Muffins

I came across a new muffin recipe. Orange and poppy seed muffins made with sour cream in the mix. I used my Pamela's baking mix as usual. You do not have to add baking powder, baking soda or salt as they are already in the mix. The recipe also called for cranberry orange butter but I forgot the cranberry sauce but I enjoyed them so much I did not miss the special butter. When I do make them again I will make them with the special butter.
I also have a recipe for pecan wedges with brown sugar whipped cream. I will finally get to use my springform pan.

Chili

It has been a while since I made chili. So I picked up some chop meat, beans, green pepper and onion. I added crushed tomatoes, chili powder, salt and pepper and some garlic. I also add a little sugar because I do not like a hot chili. We had some white rice and avocado on the side. This meal freezes well and will be lunch tomorrow.
I went through my recipe folder and I want to make muffins. I also have a springform pan that I haven't used yet and found a pecan recipe that sounds good. I have been relying on old staples but I need to make more veggies. I start to crave them when I slack off.
I was on jury duty for a few weeks and got home later than usual. It is so easy to get lazy!

Always Ask

I was in Atlantic City and ate breakfast at the Showboat. The potatoes that they used to serve with breakfast were not gluten free. They were packaged and gave me a lot of trouble. I inquired about the potatoes today and found out that they now serve REAL potatoes. They were very good with onion and seasonings. However, my recent dental surgery prevented me from really enjoying them. I was quickly filled up from a little of my ham and cheddar cheese omelet and potatoes (due to acid reflux) but at least it is a good weight control method- a forced diet if you will.
I've also discovered as I get older that I can not tolerate more than one alcoholic beverage. Again, this is not a bad thing. Have to look on the bright side of things. The glass is half full, not half empty!

Atlantic City

I really enjoy going to Atlantic City. Fortunately, I've found a few favorite spots to eat where I can enjoy a GF meal. However, I did learn the hard way. I was eating the home fries at a few hotels not realizing that they were packaged and had flour in them. That hurt, literally. Now for breakfast, one of my spots is Corky's where the home fries are GF. I also like their ribs with baked beans and cole slaw later in the day. And the price is right. The cobb salad at OPA is very good, especially with the $5.00 margarita! Also, Phillip's Seafood is a win-win at happy hour with $1.00 shrimp and oysters. Try a Cesar's salad on the side. At the buffet there are usually enough choices to fill me up as well.
That being said, my stomach has become more and more sensitive. Time to visit the doctor and try to adhere to an eating plan that will sooth my stomach. What works for you?

BABYCAKES CORNBREAD

Today I walked all over lower NYC so by the time I reached Babycakes I was ready for a treat. I decided on the cornbread because truth be told I like my GF brownies and cupcakes alot but haven't tried making corn bread at home yet. Well, was I happy. The girl behind the counter said that the cornbread had turned out very good today, and was she ever so right. The flavors were excellent, the consistancy just right. Well worth the $3.00, I'd even pay more for it.

Bagels Anyone?

I recently purchased GF bagels at Whole Foods from Glutino. They are sesame and are a good size. Well, I guess I'll give them a rating of B. I toasted them and put butter and I felt it needed a little more so I added peanut butter and orange marmalade. Not bad, the texture and taste were OK. I don't think I'll rush to buy them again because the Whole Foods bread and Foods by George english muffins are much better and these foods are expensive. But if you are missing bagels give it a try and let me know what you think.

For my next treat, I'm going to attempt a key lime pie using Pamela's ginger cookies with sliced almonds as a crust.

Getting Lazy

Sunday night dinner. I was thinking about stuffed peppers and I may do them tomorrow. However, tonight I marinated the thin sliced chicken cutlets in the Goya marinade, added pepper and coated them with Pamela's Baking mix when I was ready to cook them. The cutlets were like butter, so tender when cooked in the non stick pan with the extra virgin olive oil. I chopped garlic for the broccoli and opened a can of corn. Quick and easy. Oh, I also made tapioca pudding with raisins, sprinkled it with nutmeg and cinnamon.
As for the stuffed peppers, I will get the rice from the Chinese take out, mix it with the chop meat, onion, garlic and seasonings. Boil the green peppers for 5 minutes. Fill and top with cheese, then bake. I wonder how it would be with red or yellow peppers?

