Worth the Wait

 

FINALLY!

and it’s allllllll mine!

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I’m making a super YUMMY supper tonight. Here’s a hint….coconut….and kinnikinnick!

Dear Dates, Welcome to the Family

 

Why I have waited almost TWENTY.EIGHT.YEARS. to eat dates?!

I OFFICIALLY KNOW WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT!! Sorry about the all caps, but these little babies are DUH-vine.

Since this was my new food for the month, as per my resolutions (full list: here and here), I went ALL out!

Fair Trade Medjoul Dates from Palestine baby! You guys reccomended Medjoul, and I’m so glad you did! And check out the Nutrition Facts:

BLAM-O! DONE.

But I have to say I was little bit apprehensive. But my boss told me not to worry. In her words, dates taste like tiny little caramel drops that grow on trees. Indeed boss lady.

I first, tried them plain:

and discovered that there are PITS inside!?! Holy cow, so glad I found this out before I wrapped them in bacon

cause yeah, I did that.

Smoky, sweet. Crispy, gooey.

But I’m gonna throw a curveball at you. Bacon wrapped was not my favorite preparation. My friends and family just gasped while reading that, but it’s true. I actually preferred the dates

stuffed with a Laughing Cow light and a sliver of almond. Big ups to the reader who suggested the almond!

All in all, dates will be a regular in this household. Oh yes. They are going to become a permanent member of GHM family. I just…I just love them, with my whole heart.

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So that wraps it up for this month’s new food! I know, I really waiting till the last minute!

Did you miss the first new food? Read all about QUINOA here!

Feel the Chill

 

I wish I could say that yesterday was uncommonly cold…but I guess it really was that last week was uncommonly warm. It was a cloudy, dreary day most of the morning, and I was SO GLAD that I had planned ahead for Monday night’s supper.

Sunday night I checked the weather and saw how cold it was supposed to be. With temps hovering around 40, I knew that I would want something comfy and cozy for supper tonight.

And fast! Tasty Bite Madras Lentils with Bob’s Red Mill GF cornbread!

On Sunday afternoon, I premade the Bob’s GF cornbread according to the package, using my Lodge skillet!

It was an awesome wedding/housewarming gift from an awesome family!

I knew that it would be so much easier to make it on an afternoon when I had time, rather than try to make it Monday night ~6:30! To reheat, I just heated the oven to 350 degrees and popped the cornbread in for a few minutes.

Good cornbread! Served with the BEST Madras Lentils.

Hands down. These lentils are ten times better than any chili I could ever make. (And they’re WAY healthier. For sure.) Tasty Bite – I love you.

Topped with 0% fat Greek Yogurt and a smidge of shredded cheese

I highly recommend skipping the spoon…and grabbing a fork:

‘Cause baby, this is serious business!

Resolution Check-In

 

Almost two months in to my 11 in 11 resolutions, I thought it was time to check in on how I’m doing…keep myself honest! (Miss the announcement posts? Here and Here)

I keep the resolutions on my desktop

so that I’m reminded of my goals instead of forgetting them mid-way through the year. I’m a visual person, so the note helps!

So where do I stand? Let’s get started

1. Floss Daily – Yeah…I am SO not doing that. But I am also, currently out of floss. Even though it’s no excuse, I really need to get back on the flossing bandwagon.

2. Send more cards – OK. I did send out our first round of Thank You cards. But since our wedding was DEFINITELY the work of a community, we have a TON more to write. I also want to get better at sending Birthday cards and just Thinking of You cards.

3. Finish degree – Yes! We are on track! I have enrolled for summer online courses. I will only be able to attend part-time, as I have a full time job but I’m excited to start!

4. Try new foods – Yep! Did you miss my first experience with quinoa?! Love it!

5. Comment on Blogs – So, So. I’m trying hard, but I follow over 100 blogs on google reader. Right now I have them organized by topic, but I’m thinking about organizing them by Comment and Rarely Comment.

6. Run a 5k again – Yep! I will actually be running a 5k this weekend with my bestie sister and Lil’ Gluten Loves Me! My sister is going to be participating with Ella in a stroller, so I may just end up walking with them. Either way, it will be my second 5k, you can read about my first 5k here!

7. Make a baby plan – Nope! But soon

8. Get exercise daily – Yes and Yes! Gym 5-6 days a week and walk the dogs every morning! I am becoming SERIOUSLY addicted to the endorphins, and I love working out first thing in the morning.

