Hello, 2014. 29 days late.

This little old blog has gotten crazy neglected. And that is rather unfortunate. I lost my passion a while back for food blogging but it is back. 2013 was a hard year for me. Most of my time was spent dealing with family stress. But, I feel renewed. I feel like 2014 is a new start. In fact, one of my resolutions was to BLOG MORE!

So, here I am. Making this resolution a reality and I am excited. I have lots to write about! A new feature too!

Life lately, through food...

Snippets of our life...through our food...

Been eating a ton of blueberries and strawberries. So refreshing.

Molly, the carrot thief.

Our house has been produce central. Our fridge is packed and our counters have bowls full of them!

BBQ with friends. My friend's chicken on the left. My turkey burgers on the right.

I learned to shuck corn. Corn on the cob is so yummy

My dinner fail. Threw in a ton of veggies and turned on my crock pot. 8 hours later, the food was cold! Forgot to plug it in.

Learning to live GFCF & a Salsa Recipe

I need to stop counting the days of eating GFCF. This is not a short change. This is something I will be doing for a long while so I gotta get used to it. Got to learn to not feel deprived.

I was going to blog yesterday but between the headache I was feeling and going out most of the day, I didn't make the time.

Yesterday I hung out with my sister. We went to the mall to hang out and to also pick up an item for my wedding. I had an easy time making lunch choices.  It was easy to make GFCF choices. I had a fruit salad and some grilled chicken.

After a bit of walking the mall, my sister wanted coffee. I gave up coffee a few weeks ago and I also don't drink it without milk so, I ordered a delicious lemonade.

                                        It was amazing. I forgot how much I like lemonade.

Today I went out with my Mom and Blaine. We hit up the Farmers' Market.

I love Superstition Ranch Market.

We loaded up on tons of fresh produce. I am in Heaven. I made a delicious salsa tonight with my many goodies that we picked up today.

In a food processor, mix all ingredients until desired texture (mine was a little watery but still yummy):

• 5 tomatoes, sliced
•  2 tomatillos 
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced length wise
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup cilantro 
• 2 avocados

The salsa was totally refreshing and I have a ton in my fridge right now. Steve was so excited when he saw it! We love salsa in this house.

GFCF Day one

Yesterday was day one of my new GFCF life. I walked my oldest to school and from there I walked to Sprouts. I excepted Sprouts to be a Mecca of GFCF food but honestly, I was rather disappointed.  I looked at a lot of my favorite GF items and they were not GFCF so I couldn't put those in our cart. I was determined to find a variety of cheese and yogurts for us since we eat those a lot and I found it to be a challenge. I looked at Soy, Rice and Almond cheese. While many stated Dairy Free on the packaging, one look at the ingredients and I knew we couldn't purchase it because it had casein listed as an ingredient. Casein is a milk protein.

I had my notes in hand. No items with:

• whey
• casein (sodium caseinate, most commonly)
• lactose (sodium lactylate, frequently)
• lactalbumin and other names that begin with lact
• galactose (a lactose by-product) 

I should mention that Sprouts resembled a retirement community yesterday instead of a grocery store. I was trying to make my way through the grumpy elderly people that kept trying to talk to my baby (and he wasn't in the mood) or people that were getting annoyed by my constant checking of ingredients. I accidentally grabbed a soy yogurt that was no CF because I felt like I was being annoying to the people trying to make their purchases.

I was able to find a few items to try. I purchased various soy milks and I found a brand of cheese we could eat (review to come).


After an hour and a half of scouring the store, we were able to walk back home.

My cutie and I at the end of our five mile walk!

I spent the day trying to fight a chocolate craving, reading ingredients in our cabinet and seeing what new foods I could feed the baby.

It went well. I assumed it would be harder. I think over time this will become as second nature as my GF lifestyle. 

Look for day two sometime tomorrow!

Wanna know what I am having?

Steve and I are so excited for the new addition to our family! I am so excited for Jacob to have a baby brother to play with!