California Roll

So many ethnic foods have great gluten free options. If you are a "good" eater, the gluten free diet is really not a problem and you probably eat healthier than the average person. However, we all get lazy and take out is always an option. Today, I picked up an order of california roll at the sushi restaurant. They know me already and ask, "One order or two?". I have my GF soy sauce at home so I am good to go. I cut up a few slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese to put on the rice crackers and poured a glass of burgundy. This is a quick and easy meal that I enjoy. I can have a piece of dark chocolate afterwards and get some health benefits as well from the chocolate! I have been trying not to eat too late at night in the hopes of getting some elusive quality sleep. Getting older certainly is not easy.

Simple Yet Delicous

I saw a recipe in Cooking Light Magazine for a carrot-onion soup that caught my eye. Quick and easy. It called for yellow onions, I used white onions. I bought Key Food chicken broth which was the only one in the store that had no wheat on the label. It was not reduced sodium but I was not concerned about that. So, 4 cans of broth, 2 one pound bags of carrots (don't peel the carrots, just scrub well with a vegetable brush) and 2 onions later, I was good to go. I added pepper, a little oregano and of course, a little sofrito for extra flavor. You must use the extra virgin olive oil to saute the onions first. I sprinkled some fresh grated cheese on the finished product and Oh! Wow! Couldn't ask for more. I'm going to bring some to work tomorrow to eat with my lunch and I'm going to have some more with my dinner tomorrow. This is a recipe I will make again. It was perfect on a chilly day in April.

What a Bargain!

Three bunches of asparagus for $1.00! Sounds too good to be true. Right? Well, there is a little fruit/veggie stand nearby (in addition to the many others) and it has been there for years. So I knew that the quality would be good. I cleaned them up, cut the stalks and sauteed them with garlic. I do the garlic first because I like it cooked alot. I added salt, pepper and dried oregano and basil (just a touch). Keep stirring for a while and then keep checking for doneness. They were just the right combination of crisp/tender and were a nice accompaniment to the home made pastelle I was fortunate to have cooking. Of course, now I have alot of leftover asparagus. I'm thinking they would go well in an omelet.
Since it is passover season I was able to purchase the GF assorted cookies that are like the bakery cookies that we can not eat. That was a nice finish to my meal.

Oodles of Noodles

The Gluten-Free Mall is a pretty good resource for GF products that you can not find locally. I was missing good old fashioned buttered noodles. So I ordered Glutano Tagliatelle pasta which look like the longed for noodles of pre GF days. The package says to cook 4-6 minutes. I cooked them for 7 and they were still firm. I definately enjoyed them with salt, pepper and butter.
I also ordered GF croutons but have not used them yet. I hope I like them because then I can bring them along when I go out to eat and they will make a nice addition to my salad.

Cheeseburger,Cheeseburger,Cheeseburger

This old SNL reference comes in handy on this Sunday night. Cheeseburgers are a quick and easy meal, not to mention delicious with fried onions and a can of corn. I had some coleslaw that I made at lunch time to go with the tuna, so I had a bite of the slaw as well. I used extra sharp cheddar cheese on the burgers and they were just right. I don't care for my meat to be well done, so I kept the flame low.
I haven't made anything new lately and I'm also in the middle of a lot of dental work so I'm eating on one side only which is not much fun.

Mexican Style

Today I went to one of my favorite restaurants Mama Mexico on the upper west side in NYC. As usual, I had enchiladas. We also shared a ceviche appetizer and some fresh guacamole to start. Enchiladas are a comfort food to me. They have a melt in your mouth quality. The combination of ingredients can not be beat. The rice and beans on the side is good as well but that is too much food for me. The specials are always delicious and the service is excellent. The staff is friendly and they can answer any questions you may have. Don't miss out on this experience if you are in the area. You will enjoy it, I'm sure.

Prairie Bread

The verdict is in! I went to Whole Foods today and the Prairie Bread was in stock. The minute I got home I put two slices in the toaster oven. Wow. This is the first GF bread that I have ever purchased that I actually like. It has different seeds in it and the texture and taste are very good. It is satisfying and I was tempted to have another slice. I put butter on it as well as orange marmalade and crunchy peanut butter. I think I'll just use it for toast rather than sandwiches.
I'm also going to check out Everybody Eats in Brooklyn. This GF bakery has a variety of products that sound interesting. Stay tuned for an update.