9. Get haircut regularly – Nope. But I REALLY need to. Seriously. It’s bad.

10. Stop living for my days off – Absolutely!

11. Keep my car clean – YES! YES! YES! I am so excited about this! I can’t wait to show my BIL Scotty this weekend!

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So there we go. All in all, I feel good about where I am right now with my resolutions. Usually I can’t even remember what I resolved by now!

Happy Monday friends! Don’t forget to weigh in on the Redbridge VS New Grist debate!

What the duck?

 

Seriously? I think I’m being punished for when I bragged here…and here, because I went from jogging outside in a tech tee and shorts to bundling up and turning the heat back on. And tomorrow…

Really?!

Me and the pups are spending our day snuggled up and watching movies. Not much cooking going on over here. Breakfast of oats and a lunch of Chex.

So I just have one question for you:

Redbridge

 

or New Grist?

My vote is pretty obvious.

I’m a Redbridge girl. What about you?

Saturday Reader Recipe Submission

 

This recipe comes from a very good family friend Christian. He has been a long time supporter of GHM and always shares yummy recipes he runs across. Having tried this one personally, I can tell you that it’s a delicious spin on Southern grits! He suggests serving them with a Thai Chili Shrimp (recipes found on Food Network)

1/2 c. dry organic GLUTEN FREE yellow grits (I use Arrowhead Mills brand)
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. lite organic coconut milk

1/2 c. shredded organic no sulfur coconut
2 T. Earth Balance light Vegan butter (or extra virgin olive oil)*
dash sea salt
parsley for garnish

First, bring water and grits to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the sea salt, vegan butter (or olive oil), coconut milk and about half of the coconut flakes. I reserved the rest of my coconut flakes for adding after the grits were finished so there was a nice mix of somewhat crunchy and some chewy flakes. All of the coconut flakes you add in the beginning will absorb moisture and become softer, so adjust the coconut amount and timing to suit your texture preference.
Cover the grits and simmer on low for 5 minutes. After the grits are finished, stir in the leftover coconut flakes and serve topped with parsley. You may wish to add a dash of coarse sea salt before serving. These were great and a nice variation on our weekly breakfast grits.

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Want to have one your recipes featured on GHM?

Email me (marlowapril@glutenhatesme.com) for details!

Recipes for the Weekend–Part 3

 

It’s going to be a wet weekend here in the triangle; perfect weather for one last winter snuggle with Parrish, Max, and Hazel. And possibly a Friday Night Lights marathon?

Recipes for the weekend!

Breakfast

Steel Cut Oats with Strawberry

Lunch:

Udi’s Sandwich – The Best!

Supper:

Don’t-cha Wish You Were in Mexico Chicken Soup

Missed past posts?

Recipes for the Weekend

Recipes for the Weekend – Take Two

Gra-bobs

 

I ran 5 miles this morning.

FIVE miles.

I don’t talk about it much on the blog, but I actually go to the gym everyday. Every morning, bright and early. This past week, I had worked myself up to three miles. If you had told me this morning that I would do five today I would have laughed…or at least giggled. And followed it up with a super smooth “NU-UH”.

What I can tell you?! I lost track of time watching CNN and looked down at 4.2. So I powered through. It felt amazing.

But I have been STARRRRRVING! I had a green monster before the gym, and then a banana afterward. This salad for lunch and a serving of cheese and crackers for a snack. And I was still hungry. So I drank a ton of water and went to the bathroom every 30 minutes. Somehow I made it through.

And I have to think that this supper had something to with that.

I know what you’re thinking. But those aren’t olives! (Although that would be yummy)

Chicken and Green Grape Gra-bobs

SUPER EASY TO MAKE! Just marinate your chicken in THE GOOD STUFF and then cut in to cubes. Skewer with green grapes and GRILL.

 

Served on top of a fresh green salad dressed in Simple Shallot Vinaigrette: 2 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. white vinegar, 2 tbsp. Dijon, 1 tbsp. minced shallot, salt and pepper

Tasty!

BUT I’m still hungry. I see some air-popped popcorn in my future!

I live for Olives

 

Introducing my NEW favorite snack:

Everyone, say hello to Mario! I found these little babies at Harris Teeter last week, where they were buy one get one free!

