You Will Love It–Clemmy’s Sugar Free Ice Cream

Remember these?

Oh man. I used to kill these bars! When I was a kid I would always eat at least 2 at a time! Needless to say they didn’t last long in our house.

With 11grams of sugar and an ingredient list that’s a mile long, consisting of several different gums, natural flavors, and added colors, these little babies are no longer an option for me.

Enter a life saver:

Clemmy’s Orange Crème All Natural Ice Cream – Lactose, Gluten, and Sugar Free

Literally tastes EXACTLY like the bars from my childhood, and since it’s sugar free I don’t get any yucky sugar highs followed by headache crashes. With only 120 calories in a 1/2 cup serving, it more than fits into my healthy lifestyle.

I’ve tried their chocolate flavor too – LOVE IT!

I found mine at Harris Teeter but you can find a retailer near you – here. You gonna love it!

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Happy Wednesday! I’m back in school today – cross your fingers I make it through Spanish 201

Collaging for Bloggers

Well, it was bound to happen.

Today is the last day of my vacation. This past week has truly been my only vacation I’ll get this year and I loved every minute of it! While I didn’t get every task checked off my list (those base boards didn’t get washed) I did accomplish quite a few things that I’ve been wanting to do for a while.

Number One: I got a tan.

Which also means I relaxed for at least an hour everyday AND soaked up that delicious Vitamin D. I haven’t had an hour for pool time in YEARS! Love it.

Number Two:

I tried out new recipes!

Number Three:

I started my blogging notebook!

For years I have clipped articles, recipes, and exercises out of magazines, thinking I would share them with you guys. But then I never do! So I decided to spend the time and organize the tips and treats in a handy notebook that will make it easier to share!

Recipes, Fitness Articles, Tear Out Exercises, and Food Facts are now in one spot that makes them easy to reference. It’s like collaging for bloggers!

This morning I put the notebook to work and tried a new circuit.

10 new exercises that work the arms, core, and booty. I can’t wait to share these with you guys on Friday! You do each move anywhere from 30 seconds to one minute, then repeat the entire series two to three more times.

After the third round I was huffing and puffing and my stomach was grumbling! Recovery smoothie:

One cup frozen mango, pineapple, and strawberry; one cup blueberry kefir, two scoops Biochem berry protein powder, 1/2 cup coconut water

Sweet and full of berries, this smoothie really hit the spot. Especially since I was double fisting with a cup of coffee.

Now I’m off to the pool! One last day before Summer Session 2. I’m hoping to find a better balance in this next session, since I hopefully won’t have as many papers to write.

Happy Tuesday!

Quick Lunches: Caprese Skewers and Pizzas

I’m not quite sure if there is anything as tasty as local tomatoes! Well…SC peaches may be a strong rival..and crispy Applegate Farms Sunday bacon…BUT local tomatoes in the summer are really something to behold.

I eat so many tomatoes in the summer that I’m surprised I don’t turn red. I’m constantly trying to think of new ways to incorporate them and since lunches on the go are my new “thing”, this past week I tried two new ideas out in Parrish’s lunch box.

The first is SUPER simple – only three ingredients needed:

grape/cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and mozzarella

I used a mozzarella cheese stick because it’s what we had on hand.

Little freshly made mozzarella balls would be AMAZING! But when on a budget, these string cheese sticks work just fine!

Using a skewer, make a stack: tomato, fresh basil leaf that you fold a few times, then cheese.

Then, repeat as many times as your skewer can hold.

Easy Peasy!

And while you could pack it up with just the skewers, I suggest packing up a side of balsamic glaze,

the perfect compliment to the caprese trifecta.

My second tomato lunch is meant to be more of a main dish, and I was pleasantly pleased to find that with a salad, it was a filling lunch.

Mini Caprese Pizza

I used Amy’s GF Sandwich Rounds for the base and covered them with slivers of mozzarella and tomatoes. Baked in the oven until the cheese began to melt. Before serving I sprinkled the top with minced basil and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

I let one edge get a little too crispy but I barely noticed. Too much yumminess to notice a barely burnt crust.

These were the last of my Sandwich Rounds, and while not bad, I don’t think I’ll buy them again. The texture is just a little too much like a cookie for my taste. Next time I’m going to try this recipe on a GF English Muffin.