Saturday Lunch

Fortunately the rain held off. So I was off to Jacque Torres to pick up some dark chocolate bark with 3 different types of nuts in it. What a treat. Then I went to Water Street restaurant next door for lunch. I hadn't had a cosmopolitan in a while so feeling very Sarah Jessica, I ordered one and it was just right. I had a cobb salad, one of my favorite salads. The combination of grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, corn, avacado, bacon and black beans is hard to beat. The dressing was a nice garlicy vinigrette. The bartender had some great music going on and the tremendous TV screen was showing soccer while the two other TVs had hockey and college basketball on. There is a pool table in the back as well. What a nice way to pass a few hours on a Saturday.

Results

Well, I finally made the meatballs. they were not bad, they were not great. They tasted a little too much like chop meat. I guess if I was grading them I would say B plus or a C. After all, C is passing. I think they were a tad dry. I did leave them in the oven when they were done, I probably should have taken them out but I wanted to keep them warm while the pasta was boiling. As they say, timing is everything in life! I also think that the GF breadcrumbs are definately not as good as Progresso. I don't buy GF breads so I could not use fresh bread crumbs (or day old) as is often recommend. Maybe I'll try a meatloaf next time. I'll have to try to do a gravy. Another thing I'm not really good at. Well, I do have left-overs for lunch. That is a good thing.
This morning I made fresh blueberry and walnut pancakes. Now they were very good. I may make one for breakfast tomorrow if I have time. The large container of berries was only $2.99.
They are not super sweet but in the pancake with butter and syrup, look out!

Super Bowl Meal

I think of chili as an appropriate super bowl meal. Some corn bread, a salad and your favorite drink. However, I think it is time to make those meatballs this Sunday. I'll cook them in the oven (shock) because they will be nice and soft that way. I'm trying to be creative and come up with an alternative to pasta with marinara sauce. I'll have to dig out the cookbooks and see if anything catches my eye. I'd like some wide noodles and some greens but I'm not sure what would be best. And I still have to make dinner for Saturday. It is too easy to get in a rut and there are so many wonderful fresh vegetables to experiment with. I haven't steamed cauliflower in a while. It is nice with pasta and sauce. Master the possibilities is not just a slogan for Mastercard. It is a way to approach cooking and food with an eye towards healthy eating and variety.
After going through my recipes I came across Mexican Meatball Soup. Sure enough, the recipe was recommended as a Super Bowl half time soup to be served with a make-your-own-sub bar. For me the soup is enough. You mix the lean chopmeat with uncooked rice, cilantro and seasonings and add it to the soup mix the last 20 minutes. I did make this once before and I used regular chop meat. This is described as a hefty soup. It's called Albondigas.

Soup's On!

What do you do with those left over veggies? You make soup. That's certainly a better idea than wasting your hard earned money on quality produce that ends up in the garbage. What is in your vegetable bin? I saw a green pepper, white onion and garlic. Not to mention a sweet potato. That is a perfect start. In the freezer were canned crushed tomatoes and GF broth. I picked up a can of Goya beans at the market and fresh carrots. Now I was cooking. I sauteed, I added sofrito, beans, etc... and will soon put some GF fusilli in the pot. I thought about putting left over rice but the noodles sounded better. Add more seasoning to taste. I often grate Parmesan cheese on to the soup just before serving. It does not take long to cook and is perfect on a cold winter night. When you are on the GF diet you cook most meals at home if you want to eat healthy. This soup is very satisfying and freezes well. Enjoy.
I plan to try meatballs soon. I haven't eaten them since diagnosis but I think I am prepared to attempt them with GF bread crumbs and a little of Pamela's mix. Stay posted.

Spanish Style

Pork chops, rice and beans. Now there is a GF meal that is satisfying. I marinate the chops in Goya Mojo marinade for beef, chicken and pork and I also season the chops with pepper. Of course, I cook the chops on top of the stove in a little extra virgin olive oil. The white rice comes from the Chinese take out. They do it perfect every time. I am not a big fan of brown rice, I'll pass on that. I always use Goya beans. Now here is the tricky part. You heat some of the extra virgin olive oil in the pot and then you add the sofrito. I don't care for the store bought ones and the authentic version is a lot of work. So hopefully you have an Hispanic friend who makes their own sofrito all the time and they will give you some, sell you some, whatever it takes. It is a wonderful blend of peppers and cilantro with many other delicious ingredients. You can also put green Spanish olives stuffed with minced pimientos (from Goya) in the beans. I cut them in half. You can use the sofrito when you make soup. Many Hispanics say that they cannot cook without it, and I know exactly what they mean. A good quality hot sauce sprinkled on this meal is the finishing touch. A just-right avocado would be the icing on the cake. Who needs dessert?

