I took chocolate ice cream to a housewarming as a present for the host. With a pint of strawberries remaining in my fridge post shower ice creamage, I thought I would attempt something different. I made soft sorbet with a shot of coconut rum (for an added "tropical feel") and froze it in popsicle molds. They are quite tasty. I think next time I will add a dash of something tropical and fruity that has a stronger flavor- the coconut taste seemed so much stronger pre-freeze. My next frozen project (we currently have no freezer space) will be that lemon-basil sorbet I've been dreaming of since our honeymoon and margarita popsicles. :)

If you aren't feeling adventurous in your kitchen, check out Edy's or Trader Joe's frozen fruit pops. They are incredibly good, no work required.

My Dimple

2011-07-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Almost 2 weeks ago I came home from riding my bicycle with a little anomaly. As I was getting ready to hit the showers, Nick asked me "What's is wrong with your butt?" I looked in the mirror to discover that on the axis between my hip and sacrum, there is a small crater. It is soft, as if there is no tissue there anymore. (Suggestive of a facial tear?) I have pain on and off in varied combinations. Sometimes my butt cheek burns like fire from the dimple to my isch. Sometimes it just aches all around the spot, accompanied by low back pain limited to the affected side. And then there is the the occasional iliac crest and sacral pain. I definitely feel a workout burn when I walk too much or do the stairs. There is no bite mark, redness, bruising, swelling, or discoloration. I asked 3 doctors, 1 PA, 2 PTs, my chiropractor, and my massage therapist. So far, 2/3 doctors and the PTs weren't sure what caused the dimple. The third doctor (infectious disease) knows it is for sure not an infectious process. The PA and one MD suggested I see a dermatologist.

The massage therapist believes it is a facial tear. She suggested I drink more fluids (apparently 2L is not enough for my 120lb frame), and stop working out until it heals. She has me massaging around the area, which is difficult because of reach and the angle. I am also supposted to stretch (also suggested by the PTs). Yoga was approved, but was painful after my first class.

To help stay hydrated with my required >3L/day of fluid, I have this giant water bottle I have been bringing to work. I received the bottle as a shower gift- quite useful! It holds 1656ml. To keep water interesting, I decided to add cucumber slices and mint leaves. It is surprisingly refreshing. Lemons the following day in my water bottle kept me energized. I Googled for a few more inspiring flavors to try this week:

Cucumber & mint
Cucumber & lemongrass
Lemon verbena
Lemon verbena & mint
Strawberries & mint
Orange slices & cucumber
Lavender & blackberries
Lime & thyme
Fennel & raspberries
Strawberries & orange slices & lime slices
Blackberries & orange slices & rosemary
Basil & cherries
Apple slices & raspberries
Kiwi & lime
Pineapple & mint

What do the leaves do?

Mint - aids in digestion, alleviates nausea
Basil - helps with stomach cramps, gas, and vomiting (side note: also helps relieve itching with bug bites. Who knew?)
Lemongrass - In a tea lemongrass can releive congestion, coughing, bladder disorders, headaches, fever, stomach ache, flu, and GI ailments
Lavender - in a tea provides relaxation
Thyme - in a tea helps bronchitis and GI problems
Fennel - in a tea aids in relieving kidney stones, stop hiccups, prevent nausea, help with digestion, purify the liver, prevent gout, treat jaundice
All info above from www.gardensablaze.com

Breakfast for Dinner

2011-06-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Nick picked fresh blueberries with his brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew last weekend while I attended my MOH's bridal shower. After studying all day for my certification exam that's in a week, I wasn't feeling like putting too much effort into going to the grocery store. I used the fresh blueberries that Nick picked in pancakes, and, along with scrambled eggs and apple sausages, we had breakfast for dinner.

For a study break, I made my patient this c. diff voo doo doll. This poor patient has had the worst c. diff infection I've seen thus far, in terms of length and unconquerability. I've had it on my mind to make for a while, but I've been so busy! I hope this patient finds it as amusing as I do. I think she's funny.

Honeymooning in NC

2011-06-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

Food notes from our Honeymoon of relaxing proportions

* Cypress in Highlands, NC - The chef at this restaurant cooks all of the food in his wide-open kitchen. His parents started another local restaurant, now run by his siblings. We sat at the bar and watched Chef Kelley work his magic. When I wondered what was GF-able, the server suggested that I ask Chef himself. I was a little starstruck taking Chef away from his creating to ask about food options. The menu is full of international cuisine. I ended up ordering a 4-flavor chicken appetizer, a chocolate raspberry martini, and a dish from Laos. I was really excited about my steak Asian food dish- I never get to eat Asian food because of the GF/soy-free lifestyle I live. It was all I had hoped for and more. It was sweet, a little touch of sour, and spicy. The beef melted in my mouth. To finish our amazing meal, we tried the lemon basil sorbet. The sorbet was amazing- not overly sweet or tart. The flavors melded well, and the basil was incredible, subtle, refreshing. I would love to be able to make a sorbet like this one.

* Salsa in Asheville, NC - One of my cousins and his wife recommended this restaurant to us, so once we arrived in Asheville, Nick and I headed straight over. The menu was really cool. It had lots of twists on Mexican and Caribbean dishes. I ordered a steak molcajete. The restaurant keeps the molcajete in a 500 degree oven and fills it with veggies, broth, and protein. It came out bubbling and boiling with a plate of avocado, beans, and other fixings. It tasted UH-mazing. I really want to learn how to make something like this in my molcajete. Our waiter was also really fun. He did crazy tricks with his flexibility and serving, like passing the "pass the tea cup" Thai Chi game. I took the leftovers home and was heart broken that I left them in the fridge at Grove Park when we left NC.

* Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC - Three words: breakfast in bed. Each morning we ordered room service to the room. For me it always involved eggs, bacon, and potatoes. The first night we ate at one of the restaurants near our room. The trout I had was good (but nothing compared to the one at Cedric's). The second night we had dinner on the giant back porch of the Inn. We sat outside for dinner at 8 and enjoyed a mountain view before, during, and after sunset. It was romantic, tasty (I had a steak, my husband had the duck), and relaxing. I would highly recommend it. My only regret regarding food at Grove Park was not trying their GF/sugar free cheesecake. Oh well. I guess we'll have to go back.

* Cedric's Tavern at the Biltmore - We spent most of day the day at Biltmore. We arrived around 11 and wandered the gardens and the house. By the time we drove across the gorgeous property to the winery, we were starving. We ducked into Cedric's Tavern, which had- gasp- a GF menu. I had a trout with an asparagus pesto. Wow. First, all of the food is grown at the Biltmore, so it is very fresh. Second, I am not a giant fan of asparagus, but I would have licked my plate. My trout was moist, flavorful, and delicate. The pesto was cooling, yet exciting. I would drive 4 hours to eat that dish again.

Incredible Wedding

2011-06-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

We had the most moving wedding, full of a palpable love from our family and friends. My honey and I were married at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and had a fabulous wedding reception at the Defoor Center. We are just coming home from our honeymoon, opening our cards and gifts, and falling back into a more normal life. I find myself going through the pictures from our wedding that one of my bridesmaids posted at least once a day, reliving each caring moment of bliss and joy created by us and the ones we love.

Defoor Centre, our reception venue was the most wonderful place imaginable. Michelle, the event coordinator, was so easy to work with. We connected on our first meeting, and she helped us with everything from that moment on. I remember telling her she made "this whole wedding planning thing too easy." Michelle helped me through a few centerpiece ideas, color schemes, layouts, time lines, food, beverages. All of our food was GF- we even had scrumptious GF rolls. Our food was incredibly good. Michelle ordered Brugal (the family fav Dominican rum) for us. My aunt with a garlic allergy was well accommodated. Each member of the staff was kind, attentive, and fun. Roxanne, the woman who served Nick, myself, and our family not only made sure we were well fed and cared for. She came out onto the dance floor and danced with us. Roxanne even made sure one of my bridesmaids had an ice pack for her sprained ankle and was not left without a friend while she iced. I made sure to thank them for all of their work, but I really want to go give each one of them a giant hug for all of the work that went into our amazing day.

Mazzolini Pizza

2011-05-16T16:26:00.001-07:00

Since I am about to become Mrs. Mazzolini, a member of a pizza-loving family, I thought I'd make a silly video to describe the incredibly delicious BBQ Chicken Pizza we made.

Improv Class

2011-05-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

I've been taking improv classes at Dad's Garage since November. I look forward to class every week. It is fun, it pushes me to get outside my head (which I am not so good at), and I am learning new things. We have one more class until we're done with level 3. Once we complete the 7 weeks of level 4, we're done. Boom. Over. But then what? I love improv. I dont want to stop learning and growing in it. My question for myself is "to what end?" As in, what am I going to do with this learning and growing. I have no answer. Nurse by day, improvisor by night? Maybe. The next SNL character? Probably not. This could help me to write the next great American novel. We'll see.

I ask a lot of myself. I am a perfectionist, even though I despise that label. I want to push things to the next level. I look for life lessons in even the smallest of events. What can I learn from this? How can I make it better in the future? I find these traits tripping me up in improv class. Instead of just trying to let a scene with 2 characters work from start to finish, I am in my head thinking about where the scene is going, where a good place for a tilt would be, trying to avoid sterotypes in my character development. Every class my goal is to get out of my head and just let go.

This weekend we saw Tim Meadows perform at Dad's Garage. If you've never been to Dad's, you are missing out on a wealth of enjoyment. This was the first time Tim Meadows has visited a theater and left his troupe home in Chicago. We enjoyed Tim and the Dad's Garage improvisors on Saturday night. They were hysterical. Tim even did a phenomenal job of calming down a loud wobbling drunk chic who thought she might be the highlight of the show. After the show, Nick and I went up the street to Across the Street, a Mexican restaurant. They will work out ways to make just about anything on their menu GF and vegan. I thoroughly enjoyed their mojito and their goat cheese enchilada as a late night snack. I will be going back to investigate their menu, maybe next time in daylight.

Easter, Part 1

2011-04-24T09:06:00.001-07:00

It's been a whiles since I've posted. Yes, I've been busy. I also thought about just not blogging anymore. Yet here I am. We're just back from church. The flow of our day goes something like this: we woke up, tired; I rubbed the brisket, got ready for church; we stuck the brisket in the smoker, ran out the door; went to a crowded church service at St. Jude's. Somewhere amidst the singing and burning frankincense I came to.

Once we exited church stage left, we hit up Dunkin' Doughnuts to consummate our Lenten desires. Nick bought two doughnuts (his Lenten sacrifice), and I bought a cup of French vanilla coffee (just because). We sat at a table munching sweets, he his doughnuts and me my peanut butter M&Ms (I gave up chocolate) in a satisfying silence. As we enjoyed, a mother and her two boys came in. The older boy came in for a doughnut saying "I've waited 40 days for this." Nick and I smiled to each other and finished our indulgence.

Sloppy Joes

2011-03-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Sunday night I felt restless. We had just returned from an open house at our wedding reception space, said goodbye to my mother, bickered a bit. I decided I would take the Barkers for a long W-A-L-K in the woods to tire us all out. I took my normal path down to the river. I love the sound of rushing water, the feeling of moisture in the air, the placidity of the river. As I walked down the stair-like steps of rocks near the river bed, enjoying David Gray n my ipod I slipped. I felt my ankle twist and pop. I landed on my back and gasped for breath. I watched Lorenzo wander off, and called him back. I realized if we didn't walk back as a pack, I'd be laying there for a while. I stood up, brushed the dirt off, put in my ear buds, and got back on the path. Jem's music played, the lyrics saying "God give me strength to keep on walking." I laughed. How tv sitcom dramatic.

When I got home, Nick had me do "ice bucket therapy." He fixed a bucket of ice full of cold water with ice in it to stick my foot in. Have you ever done that? Ice baths are intensely uncomfortable. As I squirmed around on the couch, I decided I should distract myself. Nick had been craving Sloppy Joe's. Meals in boxes did not exist in my house, so I had never seen a Sloppy Joe prepared in my life. I Googled a recipe for Sloppy Joes from scratch. I was quite impressed with them. I served mine on a Kinicknick's hamburger bun.

Nick only left one serving of Sloppy Joe in the fridge, so I know he loved them. I ate the leftovers today over GF shell shaped pasta. I think they were even better this way. And my ankle? I have a hairline fracture and a really fashionable boot to wear for the next 2-6 weeks.

Enjoy some sloppy good food!

Sloppy Joes Front Scratch

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced carrots (can sub chopped bell pepper)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
1 1/4 lb ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cups tomato sauce (or 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, puréed)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 turns of freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns

Cook it up

1 Heat olive oil in a large pan on medium high heat. Cook the carrots for about 5 minutes, making sure to keep them moving so they don't burn. Put in the onion and celery with the carrots. Move the food around in the pan with your spatula occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5 more minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat. Transfer the veggies from the pan to a bowl and set aside.

2 Salt the bottom of the same pan. Turn the heat up to high to brown the beef. You may consider cooking the beef in 2 batches. Use a slotted spoon to help the beef brown on all sides. When the beef has browned, remove the extra fat juices.

