Happy Gluten Free Anniversary To Me!

So, it was ONE year ago....October 18, 2008....that I made the switch to gluten free! WOW! What a year it has been. 105 blog posts, some baking successes, some failures...new friends...new knowledge...but, best of all....

I am healthy!

I am the healthiest I have ever been in my life. Before this, I never knew what it was like to feel well. I can say with confidence that NOW, I (usually!) truly feel WELL! It is an amazing feeling. I can't believe I made it a year!

No cheating! Not knowingly, anyway! Not even once.

I think I should go bake myself a gluten free cake or something!!! :)

And, just because I want to pat myself on the back again ;)...I successfully finished the Chicago Marathon last Sunday! I could have NEVER fulfilled this dream pre-GF lifestyle. Long story short, I had more than 1...shall we say..."bathroom mis-adventure" while running last summer/fall. Suffice it to say there is absolutely NO WAY I would've EVER been able to make it through a marathon (and probably not even a half marathon) without living GF!

So, I'll say it again...Happy Gluten Free Anniversary to ME!!!!!!



..and, happy wedding anniversary to my parents, who have been married 29 years today! WOW!!!

These are a few of my favorite things...lately

I've neglected this little blog for a while now!
A friend of mine from work asked for some recipes/tips...she is having a GF relative visit next weekend and wants to be sure she is sufficiently prepared to feed him. I decided to take this opportunity to update this blog with some of my recent favorite GF finds and share them with not only her, but the rest of blog-land as well :).

1) Kinnikinnick Foods Inc. Personal Size Pizza Crusts
These things are AMAZING. They come in the freezer section a box of 4 and are DELICIOUS. They are easy to prepare...preheat oven to 375, then bake with your choice of favorite toppings for 10-15 minutes. The crust gets wonderfully crispy and has a great texture. These crusts would be great to have a "build-your-own-pizza" night with kids and grown-ups alike. They are also wonderful to have on hand for a quick, easy meal or snack. I enjoy them with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese...and sometimes pepperoni, yellow and red peppers, mushrooms....ANYTHING, really!
I found them at a Kroger in Peoria...however according to the Kinnikinnick website, they can be purchased online as well. Common Ground Grocer in Bloomington carries Kinnikinnick products, as does Naturally Yours...however I cannot vouch for the presence of this particular product at these grocery stores....worth calling ahead and checking into, if you are interested. If all else fails, they can be ordered from the website.


2) La Tortilla Factory Ivory Teff Wraps
DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS, DELICIOUS! My friend Jillian actually found these for me...and they are amazing! Another friend, Abbey, brought them to work for a Mexican potluck lunch since she saw them at Meijer (here in Bloomington) and saw that they were gluten free and that I would then be able to enjoy them! I have some wonderful friends :). These were a GREAT find. They are yummy both hot and cold...and are completely versatile. I pop them into the toaster oven with taco meat for an easy burrito (and then top with cheese/sour cream/lettuce, etc. after cooking in the toaster oven)...or enjoy them cold with a variety of sandwich toppings (Boar's Head meats are another one of my GF favorites...available at the deli counter at Kroger on College here in Bloomington)


3) Pamela's Products Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix
I found this one at Meijer here in Bloomington. These are yummy, yummy cookies! My non-GF hubby, Jeremy, actually gobbled them up even faster than me! He's a big fan of chocolate chip cookies, and a big food critic ;)...so if he approves, they HAVE to be good! ;) They are easy to prepare...and delicious. Definitely recommend these for an easy dessert...and a fun one for kids to help prepare, too.



4) I've written about this one a lot...but it's a recipe my husband and I come back to ALL of the time....Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup....
As far as seasoning goes, I use McCormick brand taco seasoning. Many McCormick brand spices are gluten free....as listed in my gluten free grocery shopping guide, and cited on this blog.
I use Tostitos chips, Daisy sour cream, and Kraft shredded cheddar...all gluten free...for the topping of this soup.

5) Chex...
Check out the Chex GLUTEN-FREE section of their website for some AWESOME snack ideas.
YUMMY doesn't even begin to describe these recipes! I've tried a few...but I want to try them ALL! Happy Chex-mixing! :)

Time for bed....perhaps a post with more later this weekend. We'll see ;).