Italian Style

Tonight I will make sausage and peppers. On top of the stove not in the oven of course. I'll add some white onion and garlic and a little seasoning. This does require attention, keep moving everything around in the pan. I do start out with a little extra virgin olive oil so the sausages don't stick. I think I'll make the polenta with this.
I purchased Michael Eberhart's Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Gourmet Desserts book. It is the best GF book I have ever purchased. The quality of the book is a sight to behold. Don't be put off by the title. The recipes are not difficult. I may start with the award winning carrot cake. This does require purchasing several different GF flours. But once you have them in the house you can do almost anything.
This cold weather really is conducive to baking. Maybe I'll do some muffins tomorrow with Pamela's mix. They are so good when they first come out of the oven. And they stay well for a few days. I only make six at a time so what ever isn't eaten up will go into a zip lock bag.

Sunday Breakfast

On Sunday morning I have a chance to eat something I don't have time for during the week. This morning it was maple flavored sausage and a cheese omelet with Prairie Jack cheese with parsley and chives. I picked the cheese up yesterday at Whole Foods and even though it cost $5.99 for 8 ounces I consider it worth the price. I also purchased cinnamon and currant english muffins from Foods By George while I was there. I had one last night with butter, peanut butter and orange marmalade. That was a nice treat. The Prairie bread was not in stock again, I was told that they expect a shipment next week. Unfortunately for me, by the time I get back there again who knows if there will be any left.
Since tomorrow is a holiday, I have the day off. Maybe I'll have an english muffin with eggs over easy. I haven't planned any further than that yet but stay tuned. I have polenta in the house and I'm still thinking what I want to serve with it.

GF puddings

When you have a sensitive stomach, it is nice to come across a dessert that actually makes you feel better! Tapioca pudding and rice pudding are perfect examples of this. I use 2% milk and when making the tapioca I use slightly less sugar than the recipe on the box calls for. I add golden raisins, vanilla extract and sprinkle on the nutmeg and/or cinnamon. This dessert stores well in the refrigerator as does rice pudding. I use arborio rice but you can also use jasmine rice. Of course, a cinnamon stick would be even better than ground cinnamon. You don't need whipped cream but a few fresh strawberries on top certainly wouldn't hurt.
I think I have gained back a few pounds and I'm going to blame it on the junk food in the teacher's lunch room. Skittles and Starbursts may be gluten free but I sure could do without them. I may have to think about how I'm going to eat less/burn more calories. That is a whole 'nother blog and as a former certified personal trainer I do know what works with out torturing myself. My excuse is the cold weather, having a job, obligations but the bottom line is-if you want to do it-you will do it.

Brussel Sprouts

Here is another example of how I adapted a recipe more to my liking. It called for bottle chestnuts which I did not come across. I cut up the red pepper in strips but also added yellow pepper and may have added green pepper as well. It calls for garlic, I may have added white onion. All these veggies go well together, especially since you are coating them with the extra virgin olive oil. Salt, pepper and the best part-caraway seeds. They add a most wonderful flavor. If you are like me and miss rye bread, it was the caraway seeds that make that bread so good. This recipe does require me to take all the pots and pans out of my oven and cook it at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, stirring as needed. This is high in fiber, can't eat too much at a time but you will want to!
I am guilty of running (not literally) through the supermarket and grabbing the familiar items I usually make. So I treated myself to a pretty recipe file and I try to go through it from time to time to choose one of the recipes in it and write down what I need to buy for it. Even if I don't get the items that day, it is written down and sooner or later I will make that recipe.

Friday night dinner

It had been a while since I cooked my grilled chicken with arugula and tomatoes. I firmly believe in making a recipe your own. Take out what you don't like, add what you do. I added cucumber to this one. The chicken is marinated in red wine vinegar, olive oil (always extra virgin) honey mustard, pepper and garlic. I toss the salad with oil, salt and pepper. I often serve this with canned corn. I've made this for family and friends and they all loved it. Quick and easy and pretty healthy if you ask me. The cheeseburgers I'm planning for tomorrow night are not quite as healthy but I will cook up plenty of white onion in extra virgin olive oil to put on top of the burger.
Speaking of healthy. Many people do not like veggies because their first exposure to them was a disaster. Canned or frozen or undercooked or overcooked or plain or poor quality. What a shame. I really think that veggies are my favorite food. I want to do more with them and will share my brussels sprouts success in my next blog.