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Happy Monday! I only have two days left (including today) until it’s back to summer school drudgery. I’m trying to SOAK it all in and who knows, maybe Max and Hazel will let me sleep in tomorrow!

Make These Now: Cocktails and Taco Cups

Has summer hit you yet? Here in NC we’ve tolerated enjoyed a week of temps above the 90s and yesterday we had a heat index over 100. If you’ve never been to NC, then you might not understand the next bit, but for those who have: Let me tell you, the mugginess is here!

So yesterday afternoon I planned a cool treat for Thirsty Thursday.

The HoneyDew Me: Freshly juiced honeydew lemon with muddled mint, lime juice, a spot of honey, and blueberry vodka.

So refreshing! And hydrating from the melon! But next time I’m adding in a little bit of ginger ale. It needed some bubbles if you ask me. Friend Christian recommended making ice cubes out of the melon – genius idea!

As uncomfortable as the temps may be, this is what I LOVE about summer. All the fresh fruit and cool drinks. I’m bringing cocktail hour back!

Another treat last night:

Taco Cups!

I don’t know about you guys, but I love anything bite size. That’s why my favorite food is always appetizers. I just love eating tiny things – makes me feel fancy.

These taco cups are insanely easy to make thanks to Rudi’s GF tortillas.

You start by cutting circles out of the tortillas:

and then place them in a cupcake tin, letting the corners pucker up.

Spritz lightly with cooking spray and then bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until the tortilla browns a bit on the edges:

Then fill with whatever you love! I chose seasoned ground chicken, homemade guacamole, a tiny bit of monterey jack cheese, and a tomato.

So good! Since it’s made from a tortilla (and it isn’t just a crispy corn chip) it doesn’t fall apart in your mouth. The cup is crispy on the edges by still pliable. I was pleasantly surprised when the cup didn’t crumble when I took a bite.

Of course Parrish just stuffed the whole bit in his mouth…so either way, you won’t make a mess!

I paired the cups with a big salad since I was only able to make 8 cups. I need more GF tortillas fast!

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Happy Weekend!

We have rain in our forecast, but I’m hoping it holds off long enough for me to hit the pool today!

And then tomorrow I get to see my family! I can’t wait to see Lil’ Gluten Loves Me!

Pupusas! What’d you call me?

Now, back to those pupusas!

A pupusa is a Latin American dish that is essentially a fresh corn tortilla that is typically lightly fried and stuffed with yummy goodness.

For my first attempt at making pupusas, I decided to keep it simple and just stuff the tortillas with skim mozzarella cheese.

For the base of the dish, I used Maseca brand corn flour. I found it pretty easily in the Mexican/Tex-Mex/Latin American section of my local Harris Teeter.

To make your dough, you add equal parts corn flour and warm water. I used 2 cups flour and 2 cups warm water. I kneaded the dough until it was well combined and found that it needed about 1/4 cup more water. You want to be able to pat out the dough and have it not crack on the edges.

I formed two 2 inch dough balls and patted each one out around 3-4 inches. Laying one-two tbsp. of mozzarella in the center of one, I then used the other round to cover it and pinched the edges to seal. Once sealed, I patted it out just a bit more to make it evenly flat.

Fry in just a pinky nail worth of oil on medium high heat.

Crispy! Doughy! And most importantly…

cheesy!

I topped mine with 0% fat greek yogurt and a mish mosh of salsas we had in the kitchen.

After this next summer session, I’ll do a video for these babies. I know it can sound a little intimidating to “make a dough” but I promise it’s not as bad as it may seem. Remember, I’m a lazy baker, so any dough I make isn’t going to be hard!

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My break is off to a great start, with a flurry of home, health, and mental errands! I’m hoping to have a more relaxing day on Friday and maybe play hooky from house chores.

A Leisurely Breakfast sans School

Boom!

It’s over. My first summer session came to a close with a flurry of critical papers and final exams. Honestly, after the first week I really wasn’t sure if I could do it; I wasn’t sure if it was possible!

And now I’m that much closer to graduating in December.

I’m so excited to spend the next week (literally second session starts next Wednesday) doing everything I love to do and nothing that involves studying.

I kicked it off this morning with something I haven’t had in weeks:

A leisurely breakfast!