3 Put the beef and veggies together in the pan over medium low heat. Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and brown sugar to the pan. Stir to mix well. Add ground cloves, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, then serve on GF buns.

Better Mexican

2011-03-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Wedding, work, work, work, wedding, stuff, improv, work, wedding...

Nick and I finally reconnected with Ali and Jason a few Sundays ago at La Fonda. I've been to La Fonda before, but have only had their pork chops (which are quite tasty). This time I ordered chicken tacos on corn tortillas. I was expecting a typical taco involving meat, veggies, salsa. This one came out with some sort of chipotle mayo. It really didn't do it for me. While the drinks (margaritas and mojitos) were quite good, my heart longed for a better Mexican food experience.

Monday I got to work on a quesadilla that would ease pain of bad Mexican. I turned to the staples or my refrigerator. They turned out quite well- crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

Spinach Quesadillas & Corn Salad Using Fridge Staples
* Bag of shredded reduced fat Mexican blend cheese
* Corn tortillas
* Bag of spinach (or whatever you have left over)
* Chicken breast, cut into thin strips or squares
* 1 clove of garlic, crushed
* Can of corn
* Can or diced tomatoes
* 1 jalapenos, diced, seeding optional
* 3 tablespoons EVOO
* reduced fat sour (optional)

Preheat the broiler while you are preparing the remaining items.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the EVOO in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, make the corn salad.

When the chicken has cooked through, set aside. Drain any remaining juices. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO. Add the garlic, crushed, and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook, turning it every so often with a spoon, until it is wilted.

Meanwhile, lightly brush each side of the corn tortilla with some of the EVOO, and place half of them on a baking sheet. Set aside the other half to use as the tops. Spoon the cooked spinach onto each of the quesadillas. Add the shredded cheese onto the tortilla to taste. Top the quesadillas off with the remaining tortillas.

Place the baking sheet in the broiler for 1 minute. Flip the quesadilla and cook for 1 more minute, or until both sides are crispy. Enjoy, seasoned with the corn salad or a salsa of your choice.

Corn Salad
Open the 2 cans. Drain the juice out of the corn, and drain the majority of the juice out of the tomatoes. Combine in a bowl with the jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adding cilantro is a bonus.

Stuff and Things

2011-02-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

We've been really busy lately with stuff and things.

We had our Engaged Encounter weekend in Cullman, AL. Their motto is "a wedding is a day, but a marriage is a lifetime." We did this weekend because of Nick's uncle and aunt-

used to teach these weekends. I really did not know what to expect. The retreat format went in lecture, separate the men and women to answer questions, then meet with your fiancee to discuss. Many of the topics discussed were things Nick and I had talked about already, but maybe not in so much depth or so pointedly. Talking and writing all weekend wash exhausting, but very worthwhile. Not only do I feel this weekend helped deepen our relationship, but I am even more excited about marry this amazing man. My favorite part of the weekend was the love letter we wrote each other. I'll cherish that forever.

The nuns of Cullman, AL really accommodated my and another man's GF needs very well. Everything was fresh and healthy. They did not even serve sweet tea in Alabama, because the sugar content makes the tea too unhealthy. We ate chicken breasts, salads, roast beef, potatoes, etc, all made with love. :)

What else have I been up to?

Wedding planning. Nick picked out his tux with me. He is going to look so handsome. I made little bracelets and headbands for the flower girls. I collected florists names, and Nick finished the hot

el stuff. Today I received our invitation mock-ups. Kristy did a great job with them! I am so excited.

Outside time. Who knew it could be 70 degrees for a whole week in February?

Enjoying Nick's cooking. He has been making some really great

food lately. (I've been sticking to the basic meals, things I have already cooked.) We had three Valentine's Day meals. On Sunday I came back from my scrapbooking retreat to find a baked chicken, stuffing, and a baked potato (my favorites!). Monday I wanted to fix spag and meatballs for Nick (one of his favorites), but ended up with meat sauce because work went over. He fixed some tasty skewers on v-day Tuesday.

One of Nick's new finds is this coconut root extract sauce that tastes like soy, but is GF, vegan, GMO happy, kosher, etc., etc. He made a stir fry with that sauce, a pinch of corn starch, onion, and beef strips last night. It was sooooooooooooooooo good!

Engagement Party

2011-01-31T17:25:00.001-08:00

Saturday we hosted our friends to celebrate our engagement. The party was wonderful. I love entertaining, having a home full of people I love. To make a relationship succeed through the good and bad, I think you have to have a support system of friends and family. It is a blessing to have wonderful friends in our lives, in our life together. I look forward to our next get-together, whether it be a large group or one-on-one.

We wanted to keep this party simple, so we ordered a Boar's Head meat tray from Publix. On the side, I fixed spinach dip, guac, and goat cheese/sun-dried tomato crostini. Kristy brought her signature pizza dip (oh so so SO good) and Melissa brought a black bean dip that received rave reviews. On the sweet side, we had a m&m bowl, chocolate covered pretzels (not GF), cupcakes, and some chocolate-pretzel-pecan creations by Kristin that also got tons of complements. So much for keeping it simple. If you come to our house, we will feed you. Well.

The spinach dip is a bit funny- it takes an obscene amount of spinach to make a small dip. I used a Martha Stewart recipe for it (the recipe is here). As for the goat cheese crostini, I used rice crackers instead of bread. The crackers did get a bit soggy under the cheese, but nobody seemed to mind. The crostini disappeared quickly. Next time I might try to cut some GF bread into squares. Read on for the easiest recipe ever.

Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato "Crostini"
Ingredients
Goat Cheese log
Sun Dried Tomatoes
GF Base - rice crackers, bread, etc.

Take your cold goat cheese, and mold a dab of it onto the base. I found it much easier to use my (clean) fingers than to use a spreading knife. The pressure from the knife broke a lot of crackers and left flakes, while my fingers made a smooth finish. Next, add the sun dried tomato pieces. Enjoy!

I served mine on a shallow chip tray (I ran out of big flat serving things). To even the surface I used candle-scaping rocks, but you could also use dried beans or peas.

Snow-pocalypse

2011-01-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

Even if you don't live in Atlanta, you heard about the snow fall that shut down Atlanta for the last 4 or so days. A few of those days were while my sister was here visiting from New Jersey. The unfortunate part of her week here for me was going back to work. My sister and Nick drove me through the ice and snow to work on Monday night for my shifts on Tuesday and Wednesday. Work was housing the staff and feeding them. Nick and my sister came back to have some quality bonding time.

My first night I spent on a newly refurbished wing, on a cot. Since the floor was not open for patients, our staff turned it into a quiet dormitory. I packed enough GF food for two days, knowing our caf wasn't going to live up to my GF/Soy-free needs. That first night was quiet, in my lonely room. I knew I was at work. On the floor in the morning, you could see the exhaustion and stress written across the weekend staff's faces. They hadn't left work since Sunday, and some of them had worked since Saturday. I made the day go by quickly by staying busy; everything seemed to move at a dream-like pace.

After my first shift, I got to sleep on a pull-out sofa in one of the family housing apartments. I've slept on many a sleeper sofa, but had never has slept on one where you could feel the metal mesh framing by resting a hand on the bed. Despite that, I slept more soundly, as the apartment felt less like a hospital. I sat down to a bowl of GF pasta at 8pm as my roomies for the night drifted off to sleep in the bedroom. (I guess it was good that I was sleeping in the living room/kitchen!) I was pissed that one of my roomates was up at 4 am clattering around in my portion of the apartment making breakfast, but I got over it.

The weekend staff got to go home, for the most part. Some of the nurses working their third and fourth shifts looked like zombies. Even though I was only there two nights, I too was beginning to loose track of time and place. I painted a few nurse's nails at the nurse's station for fun; two of the OT's made a list and made a Publix run for us. (They could come and go as they were able.) We floated across time again. I waited all day for Nick to come back to work and whisk me away. All I wanted was time with my sister, my pack (Nick and the dogs), fresh food, my bed. When 7 rolled around, I ran out to Nick's car as fast as possible.

When I came home, my sister had taken over the world as I knew it. She had installed Windows 7 on the computers, created a wireless network with my new router, updated the computers (thus bringing us out of the stone age), burned DVDs, cleaned out the spice cabinet, pared down the lid-less tupperware, re-organized the pot and pan cabinet, cooked chili, cooked beans, cooked prok, made various meals in my abscence, and had a meal hot, fresh, and ready when I wandered in. I am sure I am missing a few of her accomplishments. In a weird way, my two days and nights seemed like one long day.

Today I took my sister to the Buford Highway Farmer's Market. The roads were thankfully very manageable.She could have spent hours in there, but managed to pare her visit down to 1 hour and 5 bags full of peppers, cooking mixes, and a few exotic spices. We ate sashimi and Pop chips in the car before heading to the airport. Our visit, though strangely arranged in time, as so great. I don't get to see her very often, but nothing can break the bonds of sistership. The next time I'll see her will be for the wedding!

Today Nick is cooking the cornish hens he bought at Kroger on Monday, testing out the fresh fallen snow. I am so glad to be home, to have a home-cooked meal. Tomorrow night, after we devour some of the leftovers, we'll have to start piling the freezer full of deliciousness.

Blue Moon Pizza

2011-01-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

Nick and I's first dinner in 2011 was Blue Moon Pizza. Nick needed to fulfill a pizza craving, and I needed to try another GF pizza. We drove over to the Smyrna location and sat at one of the high boy tables. Everything on their menu (except steak) can be made into a personal sized GF pizza. Although the GF pizzas only come in personal size, the personal size is 8". There are quite a few interesting choices, such as Thai Chicken, Bacon Cheeseburger, and Santa Fe. Blue Moon also has GF beer and cider on their adult beverage menu.

Nick ordered us GF brushetta. The bread portion was phenomenal. The topping was much to vinegary for my taste. Maybe brushetta is supposed to be tomatoes and onions bathed in an ocean of balsamic. I've never had brushetta before, since that particular food trend occurred after my conversion to GF. I've never been curious enough to buy a jar of brushetta and sample it on bread.

I kept my pie traditional and ordered a Greek pizza, heavy sauce, light on the house cheese. My pizza had a soft thin crust. The more GF pizza I eat, the more I realize that it's harder to make a GF thick crust (the issue being rising). I really loved it. The fresh basil leaves were a tad hard to bite through; I kept pulling off the basil when I bit into the slice. I ate until I was stuffed, and still had 2 more pieces for breakfast.

Conclusion: I'll be back for more!

Betty Crocker

2011-01-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

I don't know when it happened, but Betty Crocker took the soy out of their cake mix! For people like me who are super sensitive to gluten and anything chemically similar (i.e., secondary grains like soy). For New Year's Eve, I baked some of Betty's GF cupcakes. Instead of making my usual butter cream icing, I used Pamela's icing mix. Both items turned out really well. The Betty's had a very very slight GF texture, but the taste was amazing. To me, this is the best yellow cake mix-in-the-box that I have tried thus far. For whatever reason, the chocolate boxes turn out smoother and other yellow cake brands grainier.

The Pamela's icing was so soooo good! It was smooth and creamy- better than mine! It also wasn't overly sugar-sweet, which I prefer.

My cupcakes got lots of complements from the gluten-eaters at the party, which always means a lot to me. I am really excited that us GF-ers have more options for GF desserts. Go try some!

My Birthday!

2011-01-03T07:33:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy with wedding plans and Christmas prepping that I forgot to write about my amazing birthday! I decided to follow in the footsteps of last year and have a taco dinner. This year, we hit up Pure Taqueria for deliciousness.

Pure was packed and noisy with the groups of Friday nighters celebrating the end of another week. We had a table along the back wall by the kitchen; I enjoyed keeping an eye on the goings-on in the restaurant. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas to start while we perused the menu. Believe it or not, the GF menu is much larger than vegetarian menu! I ordered the carne asada tacos. They were amazing!

After dinner we walked across the street to Dad's Garage improv theater. I've just completed my first level of improv classes. Our homework is always to see shows so we can learn how what we learn is applied live on stage. We opted for the Dr. Frapples show, which was hilarious! If you've been meaning to go see some live comedy, go take the plunge at Dad's.

Disney's Magic

2011-01-01T18:43:00.000-08:00

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Nick and I made a trip to Animal Kingdom. I had looked over Disney's website the week before to review places we could eat at. Not only does Disney post the estimated cost of each restaurant, but they also recommend restaurants in each park that are allergen friendly. They ask that you notify places with reservations early (good idea). They are all about making your stay amazing. We made plans to eat at the Restaurantosaurus. (Incredibly fun name, I know!)

Once Nick and I were in the park and had decided to take a break from traveling through Africa and Asia, we mosied on over to the Restaurantosaurus. When we walked in, I asked the hostess how I could have my food allergy needs met. She explained the process like this: "I will press a magic button, and one of our managers will magically appear. He will give you the magic allergen-free menu, and you can choose whatever you woud like. Then we will serve it to you right here." The process was just as magical as she described. I had quite a few choices, burgers with GF buns, GF mac and cheese, chicken tenders, and a few others. I chose chicken tenders, and let the magic unfold.