Breakfast

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. One of the benefits of the GF diet is that you can not go to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast or grab a buttered bagel from the local deli on the run. I really enjoy oatmeal or cream of rice for breakfast. I hook it up with raisins, chopped walnuts, syrup and nutmeg or cinnamon. It is delicious and does not take long to make at all. A glass of juice, your vitamins and you are good to go. I try to have a healthy morning snack as well. I tend to gravitate towards dried fruits and nuts. They are very satisfying and a great balance of protein and carbs to keep your blood sugar steady.
Of course, I need my coffee too. Thank goodness that my Starbucks double tall caramel macchiato is gluten free. Sometimes I'm in the mood for tea and I like Tetley orange pekoe hot or iced. I stay away from the hot chocolate because all that milk does not agree with my stomach. I rarely eat ice cream any more but it is good to know that Baskin Robbins has gluten free ice creams. In February I like their Love Potion 31.

Chili for dinner

I haven't made chili for a while so this chilly weather felt like the perfect time do so so. Contrary to conventional wisdom you do not have to cook chili for hours to get great results. I personally do not like fire-hot chili, in fact I like it a tad sweet. I use chop meat, not the lean meat either, and after I brown it, I drain off the fat. I add in the chopped green pepper, then the chopped white onion and then the garlic to cook along with the meat. I add Goya canned red beans (I love Goya products) and canned crushed tomatoes (Red Pack is good or any well known brand). Then the chili powder and other seasonings as desired (pepper, maybe a pinch of sugar and salt). Let it simmer at least a half hour, stirring often, add a little water if needed and taste until it is cooked to your liking. You can serve it with white rice and/or a salad but I like it just as it is and the left overs are even better!

I've mentioned Pamela's products before and I enjoy her cookies as well. Try the peanut butter or the expresso cookies or the chocolate chip cookies. They are all excellent. I also make muffins with her baking mix, adding raisins, walnuts and a bit of spice. Wonderful!

Gluten Free Living Magazine

I was diagnosed with celiac about 8 years ago. At that time I dealt with it pretty well. I did miss pizza but I soon found Foods By George and ordered his GF frozen pizza crust and made pizza with veggies that was pretty good. I also discovered Gluten Free Living Magazine and had the pleasure of meeting the editor Ann Whalen. I have been subscribing to her magazine ever since. I even wrote a few articles about exercise and GF foods that were published in her magazine. This magazine is the definitive source for reliable information on GF everything. Whether you are newly diagnosed or an old timer like me you would do well to subscribe to this magazine. It keeps evolving. The info is cutting edge. Ann and her staff are on top of things when it comes to the latest legislation, product information etc...

Which reminds me, continue to read labels because products do change. Kellogg's Corn Pops for example. Once GF -now not. I am now eating Enviro Kids Frosted Flakes. I like them with raisins and 2% milk. It sure beats puffed rice. The GF menu is getting better and better, thank goodness.

GF pasta

I love Tinkyada pasta. I buy the spirals, fusilli, penne, elbows and the lasagna. Tonight I had the spirals with a wonderful sauce cooked for 4 hours with sausage and fresh basil added. I also had leftover chicken cutlets and I made sure to put fresh grated cheese over the pasta. The fusilli will go in homemade soup. I often make shrimp scampi on Monday but I wanted to use up the chicken cutlets leftover from yesterday. My secret ingredient for the scampi is a touch of dry vermouth. Actually, I adapted the recipe from Emeril so I really can't take the credit for that one. I don't use any butter for the scampi, you don't need it, the lemon works like a charm.
When I have a day off I will do the lasagna. Maybe with eggplant or zucchini. The leftovers stay nicely for days. It is such a treat. When the ricotta and mozzarella go on sale I will pick them up. Lucky for me my boyfriend does the 4 hour sauce. We often do a quick marina sauce as well. That takes less than an hour. I watched Chef Lydia squeeze the whole canned tomatoes with her hand on public television so now I do the same but I wear rubber gloves. These are the meals that make you want an espresso afterwards with a slice of ricotta cheesecake.