Thoughts on GF in the workplace

My Lunch for work

I have ditched the busy life of a Stay At Home/Freelance Writer Mom. Yes,by the way, that a pretty taxing existence.  I decided to rejoin my old comfort zone of the daily 8 to 5 and since this is my first time being gluten free in the work force; I was pretty nervous about it. It seemed silly,but I was. I have now been working for a little while and I have seemed to manage pretty well. I will let you all know how things progress in my new gluten free working environment as they go. But here is what I have done to keep from getting glutened at work.

• I pack my desk full of snacks to ward off hunger. Right now, I have gf protein bars and baby carrots...and chocolate. Let's not discuss the chocolate.
• I pack my lunch daily. It not only saves money, but my lunch is made at home in my kitchen that I can guarantee is pretty free of cross contamination. I know what is in my food.
• I researched the local restaurants in the area for my gf options in case I do want to splurge one day and eat out. I know where my nearest gf pizza is, where the closest Sprouts is, etc. This is important to make myself feel "normal". I may not want to eat the same types of foods everyday. After all, variety is the spice of life and being gf shouldn't make me want to be different from anyone else.
• If I drop food on a surface at work, it goes in the trash. I mean, this should just be common sense but sometimes I think we forget. Crumbs are everywhere and so if I drop something somewhere, I trash it.
• I don't share food. I get offered food all the time at work, usually it isnt gf so I decline. I dont accept food that is gf but already opened. I never know if it has already been crossed-contaminated. The only time I will accept is if it is just opened and I can make sure that I wont get glutened.

Those are the tips that I have so far. What are your gluten-free tips for the work place?

I AM HAPPY

This photo is from our anniversary, and yes, I am happy. We bought these gf mood stabilizing drinks. They are called "I am Happy". I don't remember anything about the company but the drink tasted like grape and we were happy...Happy to be together, happy it was our anniversary and happy to be alive. Was it the drink? You decide! It is gf! Bonus!

Happy Fourth And A GF Road Trip Love Story...

FIRST-I wanted to wish you all a HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY.

SECOND- It is my anniversary with my Non Gluten Free BF. This is us last 4th of July!


THIRD- I wanted to share a story with you all about a gluten free road trip that Steve and I took last August because I had been craving eclairs and we finally found a place that carried them (thanks to my BFF Stephanie).

This is what I wrote on my other blog (now private) about the road trip...

Steve and I went to Fountain Hills to get gluten free eclairs. Yes, that is right...we were willing to drive miles and miles so I could get the food that I have been lusting after for over a year now. I have to say thank you to Stephanie for telling me about Nature's Finest because they carry the eclairs!

Anyway, Steve is always playing awesome music for me. Today we listened to Looner, a really good band and they are also friends of his. You guys should check them out because they are really good!

When we got there, we meant business! We went straight to the health food store!

The store had a ton of gluten free items! It was worth the drive!

It was Steve's first time

Steve...being observant...of the fountain...and the hills!

Those eclairs...they were so good!!!!!!!

This trip was awesome! I loved going with Steve! He is great company! I adore every moment I spend with him.



FOURTH- I would like to add... that Nature's Finest did have a bunch of Gluten Free Products. So, if you are ever in the Fountain's Hills area, you should check them out!

FIFTH- Road trips for GF food with the one you love makes the GF food taste much sweeter.

Mixes From The Heartland :Impossible Coconut Pie

Day SEVEN of Every Day is A New Post This Week!

I thought I would end this week off with an amazing food review! I was a little intimidated by the name of the mix, IMPOSSIBLE COCONUT PIE, but how hard could it really be?

I soon discovered that the Impossible Coconut Pie was not called that because of the preparation. That aspect was easy! You follow the simple directions and you have this delicious looking pie!
I baked this at my house in the morning with the plans to take it to my Boyfriend's house in the evening. I had to smell and stare at the pie all day long. It was sheer torture. I was still confused as to why this pie was called impossible. I had no problems at all making it.
I didn't even want dinner when I got to his house. I just wanted the pie. That is what happens when I have to look at a pie all day and I don't get to try it. When I cut into it, I discovered why it was called "Impossible Coconut Pie".

The top layer was full of coconut and it was a perfect firm texture. The inside, middle layer was custard like. That layer was like heaven in my mouth. The very bottom had formed a crust. However, when I made the pie, I did not have to do any work for any of this. It was impossible to expect so much greatness from such a simple mix!