I had not eaten a chicken tender in 7 years. I'd written them off, really. Breaded fried meat? I'd live without it just fine. But oh! The Disney magic GF chicken tender was magnificent. They were crispy breaded on the outside and hot meat on the inside. They were mouth-watering. I ate three of the large tenders and was full. I sacrificed myself for the fourth one. Nick even said that the breading was just right- not too exessive like on many glutinous tenders. I was in heaven. Amazing food experience in a magical place with a fun name. Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Rice Nog

2011-01-01T18:20:00.000-08:00

My shopping trip in Whole Foods was moving in a blur a few weeks ago. I just tossed things in my cart that I needed, hoping to be in and out. Fast. Time froze for a second in the Rice Milk Aisle when I came across the Rice Nog. I tilted my head to the right and thought "Do I like egg nog?" I realized the liking was immaterial. I was being presented with an opportunity to try a completely absurd GF beverage. The better question was "Why wouldn't I love this?" I tossed it in the cart.

The rice nog sat for a few weeks on my kitchen counter. It was going to be disgusting, I just knew it. I refuse to drink rice milk by the glass, so why would anyone want a glass of holiday flavored rice milk? (Well they wouldn't, naturally.) When we packed up some GF goodness to tote down to Florida for Christmas, I stuck my Rice Nog in the bag. I thought it would be entertaining to make everyone try it and see their reactions to its strange flavor.

While in Florida, I had forgotten about my liquid novelty. The day after Christmas morning, I remembered it just in time for breakfast. I made Nick's parents and grandmother try it with me. Much to my dismay, the Rice Nog was awesome. It had a creamy texture uncannily like milk, with hints of holiday flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg). Not only was it great by the glass, the Rice Nog was also amazing in coffee. The joke was on me.

I am heart broken that Whole Foods was out of the Rice Nog last week. I really want more! I might have to see if I can make some.

Seven Year Stuffing

2010-12-17T19:47:00.000-08:00

Nick researched GF stuffing via the internets, and found Gluten Free Girl's recipe just in time for Thanksgiving. Before this Thanksgiving, the last time I ate stuffing was 7 years ago. (I went GF about two weeks before Thanksgiving 7 years ago.) Nick used Glutino corn bread to make his deliciousness. The GF was even more amazing than I remember stuffing being. Kudos, Gluten Free Girl!

Someone was cooking in the therapy kitchen* today. And it smelled like stuffing. Bam! The craving began. Honestly, it's all I could think about all day. My thoughts would wander to hints of sage and the warmth of the bread melting in my mouth. When I came home from work, like magic, Nick had made homemade chicken noodle soup and *gasp* stuffing! I was thrilled.

* The therapy kitchen at work has cool adaptable cooking equipment, counters that raise and lower, a mirror so the cook can see the stove top while sitting, etc.

So where have I been lately? I got food poisoning from a turkey burger the week before Thanksgiving (which did not deter the turkey eating). That was followed up by a sinus infection, my car windshield and hood being ruined by a flying piece of re-tread flying across 285, wedding planning, and last week's bought of food poisoning (this time by Whole Foods hot bar). I think I'll be back on track. I do miss writing. In the mean time, check out the stuffing recipe.

Thanksgiving!

2010-11-28T12:46:00.000-08:00

I worked again this year on Thanksgiving, and the day after. Normally our work meal is quite impressive. This year it consisted of Honey Baked Ham's ham and turkey breast, pre-made mac & cheese, pre-made potato salad, my homemade cranberry, and cafeteria food. It was not the picturesque day, but it was a nice day as far as the actual work was concerned.

Family Thanksgiving occurred yesterday. Nick and I rubbed our 16 pound bird, stashed it in the smoker, and commenced the cooking. I made a pumpkin pie and corn bread. Nick worked on prepping the green beans, arugula salad, potatoes, and stuffing. While he finished the later, I finished the former. Mom brought the cranberry, and Melissa brought wine and herself. (She's studying for finals!)

While the first Thanksgiving might have been riddled with unpleasantries augmented to smooth the rough edges of British settlement, I believe the present day celebration is different. With the passage of time, Americans have turned Thanksgiving into their own day. I believe the focus on family time is a central theme. No matter what you serve, or who is there, the together-time fills the special day with grace.

We had quite the spread. I have to say, and I really looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch the next week. I think the pumpkin pie recipe I made was pretty fabulous, so here it is.

Olivia's Easy Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
pre-made pie crust
1 can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon (1 pinch) clove
1/3 cup tightly packed and a little bit mounded over brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk until the ingredients are well combined. Pour into your pie shell and bake for about an hour, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Engaged!

2010-11-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Nick and I went up to a cabin in Blue Ridge Georgia with two other couples. When our home-cooked Saturday night dinner was winding down, Nick got up to get something. He came back with a little surprise- a bottle of Don Perignon. Nick explained that we all have a lot to celebrate. Then he produced a second surprise and got down on one knee. Just as he was finishing asking "Olivia Taveras-Koranda, will you be Mrs. Mazzolini" I cut him off with a resounding "YES!" After the screaming and hugging died down, everyone went out to the bonfire to celebrate the great news with s'mores and champagne.

The best part? The proposal was a total surprise to everyone. Only my parents knew it would happen, since Nick asked each of them for my hand in marriage.

Halloween Feast, Part Two

2010-11-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

My cousin, Ryan, and his wife, Marijka, came back to Atlanta for a weekend trip. Once upon a time, they lived in Atlanta. I really enjoyed having a little more family here in town, even though we did see each other all the time. Ryan got a great job back at home in Wisconsin, so now we only see each other every so often. This weekend, I was thrilled to see my cousins and to celebrate Ryan's birthday.

Requisite of a Koranda family gathering, we gathered at Aunt Lee's for our epic event. We began at 1:30pm sharp, with bubbly, a spread of goat and cow cheese, pickles, and olives. Around dinner time we moved onto wine and German food. The menu involved sauerbraten, brawurst, pumpkin, and brussel sprouts. When we'd enjoyed dinner to capacity, we took a break. Next, we moved into tea, coffee, and dessert (GF chocolate cake, cheesecake, cranberry mousse). After making a dent in dessert, we moved the party into the living room to relax and chat. Of course, all of the fun we were having made us hungry, so we made small plates of leftovers. I think we left around midnight, full and happy. Poor Marijka had to get up early to catch a plane for a business meeting the next morning.

I've never really eaten a lot of German food, despite being 25% German (via my paternal grandmother). Generally I think of brats, beer, and vinegar. I despise vinegar. There are a few exceptions. I enjoy ketchup in moderation. It has it's place on burgers, with fries, on hot dogs. I do enjoy pickles, but not any type reminiscent of the bright green kind where you can taste only vinegar. That is generally my limitation of vinegar enjoyment. On Aunt Lee's menu was sauerbraten. Sauerbraten is a meat prepared for 2-3 days prior by marinating it in vinegar. In the spirit of GFness, Aunt Lee used rice vinegar. I have to say, I did enjoy this dish. I tried the two mustards used to accompany the brats, but did not care for them. bratwurst is delicious in it's own right. There is no need to add a vinegar-ous topping. Despite my hatred for vinegar, I may indeed delve a bit deeper into my German food heritage in the coming cold months and see what wonderful things I can find.

Halloween Feast, Part One

2010-11-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

Ah, Halloween. It's my favorite part of fall. Anything involving costumes and chocolate makes me very happy. All day on Saturday, I played in the kitchen. Early in the afternoon I made meringue cupcakes to take to a friend's Halloween/birthday party. (You can see how cute they were in the picture of me rocking some Lucille Ball at right.) I was hoping they would be tall enough to turn into ghosts, but they didn't quite grow enough in the oven. Next time I might fill them with twice as much meringue and see if they would be tall enough to turn into sweet ghosties with a bit of icing.

Before leaving for said party, Nick and I prepared a dinner for another couple and ourselves. The menu included a rack of lamb, baked squash, and buttery salad. Since we were cooking indoors, I used the main oven for the lamb and the mini counter oven for the squash. I made a mint-basil pesto for the lamb (courtesy of a FoodNetwork.com recipe), which was complemented by the light garlic flavor of the squash. The salad was a bag of buttery lettuces tossed with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. I have to say, enjoying this meal with friends over good conversation, a bottle of red, and candlelight was better than going out to eat!

Bon appetitie!

Baked Acorn Squash 1 small acorn squash, halved, seeded, and sliced 0.25" thick
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1.5 tablespoons EVOO
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the acorn squash with the garlic, salt, pepper, and EVOO. Roast until the squash is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

If you are cooking this with the lamb, set the dish aside. Put the squash in the oven just after sticking the lamb in the oven.

Rack of Lamb with Mint-Basil Pesto
Found on the Food Network website

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 (1 1/2-pounds each) racks of lamb, trimmed and frenched

Directions

Blend the mint, basil, nuts, cheese, lemon juice, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually blend in 1/3 cup of oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

enerously sprinkle the lamb racks with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a grill pan or heavy large skillet over high heat. Place 1 lamb rack in the skillet and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the lamb rack meat side up on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 2 lamb racks.

Roast the lamb in the oven until cooked to desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the lamb racks to a work surface. Set aside for 10 minutes. Cut the lamb between the bones into single chops. Spread the pesto over 1 cut side of each chop. Arrange the chops, pesto side up, on plates or a platter, and serve.

Do-Ahead Tip: The pesto and lamb racks may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover the pesto and lamb separately and refrigerate. Allow extra time for the chilled lamb to roast.

Alternately, the racks of lamb can be sliced then broiled before serving. To broil the lamb: Use 18 to 24 meaty single lamb rib chops (about 2 1/2 ounces each, from 3 racks of lamb). Preheat the broiler. Arrange the lamb chops in a single layer over 2 heavy baking sheets. Lightly brush the lamb chops with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Watching closely, broil the lamb chops 3 inches from the heat source until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Spread the pesto over the chops. Arrange the chops pesto side up on plates or a platter, and serve.

Smoked Turkey

2010-10-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

I almost always work Thanksgiving. This year is no exception. Instead of celebrating on Thursday, Nick and I host GF Thanksgiving on the next available day. Since we have this wonderful smoker, we thought we would start practicing our turkey cooking skills. For tonight's dinner, we had turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

We did not marinate the turkey overnight, as we decided this morning to fix a bird. We used the same rub as GF Thanksgiving 2008. Then we placed the turkey in the smoker and cooked it on medium-high for about 3 hours. I think we overcooked it just a bit. Next time we will cook it a bit differently. I am thinking about cooking it at a lower temperature with hourly basting, and making sure the meat thermometer is in it. (We forgot the thermometer this round.) We also did not stuff it with extra herbs or fruit. This may have helped the turkey to have more moisture in it's environment and for the drippings to be less fatty.

Making gravy GF is still a bit of a mystery. The gravy seems to turn out thicker. The rue just is not the same. I'll have to do some more research. I'd really appreciate anyone's comments. We saved some of the drippings to mess around with later on.

In the spirit of fall, I also made pumpkin bread. I guess what I really made was a loaf of pumpkin bread and 6 pumpkin break muffins. The recipe seemed a little odd to me, because of the seeds, but it is just great. My favorite part is the "crust." I needed 2 cups of flour, but only had about 1.75 of the Arrowhead Mills All-purpose baking flour. I topped off the last bit with GF Bisquick. The Bisquick might have helped the loaf to come out a bit smoother. I find that the Arrowhead Mills leaves a trace of grit or aftertaste or something. I also used 1/5 cans of Libby's pumpkin. The rest of the pumpkin will be re purposed for breakfast parfait. You should try out this easy recipe, complementary (again) of FootNetwork.com/Alton Brown. If Alton Brown happens to ever read this, I would like him to know I have a little crush on him. He's charismatic, smart, and cooks amazingly well. (Too bad it couldn't work out between us.) Oh, and for the record, this bread goes great with a cup of spiced mate tea. Mmmmm!

Pumpkin Bread
by Alton Brown

Cook Time: 1hr 15min Level: Easy Yield: 1 loaf or 1 1/2 dozen small muffins
Times: Prep: 20min Inactive Prep: --

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine both mixtures and fold in the shredded pumpkin and pumpkin seeds. Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a non- stick 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. If your pan is not non- stick coat it with butter and flour.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. For muffins temperature should also be 325 degrees F., but bake for 30 minutes.

The DR in Atlanta

2010-10-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

My friend Amanda is back for two weeks from the Dominican Republic, where she is living and working for the Peace Corps. She brought her project partner, Gabi, for a cultural exchange. This is Gabi's first time leaving her country. In celebration of their visit, Amanda's mother thew an autumn party so that Amanda's friends and family could spend time with her and Gabi.

We had a great time. Amanda's sister, Sarah, is my best friend from high school and former roommate. Now that we are living in different places in the city, I have not been able to see her and her wonderful partner very often. Amanda and Sarah's mother just moved out of the city, so we were able to enjoy her beautiful new home. Nick was able to meet a few friends from high school, and Amanda and Sarah's grandmother and godmother. Oh! And the food. We'll get to that.