Ready For Monday

On the GF diet you must always think ahead. I do keep Progresso Chicken Soup with Rice and their Manhattan Clam Chowder on hand since they are gluten free. Of course, you could always just make yourself a nice omelet in a pinch for dinner as well. Work days require some thought because how many grilled chicken cesar salads (without croutons) can you order from the local coffee shop? One a week is plenty. My fall back lunch is tuna salad. It has to be Progresso tuna in olive oil. I add a lot of chopped white onion, mayo, mustard and pepper and those Kame rice crackers come along for the ride on the F train to work. One of my coworkers gave me her mom's cole slaw recipe and I do that once in a while with packaged shredded cabbage. It is sweet, better than the recipe on the bag! My left overs from dinner are often my lunch. I try not to waste too much food and I think I do a pretty good job. I really love almost every vegatable and beans. There's another option-bean salads. Chickpeas with cucumbers and onions seasoned up with salsa or black bean and corn salad. I've even done a great lima bean salad. Those salads go to the beach with me during the summer. How many more months?

Sunday Dinner and more

After having grits with salt, pepper and butter and fried eggs over easy for breakfast, I was off to the eye doctor. It took a while so on the way back I stopped at the original Nathan's in Coney Island. The hot dogs are not GF but the french fries are (skip the processed cheese) and the lemonade is slammin'. I met up with a few friends on the boardwalk and took in some fresh air for a while. Then it was off to the supermarket. I had cheeseburgers on my mind but this rinky-dink store had no chop meat out and I'm not a turkey burger person. So I ended up with thin chicken cutlets which are now marinating in the Goya Mojo marinade and black pepper. I'll use Pamela's mix to lightly flour the cutlets and when I cook them up in a little extra virgin olive oil they will be delicious. I also picked up some broccoli that I will saute with garlic in the extra virgin olive oil of course. I do most everything on top of the stove. It is quick and easy. Since I'm feeling lazy I'll just open a can of corn. I love corn in any shape or form. They actually sell corn on the cob on the beach in the summer in Coney Island rolled in mayo and paprika and believe it or not it is good. Another lady comes by on the beach with little corn tacos. They are predicting a snow storm and I'm reminiscing about the good old summer time!

GF on the run

After running errands and getting a manicure, my stomach really was grumbling. So I headed to McDonald's with my son who is not on the GF diet. He had a number 7 which looked good. However, I went with the grilled chicken salad-no croutons of course. I did order small fries and they were not bad with my diet coke. Then it was off to Met Fresh to pick up dinner. I got a nice piece of fresh salmon which is now seasoned with pepper and lemon. Baby spinach will be sauteed with garlic in extra virgin olive oil. I use extra virgin for everything except baking. I use canola oil for baking.
Of course, it was now cocktail hour. I cut up some white cheddar cheese with chipotle in it and put it on Kame sesame rice crackers. They go with everything. I poured myself a glass of burgundy and what more could you ask for? This gluten free lifestyle certainly has not cramped my style.

Pancakes!

I think I have eaten more pancakes since my diagnosis of celiac disease than I did pre diagnosis. I have to thank Pamela for that. I don't know her personally. However, her GF pancake and baking mix is the bomb. Today I made pancakes with chocolate chips and chopped walnuts for breakfast. I use reduced calorie syrup to cut down on the calories. Ha! It is all about portion control of course. I only eat one but it is a nice sized one at that. Actually, I make so many things with her mix that it is my number one favorite GF food. I also make pancakes with chopped canned pears and melted chocolate. Those don't require syrup.
For a change, I also make ricotta pancakes. I'm pretty sure I got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine and adapted it. Pamela's mix has baking powder in it already. These pancakes are more work to make but WOW they are so light and delicious. I've also made pancakes with berries and I like to use the frozen ones as well because the syrup is so good. Of course, pancakes are a weekend treat, usually Saturdays. I'm thinking about grits and eggs for tomorrow.

Options-Options-Options

I've been reading several GF blogs. Some are very good. However, I seem to notice that the emphasis is either on desserts or the lack of convenient packaged foods. There really are other options out there if you think outside the box. I never was a bread person so the lack of a good GF free bread does not bother me. However, I do intend to try the Prairie Bread at Whole Foods. It was out of stock on my last visit to the Union Square store in NYC. That being said, I'd like to share some of the foods I enjoy for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the GF diet and I hope that there are others out there who enjoy ethnic foods that are healthy (or not so healthy) and are a little more creative with their every day cooking.