I had to practice some restraint on the pie that night. When I left in the morning, I left some of the pie at my Boyfriend's house and then I took the rest home! It was just too good not to keep eating. I also had to take a plastic spoon...
I want this pie NOW...just blogging about it is making my mouth water. Mixes from the Heartland got it right!I also love that the pie is low in sodium, has no trans fat and is cholesterol free! This pie is one that I will be having again!

How To Make An Egg Salad Sandwich

Steve has always been super supportive of my food blogging. He has even helped me make food to review. The other night he randomly started texting me about how to of how to make his dinner. It was so cute that I thought I would share it with you all!

This is how you make a Egg Salad Sandwich according to Steve...

1. peeled eggs
2. chop eggs into tiny pieces
3. add some mayo and mustard

4. put into bread

5. numnumnumnum

Pizza Date at Barrow's Pizza

(Originally posted on Impressions Of My Life At The Moment blog)

As a gluten free gal we dont go out on pizza dates very often. My favorite pizza place is Picazzo's because they offer a full gluten free menu and their food is just out of this world amazing. Their food is gourmet & just delicious anyway, I think Steve thinks I am slightly upity because I compare any and all pizza to Picazzo's...their pizza is a 10 in my book.

We decided to try Barrows Pizza because they have gluten free pizza and it was a success! I didn't get sick and it was delicious! It is a "personal" pizza so I got the gluten free pizza and Steve got the non gluten free pizza however when it arrived I thought that it was pretty large in size and I gave him some of mine and he said he couldn't tell. I rated it a 8 or a 9. He said he thought it was just as good as Picazzo's.

Here are pictures from our date:

Gluten Free Love! Shout Out To MY NON GF-Boyfriend!

This is my supportive boyfriend and me. He calls me his GFGF (GlutenFreeGirlFriend). I call him Steve. We were friends years ago...prior to my days as a celiac and then we lost touch. I ran into him at a party and he found all about me be a gluten free gal, that was the same day we became an item and he has been making sure I dont become glutened ever since. What a guy!

He has been on many outings with me to get gluten foods. Like the time that we went for gluten free eclairs! Yes, I did find them, back in August during this blogs hiatus, I promise I will blog all about it. And, Steve was there to keep me company and try it with me and take pictures for this blog and my other blog!
He also wants to make sure that I always feel included in indulging in the sweet stuff when I am at his home. He baked this pie for me FROM SCRATCH! Yes, that is right. He didn't even brag about it. His mom told me that it took him hours and he was so modest about it. This cherry pie he made me was incredible. To this day, it was one of the sweetest things a guy has ever done for me.


He often makes me gluten free pancakes for breakfast too! He is always making me feel so pampered. I love every moment with Steve! He is just wonderful! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownies & Cookies!

Two reviews in one? Hells yes! OK, it is because I have been a bad blogger...a slacker of sorts. In fact, I almost slacked tonight and put this off for yet ANOTHER night. This should really be two separate posts. I have been dedicating time to my new (and 4th blog Heartbroken Confessional), so please forgive me. I am a heartbroken blogger now, but the Betty Crocker GF brownies and cookies sure helped! They were really...hum...I should set this up like my other reviews...or I am just going to slack this so much that I am not even going to do this in my traditional form? Screw tradition!

The Cookies:


SO GOOD! I loved them. I could have eaten them all up, but I shared them! After all, gluten free sharing is caring! I only ate three! Yes, a crime because they were so good. I wanted them all to myself though. This is them before baking:
Final Product:
They were moist and chewy. These were serious gluten free perfection. Awesomely gluten free.

The brownies:

Oh my gosh! I loved the brownies more than the cookies....I didn't think that would be possible. So delish! Smelled like heaven in the oven. I served it warm with vanilla ice cream on the side:
I could eat this daily if it was a health food. It should be written as a prescription when going through a breakup. I served this to my sister and my friend Melissa and they couldn't even tell it was gluten free (but they knew it was because I was eating it).

If you have not tried these, you should! You will not regret these!