In keeping with the autumn theme, Amanda, Gabi, Sarah, and Carol all carved pumpkins. Naturally, this was Gabi's first time carving pumpkins. Sarah and Gabi did a little Googleing for inspiration. Gabi went with my favorite classic pumpkin (lots of geometrics). Carol has an awesome toothy grin with winged eyes. Sarah went with a face that looks like it is straight out of one of her sketches (second from the left). Amanda went with the Peace Corps dove and stars. Once lighted, these pumpkins were so inspirational, I think I might go carve on today.

Mama Meng made sure I was taken care of by getting some Glutino GF pretzels. Nick had no idea they were GF at first. She made a number of great dips, my favorite being the white bean dip. Gabi wanted to fix something delicious for the party, so Amanda encouraged her to make plantains. My life was complete. Plantains (no matter how they are prepared), are one of my favorite things to eat. So, for those of you out there who enjoy a good plantain, or would like to try one, I have provided Alton Brown's recipe below.

Fried Plantains Alton Brown

Cook Time: 10 minutes Level: Intermediate Yield: 4 servings as a side dish

Times:
Prep: 10 minutes Inactive prep: -- Cook: 10 minutes Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups water
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil
2 green plantains

Directions

Combine water, garlic and salt in medium size glass bowl and set aside.

In a large (12-inch) saute pan, heat oil to 325 degrees F. Peel plantains and slice crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Carefully add plantains to oil and fry until golden yellow in color, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. (The oil should come halfway up the side of the plantain). With a spider or slotted spoon, remove the plantains from the pan and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, standing them on their ends. With the back of a wide, wooden spatula, press each piece of plantain down to half its original size. Then place the plantains in the water and let soak for 1 minute. Remove and pat dry with a tea towel to remove excess water.

Bring oil back up to 325 degrees F and return plantains to pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a dish lined with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/fried-plantains-recipe/index.html

Breakfast Thoughts

2010-10-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

One of my friends, Kristy, lives in a subdivision called Seven Hills. Seven Hills puts on a 5k every fall to raise money for the local schools. Last year I made their 5k my first ever. It was so cold that morning that I could see my breath. I know many many people in northern places run in colder weather than Georgia has all year long, but I am neither a natural-born runner nor a lover of the cold. Even so, I ran, I saw, I conquered.

This year I agreed to cheer on the runners and make breakfast. There is always a small group of us 5k-ers and their spouses eating a smorgasbord of things, like casseroles, eggs, biscuits, pancakes, mimosas. Usually I just eat whatever and omit the biscuits, but this time I was thinking of making some biscuits to go along with breakfast. I used to love the way glutenous canned biscuits flake into layers. I'm thinking GF biscuits won't quite do the peelable layers. I have a bag of Bob's mix, and some Bisquick. The Bob's has been lingering in my pantry, so I think I'll conquer it first.

Outside of 5k breakfast, I keep coming to the same things for pre-work breakfast and "second breakfast." Pre-work breakfast usually occurs at about 5:30am, and is something like 1/2 and english muffin with a topping or a bowl of cereal. Second breakfast occurs at work around 9:30-10:00am and usually consists of a little yogurt and cereal. I think it's time to change it up. Maybe I'll bring back the pumpkin parfait in lieu of fall. Otherwise, I need to find something low in fat and super easy. Any ideas? Let me know.

A Domestic Day

2010-10-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today was a domestic day. I accomplished a laundry list of things I needed to do around the house, but had been procrastinating. Okay, I'll admit, laundry, dishes, painting, ironing, hike in the woods, organizing, grocery shopping and picking up really do not provide a lot of meat for a blog entry. If you can picture me in running shorts and a t-shirt dancing around the house to hits by everyone from Frank Sinatra (yes, you can foxtrot with a vacuum) to Britney Spears (yes, shaking your derriere on a step stool is dangerous), I guess at least I might get a smirk out of you, oh reader of mine.

I did do some fun things, outside of my am hike with the barkers. While I was homemaking, I made a darn good piece of Boston Butt for pulled pork sandwiches. I also had a few hours of bonding time with my adorable 3 month old buddy, Matty B. Matt giggled as I pulled the perfectly smoked pork out of the smoker, and got rocked to sleep as it cooled.

Southern Delight
For dinner, we ate sweet potatoes, green beans, and pulled pork sandwiches. Tossing the potatoes into the oven just before you pull out the pork butt from the smoker gives them 1 hour to cook, and you time to do whatever while your pork butt cools/gets pulled. Remember to season your sweet potatoes with butter (it makes everything better!), cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey. The cinnamon on the potatoes will complement the pork really well. Never be afraid of seasoning pork with cinnamon- they make a great combination!

Pulled Pork
Pork Butt (to be cooked in a smoker)
Fight the Fat Foodie's Awesome Rub
BBQ sauce (see a sample list of GF BBQ sauces here.)

1. Massage your pork butt with the spice rub the night before you intend to smoke the pork, making sure to cover the whole butt. Keep the pork in a sealed container (or wrapped in plastic) in the refrigerator over night.

2. Cook your pork butt for about 4 hours (1-1.5hrs per pound) in the smoker. Use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature.

3. The pork butt is done when it reaches 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it reaches this temperature, remove the butt from the smoker and allow to rest for 45 minutes.

4. Pull the pork using 2 forks, being sure to remove any major lumps of fat from the pork. Serve, optionally with BBQ sauce.

Farmburger

2010-10-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

The best thing about a great burger? A great GF bun. I have received quite a few messages about Yeah!Burger in Midtown and their GF buns and beers, but I still have not made it over to sample this amazing-ness. I have (x2) gone to Farmburger in Decatur to sample their incredi-burgers. Farmburger is set up similarly to Taquieria del Sol in that you stand in line, order your food, and then hustle to claim a table to be served at. Since the limited seating is a bit of a drawback. All of the burger meat, fixin's, and sides come from local farms in the area, such as Farm 255 in Athens.

Here are my two meal selections:
Eggcellent Burger
* GF burger, cooked medium
* Toppings of fried egg, tomatoes, red onion
* Side salad + sampling of the yummy seasonal pickled veggies

Goat Kick
* GF burger, cooked medium
* Toppings of goat cheese, jalapenos, red onions, tomatoes
* Side of collard greens (perfectly cooked!)

I think my next burger will involve the pecan pesto.

Professional Engineering Recognition Dinner

2010-10-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday we attended a Professional Engineer (PE) Recognition Dinner at the Georgia Tech Hotel to recognize our newly appointed PE's. Here is the problem with attending catered events: one never knows what she will be fed. Nick emailed the lady in charge of the dinner, but we had no response. We assumed I'd either a) not be able to eat anything, or b) be confused with a vegan and be served grilled veggies macerated in balsamic vinegar. The best of circumstances is like that of the last wedding we attended- I am served a protein + veggies. The more mediocre outcome was that of the PE dinner- I was served a vegan meal. For those of you who are vegans, power to you. I, on the other hand, have never been satisfied with a protein-less meal (I can't eat soy), so veganism just is not going to work out for me. Plus, GF living is not vegan living. It just is not.

Since Nick never got a response about the meal selection at the PE dinner, we hit up Hotel Palomar beforehand for snacks and drinks. The decor is very classy- the booths are crescent shaped, facing the center of the restaurant's action. Our waiter really impressed me by asking first if anyone had food allergies or dietary concerns. He was helpful in answering questions I had about the menu items. Ali and I ordered 6 things off of the meat/cheese plate on the app menu. I thoroughly enjoyed all of our selections. While we snacked, I looked at the real menu. It was a bit hard to read (the menu was a piece of paper attached to a limp piece of leather ), but I did find a few selections I would like to try on our next visit.

Medetative Cooking

2010-09-27T16:24:00.000-07:00

I opened my door today to silence. I flipped on the light switch and saw darkness. I realized as I stepped into my house, that even the fish tanks vibrating bubbles were missing. I was attuned to the silent refrigerator. I heard my breath in and out.

The dogs began to stir; I realized the power was out.

I've never noticed before how incredibly silent life can be with no lights, no noise, no movement. It was incredibly peaceful.

I quickly let the dogs and out and returned to the silence. As I lit candles, the energy quotient in the house increased. While the peace remained, the house became less still. I breathed in the beauty of our house by candlelight.

After a few breaths, I was reminded of my groceries. I hastily put them away, took a few more breaths in my kitchen lit by a single candle, and decided upon cooking in the dark.

Each movement was quiet, slow, suiting the surrounding environment. If I drove my knife through the pile of veggies, I risked cutting myself. I lit the burner for the Basmati rice with a lighter and watched the flames dance for a few seconds before I put the pot on the stove. Instead of sight, I relied on smell and feel, making sure my red bell pepper was thin enough, smelling the just melted butter in the pot on the stove. Just as placed the lid on the rice, the power came on. My heart skipped a beat.

I blew out my candle and shrugged, having just put the potatoes in my frying pan. The power went off again. I smiled, breathing in happily. After a few exhales, the power was back on. This time it stayed on. I finished preparing dinner and sat down at my candle lit table with my book as my companion. If every meal was made with such serenity, I might be eternally filled with it's peace.

Basmati Rice
If you've never tried this Indian rice, you should- it's incredible melt-in-your-mouth good and very flavorful. Eschew your rice maker; it is best prepared on the stove. The proportion of water : rice : butter is easily halved or doubled.

You'll Need
2 cups water
1 cup Basmati rice
1/2 stick of butter
pot with a tight fitting lid

1. Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat, moving continuously, as not to burn it. Add the rice.

2. Continuously stir the rice in the butter until it comes to a "boil."

3. Add the water, and let the mixture return to a boil.

4. Once mixture is at a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid.

5. Cook for 25 minutes, making sure to never, ever, ever take off the lid. Once the rice has cooked fully, take off the lid and fluff with a fork.

Article

2010-09-11T06:05:00.001-07:00

From Medscape Medical News

Celiac Disease Diagnosis Up 4-Fold Worldwide

Megan Brooks

Authors and Disclosures

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July 30, 2010 — Studies from the United States, Europe, and elsewhere indicate that the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) has increased significantly in the last 3 decades — possibly by as much as a factor of 4.

"More and more studies indicate a prevalence of CD of more than 1% in both adults and children. This should be compared with lower prevalence figures [from] 20 to 30 years ago," Jonas Ludvigsson, MD, from the Department of Medicine, Epidemiology Unit, at the Karolinska Institute and Orebro University Hospital, Sweden, and an expert in CD, noted in an email to Medscape Medical News.

"The reason for this increase is mutlifactorial, but there is probably a true underlying increase. This has been shown when old sera have been analyzed with modern techniques, (eg, in Finland)," Dr. Ludvigsson pointed out.

Mayo Clinic Research Confirms Rise in CD

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic also report an increase in CD, according to an article in the summer issue of the Mayo Clinic's research magazine Discovery's Edge. Joseph Murray, MD, and colleagues analyzed stored blood samples, taken from Air Force recruits in the early 1950s, for gluten antibodies. They assumed that 1% would be positive, mirroring today's rate. That assumption was wrong — the number of positive results was far smaller, indicating that CD was "rare," Dr. Murray noted in the article.

This led him and his colleagues to compare those results with 2 more recently collected sets from Olmsted County, Minnesota. Their findings suggest that CD is roughly 4 times more common now than in the 1950s.

"This tells us that whatever has happened with CD has happened since 1950," Dr. Murray said. "This increase has affected young and old people. It suggests something has happened in a pervasive fashion from the environmental perspective," he added.

Excess Mortality Seen With CD and Latent CD

Recent research by Dr. Ludvigsson's team (JAMA. 2009;302:1171-1178) and others supports the concept of "latent CD" or "gluten sensitivity." Latent CD, defined in the Journal of the American Medical Association study by Dr. Ludvigsson's team as having normal small intestinal mucosa but positive CD serology, is something that is estimated to occur in at least 1 in 1000 individuals.

Dr. Ludvigsson's team has also reported evidence that in 1 year, 10 of 1000 individuals with CD will die compared with an expected 7 in 1000 without the disease.

"Not only is the mortality raised in patients with [CD] but also in those individuals with latent [CD]," Dr. Ludvigsson noted in a statement from the United European Gastroenterology Federation.

However, in comments to Medscape Medical News, he emphasized that "although patients with CD are at increased risk of a number of disorders, and at increased risk of death, the absolute risk increase is very small."

A Tricky Disease

CD remains a "tricky disease," Dr. Ludvigsson said. "It can be asymptomatic; have so-called traditional symptoms such as diarrhea, weight loss, failure to grow (in children), fatigue, and malnutrition; and have nontraditional symptoms such as osteoporosis, depression, adverse pregnancy outcome; and increased risks of both malignancy and death."

The onset of certain autoimmune disorders including autoimmune liver disease, thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, and Addison's disease can actually signal CD, he noted. "This means that clinicians should consider CD in a number of symptoms and disorders."

CD Often Undetected; Cause Unknown

CD often goes undetected, although the percentage of undetected cases varies between countries, Dr. Ludvigsson noted. "In most countries, at least two thirds of individuals with CD have not received a diagnosis by a doctor." The reason for the high percentage of undetected disease is that the disease can be difficult to diagnose, and "it is sometimes almost asymptomatic," he added.

