Shhh, shhhh...Let Me Expound a Little.

After much concern from the last post, including a couple sweet comments & a few frantic phone calls, let me let you in on how I HAVE been surviving since August:

 1)  My husband is A-MA-ZING!  He's got a special Gluten-Free Sorghum & Buckwheat Pancake recipe down-pat.  Could mix it up in his sleep for me if I asked him to (he makes mini-pancakes so I can partake fully of the sacrament too)!  He's also been a dear & been by my side in various experiments which have yielded some yummy Quinoa Chocolate Muffins/Cupcakes and some not so yummy quinoa tortillas (don't bother, never even made it to the pan to be cooked & tasted---was like paste in the bowl...actually, maybe a bit on the brick-mortar side).  So there are a few things like that in the bread-ish department I'm enjoying (Note: the strain by which that statement came through my teeth?  NOTHING compares to a gourmet treat from The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe or warm, soft, lofty fresh-baked bread...or even wonderbread for that matter...or pizza crust...but I digress).  But we're managing thanks to his fabulousness.

    2)  My new favorite dinner entree is: Pollo con Creme over Quinoa!  OMGoodness, absolute HEAVEN!  (my cholesterol is probably through the roof, but it is amazing.  And since I'm denied most every other comfort food under the sun, my cholesterol level can just deal with it.)  Cool thing about PcC over Quinoa is that BOTH Mr LKP & my sweet cherub know how to make it.  Be aware that the hubster prefers PcC with a little heat, so he adds some jalapeno (which is surprisingly not as terrifying as it first sounds).  Daisykins likes to make it simple & buttery-creamy!  Both are good.  Below is Daisy's first batch (notice dad's added jalapenos):

 

 

 

3)  So, obviously I eat Quinoa.  It's like rice only better (especially since I'm MOST allergic to rice over all the other grains & starches)!  What's cool about Quinoa is that its a complete carbohydrate.  It's not actually a grass believe it or not.  Is native to South American, being grown in the Andes mountains, and a diet staple for the Mayan & Incan peoples (translation=it's some of what the Nephites & Lamanites survived on).  So we rinse it, then toss it into my "rice cooker" and turn it on.  In about 20 minutes or so it's ready to eat, either as a side or in place of noodles or rice or tortillas.  At Thanksgiving, instead of partaking of the irresistible stuffing, I made Quinoa with organic broth instead of water & it was wonderful!  My celiac aunt prefers Quinoa with butter & brown sugar in the morning over all other cereal choices.  So, it's pretty versatile.

 

4)  Apples!!!!!!!!!!  Honeycrisp are now my favorite.  Used to be that I thought one apple was just like another, however I have become quite the connoisseur of apple varieties.  Pink Lady's are incredible.  Golden Delicious are a great & dependable fruit.  Granny Smith are lovely & keeps better than the other apples.  Jazz are pretty yummy.  Pacific Rose are beautiful and just the right amount of sweet.  Red Delicious are anything BUT THAT!  Definitely my least favorite of all.  :0P

5)  Almond Butter--->like crazy!  But I've always been a peanut kid.  Have always loved shelling & enjoying what it is to eat a salted peanut.  Do you remember the story about the evil witch who cast a spell on the hunter that was lost in the forest?  His likeness is forever trapped inside each peanut.  (Trust me, just look and you'll see his big ol' nose & his little mustache.  Poor guy.) I cried when I got my allergy results back since I practically lived on PBJ sandwiches.  Now after months of Almond butter, (I couldn't take it anymore and actually snitched a peanut at a holiday party and it was AWFUL!!!)  I much prefer the almonds...but I miss seeing that little mustache!    =)

6)  Tillamook Cheese.  Enough said.  Divine creation, inspired by the power of God.  It's great since there are no added or modified starches in it.  And no spices (which most always contain garlic) like some of the cheese variations out there.

7)   Breyer's Natural Ice Cream.  It is what is says it is: milk, sugar, cream & now 33% MORE DUTCH CHOCOLATE!!! (never used to like chocolate ice cream until all this.  Crazy, I know.)

8)   Am okay with beef, chicken, turkey, pork, & lamb.  Not too keen on the last two (unless its Jimmy Dean's Natural breakfast sausage in a tube, and only drizzled in homemade maple syrup).  Additional spices are constantly in a lot of meats from the store, especially if marinaded first.  Have to watch those for garlic, mustard & orange zest.  Alot of packaged meats also are kept in some type of broth which usually contains some soy product in it...vegetable oil I have to steer clear of...again various starches...I'm okay with tuna as well, but not from a can or a pouch.  Tuna steaks=yea.  Shelfed tuna=no way.
9)   Corn syrup is EVERYWHERE, so I don't drink most sodas (unless in the organic hippy department at the grocery store cause they're made from pure sugar cane).  I don't eat candy...can't.  All has corn syrup or soy.  Some even have rice & rice starch to it.  Chocolate & gum are both big time soy users as they make melting & emulsifying smoother.  So, I eat only one brand of free-trade chocolate bar (again from Hippy-ville), and one brand of chocolate chips (called "Enjoy Life" which is guaranteed to not contain ANY of the 7 most common allergens including soy.  Once again from the Hippy joint---no, NOT hip-joint, lol).

10)  Lastly, good old wholesome Milk.  Glad that's not off limits.  Phew!  Narrow squeak that one!!!

So that's a Reader's Digest rundown of what I've learned with my food.  Home cooking is best & most plausible.  Do I know some of the fast-food joints' menus?  You bet I do, but how many of these high schoolers running the place care about cleaning the grill BEFORE even beginning to make my dinner?  None of them.  People like me come through with my order & my specific cooking specifications, and the grill staff would rather set me ablaze then accomodate.  Trust me, I know.  I used to be one of those my senior year of high school (and yes, I do feel ashamed now).  Probably why my allergies are so complex now...Karma.

Know, too, that I've spared you the insane details regarding the impact on my cosmetics & beauty regiment.  Seth knows he can't EVER go out on a limb & buy that kind of stuff for me (including perfume), atleast not without asking which stuff I specifically CAN use.  Clear down to what kind of lip balm we all use.  (If you're wondering, it's plain old original or mint Blistex.  That's it.)

So, if I ever have a frown on my face, know that it's not you.  It's TOTALLY me.  Probably throwing a momentary pity party for myself.  No worries, they pass quickly.  So nobody worry.  I am managing.  I just need to broaden my horizons as far as recipe options are concerned.  Gotta find new ways to discover flavor again.  =)

Thanks to all of you for caring.  Ya'll'r stars that brighten my life.
Love ya.  Mean it.

P.S.  If you or someone you know of new to wheat allergies and/or Celiac Disease, my FAVORITE BOOK on living gluten-free is this one (seriously could not put it down!):