Shelf stable, fit in your purse, snack and go olives!

I love’em!

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You guys have had some great ideas for dates!! Bacon wrapped is sounding pretty good…

Make a Lunch Before You Go-Go

 

I really miss prepackaged baked tofu.

So many brands, so many flavors…so much soy sauce…so much gluten. Baked tofu could easily stand in for the protein in so many of my lunches, but being gluten free I have to take matters in to my own hands.

Last night I made a pretty easy baked tofu that was so easy in fact, that I actually surprised myself.

I started with one block of extra firm Nasoya tofu that I had pressed in my Tofu Xpress. My MOH Alex gave me one of these a while back and it is AMAZING. If you eat tofu, you need this presser!! No more sheets of paper towels, plates, and a stack of cookbooks. No sir. And this baby gets it super pressed. Perfect for baked tofu.

I sliced the tofu in long strips. Then I took my cookie cooling rack and placed it on top of my baking sheet to make my rack-sheet hybrid. This way I wouldn’t have to flip the tofu. Then I smeared Moore’s Honey BBQ sauce on each side. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

After they cooled, I packed them up  to take for lunch today.

I also made a container of mixed greens from the farmer’s market and slices of carrots and red pepper.

All together now!

I always make my lunch the night before on days when I have to work my part-time job in the morning. Making a lunch at 5:30 in the morning just doesn’t seem to work for me!

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Resolution: Try one new food a month

To read about my resolutions, click here and here.

To read about my new food for February, click here.

So I’ve decided that for my new food for March, I’m going to try dates! I have a box of Medjool Dates ready to go.

Should I eat them plain? Or stuff them?

How do you like dates?

m-OH-chi

 

For the five years that I worked at a health food store, I was only gluten free for one of them. So I would always see mochi on the shelf in the perishable section (right below the Bubbie’s) and I thought nothing of it.

It wasn’t until going gluten free, that I gave it a second glance. I can definitely say that going gluten free has turned me in to a food adventurer. And I’m so glad that it has! Experimenting with new foods is a big part of the fun, and mochi is SUPER fun!

Completely gluten free, when baked mochi puffs up and becomes crunchy on the outside. Made from glutinous rice (not GLUTENOUS) it has a great texture and a nutty flavor. The brand I found at Whole Foods is called Grainaissance.

You basically just cut the “dough” in to small squares:

and then bake for 10-12 minutes.

Voila!

I love the plain mochi served with a laughing cow, but you could do so much with it! Drizzle with honey – stuff with nut butter – cream cheese and jam – chocolate

AND mochi comes in different flavors; it’s pretty versatile!

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I hope you guys had a great weekend! After my scare, I actually bounced back and accomplished a lot! I finally put new flowers in our flower boxes, planted strawberries, and cleaned the house. Parrish put in a new sidewalk in our backyard and put together our new outdoor furniture! Max and Hazel….well..

they worked overtime on napping and snuggling!

Sunday Caesar Salad

 

One of the perks of moving to the triangle, has definitely been the proximity to both of Parrish’s brothers. We live less than 25 minutes from both of them, and so we get to see them often and see our nieces and nephews!

Every few months the boys get together (sans wives) and have a sort of…Iron Chef Cook-off. Where they basically try to out do each other and end up making WAY too much food! So Saturday night, the brothers dined but instead of each one making an entrée, they split up the courses of the meal.

Parrish was assigned salad, and it was SO good, that I ended up making a little for myself too!

Sunday Caesar Salad

The thing about a Caesar Salad is that it’s simple. And it’s really all about the dressing. But since bottled dressing can be full of gluten bombs and high fructose corn syrup, I like to make my own. PLUS bottled dressing has nothing on this!

Ingredients:

Two egg yolks

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (mild tasting)

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

4 anchovy filets

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely shredded, but a bit extra for garnish

Juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp. water

Pinch salt and Pinch pepper

In a blender, combine egg yolks, garlic, water, lemon, mustard, and anchovy filets. Blend for 30 seconds or until smoothly combined. With blender on, slowly pour in the oil. You have to pour it in slowly, so that oil emulsifies and combines with the dressing instead of separating.

The result:

Creamy, yummy goodness that is DEFINITELY gluten free!!

And with locally made Dijon

and eggs from my friend’s chickens (laid only a few days ago), this dressing was not only home made but truly fresh!