Detection Methods Are Improving

Over the years, Dr. Ludvigsson told Medscape Medical News, "we have improved existing means to diagnose CD. Antibody tests are becoming better and better, although a positive antibody test should be confirmed with a small intestinal biopsy before the diagnosis is certain. Transient increases in CD antibody levels occur. In the future, I expect microscopy in the very small intestine to become a tool for diagnosis."

Alternatives to the Gluten-Free Diet?

At this time, Dr. Ludvigsson said, the gluten-free diet remains the cornerstone of treatment for CD. However, "in the future, alternative treatment strategies may be available. The recent discovery of the structure of transglutaminase 2 may help in designing inhibitors of transglutaminase 2 to treat CD," he said. "Another potential treatment strategy is to ingest enzymes that digest gluten, thereby increasing the safe threshold for gluten intake.

"There is also ongoing research on the topic of decreasing the bowel's permeability to gluten, Dr. Ludvigsson toldMedscape Medical News. He added, however, that the safety of this approach is unclear, as "a decreased permeability here might mean that the body cannot absorb other needed substances.

"Finally, agricultural research may mean that we can modify the gluten structure in wheat produce a kind of wheat that will not illicit an immune response in patients with CD," the researcher noted.

Counseling CD Patients Is Important

Although evidence is scarce, said Dr. Ludvigsson, "most researchers believe that a gluten-free diet will reduce the risk of complications/comorbidity in CD, and it is important for the doctor to underline this for the patients. In patients with CD who do not become better on a gluten-free diet, the most common reason is probably that the patients do not eat a strictly gluten-free diet," he said.

Dr. Murray advocates greater vigilance in CD patients. "It's not enough to say, 'You've got CD, be gluten-free, goodbye,' " he said. "CD requires medical follow-up."

This October, at the United European Gastroenterology Week in Barcelona, Spain, Dr. Ludvigsson will be 1 of 8 researchers to receive the Association of National European and Mediterranean Societies of Gastroenterology and United European Gastroenterology Federation Rising Stars award.

Tallahassee Trip #3

2010-08-31T17:46:00.000-07:00

This weekend we desperately needed an escape, so we drove down to Tally for the weekend to visit Casa Buchanan. We headed down on Friday afternoon with some random clothes thrown into a bag and the barkers. Since Desi and Sean love and relaxing as much as we do, this was destined to be a great weekend.

Friday night we hit up Siam Sushi, a Thai and sushi place, a recommendation from Desi's parents. Their menu was huge and inspiring. I could have eaten muscles for an app, red curry, and a hand full of rolls on the menu safely. What I ended up doing was ordering two rolls and being (sadly) very full. I guess this means we'll have to go again to find out what the Thai side of the menu tastes like.

Saturday we all went out on the boat for a beer-drinking, beach-dancing, fast-tubing, scenery-seeing good time. We were thankful to not be baking in the 90 degree heat next to any alligators. The overcast, mild day seemed more like an Floridian October. The lack of blazing sun just meant we could hang out eating egg salad and chicken salad sandwiches and goofing off. One of our friends that we were boating with recently started eating GF, due to her rheumatoid arthritis. She's feeling quite a bit better. I introduced her to Redbridge beer, and she introduced me to her peanut butter balls.

When we came home on Saturday night, we were starving. Sean fired up the fryer full of canola oil for wings and sweet potato fries. After cooking up a massive pile of chicken wings, we covered them in a mix of hot sauce and Sweet Baby Ray's. The mandoline-sliced sweet potatoes, naked when they were fried, came out perfectly crispy and sweet. A little Kosher salt on the fries made me think we'd died and gone to heaven.

Each morning, Saturday and Sunday alike, we took our time to lay around in pj's and make breakfast food. We cooked up bacon and GF Bisquick pancakes for breakfast on Saturday, sweet potato home fries and GF pancakes on Sunday. Sean and Desi both really enjoyed the GF Bisquick, which makes me believe it tastes "normal." (At this point "good" and "not-GF-normal" are no longer synonymous.)

Sunday afternoon we headed to the flea market for perusing, book hunting, and produce buying. There were quite a few farmers selling their veggies at the open air market. Sunday night we grilled burgers with Angus beef fresh from the farm. Our sides were made with the fresh veggies from the flea market. I fixed up a batch of guacamole, and Desi grilled a squash medley and potatoes drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Christy's Peanut Butter Balls

You'll Need:
Peanut butter (PB) (best if slightly chilled)
Peanuts/nuts
Dried fruit, such as cranberries, cherries, etc.
Dried coconut

How To:
It's not very measurement-dependent. Prep your area by taking out a mixing bowl and a small plate. Lay out a few large pinches of coconut on the plate.

You take a large scoop of PB (about 1/2 cup), and slap it into a bowl. You add a large pinch of the nuts and dried fruit- these help hold the balls together. Mix.

Take the PB mixture and form it into 1" balls. Roll the balls over the coconut. Enjoy!

Smoked Chicken, Red 'n Rice

2010-08-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

We had another whirl-wind weekend. Friday night we balloon-bombed some friend's bedroom before they came home from Paris. (They a couple's room that just got engaged.) Saturday we dropped the barks off with their "Aunt Sarah" and headed up to Athens for a co-worker/friend's wedding. The wedding was a lovely intimate event at the Foundry Park Inn. We woke up late

this morning and headed back into town to get ready for Nick's parents coming into town later this week.

After so much activity, I am glad to have a simple dinner. While I smoked a rosemary chicken, I cleaned the house. Now that I'm done cleaning, I am cooking the red beans and rice with staples from the pantry and fridge.

Smoked Rosemary Chicken

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 small white onion
1 clove garlic, sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Paprika
salt

1. Clean and rinse the chicken. Remove the innards.

2. Stuff the chicken with rosemary, onion, and garlic.

3. Rub the outside of the chicken with EVOO. Next, rub the chicken with paprika and salt.

4. Put into your smoker. Cook at 264-300 degrees Farenheight for 1.5-3hrs. (My 4 pounder took 1.5hrs exactly.)

Red Beans and Rice
thank you, Foodnetwork.com for this recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade and minced
1 large red onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and small diced
2 (1-pound) cans red kidney beans
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Saute garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper until tender. Stir in kidney beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer slowly while you cook the rice.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil and stir in rice and butter. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Fold rice and beans gently together and transfer to a serving dish. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Researchers Pinpoint Cause of Gluten Allergies

2010-08-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

An article a friend emailed to me a few weeks ago...

http://www.livescience.com/health/celiac-disease-gluten-peptides-100721.html

Mellow Mushroom Goes GF

2010-08-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

When my GF Pizza staple by work folded, I was pretty sad.

Skills Day is an annual event at work for nursing staff. Nurses and techs do their annual skills check-off for the year. If you are an attendee, it takes 1-2 hours. If you are teaching it, is a 15 hour day followed by a 5 hour day. I helped out with the "round two" teaching, from 3-9pm on Saturday. It might not be an ideal way to spend a Saturday night, but I didn't find it too bad.

On Saturday, we all shuffled into the hospital. Since we were teaching from 3-9pm, we planned to order out. Conveniently, another nurse educator, Mickey, has Celiac Disease. We called up the Mellow Mushroom down the street from work and placed an order for *gasp* GF pizza. Our GF pepperoni with extra sauce was great! The crust was thin and pliable, not crispy or chewy. Mellow Mushroom will be my delicious replacement for nearby GF pizza now that Pizza Fusion has folded.

Cost of Living GF

2010-08-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

I think we all know living GF is pricey. I make the generalization often when talking about grocery shopping that everything in my cart is five dollars. While I am able to get my groceries between the "normal" grocery store and Whole Foods, not everyone is so lucky. Buying GF items at the "normal" grocery store may mean higher prices, or less choice. Purchasing groceries online is not wildly convenient, either. For some GF-ers, that may be the only way to sample discover products that are either "special order" or found only in a health food store.

For anyone who has every wondered, here is a short run-down price comparison of commonly purchased food items. Just think: if you have multiple allergies/sensitivities in your household, there may be more items that I have not listed. For instance, I do not eat soy, so items like mayo, peanut butter, salad dressings, etc. are an additional cost for me. Though limited, many mainstream companies, like General Mills and Betty Crocker are now coming out with certifiably GF items at a more reasonable cost. Outside of food, I also look at my hair products, eye make up, and lotions to ensure I do not come in contact with any gluten or soy.

The Gluten Free Cost of Living

Item Gluten Gluten-free
Bread $1.39 $5.38
Hamburger buns $3.85 $5.99
Choc Chip Cookies $2.43/pack $4.40/9 cookies
Spaghetti $1.75 $3.69
Brownie Mix $2.95 $5.99
Flour $0.72 $7.95
Fzn Personal Pizza $5.65 $8.00
Crackers 4.4oz box $2.47 $4.50
Can of Soup $1.09 $2.99
Cart Total: $22.30 $48.89

The price of bread was taken off of the national price of living guide. The other gluten-containing prices came from NetGrocer.com. All of the gluten-free prices came from an average when searched for GF foods via Google Shopping.

Toasted Marshmallow Meringues

2010-08-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

Meringues are largely underestimated. They are a light, fluffy, lower-cal cookie. They are relatively straightforward in composition: eggs, sugar, cream of tartar, flavor (optional). The only drawback is start-to-finish time. Once you spend about 20 minutes getting the meringues ready for the oven, it takes 1-2hrs to bake them. Still, if you are in a pinch for something sweet and easy, make some great cookies. Spend the baking time catching up on chores or washing your hair.

My first attempt at vanilla-flavored meringues turned out pretty darn well. They came out tasting like toasted marshmallows.

Toasted Marshmallow Meringues
4 egg whites at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Parchment paper or silicone baking sheet

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a non-insulated baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. Set aside.

2. Transfer your egg whites in a mixing bowl. It may be easiest to tap the top side of the egg, pull out a hole's worth of shell, and let the white drip into a small dipping bowl. That way, no yolk gets into your bowl. (Even easier- use egg egg whites from a carton.) You can do one egg at a time this way, with no mistakes.

3. Beat eggs (with a whisk or electric mixer) until they are foamy.

4. Add cream of tartar. Beat the combination into soft peaks. (Peaks kinda look like soft waves.)

5. Add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time while beating the mixture into stiff peaks.

6. Add vanilla and continue beating until it is all mixed in.

7. Transfer the mixture into an icing bag. Squeeze the batter into about 24 little teardrop shapes, about 1 inch apart.

8. Bake 1.5hrs-2hrs, depending on your oven. They are done when they are just golden brown. (Mine took 1.5hrs.) Turn baking sheet every 45 minutes to allow even baking. Bonus: Allow to cool in the oven with the door closed to make the cookies more crisp.

Sage Woodfire Grill

2010-08-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

My personal music series started with Imogen Heap, moved into the hard-edged haze of 311, cleaned up for the last tour of Phantom of the Opera, mellowed out for Dave (Matthews Band), and came to a fabulous finale with Sugarland. I realize my music tastes are all over the map. I don't think anyone should limit themselves to one venue of expression.

Sugarland, back at home in Atlanta, played at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta. Verizon is a little different than the other concert venues in the city. For one, it's not in the sketchy part of town like the amphitheater formally known as Lakewood. (That place changes names more often than Cher changes wigs.) It's got great food, clean bathrooms, and an absolutely crisp, clear sound system. Although we were sitting by the trees on the lawn, it sounded as if we were at the edge of the stage.

Since Verizon is outside the city, I had to do a little searching to find a restaurant. My boyfriend and my two friends that came voted on my top 3. We were all coming from work (Thursday concert), so were ready to sacrifice the opening band for a classy meal at Sage. It wasn't until I looked up directions that I realized the following night I was meeting

another group of girlfriends at the Sage in Perimeter (the sister store).

My back to back Sage experiences were great. While the Perimeter location is bigger, both boast a modern tavern feel with a woodfire grill. Both nights the service was great, but Andrew, our waiter at Perimeter was informative, helpful, and there at all the right moments to make sure we felt spoiled. Thursday night we warmed up our taste buds with the rosemary shrimp skewers. They were incredible. For dinner on Thursday I ate the huge portion of goat stuffed chicken (wonderful), and sampled the NY Strip on Friday (perfect). The portions are substantially sized. When you go with your friends (because you should), order a bottle of wine. Or two.

What I've Been Eating Lately

2010-07-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

I finally got my hands on a box of GF Bisquick and made some waffles. These were really the best GF waffles I've had yet, and the cheapest. Now I just have to convince my local Publix to start carry this and the cinnamon Chex cereal and all my breakfast dreams will come true. (Oh, and I hear General Mills is rocking out some GF Hamburger Helper, too.)

I fixed one of Glutino's personal pizzas in a box a few nights ago. When I was a kid my Mom loved fixing frozen pizzas. I used to hate them. They tasted like watery cardboard. This time, I chose the spinach and feta GF version. Wow, was it ever great. It made up for all of the gross frozen pizzas I've eaten in my lifetime.