Homemade gluten free cinnamon waffles (you just add cinnamon to your GF batter) served with whipped vanilla greek yogurt.

Don’t get me wrong – I love waffles with sweet buttery syrup. But for the sake of energy, I pair my waffles with yogurt. It’s the perfect balance of protein and carbs, and it keeps me full for hours!

Happy Wednesday!

I’m heading off to the gym – I’ve missed my local YMCA! And then I definitely see some pool time in my future.

Check back this afternoon for a NEW delicious recipe: Pupusas!

A List for Me and You

I did better last week, no?

I blogged four days in a row, which honestly, was pretty hard with my current schedule. However, I have two more days this week: today and Tuesday, and then I am finished with Summer Session 1!

I will be off of school for an entire week and I already have a big to-do list piling up!

• Thank You cards
• exercise date with F
• exercise date with E
• celebrate my mommy’s bday
• celebrate Father’s Day – a week late
• try new recipes that will make for quick lunches
• sleep in – at least once
• hold hands with Parrish
• figure out why the comments widget isn’t working on this here blog?!
• clean, clean, and clean some more

That’s all for now…and I’m not even on break yet!

Until Wednesday friends, it’s going to be quiet around here. I’m not doing anything other than studying and taking a break to catch up on True Blood and Veep.

SO why don’t I share with you my TOP FIVE favorite things to eat right now…OR…Why haven’t you made these yet?!

1) Strawberry Chocolate Cherry Smoothies

At least twice a week, the above delight is my breakfast! It’s so dang yummy. I’ve been adding 1/4 cup gluten free rolled oats to the mix to thicken and weigh it down, and it keeps me full until 1:00!

2) Chipotle Cheat – Burrito Bowl

I will be making this for lunches. I am determined! I love this meal so much. It has all my favorite flavors in a filling little bowl. Mmmmmm….

3) EASY Cilantro Shallot Vinaigrette

Parrish’s FAVORITE dressing; it’s insanely easy to whip up and everyone will think you are a culinary genius!

4) Monterey Chicken

I don’t want to say that this is the…healthiest recipe….BUT it’s delicious!

5) Brussels Sprout Dippers

My favorite way to eat sprouts!

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Do you have a recipe that you think everyone should try? Email me a link and I’ll do another compilation post! marlowapril – at – glutenhatesme.com

Trending Today: You Guys, My Age, and Cashews

You guys give the BEST advice! Seriously, if you’re going through issues with caffeine, there are some GREAT tips in the comments to yesterday’s post.

Already yesterday, I was feeling tons better! I did have one cup first thing, but then I drank a TON of water and skipped the next three “usual” times for caffeine. I did have an unsweet tea with my late lunch, but I didn’t feel overly tired.

This is going to sound silly, but I also made sure to move around a bit in my seat during classes. I sat with legs crossed or even started swinging my legs to wake myself up a bit. I think this really helped!

Since it’s summer school, the classes are 2 hours and 20 minutes long! So I’m spending 7 hours a day in a seat! Big change for me. I’ve thought about asking if I can “perch” in the back, but I don’t think my professors would go for that!

So water was on trend for me yesterday. NOT on trend:

other students in my Spanish class asking me how old I am!

Yes, I am the oldest person in the class. No I don’t want to hear “I don’t look that old.”

And yes, I know they’re not trying to be rude and honestly neither am I. Maybe I am a little sensitive about being an “older” college student working towards a bachelor’s degree. Maybe it bothers me because I feel like this every afternoon:

Who knows.

All I do know is:

1. You don’t ask lady if she’s pregnant. (This didn’t happen I just think it’s a good general rule)

2. You don’t ask a lady if she’s “tired”. (Yes, she probably is but she doesn’t want to know that she looks tired; You look tired – Read: You look like shit)

3. You don’t ask a lady her age. (Rude)

4. If you buy cashews, you have to portion them out. You can NOT eat straight from the bag.

You think I’m joking?! Nope. I’m warning you. Don’t buy these DELICIOUS cashews and then think that you can stop yourself from eating too many out of the bag. You have to understand that these cashews are GLAZED (one of my favorite words) with pomegranate and vanilla!

Sure, it looks innocent enough. But don’t trust it! Too good to eat just one…or four…or ten.