Pirate Booty. Aged cheddar. Not so fattening. Delicious and crunchy, like popcorn. (Could type better if I wasn't eating some right. now.) Arrrrrrrr!

Water. I have blisters across the top of my back from sun poisoning and I don't know what to do about them. Let me know if you've got any ideas, besides walking around naked inside.

While sitting by the pool (the day I acquired Sun poisoning), us girls sipped margaritas. I promise the tequila did not keep me from putting on sunscreen. I did reapply my spf 30, multiple times. Apparently I am white enough that spf 45 and I will be tighter friends this summer. Anyway, the margaritas were a delightful way to beat the heat. We made them with Stirrings Margarita Mix. I've heard their mojito mix is also quite tasty.

For breakfast at work, I've taken to eating a Chobani yogurt with a lactaid. They are sooooooo good. I throw a little flax seed in for fiber. If you've never tried Greek style yogurt, your life is incomplete. A few of my coworkers have gotten hooked. The texture is just perfect, and they come in fun flavors like pineapple and pomegranate.

Once I've eaten something, I recycle. I revamped my pantry floor with labeled bags, so it takes less time when I go to the recycling place. Usually I have to sort the types of plastics and glasses, but this way it should be much easier.

World Cup Rules!

2010-06-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

With all the controversy regarding the deafening drone of the vuvuzela, it may be better that we've been enjoying World Cup soccer from our living room. Apparently the horn that makes the droning sound we hear on our tv's can lead to permanent hearing loss and the spread of cold and flu. Well then.

To celebrate the US VS England game, we had friends over for sports and socializing. What is a good theme for a soccer party? Balls. Like soccer balls. To take the theme to the next level, we also labeled our plates with silly names. Nick also invented a drinking game for our event based on soccer play, cards, and goals. Our menu included:
* cheddar cheese ball + crackers
* goat cheese balls + crackers (aka "goat balls")
* meatballs (aka Nick's "shweaty balls")
* popcorn balls (regular via a Martha Stewart recipe and chocolate via Paula Deane's recipe, aka "sticky balls")
* cherries (for balance of power)
Of course, our friends were inspired by such an amazing theme. We had additions of a soccer ball shaped cake, rootbeer cupcakes, guac (pit dropped in) + chips, mangu, grapes, peanut butter/pretzel/chocolate balls, and sausage balls. I had never had a sausage ball before, but discovered that I love them. Kristy made two versions. The gluten-containing version, and a GF batch made with Bisquick. Thankfully, Kristy left me her recipe.

Kristy's Sausage Balls
3 cups GF Bisquick
4 cups cheddar cheese
1 lb sausage
1/4 teaspoon pepper
EVOO

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prep a baking sheet with a thin coat of olive oil.

2. Mix all ingredients together. The mixture will be crumbly.

3. Form the mixture into balls and place the balls onto the baking sheet.

4. Bake the balls for 20 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

Cookies, Ice Cream and Rum Balls

2010-06-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

My afternoon turned into culinary experimentation yesterday. With a *free* day of no work and no pre-scheduled errands, I had a large window to create a few tasty tidbits for upcoming events. I started with pre-cut cookies in a box to bring to a dinner and charades party at a friend's house. That turned into needing ice cream to make ice cream cookie sandwiches. Once I ate some lunch and finished those two projects, I moved onto rum balls for our soccer-watching get together this weekend. When all was said and done, I was tired.

ICE CREAM
When my sister gave me the ice cream maker for my birthday/Christmas gift, she also gave me the Ben & Jerry's recipe book. I made Jerry's Chocolate to pair with the cookies. Aside from lots of dairy (not so friendly for me), it involves melting chocolate over a (make shift) double boiler before titrating in the remaining ingredients. It's a little time consuming, but melting chocolate slowly can be quite the enjoyable contemplative activity. Once the ingredients are put together, it has to cool in the fridge, leaving a bit of time to: a) bake the cookies and b) eat some lunch. Once it's cool, it's time to throw it in the ice cream maker.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Dad brought me the cookies in a box to try a while back. French Meadow's idea behind the box was that you can make them one by one and have a hot cookie whenever you want one. It's genius. I decided to make the whole box since I was planning on feeding more than one person. They would have been perfect. When I took them out, they needed like 2 more minutes. And then I forgot about them for about 5. Oh well. The bottoms are a bit dark, but the rest of their GF, CF, SF cookiness is great- crumbly, not too sugary.

RUM BALLS
Our theme for World Cup soccer watching (US VS England) is balls. Yes, balls. Meatballs, cheese balls, popcorn balls, and rum balls will all be included. I can count the times I have eaten rum balls on about two fingers. I really didn't know what I was getting into. I used Martha Stewart's recipe. It involved making a brownie (I subbed regular flour for GF flour), then letting it cool. The cooled brownie is crumbed into a mixing bowl and rum is added. What should happen, per the recipe, is a giant ball should form. No clumping happened for me. Clumpage is essential for forming the balls. I added Karo syrup and a little more rum until the crumbs clumped. Whallah! Balls. We'll see how good they are when they get served cold on Saturday.

Saturday in Sandy Springs

2010-05-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

After all the traveling I've done lately, I was thrilled to be home for an uninterrupted weekend. I slept in yesterday, made easier by the cloud cover. We cleaned house before scurrying out the door to the Farmer's Market and Lowe's. Then we took an epic nap before dinner out with friends. And this morning? We've slept in again.

Nick found the Sandy Springs Farmer's Market online someway somehow. When I pictured the market, held in the Goodwill/former Target parking lot, I imagined it to be more like the Dekalb Farmer's Market. My vision consisted of a place filled with tons of produce and a few secondary items like flowers, baked goods, jams/preserves, etc. What it really consisted of was a small amount of produce, dairy farmers with milks/yogurts/cheeses, salsa and preserve makers, plant vendors, live music, pastas, baked goods (wish Sally's had been there!), honey, a dog biscuits, a soap maker, and a few other things. It was on the small side, but we had fun. Nick sampled a few things and bought a bag of this year's first peach crop. I took home a roma tomato plant for the upside down tomato plant holder and handmade pepper chevre for this afternoon's lunch with Mom. Next weekend, we'll probably check it out again, and get some more fresh things. Now that we live so far from an indoor farmer's market, this is a true treat.

Check it out at
http://www.sandyspringsfarmersmarket.com/

As for my apartment gardening, I'll keep you posted on how my upside down tomatoes grow. I've heard good things. Since I'm not really a major green thumb, we'll see how this all goes.

Back from ASW

2010-05-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was the inpatient nurse for the sports weekend hosted by Shepherd Center in Alabama called Adventure Skills Workshop (ASW). Participants with physical disabilities come to this workshop to do various activities from jet skiing to scuba diving to confidence ropes courses. Shepherd brings inpatients and invites outpatients and community members to this annual event. Each year it is exciting and fun for campers and staff.

For me, part of the excitement was spending time with former patients. In my cabin, I had a few inpatients and a few recent people in Shepherd's day program. I've known some of them for a year, and some for just a few days. It's inspiring to see my adolescents "all grown up" and able to be so independent. They, in turn, are inspirations for the newcomers to the Shepherd community and to ASW.
After 2 nights and 3 days of 24hr nursing, I was very exhausted. Leave it to my darling boyfriend to have dinner on the stove when I stumbled in. He told me there would be chicken, veggies, and a surprise. The surprise was:

Rice Pasta & Cheddar!

It was the Trader Joe's version of Kraft mac & cheese. Boy was it nice. It is for sure about as close to the blue box as it gets. So go get you some and enjoy it!

Sally's Bakery

2010-05-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

This week at work we had a health fair. HR pulled together lots of places- banks, supplements, chiropracters, chair massage, insta-lipid panel testing, exercise programs, and so much more. The thing I was most excited about was running into Sally from Sally's bakery. At the hospital I work at, quite a few people eat GF. Even more employees are related to someone who live GF. So, having a GF bakery represented was really great.

Sally's bakery is located on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. Daily, they make fresh-baked treats. Everything (except the cookies) are soy-free, and more than half of their products are egg and dairy-free. They have quite a selection of things in stock- breads, hamburger bun, English muffins, take-and-bake pizzas, sweet loaves of bread (banana, pumpkin, sweet potato). Cakes are made to order. And they ship wherever in the US.

I tasted the moist, sweet, and delicious banana bread (twice). I am looking forward to tasting more great things from Sally. Check them out:

http://www.sallysbakery.com/
Monday - Friday: 10:00am - 6:30pm
Phone:(404) 847-0211

Rena's Birthday with Mezza Lebanese Food

2010-04-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

When we lived in Massachusetts, I discovered the Ninja Turtles. I used to pretend to be a turtle, fighting evil with my neighborhood friends. At Pamela's house, we'd steal her brother's figurines and play with them, too. I guess you could say I was on the brink of tom-boyhood. Really, I just wanted to be a strong girl who could kick butt one minute, and be a lady at a fancy dinner party in my dress-up clothes the next.

I guess things don't really change a whole lot as we age.

When we moved to Atlanta, my parents enrolled us in popular Southern sports. They attempted golf, while I did an embarrassing job on swim team and made descent attempts at tennis. When all of the Brownie troops were full and a re-attempt at ballet seemed uninspiring, my mother had me signed up for my first free karate lesson. I was hooked. We did a little shopping around for karate schools in our area, and settled into dojo life at a little school in Alpharetta. The people here became my second family, and life long friends.

After 15 years in and out of a few styles of martial arts, I decided I was a bit burnt out. I decided it was time, at 24, to try a few other things. Since then, I've dabbled in various types of dance lessons, taken up running (and by that I mean jogging), restarted jewelry making, yoga, and taken various types of gym classes. Some of my karate buddies are still practicing the art. One of my dearest friends, Rena, now hikes with the Trail Dames on weekends and belly dances during the week. Her belly dancing is so inspiring, that belly dance is my next class to tackle.

For Rena's birthday, she chose a Lebanese restaurant in Decatur called Mezza. Mezza features small plates and belly dancing entertainment on weekend nights. We were a large party, seated across the floor on low benches and cushions; Rena was surrounded by people who have come to know and love her over the years from karate, dance, drumming, and social circles. Instead of family style service, we all decided to order individually. The waitress was very helpful in identifying the GF items, and informed me they only cook in olive oil. Narrowing the list down to what I could actually eat was a tad difficult.

By the time the waitress got through the group and over to me, I blanked on what to order. Trying not to take too much time, I started with one I did remember "goat balls." The waitress gave me an expression indicative of stifled laughter. I realized I had omitted the word "cheese" from my order.

"Goat cheese balls?" the waitress asked, straight faced.

"Exactly," I replied. "Goat balls. The bigger the better." My table mates laughed.

I went on to order a few other dishes. My favorite things (mine, and samples of other people's food) were the potatoes, goat (cheese) balls, olives, and grape leaves (non-veg). I found the lamb to be a bit too vinegary for my taste- I'm not a fan of vinegar. I loved the social aspect of sharing the small plates and socializing in between watching the beautiful belly dancer memorize us with her fluid movements. I supposed to go tip her politely (by throwing money over her head) during her final routine. Only, I was so distracted by the sword balancing on her head and hip, that I just could not move from my seat.

We even snuck in an impromptu belly dance lesson in between dinner and coffee, thanks to Rena's belly dance teacher, Fox, being there and providing us with fun scarves.

I highly recommend going to Mezza for a fun evening.
GF Accommodation Skills: check.
Good Food: check.
A Fun Environment for Social Interaction: check.

He's 70! Boston, MA and Milford, NH Trip

2010-04-21T17:52:00.001-07:00

New England's weather was definitely rainy, cold, and windy this past weekend. Only, the elements did not affect me greatly. The company I was in was much more important. This past weekend was my father's 70th birthday weekend. Instead of celebrating here, my father, his girlfriend, Nick and I all joined our family up in New England for a wonderful weekend of family fun.

With distance, jobs, homes full of kids, social lives, and other pieces of life, we all find it hard sometimes to stay connected. I love my family dearly, and what is lacking in face to face or on the phone communication is supplemented with warm thoughts, the occasional visit, and the magic of Facebook. I am always thankful that when we are given an opportunity to see one another, we all come together as a whole family unit. The distance between us closes. I know for my dad, this weekend of family time was refreshing and grounding. He was the happiest father, grandfather, and great grandfather that could be.

***

Nick and I chose to go up on Thursday, a day ahead of my father. I thought it would be nice to have some uninterrupted together time, without schedules or to-do lists. We ended up making an earlier connection-less flight to Boston, getting us to vacation-land 3 hours earlier than expected. We checked into the hotel and wandered the Commons before meeting my brother up for dinner at Meyers + Chang.

Meyers + Chang is a hip little restaurant in the city with a diverse menu. The GF menu is printed on the back of the "regular" menu. Food at Meyers + Chang is meant to share. Since my brother and I were eating GF, we shared the omelet (okay) and the fried rice (spicy, rich, and delicious). We even downed a few GF beers. I enjoyed the ambiance as well as the food. Since I am more limited than some, I would return to try the fried rice again. For the rest of you soy-eaters out there, the page long menu has plenty of exciting choices to offer.

Friday morning we ate at the hotel's restaurant, the Boston Park Plaza's Pairings. I had a delicious scramble of eggs, lobster, green onions, and bacon. I mean, wow. Lobster for breakfast.

Friday afternoon (and Sunday afternoon) we ate at Durgin Park. This restaurant is a Boston trip staple; it is simply Yankee cuisine. Durgin Park has both surf and aged-to-perfection turf. Despite my love for meat, both times I ate a steamed lobster. Lobster is my favorite seafood, and my lobsters were caught off the New England coast. The seafood can be fried or steamed, and they use real butter to dip foods in. They were sensitive to my family and I's allergen needs. Also on their menu is Stewart's root beer, a GF soda.

Friday night we met Nick's brother up at Elephant Walk near the Green Monster. The ambiance was classy yet earthy. I particularly loved the muted amber lighting across the blue cieling. The gluten-free menu was impressive. My brother and I had trouble narrowing it down to one dish a piece. I ended up with the trout, a whole fish fried with a spicy and sweet sauce. I ate off of Nick's plate- he ordered the Nataing with crispy rice for dipping. I loved the creamy peanut flavor with an edgy after flavor. I'd love to go back and try everything on the menu, right down to the GF brunch.

Saturday our major eat out was Amigo's in Milford, NH. Milford has a suprisingly large GF community, so we had plenty of places to choose from. The Koranda clan descended on Amigo's for party day. The staff were all gracious hosts to our huge gathering. While waiting on dinner, I snacked on GF tortilla chips and salsa. Nick and I started walking down the expansive list of fabulous margaritas. My favorites were the Mi Amigo John and the Millionaire's. The GF menu was rather expansive. The food is just fresh, good Mexican food. I tried the tostadas and loved them. For dessert, we ordered Dad a piece of GF carrot cake. It looked amazing, but I was too busy socializing to try a bite. I had every intention of getting my own, but I was so stuffed from the goodness of dinner, that the closest I got to the birthday cake was dreaming about it later that night. My brother is so lucky to have a great GF place to eat within walking distance to his house!

30 Years and Bacon

2010-03-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

Two Saturdays ago was Nick's 30th birthday. All Nick wanted for his birthday was to celebrate 30 with a party reminiscent of his college days at GT in room 407. One of our friends brought over a keg, and our 2 bedroom condo was turned into a more mature version of 407. This time the dorm room came mostly decorated, the food was organic and homemade, and no black lights were present or accounted for. Our home was filled to the brim with the friends we loved dearly, and everyone had a great time.
Before the party, we had to narrow the menu down a bit. We had about 30 things that all sounded like phenomenal ideas. One of the hors d'oeuvres I made was an old standby recipe, bacon wrapped dates. I know, I know. Who is just passionate about dates? I'm not really into a plain old date. But wrapped in bacon? Magical. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Bacon Wrapped Dates
1 package of bacon
1 8-ounce package of dates, pitted*
Sturdy wood toothpicks; bamboo is okay; toothpicks with paper or fringe on the top will burn in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap dates with bacon, only using 1 layer of bacon over the date. Secure the bacon with a toothpick. Bake for 20-25minutes or until crisp. Let cool for 10 minutes or more before serving.

*You can pit your dates with paring knife. The pits are large.

At Figo, Tonight

2010-03-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

Nick: This pasta is better than expensive Italian places.
Liv: I wouldn't know, because they don't serve gluten-free pasta at those places.
Nick: Even more reason to keep coming back.

Lent-a-licious

2010-03-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

I gave up chocolate for Lent this year. It's been a healthy sacrifice. What is more meaningful that not eating chocolate this Lenten season is answering the questions I get about Lent once I've turned down a chocolate treat. The questions have been anything related to why I gave up chocolate to what Lent is, exactly. Let's do a rundown of Lent, top ten style.

1. Lent is a Christian tradition celebrated in the 40 (+/-) days leading up to Easter. The purpose behind lent is to prepare yourself for Jesus' sacrifice on the cross (Holy Week) and his resurrection (Easter).

2. The 40 days of Lent correlate to the time Jesus spent in the desert before turning himself over to the authorities for his crucifixion.

3. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. The day before Ash Wednesday is Fat Tuesday- the last big hoorah of Mardi Gras. The idea is that you get all the fun in before the Lenten season of sacrifice and prayer begins. Carnival is also a festival celebrated until Lent.

4. The idea of fasting during Lent has changed over time. Some places in a particular time period gave up meat or dairy, some both, some just fish. Catholics currently abstain from eating mammals (meat and poultry) on Fridays during Lent. (As in, fish are fair game.)

5. Protestants generally have a choice whether or not to observe Lent. For Catholics, this is a mandatory celebration. You have choices on sacrificing something you love (i.e., chocolate, doughnuts, Facebook) or taking on a new venture that brings you closer to God (i.e., devotional, charity work).

6. Palm Sunday is the 6th Sunday in Lent, the beginning of Holy Week. This is when Jesus came back from the desert.
7. The Wednesday during Holy Week is Spy Wednesday, the day when Judas spied on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene.

8. The Thursday during Hole Week is Maunday Thusday, the day of the last supper.

9. The Friday during Holy Week is Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified and buried.

10. Easter Sunday is the last day of Lent, the day Jesus rose from the dead. The end.

This year, my major Lenten shrimp creation is below. I think this is a really good one. You can make the pesto and prep the (fresh) shrimp the day before, to make it a faster made meal.

Shrimp Pesto a La Liv
1 pound shrimp peeled, leaving the heads on, and deveined - I like the big ones.
Pesto (see pesto)
GF Rice spaghetti cooked
juice of 1/2 lemon2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon EVOO
salt and pepper to taste

You have two options. The first is to make the pesto ahead of time. The second is below.
1. Combine the shrimp, lemon juice, garlic, and salt/pepper to taste in a pyrex with the shrimps to marinate.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees while you are making your pesto.

3. Start the pasta and stick the shrimp in the oven.

4. Check on the shrimp after 15 minutes to see if they are done. (They are done when they are opaque). It may take up to 30 minutes for them to be fully cooked. 5. When everything is done, plate it like a pro and enjoy.

It's Not Green Beer, but It's Still Good.

2010-03-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

Tonight we made a delicious Irish-inspired dinner in the spirit of Saint Patrick. I do love America's drinking holidays. Everyone celebrates being Irish once a year and then, two months later, being Mexican. I venture to guess that most people have no idea what either holiday is actually for. I find this amusing. Before we move onto the actual food part, let's learn a little bit about St. Patrick's Day, just in case there is a party pooper who questions your Irishness on Wednesday. (I mean, everyone IS Irish on St. Patrick's Day.)

FACT: St. Patrick's Day is the feast day of St. Patrick. It's a public holiday in Ireland, celebrated on the 17th of March. The 18th of March might as well be a holiday everywhere St. Pat's is celebrated, since most celebrators are hung over the next day.

FACT: The original color associated with the holiday, according to Wikipedia, was blue, not green. Green came about because of the association St. Patrick made between the holy trinity and shamrocks. Maybe people shouldn't be pinched if they don't wear green, after all.

FACT: This holiday was often celebrated as a one day break from Lent, where drinking was allowed. Hence the debauchery we celebrate today.

Whatever Your Luck American-Style Bangers and Mash
6 medium-sized red potatoes (Or white. Whatever suits your fancy.)
1 cup chicken broth (They come in convenient little mini-cartons now!)
1/4 stick butter (Remember: if it tastes good, it has butter in it.)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (Or none at all. Whatever.)
1 package of the sausage of your choice (Bangers are beef sausage, for those desiring to keep it real.)
1 small or 3/4 medium white onion, chopped (Chewing gun really helps prevent tears.)
1 can or jar of beets (You might need 2 if you are a beet lover at heart.)
1 bag of salad (I told you this was easy.)
Feta crumbles (Tastes great with beets, but I'm sure it's not Irish.)
Walnuts (Optional)
salt and pepper (To taste)
Whatever salad dressing you like (I like vinaigrette.)

Start by cutting the (clean) potatoes into small pieces. Toss them into a large pot of water. Bring them to a boil and boil them until they are soft enough to mash.

While the potatoes are cooking, get your salad together. Drain the beets, and cut them into smaller bites (if desired). Toss them into your salad bowl with the feta crumbles and walnuts.
Start the sausages. We used the Foreman Grill, but you could pan fry them with the onions or grill the outside. Warm EVOO in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute your onions for about 10 minutes in the pan, or until they are soft.

By this point, the potatoes should be finished cooking. Drain the water out of the pot and transfer the potatoes into a bowl for mashing. Add the butter. Mash the potatoes until they are reduced to tiny pieces. The butter should melt into them while they are hot. Add the garlic and gradually add the stock, whipping the potatoes with a hand-held mixer. Salt and pepper them to taste.

Turkey Chili with Black-Eyed Peas

2010-03-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

When my phone rang at work at 0705, I will admit feeling annoyed. Who calls someone just after they've hit the floor? The man on the other end of the phone was one of the pharmacists at the hospital calling to see if I knew how my family was. I was confused. (And grumpy.) He then told me about the Haiti earthquake. I was immediately into an (awake) patient's room flipping to CNN with my personal cell phone in hand. Thankfully, my family on the other half of the island of Hispanola was just a bit shaken up. Nothing serious happened.

About a month later, Chile's first major earthquake struck. Again, I missed the news story. My mother called me early (for her) that morning to let me know she talked to my cousin, Miguel, who lives in Santiago. In true Taveras form, he told his dramatic tale of running down 13 flights of stairs feeling like he was running through a washing machine. Everything in Santiago was pretty much in tact, as the earthquake struck much farther south. Miguel's biggest lament was that while not even a picture fell off the wall, he lost all of his booze.

After these two natural disasters, it seemed like each country- and my family- would have a reprieve. So, when my mother jumped on an airplane and headed down to Chile to see Miguel, I was not worried. My mother had planned the trip in January, and we both agreed that a major earthquake could not possibly strike so close to the date of the first. Aftershocks? No big deal. She'd be fine. For sure.

... And then, on my way home from work on Thursday, a call beeped through the conversation I was having with a friend. I raced to answer my Mom's friend (and other emergency contact), Rexanne. Rexanne told me my mother was okay, but she and Miguel ran down 13 flights of stairs in their pajamas that morning in the midst of a 7.2 earthquake (aftershock). While everyone is still okay, I am hoping that nothing shakes up Paris, the last foreign country home where I have family.

So here's to Chile, home to a city that has moved 10 feet on the map (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-03/09/c_13203099.htm) and to some amazing builders. (There is still nothing wrong with the building Miguel lives in.)

Turkey Chili with Black-Eyed Peas
(from Shape magazine, February 2009)
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey breast
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
2 jalepenos, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups canned black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 28-ounce can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
2 1/2 cups water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large ovenproof pan, heath half the oil over medium heat, Add turkey and brown for 5 minutes. Remove turkey and add remaining oil; saute carrot, onion, celery, jalapenos, garlic, peppers, chili powder, fennel, and cumin for 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft and begin to lose their color.

Return meat to pan and stir in black-eyed peas; add crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, and water. Bring to a simmer and place in the oven for 2 hours. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper sauce to taste.

Super Blue

2010-03-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

After getting up at the crack of dawn (5 am) for work during the week, I relish in my bed. I love to sleep in on weekend days. I don't sleep the day away; I just sleep in enough to feel caught up and yet still able to get some things done. A great sleep deserves a great breakfast. The latest addition to the breakfast menu is blueberries.

When I was a kid, I turned up my nose to blueberries. They weren't wildly sweet. I didn't even like them when they were fresh picked from the bushes of my back yard in Massachusetts. Despite my childhood feelings, I had the urge to pick up a package at the store a few months ago, and fell in love. I'm glad my tastes have changed, since blueberries are grrrrrrreat for you.

Blueberries are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin E. They are great with cereal, in yogurt, on waffles, or by themselves. I've been eating them on waffles lately. My favorite waffle mix is Bob's Red Mill. They are fluffy and stretchy. Pamela's are a little more reminiscent of Bisquick. The Trader Joe's waffles come out crispy in on the outside, light, and stretchy on the inside. The only problem with them is they want you to make the whole box at once. It takes some math to divide it down to a few batches.

Here are the nutritional facts, via www.blueberry.org. Very convincing.

USDA National Nutrient Database For Standard Reference, Release 19 (2006)

		Blueberry (fresh)	Blueberry (frozen, unsweetened)
		1 c (148 g)	1 c (155 g)

Energy	kcal	84	79
Protein	g	1.10	0.65
Fat	g	0.49	0.99
Carbohydrate	g	21.45	18.86
Fiber	g	3.6	4.2
Calcium	mg	9	12
Iron	mg	0.41	0.28
Magnesium	mg	9	8
Phosphorus	mg	18	17
Potassium	mg	114	84
Sodium	mg	1	2
Zinc	mg	0.24	0.11
Copper	mg	0.084	0.051
Manganese	mg	0.497	0.228
Selenium	mcg	0.1	0.2
Vitamin C	mg	14.4	3.9
Thiamin	mg	0.055	0.05
Riboflavin	mg	0.061	0.057
Niacin	mg	0.619	0.806
Panthothenic acid	mg	0.184	0.194
Vitamin B6	mg	0.077	0.091
Folate	mcg	9	11
Vitamin B12	mcg	0	0
Vitamin A	IU	80	71
Vitamin E	mg	0.84	0.74
Vitamin K	mcg	28.6	25.4

Top

g=grams mg=milligrams kcal=kilocalories IU=International Units ug=micrograms ATE=alpha tocopherol equivalent

Settling in with Pea Soup

2010-02-28T18:02:00.000-08:00

Two Fridays ago, I worked a shift the day before movers came to whisk me away to my new house. Trying to keep dinner simple, I ordered a GF pizza from Pizza Fusion. Not too long after eating a few pieces on the way home in the car, I discovered the pizza was indeed NOT GF. Oooops. (For the record, the box was labeled GF.) I called them to let them know the obvious error. The manager told since they've never made a mistake, the pizza was most definitely GF and not accidentally glutenous. Oh, fellow Celiacs, we know that since I've been GF for 6 years and all the other food I'd eaten was prepared by Yours Truly, I know what caused the symptoms of unattended Celiac Disease.

Enough of that.

I'm all moved into my new place, and have been enjoying the granite counter tops and *gasp* space that I have in the condo. (Anything beats my former tiny urban apartment kitchen.) I just really love it here. The only thing I miss about my old apartment is the natural warmth. The skylights let the sun into the apartment and warm the space, something I like to call "the Greenhouse effect." To help defeat the lack of sunny heat, I made some very simple pea soup last night. It took a whopping 30 minutes. I stole the recipe from Martha. (Martha Stewart.)

I omitted the non-soup part. It would be great with GF grill cheese, though. It might also make a great St. Patrick's Day food. Just sayin'.
You can find the recipe here:
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/green-pea-soup-with-cheddar-scallion-panini?backto=true

Green Pea Soup

Ingredients

Serves 4

3 tablespoons butter
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
3 boxes (10 ounces each) frozen peas
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (6 ounces)
8 slices rye sandwich bread
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add scallion whites, and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas, broth, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until peas are tender, about 5 minutes; set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss cheddar with scallion greens. Make 4 sandwiches with cheddar mixture and bread.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low. Place sandwiches in skillet, and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side, adding remaining tablespoon butter to skillet to cook second side.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth (filling blender only halfway to prevent spattering). If necessary, adjust consistency with a little bit of water. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Slice each panini into four "fingers, and serve with soup.

It's Snow My Darling!

2010-02-15T18:20:00.000-08:00

When the northern portion of the United States is blanketed in snow, Atlanta is usually just cold and rainy. I arrived in the South at age 8, when my Dad accepted a job that took us from a place in Massachusetts where the apples grow to suburb of Atlanta that was just starting to bloom. I wondered when we moved down here if my classmates had ever seen snow before, if we could wear shorts all year round, and why the ground had clay instead of soil. One of those questions was answered when "The Blizzard of '93" hit Georgia. Unaccustomed to dealing with frozen conditions, the saltless roads turned into sheets of ice. I was snowed in a friend's house for the weekend.

A Southern "blizzard" was the best way to make me feel at home. My friend Andrea and I spent all weekend going in and out of the house, defrosting and redressing, so we could repeat an endless cycle of trudging through snow, sledding, and making snow sculptures. Every year after that, my Auntie Ann would send me a saucer sled that I didn't get to use for it's intended purpose*. (*Note: It did, however, get turned it into a nest of blankets for tv watching, and I did slide down pinestraw-covered hills on it.) The years that snow landed on our little suburb, I was happy. I loved waking up to the white silence and feeling the crunch under my feet. Although the snow usually disappears within a day or so, it makes the year feel complete.

In my young adult years, I considered moving back to snow-laden New England very seriously. There are a few things that keep me rooted here, besides friends, family, and a great job. With all my years here in Atlanta, I have truly become a Southern girl; I don't think I could handle long periods of uninterrupted freezing cold temperatures. And while I love snowdays, I don't want my fond childhood memories to be dirtied by daily routines of trucking through snow. Until things change in my life, I will be happy here in Atlanta with my one annual snow fall. Snow, for me, is still special.

Because this website is hilarious...

2010-02-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

...I leave you this link entitled "How to Suck at Facebook." Enjoy!

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon

Young Frankenstein & Truva

2010-01-31T12:14:00.000-08:00

I watched Young Frankenstein, the movie, for the first time in the 10th grade in our Intro to Theater class. A lover of Mel Brooks, this became a classic in my repertoire of movies I often quote. While the movie does drag out a bit, I definitely think you discover more jokes and nuances the more you watch it. Knowing that Young Frankenstein is one of my all-time favorites, my boyfriend got us tickets to watch the musical (also a Mel Brooks production) at the Fabulous Fox Theater.

If you have never been to the Fox, it is a magical theater built at the turn of the 1900's in a Middle Eastern style. Everything is lavish, right down to the shooting stars that cross the domed ceiling. The show aside, the theater is an experience all by itself. Naturally, I was quite excited to return to the Fox for a viewing of a great musical. The show itself was truly spectacular. It was fast paced, funny, and embellished on a few of the jokes in the movie by making them into songs. Even if you are not a musical lover (as I am not a musical lover), you will enjoy this show.

After a great theater experience, Nick and I drove a few miles over to Truva for a late lunch/early dinner. Truva opened up near-ish to Georgia State in what used to be Steak and Ale. It is a restaurant filled with Turkish cuisine and, at night, music and belly dancers. We arrived at about 4:45pm. Despite it not being filled to the seams with patrons and gorgeous women belly dancers, the atmosphere was not lacking. There is nothing reminiscent of old-world Turkish bars; Truva's decor is a modern lounge with open seating and relaxing feel.

Truva's menu is replete with choices of appetizers and entree's without being overwhelming. Truva cooks everything in olive oil. The staff was very sensitive to my food needs, and the waiter and manager made doubly sure I was well taken care of. For an appetizer, Nick and I split a Mediterranean salad. Although it was an appetizer, it was big enough for both of us to split. Nick and I each chose a lamb dish, paired with a glass of malbec. I had the chops, served with spinach and potatoes. The lamb was cooked perfectly to my specification of medium, and the side dishes were perfect as well. The food is definitely worth the price and worth a few more visits. The next time we go, we will go a bit later to enjoy the night scene with friends.

Spark People

2010-01-31T12:08:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to have New Year's resolutions to get in shape, eat better, etc., etc., etc. Most people don't actually keep their resolutions; therefore, I don't make an resolutions. I am a very goal oriented person, so I do set small, achievable goals. I know that eating GF means I eat healthier than most Americans, but it occurred to me I am not sure how healthy my daily intake of healthy things is. One of my friends who is making a lifestyle change to change her shape has been on SparkPeople.com. I decided to join. It's free, and you don't have to get annoying emails. What you can do is track your fitness and nutrition. You can use meal plans (I don't use them, since they aren't catered to the GF crowd), or choose what foods you want where. It's so easy and kinda fun. It takes a whopping 5 minutes out of my day. So here's to 2010 and finding new ways to challenge myself as a healthy person.

What I Do at Work

2010-01-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

The best part of being a rehabilitation nurse is celebrating the small steps our patients make every day. Today, the best thing was having the occupational therapist hook up one of our tetraplegic patients into a mobile arm support so he can feed himself. (See photo at left- note this is NOT my patient, just a google image hit.)

After breaking his neck, my patient suffered a spinal cord injury. Now not all of the muscles in his arms work, and his fingers do not move. Although he can move his arms, he does not have the capability of getting the fork into the food and the food to his mouth without help. The mobile arm support allows him to move his arm in a robotic-looking support system suspended on the back of his wheelchair, so that he can eat without much assistance.

Can you imagine having people feed you, bathe you, dress you, and do just about everything else for you all the time? While you are recovering from a spinal cord injury, that is exactly what happens for a many people, like my patient. After a 3 weeks of this dependence, my patient took a huge step today. The first time I saw a big smile across his face was on his third bite, when the OT asked him "Doesn't this beat the heck out of having someone feed you?" He fed himself all three meals today. I asked him if his arm was tired, and my patient told me it was, as he put another bit of food in his mouth. I am so proud of him, because I know what he accomplished today was not easy.

Chiles

2010-01-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

I actually had a not-so-exhausting day at work today. And I found out that I am working Thursday, not tomorrow. *whoa!* These two lovely things and having my roomie let out the barkers allowed me to go out to dinner with the girls after work.

When I started working at Shepherd, there was a core group of nurses. Through various circumstances- unit changes, parenthood, injuries- we have been spread out. Every few months we all come together as a group for a meal, a beverage, and a good time. Tonight the meet-up spot was Chiles. I've eaten there before, but I cannot for the life of me remember what the outcome was. Tonight was a clean plate.

Chile's has an allergen menu- fish, shellfish, dairy, peanuts, nuts, wheat/gluten, and soy. I eat GF and SF (soy-free), as I react to both. The soy-free menu was some slim pickin's. While I was surprised that Chiles has a GF/SF salad dressing, the rest was not wildly impressive. The only protein choice was a plain steak, and the choice of side items were naked veggies, naked corn, corn kernels, or mandarin oranges. Although the combo of steak + corn kernels + oranges seemed a little odd, the meal was good. My steak was cooked perfectly (I love a medium steak) and the sides were okay. If you are a Celiac out with friends, or in a chain-restaurant pinch, it's just fine. Otherwise, it won't really be my first choice for a place to grab a bite.

...but I am very glad for the safety of an allergen menu!

The New Nest

2010-01-14T17:54:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who can remember the exact day that just about everything in her life happened. It's not just that she remembers she graduated from 8th grade on a Friday. No, she remembers the first time she made a spearmint lifesaver to the day, day of the week, month, year, and (often) the hour. I love to pick her brain for things that we were involved in together.

While I might not be quite as accurate as my friend, I can remember moments down to every scent, sensation, snapshot. I remember meeting Melissa for the first time- we were walking into the first day of chemistry class in college. This weekend was her housewarming. My how much we've grown up! Making new memories of christening Melissa's new nest required some GF treats.

New Nest Cupcakes
Ingredients
* cupcakes of your choosing (try any mix or your favorite recipe. I used Whole Foods chocolate cake mix, using rice milk instead of buttermilk for a lighter fluffier cupcake.)
* Simple Frosting at room temperature (see below)
* shaved baker's coconut
* M&M's or other chocolate egg-shaped goodies

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut shavings evenly in a thin layer across a baking sheet. Once the oven has pre-heated, place the baking sheet in for about 5 minutes. The coconut should turn out to be a golden brown. Check the coconut frequently to make sure it doesn't burn- it can turn quickly!

2. Put a thin to medium-small width layer of icing over the top of the cupcake. Using an icing bag makes the process easier. Roll the cupcake in the coconut. If needed, you can add another line of frosting around the edge and roll it in the coconut again to build up sides of the nest.

3. Add a few "eggs" into the nest. Enjoy!

Simple Icing
Ingredients * 1 stick room temperature butter
* 3-4 cups GF confectioner's sugar
* 2 tbs-1/4 cup rice milk (or your milk of choice)
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* electric mixer

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Turn down the mixer to a low speed, and titrate (gradually add) the first 3 cups of sugar until the desired consistency is reached.

3. When the frosting is fluffy, add the vanilla. If you find your frosting is too stiff or un-creamy, add the milk, starting 1 tbsp at a time. Be sure to blend the liquid thoroughly before adding more milk or sugar!

Weekday Football

2010-01-05T19:57:00.000-08:00

It's 4th quarter of the Georgia Tech VS Iowa game. Teams studying tapes over winter break? Check. Fans prepped with appropriately colored gear and witty signs? Check. Perfect playing conditions provided by Miami's eternally warm weather? X! It's 48 degrees in Miami. I guess that beats either state's weather- it's 28 degrees here and even colder in Iowa. While I'm routing my boys on from the comfort of a fleece bathrobe and my couch, they and the oranges are trying to stay warm in Florida.

I live in the South for many reasons, but mild winters definitely play a big part. I'm really not a big fan of frozen conditions. How does everyone else beat the cold? Here are a few things I remember people telling me over the years about staying warm:
Ryan in WI - high 17 low 1 - swears by wool socks and boots
Tiffany in NJ - high 29 low 22 - hot cocoa, layers and avoiding the outdoors
Isaiah in NH - high 26 low 19 - cuddling with someone nice
Crystal in MA - "layuhs" and scarves
Kim in GA - high 32 low 19 - 2 pairs of socks, a mattress warmer, and hot tea.

If my dogs were participating, they would add they would add snuggle time. Carmen is enduring trips outside with sweaters. My layered, scarf-wearing, tea drinking self would like to add hot soup to the list. The leftovers from the soups I've been making are life-saving for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I'm loving tea. I'm drinking Ghirardelli hot cocoa in rice milk after dinner. I'm thinking chili must be in the cards for this weekend of NFL playoffs. Layered fan gear, warm socks. Maybe instead of (GF) beer we'll drink hot cider or Irish coffee...